A Blueprint for the Future

With innovations and improvements on all levels and a brand new $15 million building on its way, the Urbana Country Club is recreating what it means to be a country club in the modern age. General Manager Scott Szymoniak recounts the process it took to get to this point and describes the many plans for the future of the Club.

In the past two years, the Urbana Country Club has seen a rebirth of sorts. In January of 2017, a search for a new General Manager culminated in the hiring of Scott Szymoniak, a PGA Professional who had branched out into club operations. After four years managing the Fort Collins Country Club in Fort Collins, Colorado and overseeing an $8 million tennis and fitness expansion, which grew membership by over 200, he was ready for the next opportunity.

“I remember standing in the ballroom of the Fort Collins Country Club looking out at the Rocky Mountains, having just returned from Champaign to meet with the selection committee,” Szymoniak said. “I noticed I had a missed call on my phone from a 217 number, and, lo and behold, it was Mr. Khan! Luckily when I called back, he answered, and we discussed the state of the Club and his goals and vision for the future. It was easy to align with his thoughts, and I could immediately sense this was a special opportunity that doesn’t come along very often.”

Scott Szymoniak (General Manager) and Shad Khan (Owner) discussing future plans for the Urbana Country Club.

CREATING A CULTURE

From that very first conversation, a culture was already beginning to form. Before Szymoniak even stepped foot onto the Urbana Country Club property, he was taking phrases and thoughts from Khan, formulating a plan to address the operational priorities as well as future growth.

“Mr. Khan has a way of making you feel comfortable, while at the same time, motivating you to get after it," Szymoniak said. "In a very humble way, he can give you a tremendous amount of energy in a short conversation. Even two years later, I still relish every opportunity I have to converse with him. I feel like I am getting an MBA without going through the classes.”

Using these conversations as a model, Szymoniak quickly started to address staffing at the Club. Observing and getting to know the current staff took some time, though. As did hosting member input sessions to get their valuable perspective.

“I knew right away that if I could make our employees feel the same way Mr. Khan made me feel, our potential would be limitless,” Szymoniak said. “There were some cases where we had the right people on the bus but in the wrong seat. There were also some cases where we had to get some people off the bus. Anyone who owns or runs a business knows the dance. But when you have the right people, all buying into the vision you set before them, a culture is created. In the country club world, that is half the battle.”

The other half of the culture equation is the membership. How a membership interacts with each other, as well as how they interact with the staff has a huge impact on success. A major factor is whether the club is member-owned, run by a management company or has a single owner like the Urbana Country Club. These will all determine the culture and energy that the club has.

“Having reported to a Board of Directors at a member-owned club, then being employed by a management company and now working for a single owner, I get asked all the time which is the best scenario.” Szymoniak said. “The truth is, they all have their pluses and minuses.”

In Champaign-Urbana there are three private clubs: one member-owned, one member-owned but run by a management company and the Urbana Country Club. Szymoniak notes that all have three distinctly different cultures. So the question always is, what club should you join?

“The one you feel most comfortable at. It’s really that simple,” Szymoniak said. “For me personally, I can tell you the single-owner model gives you the opportunity to make change and create growth the fastest. When I was at Fort Collins, the Club President was Mark Smith. He is a great guy, someone I have a tremendous amount of respect for, and he had just retired from being the CFO of the PC Division of Hewlett Packard. Going through the fundraising and financing process for the tennis facility with him was an invaluable experience. That said, it took a long time and some strategic politics to get the support of the membership to approve the project.”

Szymoniak explained that as Boards change, maintaining any sort of continuity or long-term strategic plan becomes a challenge. The club will fluctuate based on the people that make up the Board and their agendas. At a club with a single owner, the process moves faster. “For someone in my position," Szymoniak said, “Creating a vision and having the support of the ownership both philosophically and financially allows you to execute in a way consistent with the long-term goals of the club.” When it comes to club culture though, there are a lot of factors that play a role in developing the vibe of a club. Type of staff, how they are trained, makeup of the membership, how they interact with the staff and the way the club is governed—these all produce a particular environment. And that environment will attract certain types of people and not others. Szymoniak thinks that is just fine. “Our culture is something that we as a Club need to own and hold sacred,” he said. “It is our identity and what defines us. Clubs that have stood the test of time have strong cultures and also have the ability to address anything that may threaten that culture. The right culture will produce good energy, and good energy attracts good members.”

ADDING VALUE

Since the economic downturn in 2008, many clubs lost their relevance in people’s lives and their value proposition in the marketplace. Members started to leave, and, as funds got tight, many clubs cut operating budgets and stopped investing back into the club. Now, with an inadequate number of members and facilities and grounds that are worn and outdated, clubs cannot maintain their dues structure or initiation fee model. And so the discounting begins just to get people in the door, creating a culture shift that is difficult for a club to pull themselves out of.

In the wake of this, the clubhouse renovation in 2015 was the first step for UCC to begin to add value back to the membership.

“Since then, for every decision we make we ask ourselves: Is this adding value to the membership, or are we taking something away from them?” Szymoniak said. “The 2015 renovation was huge because there was no assessment to the membership for it. The fact that UCC is committed to not assessing the membership for capital projects or operational shortfalls, and the fact that there are no monthly minimums, are two value-adds that are extremely rare among clubs.”

Another added benefit for members is UCC’s participation in the ClubCorp Club Benefits program, allowing members to experience a huge network of clubs and amenities all around the world.

“We are the only club in our area where the members have access to over 300 ClubCorp affiliated private clubs across the globe,” Szymoniak said. “This is tremendous for business travelers or avid golfers who like to play different courses. It’s a huge value.”

The growth and additions that UCC have made has enabled the Club to not only charge application fees again but actually increase them over the past two years. Szymoniak has seen membership continue to grow, which he attributes to the members seeing the value in what the Urbana Country Club is providing. He notes that this can only happen by investing back into the Club to continue to be relevant to a wider range of people.

DEFINING A BRAND

As UCC continues to renovate facilities and add new amenities, its position as a golf and country club is slowly beginning to change as well. While the entire country club industry is making a shift to a more casual atmosphere to attract a new demographic of people, UCC is focusing on creating a unique blend of old and new. Szymoniak pays very close attention to other country clubs locally and nationally to keep a pulse on what is happening in the industry.

In June, Szymoniak went to visit Robert Sereci, the COO of Medinah Country Club in Chicago. They spent half a day discussing the industry, what Medinah has done over the past four years to reinvent their brand and the results they have seen from it.

“It is a great story. It highlights that even world-renowned places like Medinah have challenges, and that often outof-the box ideas are needed to sustain positive energy and stay relevant,” Szymoniak said.

"When it comes to branding, Robert [Sereci] said, ‘Purpose first, function second’. So, as UCC continues to evolve, so does our brand," Szymoniak said. "There are a lot of different things we can do and directions we can head, but whatever we decided to engage in must support our identity and purpose. Forging a new path, while at the same time celebrating the Club’s heritage, is the task at hand."

AUTHENTIC GOLF, ENJOYED BY ALL

The latest data from the National Golf Foundation indicates that after a long period of decline, activity at on-course properties is up 14 percent, and off course golf equivalents, like simulation golf or Top Golf, is up 10 percent. More and more, facilities are trying different avenues to engage new players, in addition to getting the experienced player to play more. Most importantly, clubs that are investing, not only in the course, but in great people who can implement innovative and fun programming, are the ones seeing the most growth.

Zach Canfield (PGA Golf Professional) offering pointers during a UGolf session on the UCC course.

“I started in the club industry as a PGA Golf Professional, and my focus early on was instruction, so this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart,” Szymoniak said. “Working with players of every level, from beginner to PGA Tour professional, taught me that in order to see improvement in their golf, you had to be a positive part of their life. You can’t truly help someone unless you know what they bring with them to the lesson tee. While I tried to treat every client like family, the truly successful ones actually accepted me as such. Our golf operation at UCC is in great hands with Kevin and Zach. Both of them have the ability to put you in that state of comfort that is required to maximize learning and discovery. And that principle is the foundation of our golf outreach program, UGolf. It is about enjoying a golf lifestyle that enhances all aspects of your life. And it’s fun!”

In the two and a half years Szymoniak has been at UCC, $1.5 million has been invested in the Tom Bendelow-designed course. And more is planned for the future.

“I learned very quickly after coming to UCC that the members had a passion for the Club and the layout of the course,” Szymoniak said. “Immediately, the dialog revolved around restoring the course to its original design and improving the conditions to championship quality. UCC is an easy walk and can be played quickly—two attractive features that many courses can’t tout. Restoring the course is a wonderful way to maintain the history of the Club. It is part of our DNA and can live on for years to come. Even though we must be progressive when it comes to engaging more people with the game, we can balance it by providing an authentic experience on the course. I know that sounds a bit contradictory, but the clubs that can figure out the balance and maintain it will be the ones to sustain success.”

A CLUB RESORT LIKE NO OTHER

Details of the new resort and spa building which began construction in May 2019. Courtesy of Ratio Architects.

Ground broke this past May on what will prove to be an amenity that will help to sustain the Urbana Country Club for years to come. It was a concept that was born from a visit to Erin Hills in Wisconsin and a discussion about the Four Seasons in Toronto. A plan was formulated to not only improve a current amenity but to also add new amenities— and all in one project.

“From the minute I got to UCC, I thought one of the prettiest pieces of our property was the area where the grounds maintenance facility sits,” Szymoniak said. “It’s wooded, along the creek and wedged between the 11th and 12th holes. It is the perfect setting for some type of lodging. At the same time, we were looking at the state of our facilities and we identified the pool house as a high priority for improvement. I thought if we could combine two projects into one we could add tremendous value to the membership in a much shorter time period. I made a simple sketch of what it could look like, showed it to Mr. Khan and the rest is history. We had a few hurdles to jump initially, but we’re now well on our way. We should be up and running summer of 2020.”

The concept combines a high-end spa experience, a bar with a quick-service menu (serving the pool, fitness center and golfers making the turn), eight luxury guest suites and a game room that includes two indoor sport simulators. The structure will resemble an English cottage, utilizing the same mixture of stone and brick to blend with the current clubhouse. The interior, however, will have a bit of a different feel.

“The focus of the new facility is rest, relaxation and wellness in an awe-inspiring atmosphere,” Szymoniak said. “While many of the same cues of the current clubhouse interior are being considered, a more contemporary and elegant element is being added. The Khan’s involvement has and continues to be crucial to the design. Mr. and Mrs. Khan and their daughter, Shanna, have personally selected finishes, fixtures and furniture to create the ambiance we are envisioning. There will be nothing like it around. I am certain it will be nothing short of spectacular.”

The future is certainly bright for the Urbana Country Club. While it is easy to get caught up in everything to come, Szymoniak’s challenge is balancing long-term planning with short-term execution, forcing him to rely upon and grow the new wave of Club leadership.

“I am so proud of the way our team has stepped up to help each other grow and take on the new challenges that present themselves,” Szymoniak said. “Combine their desire to improve daily with the positive energy and support of our membership, and I know this will prove to be the greatest reinvention and re-imagining of a country club that has ever been experienced.”