Club + Resort Business August 2021

August 2021

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

®

A North Star Shines Bright Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn. has big plans for year-round success.

INSIDE: Course Superintendents Take On Extreme Weather Tests A Bright New Outlook for Outdoor Cooking Serving Up Refreshed Space for Racquet Sports

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food and beverage $4,353

turf equipment $3,185 clubhouse needs $2,475 fertilizer/chemicals $1,375 general maintenance $770 pro shop supplies $485 course accessories $350

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EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING

DIGITAL MEDIA/WEB/DEVELOPMENT

EVENTS

EDITOR

VICE PRESIDENT - GROUP PUBLISHER

VP, DIGITAL MARKETING

EVENTS MANAGER

vgoulding@wtwhmedia.com

josborne@wtwhmedia.com

Joe Barks

Tom McIntyre

jbarks@wtwhmedia.com 610-688-5666 office 610-416-3550 cell 175 Strafford Ave., Suite 1 Wayne, PA 19087

tmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com 216-533-9186

John Petersen

jpetersen@wtwhmedia.com 216-346-8790

Rob Thomas

rthomas@wtwhmedia.com 216-316-5294 1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor Cleveland, OH 44114

SALES DIRECTOR

Tony Bolla

tbolla@wtwhmedia.com 773-859-1107

EDITOR, CLUB + RESORT CHEF

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

jdechellis@wtwhmedia.com 412-260-9233

aburk@wtwhmedia.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Jake Bechtel

Ashley Burk

Joanna DeChellis

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

Course + Grounds:

Betsy Gilliland Jeff Bollig Design + Renovation: Food + Beverage:

Marilyn Odesser-Torpey Lauren Sasala Tad Wilkes CREATIVE SERVICES

mrook@wtwhmedia.com

dmiyares@wtwhmedia.com

VIDEOGRAPHER

SR. DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

bvoyten@wtwhmedia.com

Pat Curran

Bradley Voyten

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VIDEOGRAPHER

DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

gmccafferty@wtwhmedia.com

rhall@wtwhmedia.com

FINANCE

DIGITAL MEDIA SPECIALIST

CONTROLLER

nlender@wtwhmedia.com

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Reggie Hall

Garrett McCafferty's

sking@wtwhmedia.com

jmilton@wtwhmedia.com

pmcintyre@wtwhmedia.com 216-372-8112

Samantha King

CREATIVE SERVICES PRODUCTION SERVICES

VP STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

WEBINAR COORDINATOR

jcooper@wtwhmedia.com

ecanetta@wtwhmedia.com

VIDEO SERVICES

Dave Miyares

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SPECIALIST

Jane Cooper

Erin Canetta

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

DIGITAL PRODUCTION/ MARKETING DESIGNER

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ozemanek@wtwhmedia.com

Olivia Zemanek

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

shulett@wtwhmedia.com

Mark Rook

jbreuler@wtwhmedia.com

Nicole Lender

Stephanie Hulett

VP, CREATIVE SERVICES

EVENT MARKETING SPECIALIST

jbechtel@wtwhmedia.com 440-465-1914

Patrick McIntyre

Pamela Brill

Jen Osborne

DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR

Josh Breuler

PUBLISHER

SENIOR EDITOR

Virginia Goulding

ART DIRECTOR

Brian Korsberg

Jamila Milton

Jay Hopper

jhopper@wtwhmedia.com

Halle Kirsh

hkirsh@wtwhmedia.com WEBINAR COORDINATOR

Kim Dorsey

kdorsey@wtwhmedia.com

mclaney@wtwhmedia.com

AUGUST CLUB INDEX

DIRECTOR, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Aldarra Golf Club, Sammamish, Wash ..................................................40

Matthew Claney

Club and resort properties featured in this issue

Bruce Sprague

The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. ......12, 14

bsprague@wtwhmedia.com

Cape Girardeau Country Club, Cape Girardeau, Mo. ......................54 The Club at Old Hawthorne, Columbia, Mo. .......................................33 Country Club of Detroit, Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. .....................50 Giants Ridge, Biwabik, Minn. ........................................................................16 Greystone Golf & Country Club, Birmingham, Ala. ..........................26

WTWH MEDIA, LLC

The Golf Club of Georgia, Alpharetta, Ga. ..........................................10

1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor Cleveland, OH 44114 Ph: 888.543.2447

2011 - 2020

Morris Park Country Club, South Bend, Ind. ....................................28

SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES To enter, change or cancel a subscription: Web (fastest service):www.ezsub.com/crb Phone: 844-862-9286 (U.S. only, toll-free) Mail: Club & Resort Business, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058 Copyright 2021, WTWH Media, LLC Club + Resort Business ISSN 1556-13X is published monthly by WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Avenue, 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114. Copyright ©2021. Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

Subscriptions: Qualified U.S. subscribers receive Club + Resort Business at no charge. For all others the cost is $75 U.S. and possessions, $90 Canada, and $145 all other countries. Per copy price is $3. Postmaster: Send change of address notices to Club + Resort Business, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058. Club + Resort Business does not endorse any products, programs or services of advertisers or editorial contributors. Copyright© 2021 by WTWH Media, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, or by recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

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Kenwood Country Club, Cincinnati, Ohio ............................................38

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Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club, Gulf Shores, Ala. ..........................24 Reunion Golf & Country Club, Madison, Miss. ....................................32 Sawgrass Country Club, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. .........................34 Seville Golf & Country Club, Gilbert, Ariz. .............................................27 Silvermine Golf Club, Norwalk, Conn. ....................................................41 Tokatee Golf Club, Blue River, Ore. ......................................................40 TPC Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Calif. .....................................................................9 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

THE ROB REPORT

A Public Peek at a Private Paradise GROWING UP IN NORTHEAST Ohio, I always took a certain local pride when the greatest golfers visited Firestone Country Club in Akron. This little slice of heaven in my neck of the woods always delivered and tested the best of the best.

Firestone has hosted the PGA Championship three times and is the current home of the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship. Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of my lifetime, has won eight times (in 16 starts) at Firestone and orchestrated one of the greatest moments in golf history—“The Shot in the Dark”—during the NEC Invitational in August 2000.

While I delighted in knowing the eyes of the world were shining on my region whenever Firestone was In the spotlight, the experience of playing there was always out of my reach. Like most, I could look, but not touch.

But now, while Firestone remains an exclusive spot for those who love golf and the private-club experience, it’s being made accessible to anyone who has a desire to tread on the same turf as the greatest who’ve ever played. Stay-andPlay has come to the storied property.

Whether it’s for an overnight and a round of golf, a pair of rounds sandwiching the one-night stay, or an extended visit and rounds on all three courses, the Firestone staff can build the ideal visit.

They’ll even work in trips to the Rock & Roll or Pro Football halls of fame in nearby Cleveland and Canton.

“If you want to play the same course as the best players in the world, you visit during the summer,” says Jay Walkinshaw, Firestone’s General Manager.

“There’s no better time to test your game on one of the most legendary layouts in North America and its two equally fun and challenging counterparts. All golfers will enjoy our packages and everything Firestone has to offer.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

“Stay-and-Play has come to Firestone Country Club. While the “member for a day” notion isn’t new, it’s certainly a welcome addition for those of us who’ve admired such a storied property from outside the ropes.”

The dormitory-style club rooms each feature a view of Firestone’s layouts and pay homage to more than 50 years of incredible golf history. For a resort experience at Firestone, there are 57 golf villa rooms sprinkled throughout the property. Dining is available at three onproperty establishments, including the clubhouse’s 1929 Grille, Legacy Pavilion and 55th Hole Bar, both of which offer open-air dining and golf course views.

I recently joined a handful of media members for a round of golf on the South Course and an overnight in the villas. Director of Golf Tommy Moore guided us from tee to green and showed off some impressive shot-making.

Moore was also my partner for the nine-hole putting contest. Unfortunately, I didn’t carry my weight and we finished back in the pack—missing out on a coveted trophy.

Next up for grabs was a personalized flag for the golf writer who could come closest to matching Tiger’s legendary “shot in the dark” on No. 18.

Member Services Manager Dick Robbins, who has been at Firestone for 47 years and serves as an unofficial historian, knows everything about the club— including things we’d all like to know, but aren’t privy to. He told the story of how Tiger and Hal Sutton made a pact on No. 17 during the final round of the 2000 NEC, to finish the final hole no matter how dark it was getting.

Unable to see the flag despite the gallery’s best efforts to provide illumination with lighters and cell phones, Tiger relied on his instincts and stuck an 8-iron from 167 yards out to within kick-in distance.

He won by 11 strokes!

We each tried our best to re-enact the amazing shot but, not surprisingly, were unable to duplicate the feat.

While the “member for a day” notion isn’t new, it’s certainly a welcome addition for those of us who’ve admired Firestone Country Club from outside the ropes. Question: Does your club offer something similar? If not, could you see adding something like this in the future?

Rob Thomas • Senior Editor

rthomas@wtwhmedia.com

August 2021

l Club + Resort Business l 5

EDITOR’S MEMO

Do You Have the Right “Point Guard”?

Basketball coach Larry Brown described those who play the position of point guard as “there to serve others [and] to keep them involved and organized.”

As membership rolls continue to swell and wait lists begin to form—for the first time at many properties—that also seems to be a fitting description of how the position of Membership Director is taking on added importance at clubs across the country.

For years, the position wasn’t much more than a glorified administrative job at many clubs, and in fact was often given as a promotion, or add-on responsibility, to someone who had loyally performed secretarial or clerical duties for general managers or other departments. In these cases, it required a pleasant personality and an ability to respond properly to requests from existing and prospective members—but many of those in the position weren’t involved much, if at all, with strategic decisions, or looked to for the development of initiatives to help grow the business.

But that is now proving to be much more the exception than the rule. As clubs’ membership numbers continue to grow as part of the positive fallout from the pandemic, having a proactive and creative Membership Director, and supporting department, has become a much more critical aspect of effective club management.

And yes, I said supporting department—many clubs have found that there are too many responsibilities to make this a one-person show anymore. Where “marketing” was often also lumped in with the title and position, that is now being broken out separately, along with functions like communications, sales

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As membership numbers continue to grow, having a proactive and creative Membership Director, and supporting department, has become a much more critical aspect of effective club management. and training, all under the direction of a Membership Director.

The backgrounds and skills being brought to the Membership Director position are also reflecting much greater variety and sophistication. The column contributed by Evan Keimig from The Golf Club of Georgia in this issue (pg.

10) provides the latest evidence of this, not only through the fresh perspectives he provides for how to approach the responsibilities of the position, but also by the experiences in advertising and sports marketing that he’s brought to the job.

As they bring the ball up for their teams, membership directors are also being asked now to call and run much more complicated plays. Here are just some of the areas we now see them taking a lead role to help put in motion: - Restructuring membership categories and initiation/dues structures to best

fit the needs of all members—and the club’s financial goals.

- Properly indoctrinating new members to ensure their full satisfaction in the critical first months and years.

- Helping to ensure that all members continue to gain full value and satisfaction from club amenities and events as the property’s population grows (and the greater potential for dissatisfaction about access, the various member types on site, etc. is created).

- Making full and effective use of all available communication platforms, to ensure maximum reach to all membership segments.

- Establishing and maintaining a wait list effectively, to make sure ripe prospects don’t fall off the vine In response to how the position is changing and growing in importance, we are putting together a new webinar series that will feature insights from membership directors and general managers of leading clubs, for how to reposition and direct membership departments and staffs to transition beyond traditional duties and focus on vital areas for future success. Watch for upcoming details on www.clubandresortbusiness.com. Maybe we’ll see if we can get someone to show off their dribbling and passing skills, too.

Joe Barks • Editor jbarks@wtwhmedia.com

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

We’ve made a lot of friends on the path to success.

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August 2021 • Vol. 17 • No. 8

INSIDE

THIS

ISSUE

16

A North Star Shines Bright

Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn. offers 36 holes of golf and the state’s most extensive biking trails in the summer, and keeps the recreational activity going throughout the winter with skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.

(Photo Courtesy Giants Ridge)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

+ Renovation 22 Design SERVING UP REFRESHED

RACQUET SPACE

Answering the call for “Tennis, anyone?”—and many other sports—with striking facilities.

Design Snapshot 28 PARTYING LIKE IT’S 2023

Morris Park CC has reorganized and dressed up its event space to provide proper venues for its centennial celebrations.

5

The Rob Report

6

Editor’s Memo

9

Golf Operations

10 12 14 45

+ Beverage 32 AFood BRIGHT NEW OUTLOOK

Chefs have stepped up their outdoor cooking games as another piece of pleasant fallout from the pandemic.

4 Club Index 8

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Course + Grounds 40 GOING TO EXTREMES

Superintendents are learning to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature’s increased fury.

49 Product Showcase

A PUBLIC PEEK AT A PRIVATE PARADISE DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT “POINT GUARD”?

GETTING READY AS OUTINGS AND TOURNAMENTS RETURN Membership + Marketing

TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT CLUB MEMBERSHIP SALES Golf + Fitness Technology

STICK TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS Golf + Fitness Technology

GOING FROM AVERAGE TO ELITE Today’s Manager

THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCES

Valuable lessons from Craig Cutler’s previous career stops have helped him earn Excellence in Club Management honors.

54

Idea Exchange

HEALTHY AT 100

Cape Girardeau CC’s birthday bashes are providing long-term payoffs.

53 Ad Index www.clubandresortbusiness.com

GOLF OPERATIONS

GETTING READY AS OUTINGS AND TOURNAMENTS RETURN

By Mason Spalding • Senior Head Golf Professional TPC Las Vegas • Las Vegas, Nev.

CLUB + RESORT BUSINESS: In a typical year, how many golf

outings and tournaments does TPC Las Vegas host? And how did that change in 2020 because of COVID restrictions?

Mason Spalding: We’ll typically host 225+ outings in a given year that have anywhere from 12 up to 144 players. In 2020, groups declined to just 128 in total.

C+RB: If an event took place in 2020, how did the club work to ensure that both guests and staff remained safe?

Spalding: Our facility strictly followed COVID-19 guidelines as directed by the CDC and the state of Nevada. Our facility promoted social distancing, provided hand-sanitation stations throughout the clubhouse, sanitized all golf carts prior to use, and followed a handful of other measures to provide a safe environment for our guests.

C+RB: When an outing or event was cancelled in 2020, did someone from the club work with organizers to reschedule it?

Spalding: Yes, we were understanding of our guests’ hesitations to travel during the pandemic and worked with them to reschedule events into 2021.

forward, we’ll continue to be mindful that “ Moving every guest is unique. We need to recognize and

be cognizant of the fact that individuals have a wide range of sensitivity when it comes to their health.

Our goal is to continue to provide a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all.

”

C+RB: How many outings and tournaments are scheduled for 2021?

Spalding: We are optimistic that our total amount of groups in 2021 will increase slightly over 2020. Tourism to Las Vegas has slowly increased this past spring season and pending any additional travel restrictions, we are confident our group outings will continue to grow this fall season.

C+RB: How are events handled differently in 2021, as COVID restrictions lessen?

Spalding: The loosening of restrictions allowed us to get back to our more “normal” operation. Guests are now able to ride two players per cart, bunker rakes and other on-course ameni-

ties have been re-implemented into the operation, and limitations on gatherings have also been eliminated.

C+RB: How have members and guests responded to the changes?

Spalding: Overall, our members and guests have responded well to any changes we’ve rolled out. Golf is one of the few activities that has remained open and available throughout most of the pandemic. Our members and guests have accepted whatever new changes or restrictions were put into place, as long as they were still able to get out and enjoy the golf course.

C+RB: Assuming COVID is behind us in 2022, do you plan to keep any new precautions in place going forward?

Spalding: Moving forward, we’ll continue to be mindful that every guest is unique. We need to recognize and be cognizant of the fact that individuals have a wide range of sensitivity when it comes to their health. Our goal is to continue to provide a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment for all.

C+RB: What are some lessons you’ve learned over the last 18 months?

Spalding: The biggest lesson we’ve learned is to not take anything for granted! Make the most out of every season, every day, every group and every interaction with our members and guests.

C+RB: Your club also hosted the inaugural Las Vegas Open Championship at the end of July this year. How was preparation different for this event?

Spalding: Our team treated preparation for the Las Vegas Open similar to a PGA TOUR Event. TPC Las Vegas has hosted a number of PGA TOUR events throughout our history, but none since 2007. Our team was excited for the opportunity to showcase the facility for such a high-profile competition.

The preparation began months in advance. Our Golf Course Maintenance Master Calendar was based around ensuring that golf course conditions would be nothing less than excellent during the week of the tournament. Our Golf Operations, Food & Beverage, and Business/Marketing teams have also all been part of the planning process and discussions.

We feel that the more our entire team is able to embrace and partner with this event, the better received it will be by all the participants, creating positive momentum and interest for years to come.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

August 2021

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MEMBERSHIP + MARKETING

TAKING A FRESH LOOK AT CLUB MEMBERSHIP SALES

By Evan Keimig • Membership Director The Golf Club of Georgia • Alpharetta, Ga.

WHEN I GRADUATED FROM the University of Georgia in May 2020, I did not expect to land in the private golf industry. A move from Athens to Atlanta meant I needed to find a role quickly, and golf was a natural industry to pursue after spending my childhood learning, following and sharing the game.

I brought a degree in advertising and a professional background in sports marketing with me to Alpharetta, Ga. and joined the golf shop staff at The Golf Club of Georgia. Almost a year later, I now serve as the Membership Director of a club that serves authentic golf enthusiasts from all walks of life and provides a setting to reignite players’ love for the game.

EARLY LESSONS In speaking with prospects, members, co-workers and guests, I have learned that selling memberships is not unlike selling a traditional consumer product. People desire a club membership for many of the same reasons they purchase an item at the store. There is a need or want that they wish to have filled. The exciting differentiator between a product and a membership is the potential to sell experiences and memories that engage all five senses. Memberships, and the opportunities that come with them, will leave an impact and a story to share.

SIMPLIFYING THE APPROACH A lot of the lessons I have learned in my new role revolve around simplifying my approach to membership management and sales. I enjoy the challenge of finding solutions that benefit both the club and the member.

I recommend simplifying the way you market and position your club, especially when prospects are considering joining other clubs. You know what you do best, and your members and staff do, too. Ask questions of those around you, to learn what keeps them coming back.

Keeping a finger on the pulse of what prospects are consistently and specifically looking for offers a chance to intentionally address those needs going forward. I have found it is not always the tangible assets, but the way people feel at your club that drives membership sales and retention. By simplifying how a club is positioned, you leave less to chance and remain in control of how membership and its benefits are perceived.

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WHAT SETS YOU APART? It is helpful as an individual in the workplace to capitalize on your unique strengths and differences, and the same logic applies to marketing your club. Offering an amenity, experience or menu item that differs from the other clubs that prospects are familiar with will give you an edge.

Whether they recognize it or not, member prospects are creating pro-and-con lists in their heads each time they tour a new facility or play a golf course for the first time. By clearly presenting your “pros,” the prospect sees what makes your club great and is more likely to recall the assets that set your experience apart from competition.

People are enamored by uniqueness and storytelling. Position your club to tell a story that is different than what they have heard before.

MAKING IT PERSONAL One strategy I have particularly enjoyed is not allowing a prospect to leave his/her tour or round of golf without learning the face and name of a staff member other than myself. Introducing the prospect to another member of your staff shows the value you place on the people of your club. Not only does the prospect meet someone they can turn to later, they learn about the people culture that your club instills. Capitalizing on the skills of your staff members also gives them an opportunity to sell themselves and speak to the value they bring to your club and its members.

ONLY THE BEGINNING Once a new member joins your club, the temptation is to leave them alone and focus on the next sale. However, I have received consistent feedback from new members that suggests their decision to join the club is only the beginning of your role in their experience.

The membership director and surrounding staff are likely the first points of contact at the club for a new member. This leads to an important responsibility to make their transition into the club smooth, enjoyable, and customizable.

Remaining physically present, proactive in meeting their needs, and accessible for questions is a huge part of my role with new members. I want them to know that I am genuinely excited to welcome them to the club and to make their experience as excellent as I promised them it would be. Delivering on the points you made during your first conversations about membership builds trust, creates value, and increases retention. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Customer Spotlight Club Name:

Conway Farms Golf Club

Member Made Reservations in ForeTees: 92% Members logins through the App: 91%

ForeTees Systems Used:

App, Website, Dining, Simulator, Golf & Caddie Management

ForeTees is the connective tissue between the Conway Farms membership and staff. Fully integrated between golf, dining, the app and website, the ForeTees language is instrumental with our Club’s success – communication, ease of use, and most important – exceptional customer service. No call or email goes unanswered within minutes.

ForeTees is our one stop shop for all things Conway Farms.

- Robin Martin, Operations Director

Club Software Made Simple Reservations Tee Times, Dining, Tennis, Pickleball, Simulators, Fitness and more.

Member and Staff Apps Easy Reservations, Food Ordering, Push Notifications, Club Branding and more.

Club Management Point of Sale, Financial Reports, Member Reports, Banquet Events and more.

Website and Communication Member and Public facing website, email campaigns, custom designs, and more.

www.foretees.com

sales@foretees.com

GOLF + FITNESS TECHNOLOGY

STICK TO YOUR INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

By Matt Kilgariff, Director of Player Development, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.)

WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING, be sure to stick with “your” instructional process. Do not be tempted to skip over important steps that have worked for you and your students in the past, regardless of how hard a student may push for a “quick fix.”

Everyone knows there are no magic pills for improving a golf game. So you, as the professional, must trust your knowledge, process, and track record of success.

An improvement-process plan for any golfer is driven by your initial assessment.

You will need a thorough understanding of underlying issues, to diagnose and assist with corrections. A plan is then developed, followed by the orchestration and execution of that plan. Remember that you and your student are a team on this journey, and you both need to understand the plan and allow for input.

Along the path, appropriate tweaks and changes will be necessary while maintaining trust in your initial assessment that helped to build the improvement plan. As the teacher, you will continuously need to be curious and consistently ask yourself many “why” questions, such as: • Why did the ball do what it just did?

• Why does the clubface turn the way it does?

• Why is the path of the club traveling the way it is?

• Why does this student set up as they do?

As you answer your own questions, you will be able to get to the root cause of problems and provide the proper “prescriptions.” Instructors often take a Band12

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Everyone knows there are no magic pills for improving a golf game. “ You, as the professional, must trust your knowledge and track record of success. The goal is to make long-lasting, incremental improvements over time. Encourage your students to be patient with you, as well as themselves.

”

Aid approach and just attack symptoms, rather than taking enough time during the assessment stage to dig deep and understand the issues.

Here is a good example of what I mean by this: The clubface dictates what the path needs to be to make solid contact. If you choose to work on path only and do not address clubface issues, your student will never fully correct their swing and ultimately fail in achieving their goals. These situations are a lose/lose for both of you.

The student feels like a failure, and there is a big possibility that you will lose them as a student.

Communicating effectively with your student is very critical for the overall success of any plan. Students must understand their “opportunities” for improvement, why you’re asking them to make changes, and what the expected outcome of those changes can and should be. Elaborate by explaining the cause and effect of any change.

Be honest and compassionate with your students. Tell them that you understand that making any type of change can be challenging, and that this is especially true with the great game of golf. Remind them that very few players master this game.

Share that improvement in this sport is low and slow, like a marathon, versus fast and furious like a sprint.

The goal is to make long-lasting, incremental improvements over time.

Encourage your students to “trust the process” and be patient with you, as well as themselves.

Need help learning how to assess, diagnose and prescribe the proper fix? I highly recommend going to the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI), which developed a program to train Golf Professionals, Personal Trainers, Physical Therapists, Chiropractors and Medical Practitioners to understand the correlation between a golfer’s physical limitations and their swing flaws.

In my many years of teaching and studying this game, success comes back to one thing—running your process every time, without fail.

Matt Kilgariff is a PGA professional who spent much of his career working for Butch Harmon and the Harmon Family. He is currently the Director of Player Development at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. Prior to joining The Bridges, Kilgariff was Director of Player Development at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Matt has also been part of TaylorMade’s National Advisory Staff since 2012. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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GOLF + FITNESS TECHNOLOGY

GOING FROM AVERAGE

TO ELITE

By Keke Lyles, Director of Fitness and Recreation at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.)

MOST CLUBS HAVE A HANDLE on the general ways to meet the fitness needs of their clients. Programming that includes fitness and wellness programs such as yoga, Pilates, boot camps, circuit training, or spin classes are commonplace in the average country club.

Nutritional initiatives focusing on healthy selections at various dining options on site, as well as access to cardio equipment, weights and amenities such as tennis courts, pools and a golf course that encourage an active lifestyle, are also staples of what an attractive club can offer. But to make real change in an effective way, a club needs to provide personalized programs that are focused on specific interventions to optimize individual health and wellness.

These personalized programs can come in many different forms, but the key is to always understand that each person who comes through the doors will have a variety of different strengths and weaknesses. And the most effective way to address an individual’s goals is to provide specific programs built around their unique attributes.

The best example of this is an individual with the goal of losing weight. If they attend general group-fitness classes on a regular basis, there’s a chance they might reach this

“Understanding each member and what

motivates them, and then developing relationships to help them connect the dots of fitness, lifestyle and sport, will create a unique experience and move your program from general provisions to specific, personalized interventions.

”

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goal. But if your sport and fitness team spends time to really understand clients and what the true limitations are in their diet, get a basic understanding of their metabolic systems, and what kind of exercises they are able to tolerate, a program can be designed for them that will likely ensure their success. And this can be done in a way that is far more efficient and engaging.

While it may seem overwhelming to ask a club’s fitness team to design individual programs for a few hundred members, the good news is that it all really starts with a system that is set up to screen and assess each individual.

When starting from the ground up, the first thing is to establish a standard operating procedure for what exactly the assessment will entail.

Next, set up specific times for when members know they can come in to meet with the fitness team to receive their initial and complimentary assessments. This is a critical step in educating each person about their specific weaknesses.

It is also an opportunity for the fitness team to learn more about the client and connect with them personally.

The more of a connection there is with the client, the more effort they will give and the more accountability the fitness team will be able to provide. At any club, the member wants to be known and feel like they are receiving special attention.

Over time, the fitness team will eventually be able to assess most members and place them on some type of program that’s based specifically on their goals and “raw materials.”

The great thing about understanding members’ weaknesses is that they can then be placed into larger cohorts. This will allow the fitness team to develop group-fitness solutions that are tailored for a specific cohort, and open doors for members to take full advantage of what comes with group training, while still getting a specific intervention.

Understanding the membership and what motivates them, and then developing relationships to help them www.clubandresortbusiness.com

connect the dots of fitness, lifestyle and sport, will create a unique experience that will keep all of them coming back to utilize the club and all of its facilities. With a system that is transparent and easy for members to understand, the fitness team can profoundly improve the overall experience for each of them, while getting predictable results based on individual goals. And by moving from general provisions to specific, personalized interventions, a club’s program will go from average to elite.

Keke Lyles is recognized as a leader in human performance, with experience with professional athletes and Navy Special Warfare operators. He now leads fitness initiatives at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe.

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» GIANTS RIDGE

A NORTH STAR S

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R SHINES BRIGHT Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn. offers 36 holes of golf and the state’s most extensive biking trails in the summer, and keeps the recreational activity going throughout the winter with skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing.

By Rob Thomas, Senior Editor

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» Giants Ridge

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, General Manager Fred Seymour says everything—with the exception of food and beverage—was up in 2020. “For our fiscal year, which ended June 30, golf was up 35 percent, winter recreation was up 18 percent and summer recreation was up 75 percent,” he reports.

MINNESOTA IS KNOWN AS the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” so it goes to reason that recreational activities are plentiful across the state.

Nowhere is that more evident than at Giants Ridge in Biwabik, Minn.

Located in the Superior National Forest of the Mesabi Iron Range, Giants Ridge is a four-season resort targeting every level of outdoor enthusiast. The resort’s name is derived from the Ojibwi Indian tribe—Misaabe Wajiw—or “Big Man Mountain.” A signature bunker

in the shape of a massive footprint (see photo, page 17) emphasizes the legend on one of its golf courses.

Summer at Giants Ridge offers two 18-hole championship golf courses, fishing, boating, hiking and top-rated mountain-bike trails. The winter brings skiing, snowboarding and fat-tire biking.

Giants Ridge typically sees 130,000 to 150,000 guests on an annual basis, says General Manager Fred Seymour. And fortunately for the resort, the pandemic didn’t have

AT A GLANCE:

Giants Ridge Biwabik, Minn.

www.giantsridge.com

Two 18-Hole Golf Courses: The Legend and The Quarry Golf Course Designer: Jeffrey D. Brauer Annual Resort Guests: 130,000-150,000 Annual Golf Rounds: 32,000 General Manager: Fred Seymour Director of Golf: John Kendall Executive Chef: Doug Sperry Superintendent: Joe Marafioti (The Legend) and Jeff Simondet (The Quarry) 18

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far-reaching effects on the property.

“We were not really shut down during COVID,” Seymour says. “We closed skiing three weeks earlier [on March 15], and then opened golf on schedule on May 1.”

In 2020, in fact, all of Giants Ridge’s operating areas saw increased activity, Seymour notes, except food and beverage, which was curtailed by capacity restrictions.

“Golf, summer recreation and ski visits were all up,” he says. “For our fiscal year, which ended June 30, golf was up 35 percent, winter recreation was up 18 percent, and summer recreation was up 75 percent.”

There are more than 200 skiable acres at Giants Ridge and the ski hill has 500 feet of vertical drop. In addition to a pair of chalets, there are a total of 35 trails with seven chairlifts and a Yurt.

Accommodations include The Lodge at Giants Ridge and the Villas at Giants Ridge. The Lodge features 67 guest suites ranging from one to four bedrooms, the Sleeping Giant Restaurant & Bar, Little Giant Arcade, www.clubandresortbusiness.com

indoor pool and hot tub, exercise room and meeting and event spaces.

The Villas offer studios, 1- and 2-bedroom suites, plus 3- and 4-bedroom villas. Most offer fireplaces, full kitchens, and whirlpool baths. All units are individually owned, decorated and controlled by their owners.

The majority of Giants Ridge guests travel from Minneapolis/St. Paul, the Dakotas, Iowa, Chicago and other Midwest locales. Canada—just about an hour and a half to the north—was also a huge market before the pandemic hit and borders were closed.

GOLF GETS A BOOST Giants Ridge offers two 18-hole golf courses—The Legend and The Quarry— both designed by architect Jeffrey D. Brauer, ASGCA. John Kendall, who has been the resort’s Director of Golf for 24 years, says the resort generally sees around 32,000 rounds per year, before getting the boost in 2020.

“I believe that people rediscovered their enjoyment of the game and appreciated the benefits of simply getting outside and being active,” Kendall says. “Hopefully we won’t see anything like 2020 again, but it rekindled the golf spark in a number of our guests.”

The Legend opened for play in 1997, with The Quarry following six years later. The diversity of the tracks is a big part of the consistent appeal of golf at Giants Ridge, Kendall says.

“I believe the biggest strength of our golf courses are not only their quality, but the differences between how they look and play for our guests,” he says. “I have never been to another golf facility that has the same level of design variety and quality between courses.

“The Legend is what most guests would expect from a Northwoods golf experience, with the towering Norway Pines, lakes, and boulders commonly seen in our region,” Kendall describes. “It is an excellent mix of playability and aesthetics, and has earned its place in our region’s golf market.

Director of Golf John Kendall says the resort’s biggest push is with introducing juniors and their families to the sport through weeklong clinics and offers aimed at family participation. “This has been a huge success and has opened our courses to guests who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to visit the facility,” he says.

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» Giants Ridge

Caption

Executive Chef Doug Sperry refers to all of the property’s restaurants as “casual with a relaxed atmosphere.” The resort has multiple dining options, including The Burnt Onion Kitchen and Brews, Wacootah Grille, Bunkers Snack Bar, and a Food Court during the winter ski season.

“The Quarry is an excellent example of a reclaimed industrial site being transformed into a recreation venue,” he continues. “The look and feel of the Quarry is unlike anything else our guests will see anywhere in the Midwest, and is a great complement to the traditional golf played at the Legend.”

Kendall and his staff also promote play at Giants Ridge by not just focusing on current golfers, but also offering ample “grow the game” initiatives.

“Throughout the season we conduct weekly beginner and women’s clinics designed at exposing new players to the facility and the game,” he says. “Our biggest push is with introducing juniors and their families to the sport through weeklong clinics and offers aimed at family participation.

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“Juniors 15-and-under play for free in the afternoons if accompanied by a paid adult,” he notes. “This has been a huge success and has opened our courses to guests who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to visit the facility.”

CASUAL CULINARY Executive Chef Doug Sperry has worked at resort properties throughout the West Coast and Upper Midwest for 26 years, and the past two at Giants Ridge. He refers to all of the property’s restaurants as “casual with a relaxed atmosphere.”

The Burnt Onion Kitchen and Brews is adjacent to the Lodge at Giants Ridge and The Legend course. It features seasonal lunch and dinner menus, and a full bar with a creative twist on classic American fare. Down the road, the Wacootah Grille at The Quarry course offers

breakfast, lunch and dinner menus and a full-service bar. Indoor and patio seating overlooks the 18th green and the sparkling blue waters of Mine Lake.

There’s also Bunkers Snack Bar, located at The Legend course, for breakfast and deli sandwiches, burgers, brats, hot dogs, snacks, mixed drinks and assorted beers on the outdoor patio.

The Winter Food Court is located in the main Chalet.

“Our Food Court offers winter enthusiasts a casual setting overlooking the ski slopes, with offerings from fast food, pizzas, snacks, sandwiches with housemade soups, and a coffee bar that provides cozy warmth on winter days,” says Sperry.

Bunkers and Wacootah are open during the summer only, while the Food Court is a winter-only operation. Burnt Onion is open year-round. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

In addition to golf on two championship courses, Giants Ridge offers fishing, boating, hiking, chairlift rides and top-rated mountain-bike trails. The winter brings skiing, snowboarding and fat-tire biking.

AN AGRONOMIC TAG TEAM Joe Marafioti and Jeff Simondet split golf course superintendent duties at Giants Ridge. Marafioti, who directs care of The Legend, has been at the property for his entire 20-year career. Simondet is in charge of The Quarry and has been in the industry for 17 years—the last eight at the resort.

The different nature of the two

courses also requires different maintenance approaches, Simondet reports.

“Water management is the most unique and critical challenge at The Quarry golf course, with it being built on a former sand/gravel quarry,” he says. “It requires daily monitoring of the soil to ensure adequate moisture levels are met and aren’t being exceeded.”

While many clubs used the lock-

Joe Marafioti and Jeff Simondet split superintendent duties for Giants Ridge’s two golf courses. Marafioti (The Legend) has been at the club for his entire 20-year career, while Simondet (The Quarry, pictured above) has been at the resort since 2013. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

downs during the early stages of the pandemic to tackle some needed projects, Simondet says golf restrictions in Minnesota were loosened shortly before the golf season started, so it was business as usual at Giants Ridge.

And Marafioti doubts they would have had the manpower to do too much, regardless. “We were very shortstaffed in the early stages,” he says.

“We had seven employees at each golf course to get them ready for play.”

While it has been hard in the past to hire a full staff for the summer, Marafioti adds, the last two years have been getting better.

Simondet agrees. “Every year is different with staffing,” he says. “Some years we will operate the majority of the season at full or near-full capacity at the course, and there are some years where we are running around halfcapacity.”

ALL-SEASON OPTIMISM Whether it’s golf, hiking, biking or myriad snow sports, Seymour has an enthusiastic outlook on the future of Giants Ridge.

“Bright!” he says emphatically. “We offer guests the opportunity to explore, get outside and recreate in the great Northwoods of Minnesota.” C+RB August 2021

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

Serving Up Refreshed

Racquet Space Clubs are answering the call for ‘Tennis, anyone?’—and pickleball, paddle, racquetball, squash and even badminton as well—with a resounding “yes” as they map out space for expanded facilities.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

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SUMMING IT UP > Non-golf memberships are getting > >

a boost from new racquet facilities offering tennis, pickleball and more.

In addition to court updates, adding comfortable seating provides room for spectators and post-game socializing.

Positioning racquet facilities close to high-traffic areas facilitates access to other club amenities.

Photo Courtesy Seville G&CC

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DESIGN + RENOVATION PENINSULA GOLF & RACQUET CLUB Gulf Shores, Ala.

“Hurricane Sally was the cata-

lyst for our latest [racquet club] update, and we used the opportunity to bring our Har-Tru courts back to pristine playing conditions by resurfacing and laser-grading them. Membership is booming and the overall morale of members and employees is through the roof.”

—Chad Leonard, General Manager

GOLF ISN’T THE ONLY GAME in town anymore within club and resort properties. Tennis, and the increasingly popular pickleball, are gaining steam at clubs across the country, with court time in high demand, particularly during the summer months. And paddle/platform tennis, racquetball and squash continue to hold their own, especially as winter alternatives, in areas where they have developed strong followings.

As clubs ramp up all of their racquet amenities to appeal to more members in search of non-golf offerings, a number of courts, and the buildings that house or surround them, are getting well-timed makeovers.

IN FULL SWING At Peninsula Golf & Racquet Club in Gulf Shores, Ala., Mother Nature prompted a new racquet club update.

“Hurricane Sally [in September 2020] was the catalyst for our latest renovation,” explains General Manager Chad Leonard of the weather-maker that upended the existing structure. While the space had been previously redesigned in 2007 and 2019, a complete refresh, from top to bottom, was unveiled to members in May 2020.

Situated on the north side of the property, Peninsula’s racquet club is in a prime location for maximum usage.

“With views of the golf course, lake and swimming pool, it makes for a great place to play tennis,” notes Leonard.

Upon entering, members will find a seating area that beckons players to grab a cup of coffee or enjoy a postgame gathering with friends. Just off to the right-hand side is a fully stocked tennis pro shop, followed by fitness and aerobics rooms that wind around to the locker rooms.

Once on the court, players can practice their serve on one of eight new Har-Tru courts that required 10 tons 24

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of building material. “We used this opportunity to bring them back to pristine playing conditions by resurfacing and laser-grading them,” Leonard says. Four pickleball courts were added to the layout, running on the north and south perimeters and between tennis courts #6 and 7.

A sub-irrigated watering system was also a key element in the courts’ new design, enabling uninterrupted play that eliminates the need for mid-day watering. Thanks to the mild, southern coastal Alabama climate, the courts are in full use year-round.

While Peninsula G&RC does not have any formal arrangements with local tennis teams, the club promotes youth play through high schools in the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach communities. Summer camps at the club were put on hold this year, with plans to reintroduce them in 2022 with a combination of golf, tennis and swimming.

Because the newly refurbished racquet facility opened its doors on the pandemic’s downward spiral, Peninsula Y&CC did not have to endure any changes to its tennis setup; courts were not restricted and were used at full capacity (32 plus spectators). “Membership is booming, and the overall morale of our members and employees is through the roof,” Leonard enthuses.

TENNIS AND BEYOND To offer more non-golf amenities to its membership, Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Ala., recently underwent a multi-phase improvement project that included a significant upgrade of its racquet facilities.

“The overwhelming desire and need was to expand the building to offer more outdoor covered seating with views of all courts,” says General Manager/CEO David Porter of the mission set by a member focus group. While construcwww.clubandresortbusiness.com

Situated on the north side of the property, the Peninsula racquet club is in a prime location for maximum usage, with views of the golf course, lake and swimming pool.

tion was due to take place in 2020, the pandemic caused a rescheduling to the first quarter of 2021, and the project was expected to be completed by the end of July.

In the interim, the club went forward with refurbishing its ten existing Har-Tru courts. An outdoor area, designed with concrete flooring, contains a firepit with six lounging chairs fashioned from wicker and outfitted with durable cushions (see photo, pg. 26).

Metal dining tables and chairs, selected for their ability to withstand Alabama’s high humidity, provide additional seating.

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“We are evaluating the demand for putting up a seasonal bubble over a bank of three courts,” adds Porter.

In addition to solid membership usage, the racquet facilities serve as a training site for an elite group of high-school players.

Each season, Greystone typically produces two students who earn a Division 1 tennis scholarship.

The club is also batting around the idea of offering badminton at its facility. Porter characterizes badminton as a “very challenging sport that in America has been viewed as a backyard

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

GREYSTONE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Birmingham, Ala.

“The overwhelming desire and need were to

expand [our racquet facility] to offer more outdoor covered seating with views of all courts. We are [also] evaluating the demand for putting up a seasonal bubble over a bank of three courts.”

—David Porter, General Manager/CEO

An outdoor area with concrete flooring near Greystone G&CC’s refurbished Har-Tru tennis courts features a firepit with six lounging chairs fashioned from wicker and outfitted with durable cushions.

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and beach game. [But] it is an Olympic sport that we feel can differentiate us from other clubs.”

While Greystone’s revamped racquet facilities have been unveiled during the pandemic’s downswing, the layout remains conducive to social distancing, with six feet spaced out between each set of lounge chairs and dining tables. “Comfortable furniture that is spaced out was a priority, because we have now seen a situation with COVID-19 that can possibly return at some time,” Porter notes.

Greystone planned to host an official grand opening for its upgraded court space during the first week of August 2021 for all members and a select group of prospective members, including an exhibition event with club pros playing against local pros, along with complimentary food and beverages and live music.

Even before that unveiling, the renovated racquet space was already making an impression on the club’s membership.

Greystone’s ladies’ tennis league saw a 30 percent increase over the last year, from 90 to 126 players, reports Director of Tennis Kristijan Mitrovski. “We are seeing ladies staying at the club after their matches, sitting at our new tables, where before they did not spend as much time following their games,” Mitrovski adds.

Later in August, Greystone planned to break ground on its Lakeside Amenities Center, complete with four pickleball courts, a basketball court and beach volleyball court. And the basketball court was being designed to include an overlay of pickleball lines so four additional courts could be created as needed, using portable nets.

Situated across from the fairway of one of Greystone’s golf course holes, the Amenities Center is also intended to provide some synergy between the different sports. “Our long-term plan is to potentially reroute that hole, so we can bring aquatics, fitness and racquets all together,” Porter says. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SEVILLE GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB Birmingham, Ala.

“All of the materials [in the Sports

Club] were selected to provide an unrivaled experience and lasting durability for our members and guests, while enhancing the modern look of our facilities.”

—Garret Kriske, General Manager

IN THE ZONE An updated racquet facility has enhanced membership amenities at the Seville Golf & Country Club in Gilbert, Ariz., where the club repurposed its existing setup and added new features during the summer of 2019. Now known as the Sports Club, designers converted a full basketball court to three pickleball courts and removed two sand volleyball courts.

Three tennis courts, along with half-court basketball, batting cages and space for outdoor cardio boxing round out the area, while a new 10,000-sq. ft. turf field plays home to flag football, bootcamp classes and outdoor family activities.

Proximity to other high-traffic areas of the club is a notable benefit for Seville’s racquet-playing membership. “The Sports Club is conveniently close to the parking lot, which makes it easy to access swimming, working out, enjoying a variety of amenities and playing tennis and pickleball,” says General Manager Garret Kriske.

A nearby Starbucks café, grab ‘n go market, pro shop and water park—featuring resort-style pools, cabanas, waterslides, a kids’ lagoon and a 25-meter lap pool—provide visitors with a well-rounded assortment of family-friendly activities and dining options.

With pickleball courts being a key draw for members who have recently taken up that sport, a streamlined design featuring standard acrylic hard courts and regulation netting maximizes the playing experience. Six-foot divider nets were selected for their ability to slide open, creating a larger court area when necessary.

To create a design that is consistent with the rest of the Sports Zone, the area surrounding the courts features stadium seating from Camden Yards in Baltimore; this addition complements existing repurposed seating from other wellknown sports venues, including the original Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Texas; Yankee Stadium in the Bronx,

N.Y.; Fenway Park in Boston, Mass.; and the former Shea Stadium in Queens, N.Y. In addition, the nearby sports field was constructed using high-quality synthetic turf and sand underlayment. “All of the materials were selected to provide an unrivaled experience and lasting durability for our members and guests, while enhancing the modern look of our facilities,” says Kriske.

During the pandemic, the racquet facilities at Seville adhered to strict safety regulations under all local and state mandates. Rental equipment and all high-touch surfaces were disinfected, and outdoor water sources were removed in favor of members brining their own bottled water.

But as Kriske notes, pickleball lent itself well to safe play and as a result was a popular option for members. “The nature of the [game] allowed players from the same household to play together, and the divider nets allowed people from different households to maintain social distance while playing,” he says.

Interest in pickleball and racquet sports as a whole has spawned a boom in membership at Seville, a ClubCorp property, with 94 new families joining the non-golf membership program since the completion of the Sports Zone. “Our new amenities also allow us to support our community with kids’ programming on our sports field,” says Kriske of the increased activity the club has seen in drop-in, free-of-charge after-school recreational sports. C+RB

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DESIGN SNAPSHOT

PARTYING

LIKE IT’S 2023

The refreshed event space at Morris Park CC is primed for quite a workout, as the South Bend, Ind. club gears up for its 100th anniversary.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

The members of Morris Park Country Club in South Bend, Ind., are ready to party—and with good reason.

With the pandemic largely in the rearview mirror and the recent culmination of a years-long, property-wide renovation, the club is showcasing revitalized event spaces that have been repositioned with better flow and functionality.

Originally constructed in 1923, the club’s facilities had gone largely untouched (save for a few minor updates) and required major reconstruction. “We knew that we needed a total overhaul to take Morris Park into its second century,” says Director of Membership & Marketing Lisa Chesnic. That led to a redesign of “every single inch of the [clubhouse] building,” Chesnic says, as part of a project that was approved by 96 percent of the membership.

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MAKING A GRAND ENTRANCE To create a more cohesive layout, the clubhouse’s disjointed event spaces, comprised of five distinct rooms separated by partitions, were repositioned and combined into a Grand Hall corridor. “This allows each event space to have its own entry off the hall,” explains Principal Interior Designer Sally Anglemyer, ASID, of Arkos Design.

With the Grand Hall extending into private member dining spaces and a secondary entrance at the far end of the building, these spaces now create a natural flow out onto an exterior deck. (The area also provides access to pool event space, enhancing a new pool house.)

Each of the interior event spaces are designed with similar footprints: the 1,690-sq. ft. Coquillard Room; the 1,740-sq. ft.

LaSalle Room; the 2,240-sq. ft. Studebaker Room; and the 768sq. ft. pre-function space. All are outfitted in a neutral palette

MA ST E R P L A N N I NG

A RC H I T EC T U R E

Design Snapshot

MORRIS PARK COUNTRY CLUB South Bend, Ind.

Designer: Arkos Design, Mishawaka, Ind. Carpeting: Bentley Mills Lighting: Camman Lighting; Ikea (pool event space) Chairs: MTS Seating Tables and Lounge Furniture: National Office Furniture, Falcon and Kellen; MityLite and Safco (pool event space) Ceiling: Kinetics Hardside

I NT E R I O R DE S IG N

P RO C U R E M E NT

Echo Lake Country Club - Westfield, NJ

STUDIO JBD & JEFFERSON GROUP ARCHITECTURE Peter Cafaro / 401.721.0977 / PCafaro@JBDandJGA.com

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DESIGN SNAPSHOT

All of the five separate event spaces within the Morris Park clubhouse have been repositioned as part of a Grand Hall corridor, each with its own entry off the hallway. Further integration is achieved by outfitting each room in a neutral palette of greys, white and black in a style described as “elegant with a rustic lean, due to the existing trusses and exposed hardware.”

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of greys, white and black in a style that Anglemyer describes as “elegant with a rustic lean, due to the existing trusses and exposed hardware.”

These accents are complemented by large custom pendant lighting, while patterned plank-tile carpeting draws the eye downward. Neutral-toned chairs are stackable, allowing them to be stored or moved into adjoining rooms as needed. In the pre-event space, bar-height communal tables and lounge chairs set a more casual vibe.

Outside at the pool event space, simple sealed concrete and painted block walls are balanced out by the neutral interiors that include black-framed, glass overhead doors that provide a tie-in with the main event spaces. Industrial-style lights play nicely against a lazy ceiling fan, while outdoor tables and stackable green chairs offer a social-gathering spot for outdoor guests.

In addition to its entertainment venues, Morris Park also accommodates small corporate and business functions. “Our members were looking for a secluded area where they could host meetings and private family events and not be disturbed by other

August 2021

events or dining areas,” says Chesnic. A new boardroom, with seating for up to 16 guests, features a 21-foot-long table, granite countertop and an 85inch television that can be used for laptop presentations or video calls.

FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE BRIDAL SUITE With weddings accounting for big business at Morris Park, a former event office has been transformed into a bridal suite. Located just inside the main entrance to provide easy access for the arrival of bridal attendants and hair/makeup artists, this room has a seating area, buffet table, shelving units and numerous mirrors. Restrooms are directly outside the room and in the common area.

While the pandemic cost Morris Park much of its event business from January through May 2020—a period that coincided with when the club underwent its renovation—the upside was minimal revenue loss. “We were able to have a few of the smaller weddings and events that met the healthdepartment guidelines,” notes Chesnic. “With the

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larger event space, we were able to space all of the tables far apart, as directed.”

Pandemic aside, Chesnic is enthused by the impact that the renovation is already having for the club. Membership has seen a more than 56 percent spike in the last year, and the new space has also offered new value for existing members.

“We were able to provide a private, socially distanced space for a lot of our members during the holidays who did not have the space at their homes,” she notes.

Regular daily and weekly meetings are now being held in the boardrooms, and wedding bookings are rock solid, with 25 slated for 2021 and 15 already scheduled for 2022. “We have had to turn a few events away due to our busy event schedule,” Chesnic adds. C+RB

Morris Park CC’s clubhouse renovation included creating a new boardroom with seating for up to 16 guests that features a 21-foot-long table and 85-inch television that can be used for laptop presentations or video calls. It now hosts regular daily and weekly meetings for members’ businesses and organizations, as well as private family events.

Lifestyle Design TO ENHANCE THE MEMBER EXPERIENCE

Bringing members together with designs that foster community and camaraderie.

STRATEGIC PLANNING MASTER PLANNING ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN PROCUREMENT

SIGN UP FREE! for club industry trends & insights BALD HEAD ISLAND CLUB North Carolina

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

A Bright

New Outlook The new emphasis on outdoor dining has prompted club chefs to also make al fresco cooking a greater part of their repertoire and has shed new light on how to turn everyday meals into special events.

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Contributing Editor

THE DINING ROOM AT REUNION Golf & Country Club in Madison, Miss. may have been closed during the pandemic—but when only outdoor dining was allowed, Executive Chef Billy Kistler was determined to make it a spirit-lifting experience or, as he describes it, “an event without being an event.”

Under a tent that was added onto the back of the clubhouse and at the pool, Kistler and his crew have now prepared everything from steaks and burgers on portable six-foot-long and three-foot-wide grills, to Southern crawfish and Low Country boils on large propane-fueled burners.

“We’ll do the crawfish and Low Country boils each twice a year,” Kistler notes. “And we’ll get as many as 400 people coming here for them.”

Recently, Kistler took his grills and portable fryers to the pool for a Caribbean Night featuring jerk pork tenderloin with smoked tomato grits and mango salsa; conch fritters; short-rib croquettes and red snapper Vera Cruz-style (a Mexican-inspired mixture of fresh tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, olives and dried cranberries; see recipe, pg. 34). One fryer runs on propane, and the other plugs into a natural gas line on the patio.

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SUMMING IT UP > Special equipment, including smokers, roasters, boxes, planchas and grills, can be utilized to add variety and unique appeal to outdoor-cooking offerings. > Make sure takeout service is still offered for meals cooked outdoors— it can often lead to “doubling up” through extra orders placed by onsite diners as they prepare to leave. > Don’t underestimate or shortchange the value and power of outdoorcooking basics like burgers, pizza and fish frys.

Even as normalcy returns, Kistler says he plans to continue cooking outdoors, because “members love it” and it takes some of the heat off the dining room.

Pizza and Flatbread Night is also a popular weekly event at Reunion G&CC. To adapt it for cooking on a grill, Kistler had to tweak his usual pizza dough recipe.

Club members have always enjoyed Kistler’s smoked foods, and they are happy that he is now doing more of it. “I’ll smoke brisket, pork shoulder, tomatoes—just www.clubandresortbusiness.com

about anything,” he says.

During the pandemic shutdown, takeout became a big part of the club’s dinner business, and it continues to account for at least $25,000 a month. Kistler offers just about anything on the menu for takeout, including char-grilled steaks and the crawfish boil that’s cooked outside.

QUICK LEARNER While The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, Mo. did many outdoor service events prior to the pandemic, for Executive Chef Devin Kemp, outdoor cooking was not as prevalent.

In the past year and a half, however, he has become proficient at cooking all over the property— on everything from an open firepit for lamb chops to a portable grill for oysters to a schawarma roaster (a portable vertical rotisserie grill), from which meats such as pork shoulder and a ground lamband-beef combination are shaved to order for tacos al pastor.

And at The Club at Old Hawthorne, summer means even more outdoor cooking. “In summer, members love to dine outdoors and have the chance to interact with the chefs and kitchen management,” Kemp says.

Kemp now does a lot of meat smoking outdoors—and be it brisket, pulled pork, chicken wings or quarters, duck breast and even antelope, the smoked meats are very popular with members.

“If they can smell it, they order it,” he says. “They can eat here or order it to go.”

For progressive wine dinners, Kemp sets up cooking stations at picturesque spots around the golf course. Some of the dishes he’s prepared at these stations include grilled rack of lamb and grilled oysters, topped with hot sauce made with vegetaAugust 2021

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Recipe SNAPPER VERA CRUZ YIELD: 4 Servings FINAL PROCEDURE: INGREDIENTS: 4 red snapper fillets, 6 ozs. each 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup olive oil 1 Vidalia onion, diced 3 tbsp. roasted garlic 3 cups fresh tomatoes, diced 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 bay leaf 1/4 cup parsley, chopped and squeezed dry 2 tbsp. fresh oregano leaves 1/4 cup Castelveltrano olives (pitted Queen olives may be substituted) 2 tbsp. dried cranberries (raisins may be substituted) 4 jalapeno peppers, grilled to taste salt and pepper SUBMITTED BY BILLY KISTLER, EXECUTIVE CHEF, REUNION GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, MADISON, MISS.

1. In a large sauce pot, add 1/4 cup olive oil to heat.

Add onions and sweat until translucent. Add garlic and tomatoes. Let cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have released all their juices and the mixture is beginning to thicken up.

2. Add vinegar, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, olives and cranberries. Simmer another five minutes or so.

3. While the sauce is simmering, season snapper with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.

4. Heat a cast-iron skillet; add the rest of the olive oil. Once the skillet is almost at smoke point, sear fish quickly on one side, then turn the fish over. Add the tomato sauce mixture to the fish and let simmer until fish is fully cooked and sauce has thickened slightly.

5. Remove fish to a serving plate and pour some sauce on each fillet. Garnish with the grilled jalapeno peppers.

6. Serve with jasmine rice or parsley white potatoes. Always have some nice bread to sop up the juices as well.

To celebrate the recent opening of Sawgrass CC’s new clubhouse, Executive Chef Michael Meuse treated members to special outdoor cooking experiences that included a seafood paella prepared over a gas grill.

bles from the club’s garden.

While simple burgers and steaks are always well-received (see box, pg. 36), Kemp likes to get creative with his outdoor equipment. He has set up a mini-smoker to make tea-smoked duck breast and uses his grill for blackened tenderloin medallions with Gouda grits, heirloom tomato and scallops beurre blanc, seasonal vegetables, green 34

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onions and spiced pumpkin seeds.

Sometime in the future, Kemp wants to add a gas- or wood-fired pizza oven on a trailer to his outdoor cooking arsenal.

Long-range plans also include constructing an indoor/outdoor pavilion with a kitchen at the golf course turn, to prepare food on the go for golfers on the course and driving range.

PROPERLY EQUIPPED When outdoor dining became the only option for members who wanted to dine at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Executive Chef Michael Meuse decided that he wanted to embrace the

outdoor experience with his cooking as well. And he was well-equipped to do it.

For an Argentinian-themed feast, he prepared three courses on a custom-made, open-flame, oak-burning Urban Asado grill. The first course was provoleta, the Argentinian variant of provolone cheese, with locally made chorizo sausage. Second was a mixed grill consisting of a tomahawk ribeye steak, chicken thighs, prawns, potatoes and asparagus roasted on the grill. Dessert was a grilled butter cake with charred Georgia peaches and house-made bourbon ice cream.

To celebrate the recent opening of Sawgrass’ new clubhouse, Meuse treated members to three different outdoor cooking experiences. On a Patagonia Asado crossstyle hearth, which suspends the meat over a live wood fire on an adjustable angle metal rod with adjustable cross arms and hooks, he prepared whole sides of salmon on oak.

“The radiant heat from the hearth cooks the salmon through, and you get a gentle touch of smoke,” he explains.

The cross can also be used to roast a whole pig, goat or lamb, or hanging racks of ribs, Meuse adds. A stainless-steel cage can www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

Recipe

BEER-CAN CHICKEN YIELD: 20 servings

INGREDIENTS:

10 2- to 3-lb. chickens (halved) 5 gal. chicken brine (see recipe below) as needed chicken rub (see recipe below) 1 inch beer

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHICKEN BRINE: 2 cups granulated garlic 2 cups kosher salt 2 cups granulated sugar 5 gals. water

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CHICKEN RUB*:

1 cup granulated garlic 1 cup black pepper 2 cups dried oregano 3 lbs. kosher salt 1 cup crushed red pepper 1 cup thyme * Combine all chicken rub ingredients in a container.

FINAL PROCEDURE:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer.

2. Remove from heat and cool.

3. Add chicken to brine; cover and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours.

4. Remove chicken from brine and purge in fresh water for an hour.

5. Add beer to a 2-inch-full hotel pan.

Place chicken in beer, exposing the top half.

6. Top with chicken rub.

7. Smoke or cook in oven uncovered at 275º F. until internal temperature is 165º (roughly 1 to 1.5 hours).

8. Remove from beer and dip in your favorite barbecue sauce.

9. Crisp skin on a grill.

SUBMITTED BY SEAN SENNET, EXECUTIVE CHEF, KENWOOD COUNTRY CLUB, CINCINNATI, OHIO

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hold roughly three whole fillets, sub-primal cuts of meat, and vegetables.

Continuing his use of outdoor-cooking equipment, Meuse also cooked a gigantic seafood paella in a three-and-a-half-foot pan over an EVO gas grill (see photo, pg.

34). And in a Caja China box, a whole roasting pig sent its irresistible aromas wafting through the air.

“As members worked their way through the clubhouse to the outside, they could smell the woods and cooking meats,” he says. “There was a lot of buzz about what’s coming off the grill and out of the roasting box.”

Aside from special occasions such as the clubhouse opening, Meuse plans to create outdoor dinners two to three times a month, some with unusual themes like Viking Night, which will feature live-fire cooking of whole meats such as chickens and tri-tip, pork ribs, sausages and whole roasted vegetables.

Meuse also made plans to bring Sawgrass’ ever-popular weekly shrimp, fish and hush-puppy fry back outside for the summer, and to respond to members’ requests for smaller but more frequent pig roasts.

For a pop-up, full-moon wine dinner for 25 members on the deck at the back of Sawgrass’ Beach Club, tables were placed in a square around an EVO flattop on which sous vide filets were quickly grilled. On the oceanfront deck, Meuse brought over the portable smoker for a “Smoke on the Water”-themed bourbon and smoked-foods dinner that included prime tri tip, chicken and local sausage.

Using small griddles over the EVOs, he prepares hot sandwiches, including a Saturday lunch special as a quick pick-up item for golfers. Among the most requested are the Cuban and a Philly-style steak sandwich. He also uses the paella pans to cook hot Italian beef with sweet and hot peppers that can also be built into sandwiches.

Meuse recently ordered a Binchotan hibachi-style charcoal grill, to equip stations offering such Japanese specialties as yakitori (skewered pork or chicken)

BURGERS STILL THRILL WHETHER WITH BASIC OR TRICKED-OUT EQUIPMENT, country club chefs are now turning out some pretty fancy meals such as paella and smoked duck breast as part of their outdoor-cooking repertoire. But it’s still the humble grilled burger that never fails to draw an enthusiastic crowd.

While new ideas continue to spark excitement at Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach Fla., traditional favorites such as Hamburger and Fries Nights at the Beach Club, cooked with portable grills and fryers every Monday, remain a don’t-miss attraction, reports Michael Meuse, the club’s Executive Chef. “We generally cook about At The Club at Old Haw500 burgers to order each time,” he says. thorne, Executive Chef Devin Kemp’s “pop up” At The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columgolf course offerings range bia, Mo., Executive Chef Devin Kemp likes from elaborate progressive to surprise golfers with “pop up” food ofdinners to always-popular ferings on the course—and grilled burgers burger grills. always get a great response, Kemp notes.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Recipe SALMON AL ASADOR

with Shaved Fennel Salad, Citrus Yellow Tomato Coulis and Sweet Poblano Pepper Crème Chef’s Note: The hearth pit design is a quick, simple stacking of bricks with a heavy sand bottom. The sand is to protect the turf we are cooking on and can be substituted with brick if needed. The brick offers wind protection and helps to retain the heat and reflect it onto your cooked item.

YIELD: 30 servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 sides of wild-caught skinless, boneless salmon, 2 to 3 lbs. each 2 cups house-made chimichurri (see recipe below) to taste Spiceology salt-free lemon-pepper blend to taste Spiceology fleur de sel

INGREDIENTS FOR THE HOUSE CHIMICHURRI*:

1 cup olive oil 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice 1/2 cup white vinegar 1 tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped fine 1 tsp. crushed red pepper 6 to 8 cloves garlic, chopped * Mix all ingredients in a bowl and store covered in the refrigerator.

For full flavor, make the day before serving.

FINAL PROCEDURE:

1. At least two hours before cooking, lay out on a sheet pan the three sides of salmon. Rub the chimichurri on both sides to coat each fillet.

2. Lightly dust both sides of the fillets with lemon-pepper blend and a light dusting of fleur de sel.

3. Place the fillets between the two cage sides of the cross arm and secure.

4. Store the salmon sides on the sheet pans in the walk-in while you start the fire.

5. Once the coals have turned white and are glowing, attach the cage to the cross, skin-side away from the coals. The cross has three angled settings. Start with the second setting, which gives you a 45-degree angle within two feet facing the coals.

6. Add split oak (you may also choose alder, beechwood or fruit woods such as apple, cherry or maple to add sweet notes) to the coals to enhance the wood-fired essence for the first 30 to 45 minutes.

7. After the first hour, raise the cross and flip the cage to expose the skin side towards the coals. Reset the angle. The fillets should be monitored to reach a minimum of 135º F. 8. Serve the salmon with pickled red onions and heirloom tomatoavocado salad.

SUBMITTED BY MICHAEL MEUSE, EXECUTIVE CHEF, SAWGRASS COUNTRY CLUB, PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLA.

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SALES@EUSTISCHAIR.COM l 978-827-3103 August 2021

Club + Resort Business l 37

Recipe TEA-SMOKED DUCK BREAST with Sauteed Bok Choi, Wild Mushrooms, Soy-Blood Orange Vinaigrette and Creamy Horseradish Sauce YIELD: 1 serving

INGREDIENTS:

1 6-oz. mallard duck breast 1/2 cup Earl Grey tea leaves 1 head bok choi, rough chop 1 dash red pepper flakes 2 cups wild mushrooms (for example, shimeji, oyster and shiitake) vinaigrette (see recipe below) creamy horseradish sauce (see recipe below)

INGREDIENTS FOR THE VINAIGRETTE: 1 oz. blood orange juice 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard 3 ozs. white wine vinegar 1 tbsp. soy sauce 12 ozs. blended olive oil 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. sugar

PROCEDURE FOR THE CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE:

1. Make the horseradish sauce by combining all of the ingredients into a bowl and whisk to combine. Adjust for seasoning as necessary.

2. Put into a squirt bottle.

FINAL PROCEDURE:

PROCEDURE FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:

1. Make the vinaigrette using a robot coupe to puree the Dijon mustard with everything else except for the olive oil. Once thoroughly combined, slowly drizzle the oil into the robot coupe to emulsify the vinaigrette.

2. Once thickened, adjust for salt and sugar as necessary.

3. Pour into a squirt bottle.

INGREDIENTS FOR THE CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE: 2 tbsp. horseradish 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup sour cream 1 tbsp. minced garlic 1 tbsp. soy sauce 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp. lemon juice to taste salt and pepper

For Executive Chef Billy Kistler at Reunion G&CC, the shift to outdoor dining offered an opportunity to highlight special outdoor cooking techniques and make every occasion “an event without being an event.”

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1. Score the duck fat using a grid pattern and sear the seasoned duck on low heat, slowly rendering the fat out of the breast, until golden brown.

2. Smoke the duck until the internal temperature of the duck reaches 125º F., or medium rare. To cook on an outdoor grill, put the tea leaves in the bottom of a hotel pan and place the duck above the tea leaves inside of a perforated pan insert.

3. While the duck is smoking, saute the bok choy over medium-high heat. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of red pepper flakes.

4. In a separate pan, preheat the pan on high heat. Add olive oil to the pan and saute the wild mushrooms, trying to get as much of a sear as possible. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Once all components have been cooked, lay the bok choy in the bottom of the plate. Add the mushrooms next to the bok choy.

Slice the duck, shingling the slices over the vegetables.

6. Zig-zag the vinaigrette and horseradish sauce over the top of the duck in opposite directions.

SUBMITTED BY DEVIN KEMP, EXECUTIVE CHEF, THE CLUB AT OLD HAWTHORNE, COLUMBIA, MO.

and sate to complement his sushi display.

He also plans to use the grill to cook small bites and amuse bouche dishes.

Even the pandemic didn’t stop Meuse and Sawgrass’ culinary team from making full use of outdoor cooking capabilities.

For the club’s July 4th celebration in 2020, the grand finale of the day was an outdoor dinner under a tent on the driving range.

Six action stations tempted the golfers with 800 pounds of meat, including brisket, chicken and sausages cooking in the 40foot smoker. Other stations used portable fryers for oysters and turkey fryers for Low Country boils.

And in all cases, Meuse notes, everything that he now cooks outside has been, and

will continue to be, 100% available for takeout as well—which often leads to double orders from those who have enjoyed their first portion on site.

ADDING TO THE ARSENAL Five years ago, Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, Ohio built a 120-seat Pavilion bar overlooking its pool and the cityscape.

But the new dining space did not include an outdoor kitchen. That will change next year, says Sean Sennet, the club’s Executive Chef, when an outdoor kitchenette with plumbing and gas is scheduled to be built.

But the lack of a kitchen at that venue has not slowed Sennet down at all when it comes to outdoor cooking on the Kenwood www.clubandresortbusiness.com

A pig roaster at Kenwood CC that can cook up to 200 lbs. can also be converted into a five-foot-wide charcoal burning grill, on which Executive Chef Sean Sennet has cooked everything from lobster to wings to king crab.

property. In fact, he is equipped to cook just about anything with a propane pizza oven, two Arteflame firepits with wood-burning planchas, and a smoker that can be pulled by a golf cart.

In addition, a pig roaster that can cook up to 200 lbs. of meat and a charcoalfueled char-broiler chicken box share a trailer. The pig roaster can be converted into a five-foot-wide, charcoal-burning grill, on which Sennet has cooked everything from lobster to wings to king crab.

Sennet currently sets up his larger equip-

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ment in a common area between the Pavilion bar and the pool.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday are Pizza Nights at Kenwood, and those are big nights for takeout. “We do 120 to 145 pizzas a night,” Sennet says.

He also uses the outdoor pizza oven for oysters and shrimp, and has cooked lobster and tenderloin with roasted tomato and red pepper remoulade in the smoker. The planchas are used for Tuesday Taco Nights.

One of Sennet’s best-selling dishes is a beer can-style chicken (see recipe, pg. 36)

that he cooks in the smoker. “We sell the hell out of it,” he says.

While the Kenwod dining room was closed during the pandemic, Sennet set up a pop-up barbecue, which he offered by the pint or pound for takeout for the convenience of members and to keep some revenue coming in. They proved to be so popular, he plans to bring them back in the fall. C+RB

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COURSE + GROUNDS

GOING TO E Whether they’re contending with heat waves and hurricanes or winds and wildfires, golf course superintendents strive to be proactive and stay a step ahead of Mother Nature.

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

TO KEEP THEIR TURF IN optimum condition, golf course superintendents are accustomed to sparring with fluctuating weather. It’s all in a day’s work. However, when Mother Nature throws them a curve ball with an extreme-weather event, superintendents have also become adept at finding ways to keep her in line.

UNPRECEDENTED TEMPS This summer, for instance, record-shattering temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and oppressive heat in the Northeast have challenged superintendents from coast to coast. Over a four-day period in late June, daytime high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest, which is not used to such extreme heat, soared past 100 degrees and set all-time records at dozens of locations.

At Aldarra Golf Club, an 18-hole property in Sammamish, Wash., the mercury crept past 100 for three days in a row when temperatures climbed to 105 or 106 degrees, breaking a 100-year-old record. The last time the area had temperatures above 100 degrees was in 2015, says Golf Course Superintendent Sean Reehoorn, and “the infrastructure is not necessarily built to deal with that,” he notes.

Normal temperatures in June are in the 80s for the region, and they’re typically in the 90s in July and August.

In addition, notes Reehoorn, nighttime temperatures were in the 60s and 70s, instead of in the 50s, during the heat wave.

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“The biggest challenge for us is having almost 16 hours of daylight. That makes a big difference,” he says.

Despite a “good snowpack until February,” Ty Patton, Superintendent of Tokatee Golf Club in Blue River, Ore., reports that the property, located about 45 miles east of Eugene, has been under drought conditions since March.

In late June, Patton says, temperatures reached as high as 105, 113, and 116 degrees, while average June highs are in the high 70s and the low 80s in July and August.

Tokatee also dodged a major catastrophe last year when the Holiday Farm Fire came within a quarter-mile of the facility (see photo at right), and a loss of power and the closing of a nearby highway due to fire debris shut down the property from September 8 until October 3.

Labor Day brought an historic windstorm with gusts up to 75 mph, which started the wildfire west of Tokatee’s Ted Robinson-designed golf course. While the storm blew east to west away from the club, the wildfire traveled 20 miles in five hours and burned 172,000 acres.

A generator kept golf course sprinklers operational to avoid the loss of the 18 greens and a majority of the fairways. In addition, the generator was available to protect the property if the wildfire had moved any closer.

“We had to come up with a generator to power our irrigation pumps, just to keep the golf course alive,” Patton explains. “That was the third wildfire that had been within five miles of the course in four years. Before that, no one could remember one within 10 miles.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

O EXTREMES EAST AS WELL AS WEST Earlier this summer, temperatures climbed well above normal on parts of the East Coast as well. The 27-hole Silvermine Golf Club in Norwalk, Conn., endured uncharacteristically warm temperatures in the 90s in both the early part of June and then again at the end of the month. The city’s average high temperature in June is 79 degrees.

The property also experienced minor flooding issues during Tropical Storm Elsa in July, but Golf Course Superintendent Dave Peterson says his maintenance staff did not have to handle any issues during the storm.

“The biggest thing a storm like that does is highlight areas with poor drainage,” he explains. “We are always trying to minimize the amount and duration of standing water on the golf course. Nothing kills grass faster than standing water and warm temperatures, which we had after the storm.”

However, Peterson adds, identifying areas that hold water for an extended period of time and eventually repairing those areas will increase the crew’s ability to keep grass alive.

Last year Silvermine also felt the wrath of Hurricane Isaias, which brought 60 to 70 mph winds that felled trees and knocked out the power for six days in August.

“The weather ebbs and flows,” says Peterson, who is in his third season at Silvermine. “With every storm that blows through, it seems like we’re right on the cusp of snow or rain.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The wildfire that came within a quarter-mile of Tokatee GC (above) in September 2020 was the third that had come within five miles of the club’s golf course in four years. Before that, says Superintendent Ty Patton, no one could ever remember one coming within ten miles of the property.

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In 2015, his first year at Tokatee GC’s Superintendent, Ty Patton (shown with sons Jackson and Landon) also experienced a summer with warmer-than-normal temperatures. His experience then helped him learn to combat the drought conditions and highs that reached 116 degrees this year, through timely application of wetting agents and use of the GreenKeeper app.

PROACTIVE APPROACH Superintendents need to be prepared for every punch that Mother Nature lands, and one of the best ways to be ready for her whims is to have a plan for any circumstances.

At Aldarra GC, Reehoorn emphasizes the need to be proactive by making the proper fungicide and fertilizer applications. Before the extreme heat arrived, the grounds crew sprayed for pithium on the greens and added extra fungicides on the fairways. In addition, extra fertilizer or plant protectants were applied in isolated areas.

The fire season at Aldarra occurs in July and August, notes Reehoorn, and last summer the golf course operated under a smoke warning. Water doesn’t evaporate on smoke-covered days, he adds, when the sun is obscured.

Reehoorn believes it’s important to “get to the other side” of extreme weather and then reassess maintenance inputs. He also stresses the need to communicate the maintenance staff’s objectives to golfers.

Because the McKenzie Valley, where Tokatee GC is located, gets warmer than surrounding areas, Patton says, “We’re used to dealing with heat.”

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of rain annually, he notes, the area still gets “Mediterranean weather” in the summer, when it can go 80 days in a row without rain.

While cool-season grasses aren’t supposed to grow in the heat, notes Patton, who has a master’s degree from Oregon State University and has studied the effects of drought, the maintenance staff applies wetting agents more frequently than normal in hot weather. The property has fine fescue in the rough and a mix of annual bluegrass and creeping bentgrass on the rest of the golf course.

To help monitor conditions, the golf course’s weather station is tied into the irrigation system. In addition, Tokatee recently subscribed to the GreenKeeper app, which helps the staff time its growth regulator, fertilizer and spray applications.

The app also keeps track of product efficiency and fertilizer applications; monitors changes in soil- and tissue-test results over time; gives the staff access to hyper-local weather data to help predict pest outbreaks, and allows superintendents to report outbreaks to help other turf managers prepare for potential problems. In addition, it compiles maps showing the relative locations of recently reported pests.

Having worked at Tokatee for eight years—six as superintendent and two as an assistant—Patton has learned from previ-

ous experiences. “This year has been very similar to my first year as superintendent in 2015,” he says. “I started trying then to get the wetting agents dialed in. I learned which products work and which don’t.”

When a heat wave occurs, Patton increases the application schedule for wetting agents from every three or four weeks to every two or three weeks. One effect that he can’t control, however, is how new foliage on the property’s evergreen fir trees becomes brown. He also says the heat has dried up the turf beneath the trees, which soak up water, earlier this year. In addition, he says, “I think we’re dealing with different pests than we’ve had before.”

Oregon has not been under drought conditions like neighboring California. However, if the state ever does apply restrictions, Patton says, “we’re in a really good place because of how this golf course was built.”

He credits that to the family that has owned the property since it was established in 1966.

“I have a lot of advantages with how this place was designed to be maintained,” Patton says. “The course is firm and fast; there is no irrigation in the rough; and we only have 21 bunkers. In the summer, our rough goes dormant. It was designed to be maintained with a small crew and to be environmentally friendly.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The stress put on turf by extreme temperatures at Aldarra Golf Club (pictured at right) and other golf courses in the Pacific Northwest is exacerbated by having almost 16 hours of daylight on the longest summer days, notes Golf Course Superintendent Sean Reehorn.

The Tokatee owners have a lot of forest land as well, notes Patton, which helps the facility prepare for wildfires.

“We’ve always had a fire-prevention policy that we try to follow,” he adds. “We have hoses in different locations on the golf course.”

Tokatee has even allowed firefighters to set up camp on the property during previous wildfires. “We have a big green space where they can set up tents,” says Patton.

“Three years ago, about 1,000 firefighters camped here.”

STAYING OUT IN FRONT While weather predictions help for planning purposes, Peterson says they aren’t reliable more than two or three days in advance. Consequently, he also tries to be proactive to keep the turf at Silvermine GC in top condition.

“We try to keep everything as healthy as we can so we can deal with what Mother Nature throws at us,” he says. “We plan for the worst, and know that we probably won’t get to that, and assess as the year goes on.

“It’s all very fluid,” he adds. “You just have to be able to adapt to the weather.

You can’t predict it that far out.”

The long-range forecast is useful, though, to help determine whether the Silvermine maintenance staff topdresses, mows or rolls the turf. “Any stresses we add to the course itself, we work around nature’s stresses,” Peterson says.

While crew members mow and roll the turf under normal weather conditions, they likely will only do one or the other under extremely hot or dry conditions. “The greens are obviously our biggest priority,” Peterson says.

Under extreme weather conditions, the Silvermine staff might skip a scheduled

mowimg or apply wetting agents. When the weather is hot and wet, the grounds crew will add one or two fungicide applications for the year. However, under cool and dry conditions, crew members decrease fungicide applications and increase the use of wetting agents.

With advance planning last year, the Silvermine staff made spray applications before Hurricane Isaias struck. However, in the aftermath, when the irrigation pumps weren’t running because of the power outage, the crew had to fill 250-gallon totes with pond water to irrigate the greens.

“Aesthetics are not our top priority here,” says Peterson. “Some places expect perfectly manicured greens. For the everyday golfer, it’s pretty unnecessary. We focus on the greens and tees. If the fairways get a little offcolor, it really doesn’t affect play at all.”

Silvermine members are accepting of brown turf, he notes, which has become a little more mainstream in the last 15 or 20 years. “The USGA has been a huge part of that,” says Peterson. “It’s unnecessary to be perfectly green all the time. It’s not the way that nature intended grasses to be.”

TAKING CARE OF STAFF As challenging as extreme heat and other adverse weather conditions can be for turf, they have an effect on maintenance staff

members as well. “It’s taxing on people to work under those conditions,” Reehoorn says, “especially with everything that happened [during the pandemic]. It modified everything. It completely snowballed.”

During this year’s heat wave, the Aldarra staff members worked shorter days and started earlier in the morning. They worked in shifts and kept water and sports drinks on ice. Aldarra also has an air-conditioned maintenance shop where the crew could take breaks as needed.

“We didn’t want people going out alone.

We had a buddy system,” Reehoorn says.

“We always have two people together. If someone’s not feeling well, they’re not stuck somewhere by themselves.”

Reehoorn also encourages staff members to speak up if they do not feel well, and COVID has made him much more aware of their needs, on and off the job.

Before COVID, Reehoorn notes, “I never really cared about what my staff did away from work.” Now, however, he wants staff members to reach out to him if they have an issue such as no home air conditioning.

Last year, crew members, particularly those who are older or have medical conditions such as asthma, wore masks outside.

“You start to care about people in different ways,” says Reehoorn. “I want people to feel supported.”

“

We are always trying to minimize the amount and duration of standing water on the golf course. Nothing kills grass faster than standing water and warm temperatures.

”

—Dave Peterson, Golf Course Superintendent, Silvermine GC

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PLANTING THE SEEDS EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE WEATHER, but nobody does anything about it. While Mark Twain may or may not have said that, it’s not true, at least where Unclouded, a Montreal, Canada-based weather-engineering company, is concerned. The company is more than willing to do something about the forecast, using weather engineering, a way of modifying rain patterns through the process called cloud seeding.

The technology was invented by General Electric in the 1960s, says Luke Minck, Sales Manager for Unclouded, but the service has never been commercialized and offered to businesses until now.

Cloud seeding depletes rain clouds by adding silver iodide or dry ice to them, and these catalytic particles cause the rain clouds to start precipitating immediately rather than later. While the particles can be delivered in multiple ways, currently Unclouded only delivers them by planes that fly above the cloud line.

“These particles attach to water molecules in the clouds, making them heavier,” Minck says.

With software that meteorologists use, the company can prevent heavy rains by tracking the trajectory of the clouds before they reach the target area. Unclouded has leveraged the experience of older companies that have been performing cloud seeding on government contracts, Minck says, and currently, the company services primarily commercialized business events.

“It’s particularly beneficial to the golf world,” he adds.

While the process is too cost-prohibitive for superintendents to use for day-to-day golf course maintenance, Minck says the company is reaching out to large markets, including the PGA Tour, about the use of the technology.

The company is developing drones that can perform cloud seeding to reduce costs, which are based on the duration of the time the skies need to be clear and on the coverage area of the event. In addition, the drones will use electricity instead of chemicals.

Future plans also include attacking environmental issues such as drought and deforestation, as well as developing hurricane-prevention technology.

Unclouded, a company specializing in cloud seeding, has had discussions with the PGA Tour about using the technology to help golf courses avoid damage from drought and extreme storms.

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In addition to planning for the stress that weather extremes can bring to their golf courses, superintendents are also taking more steps to anticipate and minimize the taxing effects that heat and other adverse conditions can have on their maintenance crews.

Located in a remote area, Tokatee GC owns houses on the edge of its golf course to provide reduced-cost housing options to crew members.

During extreme heat, Peterson encourages Silvermine staff members to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks, and find shade if needed. The grounds crew will also report to work earlier in the morning, so that they’re not working in the heat of the day.

‘WHAT MOTHER NATURE ALLOWS’ The maintenance schedule at Aldarra GC is more consistent in the winter when there is more precipitation, Reehorn says, than in the dry summer months. However, he adds, maintenance inputs are “based on what Mother Nature allows.”

At Tokatee, which is closed in the winter, Patton says, “It’s definitely more challenging in the summer. There are way more decisions to make.”

Silvermine GC has occasional ice damage in cold weather, but Peterson says putting some type of cover on the greens, along with extra help from crew members who don’t work in the winter but live nearby, can help to alleviate any issues. Impermeable covers for greens can be a major expense, though, he notes.

At Aldarra, Reehoorn has found that new technology helps superintendents make better decisions about turf care. They can also turn to each other for help.

“When we have high peaks and valleys, that’s when it’s really hard, regardless of the season,” says Reehoorn.

However, if need be, he believes that the pandemic has shown superintendents that it’s OK to take extreme measures to respond to extreme conditions. “We broke the ‘glass ceiling’ with COVID, so it’s now acceptable that we can shut down if needed,” Reehoorn says. C+RB

MORE ONLINE For insights into how the superintendents of the clubs featured in this story adapt their irrigation and water-conservation practices to cope with extreme weather conditions, see the extended version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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TODAY’S MANAGER

THE VOICE OF EXPERIENCES After spending the first third of his career in restaurants and the next third at a city club, Craig Cutler has applied valuable lessons he learned in both environments to bring new levels of innovation and success to the Country Club of Detroit—and earn Excellence in Club Management honors for himself.

By Joe Barks, Editor

The professional career of Craig Cutler, CCM, has been marked by a clear “rule of three.” After graduating from Michigan State University, he first headed west to work in Los Angeles’ retail restaurant environment, first as a Hospitality Coordinator for the historic Greek Theatre outdoor entertainment venue, and then as General Manager of the Engine Co. No. 28 restaurant in downtown L.A. After a total of 13 years on the West Coast, Cutler then returned to Michigan to work at the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC), where he ascended over 10 years through the roles of Restaurant Manager of the DAC Grill Room, Director of Banwww.clubandresortbusiness.com

quet Services, and Assistant General Manager.

Then, in 2013, Cutler moved from city clubs into the country club realm, becoming General Manager of the Country Club of Detroit (CCD) in suburban Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich. His achievements in that role over the past eight years (see box, pg.

51) have lifted CCD to unprecedented levels of success—and earned Excellence in Club Management (ECM) honors for Cutler, as the 2020 winner of The Mead Grady Award (see box, pg. 52).

(Cutler’s recognition for the Grady Award also made him the first two-time winner in Excellence in Club Management Award history; in 2008, he August 2021

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Creation of the “Summer Village” on a central part of CCD’s 240-acre campus, with four new buildings that complement the main clubhouse and upgraded tennis and aquatic facilities, has helped the club offer a year-round, resort-like atmosphere. The Poolside Grille in the Summer Village area now regularly serves more than 300 covers daily.

earned “Rising Star” recognition for the contributions he had already made halfway into his tenure at the Detroit Athletic Club.)

LESSONS TO CARRY FORWARD Reflecting on the various stages of his career, Craig Cutler says CCD has provided the most personal experiences. “We’re a neighborhood club in a great neighborhood, so it’s common to see a member two or three times a day in different settings,” he notes. But he also values the skills and experience gained from his previous career environments, and the lessons he learned and applied from each after moving to the country club world.

“With retail restaurants, it’s about pushing the envelope,” he says. “I had a great GM/Executive Chef, Ed Kasky, who taught me about organization and running a profitable business in a tough Los Angeles market. You develop great habits when you are concerned with covering payroll, making rent, operating with tight margins and having to find ways to try to fill your place every night. I also learned the value of having my own little red toolbox handy with gaskets and other parts, so I could always fix the dish machine myself if needed.”

In his next stage, Cutler says he “loved the formality of the city club and the energy and volume of business; it kept you on your

toes. And I couldn’t have asked for a better role model than [now retired DAC Executive Manager] Ted Gillary [also an ECM honoree], who made it possible for me to grow through various positions and up to Assistant General Manager.”

In all three settings, Cutler has found, “How you approach your work should be the same—if your values and standards align with your employer, great things can happen. It’s about having a commitment to detail and doing the little things that can mean the difference for delivering the best possible experience, wherever you are.”

READY TO RESPOND Cutler also drew on that attention and commitment to detail to do his part in helping the properties that he was working for navigate the major business challenges that have helped to define various eras during his career.

While CCD was his first management position at a property with golf, Craig Cutler, along with new Director of Golf George Forster, Jr., and new Golf Course Superintendent Ross Miller, immediately began to implement improvements and initiatives that led to the club having its first waitlist for golf memberships in 35 years.

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“The Great Recession was a great teacher,” he says of the period from 200709 that hit the auto industry and Detroit especially hard (and when Cutler earned his Rising Star recognition, for his role in working with Gillary and others to not only ensure the DAC’s survival, but start its ascent to becoming one of the country’s most prominent and successful city clubs).

“Retail skills came in handy when we were reimagining how to make the club work,” Cutler says of that time. “I really learned that clubs were a relationship business at that point, and that how you train and plan during a down cycle will directly affect how you come out of it.”

Ten years later, Cutler and the Country Club of Detroit faced the pandemic, which he said brought “many more unknowns” and a different type of challenge, because “the rules around interacting with one another changed so quickly.”

But here, too, a detail orientation—including using connections from within CCD’s membership and staff to make contact with General Motors personnel in Wuhan, China, to help secure valuable safety-practice insights and supplies—helped CCD respond quickly to create a trusted environment so it did not miss a single day serving the membership, despite Detroit being one of the hardest-hit cities.

“At a time when many people felt they were being misled on a daily basis, I think CCD had its values right, and we managed

The new six-lane Bowling Center created through a main clubhouse renovation has become a popular party venue, in addition to prompting expansion of league play at CCD, which has had bowling for over 80 years.

to them,” Cutler says. “We were completely transparent in telling members what we doing, and why, and worked hard to deliver service wherever we could. And we were very, very busy—members played golf more than any time this century, casual dining set records for gross revenue in July, August and September, and regular a la carte service came close to its pre-COVID budget, despite 50 percent occupancy requirements.”

IDEAS++ACHIEVEMENTS ACHIEVEMENTS IDEAS Implemented under Craig Cutler’s leadership at the Country Club of Detroit:

• Complete reimagining of lower campus demolished existing building and created four new buildings as part of “Summer Village” designed in Olde English style, through $4.5 million project.

• Existing bowling center and indoor pool were removed and entire wing of main clubhouse was underpinned and further excavated to create a new lower level for new six-lane Bowling Center and 3,750-sq. ft. Fitness Center with Mezzanine Studio and programming room, through $6.4 million project.

• Food-and-beverage gross revenues more than doubled from $2 million in 2013 to $4.35 million in 2019, with member dining satisfaction improving by 20% and unused minimums shrinking to less than $25,000. Banquet business doubled in five years’ time.

• Creation of club’s first Director of Golf position helped to elevate program and led to waitlist for golf membership in 2019, for first time in 35 years.

ONGOING INNOVATION Craig Cutler’s contributions at the Country Club of Detroit have gone far beyond simply drawing on his previous career experiences or directing effective crisis response. While he had never yet worked at a property with golf, let alone one with CCD’s golf pedigree (it has hosted several prestigious championships on its Harry S. Colt-designed course, including the 1954

• “Connoisseur Series” events, targeted to enlighten, entertain and appeal to specific demographics of membership, have become mainstay of annual calendar of events.

• Social memberships have tripled in five years and have been repositioned to help attract families, lowering average age in category from close to 70 years old to just above 40.

• Polo Field on CCD property was used during pandemic for monthly drive-in movie nights, with average attendance of over 100 per screening.

• Training for seasonal staff improved through measures that include two mock services after they arrive on site, to serve dinners to 200 staff members in the Poolside Grille. Cards are placed on each table for a question or special order that has come up in the past, to help prepare the servers while also providing preseason fun, as part of an exercise that has become a popular tradition for the entire team.

• Low-cost “drop-in” events such as the “Jingle Mingle” help to draw members during holidays, and prompt many to stay for dinner.

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HONORED

BY THEIR PEERS

CCD’s Health & Fitness Center was created as part of what Craig Cutler has called “truly engineering art,” when an old bowling alley and even older swimming pool were demolished to free up a wing in the club’s iconic clubhouse, and a new underpinning of a lower foundation turned 5,000 sq. ft. into a two-story area that is twice as large.

U.S. Amateur won by Arnold Palmer), he has made his mark on all aspects of the club from the moment he arrived as its new General Manager in 2013.

This has included reimagining CCD’s property and facilities, including its iconic, Albert Kahn-designed, 99-year-old Tudor Revival-style clubhouse (which Cutler jokes is the “newest” building he’s ever worked in) to offer true year-round appeal for members. As described in C+RB’s February 2018 cover feature (“A Shiny New Model at the CC of Detroit”), this transformation included creation of a new “Summer Village” to make better and full use of the lower campus on CCD’s 240-acre property, while also involving a unique reengineering of the clubhouse to modernize and enhance the amenities it houses, including bowling and fitness.

At the same time, Cutler also directed a management transformation that, in addition to himself, gave several other key department heads, including Director of Golf George Forster, Jr., Golf Course Superintendent Ross Miller, Executive Chef Brian Beland, CMC, and Clubhouse Manager Brian Sandzik, their first top-position roles and injected a full dose of fresh ideas and 48

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initiatives into a tradition-steeped club.

While Cutler is a firm believer in having robust programs for developing and growing talent from within—”in training, you recommit to your values, and reassess them,” he notes—always looking outside is an equally key step, he feels, for ensuring that the best candidates can be found. And the pandemic has opened new opportunities, he believes, for more talent to be drawn to the club industry, because of how it has emerged as a much more stable and promising career alternative to other hospitality segments.

As CCD approaches its 125th anniversary in 2022, some things that won’t change, Cutler says, are the keys to club management success.

“Excellence will continue to be defined in the club business through attention to detail, collaboration and respect between the professional staff and club governance, and a desire to deliver a service before the membership realizes it wants it,” he says. “CCD has a great team that I feel lucky to be a part of, and we also enjoy a great deal of support from the membership. With this, and love and support from home, all things are possible.” C+RB

The Excellence in Club Management (ECM) Awards were established by the McMahon Group, Inc., the St. Louis-based consulting firm, in 1997 and have been co-sponsored by Club + Resort Business since 2006. The National Club Association became an additional sponsor in 2018.

The annual awards are selected through nominations submitted on behalf of qualified candidates by other parties. Award recipients are selected solely on the basis of their achievements at the club they currently manage.

Awards in four categories are given each year: • The James H. Brewer Award, for a manager of a Country/Golf Club with 600 or more full-privilege members • The Mead Grady Award, for a manager of a Country/Golf Club with fewer than 600 full-privilege members • The Mel Rex Award, for a manager of a City, Athletic or Specialty (Non-Golf) Club • The “Rising Star” Award for an assistant club manager Lifetime Achievement Awards for a retiring club manager are also included as part of some years’ ECM honors.

A Selection Committee comprised of a peer group of leading club managers conducts the judging for the ECM Awards.

A full listing of the judges, in addition to information on past winners and on how to nominate candidates for future years’ awards, can be found at www.clubmanageraward.com.

Because the annual ECM Awards Dinner could not be held this year, the 2020 recipients of the Excellence In Club Management were announced through a special webcast on March 2nd. The webcast, sponsored exclusively by ForeTees, was conducted in an “Academy Award” format that included remarks from the award winners after they were announced. The full webcast can be viewed at https://clubmanageraward.com/ project/2020-excellence-in-club-management-awards-broadcast/

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I���������

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The End of Radios

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

G��� C���

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A Better Battery

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T���� + U�������� Made in the Shade

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Sustainable, Green Cleaning

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Bambrella

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Fore Supply Co.

800-543-5430 • www.foresupply.com 50

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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Stack the Deck

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Satin Dining

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

K������ E�������� Make It a Double

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Golden Griddle

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F��� + B������� Great Balls of Butter

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W.Black Australian Wagyu 256.749.3987 www.wblack.com.au 52

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ADVERTISER INDEX CALLAWAY GOLF COMPANY www.callawaygolf.com

13

“FORE” SUPPLY CO. 800-543-5430 / www.ForeSupply.com

CHAMBERS USA www.chambersusa.com

31

FORETEES sales@foretees.com / www.foretees.com

11

LANDMARK GOLF COURSE PRODUCTS 888-337-7677 / www.Rinowood.com

15

CLUBPROCURE 800-363-5480 / www.clubprocure.com

3

25

COUNTRY CASUAL TEAK 800-289-8325 / www.countrycasualteak.com

55

MINOR’S FOODSERVICE www.minorsfoodservice.com

CRES COR www.crescor.com

35

OUTDOOR LIGHTING PERSPECTIVES 804-999-5847 / OutdoorLights.com/hospitality

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ETHOS CLUB & LEISURE 972-341-8133 / www.ethosclubandleisure.com

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STUDIO JBD & JEFFERSON GROUP ARCHITECTURE 401-721-0977 / Pcafaro@JBDandJGA.com

27

EUSTIS CHAIR 978-827-3103 / sales@eustischair.com

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YAMAHA 866-747-4027 / YamahaGolfCar.com

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IDEAEXCHANGE HEALTHY AT 100

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

SUBURBANIZATION, INDUSTRIALIZATION, AND RISING INCOMES in the Roaring Twenties brought an influx of private recreational facilities to the American landscape. A century later, many of those properties have continued to thrive, adapting to the ever-changing times well enough to be able to celebrate 100 years of prosperity.

Cape Girardeau (Mo.) Country Club, founded April 3, 1921 on the banks of the Mississippi River, is among the many clubs marking centennial anniversaries this year.

The property, which has survived Prohibition, the Depression and World War II—not to mention a pandemic at age 99—certainly has cause for celebration.

“This has been a great place for 100 years for people to play golf, conduct business, meet people and bring their families,” says Food and Beverage Director Brian Noto.

To plan how to celebrate its 100th birthday throughout 2021, Cape Girardeau CC formed a committee of long-time as well as younger members, to help get the membership excited and bring different perspectives to the festivities.

“The members needed to be engaged and involved, to generate interest and make sure the events are what they’re looking for,” says Noto. “We’ve had so many good things to highlight.”

Cape Girardeau kicked off its celebration with a Centennial Gala on March 27, when more than 100 members and guests attended a black tie-optional dinner and dance. The event also featured a live band, a three-tiered birthday cake topped with sparklers, and a champagne toast.

“We didn’t have a theme, but we wanted to make sure we touched on the past 100 years and the history of the club,” says Noto. “It was not a retro event, but we touched on the different decades.”

Gala attendees received a keepsake glass Christmas ornament featuring the club’s 54

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new Centennial logo, which is now also being made available in the pro shop.

A week later, the property’s Centennial Tee Shot garnered local news coverage. In this Masters Tournament-like ceremony, a member from four of the property’s founding families recreated the first tee shot at the golf course that had taken place exactly 100 years earlier.

Also in April, the property held a whiskey tasting for 24 people, when participants were able to buy shares at $150 each for three bottles of Cape Girardeau Country Club Centennial Bourbon, a single-barrel, special select whiskey blend by Knob Creek that was scheduled for delivery in August.

Summer arrived with a Centennial swimming celebration in June that featured a band and a barbecue buffet at the pool for about 80 couples. The festivities continued in that month with a Centennial Member Guest Tournament in which golfers played 27 holes the first day and 18 holes the second day, and the top scorers then participated in a hole-by-hole “horse race” to determine the overall champion.

The club’s July 4 Centennial Celebration

Cape Girardeau CC’s slate of 100th birthday events “has really engaged the community [and] paid off for us in increased memberships,” says F&B Director Brian Noto.

included golf and a dinner buffet, and while not tied to the Centennial, a pickleball tournament was scheduled for August.

Cape Girardeau’s closing Centennial event will take place on September 25th on a large veranda that overlooks the golf course and the Mississippi River.

Spreading the events throughout the year has been a key to their success, Noto believes. “It kept us visible in the community,” he says. “It kept up the interest in the club. [And] it paid off for us in increased memberships.”

Despite COVID, in fact, Cape Girardeau has added about 200 new members in the last 18 months, to double its membership.

“People have been talking a lot about us.

The Centennial has really engaged the community,” says Noto. “People are coming out to see the club.”

With several updates and improvements to the property, Cape Girardeau has offered prospective members much to see. The club’s pool, which was built in 1931, was converted to saltwater last year, and infrequently used tennis courts were remade into pickleball courts. In addition, the bunkers on the golf course were renovated last year.

“The Centennial has allowed us to promote what we’ve done and who we are,” Noto says.

Cape Girardeau also commissioned a commemorative, hardback coffee-table book (see cover above) for release at the end of August.

“It really documents the history of this piece of property, starting with the land in the 1700s, and of the club facilities, but it’s mostly a story about the people and is really a celebration of the members,” says Noto.

All of the club’s Centennial events have been free to members or funded by ticket sales. “The members are the most important asset, not only to the club, but in getting things like this done,” Noto says. “[The centennial year] has been successful because of the interest of the members.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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