Club & Resort Business February 2019

FEBRUARY 2019

The Reserve Club Puts New Muscle On Its Bones

Fresh Approaches to Al Fresco Dining Taking Buffets Beyond Boring 2018 Excellence in Club Management Awards

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PUBLISHER’S LETTER

Today’s Member Engagement • Advertisements Adding new members is the lifeblood of survival within Advertisements are an excellent example of multi-channel the club market. Engaging with customers on a digital front is marketing, and can be seen in both digital and print formats. crucial today. Let’s discuss some best practices to help engage • Videos audiences on both a digital landscape and a more traditional Videos should be utilized in your multi-channel marketing targeting format. Here’s an overview: approach as well. They are great for your auditory What is customer/member engagement? and visual senses and work wonderfully on social It’s using your resources in a strategic and meanmedia, often pulling in great engagement rates. ingful manner to engage with your members.

A statistic from A Medium Corporation states Sounds simple, right? In a digital age, it’s that 87% of online marketers use video. Vidchallenging to remain a consistent and relieos are the perfect way to visually summarize able resource for your customers. And relying information. on automated techniques can deter us from • Search engine optimization (SEO) achieving a “personality” and bringing in that SEO is critical when analyzing data. Listen human element. to your keywords. These are words and/or Creating actionable strategies and tactics. phrases customers are actually searching for.

Marketo’s 2017 State of Engagement Report said that 98% of marketers had customer engageHere are some best This may not be the first type of “engagement” tactic that comes to mind, but if you’re ment strategies. And 82% of marketers had a practices to help listening to your audience, you’re then able to deep understanding of their audience. These are engage audiences tailor and create content around their intergreat numbers. But more than half of customon both a digital ests. Tools like Moz and SemRush are great for ers felt that brands could be doing a better job landscape and a gaining insight to what keywords customers engaging with them. This lack of trust can steer more traditional are associating with your club and content, customers away. With this in mind, here are four targeting format. and also give you the ability to take a look into strategies to improve member engagement: competitors’ data a bit.

1. Create opportunities for direct member • Infographics communication Lastly, infographics help to engage new members in a 2. Deliver personalized content trendy way, relating well to all of the strategies we previously 3. Use multi-channel marketing identified. Did you know that as consumers we respond best 4. Use and analyze data in forward-thinking ways to visuals? I found a great piece from Hubspot that said 90% The digital age has given us the opportunity to target in incredible ways, but it’s important to remain consistent and be of information transmitted to the brain is visual and that an infographic in particular is 30 times more effective than a text helpful to your customers. Here are some tactics for supportarticle. Can you believe that? If you’re looking for a tool to ing the four strategies above: get started, Canva is great.

• Social media Respectfully, Social media allows for you and the member to engage in real time, promoting opportunities for direct communication.

It also allows for you to engage with individual consumers, or deliver personalized content. By using multiple channels, you can deliver a consistent message and target many people.

Sean Carr scarr@clubandresortbusiness.com

FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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IN THIS ISSUE FEBRUARY 2019 Vol. 15 • No. 2

18 Cover Story

The Reserve Club Puts New Muscle On Its Bones

A complete overhaul of its classic clubhouse is helping the Indian Wells, Calif. property develop new “inner strength” to properly complement its stunning surroundings.

18

DEPARTMENTS

(Cover photo courtesy The Reserve Club)

24 Design & Renovation

Fresh Looks for Al Fresco

Outdoor dining and drinking spots need to not only look inviting, but work efficiently, too.

32 Design Snapshot

Natural Splendor

Burlingame CC’s new lobby/bar makes the right first impression by combining “mountain elegance” with welcoming “Wows.”

36 Food & Beverage

Taking Buffets Beyond Boring

3 Publisher’s Letter Today’s 8 Editor’s Memo Ensuring

Member Engagement

Good Riddance

10 C&RB News Roundup 65 Advertiser Index 65 Club & Resort Index 66 Idea Exchange

Rows of chafers don’t cut it anymore—not with members, and certainly not with chefs—when it comes to buffet service. Even a weekly buffet can become an anticipated event when fresh ideas are brought to the table.

46 Course & Grounds

Ringing Endorsement

Improvements to the Montgomery Bell Golf Course, part of the Tennessee Golf Trail and the state parks system, are the brass ring of better maintenance practices and playability for golfers of any level.

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52 Golf & Recreation

Making Child’s Play Pay

Youth camps, for both sports and a variety of other activities, are proving to be an especially attractive way to please younger members—and their “paying customer” parents.

56 Today’s Manager

Five Star Performers

The 2018 winners of the Excellence in Club Management Awards, co-sponsored by the McMahon Group, Club & Resort Business and the National Club Association.

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60 2019 CMAA Preview

Sounds of Success

Highlights of the planned agenda for the Club Management Association of America conference in Nashville, plus C&RB’s guide to the must-see trade show exhibits.

Club & Resort Business is published monthly by WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Avenue, 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114 Editorial Inquiries: editor@clubandresortbusiness.com or call 440-250-1583 Advertising Inquiries: bmartin@clubandresortbusiness.com or call 440-250-1583 Subscription Inquiries: call 844-862-9286 (U.S. only, toll-free)

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Our digital platform is your one-stop resource for the latest club and resort trends, tips and best practices.

VIDEOS

For Richard Jallet, Opportunities Come from Effective Networking and Being Humble The Must-Attend Event for Every Club Chef Chef Charles Carroll On Why Chefs Must Attend C&RB’s Chef to Chef Conference

BLOGS

Kelly Greens G&CC Sees Real Benefits from Garden

By Drew Tait, Executive Chef, Kelly Greens Golf & Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla. We May Not Always Agree, But You Won’t Forget Me

By Lawrence McFadden, CMC, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, The Union Club, Cleveland, Ohio Why I Accepted a New Position at Polo Club

By Cody Middleton, Pastry Chef, Polo Club of Boca Raton (Fla.)

FOLLOW US @ClubandResortBusiness @crbscheftochef C&RB: www.linkedin.com/groups/3244121 C2C: www.linkedin.com/groups/5164745 @Club_and_Resort @crbcheftochef @clubandresortbusiness @crb_cheftochef C2C: www.youtube.com/channel/ UC6029XWs0f9cgbcV4WHWi2Q

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EDITOR’S MEMO

Ensuring Good Riddance

heard prior to being disciplined. If the club’s Member retention and recruitment governing documents require notice and an has received a lot of renewed attention from opportunity to be heard, those governing clubs in the years since we’ve emerged from documents must be followed. The better the recession, and with good reason—the approach would be to give notice and an oppain from that experience reinforced the portunity to be heard whether the governing need to always do as much as possible to keep existing members happy while also step- documents require it or not, which would likely put the club in the best light with ping up efforts to attract new ones. the court should the dispute be Sometimes, though, it’s also taken to that level. good to pay attention to • A member of a private or the value of “addition by social club does not have a subtraction,”and to know right to a hearing before an how to take the right steps impartial tribunal unless the to properly dismiss those club’s governing documents from the membership ranks require it. who have proved to not be a The message for members good fit with a club’s culture. of private clubs facing discipline, Doing this when needed, and Tayloe concluded from his analydoing it right, will not only go a sis of the two cases, should be to long way to maintaining peace It’s always good to realize that the deck is stacked and harmony and overall member pay attention to against them, to the point where satisfaction, it can also help to asthe value of seeking forgiveness rather than sure those who do not yet belong “addition by fighting an uphill battle through to the club but are considering subtraction” and the courts may be their best joining it that you can provide the know how to take course of action. right atmosphere for them and the right steps to At the same time, Tayloe their families. properly dismiss noted, club Boards and managA recent article in The National those from the ers, when meting out discipline, Law Review (with the surprisingly membership ranks should be very careful to follow flippant headline of “We’ll Just who have proved their governing documents closeKick Him Out!”) detailed two to not be a good fit ly and to seek legal advice early cases involving private clubs in with a club’s culture. in the process. “Getting a cool, North Carolina where the clubs’ independent head involved in the expulsions of members were process may be the ounce of prevention that upheld by the state’s Court of Appeals. The saves a pound of cure,” Tayloe wrote. main takeaways from both cases, attorney But Tayloe’s analysis of the cases seemed Ryal Tayloe wrote, were these findings: to make it clear that if you’ve been hesitating • Clubs are given great deference by the to deal with any threats that may be lurking legal system to manage their own affairs and within your club to membership satisfaction to handle the disciplining of their memberand growth, the law will be on your side, as ship. long as you take the proper steps when set• Courts will not be inclined to substitute ting out to eliminate them. their judgment for the judgment of the club as to whether a member’s conduct should have resulted in discipline, including, but not limited to, suspension and expulsion.

Joe Barks, Editor • A club member does not have an absojbarks@clubandresortbusiness.com lute right to notice and an opportunity to be

Send general inquiries to editor@clubandresortbusiness.com EDITORIAL Joe Barks, Editor jbarks@clubandresortbusiness.com 267-566-1215 office 610-416-3550 cell 175 Strafford Ave., Suite 1 Wayne, PA 19087 Rob Thomas, Associate Editor rthomas@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-316-5294 1111 Superior Ave., 26th Floor Cleveland, OH 44114 Editor, Chef to Chef Supplement Joanna DeChellis jdechellis@clubandresortbusiness.com 412-260-9233 Contributing Editors Course & Grounds: Betsy Gilliland, Jeff Bollig Design & Renovation: Pamela Brill Food & Beverage: Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Jerry Schreck Rebecca Treon, Barbara Rook Creative Director Erin Canetta ecanetta@clubandresortbusiness.com 708-227-9062 ADVERTISING Tom McIntyre, Group Publisher tmcintyre@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-533-9186 Dan Ramella, VP Business Development dramella@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-272-2446 Sean Carr, Associate Publisher scarr@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-952-2753 Barbra Martin, Customer Service Administrator bmartin@clubandresortbusiness.com 216-905-2583 SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRIES To enter, change or cancel a subscription: Web (fastest service): www.ezsub.com/crb Phone: 844-862-9286 (U.S. only, toll-free) Mail: Club & Resort Business P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058 Copyright 2019, WTWH Media, LLC Club & Resort Business ISSN 1556-13X is published monthly by WTWH Media, LLC, 1111 Superior Avenue, 26th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44114. Copyright ©2019.

Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, Ohio, and additional mailing offices.

Subscriptions: Qualified U.S. subscribers receive Club & Resort Business at no charge. For all others the cost is $75 U.S. and possessions, $90 Canada, and $145 all other countries. Per copy price is $3. Postmaster: Send change of address notices to Club & Resort Business, P.O. Box 986, Levittown, PA 19058.

Club & Resort Business does not endorse any products, programs or services of advertisers or editorial contributors. Copyright© 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.

8 C&RB www.clubandresortbusiness.com FEBRUARY 2019

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP *Details about these items, and other news, can be found at www.clubandresortbusiness.com, where you can also sign up for a free subscription to C&RB’s Daily E-News briefing.

Broken Sound Club Plans $30M Transformation

Clarification: The photo used with the feature article on golf simulator and shot-tracking technology in C&RB’s December 2018 issue (“Weatherproof Wonders”) was identified as showing the indoor simulator at Zintel Creek Golf Club in Kennewick, Wash. The photo actually showed a Full Swing simulator being used at The Golf Club at Little Turtle in Westerville, Ohio.

Broken Sound Club (BSC) in Boca Raton, Fla. has unveiled plans for a $30 million transformation of its clubhouse and expansion of member amenities. With more dining options, increased capacity for its growing membership and “a lot more sizzle,” the enhanced vibrancy and amenities will be designed to encourage members to “live Broken Sound Club’s clubhouse young” through every stage of their lives. “re-imagination” has an anticipated BSC Chief Operating Officer and General completion date of late 2020.

Manager John Crean said the plans for the new clubhouse plans reflect and will enhance the distinctive Broken Sound member experience of “enjoying a life well-lived and a game well-played.”

Set amidst 27 residential villages and one of BSC’s two Audubon Sanctuary Certified golf courses, the transformation will offer a varied choice of dining, entertainment and shopping amenities, along with expanded card rooms, enhanced views and a contemporary look and feel. More casual, al fresco and fine-dining options, with varied menus and flexible hours, will highlight the planned changes.

Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla. celebrated the unveiling of a painting of its 18th hole by renowned artist Graeme Baxter at a special club event on January 25.

Baxter is the official artist of the PGA Championship, PGA Tour of Europe, Open Championship, Presidents Cup, Ryder Cup and World American Express Championship, as well as Wimbledon tennis, and has also been commissioned to paint members of the British royal family and horse racing’s Triple Crown winners.

“Being selected by Graeme Baxter as one the eight exclusive golf courses he chose to paint this year has been such an honor,” said Don Madalinski, Eagle Creek’s General Manager. Pictured from left at the unveiling with Baxter (far left) are Eagle Creek’s Communications & Membership Director Leslie Johnson, Golf Course Superintendent Jimmy Alston, Marketing Director Laura Hill, and Madalinski.

Thornblade Club Starts $4M in Renovation Projects The Thornblade Club in Greer, S.C. has embarked on renovation projects to its clubhouse and golf course totaling $4 million.

The clubhouse renovations began in January 2019, with completion scheduled for May 2019. Undertaken by the Thornblade Club memberClubhouse renovations ship and staff led by COO/General underway at the Thornblade Manager Tim Mervosh, in conjuncClub will include an expandtion with Oklahoma City, Okla.-based ed Members’ Bar/Lounge.

Tom Hoch Design, the project will include the creation of a new high-energy, family-friendly casual dining experience, centered around a wood-fired oven. An expanded and renovated Members’ Bar/Lounge will command views of the club’s Tom Fazio-designed golf course.

Improvements to Thornblade’s golf course will include extensive bunker renovations. The project will begin in the early spring, weather-dependent.

The new bunker project also involves Thornblade resident and founding member Jay Haas, who is working with Tom Marzolf of Fazio Golf to design new bunkers that will not only drain properly but be placed in a way to challenge all players from each set of tees.

After completing an intensive, twoday National Sporting Clays Association (NCSA) Recreational Instructor Course, six shooting guides at the Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds at Reynolds Lake Oconee, Greensboro, Ga. earned their certifications. The newly certified instructors include (above, left to right): Tom Condon, Gary Wolf, April Evans, Jeff Lorenzine and Wayne Smith. Lewis Gasaway (not pictured) also earned his certification. With Justin Jones, Director of the Sporting Grounds, and Jasper Copelin already certified, the entire team of eight Sandy Creek Sporting Grounds guides are now Certified Recreational Instructors through the NCSA. “This accomplishment allows us to provide our guests with professional instruction while they are being guided through the various shooting experiences,” said Jones. “It is much like a golfer’s caddie being a PGA teaching professional, with the education and insight to do more than just offer a few pointers.”

10 C&RB www.clubandresortbusiness.com FEBRUARY 2019

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP *Details about these items, and other news, can be found at www.clubandresortbusiness.com, where you can also sign up for a free subscription to C&RB’s Daily E-News briefing.

Blackthorn Club Opens New Indoor Tennis and Fitness Center The Blackthorn Club in Jonesborough, Tenn., recently opened its new 17,000-sq. ft., indoor tennis and fitness center. The newly constructed building, which broke ground in June 2018, is the culmination of several years of planning and development at the 900-plus-member private club.

Tennis is a growing sport in the area, reported Chris Haley, Blackthorn’s General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. “Our Director of Tennis, John Lucchesi, was the first employee hired when the club opened in 1997,” Haley said. “John has built a phenomenal program with a great following in the region, and the development and growth of the tennis program has led to the club investing in this project.”

The new indoor tennis and fitness center includes: – A 1,500-sq. ft. fitness center Blackthorn’s new – A 500-sq. ft. studio room for classes facility reflects the – Lounge area for relaxing steady growth of its – Two hard courts tennis program since – State-of-the-art LED lighting the club opened in Along with the fitness component, Blackthorn 1997. will offer personal training and group fitness classes for yoga, TRX, boot camps, and pilates, and meal planning through a registered dietician who will work directly with the club’s Executive Chef, James Allen, CEC. “We’re a small club in a small community, but we like to think big,” said Haley, who said Blackthorn has seen a net increase of almost 100 new members since 2017.

Riviera Country Club in Coral Gables, Fla., recently opened its new 60,000sq. ft., two-story “Island Classic”style clubhouse. The $37 million, newly constructed building features a two-story, 8,000-sq. ft. fitness center and aquatic complex.

The new clubhouse includes: • A state-of-the-art, 6,000-sq. ft. event room that will be able to host 400 members • An 8,000-sq. ft. fitness center • A 2,500-sq. ft. Family Grille dining room • A large pool deck and adjacent recreation areas • An aquatic program complex, including a 25-meter lap pool and family pool • Wrap-around terraces with views to the newly renovated golf course, and • A new ceremonial entrance.

Riviera CC worked with Peacock + Lewis LLC of North Palm Beach, Fla. and Miami, Fla.-based Beauchamp Construction on the project.

CC of Virginia Sees Immediate Response to New $19.6M Fitness/Racquet Facility

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The Country Club of Virginia (CCV) in Richmond, Va. closed out the year with tremendous member response to its new $19.6 million Fitness/Racquet Sports Complex.

More than 1,000 members attendCCV’s new Fitness Center ed the facility’s grand opening in September, and in its first month of saw a 56 percent increase operation, the new Fitness Center in visits in its first month experienced a 56 percent increase of operation. in visits compared to the same month in 2016 (the last year of full operation for the club’s previous fitness facility, before construction on the new project began).

The increased participation also extended to CCV’s wellness program, which experienced the highest member use in club history, including 35 percent participation for program visits in the new Pilates Center.

“We continue to learn that ‘build it and they will come’ should really be ‘build it and they will come in such numbers that you will build again,’ “ said CCV General Manager Phil Kiester. “Our members vote with their feet, and the members’ response in the first 90 days of operation [was] nothing short of overwhelming.”

One of the most popular aspects of the new Fitness/Racquet Sports Complex has been the club’s new fast-casual restaurant, now averaging 240 covers per day. The Cool Springs Café offers CCV’s only early-morning option with grab-and-go menu items, custom-blended coffee from a local roaster, and smoothies. A robust to-go program is also part of the operating model for this new club offering.

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Supplier News Toro Introduces Greensmaster 1000 Series Walk Greensmowers

Toro has launched its all-new Greensmaster 1000 Series of fixed-head walk greensmowers. The series, with several patentpending features, was designed to eliminate variability in the walk-mowing process by integrating operators of all sizes and skill levels to work in harmony with the machine.

A number of operator-centric features have been integrated into the new line, to improve cut quality and consistency. For instance, the telescoping loop handle can be easily adjusted to comfortably accommodate operators of varying heights, helping to deliver a more consistent cut, while reducing operator fatigue.

Handle-isolation mounts give the cutting units consistent contact with the ground throughout the mowing process, eliminating even the slightest variability in the height of cut that could occur because of variations in handle pressure or differing operator strides.

Other features include the new Edge Series reels for a close, precise cut; an easy-to-reach knob for adjusting the clip rate; and flexibility to choose between 8-, 11-, and 14-blade cutting units.

Another key focus driving the development of the new Greensmaster 1000 Series was to save time and money by minimizing and simplifying maintenance. It now takes only minutes to replace an entire cutting unit or engine assembly.

From the modular design for easy repair and replacement of key components to the ability of each unit to backlap directly

using transport wheels, the entire maintenance process is streamlined to maximize uptime without sacrificing performance.

The all-new Greensmaster 1000 Series models are powered

by Honda GX120 engines, and are available in a variety of standard cutting widths, including: • Greensmaster 1018, featuring an 18-inch (45.7 cm) cutting width • Greensmaster 1021, featuring a 21-inch (53.3 cm) cutting width • Greensmaster 1026, featuring a 26-inch (66 cm) cutting width The Greensmaster 1000 Series fixed-head walk greensmowers will be available for purchase in spring 2019.

Club Car Unveils Lithium Ion-Powered Model

Club Car, a brand of Ingersoll Rand®, unveiled its new TEMPO LI-ION—an AC motor and lithium ion-powered golf car and an extension of the company’s award-winning TEMPO line of vehicles—at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla., January 24 to 26.

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TEMPO LI-ION has been designed as more than a “drop-in” solution; it is a redesigned car with a state-of-the-art electrical system and powertrain. The lithium ion battery seamlessly integrates into the car’s construction and operating system, to deliver maximum efficiency in management and maintenance.

Developed through Club Car’s exclusive partnership with LG Chem, a world leading automotive lithium-ion battery supplier, the TEMPO LI-ION features a vehicle control module and battery management system with an automotivegrade fuse box, to improve durability and serviceability as well as accommodate future upgrades.

TEMPO LI-ION’s unique, smartcharging capabilities include automated off-peak charging for lower energy costs and charging rates that are two to three times faster than lead acid-powered cars. The batteries do not require watering, reducing a course’s water use over the lifecycle of its fleet.

In addition, the TEMPO LI-ION’s suspension system was redesigned for safety and features an aluminum frame, both contributing to its lighter weight and reducing the potential for course damage, when compared to a lead acid battery powered car.

Learn more about the TEMPO LI-ION at www.clubcar.com, or contact a Club Car representative for more information.

JANUS et Cie Wins Six 2018 GOOD DESIGN Awards

JANUS et Cie, the West Hollywood, Calif.-based supplier of site, garden and casual furnishings, received six 2018 Good Design Awards through the program presented by The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design.

JANUS et Cie’s winning entries included the Trig Armchair; Hatch Modular Seating; Konos Dining Table; Konos Chaise Lounge with Arms; Toledo Aire Armchair and Get-Together Table & Bench.

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Jonas Club Software Releases New CRM System

Jonas Club Software opened 2019 with the release of an integrated Microsoft Outlook plug-in to its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. The new Microsoft Outlook plug-in allows CRM users to: • Add e-mails and file attachments directly from Outlook; • Have their assigned activities added to their Outlook task lists; and • Automatically add meetings created in CRM to their calendars as appointments.

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Studio JBD Earns Top Design Firm Recognition

Studio JBD, the Pawtucket, R.I.-based architecture and design firm, has been recognized by NEWH, the hospitality industry network, as one of the top interior design firms in the United States. Studio JBD was one of only two recipients selected from the NEWH New England chapter.

NEWH’s TopID award, selected by the boards of each region and chapter, honors the country’s best firms for their superior interior design work and for supporting NEWH. “Studio JBD is honored to be chosen by our local board as a TopID firm for 2019,” said Judd Brown, Founder and President. “This award is a testament to the hard work, talent and dedication of our entire team, and we are all thrilled to be among so many other great companies.”

Yamaha Extends 0% Interest Offer, Debuts New Models

Yamaha Golf-Car Company announced its first-ever promotion on all new Yamaha golf cars, including the brand new UMAX® light utility vehicle lineup, providing customers access to financing with as low as 0% APR for 36 months* effective January 8, 2019 through February 28, 2019. With the limited-time offer, customers can also add Yamaha Genuine accessories.

“What a way to start the new year! We are thrilled to give our customers this amazing opportunity to take any new Yamaha golf car home,” said Tom McDonald, President of Yamaha Golf-Car Company. “With this deal, customers can qualify for 0% financing to get 100% of what they want: the best personal or light utility vehicle in the industry.”

The financing offered through Yamaha Motor Finance Corporation, USA (YMFUS) is one of a kind. Yamaha is the only golf car manufacturer that offers access to financing, and YMFUS supports the retail and wholesale financing needs of Yamaha’s dealers and customers. (*The 0% interest offer is available on approved purchases of new Yamaha Golf Cars made on the Yamaha Credit Card issued by WebBank, member FDIC, and subject to credit approval as determined by WebBank. Offer valid 1/8/19 through 2/28/19. Available to cardholders of the WebBank Yamaha Card. Account must be open and current to be eligible for this offer. 0%, 2.99%, 8.99%, or 17.99% APR with Minimum Payments of 2.79%, 2.92%, 3.19%, or 3.62% respectively of the purchase price balance, based on creditworthiness, are effective until the purchase is paid in full. Minimum Interest Charge $2 per month. Standard APR 15.99%-23.99%.)

Yamaha also debuted three innovative additions to its lineup at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show’s Demo Day on January 22 at the Orange County National Golf Center in Winter Garden, Fla. At the Demo Day, for which Yamaha was a sponsor, the company unveiled a new light utility vehicle to join its successful UMAX® lineup; a new 2019 Drive2 EFI fleet car designed to save customers 12.8% more miles to the gallon; and an enhanced YamaTrack® YTX™ Fleet Management System with industry-exclusive features.

For more information about Yamaha Golf-Car Company, visit yamahagolfcar.com.

FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP *Details about these items, and other news, can be found at www.clubandresortbusiness.com, where you can also sign up for a free subscription to C&RB’s Daily E-News briefing.

People News

Club People Desert Highlands, the golf club and community in North Scottsdale, Ariz., has named Monty Becton as its new General Manager/Chief Operating Officer and Todd Allison as its new Executive Chef.

Becton was previously General Manager of Cordillera Ranch in Boerne, Texas and has Monty Becton served as Vice President of Operations for two of the country’s largest private club management companies, ClubCorp and Arnold Palmer Golf. Allison was previously Chef at T. Cooks in the Royal Palms Resort and Spa in Scottsdale.

Also joining the Desert Highlands team are Chief Financial Officer Lisa Hutcherson, Joan Sykora as Director of Member Relations and Sales, and Ron Koohbanani as Assistant General Manager. Hutcherson was previously Director of Finance at Arizona Country Todd Allison Club in Phoenix.

Sycamore Hills Golf Club, in Fort Wayne, Ind., has named Christopher J. Hampton as its new General Manager/COO. Hampton was most recently GM/COO of Lakewood Country Club in Westlake, Ohio. Previously, he spent two years as the F&B Manager and seven years as the Assistant GM of Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

Christopher J. Hampton John Stebbins is the new General Manager of Mount Vernon Canyon Club in Golden, Colo. He was most recently General Manager of Fort Collins (Colo.) Country Club and has also been General Manager of Bentwater Yacht and Country Club, Montomery, Texas.

San Juan Oaks Golf Club, in Hollister Calif., has named Manny Freitas as General Manager. Freitas replaces Scott Fuller, who was the club’s only previous GM in its 22-year history. Freitas joined San Juan Oaks in 1996, starting out as a cart attendant and working his way up through the ranks as Assistant Golf Professional, Human Resources Manager, Manny Freitas

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Director of Marketing, Assistant General Manager and most recently as Director of Golf before assuming the GM role. His brother, Mark, also has a long history at the club and is San Juan Oaks’ current Superintendent.

Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) Golf Club has named Brad Shupe as General Manager. Prior to joining the club, Shupe was the general manager of Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif..

General Manager and Golf Director at Mission Viejo Country Club, and Head Golf Professional at Los Coyotes Country Club.

Joshua Doxtator, PGA, has been appointed General Manager of The Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Golf Course at Harbor Shores Resort in Benton Harbor, Mich. Doxtator previously served as the PGA Chief Operating Officer at Thornberry Creek at Oneida (Wis.).

Chip Sullivan has been hired as the General Manager and Director of Golf at Royal New Kent in New Kent, Va. Sullivan has more than 30 years of experience in the golf industry and has served at clubs throughout the U.S., including 20 years as a head golf professional in Roanoke, Va. Since turning professional in 1987, he has won more than 80 PGAsanctioned events, including the 2007 PGA Professional National Championship.

Mike Pierce has been appointed General Manager of Fort Collins (Colo.)

Country Club. Pierce is a longtime member of the club, having served on the Board and as Club President in 20102011. He first joined Fort Collins CC’s management staff on a temporary basis as the interim general manager in August 2018.

Jefferson May, PGA has been named Director of Golf at Manchester Country Club, Bedford, N.H., and Brian Moskevich, PGA has been promoted to Head Golf Professional at the club.

May was previously Director of Golf at The Muttontown Club on Long Island, N.Y. Moskevich has worked at Manchester CC for the last five years, with prior experience at The Honors Course in Chattanooga, Tenn. and at Pinehurst (N.C.) Resort.

Chuck Zaranec is the new Golf Course Superintendent at the Country Club of York (Pa.). Zaranec previously held Superintendent positions at Brookside Country Club in Canton, Ohio and Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, N.Y., and has also had experience at Kirtland Country Club (Willoughby, Ohio), Canterbury Golf Club (Cleveland, Ohio)

and Sand Ridge Golf Club (Chardon, Ohio).

Nicole Rose has been named Assistant Food & Beverage Manager at Eagle Creek Golf & Country Club in Naples, Fla. PreviNicole Rose ously, Rose served as Dining Room Manager at Cypress Lake Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla.

Supplier News ‘FORE’ Supply Co. has added J.R. Hall to its sales team, to direct sales of the company’s expanding line of linens and textiles. Hall brings nearly 30 years of experience to the ‘FORE’ Supply team.

The PGA of America has promoted Sandy Cross to serve as the first Chief People Officer in the association’s history and named Arjun Chowdri as the PGA’s first-ever Chief Innovation Officer.

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CLUB FEATURE

The

Reserve Club

Puts New Muscle

On Its Bones

A complete overhaul of its classic clubhouse is helping the Indian Wells, Calif. property develop new “inner strength” to properly complement its stunning surroundings.

By Joe Barks, Editor

The current trend in golf course renovations is to restore classic designers’ original intent, as part of a return to more traditional playing experiences.

With clubhouses, though, it’s been just the opposite, as more casual and open atmospheres have taken hold at even the most historic properties.

Usually, this has resulted in the most dramatic clubhouse transformations occuring when decades-old buildings are repurposed. But as an indication of just how sweeping the shift in club lifestyles has become in the new millennium, you don’t have to always go back 50 or 100 years, or into older cities and regions of the country, to find examples

of 180-degree facility overhauls. One of the most striking renovations to be found in the industry, in fact, has been taking place in a structure that’s less than 20 years old—and in California’s Coachella Valley, of all places.

As 2019 began, The Reserve Club in Indian Wells, Calif., was fast approaching the completion of what it called a “restyling” and “enhancement” of the 30,000-sq. ft., Tuscan-style clubhouse that was erected shortly after the club was founded in 1998. All of the “restyling” and “enhancement” was being done to the tune of $10 million-plus, and involved a complete blowout of the building’s insides, with $1.6 million be-

ing spent for new doors and windows alone, according to Mike Kelly, The Reserve Club’s CEO/General Manager.

As Kelly led a visitor through the clubhouse while construction was in the homestretch towards the end of 2018, he made references to “George Washington” and “Knights of the Roundtable” when describing some of the interior design motifs that had previously prevailed (and to help explain why another $2.2 million was being spent on new furniture, fixtures and equipment).

“It definitely didn’t feel like you were in California,” Kelly says of the original clubhouse. “Pretty much everywhere

PHOTOS COURTESY THE RESERVE CLUB

CEO/General Manager Mike Kelly has drawn on The Reserve’s signature bridge as a theme for how the clubhouse renovation signals the transition from the club’s origins to its future, as it hits the 20-year mark.

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you turned, you ran into something heavy and dark.”

So why not just blow everything up and go all-out Cali modern from the ground up? “The bones were great, and we saw we didn’t have to do that,” says Kelly, a 20-year industry veteran who came to The Reserve in 2015, after previously working at properties including PGA West in La Quinta, Calif. and The Preserve in Carmel, Calif.

“The exterior is unique and could still fit well with the club and how it is changing,” Kelly adds. “We just needed to repurpose the rooms to fit with how the club has become more casual, and to take better advantage of where [the clubhouse] is positioned on the property, with an incredible surrounding landscape and down-valley views [see photos, above and pg. 4].”

Bringing about those changes, Kelly says, meant doing everything possible to open up the floor plan and create a “lighter look” throughout the interior, while eliminating the sense of enclosed exclusivity that was the dominant theme of the previous layout. Now, the emphasis would be on interconnecting

inside rooms to create multiple gathering points and maximize their functional flexibility, while also creating ways to extend as much of the space as possible beyond the walls, to always enable and encourage full enjoyment of what was outside.

At the same time, working within the existing skeleton would make it possible to retain and enhance unique features like the massive stone fireplaces, sweeping archways and other classic touches that had been built into the original design (see photo, pg. 20).

The new, “enhanced and restyled” version of The Reserve clubhouse will still provide elegant space for formal dining and private events for those desiring those amenities. But it will also feature a multi-purpose al fresco kitchen into which a high-end, $30,000 mobile pizza oven can be rolled out, along with many other new bars and casual spaces, special-event areas, and expanded terraces in and around the clubhouse.

In fact, even though The Reserve is part of a community where the “low end” of real-estate offerings are “bungalows” that start just shy of $1 mil-

lion—making it pretty likely that most of the members with on-site properties (only 30 of the 250 members are nonresidents) have decent TV-watching options at home—the renovation has also included an outsized bet, in the form of four 75-inch flat screens around a full-service bar in the expanded men’s locker room, that the clubhouse will now become the preferred gameday gathering spot.

“There was no place to watch sports before,” says Kelly, who has drawn confidence from the membership’s 80% approval vote for the project that all of the clubhouse’s new features will be fully embraced. “But now we will have plenty of places, and reasons, to make this the first spot on the property where people will want to congregate.”

Ahead of the Game While The Reserve may have had to overhaul its clubhouse more quickly into its lifecycle than most properties, it can point to many other parts of its 20-year history where it has been noticeably out in front of trends that have emerged during that timeframe to re-

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Some of the more unique original interior features of The Reserve clubhouse (shown at left in a “before” photo), such as massive stone fireplaces, sweeping archways and other classic touches, were retained and enhanced through the renovation.

shape the club business.

The club officially opened on Thanksgiving weekend in 1998, marking the culmination of a 10-year process to realize the dream of founder and developer Bob Lowe of Lowe Enterprises (The Reserve transitioned to a member-owned club in 2003-04.)

The property’s 700 acres (which extend into Palm Desert, Calif., in addition to Indian Wells) are unusually secluded and protected among the many golf communities in the Coachella Valley, bordered on one side by The Living Desert, a botanical garden and zoo, and on another by the University of California’s Deep Canyon Research Center.

Environmental stewardship was established as a founding principle for the property well before it opened, with more than 1,700 native trees and shrubs salvaged during construction that continue to thrive there today. The terrain offers the opportunity to enjoy a unique mix of plants native to the Valley and those that have been imported from the Southwest desert region, all carefully cultivated and maintained by a full-time staff led by Horticulturist and Arborist Lori Gavitt.

The incorporation of the desertscape (which accounts for 100 acres of the property) has been intentional not only to help conserve water in the interest of being responsible for the physical environmental, but also to introduce a unique element to the emotional environment that members and visitors encounter afer passing through The Reserve’s modest gatehouse.

“The desertscape is intended to help

set the tone that this is not a big, gaudy place,” says Tom Cullinan, a Managing Broker for Reserve Realty and one of the original management-team members for the club operation.

“There’s no ostenatious entry [to the property] and everything is low-key,” Cullinan explains. “We want people to go through a ‘decompression zone’ as they come over our bridge and into the community. It’s as authentic and pure as anything you can find in the Valley.”

The desired prevailing atmosphere is also reinforced by special features such as “tranquility gardens” that can be

found throughout the property. Then there’s “Mountain Top,” a secluded terraced area at one of the property’s highest points that is fully equipped for outdoor events and offers even better down-valley views than from the clubhouse. Available to Reserve members for no rental fee and able to accommodate groups of as many as 50 to 60, Cullinan says Mountain Top evokes the throwback appeal of the earliest days of the Valley’s development as a resort destination, calling it “a ‘Rat Pack-type of party place.”

While The Reserve was always intentionally conceived as a low-density community, with just 220 total home sites, that has by no means limited the level and variety of activities offered to and participated in by club members.

For golf, the mix of native and desert landscape provides a unique setting for the 18-hole championship course designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Moorish that is one of only a handful in the Valley with bentgrass greens.

The Reserve’s new Golf Course Superintendent, Alan Stuessy, has a new irrigation system to further the property’s leadership in water-conservation efforts and environmental stewardship.

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Reflecting the trend for providing additional holes that can be used for practice or short rounds and that go beyond a chip-and-putt nature, golf at The Reserve also includes a trio of “Trophy Holes,” made up of a regulation par-3, par-4 and par-5 that are separate from the main course but also available to all members to play at any time without reservations (no tee times are required to play the main course, either). “[The trophy holes[ are as good as any golf holes we have,” says Kelly. “And we’ve seen that they’re great for families, too.”

The Reserve also offers a double-ended driving range measuring over 380 yards (see photo, pg. 22), And the club didn’t neglect golf when allocating capital-improvement dollars in anticipation of its 20th anniversary—concurrent with the clubhouse renovation, $1.5 million was also spent on upgrading the course’s original irrigation system.

Golf Course Superintendent Alan Stuessy, who came to The Reserve from PGA West in 2018, says the new system will bring even more efficiency and control to help the club stay out in front of its water-conservation efforts, which have always been a primary concern for operating any golf course in the Valley.

“Doing more to find new efficiencies fits with the culture and environmental direction that the club has always had and its emphasis on pre-

AT A GLANCE The Reserve Club Indian Wells, Calif.

Opened: 1998 Clubhouse Size: 30,000 sq. ft.

Annual Golf Rounds: 11,000 Members: 250 CEO/General Manager: Mike Kelly Director of Golf: John Miller, PGA Golf Course Superintendent: Alan Stuessy Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director: Hugh Duffy Director of Membership, Sales & Marketing: Denise Adams Director of Special Events & Catering: Nicole Hughes Controller: Dan Wylie Human Resources Director: Heidi Turner Communications Director: Jennifer Leppen

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Director of Golf John Miller and his staff have ample room for instruction, and inspiration, with The Reserve’s doubleended, 380-yard driving range. The range complements the unique status of the club’s 18-hole championship golf course (and three additional “Trophy Holes”) as the only place to play while enjoying views of all three of the mountain ranges that frame the Coachella Valley.

serving the natural desert setting,” says Stuessy.

A Full Slate The Reserve has also always checked all of the boxes for designing a property and planning member activities to provide a well-rounded club life beyond golf. Its clubhouse was positioned from the beginning to be the central part of a club-village concept that also includes separate structures for a fitness and wellness center, pro shop and the Lakehouse, a casual-dining venue.

From the start, the club’s full amenities list has reflected, and been ex-

panded to stay in step with, the trends for more family-friendly and wellnessoriented offerings. Pickleball, yoga (including the aerial variety), a dog park, and hiking and walking trails (a total of 26 miles) are all now part of the mix and in many cases have been in place for years.

For its culinary program, The Reserve has benefitted from the strong and loyal following built up from the club’s opening by Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director Hugh Duffy, an Irishman by way of Iowa who was one of the charter members of the club’s management team. The new dining capabilities

and venues offered in the renovated clubhouse only promise to further expand the excitement that Duffy and his staff have always generated as part of their ongoing crusade to prove that Irish-inspired cuisine doesn’t have to be boring.

“It’s only boring if you’re bored with it,” Duffy told one local food reviewer, who then marveled over a brisket sandwich, featuring onions caramelized in Guinness beer, that has long been established as a lunchtime menu favorite at the club.

With The Reserve limited in how many members it can draw from on-

Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director Hugh Duffy has developed a strong and loyal following from among all ages for the culinary program he has built as a charter, 20year member of The Reserve team.

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site properties because of the development’s low-density nature, and with golf memberships also nearing capacity, offering a wide variety of amenities and events has increased in importance as the club has put added emphasis on expanding the non-resident segment of its membership ranks.

Director of Membership, Sales & Marketing Denise Adams—a former ClubCorp executive who works closely with The Reserve’s Director of Special Events, Nicole Hughes, to ensure that all of those who are on property, or coming to it, are well aware of all that’s available—says the buzz over the clubhouse makeover and other improvements has spiked “huge interest” in memberships, particularly among nonresident prospects.

But as always, the property itself will retain the greatest appeal. “It’s a place where you can be as busy and active as you want to be—but if you don’t want to do anything while here, that’s fine, too,” says Kelly. “The only thing we want to be overwhelming is your sense of awe for the surroundings.”

C&RB

Director of Membership, Sales & Marketing Denise Adams (near left) and Director of Special Events Nicole Hughes continue to develop new ways to promote all that The Reserve property can offer.

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DESIGN & RENOVATION

Fresh Looks for Al Fresco Outdoor dining and drinking spots need to not only look inviting, but work efficiently, too.

PHOTO COURTESY CHATTAHOOCHEE CC

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

SUMMING IT UP

• Laying out outdoor dining space to allow easy access to the kitchen, serving stations and seated guests is essential.

• Furnishings should be weather-proof, without sacrificing comfort for convenience.

• Take advantage of pic-

turesque surroundings, to provide built-in backdrops and instant ambiance.

These days, it’s not enough to provide great eats, refreshing beverages and a fabulous view from outdoor dining establishments. While creating memorable meals and providing comfortable ambiance for the members and guests who use these venues, club and resort properties must also orchestrate an efficient workflow for staff. Fine-tuning a design that achieves both goals is essential to maintaining outdoor dining space that will have patrons coming back for a second helping.

Taking the Long View At Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club in Kilmarnock, Va., enhancing the alreadylush outdoor experience was a major factor in adding onto the clubhouse. General Manager Brian Darlak credits the club’s

Willow Oaks Terrace for “providing an outdoor dining venue that takes advantage of the views of the golf course and Indian Creek.” The year-long construction project commenced in May 2017 and was completed in time for a Memorial Day-weekend ribboncutting ceremony the following year.

Nestled between the clubhouse and the pool, this facility serves as the club’s only fixed outdoor dining venue, with service from May through October. Thanks to its close proximity to the main kitchen in the clubhouse, operations run smoothly and share the same menu as Skipjack, Indian Creek’s casual eatery. A notable feature is the outdoor covered grill station just off the terrace, which allows chefs to prepare fresh dishes for special occasions.

A smattering of dining tables with cush-

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Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club Kilmarnock, Va. “[The Willow Oaks Terrace] provides an outdoor dining venue [with] views of the golf course and Indian Creek.

[Members] really take advantage of the space in the shoulder season.”

—Brian Darlak, General Manager ioned chairs for 48 offers a cozy mix, with soft seating for eight around a propane fueled firepit. (Additional portable propane heaters can be added as needed.) A flexible layout permits this space to be reconfigured—adjusting or removing tables—for club events.

“When the terrace is used for an event,

we inform the membership that the space is booked, and we do not offer a la carte dining in the space,” notes Darlak.

Because the terrace is neither enclosed nor fully covered, outdoor dining is at the mercy of the elements. “We deal with what Mother Nature brings us,” says Darlak. Seating is outfitted

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with water-resistant cushions, and tables are immediately wiped down following sudden downpours. Protection from the sun is provided by a pergola roof, with ceiling fans helping to circulate the sultry air.

Having completed its first full season in operation, management has not yet seen any major increases in net food and beverage sales. However, efforts are being made to boost terrace usage in the coming months, including Memorial Day, Independence Day and the club’s First Friday live-music events.

In the meantime, Indian Creek’s membership is enjoying the expansive view of the golf course and the water. “They really take advantage of the space in the shoulder season, when the weather is more cooperative,” Darlak notes.

A Gainesville Gem At the Chattahoochee Country Club in Gainesville, Ga., a recent renovation of the aquatic center included a revamped snack bar and a brand-new poolside dining pavilion with full-service bar. This comprehensive construction project was a direct result of input from the club’s planning committee focus groups. “We learned that our membership wanted an open-air dining facility; there are not many options in Gainesville for that type of dining,” explains General Manager Matthew Collins.

Implementing additional feedback from a design committee, construction began in November 2016 and the dining pavilion opened to members the following July. “The result was a warm, inviting and elegant look and feel that matched the entire property—not just

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The Whippoorwill Club, Armonk, New York

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Chattahoochee Country Club Gainesville, Ga. “[The design goal] was a warm, inviting and elegant look and feel that matched the entire property—not just the pool area.

It’s the perfect gathering place for all demographics.”

—Matthew Collins, General Manager

the pool area,”Collins adds.

To better accommodate the membership, the existing pool snack-bar kitchen was expanded to include its own covered seating area. The dining pavilion boasts a full-service bar with seating for 10 and a la carte table service, featuring a mix of both hard and soft seating for 44. A firepit area is directly adjacent to the pavilion area, allowing guests to transition to post-dinner drinks.

While the pavilion’s open-air design

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does not contain side enclosures, it provides adequate coverage from the elements. “There have been occasional storms with wind blowing the rain in, but the majority of the time, we continue to serve with little interruption from the weather,” notes Collins. The bar features roll-down shutters that allow the club to house supplies whenever the bar is closed.

To further promote ease of operations, the club decided to upgrade its wireless network, so the service staff can use tablets for order-taking. “The kitchen is not attached to the pavilion, so we had concerns of longer ticket times,” Collins expalins. “This allows orders to get to the kitchen quicker.”

With such strides in efficiency, management was initially hesitant about how these improvements would impact overall club dining. “We had initial concerns that this area might cannibalize business from our main clubhouse dining,” Collins admits. But in fact, the opposite was true: Clubhouse dining revenue exceeded its budget, while poolside dining grew by a whopping 317 percent.

And keeping the dining pavilion open seven days a week during pool season has helped boost business when clubhouse dining facilities are closed Sundays and Mondays.

As poolside dining continues to promote strong business for Chattahoochee CC, members of all ages are reaping the rewards of the thriving pavilion.

“It’s very casual and family-friendly, but also inviting to our empty-nesters who want to be part of the activity, but don’t want to swim or sunbathe,” says Collins. “It’s the perfect gathering place for all demographics.”

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The Forest Country Club Fort Myers, Fla. “Access pathways are delineated by table layout, and the open concept of fewer walls, higher ceilings and no narrow corridors was implemented throughout the design.”

—Matt Gaudet, General Manager

The Forest Country Club of Fort Myers, Fla., is getting set to unveil a renovated clubhouse, which includes 3,000 square feet of outdoor dining space. The renovation project kicked off last April and was scheduled to open to members at the end of February 2019.

Positioned alongside the club’s Grille Room, the new space is comprised of a covered terrace and a sun terrace paver deck that includes a casual dining area overlooking one of the club’s two golf

courses. “Members will now be able to watch their fellow competitors traverse the 18th hole of the Bear Course while they enjoy their favorite cocktail,” says General Manager Matt Gaudet.

When laying out the new outdoor space, traffic flow was taken into consideration—both with the dining area and surrounding amenities. “Access pathways are delineated by table layout, and the open concept of fewer walls, higher ceilings and no narrow

corridors was implemented throughout the design,” Gaudet describes.

The indoor Grille Room flows directly onto the outdoor terraces, adjacent to brand-new bocce courts, creating a seamless transition between dinner and recreation. Within 40 feet of these courts is a 15-seat outdoor tiki bar, which complements 70 seats for dining and high-top seating for 30. An additional soft lounge seating area surrounding the firepits brings the outdoor seating

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Smooth Operators Clubs that have endured dining-design overhauls are vested in long-term success that stems not just from good cooking, but good service. Managers of facilities that have undertaken recent outdoordining renovation projects share these secrets to operating efficiently and effectively: • Enlist membership input. Ask for feedback and factor it in the design whenever possible. “Our members would like actual silverware and real glassware,” reports Matthew Collins of Chattahoochee Country Club. “We are looking into a small dishwasher in this area, to accommodate silverware and reusable plates.”

• Look at what’s in front of you. Club surroundcapacity to 130 members and guests.

To maintain a casual atmosphere on the terraces, designers opted for durable fabric seating that is both UVresistant and waterproof, to withstand the Florida climate. Hurricane-rated, electric roll-down shade screening protects against weather and dust, while fostering prime views of the lush surroundings. “This idyllic setting showcases our beautiful golf courses and the

ings offer instant atmosphere and should not be overlooked. “Taking advantage of the best vistas, with enough space to satisfy the volume of members desiring these locations, should all be given consideration,” says Matt Gaudet of The Forest Country Club.

• Remember all reasons for the season. When designing outdoor dining space, don’t forget to factor in its multipurpose value. “Programming [use, operational hours, events, etc.] is equally as important as construction planning, if not more so,” says Brian Darlak of Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club.

• Teach them well. In the midst of a renovation, take time to hire and train new staffers. “Being underprepared will reflect in service standards, and the guests certainly notice,” says Tim Yavello of Chateau Elan Golf Club and Sarazen’s Bar & Grille.

nature preserves that abound on our special piece of property,” says Gaudet.

As the club awaits the opening of its new clubhouse and terraces, management is confident that outdoor dining revenues will earn a significant boost, especially with the improvements arriving in time for the kickoff of The Forest CC’s 40th anniversary in March 2019. “We’re eagerly looking forward to enjoying our new, more contempo-

rary and transitional member spaces,” Gaudet adds.

Embracing the Outdoors When the Chateau Elan Golf Club in Braselton, Ga., underwent a clubhouse renovation last summer, its dining facility not only benefitted from a new look, but a new identity. Re-opening as Sarazen’s Bar & Grille, the restaurant was named for legendary golf pro Gene Sara-

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Chateau Elan Golf Club Braselton, Ga. “We knew we wanted an outdoor area to make [our restaurant] more inviting, so having a patio with a ‘backyard vibe’ with rocking chairs, a sprawling lawn and a fire pit became a focal point of the renovation.”

—Tim Yavello, PGA, General Manager

zen and his influence on Northeast Georgia’s golfing heritage.

In conjunction with this re-branding, the previous design’s glass-enclosed room prompted a need to better showcase the club’s surroundings. “We knew we wanted an outdoor area to make it more inviting, so the patio became a focal point of the renovation,” explains General Manager Tim Yavello, PGA. “Now the space offers the outdoor experience guests are looking for, to enjoy golf course views.”

With its casual, yet cozy layout, the covered patio area is situated just off the grille’s interior and extends Sarazen’s seating capabilities from 56 inside, to an additional 38 outdoors. A medley of two- and four-top cushioned seats and tables, along with a smattering of white rocking chairs and six dark-brown Adirondack chairs and side tables, creates an inviting refuge for members.

Yavello describes the patio as having a “backyard vibe with rocking chairs, a sprawling lawn and firepit, along with views of the 18th hole of the Chateau Course.” Overhead, whirling ceiling fans take the sting out of the summertime air, while heaters provide extra comfort once the colder temperatures set in.

Because the main kitchen is located just insider the grille, servers have easy access to indoor and outdoor diners, as well as the service station about 12 feet from the kitchen. Such ease of operations has translated into better business, with food-and-beverage revenues up 50 percent over the previous year.

Having completed its first summer season since the re-opening, the outdoor patio is expected to be in full swing this year. “The response from the community has been very positive, and Sarazen’s is now the place to go inside of the Chateau Elan community and surrounding neighborhoods,” says Ed Walls, General Manager of the Chateau Elan Winery & Resort.

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DESIGN SNAPSHOT

Natural Splendor

Burlingame CC’s new lobby/bar makes the right first impression by combining “mountain elegance” with welcoming “Wows.”

By Barbara Rook, Contributing Editor

“Mountain elegance” is the vibe Burlingame Country Club sought to project with its recent renovation of the club’s first-impression lobby and eat-in bar area.

Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains in Sapphire, N.C., the club undertook the $1.5 million bar/lobby/dining renovation shortly after completing a separate overhaul of the kitchen.

A comprehensive facilities study identified the need for a social-gathering space, explains General Manager/ COO Brian McEnteer, along with a fresh new look to attract new members.

“The members we’re seeing today are looking for a centralized social location; someplace they can watch a game, have a drink in the bar,” he notes. “We have a very active club. We were lacking the space for them to congregate, sit, have a drink, have lunch.”

The original lounge was not wel-

“We have a very active club and the members we’re seeing today are looking for a centralized social location.

We were lacking the space for them to congregate, sit, have a drink, have lunch.”

— Brian McEnteer, General Manager/COO

coming, nor was the lobby, where prospective members would get their first impression of the club, he adds. The facility needed a facelift, McEnteer notes, as well as updates for ADA compliance.

“It was about creating that ‘Wow’ factor,” he continues. “When selling memberships, you only have once chance to make a first impression. The goal was to build this for our members, but also for future members.”

Equally important as providing a welcome into a fresh, updated space was incorporating the region’s natural splendor, as well as North Carolinathemed finishes. Refurbished heart-ofpine flooring, natural slate stone and pine shiplap fit the bill.

“We had these warm mountain effects that we wanted to enhance,” says McEnteer. The stone fireplace theme was carried through to new slate floor-

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DESIGN SNAPSHOT Burlingame Country Club Sapphire, N.C.

A key focus of Burlingame CC’s lobby renovation was to let those inside the clubhouse still enjoy the spectacular views of the golf course and surrounding mountains.

Achitect: DP3 Architects, Ltd Interior Design: DP3 Architects, Ltd Carpet: Brintons Carpets Lighting: Circa Lighting, Ashore Chandeliers Slate floor: Daltile Seating: Fairfield Chair Custom Bar Stools: SYNC Contract Bar Equipment: Glastender Sideboard/Drink Tables: Woodbridge Furniture Custom Live-Edge Coffee Table: Joe Crawford (Marietta, S.C.) ing around the bar.

The project called for converting a previous closed-door boardroom to help create the open bar/lobby, and that led to some unexpected modification, McEnteer reports.

By removing the walls, the renovation exposed spectacular views of the golf course and surrounding mountains, he explained. “We realized we had one of the best views, and it was sitting in this dark room,” he says.

The tear-down for the project also revealed two steel columns that had to be removed. The roof above the bar was then restructured with 35 to 40 feet of steel beams, made from sections that were bolted together.

Material Gains Form and function dictated the choice of stone versus pine for the bararea flooring, according to J. Michael Taylor, Managing Principal of DP3 Architect Ltd., which handled architectur-

al and interior design responsibilities on the project.

The sturdier stone holds up under abuse from moving bar stools, Taylor explains. “We looked a long time for that [stone], because we wanted to be sure it was flush with the pine flooring so there wasn’t a trip hazard,” he says.

“The challenge was to get a stone flooring that was thin enough.”

Painted pine shiplap accent walls add to the authentic mountain feel of the space. The light beige paint was thinned to half strength, to allow the wood grain and knots to show through, notes Taylor. The lighter wood floors and walls contrast with the walnutstained maple bar, which has a black granite counter.

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McEnteer personally designed the new full-service bar, working with Michigan-based Glastender Inc. to incorporate a unique bar tap. “We’re near Asheville [N.C.],” McEntee explains.

“It’s all about the beer in Asheville. We wanted to do something that’s signature to western North Carolina.”

“I’m selling beer like crazy, and [the bar tap] is starting to be a conversation piece now,” he adds. “We didn’t want it to look too industrial, so we had it powder-coated to match all the other trim. It really fits with all of the other hardware around the rest of the bar.”

The bar is prefabricated with metal studs and stainless steel, allowing bar equipment to hang on the wall, and the exterior wood panels can be removed when needed to service the equipment.

The new area—which McEnteer calls “the perfect size for our club”—features 20 custom-designed bar stools, along with high-top tables and an exclusive bar menu for lighter fare.

Before the renovation, Burlingame CC offered only two service bars. Now, the new lobby bar attracts members before and after recreational activities, as well as before and after meals in the adjacent casual-dining area.

The new full-service bar features an overhead glass-and-wood storage area that is backlit with LED lighting, to add “color and glitz.”

“There’s a lot of activity that happens during the day, where members will stop in and have lunch or just grab a beer after golf,” McEnteer says. “Before and after meal times, that bar is really getting used.”

The overhead glass-and-wood storage area is backlit with LED lighting, to add “color and glitz” to the space, according to Taylor. “At night, the top of the bar really glows with the color of the alcohol, as well as the bottles.”

The lighting flows through to the adjacent sitting area, complete with a stone fireplace and piano. Chandeliers and a custom light fixture create the mood and lend to the authentic feel.

Leather and upholstered chairs and a custom, live-edge walnut coffee table, built by Marietta, S.C.-based artisan Joe Crawford, are accented by a custom-designed rug. “The tall chair backs define the space, to create a separate space for the lounge,” says Whitney Spafford, an

interior designer for DP3.

Since the renovation, member reaction has been “overwhelmingly positive,” says McEnteer, as evidenced by a 28 percent increase in food-and-beverage sales in 2018 over 2017.

The renovations and resulting publicity have also resulted in double the number of new members gained in a typical year, he reports. And the additional labor cost the club incurred for two new, full-time bartenders in the space has been “wholly absorbed” by the increased sales and membership, he adds.

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FOOD & BEVERAGE

Taking Buffets Beyond Boring Rows of chafers don’t cut it anymore—not with members, and certainly not with chefs—when it comes to buffet service. Even a weekly buffet can become an anticipated event when fresh ideas are brought to the table.

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Contributing Edito

SUMMING IT UP • Action and carving stations and other alternatives to chafers can add instant interest and a valuable interaction aspect to buffet setups.

• Combine new and exciting items with traditional favorites, and include small-plate and healthy options.

• Build-it-yourself bowls engage diners and help to avoid perceptions of a lack of variety and freshness.

Buffets don’t have to be ho-hum to feed a crowd. With some creativity in food and décor, they can be a showcase for the best a club has to offer.

Thursday is Pasta Bar night at St, Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair, Pa.—an event, according to Shawn Culp, the club’s Executive Chef, that attracts a lot of families who return week after week to feast on different rotating varieties of pastas, some filled; plus three or four kinds of sauces and other Italian specialties such as flatbread pizzas, Italian wedding soup, beef braciole, meatballs, hot sausage links, garlic bread and focaccia sticks. A variety of green salads, “always including Caesar,” is also available, Culp adds.

“This year, I’m hoping to get a fresh pasta maker to use on our buffets, to create another element of experience for our members,” he says.

St. Clair’s members never get tired of the buffet because there’s always something new to try along with their traditional favorites, Culp notes. The club also offers a weekly Sunday brunch, and Culp is planning to turn prime rib, a popular a la carte

item in the clubhouse restaurant, into the star of a chef-carved Saturday night buffet.

Last year, the club held a cook-out buffet and sleepover for members. “We expected 10 people, and ended up with 100,” Culp reports. “This year, we’re upgrading the hot dog and hamburger buffet selections, to include roast pig and beer-can chicken.”

Warming Up to the World Because winter holiday time sees an influx of families from colder climates coming into town and to the club, that’s when Executive Chef Zach Bell puts out lavish buffets at Addison Reserve Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla. His inspiration for the food and décor is cities throughout the country and around the world.

For a Mexican-themed buffet, Bell combines traditional dishes such as posole (a soup made with hominy) and a contemporary guacamole bar, where diners can load their guac with extra chilies, roasted poblano peppers, toasted pumpkin seeds, diced tomatoes, onions, chicharron (fried pork skin), queso fresco, bacon and hot sauces, with homemade tortilla chips for dip-

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Giving Buffets A Healthy Boost A buffet pasta bar isn’t the first place anyone would think of for low-carb, gluten-free and Keto (very low-carb) diet-friendly fare. But some clubs are making their buffets destinations for members and guests with special dietary restrictions, or who just want to eat more healthfully.

At St. Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair, Pa., the weekly pasta bar includes an action station where a chef uses a spiralizer to spin “noodles” from butternut squash in the fall or zucchini in the summer (often called “zoodles”), all made to order.

“This is the perfect way to provide gluten-free options to our members; that’s a big restriction now,” says Shawn Culp, St. Clair’s Executive Chef.

Diners go through a salad bar-like display of proteins and vegetables such as chicken, shrimp, mushrooms, peppers and broccoli. They then take their selections to the sauté station, where the chef offers a choice of pastas and sauces. After the chef finishes the dish, the diners continue down the line to add accents such as crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese.

Zach Bell, Executive Chef at Addison Reserve

Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla., offers zoodles and meatballs made of white-meat chicken on his buffets. His grain and vegetable bowls are also very popular—some with a protein and some without. For example, Bell’s hearty quinoa bowl, topped with teriyakiglazed salmon, includes roasted An action station sweet potato, shiitake mushwith a spiralizer rooms, sesame seeds, spinach, helps St. Clair CC edamame, avocado, cucumber provide gluten-free and ponzu dressing. pasta-bar options, A Buddha Bowl, which Bell reports Executive first had at a vegan restaurant Chef Shawn Culp. in Vienna, combines beet hummus puree with grilled kale.

For another healthful selection, he mixes cauliflower “rice” with avocado, cashews, tomato, pineapple and a lime-cilantro vinaigrette.

“Everybody’s Keto now,” he explains. “Healthy options are driving our operation; they’re the upand-coming thing, probably because of Instagram, where every other photo is some Keto dish.” ping. A Paris-themed buffet featured a charcuterie-and-cheese station, roasted tenderloin with Bearnaise sauce, beef bourguignon, moules et frites (mussels and French fries), bouillabaisse and a Crepes Suzette action station.

In addition to traditional regional specialties, Bell’s inspiration comes from dishes from famous restaurants in the featured cities. To provide visual “transportation” to the locale, he calls on Rick Courier, the club’s Director of Facilities Maintenance and a master carpenter, who has created scenery for many special events and even James Bond films.

“If we can dream it, he can build it,” Bell notes. “Local event companies even come to us to borrow our props.”

A 16-foot Chinatown Arch was the setting for a Pan Asian buffet at AdHillcrest CC fills dison Reserve. Along with Chineseits buffet lines restaurant classics such as beef and day and night broccoli and General Tso’s chicken, with special the buffet included a 24-foot bar with themes, prize three master chefs and apprentices drawings and rolling sushi (see photos, pg. 40). They local appeal, prepared upwards of 400 rolls that reports General day, some of which were custom creManager Tom ations, Bell says.

McClure.

Bell and Courier haunt stores such as Home Goods, Michaels and thrift shops to add to their prop collection. The club also has a photo-quality plotter printer, for producing colorful backdrops.

On New Year’s Eve, Addison Reserve hosted a thousand people for a street fair-like celebration showcasing world cities such as Istanbul, Vienna and Capetown. (“We asked our

38 C&RB www.clubandresortbusiness.com FEBRUARY 2019

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A 16-foot Chinatown Arch and a 24-foot bar with three master chefs and apprentices rolling sushi highlighted a Pan Asian buffet at Addison Reserve CC. Upwards of 400 sushi rolls were prepared at the event, many of which were custom-made.

C&RB CLUB RECIPE

Tellicherry Pepper, Bourbon, Maple-Mustard Bacon Yield: 1 lb. bacon AMT INGREDIENT 1 lb. applewood smoked bacon 1/4 cup bourbon 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tbsp. maple sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/8-1/4 tsp. cracked Tellicherry black peppercorns Procedure: • Lay out bacon in a 2-inch hotel pan. Sprinkle bourbon over evenly and allow to marinate for at least 6 hours. The bacon should absorb all of the bourbon.

• Preheat the oven to 375º F. • Line a sheet tray with parchment paper. Place a greased wire rack on top of the parchment-lined pan.

• Lay the bacon on top of the greased wire rack. Then, using a pastry brush, glaze the tops of the bacon with the mustard. Sprinkle the bacon with the black pepper, then the maple and brown sugars, gently pressing the sugar into the bacon.

• Cook the bacon in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until it is caramelized and cooked to desired doneness.

• Transfer cooked bacon to a sheet tray lined with a silicone Silpat to cool (don’t use a paper towel, because the bacon will stick to it).

SUBMITTED BY SHAWN CULP, EXECUTIVE CHEF; ST. CLAIR COUNTRY CLUB, UPPER ST. CLAIR, PA.

sous chefs for ideas for this buffet, and they were stoked,” Bell reports.) Upstairs, Bell and company set up an elegant, gala truffles-and-caviar buffet for 300.

For a New Orleans Mardi Gras-themed buffet during Passover/Easter Week, Courier built an authentic-looking Cajun shack for the shrimp boil station. In addition to the shrimp, diners could grab corn and potatoes at the shack. Other Big Easy specialties included jambalaya served in a paella pan, vegetarian and sausage/shrimp gumbos, crawfish and a la minute action stations for grillades (Creole cubes of beef in gravy) and strawberry shortcake.

“Diners like to see their food made to order, so we’re using more action stations—at least three or four including carving stations--and fewer chafers,” Bell notes.

Recently, he bought a rolling buffet table with a marble top and cabinet base, for use in the dining room and remote locations on the property. It can be used as a carving station with a small cooking unit, Bell notes, or to hold burners with sneeze guards, a tabletop mini-pizza oven, mini-flattop, grill and fryolator.

At St. Clair CC, Culp also likes to break up his buffets with action stations located around the venue, instead of serving from a straight line of chafers on a table. He uses induction burners, raviers, sauté pans and little pots to create more compelling visuals.

And he doesn’t limit his food presentation area to tables.

For a wine dinner, he hung clear-glass atriums with food inside them, and suspended skewered items at different levels.

A Year of Variations on the Theme Historically at Hillcrest Golf and Country Club in Lubbock, Texas, Thursday evenings are the lightest of the week for dinner service, according to General Manager Tom McClure. For 2019, the club will make Thursdays theme-buffet nights, all with action stations, to spark member interest.

As examples, McClure mentions Green Chile Cheeseburger and Shake Night with made-to-order shakes; Street Taco Night with action stations for the tacos and margaritas; Mongolian Grill Night, and Cajun Night. He is confident that a well-done buffet will drive dining at the club, because the club’s monthly

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Seafood Night has been so wildly popular among members.

For that buffet, he puts out king crab legs, smoked salmon, oysters on the half shell, peel-and-eat shrimp, fried coconut shrimp, fried oysters, a signature fresh fish dish such as panseared black grouper with Cajun crawfish sauce, a full salad bar, and clam chowder.

With driving mid-week dinner business a priority, Hillcrest CC has dubbed Wednesday Family Night, offering a value-priced buffet of homestyle items such as meatloaf, chicken-fried steak, fried chicken and hamburgers that appeal to all ages, according to McClure. Each week, the club holds a drawing for a $100 account credit during the evening dinner service; members must be present to win.

To provide a quick and convenient lunch for its business members, Hillcrest serves a soup-and-salad bar daily. Always on the buffet is the house-tossed salad and three other signature selections, as well as chili everyday and a signature soup that changes every day.

Hillcrest members are also just as interested in where their food comes from as in how good it tastes. So both on the reg-

PHOTO COURTESY ST. CLAIR CC

Suspended items, including special bacon preparations (see recipe, opposite page), add new levels of visual intrigue to buffet setups at St. Clair CC.

ular menu and on buffets, McClure promotes the fact that he uses Raider Meats, which supports scholarships and other good works at Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

“This appeals to our membership base, and Raider provides a superior quality product as well,” he explains.

Small Plates, Big Rewards For their private events, an increasing number of members at St Clair CC are asking for hors d’oeuvres buffets with stations and creative décor, Culp reports.

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“Diners like to see their food made to order, so we’re using more action stations— at least three or four, including carving stations— and fewer chafers.”

C&RB CLUB RECIPE

Cajun Crawfish Sauce for Fish

(The club uses this sauce over pan-seared black grouper, pictured.)

Yield: 4 portions AMT INGREDIENT 2 cups chicken broth 1 qt. heavy cream 5 tbsp.

Cajun seasoning 1 tbsp. salt 1 tbsp. paprika 1/2 tbsp. black pepper 1 tbsp. garlic powder 1 lb. cooked crawfish 7 tbsp. corn starch 11/4 cups water SUBMITTED BY TOM MCCLURE, GENERAL MANAGER, HILLCREST GOLF AND COUNTRY CLUB, LUBBOCK, TEXAS

— Zach Bell, Executive Chef, Addison Reserve CC

multiple stations,” he says. “By the end of the event, guests have eaten the equivalent of a whole dinner.”

A big hit is the bacon glazed with either rum pineapple or Tellicherry pepper, bourbon, mustard and maple (see recipe, pg. 40), which Culp presents whimsically hung on clothespins from a clothesline (diners plucked off the strips) and identified with a chalkboard sign drawn by an art student on the staff (see photo, pg. 41). “Members had a lot of fun with the presentation,” he reports.

The appetizer buffet also included tomato basil arancini, lobster satays, caramelized pear and gorgonzola crostini and chevre and fig tarts with walnut crust.

Going With What Works Best Keeping the buffet full, fresh and appetizing is a big job, especially when there are multiple seatings. Among Bell’s solutions is putting out smaller portions—about 12 portions at a time—of perishable foods. He also changes the food out when it is about 60% depleted.

“And we always have people wiping up drips and spills,” Bell says. “That’s the biggest challenge.”

The chefs agree that some foods work better on buffets than others. Culp notes that green vegetables, unless they are in a casserole, quickly lose their appetizing color. Potato dishes, stuffed chicken and fish with aioli baked on top hold their heat and moisture well. Fried foods, he says, are difficult unless they are being fried to order.

Stews and braises such as short ribs and shanks have a larger window for not drying out than white-meat chicken, says Bell. Dishes with sauces, such as veal marsala or Milanese, and roast turkey with gravy, also do well. He recommends do-it-yourself quinoa or kale bowls as a good alternative for large numbers of diners.“We’ve done them for 400 people, and they’ve gone smoothly,” he says.

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Ringing Endorsement Improvements to the Montgomery Bell Golf Course, part of the Tennessee Golf Trail and the state parks system, are the brass ring of better maintenance practices and playability for golfers of any level.

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

In the early 1800s, middle Tennessee was home to a vibrant iron industry, and the Tennessee Iron Furnace Trail tells the story of those laborers and the places they worked. While the blast furnaces and forges may be a remnant of the past, 21st-century denizens are encouraged to explore another state trail—the Tennessee Golf Trail – and bring their irons with them.

Part of the state parks system, the Tennessee Golf Trail consists of nine golf courses. One of them, the Montgomery Bell Golf Course of Montgomery Bell State Park in Burns, Tenn., might offer special appeal to history buffs. The park was once the center of the iron industry in middle Tennessee, and its namesake, Montgomery Bell, was an early 19th-century industrialist who helped build the region’s base, supplying cannon balls and other materials for the War of 1812.

In recent years, Montgomery Bell golf course personnel have made efforts to extend the property’s appeal to golfers of all abilities. Mike Nixon, Special Assistant to the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), and the Tennessee State Parks Director of Golf Operations, was brought on board in 2011 to oversee operations for the entire golf trail. Nixon played professional golf for 15 years, and he has a background in golf course architecture and real estate development.

“The Trail had a name, but no one was pushing hard to integrate all nine golf courses,” says Nixon. “I’m doing my part to give back to the game, which has been good to me.”

Enhanced Playability In turn, the changes that Nixon and Golf Course Superintendent Jeff Kuhns have implemented to improve playability and streamline maintenance at Montgomery Bell, which is 35 miles west of downtown Nashville, have been good for the course.

In 2009, the property converted its greens from bentgrass to the warm-season Champion UltraDwarf Bermudagrass, which provides a denser putting surface, more consistent ball roll, and better surface uniformity. Five other Tennessee Golf Trail courses also have Champion Bermuda greens.

“The quality of the greens surface has improved dramatically,” Kuhns says. “They’re at their best during our peak golfing season, from March to October.”

However, Golf Course Manager Darrel Hartsfield adds, “We wanted to increase the amount of time that the greens are in good shape. We can play on these greens 12 months out of the year.”

The conditions of the greens are vital to golf course operations at Montgomery Bell or any other course, notes Nixon.

“If your greens are good, then people will come play,” he says. “If you have good putting surfaces, you will have customers.”

Providing top-notch greens is the best way for properties with limited budgets to create optimum course conditions, he explains, and maintenance departments can build on greens

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GOLF SCORECARD

Montgomery Bell Golf Course Location: Burns, Tenn.

Website: www.tnstateparks.com Golf Holes: 18 Course Designer: Original architect unknown; redesigned by Gary Roger Baird, 1988 Property Type: Resort No. of Members: Various annual passes available Year Opened: 1973

Jeff Kuhns brings special insights to his duties as Montgomery Bell GC’s Golf Course Superintendents, having played two years of college golf and caddied for the PGA Tour Q-School and for Sue Cohn in the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur.

Golf Season: Year-round Annual Rounds of Golf: 24,000-plus Fairways: 419 Bermudagrass Greens: UltraDwarf Champion Bermudagrass Honors and Awards: Montgomery Bell GC is certified as an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program and Groundwater Guardian Green Site and has been recognized

by Golf Digest as one of the “Top 100 Public Courses to Play.” Tennessee State Parks won a 2018 Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Award for converting its nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses, including Montgomery Bell, to all-electric golf car fleets.

The Montgomery Bell staff has created no-mow native areas in lower-traffic areas such as around tees, contributing to the removal of 150 acres of maintained turf for the nine Tennessee Trail courses.

conditions to improve their tees, fairways, and bunkers.

In another effort to upgrade conditions at Montgomery Bell, the property underwent a major bunker renovation project in 2016, which emphasized strategic placement of the bunkers to increase pace of play. Kuhns, who has been at Montgomery Bell for 11 years, says the golf course has reduced the number of bunkers from 41 to 23 during his tenure.

“It really has sped up play quite a bit and improved everybody’s experience,” he states. “We want people to have fun and enjoy being outside in a state park, whether they shoot 120 or 70.”

For the project, Kuhns and Nixon discussed which bunkers to take out to improve maintenance and playability.

“For the general public, there were two or three bunkers that a decent player would never hit. But a less-skilled person would,” says Nixon. “They were 40- to 60-yard bunker shots—the hardest shot in golf.”

Montgomery Bell removed some of those bunkers, as well as some that were difficult to drain. While some were converted to grass, others were eliminated completely. The property also added new sand and new drainage systems to the bunkers that remained.

“Bunkers are supposed to be hazards, but they were really inconsistent. They’re more reliable now,” notes Kuhns.

With gravel in the bottom and sprayed polymer (similar to Better Billy Bunkers), the new bunkers have done more than just help golfers. They have also benefited the staff by reducing maintenance time and saving labor costs.

“The grounds crew was spending 18 percent of its time raking, draining, or putting more sand in the bunkers. That was wasted time and man hours,” says Nixon. “Now they spend about two percent of their time maintaining the bunkers.”

And when the bunkers are in good shape, everyone is happy.

“We’ve seen first-hand how much better the experience can be when we have really good greens and bunkers, and how they affect customers,” Kuhns says.

Longer Life Montgomery Bell has also built seven new tees and added 300 yards in length. The new tees, which were constructed

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Mike Nixon (in blue shirt, playing in photo at left with Tennessee State Parks Marketing Director Kevin Easton) has used his experience from 15 years of playing professional golf, plus a background in golf course architecture, to help put the Tennessee Golf Trail back on the map in his role as the State Parks Director of Golf Operations.

“The Trail had a name, but no one was pushing hard to integrate all nine golf courses,” he says.

from organic matter that was given to the park and arranged

by Park Manager Pat Wright, will open in a couple of months.

“We changed two tees a little; we changed two tees a lot; and we changed three tees drastically,” notes Nixon.

At 6,614 yards, Montgomery Bell is still not a long golf course. However, Nixon says the holes play longer than they are. “Golf balls have changed the game, and that’s a travesty,” he says. “It costs so much money trying to deal with that one aspect of golf.”

A lot of high school and middle school golf teams play at Montgomery Bell, reports Kuhns, and he hopes the new tees will attract youngsters to the course. “We want to grow the game and improve the experience for junior golfers,” he says.

The Montgomery Bell staff has also created low-maintenance, no-mow native areas in lower-traffic places, such as around the tees and next to the woods in the last 10 years.

The native areas include wildflowers, black-eyed Susans, broomsedge, and tall fescue, Kuhns reports.

In the last five or six years on all nine courses of the Tennessee Golf Trail, Nixon has overseen the removal of 150 acres of maintained turf. The properties have replaced the manicured turf with native grasses and trees or let it grow back to its natural state. Some of the golf courses have larger native areas than others because of their size. On the rolling terrain of Montgomery Bell, about 10 acres of turf have been converted to native areas. Because the fairways are lined heavily with hardwood trees, Nixon says, the property does not have a lot of room for native areas.

However, he adds, “We do something all the time. We’re always tweaking.”

Worldwide Appeal All of the Montgomery Bell course renovations were prompted by a desire “to take better care of the customers,” says Hartsfield, noting that it is one of five park-system golf courses that offers stay-and-play packages.

“Golf is part of the state-park experience,” he says. “Being a resort park, we get a lot of visitors from all over the world.”

The resort park also includes an inn, cabins, campsites, a conference center, hiking trails, biking, boating, fishing, festivals, and guided tours. The Inn at Montgomery Bell is undergoing renovations this year, and it will remain open throughout the project.

Montgomery Bell attracts many golfers who are traveling to Florida from Northern or Midwestern states, and Nixon expects the updated accommodations to increase golf packages in the park in the next several years.

He calls golf a major amenity for the state park system.

“Golf puts 12 to 18 percent of heads in the beds,” notes Nixon. “It’s a two-way street, and golf supports other activities in all of our resort parks. All of our activities support each other.”

For instance, Montgomery Bell often calls on its food-andbeverage operation to cater golf events.

Nixon conducted a study four or five years ago to measure the influence of golf on park operations. “I update it all the time, but the percentages don’t change that much,” he says.

Minimalist Approach Part of Nixon’s mission is to establish standard operating procedures for each golf course on the trail, and the changes to Montgomery Bell have gone beyond enhancing playability for golfers. Many of the actions and maintenance practices the staff has taken are environmentally friendly as well. All nine golf courses have earned Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program certification, and all of them are Groundwater Guardian Green Sites.

“We’re cognizant of saving water, fuel, chemicals, and not cutting every blade of grass,” says Nixon. “We try to use as little as possible.”

As part of the environmental programs, Montgomery Bell has enhanced the natural landscape and wildlife habitat while minimizing potentially harmful effects of golf course maintenance. Montgomery Bell provides habitat for deer, geese, turkeys, and other wildlife, and the staff has set up bird and bat boxes on the golf course.

“Parks provide natural green space. They can be environmentally beneficial,” Hartsfield says.

The Groundwater Guardian Green Site program encourages green spaces to implement, measure, and document groundwater-friendly practices related to chemical and water

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SUPERINTENDENT PROFILE use, pollution prevention, water quality, and environmental stewardship. The application evaluates a site’s groundwaterfriendly inputs, such as pounds of fertilizer saved annually by using lower-input plants, and gallons of water saved yearly by using low-water and low-maintenance plants.

“We don’t use much water. Rarely do we water anything other than the putting surfaces,” says Kuhns. “The types of grasses we have don’t need a lot of water.”

Natural buffers and buffer zones contribute to the quality of the groundwater, adds Hartsfield.

Sustainability extends to the equipment used on the golf courses as well. Since 2017, the nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses have been using all-electric mowers for their greens.

Montgomery Bell converted from gasoline-powered to allelectric greens mowers in 2014.

“The use of all-electric greens mowers reduces fuel consumption,” notes Kuhns.

In addition, with no hydraulic or other fluids, the mowers lessen the possibility of harm to the greens or groundwater that could result from leaks. As an added benefit, the virtually silent operation of the electric equipment minimizes noise that could disturb golfers and wildlife.

Along with their electric greens mowers, all nine courses have electric golf cars as well. “When we changed from gasoline to electric carts, we saved 2,500 to 3,000 gallons of gasoline every year,” Nixon reports.

For completing the transition of all 650 golf cars at its nine courses from gas to electric models, Tennessee State Parks won

Jeff Kuhns

Years at Montgomery Bell GC: 11 Years in the Golf Course Maintenance: 18 Previous Employment: Assistant Superintendent, The Bear Trace at Chicasaw, Henderson, Tenn.

Certifications: GCSAA Class A Superintendent Honors and Awards: Member of Tennessee Turfgrass Association Board of Directors.

a Tennessee Sustainable Transportation Award from the state’s Department of Environment and Conservation, in partnership with the state Department of Transportation, in September 2018. The change is expected to result in an estimated savings of $80,000 per year and to prevent the release of about 350,000 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions annually.

Except for their largest units, adds Nixon, the golf courses have all-electric equipment.

“We’re just doing things that help us. We live on this plan-

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COURSE & GROUNDS PROFILE

Montgomery Bell Golf Course Staff: 10 fulltime and part-time employees Other Staff Members: Marcus Kelly, mechanic; Agronomy staff members: Joe Pernell, Mike Carter, George Harvell, Brad Story, Mike Massey, Jerry Durdin Irrigation System: Mostly Rain Bird; about 400 heads Water Source and Usage: Lake Creech Hollow; low water usage, primarily on greens Equipment: Owns equipment, which includes Jacobsen electric greens mowers, Toro fairway mowers Technology: LED lights in buildings; electric mowers Aerating and Overseeding Schedules: Aerifies once a year in June; no overseeding Reliance on primarily electric equipment has helped to create a more hospitable environment for wildlife on the Montgomery Bell property.

Duties and Responsibilities: Oversee all maintenance and agronomy operations on the golf course, including upkeep of greens, fairways, tees, bunkers, rough, native areas, irrigation, and range, including range ball pickup

et, and we’re trying to find better ways to do things,” he says.

“We need to take care of what we’ve got. It’s all we’ve got.”

Because the Tennessee Golf Trail courses are owned by the state and run by its Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), the golf course personnel feel an added responsibility to be eco-friendly. “We learn things about being environmentally friendly while we’re doing our jobs. We owe it to TDEC,” says Nixon.

Kuhns agrees. “It’s everybody’s land,” he adds.

Sharing Ideas With a shared appreciation for the property, golf course personnel at Montgomery Bell work together to enhance playing conditions.

“It has all been a team effort to make improvements,” says Hartsfield.

Kuhns says he and Hartsfield speak daily. They work together closely, he says, on course setup for tournaments such as the Dogwood Classic, which is normally the opening event in the Tennessee tournament season, and other sub-regional and district tournaments at Montgomery Bell.

However, Kuhns says he might talk to Nixon twice a week, or go two or three weeks without communicating with him.

Nixon plays Montgomery Bell, which is the closest trail course to his office, a few times each year. He also visits the property to walk the golf course with Kuhns, and they make suggestions and bounce ideas off of each other.

“We’re always thinking about what’s best for the average golfer,” says Nixon. “That’s our player.”

Nixon says Kuhns is a good golfer, and he often defers to

his judgment. “You can be a good agronomist,” he explains, “but if you can’t play, you can struggle with the appearance of the golf course from each tee.” In addition, he says, “Jeff has a green thumb. He has the touch to grow grass. I trust him a lot.”

Hartsfield, he notes, is also a former greens superintendent who knows how to run equipment.

Even the park rangers get involved, notes Kuhns, by conducting monthly nature tours on the Montgomery Bell golf course to point out its wildlife and native habitat to visitors.

The communication and teamwork reach beyond Montgomery Bell, however, as the personnel at all nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses collaborate to share equipment and ideas.

Nixon appointed Paul Carter, CGCS, of The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., and the 2011 TurfNet Superintendent of the Year, as the Director of Agronomy for the Trail golf courses.

Nixon and Carter devised a new plan to aerify the Bermuda greens only once a year, instead of twice annually, at six of the golf courses, including Montgomery Bell. Because the properties aerify at different times, they share aerification equipment. Each golf course sets its own aerification schedule, which is posted online to keep golfers in the loop about maintenance practices that could affect their rounds.

In December, Nixon also holds his annual meeting with the golf managers and superintendents at all nine Tennessee Golf Trail courses.

“Golf course superintendents and managers need to communicate a lot more than most people think,” says Nixon.

“We all stay in contact. We discuss weather issues and

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Nixon has been hands-on with renovation projects designed to enhance playability and the overall experience for those who play the Tennessee Trail courses, while also enhancing maintenance efficiencies and sustainability. “We’re learning things about being environmentally friendly while we do our jobs,” he says.

“We need to take care of what we’ve got.”

share equipment such as aerifiers and mowers as needed,” says Kuhns. “We see how other golf course superintendents and pros operate. We get ideas from each other about the quality and quantity of play. We all deal with some of the same problems, like cart traffic and typical tournament issues.”

However, each individual enhances golf course operations with his own experience as well.

Nixon draws on his days as a former PGA Tour player to guide him in his current position. “I’ve seen so many different golf courses in my life. I know people in the business and how they operate,” he says. “As a player you see a lot of courses. You see things you like and things you’re not as fond of. You find out what appeals to you personally in golf courses and their layouts and how they’re maintained.”

Kuhns, who has been working on golf courses since he was 15 years old and became an assistant superintendent at age 20, played two years of college golf – one at Faulkner Univer-

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sity and one at Alabama State University. He also caddied at PGA Tour Q-School in 2003 and for Sue Cohn at the 2015 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur. He believes his background as a competitive golfer and as a caddie helps him create a better customer experience.

“We want everybody to play golf. We have a lot of people from local, high-end clubs play here,” he says. “This is a revenue-based business, and we try to accommodate every type of golfer.”

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GOLF & RECREATION

Making

PHOTO COURTESY NORTH RIDGE CC

Child’s Play Pay Youth camps, for both sports and a variety of other activities, are proving to be an especially attractive way to please younger members— and their “paying customer” parents.

By Rob Thomas, Associate Editor

With competition for members’ time and attention at an all-time high, clubs are creatively marketing to every member of the family. For the youngest members, youth camps are proving to be an excellent way to keep participation numbers up during all seasons.

Elliott Freeman, Youth Activities Director at North Ridge Country Club in Raleigh, N.C., says his club offers four types of camps—day, spring, summer and winter—featuring a variety of activities. North Ridge also provides expanded youth golf and tennis clinics throughout the year.

At North Ridge, summer programming features a pair of camps that cater to different age groups—Camp Bluebird (ages 4 to 5) and Junior Sports Camp (ages 6 to 12)—and are offered for seven to eight weeks each year. Both camps run Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

“Combined, we average 80 to 100 campers during each week,” Freeman says. “Both camps offer a variety of sports, with a few indoor activities added to help escape the summer heat.

Activities such as science experiments and cooking classes are always popular with our kids.”

In the Junior Sports Camp, kids participate in golf, tennis, soccer, karate, swimming and other active games.

North Ridge’s programming continues to grow each year, Freeman says.

Since 2017, the club has seen a 67 percent increase in registration.

“At Camp Bluebird, our younger campers work on developing their cognitive skills with golf and tennis programs like SNAG golf and badminton,” he notes. “We also feature arts and crafts and themed days, like our always-popular superhero day.”

While summer camps may receive the lion’s share of attention, North Ridge keeps its youngest members active and entertained throughout the year.

“Our other camps are not as focused on sports,” Freeman says. “Winter camps are weather-dependent and typically feature indoor fitness activities, science experiments, cooking, crafts and more.

“Our spring camp is a blend of winter and summer camps as the weather permits,” he adds. “Our Day and Track Out camps follow a similar format to

SUMMING IT UP

• Partnering with outside companies that have developed expertise in club-specific youth camps can help add efficiency and proven programming to what’s offered.

• Educational components of youth camps have taken on greater importance,

to help address parents’ concerns that their children may fall behind by attending a camp vs. tutoring or other options.

• Strive to achieve a balance between activities that keep kids away from computer and phone screens and those that engage them digitally in a healthy fashion.

• Creating dedicated youth space and facilities helps to organize and maintain programs on a year-round basis and gives younger members something to see as their own.

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our winter camps, with sports being offered if weather permits.”

Profitable Partnerships Many clubs have found success partnering with outside agencies to help arrange and operate their youth camps. In this way, they can tap into the expertise of companies that have made it their business to develop and operate all-around camp programs that are tailored to the club business, and have developed a good feel for what works—and what doesn’t—in a club environment (see box, pg. 54).

Specific services that these companies can provide include: creating and maintaining customized camp web pages and other social-media communications; handling registration and marketing; providing staffing and staff training; developing fresh programming; making sure camp activities will be properly insured, and much more. In some arrangements, revenue generated by camps is shared between the club and the outside partner; in other cases, the services are provided for a pre-set fee.

Jim Galletly, Director of Membership at Sky Meadow Country Club in Nash-

“I can see successful youth camps evolving into afterschool programs.

[Our membership includes many families with] two working parents who are always looking for afterschool opportunities for their kids.”

—Elliott Freeman, Youth Activities Director, North Ridge CC

ua, N.H., says his club’s camp has had success utilizing the service and expertise provided by an outside partner.

“Our camp offering provides golf, tennis, swimming as well as traditional children’s outdoor games, martial arts, fun with food, arts and crafts, and a community-service component,” Galletly says. As an example of the community-service aspect, Sky Meadow’s staff and campers set up a lemonade stand near the club’s first tee to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a national pediatric-cancer charity (see photo, pg. 54).

Sky Meadow’s all-day camps are offered in weekly sessions. The club also

offers golf-specific camps for all age groups that focus on learning golf skills and etiquette of the game, with a goal of preparing kids to play unaccompanied on the course.

“We also have a three-sport camp— golf, tennis, and swimming—that offers instruction in all three sports on each day of the camp on a rotating basis, separated by age groups,” Galletly says. “This camp runs several days during a week, and is offered in multiple sessions.” The camp is staffed by Sky Meadow golf and tennis pros, as well as certified lifeguards.

“We have enjoyed success in all three of the camps,” Galletly says. “Our high-

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Camping Tips Dan Schmitz, owner of KE Camps, which operates children’s camps for country clubs across the United States, offers these “Dos and Don’ts” for properties looking to create and host successful youth programs throughout the year: DO: Offer an ‘all-around’ camp at your club.

DON’T: Offer a ‘sports camp.’ Why cannibalize your current Junior programs? KE Camps’ research has shown that on average, more than 70 percent of members’ children are not involved in the current Junior Programs the club offers, based on age and/ or interest. An all-around summer camp can help to capture the ‘rest’ of the kids by offering something unique, yet traditional at the same time.

DO: Offer camp registration to guests of members. One of the best ways to gain membership is through your current members, especially current members with kids. Invite guests to stay after camp for dinner at the pool and a bottle of wine on Friday.

DON’T: Tell a member that camp is sold-out if you’re allowing guests. Whatever you decide is your maximum weekly amount of campers, always undersell by five spots to ensure you have spots for last-minute members. We all know how last-minute some members can be.

DO: Hire camp staff with experience working with kids. Hiring a staff for camp is not easy and should be taken very seriously. Background checks, sex-offender checks, CPR/First Aid certifications and professional references should all be mandatory prior to hiring.

DON’T: Make your full-time staff operate camps (an exception would be a full-time activities director). Why would you put your event manager,

est enrollment is the all-day camp managed for us by [an outside provider].”

Dan Schmitz, KE Camps

DO: Listen to the needs of the parents and campers. These can range from diet to behavior to “my camper can’t be in the sun after 3:30 on Wednesdays in July.” Whatever it is, needs should be heard, documented, acted upon and followed up on.

DON’T: Be afraid to find out from campers and parents how to make your program better. It’s often difficult to hear negative feedback, but it’s essential for constant improvement. While it’s easy to write off certain members as ones who “complain about everything,” participants should still be surveyed about their experience, and committees can also be created to help find out what people are looking for. While programs can’t be all things to all people, the effort to come as close as possible should still be made.

DO: Start advertising and planning in the fall and early winter. After the New Year, parents are looking into summer programs. Don’t miss out on the families who are ahead of the game. Be the first camp in your area to be ready with camp information.

DON’T: Wait until spring to begin spreading the word. Even though members tend to be “last minute” with many things, you never know who may be looking to register early. You always want the best opportunity to get as many campers as you can.

man has been taking notes on both sides of the ledger.

“Our increase in summer-camp registration highlights our biggest success so far,” he says. “However, I am proud that our programming continues to expand to accommodate the changing needs and schedules of our membership. We are always searching for ways

PHOTO COURTESY SKY MEADOW CC

Highs and Lows Ramping up youth camps is like any new operating area: it will bring its ups and downs, successes and struggles.

And as North Ridge CC’s youth-camp offerings have continued to grow, Free-

member relations director, F&B director, or golf pros in charge of running camp? They have their own jobs to do that have nothing to do with summer camps. While it’s nice to have a familiar face for parents to see at drop-off, a camp will suffer if its staff isn’t focused entirely on the kids and program.

A Sky Meadow CC youth camp included a community-service component to benefit Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a pediatric-cancer charity.

to grow and cater to our members.”

Still, he adds, “One of our biggest challenges has been developing a dedicated program for our teens. I think this is a key demographic that many clubs struggle with.

“Last year, we introduced teen-specific programming that includes events like paintball, laser tag, pool parties and campouts,” he reports. “Many of the events are offsite, allowing our teens to feel independent while having fun.”

Teaching Moments Including small educational components in summer camps, and doing so in an engaging fashion, is a trend that has been catching on with many clubs.

“Parents are more and more concerned about their child ‘falling behind’ in school, because they choose to send their child to camp while peers may be involved in tutoring or another summer school,” explains one expert in club camp offerings. “While unfortunate, it’s a reality, and [that’s led to] club camps including small amounts of

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“At present, we avoid any computer-based activities. We see that trend changing down the road.”

—Jim Galletly, Director of Membership, Sky Meadow CC

science, engineering, math, or creativewriting workshops.

“It’s important to do this in a fun manner, all while teaching campers about something that’s also become very important these days—the ability to socialize without the use of [computer or phone] screens,” he adds.

Freeman, who studied education and physical education while in college in Liverpool, England, and who has been at North Ridge for almost two years, says that youth activities, in general, are becoming increasingly important to any club when it comes to attracting and retaining members.

“I can see successful youth camps evolving into afterschool programs,” he says. “[Our membership includes many families with] two working parents who are always looking for afterschool opportunities for their kids. This is a component of our short-term planning, and we hope to offer a consistent solution soon.”

For Galletly, today’s avoidance is tomorrow’s probability. “At present, we avoid any computer-based activities,” he says. “We see that trend changing down the road.”

Another emerging trend is for clubs to create dedicated youth space and facilities within their clubhouses and

properties. This not only helps to make it easier to organize and maintain youth offerings on a year-round basis, it also legitimizes youth programming on an equal basis with other club offerings, and gives younger members something to see as their own.

At North Ridge, Freeman says, “We currently make use of whatever space may be open and is large enough to accommodate our campers. [But] the club recognizes the importance of youth programming to help attract and retain members, so a dedicated space is part of the long-term strategic planning.”

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TODAY’S MANAGER

Five Star Performers

McMahon Group, Inc., the St. Louis-based consulting firm, and Club & Resort Business have announced the 2018 recipients of the Excellence in Club Management (ECM) Awards, established in 1997 by the McMahon Group and co-sponsored since 2005 by C&RB. For the 2018 awards, the National Club Association has also become an ECM sponsor.

The annual awards are selected through nominations submitted on behalf of qualified candidates by other parties. Award recipients are selected solely on the basis of their achievements at the club they currently manage; “lifetime achievements” are not considered.

A Selection Committee comprised of a peer group of club managers conducts the judging for the ECM Awards; the McMahon Group, C&RB and the National Club Association are not involved in the selection of the winners.

The Selection Committee for the 2018 Awards was chaired

by Jeffrey Kreafle, CCM, General Manager/COO of Congressional Country Club, Bethesda, Md.. A full listing of judges, in addition to information on past winners and on how to nominate candidates for future years’ awards, can be found at the special website for the ECM Awards, www.clubmanageraward. com.

All of the winners were scheduled to be honored at the Excellence in Club Management Awards Dinner at the Nashville (Tenn.) City Club on February 25 (see box, pg. 59).

Individual award ceremonies will also be held at the winners’ respective clubs throughout 2019, and in-depth articles detailing the achievements that led to the selection of the winners will appear in issues of C&RB throughout the year.

WINNER Country/Golf Clubs with 600 or More Full-Privilege Members (The James H. Brewer Award)

Patrick King, CCM, CCE, ECM General Manager/Chief Operating Officer Army Navy Country Club Arlington, Va.

As detailed in the cover story of the March 2018 issue of Club & Resort Business (“Carrying Out Successful Missions at Army Navy CC), Patrick King was selected to be Army Navy CC’s new GM/COO in 2012, after an unexpected resignation of his predecssor for health reasons. Not surprisingly, because King is an accomplished marathoner, he hit the ground running to lead one of the largest country clubs in the U.S., with over 7,100 members, through a period of tremendous growth that included completion of over $115 million in capital projects and ascension to Platinum Club status. Army Navy CC’s tennis program also earned special recognition from the United States Tennis Association, through its Facility of the Year award.

“While Mr. King did not serve in the military, he exudes the outstanding leadership qualities of our predominantly active-duty and retired military members,” wrote Capt. John C. Tuck, USNR (ret.), the Chairman of Army Navy CC’s Board of Governors, in nominating King for Excellence in Club Management recognition. “His motto is ‘Good Enough Never Is’...and his work shows it. And his well-rounded background as a touring golf pro, combined with a degree in Hospitality, serves us well, as he directs an organization with so many moving parts and constituents.”

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WINNER Country/Golf Clubs with Fewer than 600 or More Full Privliege Members (The Mead Grady Award)

Christopher Wyles, CCM, CCE, ECM General Manager/Chief Operating Officer Bald Peak Colony Club Melvin Village, N.H.

Succeeding longtime General Managers at clubs with great traditions often brings special challenges. And when Chris Wyles came to the Bald Peak Colony Club in 2014, there was an added twist: He would be following a popular GM who also had the same first name.

“Our membership was convinced that [previous General Manager Chris Coulter] could never be replaced,” wrote Donald B. Taylor, President of Bald Peak’s Board of Governors, in nominating Wyles for Excellence in Club Management Recognition. “[But Wyles] jumped in with both feet. We just completed a member survey and [he] and his team had outstanding results, with 98% satisfaction. We love our new Chris!”

In addition to commending Wyles’s leadership in steering Bald Peak through several planned facility improvement projects, Taylor also cited his direction of an “amazing” response when a late-winter storm hit the seasonal club in March 2017, leading to the loss over of 10,000 trees and much additional damage on the campus. “The cleanup was epic [and] the management of the insurance claims was strategic and complicated,” said Taylor. “With all this, Chris and his team had the club up and going by opening day, without skipping a beat.”

WINNER

City, Athletic or Specialty (Non-Golf) Club (The Mel Rex Award)

John L. Warnack, CCM, CFBE, ECM Chief Operating Officer/ General Manager The Army and Navy Club on Farragut Square Washington, D.C.

The Army and Navy Club’s rich history extends to its founding in 1885. So it was high praise indeed when Major General David Wright, USA (Ret.), the club’s President, wrote that John Warnack “brought a new level of professionalism and pride” to the club a f t e r arriving to be its new COO/GM in 2016.

While the club was reeling from a series of sudden management and leadership departures, Wright wrote in nominating Warnack for Excellence in Club Management recognition, Warnack jumped right in to “better the club in all aspects and earn the gratitude and respect of the membership and staff alike.”

“While his focus is on innovation and improvements, [Warnack] has always been respectful and supportive of our club’s long-standing customs and traditions,” Wright added. “He has guided [The Army and Navy Club] through austere budget reviews, creatively managing and transforming limited renovation funds into major facility enhancements that have dramatically increased our financial performance and long-term club sustainability. His swift, decisive and creative solutions to issues large and small have been key to moving the club in a positive direction.”

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FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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CO-WINNER 2018 Rising Star Award Mark Jablonski, CFBE, CSW, ECM Assistant General Manager Medinah Country Club Medinah, Ill.

It’s not easy to ascend as a “rising star” when you move to a large, well-established club with many long-term employees. But that’s the situation that was presented to Mark Jablonski after he came to Medinah CC in 2015.

“In season, Mark leads a team [in his position as Assistant General Manager] of over 250 associates from 15 departments,” wrote Robert Sereci, CCM, Medinah’s General Manager/COO, in nominating Jablonski for “Rising Star” recognition. “In addition, he also has the largest number of tenured employees, which for many new managers could be a great challenge.”

Immediately upon starting at Medinah, however, Jablonski “focused on developing relationships with members and staff,” Sereci said. Those efforts “ultimately earned him the respect and trust” that allowed Jablonski to work with Sereci and others on the club’s management team to bring about impressive changes at Medinah, as described in C&RB’s August 2017 cover feature (“Medinah CC’s Surprising New Moves”).

“Decreasing employee turnover [and] increasing revenues by double-digits are just a few examples” of how Jablonski has contributed to Medinah’s resurgence, Sereci said. “His continous improvement in member service has also yielded positive results.”

Club & Resort Business Salsbury Industries

Runs in: Aug, Dec, Apr

CO-WINNER 2018 Rising Star Award Kristen B. LaCount, CCM, ECM Assistant General Manager The Country Club Chestnut Hill, Mass.

• Single Tier • Double Tier • Triple Tier • Box Style • Extra Wide • Vented • Open Access • Modular • Solid Oak • Plastic • Storage • Benches • Cell Phone Lockers

In Kristen LaCount’s case, the “A” in “AGM” stands for “Acting” General Manager as much as “Assistant,” according to David Chag, CCM, General Manager of The Country Club. “Kristen more than qualifies as a ‘Rising Star,’” wrote Chag in nominating her for recognition in that category. “She has ‘risen’ in my eyes.

“We have focused her professional development on being an Acting General Manager,” Chag explained.

“Kristen is included in meetings I schedule, she attends the Executive Committee meetings, and regularly will attend Board meetings. She is on the U.S. Open 2022 Executive Committee and directly involved with the Chair.

“Kristen is an active participant in all community-outreach objectives,” Chag added. “She is active at all levels of leadership and governance, and is there for my weekly breakfast with the Club President.”

With two young children and a husband who owns and operates two successful restaurants in the Boston area, Chag also expressed special admiration for how LaCount exemplifies “a successful woman in this business who manages home life and club operations flawlessly.

“I could not have done as well as she is performing,” he said.

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A Celebration of Excellence In addition to presentations at their individual clubs that will be held throughout the coming year, the 2018 Excellence in Club Management winners, along with those from previous years, were scheduled to be recognized at an Awards Dinner to be held at the Nashville (Tenn.) City Club on Monday, February 25, in conjunction with the 2018 World Conference of the Club Management Association of America.

This year’s Awards Dinner will be sponsored by Denehy Club Thinking Partners, ForeTees LLC, C. Mondavi & Family, Preferred Club, and Yamaha Golf Car.

WE BUILD IT BETTER.

D O N N E L LY C O N S T R U C T I O N . C O M

FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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2019 CMAA Conference

Sounds of Success

By Rob Thomas, Associate Editor

AccuTemp

CMAA Booth #1218 AccuTemp Products is a supplier of ENERGY STAR®-qualified commercial kitchen equipment, from the Evolution™ steamer and Accu-Steam™ griddle to full lines of Edge™ Series steamjacketed kettles and tilt skillets. www.accutemp.net

Bambrella

CMAA Booth #1402 Bambrella Umbrellas are being used at more than 75 CMAA member clubs. The company manufactures premium shade products at a moderate price point. Made from either sustainable natural laminated bamboo or contract-grade aluminum, the durable umbrellas are wind-tested from 58 to 76 mph. The combination of marinegrade stainless steel with the rich look of the bamboo makes for a beautiful and strong umbrella, and the rust-free aluminum has a clean style and superior wind resistance. Every part is easily interchangeable, and Bambrella provides a 3-year warranty for contact use and direct wholesale pricing to CMAA members. www.bambrellausa.com

PHOTO COURTESY CMAA AND EPNAC

The Club Management Association of America (CMAA) will host its 92nd World Conference on Club Management and Club Business Expo in Nashville, Tenn., from February 24-28 at the Music City Center. The Conference features workshops, orientations and education sessions leading up to the Expo, which kicks off February 26 at 9:30 a.m.

Featured speakers will include Archie and Cooper Manning—a father-son duo whose examples of persistence, perseverance and leadership transcend the sports world; Colonel Nicole Malachowski, a 21-year veteran of the United States Air Force and an inductee into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame; Scott Hamilton, an Olympic ice-skating champion, television broadcaster, philanthropist, motivational speaker and author who’s considered one of the greatest male figure skaters of all time; and Sarah Robb O’Hagan, an executive, activist, entrepreneur and now the founder and CEO of Extreme Living — a company designed to help individuals, teams and organizations play to their highest potential.

Here is C&RB’s guide to must-visit exhibits on the CMAA show floor.

Bozeman Club & Corporate Interiors CMAA Booth #733 Bozeman Club & Corporate Interiors is a full-service interior design firm specializing in club and corporate interiors. www.bozemancc.design

Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens

CMAA Booth #1424 Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens manufactures highly engineered stainless-steel cabinets and tubular alloy mobile carts for country clubs, golf courses, resorts, branded residential complexes, casinos, hotels, restaurants and other hospitality venues. Popular as beverage carts, bars, cooking stations, prep areas, storage or entertainment hubs, these innovative units are designed for durability, beauty and functionality. Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens’ components are designed to fit the needs of your property, your people and your profits. www.brownjordanoutdoorkitchens.com

Bauer International, Inc.

CMAA Booth #1102 Bauer International manufactures and distributes store fixtures, lockers, and clubhouse furnishings handcrafted of mahogany, leather and brass. Design and space-planning services are available. www.bauerinternational.com

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Chambers

CMAA Booth #839 Founded in 1899, Chambers was established to provide Baltimore with painting services and decorative furnishings. Through the decades, Chambers expanded, adding hotels, cruise ships, residential and commercial spaces, and even the White House.

Today, the firm boasts more than 70 years of experience in the private club industry. Chambers combines extensive and diverse historical experiences with its knowledge of today’s trends to cultivate forward-thinking solutions. www.chambersusa.com

Club Benchmarking

DENEHY Club Thinking Partners

CMAA Booth #1415 DENEHY Club Thinking Partners is a fullservice executive search and management consulting firm serving the private club and boutique resort industries. Whether recruiting a senior-level employee, evaluating an aspect of club operations, advising the Board on governance, or strengthening your management team’s effectiveness, Denehy is a club’s thinking partner. www.denehyctp.com

Eustis Chair

CMAA Booth #1109 Club Benchmarking was developed in cooperation with club managers and controllers, Board and committee members, and audit firms specializing in clubs. Its core Financial & Operational Benchmarking Platform is an online management tool that allows clubs to assess their financial and operational performance in minutes. www.clubbenchmarking.com

CMAA Booth #612 Eustis Chair designs and manufactures the most durable and elegant stacking and non-stacking hardwood chairs and barstools available. Each chair is made to order in the U.S. factory, using the proprietary Eustis Joint for durability, and is highly customizable. Eustis’ line of stacking chairs comes with a 20-year warranty and can stack up to 10 chairs high, for easy maneuverability and storage. www.eustischair.com

Club Car

EZLinks

CMAA Booth #518 Club Car manufactures the finest golf, utility and transportation vehicles in the industry. Every detail of design, fabrication and assembly is executed with an uncompromised desire for superior performance. The manufacture of quality products is paramount to the employees of Club Car and has been the driving force behind the company for 60 years. The company’s relationship with its customers is equally important: its worldwide distribution network includes more than 600 distributor, dealer and factory branch locations. Based in Augusta, Ga., Club Car is part of worldwide Ingersoll Rand. www.clubcar.com

Creative Golf Marketing

CMAA Booth #842 Creative Golf Marketing is a boutique firm that provides customized membership marketing and consultation services for the private club industry. Since its inception in 1990, Creative Golf Marketing has successfully performed membership marketing services and consultations for more than 1,400 private clubs, including golf, country, tennis, yacht, ski and city clubs in the United States and Canada. www.creativegolfmarketing.com

D.W. Haber & Son

CMAA Booth #1129 D.W. Haber & Son started in 1902 as a silver repair company. With four generations of experience in repairing competitors’ hollowware, the company has mastered the art of manufacturing hollowware that remains in service, not in the repair shop. Reconditioning the silverware of other manufacturers has taught D.W. Haber & Son the weak points of hollowware. Haber hollowware is designed to withstand the rough abuse of burnishing machines and 5,000seat banquets, and is backed by a 100-year warranty on structural integrity and on all plating against peeling and blistering. www.habersilver.com

CMAA Booth #1108 EZLinks’ Private Club Management Suite includes a minimum of five terminals for retail or F&B functionality; Accounting A/P & GL (up to five users); Membership A/R, including ACH payments; Event Management; EZTEE to manage tee-time reservations; Credit Card and Barcode Interface, including purchase orders; and EZINTEL Cloud BI Reporting tool. www.ezlinksgolf.com

FiberBuilt Umbrellas & Cushions

CMAA Booth #846 FiberBuilt Umbrellas & Cushions designs, manufactures and markets high-quality umbrellas, umbrella bases, beach cabanas, pavilions and cushions for outdoor furniture used in both hospitality and residential environments. FiberBuilt’s fiberglass-support rib construction ensures strength, resilience and durability. The company offers a full line of wind-resistant umbrellas that hold up to the harshest weather conditions—intense sunlight, high winds, salt air and driving rain—and will not decay or lose their shape. The cushion division manufactures high-quality cushions and pillows that are durable, comfortable and fashionable, at competitive prices with prompt lead times. www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com

‘Fore’ Supply Company

CMAA Booth #109/742 ‘Fore’ Supply Co. distributes amenities and a complete line of locker-room supplies to country clubs and resorts. The company offers thousands of products, including Corian Amenity Holders and Enclosures, and the signature line, “CLUB CLASSIC,” used today by many discriminating clubs across the United States.

The “CLUB CLASSIC” line is salon-quality and formulated with many natural elements, including herbal extracts, essential oils, vitamins and minerals. ‘Fore’ Supply also features a complete line of brand-name products, first-aid supplies, shoe care needs, maintenance/janitorial items and disposable paper goods. www.foresupplyco.com FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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2019 CMAA Conference

ForeTees

CMAA Booth #640 ForeTees now offers a complete Cloud-based software solution for private clubs, including club management, websites, online reservations and apps. ForeTees products are powerful, user-friendly and supported by professionals with club experience. www.foretees.com

Gasser Chair Co. Inc.

CMAA Booth #618 Most chairs are designed to fill a space.

Gasser chairs are designed to elevate it.

For more than 70 years Gasser has been designing, building and perfecting the art of commercial seating, using only the highest-quality materials. Buying a Gasser chair means making an investment in style, innovation and durability that will be a better value over the long run. Artfully designed, beautifully executed and built to endure, Gasser chairs don’t merely perform, they dazzle. www.gasserchair.com

Global Allies LLC

CMAA Booth #1302 Global Allies is a leading supplier of durable and stylish Task Chairs and Stacking Chairs for high-end hotels, resorts and country clubs around the world. All Task Chairs feature a full seven-year warranty, and Stacking Chairs feature a full 10-year warranty. www.globalallies.com

GSI Executive Search

CMAA Booth #511 GSI Executive Search’s recruitment team specializes in placements for the private club and hospitality industries. GSI industry veterans have close to a century of combined executive search, club management and association experience, and understand club, hospitality and resort operations inside and out, having managed many themselves. www.gsiexecutivesearch.com

Hollman

CMAA Booth #1026 Hollman is a leading provider of custom wood veneer, plastic laminate lockers, racquetball and squash courts. In business since 1976 and AWI-certified, Hollman is the only locker company to offer 100% formaldehyde-free, UV finish standard with all veneer products, as well as the only company fabricating fivepiece all-veneer doors. Hollman holds the patent on the process and builds its court panels and glass systems to a quality standard developed over decades of experience. Hollman courts are approved by the American Amateur Racquetball Association and the World Squash Federation. www.hollman.com

IZON Network

CMAA Booth #1950 IZON Golf is an innovator in creating the ultimate digital content, GPS platforms and total course technology for golf. With a rich feature set for the golfer that includes IZON side games, tournaments and a proprietary companion app, courses are finding an entirely new way to provide additional value to their customers.

At the same time, IZON provides the golf course operator with an entire fleet management, agronomic and operational suite of services. In addition, IZON has created one of the most unique premium outdoor advertising networks with its proprietary ad server, IZON REACH. The IZON Battery System, which debuted at this year’s PGA Show, offers the first-ever “cut the power cord” reliance to cart power supplies. www.IZONNetwork.com

John Deere

CMAA Booth #724 For more than 175 years, John Deere has been dedicated to those who work the land.

Customer needs were a key driver behind the development of four new reel mowers from John Deere—the 2700 and 2750 PrecisionCut™ Triplex Mowers, and the 2700 and 2750 E-Cut™ Hybrid Triplex Mowers. Designed to provide premium cut quality regardless of operator, improved grass catcher accessibility, and reduced operating costs, the new mowers provide a lightweight, open platform machine that’s further enhanced by the proven TechControl™ system.

John Deere Golf will also unveil the two latest additions to the 6000A Series—the 6080A and 6500A E-Cut™ Hybrid Fairway Mowers. Leveraging technologies from the award-winning A Model family, the 6080A and 6500A E-Cut models feature highperformance electric reel drive, reducing potential hydraulic leak points to ensure productivity and performance. In addition to their economical price point, these mowers can be operated at lower engine speeds, reducing operating costs by decreasing fuel consumption.

Lastly, John Deere is revolutionizing spraying applications with the GPS PrecisionSprayer, available exclusively on the John Deere ProGator™ line. The GPS PrecisionSprayer offers superintendents and other turf professionals a proven, off-the-shelf integrated John Deere solution for precision spraying. Offering features such as AutoTrac™, sharable coverage maps and individual nozzle control, the easy-to-use GPS PrecisionSprayer increases application accuracy and consistency, decreases input costs, and reduces operator fatigue. www.JohnDeere.com/golf

Jonas Club Software

CMAA Booth #411/716 The Jonas Club Software’s 2019 Club Tech Hotlist reveals key trends coming to the club industry. Three of the trends that will shape 2019 in the club industry are: • CRM (customer relationship management) - CRM is becoming a must have in every membership marketer’s toolbox.

• Staff Management Technology - Spend less time scheduling out staff by using the power of staff-management technology.

• Analytics Software - Spot trends in real-time, influence decisionmaking and improve the member experience. www.jonasclub.com

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KE Camps

CMAA Booth #646 KE Camps provides children’s summer camps for country clubs. KE Camps began as a small operation with just three club camps in Las Vegas. Almost two decades later, it now operates more than 100 camps across the country in 32 states. www.kecamps.com

Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace

CMAA Booth #1114 Kopplin, Kuebler & Wallace is a leading recruiting firm assisting clubs with their executive level positions for General Managers/COO’s, Golf Professionals, Golf Course Superintendents, Executive Chefs, Assistant General Managers and Clubhouse Managers for private, resort and developerowned properties and clubs. www.kkandw.com

Lichten Craig Architecture + Interiors

CMAA Booth #1229 Lichten Craig Architecture + Interiors was founded to provide individualized service to institutional clients, often with requirements that can be demanding and complex. Clients include institutions, urban clubs, and country clubs that typically own or occupy their buildings and are intent on undertaking complex projects. The firm works closely with its clients to define comprehensive programs for renovation, growth and development, and to prepare finite budgets and schedules to meet clients’ needs. www.lichtencraig.com

McMahon Group

CMAA Booth #923 McMahon Group is a full-service, private-club consulting firm dedicated to serving clubs in all aspects of their strategic planning, clubhouse, golf and membership needs. www.mcmahongroup.com

OW Lee

CMAA Booth #752 OW Lee has been designing and manufacturing casual furniture since 1947. Carbon steel, galvanized steel and 6061 aluminum are used for superior strength and rust/corrosion resistance. A full circumference weld is applied wherever metal components intersect, to guard against rust/corrosion. The company uses a five-step wash to create the optimum surface for the final finish. Hand-applied, zinc-rich primer is used to create a protective undercoat, then a top coating of durable polyurethane powder is oven-cured to ensure a long-lasting finish. www.owlee.com

Pacific Links International

CMAA Booth #1335 Pacific Links offers access to a collection of high-quality golf clubs across the world. The Pacific Links Network of clubs now stands at more than 650 properties located in 30 countries. Its golf network serves a membership base in Asia and the aggregated population of more than 100,000 members from participating clubs. www.pacificlinks.com

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PGA of America

CMAA Booth #1134 The PGA of America helps professionals land their dream job—from writing a resume, cover letter and submitting references, to preparing for, executing during and following up on the interview process. www.pga.org/jobs

PREFERRED CLUB Insurance Program

CMAA Booth #927 PREFERRED CLUB is an insurance and risk-management provider to golf and country clubs nationwide. With exclusive underwriting authority for Chubb, Allied World and Zurich, PREFERRED CLUB works through the clubs’ insurance broker to provide the right insurance for the club. www.preferredclub.com

Prestwick Golf Group

CMAA Booth #1036 Prestwick Golf Group helps golf industry fanatics make each round unforgettable. Each of Prestwick’s furnishings is built to order around a club’s needs, desired look and brand. Prestwick furnishings are on 85 of America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses as rated

by Golf Digest, on 46 PGA Tour Stops and in 60 countries. www.prestwickgolfgroup.com

Procraft Heritage Creations

CMAA Booth #904 Procraft has been designing and building golf and tennis shops across the world for more than 30 years. Procraft’s experience is the difference between designing a shop and transforming a space into a centerpiece that becomes the unified design of the entire clubhouse. If involved early in the design process, Procraft can review plans and make suggestions that often improve the golf shop operations, merchandising capabilities and overall performance of the pro shop to maximize sales. www.procraftgolf.com

Sarge Knives

CMAA Booth #1315 Sarge Knives provides a unique line of products geared toward the club industry. The Sarge gift line was designed with the same detailed quality and exceptional value that has made their knives so popular, and they know distinguished golf and yacht clubs are seeking distinguished gifts. Whether it’s for gift/pro shop items with club logos laser-engraved, event giveaways or Board member gifts, Sarge has you covered. www.sargeknives.com

Service Ideas, Inc.

CMAA Booth #1213 Since 1946, Service Ideas has been an innovative, worldwide provider in the service industry. Service Ideas provides solutions that are ideal for a wide range of food, beverage and hospitality markets—striving to maintain the flavor and integrity of food and beverages with products like the Flame-Free Thermo-Urn and Thermo-Plate, the original sizzling platter. Other products include large-capacity beverage dispensers, airpots, servers, teapots and French presses. www.serviceideas.com FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com C&RB 63

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2019 CMAA Conference

Sports Solutions, Inc.

CMAA Booth #1001 Along with the liquid lines of supermoisturizing Aloe Vera hair and skin-care products came the first and only patented interlocking dispensing system in the industry. By converting cans and bottles, which were left scattered all over the club’s vanities and showers, to a new wall-mounted dispensing system, Sports Solutions set the standard for quality personalcare liquids presented in handsome interlocking dispensers, with each club’s unique logo and colors to match their club’s décor. www.sportssolutionsinc.com

Technogym

CMAA Booth #1052/#310 Founded in 1983, Technogym provides a complete range of cardio, strength and functional equipment alongside a digital Cloud-based platform, allowing consumers to connect with their personal wellness experience anywhere, both on the equipment and via mobile apps. With 13 branches globally, Technogym is present in more than 100 countries. More than 65,000 wellness centers and 200,000 private homes in the world are equipped with Technogym. Technogym was the official supplier for the last six editions of the Olympic Games. www.technogym.com

Textron Golf

CMAA Booth #912 The new Cushman SprayTek XP offers the widest range of turf spray booms for increased productivity and superior precision.

An advanced low-profile tank, designed with high-pressure agitation, ensures a properly mixed product. A wide array of optional controls allows the SprayTek XP to easily fit any application and features automatic rate control, which adjusts flow for consistent coverage in varying speeds. Upgrades include a sophisticated GPS mapping system and individual nozzle control that reduces chemical consumption and increase accuracy.

The Hauler®, Refresher® and Shuttle™ vehicles now feature closed-loop electronic fuel injection (EFI) technology. EFI uses an oxygen sensor to read exhaust levels, which then allows sensors in the engine to adjust the fuel-to-air ratio, delivering better performance.

Cushman’s new Hauler 800 ELiTE™ is the industry’s first lithium-powered utility vehicle for clubs and courses. Activated

by Samsung SDI lithium technology, the Hauler 800 ELiTE offers a zero-maintenance battery with a five-year unlimited amp-hour battery warranty and increased energy efficiency.

The new Hauler 4x4 has four-wheel drive capabilities, a 2,000lb. towing capacity, 1,500-lb. payload, 1,000-lb. cargo box and 3- or 6-passenger models, making it the go-to option to handle the most demanding tasks. www.cushman.txtsv.com

The Toro Company

CMAA Booth #628 The Toro Company is a worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment, including turf maintenance, snow and ice management, landscape, rental and specialty construction equipment, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. With sales of $2.5 billion in fiscal 2017, Toro’s global presence extends to more than 125 countries. Through constant innovation and caring relationships built on trust and integrity, Toro and its family of brands have built a legacy of excellence by helping customers care for golf courses, sports fields, public green spaces, commercial and residential properties, and agricultural operations. www.toro.com

Tri-C Club Supply-Duffy’s

CMAA Booth #941 Eliminate the hassle and stress of keeping members happy. One invoice, one supplier for all locker-room amenities, shoeshine supplies, spa and housekeeping products. Family-owned and operated since 1978, the products are delivered to your door, fast. www.DuffysTriC.com

Tropitone Furniture

CMAA Booth #1202 Tropitone Furniture Company offers a large portfolio of residential outdoor furniture and accessories specifically designed for any poolside, garden, patio, deck, balcony, fireside or sunroom. www.tropitone.com

VGM Club

CMAA Booth #732 The VGM Club program offers clubs 150 ways to save time and money.

More than 3,000 clubs nationwide leverage VGM Club’s strategic relationships with well-known, national companies and gain tremendous buying power. VGM Club gives general managers and clubhouse managers, chefs, superintendents, pro shop merchandisers, and purchasing directors the freedom to pick and choose which offerings work best for their needs. This year marks the 20th anniversary of VGM Club servicing the club industry. www.vgmclub.com

Yamaha Golf-Car Company

CMAA Booth #1002 The Yamaha Golf-Car Company has manufactured the most highly engineered, highest-quality golf cars, utility, and specialty vehicles in the industry in Newnan, Ga. since 1988. Yamaha was the first to develop Electronic Fuel Injection technology in a golf car, producing the best gas mileage and smallest carbon footprint; the first golf car with fully independent four-wheel suspension, producing the smoothest ride in the game, and the first gas-powered car that is almost as quiet as an electric. www.yamahagolfcar.com

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ADVERTISER INDEX Advertiser Page # 2Skills 13 815-742-6315 / www.2skills.net Bambrella 30 561-288-8655 / www.BambrellaUSA.com Chambers 33 410-727-4535 / www.chambersusa.com Club Car 11 www.clubcar.com Club Corp 47 www.clublifemanagement.com Club Design Associates 43 866-484-9853 / www.clubdesignassociates.com Country Casual 31 800-289-8325 / www.CountryCasualTeak.com Cres Cor 34-35 877-CRESCOR (273-7267) / www.crescor.com Donnelly 59 www.donnellyconstruction.com Engineered Plastics 38 800-711-1740 / www.gloice.com Eustis 16 978-827-3103 / www.eustischair.com E-Z GO / Cushman 2 www.ezgo.com or www.cushman.com Fiberbuilt Umbrellas & Cushions 28 866-667-8668 / www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com ‘Fore’ Supply 15 800-543-5430 / www.foresupply.com Fore Tees 45 www.foretees.com Gasser 14 800-323-2234 / www.gasserchair.com Global Allies Inside Back Cover 415-453-6041 / www.globalallies.com Infrared Dynamics 42 888-317-5255 / www.infradyne.com Innovative Club Management 5 724-780-5160 / www.innovativeclubs.com IZON Golf 9 www.IZONGolf.com John Celli Custom Furniture 12 212-213-6999 / www.johncelli.com KE Camps 55 www.kecamps.com McMahon Group 57 314-744-5040 / www.mcmahongroup.com MTS Seating 41 734-847-3875 / www.mtsseating.com O.W. Lee 29 800-776-9533 / www.owlee.com Peacock & Lewis 23 561-626-9704 / www.peacockandlewis.com

Advertiser Page # PHX Architecture 43 888-217-1117 / www.phxarch.com Pierce 37 www.poultry.com Preferred Club 17 800-523-2788 ext. 300 / www.preferredclub.com Renosys 53 800-783-7005 / www.renosys.com/clubs Salsbury 58 800-562-5377 / www.lockers.com Southern Aluminum 49 888-387-5769 / www.sa-tables.com Studio JBD/Jefferson Group Architecture 27 401-721-0977 / www.jbdandjga.com Texacraft 26 800-327-1541 / www.texacraft.com Toro Commercial Back Cover 800-803-8676 / www.toro.com/GR1000Series Tri-C Club Supply - Duffy’s 21 800-274-8742 / www.duffystric.com Tropitone 25 800-654-7000 / www.tropitone.com Verdin 51 800-543-0488 / www.verdin.com VGM 39 800-363-5480 / www.vgmclub.com Yamaha 7 866-747-4027 / www.YamahaGolfCar.com

CLUB & RESORT INDEX Properties featured in this issue

Club/Resort

The Army and Navy Club on Farragut Square, Washington, D.C. ..............................................................57 Army Navy Country Club, Arlington, Va. ......................56 Bald Peak Colony Club, Melvin Village, N.H. ...................57 Burlingame Country Club, Sapphire, N.C. ........................32 Chateau Elan Golf Club, Braselton, Ga. ............................24 Chattahoochee Country Club, Gainesville, Ga. ..............24 The Country Club, Chestnut Hill, Mass. .............................58 The Forest Country Club, Fort Myers, Fla. .......................24 Hillcrest Golf and Country Club, Lubbock, Texas ............40 Indian Creek Yacht & Country Club, Kilmarnock, Va. ......24 Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Ill. .............................58 Montgomery Bell Golf Course, Burns, Tenn. .................44 North Ridge Country Club, Raleigh, N.C. .........................52 The Reserve Club, Indian Wells, Calif. ..............................18 Sky Meadow Country Club, Nashua, N.H. .......................52 St. Clair Country Club, Upper St. Clair, Pa. ..........................36 FEBRUARY 2019 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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Addison Reserve Country Club, Delray Beach, Fla ..........36

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IDEA EXCHANGE

More details on these Ideas, and others, available online at www.clubandresortbusiness.com/category/idea-exchange

Memorable Fish Stories

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

fishing rods and bait. Fly fishing is not allowed, because of the number of participants and the space required to cast.

“The biggest thing is safety,” Jarvis says.

“We don’t want the kids to hook each other with a back cast.”

No fishing license is required, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Jarvis, Ashe, and other golf course personnel and members are there to help as well. The young anglers are also encouraged to keep their catches, because the pond is not large enough to sustain trout throughout the season.

“When people set foot on our property, we want everybody to have fun,” says Jarvis. “Most of them don’t catch a fish, and some only stay for a half-hour or so. But for all of them, when they leave, I want them to think of Bangor Municipal Golf Course as a place where they had a great day. Second, I want

PHOTOS COURTESY BANGOR MUNICIPAL GC

When lifelong friends get together, they have countless memories to share. When Bangor, Maine natives Rob Jarvis and Wes Ashe get together, they help create memories for others.

In 2015, Jarvis, the Head PGA Professional at Bangor (Maine) Municipal Golf Course, and Ashe, a fisheries biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, launched Kids Fishing Day at Bangor Municipal. The two men had grown up fishing with each other and with their fathers, and they created the free event as a way for families to spend quality time together at the golf course.

“My father passed away in 2016, and the memories I made fishing with him are really the fondest I have,” says Jarvis.

“Everybody doesn’t have the opportunity to get out and fish with their dad or their grandfather.”

Kids Fishing Day is held each year at Bangor Municipal GC on the last Sunday of October or the first Sunday of November, depending on the weather, and typically draws 75 to 100 kids, ranging in age from 4 to 17. The golf course closes the front nine for about three hours so children can fish for brook trout in the pond on the second hole.

A week before the outing, the pond is stocked with 175 brook trout from Enfield State Fish Hatchery.

“There are so many kids that are casting a line for the first time. It’s great to see their excitement,” says Jarvis, who has worked at Bangor Municipal since he was 17 years old.

The children have to supply their own

The annual Kids Fishing Day at Bangor Municipal GC draws 75 to 100 participating youngsters, ranging in age from 4 to 17.

them to catch dinner.”

For the initial event four years ago, Bangor Municipal spread the news through social media, local media outlets, and word of mouth. Now, Jarvis says, “The community looks for it. We have some people come up from southern Maine a couple of hours away.

It’s become a calendar event for a lot of families.”

He is convinced that the event attracts others to the property as well. “We had three bald eagles patrolling for trout all fall,” he says. “I think they have it on their calendars, too. When they show up, it’s not a coincidence.”

Bangor Municipal is one of only four Audubon Cooperation Sanctuary Program-certified golf courses in the state, and Kids Fishing Day serves as one of the property’s community outreach efforts. Jarvis hopes the event encourages children to be outdoors instead of at home playing video games.

“The golf course is on a hill in the metro area, and there’s no good trout Rob Jarvis (left) and Wes Ashe organized the event as one of Bangor Municipal GC’s community outreach efforts.

fishing around Bangor,” he says.

“Maybe the kids will never have a chance to go to a real trout stream, but this gives them an experience in their own backyard.”

Outings like Kids Fishing Day create benefits for the property and expose Bangor Municipal to another market, Jarvis adds. Community members even approach him in the grocery store to thank him for putting on the event.

“People are paying attention more than you think,” he says. “The more you can connect with your members and players on other levels, the better off you are. When people choose a course to play, they’re certainly going to think a little longer about playing Bangor Municipal because of events like this.”

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