Lake Tobesofkee and Bowden Golf Course are now their own separate departments within the Macon-Bibb County government. Previously, they both fell under the umbrella of the Recreation Department. With this change, the people who managed those places are now their directors. Brandon Doles is the Bowden Golf Course Director, and Donald Bracewell is the Lake Tobesofkee Director. Interim Recreation Director Robert Walker has now been named Director of the Macon-Bibb Recreation Department.
Robert Walker
Director – Recreation Department
Robert Walker is being nominated for Director of Macon-Bibb County’s Recreation Department. Walker is a native of Columbus, GA and most recently served the community as the Department’s Interim Director and Senior Recreation Operations Manager. He has more than ten years of experience in the recreation/leisure services field, with eight of those being with the former City of Macon and Bibb County, and the new consolidated Macon-Bibb County.
During his time in Macon-Bibb County, Walker has been instrumental in creating a Youth Track and Field Program, a Youth Travel Football Program, Adult Field Day, and developed partnerships with many local community organizations. He also has helped oversee daily operations of the department and the many improvement projects (new recreation centers, extensive overhauls and upgrades to recreation centers, and improvements to parks) funded by the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.
Walker earned his Bachelor’s Degree in in Recreation Management & Leisure Services from Georgia State University in 2005 and his Master’s Degree in Sports Management from Jacksonville State University in 2016.
Brandon Doles
Director – Historic Bowden Golf Course
Brandon Doles is being nominated for Director of Historic Bowden Golf Course after serving as its Manager since March 2015. Prior to Bowden, he was the Second Assistant Superintendent at Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA, and the Assistant Golf Superintendent at Healy Point Country Club in Macon, GA. He also interned at the Augusta National Golf Club and is a firefighter with the Peach County Fire Department.
Doles is a graduate of The Westfield Schools in Perry, GA, and he has an Associate of Applied Science in Environmental Horticulture Technology and Bachelor of Applied Science in Golf Course and Turf Management from Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in Tifton, GA. He is also a certified First Responder, is certified in CPR, and holds a Firefighter 1 NPQ Certification from Moultrie Technical College.
Donald Bracewell, Jr.
Director – Lake Tobesofkee
Donald Bracewell is being nominated for Director of Lake Tobesofkee after working there since 2008, first as a Deputy Ranger, then as its Law Enforcement Supervisor, and then as the Manager. Prior to working at Lake Tobesofkee, Bracewell worked for six years in the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Bracewell is a graduate of Twiggs County High School, earned his Education Diploma from Heart of Georgia Technical College, and a certified law enforcement officer through the Georgia Public Safety Training Center.
In the past few years, Lake Tobesofkee has made several improvements, including new ways of taking reservations, conducting additional training, and advertising more. Rangers now have a new patrol boat to help protect people’s safety on the lake. As Director, Bracewell wants to implement an online reservation system, and make much-needed improvements to the gate houses, pavilions, and campgrounds.