Tri-State Golfer Summer 2021 Issue

tri-state golfer magazine

The Most Read Golf Publication In The Tri-State Area • Philadelphia – Southern NJ – Northern DE • Summer 2021

A NEW DAY

AT LANDIS CREEK Pandemic Turned Into A Game-Changer For Lutz’s Multi-Tiered Operation

Newly Renovated Roundhouse Bar & Grill

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Kimberton Golf Club

Built In 1961 By Famous Golf Architect George Fazio– First Design, Par 70

Find Rates And Book Your Tee Time Online:

KimbertonGolfClub.com

610 933 8836 162 Ridge Road, Phoenixville, PA 19460 Present this ad to receive a free Coke & hot dog w/18-hole purchase!

(Located just 20 minutes from King Of Prussia)

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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tri-state golfer magazine

INSIDE THIS ISSUE • SUMMER 2021

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

GREEN GRASS ACCOUNTS JOE BURKHARDT ADVERTISING SALES (PA / NJ / DE / NATIONAL)

JOE BURKHARDT 610.755.8767 tristategolf@gmail.com ART DIRECTOR

GARO YEPREMIAN JR. GAROJRDESIGN.COM

STAFF WRITER

NATE OXMAN CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

MATT BIONDI MARK HOGAN MIKE MAY WAYNE MILLS TOM MCNICHOL AL RYDING GARO YEPREMIAN JR.

CONTRIBUTING ASSOCIATIONS

BIONDI MEDIA GOLF NEWS NETWORK KEVIN FRISCH PR LET’S GO GOLF TRAVEL NETWORK LPGA PGA OF AMERICA USGA tristategolfer.com

PO BOX 341 DREXEL HILL, PA 19026

A Link To The Origins Of The Game

At The Jersey Shore, Get A True Links Golf Experience At

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links

10 Golf Tech

GolfPass Lauds V1 Game

11 Golf Trends

Golf Is Getting Off Course

12 A New Day At Landis Creek

Tandemic Turned Into A Game-Changer For Lutz’s Multi-Tiered Operation

16 Talamore & Applecross

Talamore’s Family Of Clubs

18 Golf Tech

TrackMan Range Comes To Boyne Highlands Resort

20 Day Trippin’

Kimberton Joining The Party

22 Tournament News

Reynolds Cup Returns To Lake Oconee This Fall

23 Golf News

NGF Research Bulletin: April Rounds Numbers Are In

24 Day Trippin’

At Turtle Creek, The Grass Is Always Greener

26 Golf News

2,700 Players Already Registered For 38th Annual PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com

World Amateur Handicap Championship

27 Golf Travel

Horseshoe Bay Resort Opens Spectacular Cap Rock Clubhouse

29 Golf Apparel

Hoffman’s Boston Scott Golf Apparel Is An Emerging Fashion Force

Any opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the writers and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher or Tri-State Golfer Magazine. The information in this issue was accurate at the time of publication.

All rates should be confirmed with the golf facility before making tee times and reservations.

Landis Creek Golf Club

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tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

GILBERTSVILLE GOLF CLUB

GILBERTSVILLE GOLF CLUB

610 323 3222

golfgilbertsvillegc.com

2944 LUTHERAN RD, GILBERTSVILLE, PA 19525

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Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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A LINK TO THE ORIGINS OF THE GAME At The Jersey Shore, Get A True Links Golf Experience At McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

T

om Sullivan has been there since the beginning when Egg Harbor Township, N.J. opted to turn its closed landfill into a golf course that opened in 2002.

The general manager at McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links has seen a golf course corporation come and go, Hurricane Sandy come blowing through and the condition of the golf course improve since Steve Lane came on as the superintendent. And now he’s seen the effect of a global pandemic on his operation.

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links, a 6,100-yard, par-71 layout, is named for the Egg Harbor Township mayor, James “Sonny” McCullough, who pushed to turn an expiring landfill into a golf course. The property’s former life as a landfill makes it the highest point in Atlantic County, which, combined with its proximity to the ocean, made it the perfect spot to create a links-style course.

Golf course architect Stephen Kay turned 17 holes into a homage to various great links designs in Europe, some on the continent, but primarily from the famous linksland courses of England and Scotland.

The signature seventh hole at McCullough’s

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tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

Emerald Golf Links adopts a design created

by Alister MacKenzie, who collaborated with Bobby Jones to design the Augusta National Golf Club that golf fans have become so familiar with watching the Masters every April, although MacKenzie was never able to incorporate the hole into any of his golf courses.

The result is a resort golf course between Atlantic City and Ocean City that offers a unique challenge.

“There’s elevation changes and rolling hills and because we’re so high up, the wind is always a factor,” Sullivan said as he and his staff started gearing up for “the season” with Memorial Day weekend just a few days away.

A year ago, with COVID protocols from New Jersey shifting with each issuance of another executive order, Sullivan was just hoping to have a season. Golf, though, would not just survive the pandemic, it would thrive and Sullivan and his team learned a few lessons from COVID that will continue to be part of the McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links experience for years to come.

“We’ve experimented with eight- and nine-minute intervals in our tee times in

the past,” Sullivan said. “For a short period we were only allowed to have 16-minute intervals, which didn’t work out too well But when we really got going in mid-June, we settled on 10-minute intervals and that’s really worked out from a pace-of-play standpoint, which is something we’ve always been aware of.

“We had discussed pre-pay for tee times and curbside pickup at the bag drop, but we were always worried the customers wouldn’t like it. But we were forced to do those things because of COVID and people adjusted to it, so we’re going to continue to do those things.”

By mid-summer of last year, golf was booming. There simply weren’t a whole lot of entertainment or athletic outlets available in the midst of the pandemic. People who had once abandoned the game because they felt it simply took too much time to play a round suddenly had time on their hands.

“There just weren’t a whole lot of options when it came to things you could do safely, maybe biking, tennis, you could go to the beach, but golf was definitely something you could do safely,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan noticed his numbers start to

tick up in July and August, but they were traditionally strong months at the Jersey Shore. But that was followed by the best September McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links had ever had and then the best October and the best November and December and January until several snow events slowed things down a little in February.

It appeared that some people whose children were still going to school virtually in the fall simply opted to stay at the beach after the unofficial end of summer Labor Day weekend.

“I’m optimistic because there are signs that club sales are up,” Sullivan said. “The National Golf Foundation sees a five-year bubble for golf. Phil (Mickelson) winning the PGA will help. My big indicator for us, I think, will be how we do in September and October this year.”

Sullivan is quick to credit his superintendent, Lane, for keeping McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links in consistently good condition.

“I think the course is in as good a condition as it’s ever been,” Sullivan said, noting that there were at least five greens that weren’t in the best of shape when he turned to Lane in 2010.

Sullivan employs “dynamic pricing,” which accounts for factors like the time of the year, the day of the week, the time of day, even weather conditions when it comes to what you’ll pay to play McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links.

“I think people have started to get used to paying that way,” Sullivan said of the dynamic pricing concept.

Sullivan sees McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links’ affordability as a one of the strengths of the overall operation.

“I think we’ve established a good niche at the Shore as one of the more affordable courses,” Sullivan said. “You know it’s going to be a little higher to play on Memorial Day weekend, but later in the day, you can get a pretty nice deal.”

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links is trying to get away from weekend outings because it limits the amount of regular play.

Sullivan hopes to see some of the outings that

went by the wayside during the pandemic start to come back in 2021, but he’d like to limit them, as much as possible, to Monday through Thursday.

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links leases out its food and beverage operation to Vagabond, a popular eatery in nearby Atlantic City. When outdoor dining became the only dining in 2020, Vagabond was more than ready.

“They had built this huge deck years ago, so the transition to outdoor dining was very successful,” Sullivan said. “A lot of restaurants had to quickly put down a small concrete area, but the deck here was already in place.”

A visit to McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links’ website, www.mculloughsgolf.com, reveals some of its most popular deals.

“Our big seller is a 10-Round Card that goes for $399 and there are other options, including a Five-Round Card and a 7-Daya-Week card,” Sullivan said.

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links also offers a Member Card that starts at $400.

Pace of play is very important to Sullivan and his team. If his staff notices an area of the golf course that is slowing down play, they’ll make an adjustment.

“If we notice an area of rough that people are slowing down to look for balls, we’ll cut the rough more,” Sullivan said If you’re looking for a real links-golf setting at a golf course that really values

pace of play and affordability, McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links might be what you’re looking for this summer at the Jersey Shore and maybe even in the fall. TSG For more information about McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links, call 609.926.3900 or visit MCCULLOUGHSGOLF.COM

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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GOLF TECH

GolfPass Lauds V1 Game’s Strokes Gained Data, Auto Shot Tracking and Detection It’s been five years since Jimmy Maack and his brother Andy took over the operation of Kimberton Golf Club that will celebrate its 60th anniversary of golf next year in its familiar setting along Route 23 a few miles west of Phoenixville.

Novi, MI - V1 Game, the innovative mobile app from V1 Sports that delivers on-course GPS and robust post-round performance analytics (including numerous Strokes Gained statistics), has been named Best Apple Watch Golf App for 2021 by GolfPass. The app also captured the top spot in several sub-categories, including auto shot tracking, strokes gained data, and auto distance measuring.

“It’s great to see the industry take notice of the V1 Game app’s depth of inventive features,” says V1 Sports CEO Bryan Finnerty. “You are going to be hearing more and more about how V1 Game leads the way as the number-one GPS app with mind-blowing Auto Shot Detection, robust performance data analytics, and Virtual Coach and Virtual Caddie functions that make golfers better. The focused and articulated Strokes

Gained reports give golfers the ability to practice smarter and lower their scores – that clearly sets us apart. Our V1 Game developers Dallas Webster and Ryan Hebert are rock stars in this business and V1 Game is going to continue to turn heads and help people play their best golf.”

Affiliated with NBC, GolfPass is a popular paid membership service that connects golfers to tee times credits, exclusive video content, worldclass instruction and travel tips. The GolfPass review mentioned that V1 Game “has vaulted up the ranks of established app makers to become the best app for serious golfers using Apple Watch. Its shot tracking is the clear-cut winner among the apps that don’t require club tags, while the app dashboard provides illuminating strokes gained and traditional analysis using your scoring and shot data.” It goes on to add that shot tracking really matters when the statistics dashboard isn’t insightful, and V1 delivers by slicing and dicing rounds and shot data in a multitude of ways telling users which facets of their game are losing the most shots and where they should spend

practice time.

In addition to greatly enhancing the ability of an Apple Watch on-course, V1 Game can also transform a mobile phone into a golfer’s personal caddie, game performance tracker and pocket golf coach. V1 Game’s powerful GPS data provides accurate yardages to greens, hazards and landing zones to help you navigate the course like a professional. After a round is completed, V1 Game’s intuitive performance analysis technology provides a wealth of articulated statistics that reveal the user’s strengths, weaknesses and paths to improvement.

With unique features such as Virtual Caddie and Virtual Coach, the sky’s the limit on GPS- and A.I.powered game improvement. What’s more, V1 Game functions without the need for wearables, attachments or any external hardware other than a smartphone or Apple Watch.

Visit https://v1sports.com/athletes/v1-gameapp/ to learn more about V1 Game.

GOLF TRENDS

Golf Is Getting Off Course

By Joseph F Beditz, Ph.D., President & CEO, National Golf Foundation It’s now common knowledge that rounds played surged in 2020, and most know we’re off to a good start this year.

We’ve noted previously that on-course participation experienced its biggest net increase in 17 years. Off-course participation, meanwhile, continued its impressive run in 2020 by more than doubling the noteworthy gain that was seen on-course.

NGF estimates there were just over 24 million off-course participants last year; just shy of the number of on-course golfers.

Twelve point something …

Golf ’s overall participation base in the U.S. – combining on- and off-course players – rose 8% in 2020 to 36.9 million. This leaves us with three closely-sized and mutually-exclusive groups of Americans (age 6+): • 12.6M who played only on-course golf (average age 50 / 29% female) • 12.2M who played on AND off-course golf (average age 42 / 21% female) • 12.1M who played only off-course golf (average age 31 / 45% female) As you can see in the corresponding chart, the total number of off-course golfers (Topgolf, ranges, simulators, etc.) has just about matched the number who play on a course. And it won’t be long before traditional, “green grass” participants are out-numbered. Very likely this year.

This is good news for golf. Our research tells us that the approachable, nonintimidating environments of Topgolf, and venues like it, help to cultivate interest in the traditional game. Course operators in proximity to these golf entertainment venues should be doubling down on their marketing and player development investments, as there are an increasing number of customer prospects being generated right in their backyards.

COME PLAY THE FIELD Plan Your Next Round Of Golf At Linfield National Golf Club COMING SOON – All New Technology for Golf Simulators GREAT CONDITIONS • GREAT STAFF • GREAT EXPERIENCE Robert Kleckner – PGA Professional Of The Year, 2017

LinfieldNational.com • 610 495 8455

66 CHURCH RD, LINFIELD, PA 19468

A NEW DAY

AT LANDIS CREEK

Pandemic Turned Into A Game-Changer For Lutz’s Multi-Tiered Operation

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

I

t was the first week of May and Brian Lutz was remembering what things were like at Landis Creek Golf Club in Limerick a year earlier in May of 2020 with the reality of dealing with a global pandemic was really starting to sink in.

“I guess it was May 1 when we got golf back, but we had more time between starting times and one person to a cart, so it was still tough,” said the 50-yearold Lutz, who took over the operation of the old Limerick Golf Club in 2014.

“Our banquets and weddings (at The Loft at Landis Creek, a successful catering operation run by Lutz’s wife Jean) were all being cancelled. It wasn’t until June 5 that

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we got outdoor dining back.”

Since taking over at Landis Creek, a big focus for Lutz has been developing the Creekside Sports Bar & Grille into a thriving sports bar and entertainment spot. It is anything but a sleepy 19th hole for the golf course and that is by design.

And the patio outside the bar became a huge part of salvaging what could have been a lost year for the entire operation.

The patio still had a tent over it, erected for New Year’s Eve. So, the patio at the Creekside became something of an oasis in a 2020 desert of entertainment options in western Montgomery County.

It was determined fairly quickly that

golf was one of the few things that could be done safely. And golfers old and new came out in droves to Landis Creek and its many competitors in the busy publicgolf scene in and around Limerick. So much so that Lutz believes that COVID-19 might very well have saved the game of golf in this country and it certainly gave his business at Landis Creek a huge boost.

“I know this sounds strange, but COVID-19 might have saved the game of golf,” Lutz said. “People who had never played before started to take up the game of golf. Maybe they were scared off before by four-hour rounds, but when it was the only thing to do, they came out and they

enjoyed themselves.

“It’s up to us to make sure they stay with it, but I think a lot of them will be back this year. You heard it a lot last year with people saying, ‘I kind of like this.’”

Jason Hilz has been the director of golf and club operations at Landis Creek for nine years, starting when it was still Limerick. But he is a critical member of Lutz’s team. Hilz believes the golf boom of 2020 came at a good time for Landis Creek.

Hilz estimates there were in the neighborhood of 28,000 rounds played at Landis Creek in 2020 and that’s with the golf course shut down for the better part of six weeks in the spring. Limiting one player to a cart and being forced to have 15 minutes between tee times for a while didn’t help the bottom line.

“As soon as we were allowed, we went back to 10 minutes between tee times,” Hilz said. “Our pace of play has been pretty good. We had 242 (players) Sunday (May 2) and our rounds were between four hours, five minutes and four hours, 15 minutes.”

Another key member of the team at Landis Creek is Brett Culbertson, the golf course superintendent. There was a point last year when there was so much play, it was tough to maintain the Landis Creek layout, which measures 6,068 yards from

the tips, but Culbertson, who has been at Landis Creek for 10 years, and his team were able to get the job done.

“The golf course is in great shape,” Lutz said. “One of our strengths has been our ability to retain our employees year after year. When we were shut down last year, everybody was chipping in and helping out wherever they could.”

“The golf course got a nice little break when it was snow-covered for the entire month of February,” Hilz said. “Some of the fairways and tees were a little beat up by the end of the season last year.”

One of the more noticeable changes Lutz, Hilz and Culbertson brought to the golf course is a water hazard on the par-4 finishing hole at Landis Creek.

“The seniors can’t just get up there and rip driver, they have to think about it a little,” Hilz said. “There’s a lot of attention to detail here and people notice it.”

Hilz is planning a couple of special events in 2021 with the pandemic starting to wind down a little. He was pretty excited about a Hops Around the USA event July 23 that will pair golf with a beer-tasting with local breweries participating.

“We were work ing w it h t he Conshohocken Brewing Company last year and they even came up with a special beer named for us, the Down the Creek

IPA,” Lutz said.

Hilz will stage his ever-popular 8-Inch Cup event in October. Landis Creek’s Tuesday Night Ladies League and Thursday Night Men’s League are already under way. Hilz and Landis Creek continue to support junior golf as the home course for Spring-Ford’s JV team and the site of the local CYO Championship, among other youth initiatives.

One thing that was missing in 2020 were the outings so popular for companies and community organizations, but Lutz said he’s starting to hear from people who are interested in bringing those back in 2021.

For now, Hilz said people are booking tee times on-line that are keeping Landis Creek at full capacity for regular play.

“Our on-line booking engine is huge,” Hilz said. “If we had to book all those tee

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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times ourselves, we’d have to add two people to the pro shop staff just to handle it.”

The other part of the operation at Landis Creek is The Loft at Landis Creek.

Brian and his wife Jean used to run MarJeane Catering in Lansdale and The Loft was able to build on the reputation they had established there.

The Loft suffered in 2020 with weddings and banquets large and small going by the wayside due to the pandemic.

Lutz believes The Loft will come back strong in 2021.

But in Lutz’s eyes, 2020 wasn’t a total loss.

“This patio (at the Creekside Sports Bar & Grille) was busy all summer,” Lutz said. “We didn’t open up the inside

until, I guess, mid-August. But between golf and the patio, we were always busy.

People would sit out on the patio in the rain sometimes.

“When we were closed down, we were able to speed up our timeline on some improvements we were thinking about in the bar. We have done a lot of renovations in the bar.”

The Creekside’s weekend entertainment schedule is starting to fill up. Lutz was able to have some music outside last year and the bands, many of them shut out from many of their usual venues by the pandemic, were happy for the work.

And, of course, there is golf. Hilz brought in a new fleet of 65 carts in 2019.

And there are all of those new golfers who discovered or rediscovered the joys of being outside with friends and family and hitting the ball around, a few hours away from the global pandemic that was keeping them holed up at home, a slave to Zoom calls for work and, for those with kids, school.

“There are so many courses in this area, I don’t think there were enough golfers to go around,” Hilz said. “COVID-19 introduced a whole new generation to the game of golf.”

And if that new generation of golfers wants a golf course that caters to them not only on the course, but in the Creekside when the round is over, Landis Creek is the place to be. TSG

2021 RATES Weekday

Weekends/Holidays

$28 walking, $42 cart

$38 walking, $52 cart

9 holes $18 walking, $26 cart

9 holes $24 walking, $32 cart

Seniors (Monday–Friday)

Twilight rates available after 2 p.m.

$22 walking, $31 cart 9 holes $15 walking, $21 cart

FOR MORE INFORMATION: 610.495.6945 LANDISCREEKGOLFCLUB.COM

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

• Visit our Website for upcoming events and to book tee times and best rates

Book your league, outing or permanent tee time NOW! For more information, contact Jason at golflandiscreekgc@gmail.com

Visit Landis Creek GC – the One Stop Shop for Everything Golf, Entertainment, and Banquets.

610.495.6945 • LandisCreekGolfClub.com 765 North Lewis Road • Limerick, PA 19468

Talamore’s ACC - Hole 9

Variety is the very spice of life.”

“

- from the poem by William Cowper in 1785

aking that mantra to the Private Club industry, the Talamore Family has certainly kicked it up a notch! Members enjoy four Talamore owned Clubs with Talamore and Applecross in the Philadelphia area and the Talamore Golf Resort and Mid South Club in the venerable Pinehurst area of North Carolina. Add into the mix a special relationship with Club Corp whereby Talamore’s Philly area Members can enjoy special privileges close by at Hartefeld National, Cherry Valley, North Hills, French Creek and the Pyramid Club. Bam!

The collection of world class golf is matched by exceptional dining facilities.

Talamore in Ambler features multiple dining options including the ACC GOLF CLUBHOUSE OPEN! mixed grill “Bogeys,” an adult bar/lounge called “Bunkers,” a family friendly zone with At Applecross, Members can find an X Box called “Mckean’s” and “La their own comfortable spot with Cave” for that special dining expedining options including the “Earience complete with Member wine gle’s Nest” for an adult themed bar lockers. Apres golf... It’s time for and lounge, “Tregos” for “Club 19” overlooking the 18th hole family dining and and its majestic pond adorned with private Wine Golden Weeping Willow trees.

Room, and

New

Talamore’s Members that travel are treated to a dizzying array of Private Clubs and resort options. From Firestone CC to Barton Creek as well as a slate of Clubs in the Pacific Links network (that includes many TPC Clubs) there are high end private Clubs throughout the country and around the world for Talamore Members to enjoy.

Affiliate

Bam Bam!

Hartefeld National - Avondale, PA

North Hills Country Club -

Family of Clubs TCC - Hole 18

the “Oasis” poolside bar and grill.

And there’s more! World class amenities include fitness, tennis, basketball, indoor and outdoor pools, crossfit, yoga, pilates and even Zumba! A year round series of Social events tailored for every generation spans the gamut from Scarecrow making and Pumpkin painting, pass-punt-kick, putt put, T-Rex birdie ball, Brunch with Santa and of course high end Wine Dinners. A traditional slate of Member golfing events including Member Guests, Men’s and Ladies Golf Leagues, 9 and Dine and a Ryder Cup between Clubs finishes the

Clubs

- Glenside, PA

active member calendar.

Amazingly, the Talamore Family delivers all these Clubs and services at dues rates significantly less than its peers. Longtime Members often note...

“It’s amazing how the Talamore organization has been able to navigate the challenging waters of the Private Club industry.

Where other Clubs are faltering, Talamore is continually moving forward. Every time we turn around there’s more in store at Talamore.”

Variety is the Spice of Membership!

Membership Inquiries: Steve Natalie Applecross Country Club Membership Director 484-692-1010 ext. 110 steve@applecrosscc.com

Cherry Valley - Skillman, NJ

Brian Peterson Talamore Country Club Membership Director 215.641.1300 ext. 127 brian.peterson@talamorefamily.com

Pyramid Club - Philadelphia, PA

GOLF TECH

TrackMan Range Comes To Boyne Highlands Resort

BOYNE Golf announces the addition of the all new TrackMan Range to the Ross Golf Center at Boyne Highlands Resort, the premier 72-hole destination in Northern Michigan. This new technology will have a soft opening on Friday, May 7, followed by its official Grand Opening event on Saturday, May 29.

Boyne Highlands is the first Northern Michigan resort to offer the new range technology. The powerful and connected 30-bay TrackMan setup enables golfers of all skill levels to practice distance control, shot-shaping and more, using tour-proven

swing, ball-flight tracking, analysis and entertainment technology. When using the free TrackMan Range app, golfers will have instant access to eight essential data points including carry yardage, total yardage, ball speed, trajectory height, launch angle, launch direction and more.

TrackMan Range also allows golfers to play quick, fun, and challenging games such as Bulls Eye, Hit It, and Capture the Flag - either alone or with friends. They can also play a full virtual round on some of the world’s best and most historic courses, including five of BOYNE Golf ’s championship-caliber courses: Bay Harbor Golf Club’s three routings, Boyne Highlands’ The Heather and Arthur Hills while they’re hitting real balls at physical targets. The graphics are hyper-real and accurate. Guests can also host tournaments with live leaderboards or invite sponsors, colleagues and clients for great branding, teambuilding and social engagement.

“TrackMan Range will provide another fun resource for our members and guests

to play golf - it takes the range experience to quite another level for all ability levels,” says Josh Richter, Director of Golf at Boyne Resorts. “Those looking to improve their game will find this opportunity by utilizing the provided data points that a standard range does not offer. TrackMan Range can also be an exciting way to introduce golf to new golfers, as well as an alternative way for novices to come have fun as they learn and improve. Altogether we feel this will be an excellent addition to the amenities of the resort as well as the BOYNE Golf Academy.”

The TrackMan range app is available for both Apple and Android devices. A season pass to the Ross Golf Center TrackMan Range costs $600, an unlimited day pass for $100 or a 60-ball bucket pass runs $25 and all pricing is per person. The connected bays are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but can be reserved in advance for groups of eight or more.

For more information visit: www.boynegolf.com/trackmanrange

BAYWOOD GREENS ...make us part of your beach vacation this summer!

Baywood Greens

32267 Clubhouse Way • Long Neck, DE www.baywoodgreens.com 888.844.2254 • 302.947.9800

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Come Play The Links

McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links Home to one of the ‘18 Most Fun Holes in America’ –Golf Digest

Located just outside of Atlantic City!

McCulloughsGolf.com 609 926 3900 3016 Ocean Heights Ave Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

19

DAY TRIPPIN’

Kimberton Joining The Party There’ve Been Changes, But The Family Atmosphere Remains Just West Of Phoenixville

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

I

t’s been five years since Jimmy Maack and his brother Andy took over the operation of Kimberton Golf Club that will celebrate its 60th anniversary of golf next year in its familiar setting along Route 23 a few miles west of Phoenixville.

Maybe the last name might not be familiar to those who always associated one of the course’s founders, Bob Hays, and his son Bobby Hays Jr. with Kimberton. But Jimmy Maack’s mom Mary is the daughter of Bob Hays, so the chain that connects Kimberton with its beginnings in 1962 remains very much unbroken.

Jimmy Maack, a scholastic standout at Pottsgrove, went right to work with the family business after graduating from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1999.

“My grandfather had always let it be known that he would like to see Kimberton stay in the family,” the 43-year-old Maack said on a sparkling May Monday with Kimberton playing host to just its second post-pandemic outing.

And in 2016 Maack and his brother -- 41-year-old Andy is the money and bigideas guy -- officially kept Kimberton in the Hays family by taking over. Maack discusses the state of Kimberton at a new deck with a couple of firepits not far from the very much new and improved clubhouse and bar at the course. The deck is the work of Maack’s dad Jim, who likes to add little touches like the deck around Kimberton

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when he sees the opportunity.

The 6,304-yard, par-70 Kimberton layout was the first paid gig in the fledgling design career of George Fazio, the Norristown native who was a part of golf history as a participant in the 18-hole playoff with Lloyd Mangrum and Ben Hogan in Hogan’s epic 1950 U.S. Open triumph at Merion Golf Club’s iconic East Course.

Fazio’s nephew Tom Fazio remains one of the biggest names in golf course design, but it all started for him at Kimberton.

“We ran into Tom Fazio at the PGA Show in Florida one year and after we told him where we were from, he said, ‘I was moving soil there on a backhoe when I was 14,’” said Jimmy Maack, clearly relishing Kimberton’s connection to one of the first families of golf-course design.

Jimmy and Andy Maack didn’t have any issues with the golf course when they took over in 2016. Kimberton has been part of the community for decades with leagues on weeknights and as the home course for nearby Owen J. Roberts.

Where Team Maack had its sights set was the clubhouse and bar, which seemed stuck in the 90’s a little. Poking around in the office behind the little bar on the back wall of the clubhouse, they found some exposed stone and went to work. Jim Maack Sr. designed the U-shaped bar space and a friend created the unique bar out of stained sheetmetal.

Hardwood floors were then added to bring it all together. Upgraded offerings on both the food and bar fronts as well as the addition of multiple TVs creates the rustic sports bar feel they were looking for.

“We wanted to make the bar a little bigger, but when we found the exposed stone, we decided to gut the whole room,” Maack said. “It was a lot of work and, at some point, I was thinking, ‘what have I gotten myself into.’ But it’s really a beautiful space now.”

Things were looking bleak for Kimberton and anybody involved with running a public golf course in April of 2020 with the world just coming to grips with the coronavirus pandemic. But the clouds of uncertainty parted in a big way when it quickly became apparent that golf was something people could do safely, one of the few things. Suddenly, Kimberton was doing 200 to 250 rounds a day.

Team Maack made a conscious decision not to raise Kimberton’s rates.

“We really want to make sure our prices are still in that affordable range,” Jimmy Maack said.

Kimberton lost its superintendent, Jim Kelly, who retired after 40 years in the offseason, although his institutional knowledge of the golf course remains just a phone call away. Kelly’s assistant, Ralph McNelly, will be taking over this year and Al Lewis is helping out with the transition.

Kimberton’s teaching pro is Joe Daley, a 60-year-old Philadelphia native who spent much of his professional career on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour. His biggest moment as a touring professional came in 2012 when he claimed a PGA Tour Champions major championship with his victory in the 2012 Senior Players Championship at Fox Chapel Golf Club in suburban Pittsburgh.

“He called me three years ago and said it was time to slow down a little and get off the road,” Maack said of Daley. “I think you need a good teaching professional. I used to give lessons, but I just have so many more responsibilities now, it makes it tough.”

Kimberton Golf Club The one thing that never did come back in 2020 was the outings, some corporate and some community fund-raising events.

“We’re still not doing inside events that used to happen after outings,” Jimmy Maack said. “But we’ve had a couple of outings and we are able to do grab-and-go, barbequestyle stuff after golf. It’s probably still too soon for a lot of groups to decide whether they want to bring back their outings this year.”

One constant remains with Team Maack in charge: Jimmy and Andy are always on the lookout for ways to improve Kimberton.

“When we got the place in 2016, we knew we had to step up our game,” Jimmy Maack said. “We want to make Kimberton a little better each year. We planted 100 new trees one year. We upgraded the bar and the banquet hall.”

The Maacks are setting their sights

on what used to be the Kimberview Driving Range. Even though it is adjacent to Kimberton, it was never part of the property. Team Maack is in the process of changing that and the Maacks envision a driving range that will be a nice complement to the golf course.

“It’s zoned the same as the golf course, so as long as we’re using it for golf-related purposes, we’re OK,” Jimmy Maack said.

“I’d like to see it be the kind of driving range that is family friendly. We’d like to make it a destination of its own, almost like a Topgolf-type attraction.”

The challenge, of course, is to build on the new people who either rediscovered the game or were drawn to it for the very first time in 2020.

“On the weekends, we’re getting more and more people in their 20s coming here,” Jimmy Maack said. “We had a young

couple in at the bar after their round recently and the woman said they had tried a couple of courses, but that they felt comfortable here. That’s what you want to hear.

“The game has to get younger and it has to get more inclusive. That’s how we can grow the game.”

And just about everything Team Maack is working on at Kimberton is with an eye toward that goal. TSG

For more information about Kimberton Golf Club, call 610.933.8836 or visit KIMBERTONGOLFCLUB.COM

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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TOURNAMENT NEWS

Reynolds Cup Returns To Lake Oconee This Fall HERO AND SENIORS RATES! Central Bucks Location 1-1/2 miles from Rt 263 & York Road Intersection 440 Almshouse Rd, Jamison, PA 18929

www.neshaminygolf.com • 215.343.6930

Corporate Executives Exhibit Competition and Camaraderie at Reynolds Lake Oconee Reynolds Cup presented by National Car Rental, a golf tournament for corporate executives who thrive on competition and camaraderie, is set for Sept. 13-15 at Reynolds Lake Oconee, the award-winning golf community and destination resort between Atlanta and Augusta.

Showcasing two of its six golf courses—the Rees Jones-designed Oconee course and the Tom Fazio designed National course—the Reynolds Cup field of 40 two-person corporate teams will compete over 36 holes, with scoring based on a Stableford Best Ball format.

The Reynolds Cup promises a one-of-akind experience at a world-class venue for executives who want to combine meeting with competing. Players and guests will have access to the unrivaled amenities of Reynolds Lake Oconee, everything from wellness to watersports.

Guests will enjoy the newly renovated accommodations at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee, and meals and events crafted at the hands of a Certified Master Chef, in addition to excellent networking opportunities.

“Golf is the game of business,” said Rob Connors, vice president of business development for National. “We’re thrilled to sponsor the fourth edition of the Reynolds Cup, which brings together corporate leaders from industries across the country to enjoy the game in such a beautiful setting.”

Since 1947, presenting sponsor National Car Rental has served the rental car needs of frequent business travelers around the world.

National – which launched the car rental industry’s first comprehensive frequent-renter program – further expedites the rental process through its award-winning Emerald Club by offering members counter bypass as well as access to National’s Emerald Aisle.

Reynolds Cup activities begin Monday, Sept. 13 with an afternoon practice round, followed by the official Reynolds Cup Welcome & Pairings Party.

On Tuesday Sept. 14, tee times for the first round of the tournament begin at 9 a.m. at The National. Free time follows golf, with cocktails & dinner that evening.

On Wednesday Sept. 15, the final round tee times begin at 9:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at The Oconee course and cocktails and awards dinner that evening Registration fee is $4,000 per team, which includes three nights and two rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, plus all golf and Reynolds Cup functions. Team registration is found at www.reynoldscup.com.

Additional non-golfer guest packages are available for $400, which includes special events and a welcome gift.

For additional information, access www.reynoldscup.com.

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tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

GOLF NEWS

NGF Research Bulletin: April Rounds Numbers Are In Play Jumps 81% Throughout U.S. After Spring Shutdowns in 2020

Hickory Valley

Golf Club

Pennsylvania’s Best 36 Holes

The question for April 2021 wasn’t whether the number of rounds of golf would be up nationwide, it was “how much” they would be up. The results are in and the jump was indeed significant, with year-over-year rounds up more than 81% nationwide in April. That pushes the year-to-date total to +44% across the U.S. compared to 2020, according to the latest monthly report by Golf Datatech, produced in cooperation with the National Golf Foundation.

For the better part of April 2020, more than half of the nation’s courses were temporarily closed due to the coronavirus and play plunged 42% from the year before.

While April’s rounds this year are obviously up dramatically YOY, they fall more in line with the historical average (pre-pandemic) as seen in the below graphic. However, total YTD rounds for the first four months of 2021 are up about 20% when compared to the same period from 2017-2019.

It’s very likely the golf industry will see a rise in May 2021 rounds as well. While golf courses had opened in all 50 U.S. states by midMay of 2020, operational limitations were still in place in some areas, with protocols that included wider tee time intervals, walking-only provisions, one-rider carts, reduced guest rounds, and groups limited to twosomes instead of foursomes.

“We weren’t back to full capacity until the beginning of June,” NGF CEO and President Joe Beditz said. “So, barring unusually bad golf weather, we expect to see another ‘up month’ in May. From that point, it will become more evident as to how many of those golfers and rounds we hold onto through the summer months.”

From June through August of 2020, more than 27 million additional rounds of golf were played in the U.S. than during the same three-month stretch in 2019. In the months ahead, what will be telling is whether the blue line in the graphic above tracks more toward the top line (the 2020 surge line), the more historical average, or somewhere in between.

Visit www.thengfq.com for more information.

610.754.7733

1921 Ludwig Rd Gilbertsville, PA 19525 Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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HickoryValley.com

DAY TRIPPIN’

At Turtle Creek, The Grass Is Always Greener An Emphasis On Conditioning Has Kept Golfers Coming Back For More

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

E

ven early in April with the golf season in the Philadelphia area just getting started, you can take a drive to Turtle Creek Golf Course in Limerick Township and find an oasis of green.

It is one of the ways that the Turtle separates itself from the competition and there’s plenty of that with several public golf courses within a few miles of Turtle Creek’s location on West Ridge Pike, just east of the intersection with Swamp Pike in western Montgomery County. The course was the dream of Raymond “Sandy” Waltz, who first turned part of the farmland he purchased in 1937 into the Waltz Golf Farm in 1964 with two miniature golf courses, a driving range and a par-3 course.

The dream of Turtle Creek was kept alive in the hearts of the Waltz family even after Sandy passed and on Aug. 15 1997, Turtle Creek welcomed its first golfers for play. Even then they knew that golf was important, but it was the grass that mattered. That the grass was the foundation of the game and its quality can make the difference between a good round and a great one.

You can have the most challenging holes in golf, but if the golf course is not maintained, golfers are not going to keep coming back. And Turtle Creek’s consistently good conditions have kept public course golfers coming back for more for nearly 25 years. The 6,702-yard, par-72 Ed Beidel design always has the look of a golf course that is being well manicured by people who care about what they do and are good at it.

Sandy Waltz’s grandson Ray has been there for his entire adult life. A 1968 graduate of Spring-Ford and a 1972 Penn State graduate, Ray Waltz has seen the kind

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tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

of work that was always done on the par-3 course at the Waltz Golf Farm blossom with the adjacent Turtle Creek in the mid-1990s.

“It was a transition from just working on the par-3 course to taking care of Turtle Creek,” said Ray Waltz, who works closely with superintendent John Welsh on the maintenance of the course and is in on all the Waltz family meetings concerning every aspect of the Turtle’s operation. “It was a matter of scale. We were doing a lot of the same things we were doing with the grass on the par-3 course, but at a much larger scale.

“But it’s still grass. You have to mow it, you have to fertilize it, you have to aerate it.”

Turtle Creek was very fortunate to have Welsh, fresh out of Penn State, on the staff when the course opened in August of 1997.

He had fresh ideas and a fresh approach and has continued to focus on the latest ways to care for a golf course as techniques and equipment are constantly evolving.

And if you think Welsh isn’t part of the family, think again. He married Ray Waltz’s cousin Sandy, who teaches and coaches girls golf at Phoenixville High when she isn’t helping out with the food service at the Turtle. Ray Waltz is very direct when it comes to the importance of John Welsh’s role

at Turtle Creek.

“When he first came here, he had just had an internship at Aronimink (Golf Club),” Ray Waltz said. “John’s family and he’s important to the day-to-day operations here. He’s not going anywhere. He’s here. It all starts with John.”

The late Bill Waltz’s wife, Bobbie, still lives in the Waltz Homestead, the classic farmhouse that sits hard by the 18th green of Turtle Creek’s risk-reward par-5 finishing hole and she can often be found in the pro shop, greeting golfers as they arrive for a round. Her daughter Lisa is a couple thousand miles away, a successful television actress in Hollywood. But she is as involved as everyone else is in the family’s operation of Turtle Creek, constantly brainstorming marketing ideas and updating the website.

There was nothing but uncertainty in the spring of 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic reared its ugly head. But it quickly became apparent that golf was one of the few things you could do safely. By early summer, a golf boom was suddenly under way.

Oddly, public courses like Turtle Creek were presented with a problem they couldn’t possibly have anticipated. People were showing up to play golf in droves, making maintenance difficult. It was a good problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.

“We were shut down for a month in the beginning, so we were able to get some things done,” Ray Waltz said. “Then we reopened for walking only for a little while. We reopened completely on May 7. It was one golfer to a cart for a little while, but we have a big enough cart fleet that we were able to deal with that.

“We had 15 minutes between tee times for

DAY TRIPPIN’ a while, but when we were allowed to go back to 12 minutes, we did it right away. We mostly concentrated on fairways, tees and greens, but they’re always the priority.”

Turtle Creek took a little bit of a hit because many of the outings it plays host to were cancelled in 2020, but the uptick in regular play made up for the loss. Ray Waltz indicated many organizations are still playing a wait-and-see game before scheduling their outings for 2021.

“The outings were a big thing that we lost

to the pandemic,” Ray Waltz said. “A lot of the groups haven’t committed to having their outings again yet.”

But let’s get back to the grass, and Ray Waltz can talk some grass. From the bent grass on Turtle Creek’s greens to the rye and bluegrass mix that populate the fairways to the fescue and bluegrass mix in the rough, the combination has proven to be a winning one.

But it is constantly evolving and, with all the fertilizing, it must be constantly monitored. Welsh often aerates some time after the District One Championship is played at Turtle Creek in October, but never to the point where the course is unplayable.

The fact that the best high school golfers in the region have competed in the District One Championship every year since 2002 is a testament to the high regard with which

Turtle Creek is held.

The golf course got a needed break this past winter when it was covered by snow the entire month of February.

With the pandemic continuing to linger, it promises to be another busy summer at Turtle Creek. Ray Waltz, as usual, will be working hard to make sure Turtle Creek is in the kind of shape that will lure golfers old and new to tee it up there.

“A lot of people took up the game for the first time last year,” Ray Waltz said. “And that’s what you want is to have them come out here and try us. The challenge for us now is to keep them.”

As always, if you’re a public-course player looking for a golf course that’s always green, well that’s just par for the course at Turtle Creek. TSG For more information about Turtle Creek Golf Club, call 610.489.5133 or visit TURTLECREEKGOLF.COM

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

25

TOURNAMENT NEWS

2,700 Players Already Registered For 38th Annual PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship

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Golf rounds have surged over the last 14 months and it appears that players, having worked on their game at home, are ready to return to the competitive arena.

Two thousand seven hundred and twenty players have already registered for the 38th annual PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship, which will be played August 30 - September 3 on 60 Myrtle Beach area courses. Players from all 50 states and 10 countries have signed up for the 72-hole, net stroke play event.

“We are delighted with registration numbers and can’t wait for the return of the complete World Am experience in 2021,” Tournament Director Scott Tomasello said. “Last year was a difficult one, but people are eager for a return to normal and for thousands of golfers, that means the opportunity to compete in the World Am. We look forward to welcoming players to Myrtle Beach in a safe, fun environment.”

In addition to the opportunity to claim the mantle of World Champion, the reopening of the World’s Largest 19th Hole has certainly driven interest in this year’s event. The 19th Hole, which takes up all 120,000 square feet of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center, is the heartbeat of the event, providing players free food and drink, live entertainment, a golf expo and more.

Entry into the tournament, which includes at least four rounds of golf, nightly admission to the World’s Largest 19th Hole and a gift bag, is $559 through June 3rd a $120 savings off the regular cost.

While much of the 2021 tournament will look familiar to players, there will be two new women’s divisions this year. For the first time, there will be a women’s gross division, and the ladies, who previously had just one age group, will be split into two groups - 59 and under and 60 and older.

The World Am, which flights players based on age, gender and handicap, is open to all golfers 17 years of age and older.

The World Am flights players into 11 divisions – men 49 and under, senior men (50-59), mid-senior men (60-69), super senior men (70-79), seasoned seniors (80+), women (59 and under), senior women (60+), the gross division, senior (50+) gross division, mid-senior (60+) gross division, and women’s gross division. There is also a “Just For Fun” flight, created for players who want to enjoy the World Am experience without the pressure of competition.

After four days of competition, all flight winners and ties advance to the World Championship Playoff at Grande Dunes Resort Course for an 18-hole shootout that crowns the event’s winner.

Among the big names that have appeared at the 19th Hole in recent years are David Feherty, Brandel Chamblee, Charlie Rymer and John Daly.

For more information, please visit: www.MyrtleBeachWorldAmateur.com tri-state golfer | Summer 2021

GOLF TRAVEL

Horseshoe Bay Resort Opens Spectacular Cap Rock Clubhouse Scenic Hill Country Views Meet Inspired Architecture at New Dining, Social Destination

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

A

dramatic exclamation point on Horseshoe Bay Resort’s four-year, $100-million-plus full-property renovation, the stunning new Cap Rock Clubhouse opened this week for members of the AAA-Four Diamond- and Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Award-winning resort and club. Perched atop an impressive outcropping of ancient granite boulders that affords 50-mile views from countless vantage points, this warm, luxurious dining and entertainment space showcases a decidedly modern and inspired take on classic Hill Country architecture.

The stylish, contemporary clubhouse building services the resort and club’s acclaimed Ram Rock and Apple Rock golf courses with upscale and casual dining and an inviting, finely-appointed pool cabana with ample amenities for swimming, lounging, sunning, dining, refreshment and socializing. With the alluring surrounding scenery in mind, the Cap Rock clubhouse design draws in sunlight and outdoor scenery with slender roof openings and gently angled floor-to-ceiling windows.

Three large rock-spire sculptures separate the entry, bar area, and dining room with boldly designed rock-adorned fireplaces.

“When you hear people talking excitedly about the architecture, making comparisons to Frank Lloyd Wright because of the clean, geometrical lines of the design, you know you have something special,” says director of golf Anthony Holder. “What the entire clubhouse space does so well is bringing the outdoors in and the comfort and refinement of the indoors to all of the wonderfully designed outdoor spaces. The patios, outdoor dining and luxurious pool cabana (complete with outdoor dining and bar service, heated pools, deck lounging and waterfalls amid native boulders) all take incredible advantage of the setting and the ‘big sky’ views of the Hill Country.”

The club house and spacious outdoor pool cabana space bring completion to

a village-concept design that includes the Cap Rock golf pro shop building and the Cap Rock Pavilion (for meetings and receptions), all connected by a winding drive, canopied by mature native oaks.

A new putting green adjacent to the golf shop further adds to the sense the completeness on this pleasantly walkable chain of upscale amenities.

“The completion of the Cap Rock Clubhouse renews the pride our ownership, members and dedicated staff have in the nowcompletely revitalized Horseshoe Bay Resort,” says Horseshoe Bay Resort’s managing director Bryan Woodward. “We’re excited to see new traditions take shape on the exquisite patios, dining and lounging areas of this remarkable new building. Cap Rock is going to be so many people’s favorite hip, new restaurant, their favorite place to celebrate the Fourth of July, Easter and so many great occasions.”

With a large, open indoor dining space, posh cocktail lounge, private dining areas, spacious patio dining, the energized pool cabana space and lush great lawn all overlooking the 18th greens of the Apple Rock and Rock courses, the Horseshoe Bay staff expects this to be one of the most unique and widely-used gathering spaces on the entire private 7,000-acre resort footprint. “The way the space is designed and creatively broken up, it’s very easy to have an intimate experience or a large, festive occasion all at once,” Holder says.

Native Texas limestone in a charcoalgray hue wraps all of the clubhouse buildings, complementing the existing vegetation and rock outcroppings. Other materials used for the soft-modern design include clear-coated exposed structural steel and stained wood ceilings to imbue the clubhouse with warmth and regional character.

“The slate of upcoming member events will be far from ordinary when they’re hosted at this incredible new clubhouse.

Our members are proud and anxious to share this special new space with family and friends. I’ve worked at luxury clubs and resorts across the country and can say confidently, there is no setting, and no venue, like this anywhere,” says director of membership Stacey Persinger.

Previous renovations to the awardwinning resort and club include revitalized guest rooms, suites, and multi-room units, as well as renovation of all three of the Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed golf courses, new beach club, yacht club, dining, spa, meeting and Kids Club spaces. J’s restaurant in the first floor of the is a new attraction, showing off Southern cuisine and Texas barbecue while the Whitewater 360 sports bar caters to a fun- and sportsminded crowd with casual dining, full bar and numerous flat screen TVs. The new Cap Rock Clubhouse amenities are now fully open to Horseshoe Bay Resort members.

Call 877-611-0112 or visit www.hsbresort.com for more information.

Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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Lets Golf Travel 7.75x10.25.qxp_Layout 1 3/31/21 11:45 AM Page 1

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GOLF APPAREL

Finding The Right Fit Hoffman’s Boston Scott Golf Apparel Is An Emerging Fashion Force

By Tom McNichol, Contributing Writer

S

tephen Hoffman didn’t set out to be the head of a golf apparel company.

But here he was less than a week before Memorial Day at a ribbon-cutting and Founder’s Grand Opening for the new showroom for Boston Scott Golf Apparel in Perkiomen Township just above Collegeville. It is an unlikely setting for the headquarters for one of the emerging lines of golf apparel in America, but no more unlikely than Hoffman’s journey to this moment.

A Skippack native, Hoffman studied computer programming and mechanical engineering at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown. He wasn’t a golfer, didn’t come from a golf family. He was a baseball player in high school.

When Hoffman’s son Boston Scott Hoffman, for whom the company is named, got a golf ball airborne at age 2, dad thought he might have discovered his son’s best sport. The dad got interested in the game and, of course, he got hooked. Stephen Hoffman’s handicap went from 19-something to less than three.

As dad and son looked around at golf apparel offerings, they weren’t overly impressed. Stephen Hoffman can go on and on about his search for the better golf shirt, but the bottom line is his “tapered fit” is catching on in pro shops and with some of the young up-and-comers on the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour.

“We fooled around with a lot of different materials and a lot of different designs,” Hoffman explained as he prepared for the ribbon-cutting ceremony that was ultimately moved indoors by a late-afternoon thunderstorm. “It just fits better when it’s tucked in, the collar doesn’t bunch up and when you get off the golf course and you’re having a beer, you can untuck it and it still looks good. Basically, my hobby turned into a business.”

Things have moved quickly as Hoffman’s concept in 2017 led to the PGA Merchandise Show in 2019. When this year’s PGA Show was all virtual, Boston Scott Golf Apparel still made a splash.

“Golf Digest named us one of the six emerging brands to come out of the PGA Show and the whole thing was virtual, so that was pretty impressive,” said Hoffman, whose home

course is the RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve in Phoenixville, not far from his new Collegeville headquarters.

In addition to the 20,000-square-foot showroom, Boston Scott Golf Apparel likes to take its show on the road. In front of the new showroom the day of the ribbon-cutting was Boston Scott’s mobile showroom, an important part of the marketing strategy for the fledgling company. The mobile showroom allows Boston Scott to bring the same showroom shopping experience to the road so people can see and touch its products in person.

The plan is to take the mobile showroom to some of the local clubs in the Philadelphia region this year. Sometimes when the Boston Scott mobile showroom does well in the parking lot, the pro shop notices and puts in an order.

“We’re at 200 courses, mostly on the East Coast, but some on the West Coast,” Hoffman said.

This year, once the main part of the golf season is over in the Northeast, Hoffman and his right-hand man, strategic account manager Paul McGinn, plan to send the mobile showroom to warm-weather golf hotbeds like the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida. Hoffman and McGinn take turns chaperoning on the mobile showroom’s road trips.

This time a year ago with golf just starting to emerge from coronavirus pandemic lockdowns, Boston Scott, which maintains a strong presence on just about any social media platform you can think of, could barely keep up with the orders.

“People wanted to golf and couldn’t,” Hoffman said. “So, what did they do? They bought golf stuff. I think we were like 70-30 as far as our percentage of online orders. It’s more like 60-40 now, but ideally you’d like to see it closer to 50-50.”

While sending the mobile showroom to golf courses doesn’t always pay immediate dividends, Hoffman and McGinn believe it’s an important aspect to spreading the word about their brand.

“Getting to all these courses can be hard,” McGinn said. “But sometimes when you go somewhere and do well, you hear from three or four courses nearby that are interested in having you come.”

You know your branding is working, though, when you flip on The Golf Channel and see a PGA Tour or Korn Ferry Tour pro wearing a shirt with the increasingly familiar Boston Scott logo on it.

Sitting in the conference room at the new Collegeville showroom, Hoffman points with pride to large pictures of some of “his guys,” players like Scott Piercy, a four-time winner on the PGA Tour, Colombian Sebastian Munoz, winner of the 2019 Sanderson Farms Championship, and rising Korn Ferry stars Max Greyserman and Austen Truslove.

Hoffman, once a golf novice, really enjoys cultivating his relationships with guys who play the game at the highest level.

Hoffman is a classic entrepreneur. He recounts the story of starting up a T-shirt business when he was in high school. He had the shirts made by a supplier in China. When he was getting Boston Scott off the ground, Hoffman tried calling his T-shirt guy in China.

It was 17 years later and by then the company was being run by the grandson of the guy Hoffman had dealt with.

“He said, ‘Send me your designs, let’s see what you got,’” Hoffman said.

That contact Hoffman had made in high school had turned into the maker of Boston Scott shirts and hats nearly two decades later. Pants are in the works. A foray into the wide-open world of women’s golf apparel is on the horizon.

Despite the stormy weather, the ribboncutting was an event. The Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce used the occasion to stage its first promotion of that kind in more than a year because of the pandemic. It was the startup of a new company with nine full-time employees.

Chambers of Commerce love that kind of stuff.

Hoffman’s family and friends were on hand, most notably the company namesake, Boston Scott Hoffman. Sounds like you’ll be hearing from the 10-year-old on the junior golf circuit in the next few years.

Boston Scott Golf Apparel figures to grow just as quickly is its namesake’s game does on the golf course.

For more information, visit www.bostonscottgolf.com Summer 2021 | tri-state golfer

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KING OF PRUSSIA SHOWROOM | 475 SOUTH HENDERSON ROAD | KING OF PRUSSIA, PA 19406 | 610.994.2222 ADDITIONAL SHOWROOMS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | NEW CUMBERLAND, PA | NEW CASTLE, DE | OPEN 7 DAYS

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*Fully installed up to 50 sq ft, on any promotional granite. **On purchases of $1999 or more. $29 account activation fee will apply. Visit ColonialMarble.net for details. tri-state golfer | Summer 2021 LIC# PA 040713 | LIC# NJ 13VH06363500 | LIC# DE 2011604522 | LIC# MD 115930