Club + Resort Business November 2019

November 2019

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®

Taking Oak Hills CC

Back to Its Roots INSIDE: Grown-Up Approaches to Kids’ Space Design Giving Course Maintenance Facilities Their Due How Shooting Programs Can Hit New Targets

VGM Club is now….

We are excited to announce that after 25 years of serving the golf industry as VGM Club, our company is now becoming ClubProcure. Now a part of Foodbuy, North America’s largest foodservice & hospitality group purchasing organization, we look forward to providing even more for the private club & golf industry.

While the brand is fresher and the name sounds different, our team’s relentless dedication to serving our membership community remains the same. It is important to us to grow our company the same way you have come to know & trust.

Just as VGM Club became synonymous with savings & solutions, ClubProcure will continue to do so providing even more for your team in the future.

Visit us at www.clubprocure.com to learn more or reach out at 800.363.5480 to chat.

Follow Us on Social Media

@ClubProcure

MASTER PLANNING

ARCHITECTURE

INTERIOR DESIGN

PROCUREMENT

Crestmont Country Club, West Orange, NJ

Designing Traditions P R I VAT E C LU B S & H O S P I TA L I T Y

STUDIO JBD AND JEFFERSON GROUP ARCHITECTURE Peter Cafaro / pcafaro@JBDandJGA.com / 401.721.0977

INSIDE

November 2019 • Vol. 15 • No. 11

THIS

ISSUE

18

Taking Oak Hills CC Back to Its Roots

With its Tillinghast golf course lovingly restored and a new management team and membership that embraces its storied history, the San Antonio club is ready to reassert its role and place as it turns 100, while also taking important new steps that reflect the changing times.

(Cover photo courtesy Oak Hills CC)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

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+ Recreation 24 Design NO GROWN-UPS

ALLOWED

Spaces kids will gladly go to, with no kicking or screaming.

Food + Beverage 34 TAKING THE PLUNGE

Editor’s Memo

THE RIGHT(SIZE) THING TO DO

6

The Rob Report

9

C+RB News Roundup

Making sous vide much more than just a time and labor saver.

AT HOME ON THE RANGE WYNN LAS VEGAS COURSE DEBUTS—AT $550/ROUND Plus other industry, supplier and people news.

39

Super In the Spotlight

EMBRACING THE CHALLENGES Nathan Neumann has taken on course renovation projects at every step of his career.

58 + Grounds 42 Course SETTING UP SHOP

Bringing functional design to course maintenance facilities.

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+ Fitness 48 Recreation TAKING YOUR

BEST SHOT

Idea Exchange

A BEER WITH THEIR NAME ON IT

Proprietary brews are the latest special amenities provided to members of The Club at Wynstone.

If you’re aiming to expand activities, target these examples.

52 Product Showcase

57 Ad Index www.clubandresortbusiness.com

EDITOR’S MEMO

The Right(size) Thing to Do After 15 years now of visiting club and resort properties throughout the country on at least a once-a-month basis—with many of them in pretty remote or secluded, ultra-private locations, and having to find a lot of them pre-Google Maps (or “pre-” my learning how to use the app)—I’ve had my share of difficulties and surprises when trying to arrive at where I’ve needed to go.

But one of the biggest surprises came when I went to Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio for this month’s cover story.

I expected my Google-aided navigation to take me on what I’ve come to expect will be the route when going to older private clubs with rich traditions—a drive into a leafy neighborhood, then turning onto a road marked by very subtle signage, for a slow ride up a tree-filled driveway.

But when that annoying British lady (I haven’t ever figured out how to change to a different voice) told me “you’ve arrived” at the address I’d plugged in for Oak Hills, I had to do quite a double-take.

I was on a very active city road and looking at a modern sign like what you might expect to see when looking for a doctor’s office. And it showed the address I was looking for.

But upon closer inspection, there it was—Oak Hills Country Club was listed separately near the bottom of the sign, in a modern, backlit font that was not at all what you’d expect to see to identify a private club that was founded in 1922.

Oak Hills does still have a tree-lined road leading to its clubhouse (see photo, pg. 20), but I was navigated to an address and side entrance that it now shares with a new condominium complex, after selling off nine acres of its property to help fund its major renovation projects.

As our cover feature describes, Oak Hills is now pursuing a strategy of being a more exclusive and more golf-focused www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Like many who have reached a certain age and stage in their personal lives and wonder why they need to keep taking care of so many possessions and so much space, many clubs are seeing “rightsizing” as the way to go for their business, too. club, and as part of that it’s reducing its physical footprint and managing its operations in a more concentrated fashion.

And like many of us who have reached a certain age and stage in our personal lives and are wondering why we need to keep taking care of so many possessions and so much space, Oak Hills certainly isn’t alone these days in thinking that “rightsizing” may also be the way to go in the club business, both in terms of membership size and physical plants.

We’ve come across several other stories recently of clubs that are selling off parcels of land to have more manageable operations without dramatically reducing what they offer to members and guests.

As another example, Yankee Hill Country Club in Lincoln, Neb. is looking into sell-

ing 51 acres to an apartment developer, the Lincoln Journal Star reported. If the sale goes through as planned, Yankee Hill would still have an 18-hole golf course, but it would lay out as 5,400 yards playing to a par 68 or 69, compared to the current 7,000-plus yards and par 72.

Cutting down the size of the property that the club would manage after the sale, from more than 150 acres to 105, would “dramatically” reduce maintenance costs and property taxes, Yankee Hill’s ownership and management told the club’s members in a letter explaining why the sale was being pursued. “We expect this will make our private golf, dining and social club business model more cost-competitive for the next two decades,” the letter added.

But if the sale doesn’t go through, Yankee Hill’s members were told, it would still be “business as usual for our operations in 2020 and beyond.”

It’s not hard to find signs now throughout the industry, though, that the notion of what’s “usual” is being reassessed, as part of many clubs’ natural progression into new stages of their business lives.

Joe Barks • Editor jbarks@wtwhmedia.com

November 2019

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THE ROB REPORT

At Home on the Range How’s the practice facility at your club looking these days? If numbers recently released by the National Golf Foundation (NGF) are any indication, the answer is probably “crowded.”

According to the NGF, golf instruction is now a billion-dollar business. That’s a whole lot of lessons!

Digging deeper into the numbers, more than 4 million golfers looked to shave strokes off their games by taking lessons in the last year—almost 17 percent of the overall participation base.

That comes out to approximately 21 million total lessons given as golfers, on average, took about five lessons at a cost of approximately $50 apiece. And more than 75 percent of the golfers who took lessons did so through a certified PGA professional, the NGF reported— strong evidence that the vast majority of the instruction market feels that if it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right.

Stereotypes have men driving aimlessly for hours instead of stopping to ask for directions, so it is no wonder females are more likely to take lessons than their male counterparts. While the majority of lessons were taken by males (we make up 77 percent of the golfing population, after all), a much larger percentage of females took instruction.

Women are more likely to participate in group lessons as well, which account for 25 percent of the golf instruction market, according to the NGF report.

The battle of the sexes aside, when it comes to breaking down skill levels, the numbers get a little confusing. Golfers who are more skilled are more likely to seek professional instruction, the NGF reported.

But because approximately two-thirds of golfers shoot average scores above 90, less-skilled golfers represent the 6

l Club + Resort Business l November 2019

While bragging about your star student may impress your friends, teaching Joe Six Pack how to play golf will pad your bank account. largest share of instruction revenue. So while bragging about your star student may impress your friends, teaching Joe Six Pack how to play the game will pad your bank account.

OK, so women are more likely to take lessons than men, and better players gravitate toward instruction more often than hackers. But how does age factor in? I was not surprised to read that 32 percent of juniors (ages 6 to 17) take lessons.

Nobody asked, but I’ll also share where I fit into the NGF report. I’ve never taken a lesson, but I’m with approximately 64 percent of core golfers who indicate they watch some golf instruction online. Currently I’m relying on Rick Shiels, PGA, to try to cure my recurring slice, via his YouTube channel.

I’ve also interviewed Garrett Powell, Assistant Golf Professional at Shoal Creek in Alabama, on our Club + Resort Talks podcast. He’s now working with V1 Sports and offers golfers an opportunity to record their swings and submit them

via that company’s website to receive specific instruction, so potential customers don’t have to travel to Dixie to have a one-on-one lesson with Garrett.

Today’s technology can make it easy for any of your club’s pros to extend their reach into the instruction market in the same way.

Like anything related to technology, the younger generation is generally more engaged with online instruction.

The NGF reports that 71 percent of core golfers from the 18 to 34-year-old age group say they watch instructional videos, compared to 65 percent in both the 35-to-49 and 50-to-64 age groups.

Not surprisingly, the over-65 crowd (52 percent) is least likely to participate in online instruction.

Young or old, male or female, people are trying to improve their golf games, and that’s all good news for the future of the industry. The better everyone plays, the more likely they are to continue playing.

What is your club doing to improve the games of your members and guests?

If you’ve got some innovative ideas, drop us an e-mail at the address below.

Rob Thomas • Associate Editor

rthomas@wtwhmedia.com

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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Club and resort properties featured in this issue

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Mark Rook

Ballyhack Golf Club, Roanoke, Va. ............................................42

VIDEOGRAPHER

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Belle Meade Country Club, Nashville, Tenn. ..............................42

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Cherry Creek Country Club, Denver, Colo. ...........................34

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Cleghorn Golf & Sports Club at Tryon Resort, Rutherfordton, N.C. ......................................................................................48

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CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

The Country Club of Buffalo, Williamsville, N.Y. ........................48

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NOVEMBER CLUB INDEX

The Country Club at Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Colo. ....42 The Country Club at DC Ranch, Scottsdale, Ariz. ..................24 Longue Vue Club, Verona, Pa. ...........................................................48 Mountain Brook Club, Birmingham, Ala. ........................................34

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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© 2019 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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Navesink Country Club, Red Bank, N.J. .......................................42 Oak Hills Country Club, San Antonio, Texas ................................18 Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club, Nichols Hills, Okla. ..39 Orinda Country Club, Orinda, Calif. .............................................34 Providence Country Club, Charlotte, N.C. .................................24 Racine Country Club, Racine, Wis. ..................................................24 Snake River Sporting Club, Jackson, Wyo. ................................48

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

INDUSTRY ROUNDUP THE WYNN LAS VEGAS resort unveiled its newly re-imagined golf course as one of the most expensive places to play in America on October 11, the Los Angeles Times reported. The $550-a-round luxury experience includes lithium battery-powered golf carts, caddies and even a Rolls-Royce transportation service to fetch highrolling, off-property guests.

Golfers with a room reservation at Wynn Las Vegas or the company’s Encore hotel can secure tee times 90 days in advance, while non-resort guests can reserve them 30 days in advance, the Times reported.

Golf had been absent from the Wynn property and the Las Vegas Strip since 2017, when then-Chief Executive Officer Steve Wynn shuttered the existing course to replace it with a Wynn Paradise Park, the Times reported. The plan was to create a sprawling hotel, convention center and entertainment venue, with a grand lake with a white sand beach and water skiing as the focal point.

But not long after the bulldozers moved in, Wynn resigned in 2018 amid sexual misconduct allegations, which he has denied.

“Not only did we notice we lost 16,000 rounds of golf out there, 70% of which were cash, but we lost probably $10 million to $15 million worth of domestic casino business,” Wynn Resorts Chief Executive Officer Matt Maddox said on an earnings call last year in

Photo by Barbara Kraft/Los Angeles Times

‘RE-IMAGINED’ WYNN LAS VEGAS COURSE REOPENS— AT $550/ROUND

discussing the decision to scrap the lake, the Times reported.

Next year, the resort will debut new restaurants from chef Thomas Keller overlooking the 18th green of the golf course, and a contemporary Mexican concept from chef Enrique Olvera, adding to a fine-dining mix that already includes the well-regarded Costa Di Mare and SW Steakhouse, the Times reported.

MIZNER CC DEBUTS

$22M EXPANSION

MIZNER COUNTRY CLUB IN Delray Beach, Fla. unveiled its $22 million expansion project and officially ushered in a new era in the country club’s history. The completed expansion project, named CENTRAL, includes a “Total Technogym Fitness Center,” new restaurants, an Aquatic Center, original artwork from renowned “Postgraffism” artist Ruben Gerardo Umbiera Gonzalez and Golden, and fully equipped game rooms for both adults and kids.

CENTRAL is divided into sections—a North and South Building—each having two levels. The North Building’s lower level houses a group cycling studio complete with video and lighting effects, Pilates studio, aerobics room, massage therapy and tranquility rooms, steam rooms, tennis shop and golf cart parking. The upper level is totally devoted to the Technogym Fitness Center and retail shop.

The South Building lower level will be the home of two restaurants—the Craft Bar & Grill and The Market Café—which will both open later in 2019. The upper level houses the ladies card room and a dual-purpose meeting room, the Mizner Kids’ activity center, an Arcade for all ages, a conference room, HOA offices and the bridge to the main clubhouse, which also will open later in 2019.

CENTRAL’s new Aquatic Center & Spa is complete with a unique Poolside Restaurant & Bar designed by Pamela Manhas, the architectural designer behind more than 100 restaurants, including local favorites Burt & Max’s Bar & Grille, Apeiro Kitchen & Bar, and Lucille’s Bad To The Bone BBQ. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

November 2019

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP

PGA FRISCO BEGINS TO TAKE SHAPE

Photo by Brian Elledge/Dallas Morning News

LEAD ARCHITECTS GIL HANSE and Beau Welling gave a preview on October 18 of the championship golf courses that are being designed and built at the PGA of America’s future home in Frisco, Texas.

In December 2018, the PGA of America announced plans to move its headquarters from Palm Beach County, Fla., to Frisco, where it will anchor a 660-acre mixed-use development with a public-private investment worth more than half a billion dollars. Two championship golf courses are being built at PGA Frisco, as well as a short course and practice areas. The new PGA of America headquarters will become home to national player development and coaching programs.

PGA Frisco will be home to a series of future PGA championships, with 23 already scheduled over a 13-year span, including six majors across the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours: the PGA Championship (2027, 2034), Women’s PGA Championship (2025, 2031), and Senior PGA Championship (2023, 2029).

Construction of the golf courses is taking place somewhat concurrently, with construction expected to be finished in the fall of 2021, which allows for a grow-in period prior to beginning play in the spring of 2022. The grand opening for the overall development is currently scheduled for June 2022.

According to an economic impact study commissioned by the city of Frisco, the project is expected to generate more than $2.5 billion in economic development over the next two decades, the Dallas Morning News reported.

This public-private partnership teams PGA of America with Omni Stillwater Woods (OSW), the City of Frisco, as well as its Economic and Community Development Corporations, and the Frisco Independent School District (FISD). The City of Frisco and its development corporations (each funded by a half-cent of Frisco’s sales tax) and the FISD are contributing no more than $35 million toward development of the public facilities. The golf courses, clubhouse, practice areas and associated public facilities will be owned by the city, which now has a population of over 175,000.

Blake Rowling, President of TRT Holdings Inc., discussed the development around the future site of the new PGA of America headquarters and PGA Frisco championship golf courses in Frisco, Texas.

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BOCA WEST CC OPENS NEW REALTY COMPANY, RENEWS TENNIS PARTNERSHIP BOCA WEST COUNTRY CLUB in Boca Raton, Fla. has opened Boca West Realty, a new company that will focus exclusively on the private residential club community and be located on site within the club’s new Golf & Activities Center.

Boca West Realty will also work with outside brokers to facilitate the demand for the wide range of luxury properties in 55 distinct villages. Managing Broker Stephann Cotton and Director of Sales Glen Trotta will oversee daily operations and the expanded services.

The company will be supported by an advanced digital and traditional marketing campaign showcasing the club lifestyle and maintenance-free properties at Boca West. The program will target the influx of buyers to South Florida from the northeastern U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Boca West Realty’s sales team will market the properties through a comprehensive digital and lead-generation program. A new Boca West Realty website and a custom-published lifestyle magazine will ensure the Boca West story is appropriately conveyed to buyers, outside brokers and realtors.

Boca West CC also announced that it has renewed its long-time partnership with the Evert Tennis Academy, through which the academy’s rising tennis stars and scholars are able to train at Boca West, which has 30 Har-Tru Hydro courts, a U.S. Open Cushion Court, a Tennis Center with stadium seating, and eight pickleball courts.

Throughout the year, the two organizations plan joint events, including exhibitions and luncheons with tennis legend Chris Evert.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

THE SEATTLE (WASH.) TENNIS Club (STC) has begun a $5.3 million renovation project of its pool complex, set to be completed in the spring of 2020. “This pool project is not particularly large in scope, but extremely complex and expensive to build,” said General Manager Christian Thon. “The pool at STC is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the U.S. and part of it is cantilevered over Lake Washington and sitting on a very steep slope, so the construction is extraordinarily difficult.”

LPGA INTERNATIONAL COURSES SOLD FOR $3.45M

Photo by Jim Tiller/The Daytona Beach News-Journal

THE PAIR OF GOLF courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla. have a new owner, to start a new chapter for the popular courses that have bled money for decades, The Daytona Beach News-Journal reported.

Manassas, Va.-based Fore Golf Partners completed its $3.45 million purchase of the two 18-hole courses on October 17, The News-Journal reported, acquiring the 657-acre property from Daytona Beach-based Consolidated-Tomoka Land Co. In announcing the deal, Consolidated-Tomoka also said it paid off its remaining liability to the city of $540,000, The News-Journal reported. That payment covered the per-round surcharge the company agreed to pay in connection with its prior buyout of the land lease with the city.

Not included in the sale is the headquarters for the Ladies Professional Golf Association, which owns its building at LPGA International.

TODAY, THE RIGHT FINANCING CAN

KEEP YOU ON COURSE.

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Equipment financing and leasing products are provided by PNC Vendor Finance, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PNC Bank.

In Canada, PNC Bank Canada Branch, the Canadian branch of PNC Bank, provides bank deposit, treasury management, lending (including asset-based lending through its Business Credit division) www.clubandresortbusiness.com and leasing products and services. Deposits with PNC Bank Canada Branch are not insured by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation or by the United States Deposit Insurance Corporation.

November 2019 Federal Club + Resort Business 11

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©2019 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

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10/9/19 11:22 AM

INDUSTRY ROUNDUP RESIDENTS APPROVE MEASURE TO SUPPORT BROOKSIDE CC RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN the gated Brookside neighborhood in Stockton, Calif. voted 531 to 239 to approve a measure assessing their homes $50 a month to support the Brookside Country Club at the heart of their development, the Stockton Record reported.

With 69 percent of 770 votes cast out of a possible 937, and a better than 2-to-1 plurality, the vote yielded a clear mandate for the proponents of the added assessment fee, the Record reported.

The assessment that covers a Brookside Golf Community Resident Membership goes into effect January 1, 2020, the Record reported.

Previously, people buying homes in the development were not required to become country club members.

Now, as resident members of the club paying $50 a month, all of the homeowners will be allowed to dine in the clubhouse once a month; have access to amenities; eat at The Turn sandwich shop; participate in fitness classes; play four rounds of golf annually with paid green fees; attend three community social events per year; and get special rates on the country club’s banquet room.

STONEBRIDGE GOLF CLUB IN Rome, Ga. opened a brand new Launchbox Golf facility at its driving range on October 28. Launchbox Golf, powered by Toptracer, is a virtual golf entertainment platform using flight-tracking technology in a fun social setting. Guests are able to compete in multiple contests on a variety of world-famous courses.

“The program will offer a new and fun alternative to a normal range session or round of golf,” said Stonebridge’s General Manager, Patrick Kirn.

NEW OWNERSHIP BRINGS MORE HOPEFUL FUTURE TO BERMUDA DUNES (CALIF.) CC

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The purchase of Bermuda Dunes CC by a South Korea-based company, SJS Tomorrow, has now been completed, The Desert Sun reported, and members feel the change has provided a new lease on the club’s future. SJS Tomorrow, through its operating arm Steele Canyon Golf Corporation, has bought several private courses in Southern California in recent years, including Steele Canyon in San Diego, Pauma Valley Country Club near San Diego, Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta and Dove Canyon in Rancho Santa Margarita.

And while other companies have been buying distressed private clubs and making them semi-private or even public to increase revenue, Steele Canyon’s philosophy is exactly the opposite, its CEO, Larry Taylor, told The Desert Sun. “There

are no buses of outside golfers,” Taylor said. “We want to reduce the number of outside tournaments, upgrade the equity concept and make it even more exclusive.”

Changes are planned for the course layout, The Desert Sun reported, as well as cosmetic changes to other amenities.

Photo by Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun

BERMUDA DUNES (CALIF.) COUNTRY Club, with 27 holes designed

by William (Billy) Bell, Jr., is one of the courses that helped to define California’s Coachella Valley as a golfing paradise in the 1950s, The Desert Sun of Palm Springs, Calif. reported. The club was part of the old Bob Hope Classic for 49 years, hosting the tournament’s final round 16 times, and it’s where Arnold Palmer won his last PGA Tour event, in 1973.

But while Bermuda Dunes’ 61-year history is as glorious and star-studded as any country club in the Coachella region, mounting financial pressures and the worries that came with dwindling membership, growing debt and the threat of assessments had remaining members concerned about the club’s very ability to survive.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SUPPLIER NEWS THE TORO COMPANY WINS

2019 WATERSENSE EXCELLENCE AWARD

THE U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Agency (EPA) recognized The Toro Company with a 2019 WaterSense Excellence Award for its efforts to defeat water waste and promote WaterSense in 2018. The Toro Company received one of 25 WaterSense awards at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas.

Since 2006, The Toro Company and more than 2,000 other WaterSense partners have helped consumers save more than 3.4 trillion gallons of water—enough to supply all American households for four months. In addition to water savings, WaterSense-labeled products and homes have helped to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat, pump and treat water by 462.5 billion kilowatt hours—enough to power more than 44.4 million homes for a year and save $84.2 billion in water and energy bills.

The Toro Company was honored as a 2019 WaterSense Excellence Award winner for the launch of “Land. Water. Thrive.”—a new philanthropic initiative aimed at improving water efficiency in outdoor environments. As part of that initiative, over a two-year

Rob Starr, left, and Chris Davey of Toro Irrigation and Lighting Business accept 2019 WaterSense Excellence Award from Martha Shimkin of the EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management.

period, Toro is offering up to $1 million in grants to nonprofits in the global community as part of the Greenspace Enhancement Grant Program.

“Sustaining our natural resources is a key focus in the work that we do and the products that we bring to market,” says John McPhee, General Manager, Toro Irrigation and Lighting Businesses.

“We are proud to partner with the EPA to take measurable action to conserve our water resources and to be continually recognized for our efforts. Congratulations to every award recipient for their endeavors over the past year.”

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SUPPLIER NEWS

ELECTROLUX PROFESSIONAL BRAND LAUNCHED AT HOSPITALITY EXHIBITION THE ELECTROLUX PROFESSIONAL BRAND was launched at Host, an exhibition in the hospitality and catering industry that was held in Milan, Italy from October 18 to 22. Electrolux Professional’s SkyLine Cook&Chill, SpeeDelight, and brand new Beverage offering were introduced at the event.

SkyLine, the new ovens and blast chillers range, was the flagship for all of the live-chef demos in the Electrolux Professional booth. Based on the combination of smart technology and humancentered design, SkyLine sets a new bar in Cook&Chill and in the overall professional kitchen business.

The unique SkyDuo allows the Oven and the Blast Chiller to be synchronized and communicate with each other, making work-life in the kitchen leaner, to always get top food quality with the highest productivity.

SpeeDelight, the high-speed cooking solution designed to deliver a variety of tasty grab-and-go dishes more than three times faster than traditional appliances,

highlighted the business opportunity created by delivering trendy menus at record speed, from breakfast delights to dinner gourmet.

Attendees at Host also experienced the recently launched range for Beverage: a wide portfolio of professional appliances for hot, chilled, and frozen beverages, as well as soft-serve ice cream.

“This edition of Host promises to be a historical attendance for the company, being the right stage to present some of our latest champions,” said Alberto Zanata, President of Electrolux Professional.

The mission of Electrolux Professional is threefold: • Integrating a wide offer for food, beverage and laundry under one brand;

• Leading the way in designing solutions with sustainability and a human-centric approach at heart, so they are easy to use, maintain and service, but also productive, efficient and reliable; and • Helping customers increase productivity thanks to a web platform to manage their entire operations. Products and services will be connected so their performance will be visible via real-time access to data, and customers will have one contact point for a lean and effective service.

At Host, Electrolux Professional also showcased its pioneering 4-star ergonomics certified by ErgoCert, which tests products to assure they meet the highest ergonomic standards.

NICKLAUS COMPANIES SIGNS PREFERRED PARTNERSHIP

WITH ATLAS TURF INTERNATIONAL THE NICKLAUS COMPANIES HAVE signed a preferred partnership with Atlas Turf International. To date, Nicklaus Companies and Atlas Turf have collaborated on more than a dozen golf projects in 11 countries.

Atlas Turf collaborates with clients to deliver complete grassing solutions, from selection through grow-in. Atlas Turf’s

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portfolio of products includes warm- and cool-season turfgrasses as well as native grasses. Projects include new construction, renovations, turf conversions, overseeding and interseeding.

“We are proud to have earned the trust and confidence of the Nicklaus team. Around the world, a Nicklaus project is synonymous with excellence in design and stringent construction standards,” said Atlas Turf President John Holmes, who leads the international committee of the Golf Course Builders Association of America. “Our goal is to match this level of design quality with the world’s most advanced and innovative turfgrasses, bringing even further value to Nicklaus Design clients.”

The preferred partnership with Atlas Turf International is a natural extension of the two companies and their work together, said John Reese, CEO of Nicklaus Companies. “The selection of natural turf products Atlas offers Nicklaus Design clients provides them with a distinct advantage,” said Reese. “Grasses must be able to perform at the highest levels and our partner is able to support and service projects around the world.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SITEONE EXPANDS PRO-TRADE LIGHTING LINEUP SITEONE LANDSCAPE SUPPLY IS adding nine new products to its Pro-Trade Lighting offering. Contractors now have the option to purchase a brass compact floodlight fixture, a durable PAR36 well light fixture, three PAR36 LED lamps, two high-lumen MR16 LED lamps, and two accessories.

Available in an antique brass finish, the new Pro-Trade compact floodlight fixture (PT-FL2-BS-LED) has a low-profile form factor that allows it to blend in well with its surroundings. It includes a ground stake and is packaged with a 180-lumen 2700K T3 LED lamp. SiteOne backs the new Pro-Trade compact floodlight with a lifetime warranty.

Pro-Trade’s new PAR36 well light (PT-WL1-BK-NL) features a black ABS well sleeve that is 8 inches high by 5 ½ inches in diameter. The well light has a stainless-steel PAR36 gimbal that is adjustable within the housing.

Pro-Trade’s new well light includes weather-resistant SPT-2W wire with two spade connectors for ease of installation, and is covered by a 10-year warranty.

The lighting’s hours of operation can be controlled with the new ProTrade mechanical timer (PT-MT1) and photocell (PT-PC1). www.clubandresortbusiness.com

MASTER-BILT NAMES FIRST MARKET GROUP AS NEW SALES REPS MASTER-BILT, THE MANUFACTURER AND supplier of a full line of premier commercial refrigeration, has announced that the First Market Group, LLC has been named as Master-Bilt’s newest independent sales and marketing representatives, effective November 1, 2019. The First Market Group will represent Master-Bilt for the entire state of Georgia.

Established in 2017, the First Market Group has more than 25 years of combined experience in the foodservice equipment business and over 45 years experience collectively in sales. The First Market Group represents manufacturers for key market segments, including restaurants, especially restaurant chains, hotels and other hospitality and club businesses, and K-12 schools.

“First Market Group has a reputation for their personal attention to not only the groups they rep, but to their dealers and customers,” stated Steve Gill, Master-Bilt’s Vice President of Sales. “We are confident that First Market Group will be a great fit for Master-Bilt in the state of Georgia.”

texacraft.com Jrega@texacraft.com | 800.327.1541 November 2019

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PEOPLE NEWS

Michelle Dougherty Michael Ponzio

Chris Howe

Rick Dente Greg Wingate

CLUB PEOPLE St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla. has promoted Rick Dente to Chief Operating Officer and General Manager. Dente served as Assistant General Manager of St. Andrews from 2016 to present under Craig D. Martin, CCM, who announced his retirement in June.

Brookstone Events & Golf in Derry, N.H. has named Michelle Dougherty, CCM, as the facility’s new General Manager. Most recently, Dougherty served as the Assistant General Manager for The Quechee Club in Vermont.

Montage Hotels & Resorts has appointed Joseph Mattioli as General Manager of Montage Deer Valley in Park City, Utah.

Mattioli joins Montage Deer Valley from The St. Regis Washington, D.C., where he served as General Manager for the past two years.

Previously, he was General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe.

I’On Club in Mount Pleasant, S.C. has appointed Mehdi El-Kheddiwi as General Manager. El-Kheddiwi previously served as the club’s Director of Tennis. Prior to joining I’On Club, he was Director of Swim and Tennis at Prestwick Tennis and Swim Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. 16

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PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. has named Jeffrey Mayers as Managing Director. Mayers was previously at The Resort at Longboat Key (Fla.) Club and at the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. PGA National Resort & Spa also announced that Jane Broderick has been promoted to Club Manager of the PGA National Members Club. Broderick, who began her career at PGA National Resort & Spa in outside operations in 1986, had served as the club’s Director of Golf for the past 12 years.

tions, effective January 1, 2020. Fronk has been with the company since 2012, first as Head Golf Professional, Assistant General Manager, and then General Manager at Lexington (Va.) Golf & Country Club. He was then later promoted to Director of Operations at Heritage Hunt Golf & Country Club in Gainesville, Va.

Flynt Payne has been appointed General Manager at Mauna Lani Point, The Islands at Mauna Lani, Champion Ridge and The Residences of Laule’a in Hawaii. Most recently, Payne worked with the Sunriver Resort in Bend, Ore.

Michael Ponzio has been named Executive Chef of the Union League Club of Chicago. Ponzio was most recently Executive Chef at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club and was a featured presenter at C+RB’s 2019 Chef to Chef Conference in New Orleans.

The Ocean Club, a Four Seasons Resort in Paradise Island, Bahamas, has named Kristen Whyly as Resort Manager. Whyly spent the last 10 years at Four Seasons properties in Thailand, Hawaii and Washington, D.C.

BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. has welcomed Fabian Ludwig as the club’s new Director of Culinary and Executive Chef. Ludwig most recently led the opening of the eight restaurant venues at the new Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colo.

Up to Par Management has named Shaun Fronk as Vice President of Opera-

Greg Wingate has been named Head Golf Professional at Sunnybrook Golf Club in Plymouth Meeting, Pa. Wingate spent the last six seasons as an Assistant Golf Professional at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Kristen Whyly Jeffrey Mayers

Joseph Mattioli

Fabian Ludwig Jane Broderick

The St. Regis Bal Harbour (Fla.) Resort has appointed Conrado Tromp as Executive Chef. Tromp most recently was at The RitzCarlton, Osaka, Japan.

Chris Howe has been named Food and Beverage Manager at The Reserve in Indian Wells, Calif. Howe joins The Reserve after serving in a similar capacity at Indian Wells (Calif.) Country Club. Prior to that, he was with Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Belvedere Golf Club in Charlevoix, Mich. has hired Jordan Caplan as Superintendent.

Caplan most recently was Superintendent of the St. Martins Course at the Philadelphia (Pa.) Cricket Club.

Ryan Swilley, Golf Course Superintendent at Gulf Stream Golf Club in Gulf Stream, Fla., has been named a winner of the Grassroots Ambassador Leadership Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated growth in advocacy and advancement of the GCSAA Priority Issues Agenda, through Congressional outreach and relationship development with a member of Congress.

Stu Sheridan has been named Golf Course Superintendent at Capilano Golf and Country Club in West Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Sheridan has been at Capilano for five years, most recently as Interim Superintendent. He has also worked at operations including Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio and Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla. Robb Thompson, Tennis Director at Greenville (S.C.) Country Club, has been recognized as South Carolina’s Tennis Pro of the Year by the state’s branch of the United States Tennis Association.

Thompson has been Greenville CC’s Tennis Director for the past two years, after having served as its Head Professional for the previous 23 years.

Melissa Lias, CMP, Director of Marketing at the Union Club in Cleveland, Ohio, has been awarded with the Club Marketing Professional (CMP) designation by the Professional Club Marketing Association.

Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, Mich. has named Stephanie Scott as Vice President of Retail and Wellness Services.

Scott joined Crystal Mountain in 2010 as Spa Sales Manager and was promoted to Spa

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Manager a year later, before being named Director of Spa and Wellness in 2013.

SUPPLIER PEOPLE

Sipcam Agro USA has promoted Sam Wineinger to Director of Marketing for all business units and Todd Mason to Director of Sales and Development within the company’s Turf and Ornamental Division.

IN MEMORIAM

Cliff Dipman, former Superintendent at Manhattan (Kan.) Country Club and a 43-year member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, passed away after a 15-year battle with cancer. He was 72. After leaving Manhattan CC, Dipman served as a research assistant at the Rocky Ford Turfgrass Research Center.

Dave Bennett, a Fellow of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, died October 1, 2019, in Texas at the age of 84.

His professional career included more than 100 golf course projects across 14 states, Canada, Mexico and Venezuela, including Lost Creek Country Club in Austin, Texas and his last course, The National Golf Club of (Westlake) Louisiana.

November 2019

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Âť OAK HILLS CC

Taking Oak Hills CC

Back to Its Roots With its Tillinghast golf course lovingly restored and a management team and membership that embraces its storied history, the San Antonio club is ready to reassert its role and place as it turns 100, while also taking important new steps that reflect the changing times.

By Joe Barks, Editor 18

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WHEN IT COMES TO HAVING a passionate and devoted following, A. W. Tillinghast doesn’t take a back seat to any golf course architect. This was once again confirmed to Ryan Polzin, PGA, the Head Golf Professional at Oak Hills Country Club in San Antonio, Texas, after Oak Hills had some new logo’d “Tilly” caps made up to sell in its pro shop, and Polzin quickly heard from other club pros and individuals from around the country who had gotten wind of their availability and wanted to buy them.

Many of the courses that Tillinghast is best known for are in the Northeast U.S. (Winged Foot, Baltusrol, Bethpage, Philadelphia Cricket Club), but in his prolific career he actually left his distinctive mark on over 265 courses in 36 states and two Canadian provinces—including the course at Oak Hills, when it was founded in 1922 as Alamo Country Club.

Alamo, like many clubs, encountered operating difficulties during the Great Depression and was closed for several years before it reopened as Oak Hills in 1946. Having a Tillinghast course provided a foundation that helped the club quickly reestablish itself—not only on the national golf scene (its resume as a tournament site includes hosting 23 PGA Texas Opens and five AT&T Championships, and Jimmy Walker, who won the 2016 PGA Championship when it was held at Baltusrol, is an Oak Hills member)—but also as a highly in-demand place to join and play. Membership swelled to 750 in the 1980s, and over 40,000 rounds were being played annually on the golf course.

But then another period developed where Oak Hills once again found itself facing changing economic and social conditions that, while not on the scale of the Great Depression, still posed significant challenges for the club’s long-term future.

Concern reached the point where a small ad hoc “Friends of Oak Hills” group was formed, to discuss how new plans for the club’s direction could be developed and implemented.

“There was serious concern about the declines we had seen in membership, and also about the outlook for being able to keep the golf course and club facilities up to the standards that our legacy called for,” says Clint Glenny, Oak Hills’ current President, who was part of the group. “We wanted to find a way to get things in motion to bring the club back to what it had been and should once again always be, so it will be here in the same way for our grandchildren.”

While golf course renovation projects had been carried out previously through the years at Oak Hills, Glenny notes, they were “not Tillinghast enough” to satisfy those who saw the club’s connection to the architect as its biggest distinction and draw. “[The Friends of Oak Hills group] saw our most important priority, and our duty, as one of making sure to preserve the design and integrity” of what Tillinghast created, Glenny says. “How could we do that? It would only take money and a willingness to take a risk. So we went to the Board to outline what we wanted done and progressed from there, to raise the funds we would need from private lenders and other sources.”

One of those sources would be the sale of nine acres at one edge of the Oak Hills property that had been the site of the club’s original driving range. That helped to set in motion an investment of over $12 million that included $6.5 million for a golf course restoration, led by www.clubandresortbusiness.com

November 2019 l Club + Resort Business l 19 November 2019 l Club + Resort Business l 19

» OAK HILLS CC

At A Glance:

OAK HILLS CC Location: San Antonio, Texas Founded: 1922 (as Alamo Country Club) Members: 325 Golf Course Design: A. W. Tillinghast (Tripp Davis renovation and restoration, 2017) Annual Golf Rounds: 14,000 Director of Golf & Club Operations: Cary Collins, PGA Head Golf Professional: Ryan Polziin, PGA Director of Agronomy: Jeff Visser Food and Beverage Director: Steven Todd Executive Chef: Upton Dennie Tennis Professional: Rudy Obregon Membership & Events Director: Rita Schuenemann Comptroller: Henry Rivera

Pictured, left to right: Ryan Polzin, PGA, Head Golf Professional; Upton Dennie, Executive Chef; Steven Todd, Food and Beverage Director; Rita Schuenemann, Membership & Events Director; Jeff Visser, Director of Agronomy; Jimmy Ortega, Maintenance Supervisor; Rudy Obregon, Tennis Professional; Henry Rivera, Comptroller; Cary Collins, Director of Golf & Club Operations.

Tripp Davis, that included a regrassing of tees, fairways and rough from Bermudagrass to zoysiagrass varieties, and a regrassing of greens to G12 Bermudagrass, in addition to irrigation and drainage enhancements and subtle redesigns of greens, bunkers and tees that restored them to Tillinghast’s design tendencies. Another $5.5 million was spent on improvements and enhancements to Oak Hills’ classic clubhouse and other facilities.

A RENEWED SENSE OF PURPOSE All of the reinvestment that has been made in physical improvements at Oak Hills over the last few years has coincided with a restating of its mission, and a redefining of its position in the changing club business, that has been seen as equally critical to its future success. Roy Jones and Don Nelson, who were also part of the “Friends” group and who collectively have over 90 years of

The entrance to the Oak Hills clubhouse is marked by some of the signature trees that can be found throughout the property and that add further distinction to the golf course.

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Oak Hills CC’s storied golf history includes hosting 23 PGA Texas Opens and five AT&T Championships. And Jimmy Walker, who won the 2016 PGA Championship, is an Oak HIlls member.

membership in the club, note that San Antonio has undergone explosive growth in recent years that has directly affected Oak Hills. The club property is now surrounded by busy commercial and residential activity (making it easy to sell the nine acres, which is already occupied by new condominiums). And with that has come a host of new club options in the area.

“There’s a lot more competition now [for membership] from country clubs that are part of developments,” notes Jones.

“With our incredible core of so many single-digit and zero-handicap golfers, and with the incredible golf course and history

that we have, we saw that we needed to go back to having a more exclusive focus on golf, and really emphasizing that as what sets us apart.”

Even with all its growth, Nelson adds, San Antonio still has only two private, member-owned clubs—and the other, San Antonio Country Club has a much larger membership and has taken on a much broader social and activity profile (“Keeping the Spirit Alive at San Antonio

CC,” C+RB, May 2015). Oak Hills has also launched a national membership program to try to further distinguish what it offers.

Fortuitously, selling the space where the old driving range had been located literally helped Oak Hills put its new focus front and center, with the creation of a new practice area that is centrally located within the golf course (see photo, pg.

23). The redefining of Oak Hills’ mission was also reflected in new management

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» Thornblade Club

Director of Food and Beverage Steven Todd (below) and Executive Chef Upton Dennie (right) are leading new initiatives within the Oak Hills clubhouse that include special events held within its new wine room (left).

changes, most notably the return of Cary Collins, PGA, to be Director of Golf and Club Operations. Collins’ current position marks his third turn at Oak Hills, after being an Assistant Professional in the 1980s and then Head Professional for five years at the start of the 2000s. Polzin’s hiring in 2018 as Head Professional, after 11 years at Royal Oaks CC in Houston, also marked a homecoming and another nod to the club’s golf history, as he learned to play at Oak Hills while growing up at San Antonio and using his family’s membership.

The latest addition to the management team, Director of Agronomy Jeff Visser, also reflects the reinforced sense of importance that’s now being assigned to golf at Oak Hills and the course on which it’s played. Visser came this past May from Florida’s Seminole Golf Club, where he was part of the team entrusted with the care of the Donald Ross course that is consistently ranked among the U.S.’s best.

And as one more indication of how seriously preserving the club’s Tillinghast legacy is now being taken, Visser and other managers do not work now with a Greens 22

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Committee, but rather a Design and Intent Committee.

A NEW DEFINITION Oak Hills is also taking steps—or not taking them—that demonstrate its understanding of what wanting to be known as a “golf club” means in today’s club environment. Changing the club’s name to reflect its renewed purpose is not anticipated, Collins says.

And in step with how its clubhouse project brought dining options up to date with the creation of venues that include a new adult pub/bar, an upscale casual Mixed Grille and expanded patio dining, Oak Hills rolled out new menus this fall through a unique collaborative initiative between Paul Weir, a member who operates successful Longhorn Cafe restaurants in the San Antonio area; Justin Ward, an

instructor at the San Antonio campus of the Culinary Institute of America; and the leaders of Oak Hills’ culinary team, Food and Beverage Director Steven Todd and Executive Chef Upton Dennie. Dennie’s popular Jamaican specialties will be incorporated as special features that can further distinguish the new Oak Hills menus.

The F&B “reinvention” at Oak Hills also

As one of the latest reflections of the renewed pride and spirit now embodied by the Oak Hills membership, when 36 donors were sought for contributions toward a new course clock, 50 quickly responded. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

After selling nine acres on the edge of its property where its old driving range was located, to help fund more than $12 million in golf course and clubhouse projects, Oak Hills’ new practice facility is now centrally located.

includes taking a very high road—Todd, a second-level sommelier who brought restaurant and wine-distributor experience when taking his first position in the club business at Oak Hills this past May, is also developing programs and special events for a new wine room (see photo at left) that includes an expanded wine library.

Tennis also remains a strong and growing part of Oak Hills’ activity mix, with

Head Tennis Pro Rudy Obregon now also leading the club into pickleball.

Refocusing all that the club offers within a more exclusive environment does require some belt-tightening, too, and the club had success this year going to a code-access system at its pool, with users signing waivers, so it could reduce staff while still providing the amenity. “Basically, we’re focusing on finding common-sense solu-

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

tions that don’t detract from the member experience,” says Collins.

That common-sense approach also has the Oak Hills team confident that it is on the road to new success, but aware that spending $12-plus million is only the start of the journey. “Come back in four or five years, and you’ll really have a story,” says Collins. And one that is sure to still have “Tilly” as its main character. C+RB

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

NO GROWN-UPS

ALLOWED Kids’ spaces are becoming permanent fixtures as more clubs cater to growing family memberships—and done right, they can make the younger set want to go eagerly to the club, without any kicking or screaming involved.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor 24

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Photo Courtesy The Country Club at DC Ranch

DINNER AT THE CLUB no longer requires lining up a babysitter and leaving the kids at home. As more facilities ramp up their family-focused amenities, parents are taking advantage of on-premise kids’ centers that range from informal play spaces and child-tending rooms, to areas reserved exclusively for young members and outfitted with a variety of attractions that make them a destination all their own. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

FAMILIES FIRST At Providence Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., where family memberships are rapidly expanding, a dedicated facility to accommodate children became a necessity.

“Providence has always been a very familycentric club with several regular kids’ activities and programming,” says General Manager Howard S. Murphy, Jr., CCM. “However, it did not have a designated

permanent space.”

After the property became part of McConnell Golf in February 2016, management planned to expand and remodel the lower clubhouse level. And in the spring of 2017, the aptly named “Providence Playhouse” opened its doors.

Adjacent to the club’s group exercise studio, the Providence kids’ zone is easily accessible for parents who are looking to November 2019

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

Fully Furnished and Functional CREATING A SPACE RESERVED FOR KIDS isn’t merely about putting some games in a room or hosting an occasional movie night. Tailoring these facilities to a club’s youngest members in an effective and permanent fashion means designing them in a way that appeals to their sense of fun, while also making them manageable for your staff. Managers from clubs that have successfully developed kids’ areas shared these easy-as-chlld’s-play tips for how to do it right: • Ensure a kid-safe and kid-friendly design. “Convertible spaces allow for special activities, from magic shows to playing games,” says Howard S. Murphy, Jr., CCM, General Manager of Providence Country Club in Charlotte, N.C. “Storage for all supplies is imperative, and the use of simple products without multiple parts is important.” Selecting furnishings that can be easily cleaned and with removable covers minimizes upkeep. And for simple, yet personal decorative elements, consider featuring “local artists” by using kids’ artwork. “It is amazing how well a piece of children’s art can be displayed if nicely framed on the wall,” says Melanie Halpert, Director of Membership and Marketing of The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz.

• Appeal to a variety of interests and skill sets. Stock up on supplies and products that are boredom-busters and imagination boosters. “Board games, books and Legos foster member and staff interaction,” says Kym Reed, Providence CC’s Fitness and Activities Director. “Game stations that allow for ‘brain breaks’ and online streaming of movies, for nights when tired kids need to unwind and relax in a fluffy bean bag chair, can also be an advantage.”

• Select qualified staff. Hiring staff that has prior experience in child care is a plus. “Members want to know their children are in good hands, so invest in people,” says Halpert. And as members’ use of your kids’ space increases, consider employing a point person to manage personnel. “Hiring a professional director was imperative to ensuring proper safety and liability concerns,” says Murphy. “This key role also helps us to continue to develop more programming.”

• Focus on customer satisfaction. When determining how best to create buzz for your new space, it pays to go right to the source. “Ask the kids what they want; they will tell you,” says John Schneider, PGA, General Manager of Racine (Wis.) Country Club. And retaining the interest of both the kids, and their parents, will ensure steady traffic and repeat visitors over the long haul. “It is key to have frequent communications with the members regarding their experiences, and then to use that feedback to manage expectations,” says Murphy.

While those for whom the space is intended should have plenty of input for how kids’ areas are designed and what they offer, having qualified staff on hand will ensure full comfort levels for parents and management, too.

drop off their child for some playtime fun while they partake of the club’s fitness amenities. An internal, moveable wall creates distinct spaces that can be customized as needed. “Large group events or physically energetic games that need movement can be done in the extra studio space,” explains Fitness and Activities Director Kym Reed.

Outfitted with kid-friendly furnishings, the Playhouse contains a colorful menagerie of craft tables, chairs and bean bags, chosen for ease of cleanup. Structured activities are divided by age and typically supervised in groups of seven or eight children per staff member. (While there is no minimum age requirement, children must be bathroom-independent in order to use the playhouse.) Free-play options include Legos, building blocks and balls that can be easily disinfected.

In addition to these offerings, kids at Providence CC can partake of structured activities, ranging from summer camps and school-break programs during the day to nighttime events such as Slime Night, Water Wars and Cooking Club. Many of the Playhouse’s themed activities are coordinated in conjunction with adult programming, to maximize overall family usage.

“More families are able to experience the full benefit of our facilities—from fitness classes to adult events—while our children’s activities take place simultaneously,” says Reed.

Recent paired events have included a simultaneous kids’/adults’ night out and father/child campouts with Mommy Mixers. For the holidays, the club will hold a seasonal children’s craft class with an adult wine and wreath-making event. “This allows for great partnership within all areas of the country club,” Reed adds.

To maintain a secure environment during an active social calendar, a 24-hour camera surveillance system in the Playhouse and the club’s fitness facilities keeps a close eye on the latest goings on. Members are required to

Photo Courtesy Racine CC

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THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT Members of The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz., need not rely

PROVIDENCE COUNTRY CLUB Charlotte, N.C.

“More families are able to experience the full benefit of our facilities—from fitness classes to adult events—while our children’s activities take place simultaneously.”

Photos Courtesy Providence CC

sign their children in and out of the Playhouse via a single entry, and must stay on the property so they can be accessed by phone at any time.

With this arrangement in place for the past two years, the Providence Playhouse has proved to be a win-win for parents and children alike. “The members are excited to have a safe place for their children to be entertained, educated and supervised while they are enjoying the club’s other amenities,” says Murphy. “And the children look forward to seeing the staff and enjoying a space of their own.”

This symbiotic relationship, he adds, has also translated into greater enrollment for Providence’s summer-camp programming, and larger participation for other special events at the club.

—Kym Reed, Fitness and Activities Director

International Country Club Fairfax, Virginia

Bringing members closer together with spaces that foster community and camaraderie.

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REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

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CHARLOTTE 2020 THE WE S TIN CHARLOTTE MARCH 1-3, 2020

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THE COUNTRY CLUB AT DC RANCH Scottsdale, Ariz.

“Indoor space was key for our hot Arizona summer. Now we have double the amount of camps and activities for the kids.”

—Melanie Halpert, Director of Membership and Marketing

on the swimming pool alone to keep their kids cool in the desert sun. On the heels of a 2015 clubhouse renovation, DC Ranch’s Board conducted a series of town-hall meetings to decide what improvement projects would be best.

The result was two kids’ club facilities, which were unveiled this past May to wide acclaim. “Indoor space was key for our hot Arizona summer,” says Director of Membership and Marketing Melanie Halpert. “Now we have double the amount of camps and activities for the kids.”

Complementing the club’s family-friendly amenities that include a resort-style pool, a casual family-dining facility and two large event lawns, the kids’ clubs are in close proximity and designed for different age groups. The Corral is aimed at ages 10 and under and is fully staffed, while the Hideout is tailored to teens and tweens as a space where, as Halpert describes, “older kids can hang out with their friends in a cool and laid-back atmosphere.”

The Corral (see photo, pgs. 24-25) features modular furniture and spill-resistant carpeting and is stocked with board games, a costume area and open space for play.

The Hideout (see photo above) exudes a more relaxed style, with a large sofa that can be moved around, an oversized television set for video game-playing, plug-in areas for charging electronic devices, and arcade games offering golf, air hockey and shuffleboard.

Because the kids’ spaces are near DC Ranch’s pool facility, ensuring a secure environment was paramount to the design.

In addition to gates around the pool with access-code entry, the event lawns are gated and separated from the pool area—a

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RACINE COUNTRY CLUB Racine, Wis.

“After two years, usage [of the KidZone] has exceeded our expectations. The parents really like it because the kids have a place to go when they come for dinner. We have seen family usage of our dining increase because the kids have a place to have fun.”

— John Schneider, PGA, General Manager

safety measure the club did not have previously. “Kids can now exit the kids’ rooms and play on the lawns without the threat of an ungated pool,” notes Halpert. Both the Corral and Hideout are also outfitted with security cameras.

The decision to offer kids’ areas that keep young members close by, while still giving them their own space, has proved to be a valuable addition. In a recent member survey, DC Ranch earned a 95 percent satisfaction rate regarding its new facilities. Halpert believes this is a testament to the club’s continued emphasis on family, and is something that distinguishes DC Ranch from other area facilities.

“Today, we have generations of families who live in the Scottsdale area, and grandparents and parents all want to be together in one place,” she explains. “While they are dining, working out or playing golf, their kids are well taken care of.”

• • • •

SUMMING IT UP > Creating a separate space for kids’ activities in close proximity to adult

dining and fitness areas helps to provide a complete family environment.

> Furnishings that are well-designed, durable and easy to clean make for effortless maintenance.

> Hiring and training qualified and dedicated staff promotes security and A PLACE TO CALL THEIR OWN At Racine (Wis.) Country Club, the club’s youngest members have always had good participation in kids’ programming, but until recently did not have a separate play space of their own. But after deciding to repurpose a room previously used as a fitness area, management debuted the newly renovated KidZone in February 2017.

Located in the clubhouse’s lower level just off the grill room, the KidZone is primarily used as a play area designed for ages 12 and under. (While there is no set age requirement for the area, children under age 4 must be accompanied by a parent.)

Painted walls in a rainbow of colors are complemented by carpet squares of varying colors and styles (see photos, pgs. 26 and 30). “That really sets the space off,” notes General Manager John Schneider, PGA.

safety for parents’ peace of mind.

Overhead, light covers featuring designs that shine through when illuminated add to the playful atmosphere. Beanbag chairs are interspersed with varying sizes of tables and other chairs, where kids can immerse themselves in a game of dominoes or checkers, build with blocks, or color. A giant chalk board, beanbag toss and Twister game board are available for kids’ unplugged play, or they can use the club’s Wii or Xbox machines.

The relaxed vibe of this open-play space gives kids free rein and is not constricted by any set hours of operation. “If a child wants to use the play area, it is open,”

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adds Schneider. Staff members periodically check on the room and are able to contact parents should any problems arise. So far, no safety or behavioral issues have come up, but safety cameras have been installed as an extra precaution.

Since the KidZone has been added at Racine CC, both parents and children have come to benefit from its usefulness. “After two years, usage has exceeded our expectations,” says Schneider. “The parents really like it because the kids have a place to go when they come for dinner. We have seen family usage of our dining increase because the kids have a place to have fun.” C+RB

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SUMMING IT UP > Sous vide is a technique that can be applied eectively for

everyday cooking needs, as well as big events. > Anyone from students to sous chefs can easily learn about sous vide technology and processes. > Sauces hold better sous vide than in hot wells.

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Taking the

Plunge

Chefs across the country are finding that cooking sous vide is more than just a time and labor saver. It is also one of the easiest and most effective ways to deeply infuse ingredients and brine foods for different flavors and textures.

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Contributing Editor

COOKING SOUS VIDE IS PART of the daily lunch and dinner routine at Orinda (Calif.) Country Club. Thayer Johnson, the club’s Executive Chef, puts chicken breasts on the grill for a short time to impart flavor and grill marks, then cooks them sous vide at 160º F. and holds them at that temperature until service.

“During lunch and dinner, we’re super busy for a relatively short period of time, so cooking sous vide allows us to turn out perfectly cooked food during those busy periods,” Johnson explains.

For banquets, wine dinners and other special events, Johnson marks off steaks (filets and New York strip) and tri tips for the carving station, before putting them in vacuum bags. He then cooks them in the sous vide circulator at 127º F. until they are needed for service. Just before serving, he pops them in the oven on a sheet pan at 400º F. for two or three minutes, to crisp up the outside.

Meats such as pork belly, lamb shanks and short ribs that usually take four or www.clubandresortbusiness.com

five hours to braise can be cooked sous vide in 72 minutes, Johnson reports, and foods that usually require 24 hours to brine can be done in half the time.

Cooking fish sous vide requires the extra step of brining in 10% salt to water for at least half an hour, Johnson explains.

Otherwise, he says, the albumin in the fish leaks out and mars the appearance of the protein. He especially likes the way salmon comes out when cooked sous vide for one hour at 117º F., describing the resulting texture as “almost like a custard.”

(See Chef Johnson’s recipe for cooking Poached California Halibut sous vide on pg. 38.)

Vegetables, he adds, acquire “amazing flavors and textures” when cooked sous vide with duck fat, olive oil, butter, herbs or spices. Carrots (with ginger and butter), beets and potatoes work particularly well, just needing to be finished off in a pan for outer texture before serving.

“We are able to achieve such a variety of flavors and textures that members

have been known to ask, ‘How did you do this?’” Johnson says. “It’s a cool way to change people’s perceptions about food—especially when you can achieve mid-rare short ribs that are tender and delicious.”

PRECISION INSTRUMENT Although Josh Becker, Executive Chef of Cherry Creek Country Club in Denver, Colo., prefers to stick with traditional cooking techniques as much as possible, he does think that sous vide cooking can bring something different and, in some cases, even better to the table.

For example, Becker is also a big proponent of cooking vegetables sous vide. He likes the fact that this cooking method allows him to preserve the precise knife cuts for plating presentation that can be lost when vegetables are roasted or sautéed.

Leeks are one favorite for this technique; Becker cuts into some in rounds and some on the bias, keeping all of the layers intact. He then infuses the leeks November 2019

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

STAYING OUT OF HOT WATER Sous vide technology can make for easy, virtually foolproof cooking that can inspire creativity with ingredients and hold cooked foods at their correct temperature for long periods of time. The equipment requires only a small footprint in the kitchen and is simple to learn to use and maintain— but those experienced with the method offer some pointers for maximizing its effectiveness.

One key thing to remember, explains frequent sous vide user Justin Mooney, Executive Chef of the Mountain Brook Club in Birmingham, Ala., is to not overload the water bath—this will ensure that Not overloading the water the water can circulate freely to evenly cook and hold food at the correct temperature. Mooney also bath ensures free circulation recommends regularly checking the circulator’s coils for any mineral buildup (the water in his area that will cook and hold food contains a lot of calcium), and cleaning them with very hot water. evenly at the correct temperThayer Johnson, Executive Chef of Orinda (Calif.) Country Club, learned about the many ways ature, says Mountain Brook sous vide cooking can be used when he took a continuing education class in 2010 at the CuliClub’s Justin Mooney. nary Institute of America. Food cooked sous vide must be carefully labeled and dated to comply with HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) guidelines, Johnson notes, so it remains in bags for no more than two days. At Orinda CC, Johnson adds, any chicken that is left over from a batch that was cooked in the circulator is iced and used for salad, and leftover beef is used for soup.

under the sous vide vacuum with some garlic, shallots, fresh thyme and butter. Right before serving, he quickly sears the leeks in a smoking hot pan.

(See Chef Becker’s sous vide recipe for herb butter leeks on pg. 37.)

“With sous vide, the flavor is sealed into the vegetable and I don’t have to worry about whether it’s overcooked or undercooked,”

Becker explains. “It maintains the food’s natural [or imparted] flavor, color and textural integrity.”

For Sunday brunch at Cherry Creek, sous vide makes poaching eggs for eggs Benedict “a no-brainer,” eliminating the need for a la minute eggshell cracking and worrying about whether the eggs are undercooked or overcooked, Becker notes.

“Anybody in the kitchen can prepare them, and they always turn out perfectly,” he says.

Sous vide can also make a positive contribution in the kitchen when Becker wants to impart specific flavors to meat and vegetables, cook special cuts that may be unfamiliar to the staff, or prepare a high volume of specific foods for special events such as wine dinners. He has used sous vide to cook filet mignon for as many as 300 party guests, keeping all of the cuts at a perfect medium-rare without overcooking.

But fried chicken is one dish that did not work when cooked sous vide, Becker notes. After cooking the chicken at a low temperature for a long time, then frying it, the meat had the texture of raw chicken, he says. On the other hand, he adds, other chicken dishes turn out well—some exceptionally so.

SHARING THE KNOWLEDGE While just about everyone in the Cherry Creek kitchen can cook sous vide, Executive Sous Chef Joe Mazzocco has taken a special interest in the cooking technique and has become “the go-to guy” for questions and suggestions, Becker reports.

“

We are able to achieve such a variety

of flavors and textures [by cooking

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November 2019

sous vide] that members have been known to ask, ‘How did you do this?’

It’s a cool way to change people’s

”

perceptions about food.

—Thayer Johnson, Executive Chef, Orinda CC www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Recipe Similarly, one of the sous chefs at the Mountain Brook Club in Birmingham, Ala. also has the most experience with sous vide cooking and shares his techniques with Executive Chef Justin Mooney and the rest of the staff.

“He showed me a technique for making lemon curd sous vide that has a less firm, more velvety texture than one cooked the traditional way on the stove top,” Mooney says.

The technology is so easy to master that students from a local school who work in the kitchen at Mountain Brook have learned to use it.

Mooney just recently added sous vide cooking to his repertoire. A dish that has quickly become a favorite among club members is pork tenderloin marinated with fig and pomegranate jam, garlic and shallots.

For this dish, Mooney marinates the meat for 24 hours, then cooks it sous vide at 75º C. for two hours. He holds the meat in the water bath at 54º C. and, for service, hits it on the grill for color and a caramelized crust.

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Sous-Vide Herb Butter Leeks YIELD: 2 Leeks

INGREDIENTS: 2 leeks 9 cloves garlic, crushed 8 ozs. butter, cut 4 shallots, ¼-cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1 bunch thyme zest of 1 lemon SUBMITTED BY JOSHUA BECKER, EXECUTIVE CHEF, CHERRY CREEK COUNTRY CLUB, DENVER, COLO. 8 tbsp. confit garlic oil 1 tsp. Maldon salt (LEEKS ARE PICTURED ABOVE WITH ELK TENDERLOIN) PROCEDURE: 1 Trim green tops and roots from leeks. Cut leeks on a bias and then a straight cut. (Note: We want the leeks to stand on the plate, with the bias showing.)

2 Wash cut leeks thoroughly under cold running water, to make sure no dirt is hiding between the layers.

3 Once clean, place the leeks in a vacuum bag until one-half full. Add 1 cut shallot, 3 cloves garlic, 2 to 3 sprigs thyme, 2 tbsp. garlic oil, 1/4 tsp. lemon zest, 2 ozs. of butter and 1 tsp. Maldon salt. Vacuum-seal and continue with remaining leeks.

4 Once the bags are sealed and water-bath temperature reaches 84º C., place the leeks in the water bath and cook for 1 hour.

5 After 1 hour, remove the bags and place them in an ice-water bath to stop cooking.

6 Open the bags, remove the leeks and sear in a smoking pan to order.

November 2019

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Recipe Poached California Halibut YIELD: 1 Serving INGREDIENTS: 2 cups cold water 1 tbsp. kosher salt 5 ozs. California halibut (or any flaky whitefish you prefer) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 tsp. chopped fresh turmeric 2 sprigs saffron daikon fondant (recipe follows) baby carrots (recipe follows)

PROCEDURE: 1 Dissolve salt in water and put halibut in the brine for 30 minutes.

2 Remove halibut, rinse and pat dry, 3 Place olive oil, turmeric and saffron in a blender and blend on high speed for 1 minute. Push through a fine mesh strainer.

4 Place halibut and infused olive oil in a vacuum-seal bag and seal on high pressure.

5 Marinate overnight.

6 Cook fish at 120º F. for 45 minutes.

FOR THE DAIKON FONDANT INGREDIENTS: 3 1-in.-thick pieces daikon 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil To taste salt and pepper

PROCEDURE: 1 Cut daikon slices with a 1 3/4-inch ring mold.

2 Vacuum-seal with 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil.

3 Cook at 185º F. for 1 1/2 hours.

4 Remove daikon from the bag, season with salt and pepper, and sear on high heat until brown and crispy on both sides.

FOR THE BABY CARROTS INGREDIENTS: 4 baby carrots in two different colors (2 of each color), peeled 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 3 slices fresh ginger

PROCEDURE: 1 Vacuum-seal the carrots with the olive oil and ginger.

2 Cook at 185º F. for 30 minutes.

3 Remove the carrots from the bag, season them with salt and pepper, and cook them on high heat until nicely charred.

SUBMITTED BY THAYER JOHNSON, EXECUTIVE CHEF, ORINDA COUNTRY CLUB, ORINDA, CALIF.

“

With sous vide, the flavor is sealed into the vegetable and I don’t have to worry about whether it’s overcooked or undercooked. It maintains the food’s natural

”

[or imparted] flavor, color and textural integrity.

— Josh Becker, Executive Chef, Cherry Creek CC

“The water bath holds the meat at a perfect medium,” Mooney explains. “The pork has become one of the better sellers on the menu.”

For fall, he has been preparing a sous vide 48-hour short rib, which is marinated for four days and, after cooking in the water bath, popped into the oven with a port wine demiglaze for a shiny crust. He serves the meat with a horseradish crunch, roasted nebrobini mushrooms and preserved ramps.

Mooney also finds that sous vide is a great 38

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in the clubhouse kitchen. The long holding times allow him to interact with the members, without worrying about overcooking the food. He can also time his courses to allow the guests to enjoy their food, wine and conversation at their own relaxed pace. The first dinners were so successful that they immediately sold out.

(See Chef Mooney’s sous vide recipe for Mole Venison Cheeks with the online version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com) C+RB

way to hold and maintain the integrity of sauces. He holds the sauces in the water bath instead of hot wells, where they continue to steam, reduce and get too salty. The club will be getting a second sous vide set-up to use MORE ONLINE mostly for sauces, he says.

For Chef Justin Mooney’s recipe Cooking sous vide has also for Sous-Vide Mole Venison given Mooney additional Cheeks, see the online flexibility for timing out the version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com courses at his special Chef’s Table dinners that are served

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT Photos Courtesy Oklahoma City G&CC

EMBRACING THE CHALLENGES

Nathan Neumann has executed major course renovations at each step in his 19-year career, culminating with this year’s overhaul of the historic MacKenzie/Maxwell design at Oklahoma City G&CC.

By Jeff Bollig, Contributing Editor

Nathan Neumann says he’s not a glutton for punishment. But his actions belie his words.

During his 19-year career, Neumann, now the Golf Course Superintendent at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club (OCGCC) in Nichols Hills, Okla., has executed a major golf course construction project at each of the four facilities where he has worked. The most recent, a complete overhaul of OCGCC’s historic course, is set to be unveiled to members at the end of 2019.

“I don’t think I am wired any differently than other golf course superintendents,” Neumann says. “We all want to see our golf courses be the best they can be. I am just fortunate that at each of the clubs where I have worked, the membership has made the commitment to improve the course.

“I look at it as a challenge,” he adds about taking on course renovation projects throughout his career. “But it is also a learning opportunity. When all is said and done, I have learned a great deal and have become a better golf course superintendent at the end of the projects. I would even say it has been fun.”

After coming on board at OCGCC in January 2018, Neumann began work on its course, an Alister McKenzie/Perry Maxwell design, in February 2019. His team is on www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Super in the Spotlight

Nathan Neumann Current Position: Golf Course Superintendent, Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club (OCGCC) Location: Nichols Hills, Okla.

Education & Training: Texas Tech University, B.S. Horticulture and Turfgrass Management, 2001 Years at OCGCC: 2 Years in Golf Course Maintenance Business: 19 Previous Employment: • Superintendent, Amarillo (Texas) Country Club, 2013-2018; • Superintendent, Wichita Falls (Texas) Country Club, 20062013; • Assistant Superintendent, Colonial Country Club, Fort Worth, Texas, 2001-2006

November 2019

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SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Golf Course Profile Website: www.okcgcc.com Ownership: Members No. of Holes: 18 Par: 71 Yardage: 6,947 yards (from back tees) Course Type: Parkland Course Designer: A lister Mackenzie/ Perry Maxwell Year Opened: 1 911 (moved in 1927 to the Mackenzie/Maxwell design) Golf Season: Y ear-round (predominantly a March to November season)

on such an historic design has been personally and professionally rewarding. Teaming with golf course architect Tripp Davis for the renovation, Neumann calls OCGCC’s course “a great layout that became a little tired and was in need of shine.”

“My first job was at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, another Maxwell design,” he says. “You see some of the same features and strategies come into play here as there. It’s an honor to work on a Maxwell design. This is a special piece of property.”

Neumann took time from the final push to finish the project to provide these additional insights into what’s gone into the renovation, and his own career:

C+RB What’s been the scope of your project at OCGCC? Grasses: Neumann This project only • Tees and Fairways, Latitude 36 Bermudagrass; involves the golf course. The • Roughs, Common/Astro Bermudagrass; clubhouse had been completed in • Greens, 007 Bentrgrass phases in the years before I came.

Bunkers: 65 It’s best to look at the golf course project in three parts: Water Hazards: Two lakes and a creek renovation, restoration and preservation. The golf course had been relatively untouched over there years. schedule to complete the work by the end There had been some small tweaks through of the year, he says. the years, but for the most part you had old To finish the project in such a short time, structures—the greens were 45 to 50 years club officials opted to close the course old, the irrigation system was 50-plus years for the entirety of the work. While club old, and the grasses needed updating. members were afforded playing privileges It was just time to upgrade and renovate elsewhere, there has still been plenty of the infrastructure. The club had been workcuriosity, and traffic, at OCGCC. ing with Tripp Davis on the master plan “They [members] are proud of their before I got here, but for the most part I club and are excited to see [the renovated have been involved from the beginning. course],” Neumann says. “But with the work going on, we really could not have them out walking around. So we organized C+RB What was the restoration aspect? some guided tours so they could see the Neumann We wanted to bring back the progress. I think they will be pleased by Mackenzie/Maxwell characteristics of the what they see when it is done.” golf course and what they wanted from While excitement might not be the a strategic standpoint. The greens and best way to describe the significant effort fairway had gotten smaller, and trees were required to undertake such a project, encroaching. We wanted to bring back the Neumann says the opportunity to work width and angles of attack. We had the

Annual Golf Rounds: 20,000

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good fortune of having some great historical aerial photographs to work with, and they really helped us in our work.

C+RB And for the preservation phase?

Neumann We wanted to keep the good

aspects. So we want the routing and green complexes to stay as they were intended.

We also made sure to keep all of the contours on the greens.

We are basically grassing the greens right now, and finishing a few in-house projects that we took on. We will be done on time. I think one thing that helped us is we took on a lot of work in-house. It was a challenge, but we knew it would pay off in the end.

Our staff here did an outstanding job during construction with the in-house work.

C+RB You mentioned working on a Maxwell course at Colonial Country Club. Will this course have the “look” of his courses at Colonial or Southern Hills?

Neumann Absolutely. This is either the end of the first phase or the beginning of the second phase of the Maxwell design career. You can see the lineage here. Coming from Colonial gives me a greater appreciation of this course.

You can see all of the Maxwell characteristics, especially in the greens and the way the holes lay into the land, and the routing.

C+RB How did you become a golf course superintendent?

Neumann I grew up in Waco, Texas and started playing golf when I was young. I also played on the high school golf team. We owned a family farm, but I needed to get a job to make some money to pay for things, so I went to work at Cottonwood Creek, the public course, on the maintenance staff.

It was great because you could work in the mornings and play golf in the afternoons. I loved it and it got me interested in doing it for a career. The superintendent there put me in touch with the superintendent at Ridgewood CC in Waco, where I learned more about golf course management as a career and worked a few summers there before going to college.

I would say that even though I have not played as much this year, being a golfer has www.clubandresortbusiness.com

A three-pronged approach—renovation, restoration and preservation—has been taken for the year-long project at OCGCC’s Alister Mackenzie/Perry Maxwell-designed golf course.

helped me over the years in my work, especially on the renovation projects. It helps to see things from a playing perspective.

C+RB How did you end up at OCGCC? Neumann The club conducted a national

search for the position and I was interested in the opportunity. I thought it would be a good fit for myself and a great opportunity for my career. After a couple of interviews with the club, I accepted the job.

The fact I had done some previous renovations and that Colonial was a Maxwell design definitely helped out. Also at Colonial we did several course projects and hosted an annual PGA Tour event, and I was able to be a part of seven Tour events during my tenure there.

Colonial is an active place that is maintained at a tournament level and it provides a great learning experience. I still refer back to people like Scott Johnson and Scott Ebers who I was able to learn from there, and to what we did at Colonial. It was a remarkable opportunity.

At Wichita Falls Country Club, we replaced the irrigation system, drainage, and greens. It was a great learning experience as a superintendent working with a smaller budget and for how we improved conditions on the golf course. At Amarillo Country Club we completed quite a project, converting from warm-season to cool-season grasses on the entire golf course.

C+RB Going forward, what will be your biggest maintenance challenge at OCGCC? Neumann No doubt, the weather will be the biggest obstacle. Oklahoma City is in the transition zone, so that makes it difficult. The weather here is all over the place.

Managing bentgrass in the hot, humid summer has its challenges and then you have to manage bermudagrass in the cold winter, with the storm season in between.

C+RB What makes the course challenging

Course + Grounds Operations Profile Annual Course Maintenance Budget: $1.5 million, including labor and water Staff Size: 24 full-time maintenance staff Other Green and Grounds Managers: First Assistant Superintendent, Garrett Barnes; Second Assistant Superintendent, Austin Welge; Equipment Manager, Gene Stephens Water Source: Ponds and wells Aerating and Overseeding Schedules: Greens, core aerating in May and September; Tees and Fairways, core aerating in July Upcoming Capital Projects: Completion of golf course renovation and restoration by end of 2019

and fun to play?

Neumann One of the unique things about

our club is it that is a neighborhood club.

About 80 percent of our members live within 2 ½ miles of the club. The members use all aspects of the club: pool, clubhouse, dining, athletic center, etc. We have a full membership, so it is an active place.

From a course perspective, golfers are going to have to think a little bit more about strategic placement of shots. That means how they approach greens, because we have some that move front to back, back to front and side to side. The terrain is rolling and there are not a lot of flat lies.

The hazards are strategically placed as well, and that makes it fun to play. If you place the ball in the right position, you can score well. I also think we have opened up the course a bit, giving the golfer better views of the property.

C+RB What has changed the most about being a superintendent in your career?

Neumann Three things stand out. First, the role of the superintendent at facilities has been elevated in the time I have been in the profession. We are now involved in so many more business-related activities for the golf course, and the club overall.

Technology has also been a big change and a great improvement for us.

Labor is the third issue. Finding good workers and keeping them has been difficult. There are many options out there and our hours are a bit unusual, so we have to work hard at building and retaining our staff.

You could also go on to add a fourth item. Golfer expectations started high when I got in the business, and have only grown.

You can best handle it be being a good communicator. Not only in what you say, but also by listening. You can always learn from the golfers, because they are generally coming from a different perspective.

C+RB What advice do you have for younger professionals in the business?

Neumann I would encourage them to learn how to delegate more. That is how you help others learn and grow in this industry.

We work a lot of hours and take on a lot of responsibility. But I think I have become a smarter worker by giving others an opportunity. Plus it helps to implement some new ideas into our daily operation.

That is how assistants eventually advance, and it’s great to see them succeed.

But it also helps to build the team as a whole, and you create depth in it. C+RB

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COURSE + GROUNDS

SETTING UP

SHOP

Input from superintendents is invaluable for designing and operating safe, efficient, state-of-the-art golf course maintenance facilities.

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS AND THEIR maintenance staffs spend the bulk of their days out on the grounds, to make course conditions and other parts of the property that fall under their responsibility are as pristine as possible.

But the condition and utility of the place where they start and end their days—the golf course maintenance facility—makes a significant contribution to golf course playability as well. With modern, state-of-the-art golf course maintenance facilities, properties can enhance the capabilities of their maintenance departments to take the best care possible of what is arguably a club’s most important asset.

INCLUDING THE ESSENTIALS From entirely new buildings to additions for existing facilities, golf course properties are infusing capital into course maintenance facility projects.

The golf course maintenance staff at Ballyhack Golf 42

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Club in Roanoke, Va., moved into a new 7,500-sq. ft. maintenance building (pictured above) in mid-January.

Construction on the $1.2 million project began in March 2018, and the project was largely complete by April of 2019. The maintenance area also includes outdoor storage and storage bins for bulk items.

“We’re still wrapping up a few things,” says Golf Course Superintendent Steven Ball.

The golf course was built in 2009 on the site of a former dairy farm, and until the new building was finished, the maintenance staff operated out of an old barn, which had no heat, air conditioning, or running water.

Needless to say, the new accommodations have been a vast improvement.

Now, 90 percent of Ballyhack’s equipment, except for a handful of tractors, is stored indoors. The equipment storage area includes epoxy flooring, which allows for durability to withstand heavy, continuous traffic and resistance to oil stains and water. In addition, the surwww.clubandresortbusiness.com

Ballyhack GC’s new $1.2 million, 7,500-sq. ft. maintenance facility replaced an old barn that had no heat, air conditioning or running water. The club also purchased $1.1 million in equipment with the completion of the new building, and all of the club’s course maintenance equipment, except for a few tractors, can now be stored indoors.

Photo by Ryan Montgomery and Courtesy Ballyhack GC

face is easy to clean and requires minimal maintenance.

With the completion of the new building, the property owners also purchased more equipment, totaling $1.1 million, for the maintenance staff. This additional equipment is the reason that all of it is not stored indoors, notes Ball.

Administrative space includes offices for Ball and Equipment Manager Tim Meador, and another office that two assistant superintendents share. The offices also have TVs where job assignments can be displayed.

Storage cabinets for flammable materials are located in the equipment manager’s bay and outside near the gas tanks, and chemicals are kept in a dedicated area of the building as well.

Meador has ample work space, which www.clubandresortbusiness.com

includes a climate-controlled shop, storage for parts and tools, a lift, and bedknife- and reel-grinding areas.

Additional upgrades to Ballyhack’s new maintenance complex are planned for the off-season, including the installation of plumbing to outside storage areas, so staff members can fill up their sprayers under a roofed area. The property also plans to enclose the roofed area where fertilizer pallets and some equipment are stored.

Shelving will be added to the equipment storage area, and more landscaping will be planted as well.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY A new, 18,028-sq. ft. Turf Care Center was completed at Belle Meade Country Club in Nashville, Tenn., in December 2016,

coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the move by the property, which was founded in 1901, to its present 165-acre site in 1916. The new center, which includes three separate buildings, replaced a 6,680-sq.-ft. maintenance facility that was built in 1964.

“We were in an old, antiquated building,” says Golf Course Superintendent Doug Ward. “We didn’t have the amenities and necessities we needed to run a modern golf course operation.”

The previous facility lacked technology features, and Ward’s office was the only climate-controlled spot in the building. In addition, the maintenance department had to store 40 to 50 percent of its equipment outside.

“We had a lot of expensive equipment that wasn’t being taken care of properly,” notes Ward. “We have space to store all of our equipment under a roof now.”

Belle Meade’s new Building 1, at 6,420sq. ft., features administrative offices, equipment maintenance and repair operations, a conference room, lockers, and a breakroom. The building includes an office for Ward, an office that his two assistants share, and an office for the landscape superintendent.

The equipment manager’s space, which doubled in size, includes an office, a storage area for parts, a separate grinding room, two lifts, and lockable storage space. In the previous building, parts were stored in bins along a wall.

The building also includes a mud room with a washer and dryer, and space for crew members to store raingear.

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COURSE + GROUNDS

Ballyhack GC’s new facility includes epoxy flooring, which allows for durability to withstand heavy, continuous traffic and resistance to oil stains and water. In addition, the surface is easy to clean and requires minimal maintenance.

scaping and power tools, irrigation parts, and golf course accessories.

Building 3, a 2,508-sq.-ft. chemical storage and handing facility, facilitates the proper storage and safe handling of all chemicals used in maintaining the golf course and other parts of the Belle Meade property. The facility, which includes spray/mixer/loading areas, also provides for proper disposal of pesticides, along with other procedures regulated by the Environmental Protection Authority.

The self-contained chemical storage building was constructed to meet state regulations and OSHA requirements. “It’s important to have an individual storage area with proper ventilation,” says Ward.

The eco-friendly turfgrass equipment wash station is a stand-alone, totally closedloop, wash-water biological treatment and recycling system. A clipping separator removes grass clippings, sand and other small

debris from the wash water prior to the recycling process. The gas pumps and fueling station are located in this area as well.

As another sustainable feature, all surface water flows into one of the five bioretention areas that the Turf Care Center has on site.

As landscaping features on the property, these sites are adapted to treat stormwater runoff and to remove contaminants and sedimentation. The filtered runoff water is collected in a perforated underdrain system that flows into Richland Creek.

Before the new Turf Care Center was constructed, the maintenance staff also built a bulk storage area with three covered bins, to store soil, topdressing materials, and other items.

Although living quarters for interns or other temporary workers originally were part of the plan, Ward says local ordinances prohibited their construction.

VALUABLE ADD-ON In a six-month, $575,000 project in 2013, The Country Club at Castle Pines in Castle Rock, Colo., built an 8,000-sq.-ft. addition to its 4,000-sq. ft. golf course maintenance facility. The new building is a separate structure that runs parallel to the original maintenance facility, and a courtyard sits between the two buildings.

“We needed to get our equipment inside out of the elements and to pave the parking lot,” says Golf Course Superintendent Sean McCue. “The most important thing is to have enough space to house all of the equipment inside, to protect the club’s investment in the equipment.”

In addition to equipment storage space, the addition also includes a 1,500-sq.-ft. section for fertilizer and seed storage.

The original building features three offices —one for McCue, one for his two assistants, and one for the department’s two equipment technicians. There is also a breakroom, equipment repair space, and a cold storage area, which is connected to the building, for additional equipment storage space.

To prevent spills and leaks from traveling off-site, chemicals are stored in a dedicated, contained part of the original building. The maintenance department has two sand bins for bulk storage.

The original 27-year-old building has received upgrades as well, to make it more functional. Office space has been realigned, and the breakroom has been improved with the addition of new cabinets, multiple microwaves, and a soda-fountain machine.

BENEFITS OF NEW OR UPGRADED MAINTENANCE FACILITIES • Increased staff morale, pride and productivity • Provides a safe, efficient and desirable workplace • Decrease in accidents, and lower insurance rates • Offers opportunities to hire and retain better employees • Allows for better supervision, better quality of work, and better course conditions • Protects investments by extending the life of equipment • Improves inventory control

Belle Meade CC’s new facilities include a room that brings a proper business sense to staff meetings.

• Promotes compliance with environmental requirements

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DOUBLE DUTY In 2013 Navesink Country Club in Red Bank, N.J., replaced its existing golf course maintenance building with a new facility.

Features of the building include the superintendent’s office; the assistant superintendent’s office; a boardroom; a large breakroom; a large locker area with a washer and dryer; two showers; three rooms to house interns or other temporary employees; a pesticide mix area; an equipment manager’s shop; a chemical storage area, which is adjacent to the two 80-gallon mixing stations; a large bulk storage area for granular fertilizers, seed, and large equipment such as tractors and loaders; and another storage area for smaller pieces of equipment, such as golf cars, fairway mowers, and hand tools.

“Overall, our equipment is stored inside,” says Director of Golf Course and Grounds Josh Conner.

The wash pad features a carb control

“

[Our new maintenance facility] has increased our efficiency more than I could have imagined.

We can get all of our equipment hooked up and out on the golf course in 10 minutes, and that’s with 20 people on staff. Each individual is saving 30 minutes by having an efficient building.

”

—Steven Ball, Golf Course Superintendent, Ballyhack GC

system, where a charcoal-like substance acts as a filter to clean the water to be recycled.

Interns are housed in the Navesink maintenance facility primarily during the summer. “If other departments hire someone out of the area, they will stay there until they find their own place,” Conner notes.

The facility also includes a secondary restroom that golfers use while they’re on the course, and this arrangement has benefit-

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

ted the Navesink maintenance staff.

“When the golfers come in, they can see and develop a better understanding of what’s going on in our department,” Conner explains.

FLOW AND FUNCTIONALITY Typically, there is plenty going on in any golf course maintenance operation, so a new building alone isn’t enough to meet department demands. The facility also has

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COURSE + GROUNDS

During the planning process at Ballyhack Golf Club, the property owners worked from several different templates, and hired a company that had built similar facilities to oversee the project.

“My primary role was to make sure our technology was up-to-date and everything was set up how we needed it to be, so our storage would be efficient and the flow of the building would work well,” says Ball, who was on site during construction almost every day.

So far, so good, apparently.

“We can get all of our equipment hooked up and out on the golf course in 10 minutes, and that’s with 20 people on staff,” notes Ball.

“It has increased our efficiency more than I could have imagined.

Each individual is saving 30 minutes by having an efficient building.”

When they return their equipment to the shop, Ballyhack’s crew members must first pass by dumpsters where they can dispose of waste, before they continue on to the wash, fuel, and parking area.

The wash area also includes a sand/oil separator, which is similar to a septic tank and will be pumped out annually.

“We’ve set everything up so it’s super-efficient,” Ball says.

The new facility has also helped the staff maintain its equipment at a higher level. “The quality of cut on our cutting units is better when they’re stored inside,” Ball says. “And our course conditions are better.”

Ward helped to come up with the design for Belle Meade’s new Turf Care Center, but the property also went to a consultant group for help. “That’s money well-spent,” he says. “And it’s a good idea to have an architect.”

He recommends finding a consultant that works on large community buildings and knows the basic requirements of those types of structures. Ward also toured other facilities before construction of the Belle Meade maintenance building got underway.

“We knew what we wanted, but it’s like building a house,” he says.

“It’s nice to have an architect help you cover all the bases and make sure you don’t leave anything out.”

The architect helped with the general layout of the building and the configuration for the site plan. In addition, Ward says, “The architect helped us choose the correct door sizes and lighting features. They may have been overlooked.”

To maximize the efficiency of the layout and the productivity of the grounds crew, the property enhanced the truck and vehicle flow around the facility. “We spaced it out to give a wide berth to it,” notes Ward.

The consulting group sought collaboration from the Belle Meade maintenance staff as well. “I involved all of my crew, and my administrative staff had feedback in the initial design,” reports Ward.

At The Country Club at Castle Pines, McCue says, “I was heavily involved in the design, layout, and location of the new building.”

Serving as the owner’s representative during the construction project, he was on site every day, to make sure that plans were being followed and the budget stayed on track.

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Belle Meade CC’s new three-building Turf Care Center replaced “an old, antiquated building [that] lacked the amenities and necessities we needed to run a modern golf course operation,” says Golf Course Superintendent Doug Ward.

to flow so that the staff can carry out its duties with efficiency.

To do so, maintenance facilities must have adequate storage space for equipment and other tools of the trade, adhere to safety needs, and keep traffic flowing smoothly with a functional building layout.

As a result, superintendent input is a vital component of any golf course maintenance facility construction project. Of course, the expertise of other professionals is invaluable as well.

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Since an 8,000-sq. ft. addition was built to augment an existing 4,000-sq. ft. maintenance facility at The Country Club at Castle Pines, “there has been a significant difference in the appearance of [our] equipment,” reports Golf Course Superintendent Sean McCue, “and the staff takes more pride in the equipment, because it looks like it’s new all the time.”

McCue also visited other properties and turned to online resources for ideas and recommendations. “It’s good to speak to other people who have done similar projects at their courses, to get their ideas about what and what not to do,” he says.

To maximize the efficiency of Castle Pines’ maintenance shop addition, McCue, who has been at Castle Pines for 24 years, “played around” with layouts beforehand, to make sure the building would be sized adequately to house the equipment fleet. “It’s extremely important to have it flow correctly, so you can have equipment going in and out from multiple exits without creating any bottlenecks,” he says.

In addition, the club needed to make sure that the door and ceiling heights could accommodate oversized pieces of equipment.

The design also had to configure individual sections within the new building, to determine which pieces of equipment would fit in which areas. The doors to get in the smaller equipment areas are 12 feet, and 15-foot doors lead into the areas where heavier pieces of equipment are stored.

Since the addition was completed, McCue says, “There has been a significant difference in the appearance of the equipment. The staff takes more pride in the equipment, because it looks like it’s new all the time.”

In addition, the property hasn’t had to replace equipment seats as frequently, and belts don’t wear out prematurely.

“The facility as a whole is much cleaner since we’ve eliminated the dirt parking lot,” McCue adds.

All of the Castle Pines equipment is serviced in the maintenance workshop. The equipment technician can keep track of his parts inventory in his office, and he stocks high-volume replacement parts in a dedicated room.

Conner, who has been at Navesink for five months, inherited his maintenance facility. However, he says thankfully, “They did a

MORE ONLINE For additional insights into how the maintenance facilities at the properties featured in this article were optimally located in relation to the golf course, how the facilities have helped to build positive staff cultures and to boost morale, and how the superintendents were able to make a successful case for why their department needed new or upgraded facilities, see the online version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com

phenomenal job when they laid out their design.”

The two-story, horseshoe-shaped building is sunk into the ground. The top floor includes the offices, breakroom, locker room, and the housing for interns.

On the lower story, the equipment storage area is on one side, the small equipment storage area is on the other side, and the equipment technician’s area is in the middle.

The equipment maintenance and repair area includes two in-ground lifts and a large lift for big machines. This space also includes an office, a parts storage room, and a grinder room. C+RB

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RECREATION + FITNESS

TAKING YOUR

BEST SHOT Sporting clays and other shooting options are becoming popular at many club and resort properties, as an activity that can be added in a relatively simple and costeffective fashion.

By Rob Thomas, Associate Editor

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THE PHRASE “NICE SHOT” IS generally heard on the golf course—but many club and resort properties are now also taking shooting to a more literal level. As properties continue to search for ways to offer a more diverse set of activities for their members and guests, sporting clays and other shooting options are being offered along with more common sports like golf, tennis and swimming.

At the Country Club of Buffalo (CCB) in Williamsville, N.Y., legendary architect Donald Ross designed the 18-hole golf course, and an ice rink takes advantage of the region’s infamous winters. But the club also offers shooting enthusiasts the opportunity to enjoy that sport in five different fields on the property—trap, skeet, five-stand, “Crazy Quail,” and a “brush walk” field, described by Grounds Superintendent Anthony Tosh as a unique event that mimics field hunting by utilizing more than 60 traps hidden along a trail.

Demands for setting up a shooting activity can vary greatly, based on the type of field in operation, Tosh says. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Photo Courtesy Snake River Sporting Club

“Some can be very simple and require very little in the way of permanent structures, while others, such as skeet, will require high and low houses to host the target throwers,” he says. “For both our Crazy Quail and five-stand fields, we simply had to place the target throwers in the middle of an open area and designate five stations for where the shooters could stand.”

The basic needs of each field are relatively simple and can be achieved at a modest cost, Tosh says. But as a shooting program develops, more intricate and detailed setups, with permanent housing structures and raised shooting platforms, are common.

“The clay target throwers themselves are often the most significant cost with regard

to initial setup,” Tosh says. “Many great layouts and templates can be found online for each type of competitive shooting event.”

GETTING STARTED While Tosh has never had to go through the process of establishing a new shooting range—his club’s shooting program is almost 100 years old—the first obvious step for any club looking to introduce the activity, he says, would be to review local regulations and restrictions with regard to size, line-of-fire, and noise ordinances. These will vary from town to town, he notes.

“If those needs can be met with the property in question, then planning can begin to implement the type of shooting events desired,” he says. “The National Rifle

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SUMMING IT UP

> The basic needs to offer shoot-

ing as an activity for members and guests are relatively simple and can be achieved at a modest cost.

> Because of the nature of shooting, safety is paramount, including extensive training and qualifications for the staff and detailed instructions and rules for participants—both novice and experienced. > While the sport is most popular with men, clubs are attracting more women with planned events, such as “couples shoots,” and also positioning shooting as a family activity.

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RECREATION + FITNESS

Playing All the Angles

Photo Courtesy Cleghorn Gun Club

A sampling of sporting-clay options offered at the Longue Vue Club: Skeet: Played on a semicircular, level field with eight shooting stations located around the field. Targets are thrown from a “High House” and “Low House” on opposite sides. As the shooter moves from station to station, the relative angle of targets changes from incoming and outgoing to crossing.

5-Stand: A type of shotgun sport-shooting similar to sporting clays, trap, and skeet, using five stations—or stands—and six to eight strategically placed clay target throwers, called traps. Shooters shoot in turn at various combinations of clay birds; each station has a menu card that lets the shooter know which trap the clay bird will be coming from. Typical five-stand targets are a rabbit, chandelle, overhead, standard skeet high-house and low-house shots, teal (launched straight up into the air), and an incoming bird.

Trap: A trap field has five stations arching around the trap house, which will throw out single targets in five different random and outgoing angles. A shooter calls for five independent targets at each station, for a 25-target round.

Wobble Trap: To add a twist to the game of trap, setting the machine for “Wobble Trap” varies the targets even more.

Double Trap: With a layout similar to trap shooting, the shooter stands 16 yards behind the house that releases the targets. Two targets are released simultaneously from the house and follow set paths, usually 35 degrees to the left and right of straightaway. The shooter can take one shot at each target.

Longue Vue Club has introduced multiple events to attract and introduce female members to the shooting sports.

Assocation’s The Range Manual: A Guide to Planning and Construction, is a great resource for this.

“Our sporting fields themselves take up approximately 6.5 acres of land on our property,” he adds. “They are situated on the far end of the property on an unused 24-acre section of land. The fields are positioned so that the line-of-fire is directed away from anything situated outside of our property.”

It’s expected, Tosh says, that towns will have restrictions regarding the size of the area that can be used for a shooting range, and line-of-fire minimum distances to both 50

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property lines and occupied structures.

Common line-of-fire limits are 500 feet from property lines and 3,000 feet to occupied structures. To reduce noise issues, the hours of operation at CCB are limited by the town to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.

LICENSED TO CARRY Because of the nature of the sport, having experienced and highly qualified staff when offering shooting is paramount. At the Longue Vue Club in Verona, Pa., the club benefits by having an instructor who has made a career out of carrying a gun.

The Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club requires that all shooters sign a waiver of liability before particpating. Those new to the sport must also take a lesson from one of the club’s instructors prior to shooting.

“We are lucky to have a tenured shooting instructor who has been with the club for many years,” says Assistant General Manager Jennifer Vanderveld. “He’s a retired police officer and sportsman, providing a great background for this position.”

Longue Vue also trains current staff who are interested in the sport, to qualify them to be able to assist with the program. These employees are referred to as “trappers,” Vanderveld says, and are trained in safety, machine operation and scoring.

“I wouldn’t say it is difficult to find qualified candidates; however, we haven’t been in the position to need to recruit either,” she says. “I do think that sporting clays has gained popularity in the Pittsburgh area, and we are lucky that if we did have to recruit, we have the market to do so.”

The Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club at Tryon Resort in Rutherfordton, N.C. offers golf, swimming and an International Equestrian Center, in addition to a Gun Club. Bob Standish, General Manager and Lead Shooting Instructor, says the club has sought a manager with Certified Instructor credentials from the National Sporting Clays Association and a strong resume that reflects not only vast shotgun shooting experience, but also a strong background in business management. But it’s difficult to find an individual meeting both requirements, Standish admits. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The Brush Walk at the Country Club of Buffalo is a unique venue that mimics field hunting by utilizing more than 60 traps hidden along a trail.

SAFETY FIRST Attention to safety is understandably an ongoing concern for any property that introduces a shooting activity. The Cleghorn Gun Club requires all shooters to sign a waiver of liability prior to shooting, Standish says. Additionally, a safety orientation is given to each shooter.

“If an individual arrives who has not shot before, then a shooting lesson by our shooting instructor is required that entails the proper and safe use of the shotgun, shooting etiquette, and basic shooting skills,” he says.

The Longue Vue Club’s number-one priority is always the safety of its members, guests and staff, Vanderveld says.

“Our shooting grounds staff goes through an extensive training program before they are allowed to operate machinery and assist with the operation of the facility,” she says. “The club is also lucky to have a member-driven shooting committee that is involved with the training of the new staff and is heavily safety-focused.

“We are strict with our safety policies, and are not afraid to enforce them,” Vanderveld adds. “That includes alcohol use and not adhering to firearm safety 101. Any private shooting events are required to go through a safety instruction prior to shooting.”

The National Rifle Association provides a great template for the safe operation of a shooting range, CCB’s Tosh notes.

“We’ve adapted many of their range procedures, along with some site-specific safety regulations that enable us to maintain a safe and fun operation for all levels of shooters,” he says. “Every shooter must go through our safety training tutorial before they can participate. Any first-time shooters or novice shooters must be accompanied by a more experienced shooter, to help assist them.

“We also keep a range safety officer at every field while in operation,” Tosh adds.

“There are obviously federal, state, and local ordinances that must be abided by, and those regulations may differ from club to club.”

At the Snake River Sporting Club in Jackson, Wyo., Executive Vice President and Director of Sales Jeff Heilbrun says the property benefits from having “multi-skilled staff” who can not only instruct with shooting, but also additional outdoor activities.

Exclusivity also helps.

“This facility is not open to the general public—members and guests only,” Heilbrun says. “All shooters sign waivers, and a

Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club seeks managers who are certified instructors and strong in business management. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

range safety officer [is] always on duty and closely supervising shooting activities.”

Heilbrun also points to the importance of only having a small number of shooters participating in the activity at any specific time, and of providing personalized instruction for all new shooters before they ever load a gun, as further safety precautions that are taken at Snake River.

ALL IN THE FAMILY CCB now hosts family and couples shoots, to encourage participation from spouses, children, and women of all ages and skill levels.

“We offer shooting lessons for those interested in learning or improving their abilities,” Tosh says. “Our attendance levels for the family and couple’s shoots tend to be some of our more well-attended events.

We also added a number of smaller and lighter shotguns to our inventory, to better accommodate shooters of all skill levels.”

All minors must be accompanied by an adult when shooting at CCB, and all participants must be at least 12 years of age.

While Longue Vue’s shooting facility tends to be more popular with men, the club has made a concerted effort to broaden its reach. “To attract women, we have held ‘ladies nights,’ ‘learn-to-shoot events,’ and ‘couples shoots,’” says Vanderveld.

The club would also like to start a youth shooting group, targeted at 14 and up. “It would be fantastic to get that age group engaged in the program,” says Vanderveld. “Our ‘intro to shooting’ event has been geared towards anyone that isn’t familiar with the sport, families included.” C+RB November 2019

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

K������ E�������� Where There’s Smoke...

Product: Cook-N-Hold Low-Temperature Smoker Oven Features: ▶ Fully insulated Cook-N-Hold smoker designed for flavorful results by slow cooking with real wood chips ▶ Efficient 3,000-watt power unit allows for reheating of prepared meals or bulk items with maximum temperature of 325°; powerful 250-watt cal rod heats chips quickly ▶ Includes stainless-steel vented chip box and variable one-hour timer, for mild to heavy smoke flavor ▶ Standard solid-state electronic control with large, clean, easy-to-read and operate LED digital display, to ensure holding at precise food temperatures ▶ 18 factory- or field-programmed cook-and-hold cycles ▶ Cook and hold up to 100 lbs. (45 kg.) of meat in less than 6 sq. ft. of floor space ▶ Fully insulated, stainless-steel interior and exterior for ease of cleaning

Cres Cor

www.crescor.com

Undercounter Cold

Product: HR15A 15-Inch Wide Undercounter Refrigerator ▶ 31.5-inch undercounter height, compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ▶ The 2.54 ft³ storage capacity can chill up to 18 (20 oz.) bottles that can be accessed via two adjustable roll-out shelves ▶ UL-approved for outdoor use; perfect for outdoor kitchens and poolside bars ▶ Environmentally friendly R600a refrigerant and 100% recyclable stainless steel ▶ Field-reversible, lockable, stainless-steel door with full-length, stainless-steel handle ▶ Front-breathing bottom grill design ensures a seamless install with adjacent cabinets and countertop

M����� S������� + A��������� Putting for a Pair

Product: Stroke of Luck® Indoor Putting & Poker Game Features: ▶ Combines the skill of putting with scorekeeping features associated with card games such as poker ▶ Putting green-quality carpet mat manufactured and configured to a stimp reading of approximately 10-11 ▶ Available in two models: an “Executive” 3’ x 9’ and a full-sized 4’ x 12’ “Club” version ▶ Virtually any card game can be played with Stroke of Luck ▶ Players roll a die to determine any of 6 “tee positions” on the mat, and then putt for the best hand ▶ Can be used by clubs to complement fundraising events, banquets and weddings, and after-golf festivities, or to salvage a rained-out event

2Skills LLC

www.2Skills.net

C����� Timely Remembrance Product: Verdin Golf Course Clock Features: ▶ Many two- and fourfaced models ▶ Clocks are custommade and UL-approved ▶ Superior Moonglow backlit dials are shatterproof ▶ Custom headers, colors and dials with logo ▶ Optional installation and maintenance by Verdin technicians

Hoshizaki America, Inc.

800.438.6087 • www.hoshizakiamerica.com

New Direction in Ovens

Product: Vector® H Series Multi-Cook Ovens Features: ▶ Enhanced user-friendly interface, made intentionally simple ▶ Sleek design and custom exterior color options ▶ Structured Air Technology®— Independent oven chambers allow operators to simultaneously cook a variety of menu items with zero flavor transfer

The Verdin Company 800-543-0488 www.verdin.com

Alto-Shaam

www.alto-shaam.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

November 2019

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Course + Grounds Tracking Technology

Product: Textron Fleet Management—Shield Plus™ Features: ▶ S creenless technology that provides real-time equipment, usage, mileage, hours, work and idle-time data for maintenance equipment ▶R eceive detailed efficiency reports to maximize and manage your crew’s workload ▶ E stablish activity zones, target times, task completion and balance workloads ▶D efine reduced-speed zones and geofence areas to keep your crew safe ▶R eceive instant alerts detailing the location of equipment when exceeding speed limits or entering a protected geofence ▶R eal-time location of all equipment. View history data to analyze travel times between activity areas and optimize efficiency ▶W eb-based and accessible anytime, anywhere, using your computer, smartphone or tablet ▶ E xtended warranty and service, built-in battery and automatic software updates ▶ S upported by TechForce™, the industry’s largest network of factory-direct technicians

Textron Fleet Management www.textronfleetmgmt.com

This Cat Loves Water

Product: Toro® Lynx® 7.0 Central Control System Features: ▶ Update represents 14th iteration of the operating system since initial release in 2010 ▶ Seamless compatibility with Lynx Smart Modules ▶ Automatically identify individual smart modules after the initial installation process, saving considerable time ▶ Offers run-time controls to the second and measures inputs to 1/100th of an inch, delivering precision irrigation systems control ▶ Retrieve voltage and amperage data—crucial to understanding the overall health of the irrigation system ▶ Deciphering diagnostic information is streamlined when using the new express mode ▶ This simple, efficient process means that superintendents are able to interpret information to forecast and predict potential system issues earlier

Toro

www.toro.com

Luxe Ride

Fixed-Head Harmony

Product: Toro® Greensmaster® 1000 Series Features: ▶ New series of fixed-head greensmowers was designed to eliminate variability in the walk-mowing process ▶ Integrates operators of all sizes and skill levels to work in harmony with the machine ▶ Operator-centric features include the innovative telescoping loop handle, simple height adjustment and handle-isolation mounts ▶ Features give the cutting units consistent contact with the ground throughout the mowing process ▶ Greensmaster 1018 features an 18-inch cutting width ▶ Greensmaster 1021 features a 21-inch cutting width ▶ Greensmaster 1026 features a 26-inch cutting width

Product: Club Car Tempo™ Features: ▶ Designed with automotive styling and features that feel like upgrades, the brand-new Tempo represents the very best of Club Car: proven engineering, industry-leading durability and reliable comfort ▶ Also features Club Car’s newest technology, Tempo Connect, a more powerful connected solution: with Visage Fleet Management and the Shark Experience, an exclusive in-car entertainment system designed to attract more golfers, it will take business to the next level

Club Car

www.ClubCar.com

The Toro Company www.toro.com 54

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www.clubandresortbusiness.com

U������ V�������

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

O������ F�������� Open to Interpretation

Quiet on the Course

Product: 2020 Drive2 QuieTech EFI™ Fleet Car in NEW Arctic Drift Features: ▶ Yamaha-exclusive QuieTech technology ▶ Performance-tuned, industry-first independent rear suspension ▶ 12.8% more miles to the gallon over the competition (45 MPG) ▶ Industry-leading fuel economy with Accu-fuel delivery system ▶ Fewest emissions and up to 76% fewer pollutants than competitors

Yamaha Golf-Car Company 866-747-4027 www.yamahagolfcar.com/golf

P�� S���

Product: Open Collection Features: ▶ Commercial-grade aluminum frame available in 19 finishes ▶ Collection: Lounge Chair, Swivel Lounger, Love Seat and Sofa ▶ Available with RELAXplus® cushions with integrated venting that helps keep cushions dry and mold-free ▶ Cushions available in a wide selection of resilient outdoor fabrics ▶ Made in the USA and designed by John Caldwell

Tropitone

www.tropitone.com

Casual Lounging

Product: Adirondack Chair Features: ▶ While maintaining the deep seat of a traditional Adirondack chair, this design is angled slightly for ease of entry and exit ▶ The slats roll comfortably behind one’s knees while the high, cottagestyle back cradles one’s back and head ▶ Extra-wide, flat arms are perfect for holding a favorite beverage or book ▶ These teak Adirondacks are perfect for fire pits or being placed court or course-side ▶ The chairs can be left out year-round, with little maintenance

Country Casual Teak

www.countrycasualteak.com

King Arthur's Putter

Product: Mordred Putter Features: ▶ Exceptionally high MOI – A lower center of gravity that surpasses most mallet putters on the market ▶ Precisely milled from a solid block of aeronautical-grade 7175 Aluminum through a unique 5-axis milling process ▶ Complete customization available on all putters, including the shaft and grip ▶ Sophisticated laser-engraving technology allows clubs to put logos on the putter head ▶ Custom-milled in the heart of historic Brittany, France – located just outside the mythical Forest of Broceliande, home of King Arthur

Argolf

T���� + U�������� Elementary Design

Product: Wattsun Solar Power Umbrella Features: ▶ Wattsun is solar-powered, with the solar panel built into the finial ▶ The pole-mounted charging station has two USB ports ▶ Features include wall-outlet charging speed, eight-hour battery backup and a glass-free design ▶ The frame consists of fiberglass ribs, heavy-duty hub, and a 1 1⁄2”-diam., one-piece aluminum pole, available in seven finish colors ▶ The canopy comes in five sizes and is available in marine- or furniture-grade, solution-dyed acrylics

FiberBuilt Umbrellas & Cushions 866-667-8668 www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com

www.argolfusa.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

November 2019

l Club + Resort Business l 55

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

F��� + B������� Sweet Snacking

Product: Southern Sweets Features: ▶ No artificial ingredients ▶ Kosher-certified ▶ Praline Pecans: A Southern classic, these pecans are candied with sugar for a crispy, irresistible treat. ▶ Praline Nut Mix: A sweet and savory mix of cashews, praline pecans and our famous butter toffee peanuts. ▶ Butter Toffee Peanuts: Always a crowd favorite, these crunchy peanuts are coated with sweet butter toffee. ▶ Southern Sweets are available in 4-oz., standup resealable bags.

Truly Good Foods

704-602-0664 • www.trulygoodfoods.com

Phone Home

Product: Cell Phone Lockers Features: ▶ Made entirely of aluminum, cell phone lockers can be surface-mounted or recessed-mounted and can accommodate cell phones, keys, tablet PCs, wallets and other valuable items ▶ Salsbury 19000 series cell phone lockers and Salsbury 19100 series cell phone lockers with front-access panel are available in 5” and 8” deep compartments ▶ Both series include master-keyed locks or resettable combination locks ▶ Cell phone lockers are available in four contemporary colors featuring a powder-coat finish: Aluminum, Bronze, Gold, and Sandstone ▶ Units are available in three, four, five, six and seven doors high and two, three, four and five doors wide, with standard A doors (6-1/2” W x 5-1/4” H) or larger B doors (13” W x 5-1/4” H) ▶ Each cell phone locker door includes a 2” W x 5/8” H clear plastic cardholder (card included) to identify the compartment

Blanket the Earth Product: Wonder Blanket Features: ▶ Outdoor blanket, perfect for wherever life takes you ▶ 100% cotton ▶ Available in three colors— beige, gray and blue ▶ Machine-washable ▶ 40 inches by 68 inches ▶ Call for pricing

Fore Supply Co.

800-543-5430 www.foresupply.com

Salsbury Industries

1-800-LOCKERS • www.Lockers.com

Take Care

Product: Joseph Abboud Personal Care Amenities Features: ▶ A modern, sophisticated line of products ▶ Shampoo, conditioner, body gel and lotion ▶ Available in gallons and 1.1-oz. personal bottles ▶ Embodies a rich, warm blend of fragrances

Tri-C Club Supply – Duffy’s 800-274-8742 www.duffystric.com

56 l Club + Resort Business l November 2019 56 l Club + Resort Business l November 2019

www.clubandresortbusiness.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

T����� + C�����

Paragami Paradise

Product: Rectilinear Wood Leg Paragami Chair Features: ▶ New rectilinear hard-maple wood legs with premium metal-base glides ▶ Steel frame understructure eliminates use of glue joints and prevents wobbly legs ▶ Available in nine standard wood-stain finishes ▶ Angular upholstered shell ▶ Paragami is GREENGUARD-certified, made in the U.S.A. and backed by a 5-year structural frame warranty

C+RB’s 2020 CHEF TO CHEF CONFERENCE 888-543-2447 www.cheftochefconference.com

MTS Seating

CHAMBERS 410-727-4535 / www.chambersusa.com

27

CLUB CAR 800.CLUBCAR / www.carryall.com

59

734-847-3875 • www.mtsseating.com

F��� + B������� Grab-n-Go Snacks

Product: Snack Bags Features: ▶ Snack bags and mini-snack bags offer a wide variety of some of the best-selling products ▶ Company uses only premium-quality ingredients, so a club’s valued brand is reinforced through these products ▶ Great visual appeal on display racks or baskets, with window to see product ▶ High-quality products for members to grab-n-go ▶ Choose from 35+ snack mixes, dried fruit, nuts, candy and chocolate options

Truly Good Foods

704-602-0664 • www.trulygoodfoods.com Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation of Club + Resort Businesss Publication Title: Club + Resort Business Publication Number: 155613X Date of filing: October 2, 2019 Frequency of issue: Monthly Number of Issues Published Annually: 12 Annual Subscription Price: $75 per year Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Contact Person: Scott McCafferty Telephone: (888) 543-2447 Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Publisher: Tom McIntyre, WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Editor: Joe Barks, WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Associate Editor: Rob Thomas, WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Owner: WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Scott McCafferty, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Mike Emich, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Marshall Matheson, 1111 Superior Ave. Suite 2600 Cleveland, Ohio 44114 Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None Tax Status: Not applicable

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Publication Title: Club + Resort Business Issue Date for Circulation Data: September, 2019 Net press run: Average, 17,382; last issue, 15,004 Outside County Paid/Requested MailSubscriptions: Average, 12,956; last issue, 11,245 Total Paid and/or Requested Distribution: Average, 12,956, last issue, 11,245 Nonrequested distribution by mail outside county: Average, 3,961; last issue 3,120 Nonrequested distribution outside the mail: Average 382, last issue, 277 Total Nonrequested Distribution: Average 4,343, last issue, 3,397 Total Distribution: Average, 17,299 ; last issue, 14,642 Copies not Distributed: Average, 83; last issue, 362 Total: Average, 17,382; last issue, 15,004 Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation: Average, 74.9%; last issue, 76.8% ELECTRONIC COPY CIRCULATION Requested and Paid Electronic Copies: None Total Requested and Paid Print Copies (15c) + Requested/Paid Electronic copies (16a) Average 12,956; last issue 11,245 Total Requested Copy distribution (15f) + Requested/Paid Electronic copies (16a) Average 17,299; last issue 14,642 Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both print & electronic copies) (16b divided By 16c x100) Average 74.9%; last issue 76.8% I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

Pat Curran, Digital Media Manager

ADVERTISER INDEX 28

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

2

COUNTRY CASUAL 29 800-289-8325 / www.CountryCasualTeak.com CRES COR 30-31 877-CRESCOR (273-7267) / www.crescor.com EUSTIS 978-827-3103 / www.eustischair.com

47

‘FORE’ SUPPLY 800-543-5430 / www.foresupply.com

45

INFRARED DYNAMICS 888-317-5255 / www.infradyne.com

36

PEACOCK & LEWIS AIA 23 561-626.9704 / www.peacockandlewis.com PNC www.pnc.com/vendorfinance

11

2020 RACQUET PADDLE SPORTS SHOW 32-33 www.racquetpaddlesportsshow.com SALSBURY 800-562-5377 / www.lockers.com

46

STUDIO JBD/JEFFERSON GROUP ARCHITECTURE 401-721-0977 / www.jbdandjga.com

3

TEXACRAFT 800-327-1541 / www.texacraft.com

15

TROPITONE www.tropitone.com

60

TRI-C CLUB SUPPLY – DUFFY’S 800-274-8742 / www.duffystric.com

21

TRULY GOOD FOODS www.trulygoodfoods.com

37

2SKILLS, LLC 608.618.3363 / www.2skills.net

13

YAMAHA 866-747-4027 / www.YamahaGolfCar.com November 2019 l Club + Resort Business l 57

7

IDEAEXCHANGE A BEER WITH THEIR NAME ON IT

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

FOR THE CLUB AT WYNSTONE in North Barrington, Ill., calling members by name is a significant part of the overall experience. “The staff knows who will be on the property every day,” says General Manager Jason Waters. “Name recognition is important to us.”

But members’ names aren’t the only ones to gain distinction at the club. The 18hole golf course is a Jack Nicklaus signature layout, and now another name has become synonymous with the facility: Wynstone Ale. This past spring, The Club at Wynstone partnered with a local micro-brewery, Lake Zurich Brewing Company, to create a beer that is exclusive to the property. Originally, the property intended to serve the beer for four weeks as a summer ale. But it has been such a hit with the membership, the club has now decided to serve it year-round.

Zurich Brewing developed the beer—a smooth, cream ale and mini-IPA with a 3.5 alcohol volume—aided by input from Waters, Food and Beverage Director Jason Yuhasz and Executive Chef Andre Skula.

“We wanted to keep it light and refreshing, because we thought it was going to be a summer beer,” says Waters.

The process to create the exclusive ale started with the renovation of The Club at

The success of The Club at Wynstone’s summer ale introduction led to the launch of a second seasonal brew.

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Wynstone’s terrace grill, which included the addition of a bar and more draft beer. In the spring, Waters says, “We did a beer tasting right before the bar opened, and got a sense of the flavors our members liked.”

The tasting included six different taps from six different breweries, and 40 members rated their top beers. The samples included an IPA, a pilsner, a stout, and an ale.

With an original batch of 930 gallons, the property introduced Wynstone Ale to the membership in mid-May. Available by draft or can, the proprietary ale now accounts for two of The Club at Wynstone’s 48 beer SKUs, which include draft beers, bottles and cans.

And in the initial two-and-a-half months that Wynstone Ale was available, it made up 34 percent of the property’s beer sales.

“After we saw the success rate of it, we’d be crazy not to make it permanent,” says Waters. “It’s still our number-one seller by a lot.

“It’s something our members are proud of,” he adds. “You’re always trying to create member pride. Being a private, exclusive club, you want to have something that you can only experience here.”

The beer takes four weeks to brew, and the second batch of Wynstone Ale, which was started in July, was ready in mid-August.

To help launch Wynstone Ale, Waters worked with the brewery to negotiate costs and determine the proper batch size, He ran the numbers to present to the nine member families that own The Club at Wynstone, where the membership is guaranteed no assessments and no food-and-beverage minimums.

The proprietary brew is an extension of The Club at Wynstone’s efforts to create a special experience for members and their guests, whether they are business associates or family members.

When guests come to play golf, for instance, the golf pro presents them with an engraved bag tag. “We offer a concierge experience when members bring their guests,” says Waters. Members might also ask for special golf balls or a particular shirt in their lockers for their rounds. And

Photos Courtesy The Club at Wynstone

A four-course dinner with beer pairings was held at the brewery that The Club at Wynstone has partnered with, to introduce its new proprietary seasonal beer. now they have started to make another request—for Wynstone Ale in their golf cars.

SETTING UP ANOTHER ROUND

Building on the success of Wynstone Ale, The Club at Wynstone also launched a Wynstone Seasonal beer at a special four-course dinner and beer pairing held for 32 people at the Lake Zurich brewery in early October.

The dinner, which cost $39 per person, was held inside the working part of the brewery, and the brewmaster attended the event. “We talked about how the beers are made and what the process is,” says Waters.

The club held an open sign-up for the dinner and invited members that the staff thought would enjoy it the most. Some of the members brought friends to the dinner as well. “We wanted to expose other people, because ultimately that could be our next new member,” Waters notes.

(For details on the courses served at the dinner and the beer pairings with each course, see the online version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com.)

Wynstone Seasonal is being brewed in a smaller batch than Wynstone Ale, and the property will sell it until it runs out.

Waters also hopes the dinner will help to create another experience for the membership—a Mug Club that would be similar to the property’s Wine of the Month program.

Members would pay a monthly fee to join the Mug Club, for which the property would rotate drafts to highlight its various beers.

“We want to be different and unique,” says Waters. “We want to create that ‘wow’ factor from start to finish.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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tropitone.com Manufacturing CA and FL sales@tropitone.com