Club + Resort Business March 2020

March 2020

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The Toast of Texas 2019 Excellence in Club Management Award Winners

INSIDE: Great Options for the Great Outdoors Giving Beverages a Boost Making Training a Way of Life

March 2020

wwww.clubandresortbusiness.com

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The Toast of Texas 2019 Excellence in Club Management Award Winners

INSIDE: Great Options for the Great Outdoors Giving Beverages a Boost Making Training a Way of Life

LIFE OUTSIDE IS A LIFE WELL LIVED.

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February/19/2020 9:57 AM

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MARCH CLUB INDEX Club and resort properties featured in this issue

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE

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The Apawamis Club, Rye, N.Y. ............................................................52 Circling Raven Golf Club, Worley, Idaho. .................................52 Daniel Island Club, Charleston, S.C. ..................................................27 Echo Lake Country Club, Westfield, N.J. ...................................44 Elcona Country Club, Bristol, Ind. .....................................................44 Hop Meadow Country Club, Simford, Conn. .............................36 Manchester Country Club, Bedford, N.H. ...........................24 Mountain Ridge Country Club, West Caldwell, N.J. ..........38 Pier House Resort & Spa, Key West, Fla. ........................................26 The Pointe, Branson, Mo. ........................................................................52 Red Tail Golf Club, Avon, Ohio .............................................................34 Seattle Golf Club, Seattle, Wash. ..............................................46, 66 Sparrows Point Country Club, Baltimore, Md. ...................45 Talbot Country Club, Easton, Md. ....................................................26 The Union Club, Cleveland, Ohio ........................................................26 Valley of the Eagles, Elyria, Ohio .......................................................54 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

EDITOR’S MEMO

Is the Price Right?

We came across some interesting data while researching our article on beverage trends for this issue (pgs. 2429). CBS News recently reported that the cost of having a cocktail or any alcoholic drink at a bar or restaurant had gone up a whopping 57% in less than two decades, according to federal data. But seller-induced price inflation was cited as the primary cause of the increase, more so than anything affecting beverage ingredients or costs related to manufacturing, packaging, distribution or other factors. Liquor stores, CBS News noted, have only seen a 14% rise in the average price of spirits since 2003.

CBS’s report went on to note that bar owners have admitted to routinely marking up alcohol prices by 300 to 400%—meaning a $10 drink could have originally cost $2.50 or less. The report included an interview with a Beverage Director from a New Orleans restaurant who initially blamed state taxes on a cocktail’s price rising from $10 to $13 in two years at her establishment. But she then walked back her claim, CBS News reported, after being shown a menu from 2003 where the same drink cost only $6.

CBS talked with more than a halfdozen restaurant and bar owners for its report, and they all claimed that their profits are usually slim, even with the high prices they charge for drinks. They pointed to industry shifts such as labor costs, with fewer workers being paid under the table and the minimum wage rising in many states. Some also blamed credit cards and their fees, which now make up about 90% of transactions in those establishments.

But when pressed, some just felt the extra cost is what should be expected for the “experience” of eating and drinking somewhere other than home. “You’re

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Clubs should always have a better chance of luring people out during or after the health scare than public venues—but it also can’t hurt to compare favorably on the pricing front as well. coming out,” said the Beverage Director of the New Orleans restaurant. “And unfortunately, the guest does have to pay for that in some way.”

But do they—and should they? And might this represent another opportunity for clubs to distinguish themselves in their never-ending quest to become a dining/drinking destination of choice, vs. outside options that are available in their area to members and guests?

Certainly, a case could be made that clubs might be even better able to keep prices high, because of their captive audiences and more affluent clientele.

But as our feature in this issue notes, many clubs are reporting significant boosts in beverage revenues that have been largely spurred by how they’ve created more inviting venues where

members and guests can enjoy both alcoholic and non-alcoholic choices, and not as much because of how the beverages themselves are priced. Our article also cites The Union Club of Cleveland’s success with pricing wines and other alcoholic beverages 5 to 10% lower that the surrounding market—one of many clubs we’ve seen gain business through this strategy.

With clubs starting to see the impact of coronavirus-induced event cancellations as of this writing, many have already taken proactive steps to assure their memberships that their clubs are still safe havens, especially for regular individual visits and use, and that they are continuing to operate as usual.

That promises to become an even tougher sell if (as) the health scare deepens—but regardless, clubs should always have a better chance of luring people out than public venues. And because those venues will undoubtedly take a renewed look at their own pricing strategies as they try to recapture business, it also can’t hurt to make sure your club continues to compare favorably on that front as well.

Joe Barks • Editor jbarks@wtwhmedia.com

March 202O

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March 2020 • Vol. 16 • No. 3

INSIDE

THIS

ISSUE

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The Toast of Texas

From a Rising Star honor to a Lifetime Achievement recognition, the Excellence in Club Management Awards Dinner held at the Gaylord Texan Resort was filled with tributes to the exemplary leadership and achievements of the 2019 honorees.

(Cover photo by Bradley Voyten, WTWH Media, LLC.)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

5 8 + Beverage 24 Food DRINKING IT ALL IN

Creative new approaches to making the “B” in F&B take off.

30 CLUBS WITHOUT BORDERS Design + Recreation

Exciting and inviting exterior space has made outdoors the preferred place to be.

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Editor’s Memo

IS THE PRICE RIGHT? The Rob Report

MIND GAMES

C+RB News Roundup

GOLDEN VALLEY CC TO SELL 4.5 ACRES

Plus other industry, supplier and people news..

41

Super in the Spotlight

A BLOOM AND A BUZZ

Evansville CC’s Jeff Sexton tends to flowers and beehives, in addition to a classic golf course.

55

2020 Show Report

WHIRLWIND OF ACTIVITY

Recapping a jam-packed firstquarter industry show season.

Course + Grounds 44 TRAINING DAYS

Creating optimal course conditions starts with training, retaining and rewarding a quality maintenance staff.

4 Club Index 6

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Operations 51 AGolf‘HARD SELL’

MADE EASY

Club and resort pro shops can use “inside knowledge” to compete for golf equipment sales.

61 Product Showcase

66

Idea Exchange

HEAD OF THE CLASS

“Seattle Golf Club University” prepares staff for the present and the future.

65 Ad Index www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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THE ROB REPORT

Mind Games I never really gave much consideration to mental health until recently.

It was in this past December that I realized my brain had a mind of its own.

I know other people wage their own internal battles, but it wasn’t until our recent Chef to Chef Conference in Charlotte, N.C. that it was put in perspective for me.

I was listening to Chef Michael Matarazzo, CEC, Executive Chef of Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va., discuss “The Three R’s: Relevance, Recruitment and Retention.” He talked about delicately handling a specific employee who was dealing with some personal issues. While he couldn’t afford to let that employee miss a day of work, he made sure to check in on him, monitor his well-being and let him go home as soon as he could.

Matarazzo also shared a story about his own battle with the mind. He had what amounted to a mental breakdown while taking the exam to become a Certified Master Chef. The stress mounted and became too much to bear.

I know the feeling and experienced the same reaction in December.

I’ve been claustrophobic for as long as I can remember, but always managed my irrational fear of tight or crowded spaces by avoiding those situations. My day-to-day life was never really affected.

Then it happened.

I had scheduled a trip to Phoenix to visit a property and was looking forward to playing the golf course and touring the club. But something wasn’t quite right.

I was having trouble breathing and felt an intense pressure on my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, it was a panic attack.

In the weeks leading up to the trip, I began having trouble sleeping. I’d wake up in a cold sweat from a bad dream about the flight. Every time I closed my eyes, something else would pop into my mind.

The last straw came the night before my scheduled flight. I tossed and turned for a few hours before finally giving up on the thought of sleeping. I was having trouble breathing and felt an intense pressure on my chest. I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out, it was a panic attack.

I didn’t make it to the airport the next morning. I wasn’t even sure I could ride the elevator up 26 floors to the office. I did, and started making phone calls that day. I sought help, and received it, and have been able to travel successfully

several times since.

I not only have loving support at home, but a very understanding and supportive work atmosphere. Not everyone has that. The aforementioned employee working under Chef Matarazzo has a strong advocate in Michael, and I hope each of you reading this column shares the same mental foundation.

Beyond that, I hope you take a step back and consider what people in your life may be battling—whether it’s verbalized or not.

Chef Matarazzo received a lot of instant feedback and appreciation after his presentation at the Chef to Chef Conference. It was clear his remarks struck a chord with many who have dealt with similar situations, both personally and with those they work with.

If you have a moment, I’d love to hear what you and your club might be doing to help everyone—from part-time staff to management—cope with their feelings and handle day-to-day stresses that can sometimes become too much to handle.

Rob Thomas • Senior Editor

rthomas@wtwhmedia.com

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP GOLDEN VALLEY (MINN.) CC TO SELL 4.5 ACRES THE 106-YEAR-OLD PRIVATE, MEMBER-OWNED Golden Valley (Minn.) Country Club outside of Minneapolis plans to sell off some of its property to be turned into homes, CCXMedia.org reported, citing a report by the Minneapolis- St. Paul Business Journal.

The Business Journal reported that Golden Valley’s shareholders voted to sell two parcels of land totaling roughly 4.5 acres. The club’s A.W. Tillinghast-designed golf course would not be affected by the sale, but its driving range would need to be reconfigured.

The two parcels to be sold are on opposite ends of the club’s property, CCX Media.org reported. One, on the northwest side, is about 1.5 acres and could be converted into low- to medium-density housing. The other, on the southwest side, is roughly 3 acres and could become medium- to high-density housing.

The sale of the parcels and construction could occur by March 2021, CCXMedia.org reported.

KSL CAPITAL ACQUIRES HERITAGE GOLF GROUP THROUGH AN AFFILIATE, KSL Capital Partners, LLC has acquired the Heritage Golf Group from Tower Three Partners, a private equity firm. The portfolio of Heritage Golf Group, which was founded in 1999, includes three resort-style properties on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina (Port Royal Golf Club, Oyster Reef Golf Club, and Shipyard Golf Club), two championship TPC clubs in Sarasota, Fla. and the greater Tampa Bay area (TPC Prestancia and TPC Tampa Bay), and a private country club in Richmond, Va. (The Dominion Club).

Mark Burnett, who has held previous leadership roles with other KSL portfolio companies, has been named President and CEO of the new entity. Burnett brings over 25 years of executive leadership in the golf industry, most recently as President and COO of ClubCorp. Previously, Burnett served as COO at American Golf Corporation, and President and CEO at KSL Fairways Golf Corporation.

Jeff Woolson, an executive vice president with CBRE who serves as the managing director of its Golf & Resort Group, handled the transaction.

Pictured: The Dominion Club

LOCAL GOLF PROS BUY, REOPEN MINNESOTA COURSE

Andy Black, left, and Will Lancaster (Photo: Ken Klotzbach/The Post Bulletin) 10

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TWO LOCAL GOLF PROFESSIONALS are teeing up to re-launch Willow Creek Golf Course in Rochester, Minn., which closed last fall, the Rochester Post-Bulletin reported.

Will Lancaster and Andy Black signed a three-year lease for the course on January 31, the PostBulletin reported. Lancaster is leaving his role as golf professional at Zumbrota (Minn.) Golf Club.

Black is stepping away from the head professional job at Pine Island (Minn.) Golf Course.

The change was set into motion on October 29, 2019 when owner Wendell Pittenger abruptly closed the Willow Creek clubhouse and facilities, including an 18-hole course and a nine-hole executive course called Little Willow, the Post-Bulletin reported. Pittenger turned the operation over to Sterling State Bank, saying, “The party’s over. It’s really sad for me and sad for a lot of people.”

The new owners plan to refresh the clubhouse, the Post-Bulletin reported. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

CC OF ROSWELL APPROVES ARRANGEMENT WITH CONCERT GOLF PARTNERS AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF reviewing strategic options and considering its member-owned business model, the members of the Country Club of Roswell (CCR) in Alpharetta, Ga. ratified the Board’s unanimous recommendation to recapitalize the club with Newport Beach, Calif.-based Concert Golf Partners by a 97 percent membership vote.

Board President Bill Daniel announced the new partnership, which immediately repaid the club’s bank loans that were used to fund the last round of property improvements; ended member assessments permanently, and injected $3 million in capital for projects from the club’s Vision 2025 strategic master plan.

Since 2015, successive Boards at CCR had debated the competitive local club market and how best to respond to the arms race of capital projects and declining initiation fees.

The Atlanta area features some 58 private clubs, half of which are owned and operated

by ClubCorp, and there are eight clubs in Alpharetta alone. While expectations were high each year following a fresh round of capital projects or a new board’s membership initiatives, membership counts and annual revenues stayed flat year after year.

In 2019, the Board held focus groups and conducted member surveys to develop a strategic master plan. Members voted overwhelmingly in favor of a $3 million “Vision 2025” package of course and facilities improvements, included a major overhaul of its golf course’s 45-year old irrigation system, which had suffered three main line breaks during the 2019 golf season alone. In addition, members wanted a new kids club, a splash pad for the kids and an adult bar at the pool, a golf simulator, new tennis court LED lights and resurfacing, an outdoor dining courtyard and a “cosmetic refresh” of the member lounge and ballroom.

But after the Vision 2025 plan was

developed, CCR members soundly rejected the assessments to pay for it. The Board then decided to vet Concert Golf Partners thoroughly and ask for a proposal, while the recapitalization proposal was crafted to address common member concerns.

“We wanted a sustainable funding mechanism for the Vision 2025 master plan and beyond,” said Board member Tim Geiken, whose business specialty is process management consulting, about the decision to recapitalize with Concert Golf. “It was clear to us that member assessments would be contentious and lead to attrition, or that we would ‘kick the can’ on these important projects and lose ground to our nearby competitor clubs.”

JENNINGS MILL CC SOLD TO L&J ACQUISITIONS THE JENNINGS MILL COUNTRY Club in Watkinsville, Ga., a property with an 18-hole golf course that has been owned by Mark Bell for the past five years, was sold at the end of January, Online Athens of Athens, Ga. reported. The club sold for an undisclosed price to L&J Acquisitions, a group in Atlanta that manages and finances golf clubs.

L&J owns the Country Club of Gwinnett in Snellville, Ga., and according to its website, will soon own a club on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, Online Athens reported. The company has been in the golf business for 35 years.

Bell purchased the Jennings Mill golf course in 2015 for approximately $1.7 million, Online Athens reported. He told the outlet he was careful about to whom he sold the club, which is

situated inside the Jennings Mill subdivision of upscale housing.

“I love the club and you don’t want to turn it over to just anybody,” Bell said. “[L&J seems] to want to continue with what we are doing,” he said. “They are keeping the employees, which was important to me.”

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP CAVES VALLEY GC LANDS 2021 BMW CHAMPIONSHIP TOP PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS WILL head to Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills, Md., outside of Baltimore, for the 2021 BMW Championship, the penultimate event in the PGA Tour FedEx Cup playoffs, the Baltimore Business Journal reported.

Caves Valley officials and the event’s organizer, the Western Golf Association, made the announcement on February 12th.

The tournament is scheduled for August 17-22, 2021, and will whittle a field of the 70 best PGA Tour players down to 30, the Business Journal reported. Past winners include Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

The 2019 BMW Championship drew more than 130,000 spectators from 44 states and three countries to Medinah (Ill.)

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Country Club in Illinois and resulted in $20 million in direct spending, generating $1.7 million in state taxes and $400,000 in local taxes, organizers said. Thomas won the 2019 competition, taking home $1.7 million, the Business Journal reported.

This year’s BMW Championship is scheduled for August 20-23 at Olympia Fields Country Club, outside of Chicago.

The 2021 BMW will be the first PGA Tour event in the Baltimore, Md. area since the 1962 Eastern Open Invitational, The Baltimore Sun reported.

The Western Golf Association’s Senior Vice President of Tournaments, Vince Pellegrino, said in a statement that Caves Valley’s “scenic and challenging course layout will provide a perfect test for the world’s top players,” the Business Journal reported.

The club’s 962-acre, 18-hole, Tom Faziodesigned golf course opened in 1991 and has previously hosted the U.S. Senior Open, the 1995 U.S. Mid-Amateur, NCAA Division I men’s and women’s golf championships and the inaugural LPGA International Crown, among other tournaments.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

TROON TO MANAGE FINKBINE GC TROON HAS BEEN SELECTED to manage Finkbine Golf Course, a daily-fee facility in Iowa City, Iowa. Located on the western edge of The University of Iowa campus, Finkbine Golf Course is owned by the university and serves as the home course for the university’s women’s and men’s golf teams.

This spring, Finkbine GC will unveil the Nagle Family Clubhouse, a 19,000 sq.-ft., two-level facility featuring a larger pro shop, a restaurant and bar, a banquet facility, an outdoor patio, locker rooms, underground cart storage, and the Nagle Room, a conference room and private dining space.

Named after W.O. Finkbine, who donated the land to The University of Iowa, the golf course opened for play in 1953 and

was designed by Robert Harris and Dick Nugent. Over the years, Finkbine Golf Course has been home to numerous NCAA tournaments, a 1991 Hogan Tour event and the 1992 and 1993 “Hawkeye Classic” Nike Tour tournaments.

“We are truly excited to partner with Troon to help manage the day-to-day operations at Finkbine Golf Course,” said Matt Henderson, Senior Associate Athletic Director for the University of Iowa athletics department. “Troon has a track record of managing some of the top courses around the country.

CC OF NORTH CAROLINA READIES FOR $3.5M CLUBHOUSE RENOVATION

THE COUNTRY CLUB OF North Carolina in Pinehurst, N.C. is starting a $3.5 million clubhouse renovation project, scheduled to be completed by late summer.

The renovation includes updated décor throughout the clubhouse and enhancements of the existing dining rooms, member lounge, outdoor dining terrace, and adding a new private dining room with wine display. The ladies locker room will be relocated within the building, as well.

The club is working with Chambers on the planning and design.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

texacraft.com Jrega@texacraft.com | 800.327.1541

March 2020

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SUPPLIER NEWS

ELECTROLUX PROFESSIONAL LAUNCHES NEW BRAND ELECTROLUX PROFESSIONAL HAS OFFICIALLY launched the new Electrolux Professional brand. The new brand identity is still recognizable but has aclearer positioning to create an improved orientation for customers. It also demonstrates that Electrolux Professional is the OnE global business partner for the hospitality and laundry industry.

Electrolux Professional strives to be the OnE trusted partner offering best-in class products and superior customer care and innovation.

“Our new brand will support us in our work to be the OnE trusted partner offering a full set of best-in-class products, superior customer care, and innovation,” said John Evans, Head of the Americas. “Our

goal is to make our customers’ work-life easier, more profitable – and truly sustainable every day.”

As part of the changes, Electrolux Professional will be using an updated logo.

RAIN BIRD INTRODUCES NEW SERIES CONTROLLERS FOR TWO-WIRE IRRIGATION SYSTEMS RAIN BIRD HAS INTRODUCED the ESP-LXIVM Series, two new, easy-to-use controllers for two-wire irrigation systems that provide large, challenging sites with advanced water-management tools, diagnostics and a host of new-tothe-industry features.

The ESP-LXIVM standard model can support up to 60 stations, while the “Pro” model can manage larger sites with up to 240 stations. Both feature Rain Bird’s new Integrated Valve Module (IVM), a “smart valve” that maintains constant communication with the controller for more efficient irrigation and advanced diagnostics.

The IVM also eliminates the need for a decoder, cutting the quantity of wire splices in half. This saves time and money not just during installation, but also when the system needs maintenance or repairs.

The LXIVM’s advanced diagnostics include a “Self-Healing” feature that automatically detects fixes to wire path and splice issues and restarts irrigation without manual intervention. A “Two-Wire Mapping” feature maps integrated devices to corresponding wire paths to quickly find and resolve issues.

The LXIVM’s advanced flow-management tools include FloWatch, which alerts to high- and low-flow conditions, and FloManager, which manages hydraulic demand, making it possible to simultaneously activate multiple stations and

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reduce the time it takes to complete full irrigation cycles.

The ESP-LXIVM continues Rain Bird’s “Extra Simple Programming” (ESP) tradition, with an extra-large, easy-toread backlit LCD display. Users can select from six available languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. The ESP-LXIVM features up to 10 independent programs, while the ESP-LXIVM Pro can manage up to 40.

All programs can have up to eight start times, and users can also start stations or programs manually as needed.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

GLOBAL GOLF ADVISORS REBRANDS AS GGA PARTNERS GLOBAL GOLF ADVISORS, THE international consulting firm working with many of the world’s most successful golf courses, private clubs, resorts and residential communities, has become GGA Partners™.

Established in 1992 as North America’s KPMG Golf Industry Practice and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company has provided advisory services to more than 3,000 clients worldwide.

Its evolution from Global Golf Advisors links its business heritage with new and significant market opportunities, reflecting a changing private club, leisure and investment landscape, while continuing to emphasize its perennial values and its position across the global golf industry.

Over the past decade, the firm has been increasingly engaged in a multitude of consulting projects in the club and leisure space where golf amenities have not been present—from private city clubs to business clubs, beach clubs, mountain clubs, yacht clubs,

destination resorts and residential real estate developments.

“Today is an important milestone in the continued advancement of our business,” said Derek Johnston, Partner at GGA Partners.

“Our new brand proudly celebrates the heritage of Global Golf Advisors by continuing with the acronym by which the firm has become commonly known; but it also acknowledges the growth we have enjoyed and communicates our bright future, as a consulting firm that has evolved into a club and leisure powerhouse.”

GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Canada; Phoenix, USA, and Dublin, Ireland.

Lifestyle Design TO ENHANCE THE MEMBER EXPERIENCE

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

STRATEGIC PLANNING MASTER PLANNING ARCHITECTURE INTERIOR DESIGN PROCUREMENT

SIGN UP FREE! for club industry trends & insights

BALD HEAD ISLAND CLUB North Carolina

Follow @chambers1899

MD 410.727.4535 / TX 972.253.3583 / MN 612.295.0725 / DC 202.851.3201 / FL 239.673.1790

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March 2020

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PEOPLE NEWS

CLUB PEOPLE

Holly Williams

KemperSports has named Holly Williams to serve as General Manager for Thornberry Creek at Oneida (Wis.). Williams was most recently Vice President of Consumer Events at PMI Entertainment Group in Green Bay, Wis.

The Country Club of St. Albans (Mo.) has named Andy Crowe, CCM, as its new General Manager. Crowe was most recently General Manager at Westlake Country Club in Augusta, Ga.

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Andy Crowe

March 2020

The Country Club of Lexington (S.C.) has named Adam Williams as General Manager. WilAdam Williams liams most recently served as the General Manager of Capital City ClubColumbia (S.C.).

Mystic Creek Golf Club in El Dorado, Ark. has named Stuart Pierce as General Manager/ Director of Golf. Pierce was previously DirecStuart Pierce tor of Golf at the Boca Raton (Fla.) Resort and Club and Head Golf Professional at Spyglass Hill Golf Course in Monterrey, Calif.

KemperSports named John Ward as General Manager of the Golf Operations at Bay Point Golf Club at Sheraton Panama City Beach (Fla.) Resort & Spa. Ward was most

recently at Hacienda Hills Country Club in The Villages.

John Ward

Silvies (Ore.) Valley Ranch named Major Lee White IV as General Manager. White was most recently a general manager for several Discovery Land Company properties throughout the U.S., Mexico and Caribbean. The property also named Roger Porzak as Director of Golf and Tara Colegrove as Spa Director of The Rocking Horse Spa. C+RB featured Silvies Valley Ranch as its October 2019 cover story (“Goat Caddies Just Start the Story”).

TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn. appointed Chris Weinhold to General Manager following Alan Cull’s retirement. Weinhold has been working at TPC Twin Cities since 2006 in various roles and most recently was elevated to Assistant General Manager in the spring of 2019.

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ard

TPC Rivers Bend in Maineville, Ohio named Geoff Gilliand as General Manager.

Gilliand was most recently at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Ga. as Director of Sales and Marketing.

Frank Cordeiro

Diablo (Calif.) Country Club named Frank Cordeiro as Chief Executive Officer.

Cordeiro was previously Chief Operating Officer.

Prior to joining Diablo, he was at Hacienda Golf Club in La Habra Heights, Calif.

SUPPLIER PEOPLE

Jeff Lawson

Rain Bird Golf promoted Jeff Lawson to National Sales Manager for the U.S. and Canada. Most recently, Lawson served as Rain Bird Golf’s Western Regional Sales Manager.

IN MEMORIAM

Paul Fullmer, former President of Selz/ Seabolt Communications and Executive Secretary of the American Society of Golf Course Architects when based in Chicago, died Jan. 10, 2020 in Carlsbad, California.

He was 85.

.

LEGOLAND California Resort in Carlsbad, Calif. named Kurt Stocks as General Manager. Stocks was most recently General Manager of the LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort.

Auburn Hills (Mich.) City Council appointed Chip Hierlihy as Manager of Fieldstone Golf Club. Hierlihy most recently served as General Manager at clubs including The Club at Pradera in Parker, Colo. and Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, Mich.

Lajitas (Texas) Golf Resort has named Michael Owens as Executive Chef/Chef de Cuisine. Owens previously served as the Executive Chef/Food & Beverage Director at Coyote Ridge Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas.

The Wilderness at Fortune Bay in Tower, Minn. named Bryan Morcom as Executive Chef. Morcom most recently served as Executive Chef at Alma in Minneapolis, Minn.

Pursell Farms in Sylacauga, Ala. has appointed Tommy Hines as Executive Chef. Hines was most recently at Poydras & Peters in New Orleans.

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l Club + Resort Business l 17

» ECM AWARDS DINNER

The Toast of

Texas

From a Rising Star honor to a Lifetime Achievement recognition, the Excellence in Club Management Awards Dinner at the Gaylord Texan Resort was filled with tributes to the leadership and achievements of the 2019 honorees.

A C+RB Staff Report

THE STARS CAME OUT IN TEXAS on the night of February 8 at the Gaylord Texan Resort outside of Dallas, as club managers and industry suppliers gathered to honor the 2019 recipients of the Excellence in Club Management (ECM) Awards, sponsored by the McMahon Group, Club + Resort Business and the National Club Association (NCA).

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.

A Selection Committee comprised of a peer group of club managers conducts the judging for the ECM Awards; the McMahon Group, Club + Resort Business and the NCA are not involved in the selection of the winners. The Selection Committee for the 2019 Awards (see box, pg. 22) was chaired by David Chag, CCM, General Manager of The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

This year’s ECM recognition began with a Lifetime Achievement honor bestowed on John G. “Ted” Gillary, CCM, CCE upon his retirement after 26 years as Executive The 2019 ECM honorees (also pictured on cover) included (left to Manager of the Detroit Athletic Club (DAC). Remarks detailright) Thomas Gaston, Brandon Johnson, Ted Gillary, Robert Sereci ing the career accomplishments of Gillary, who was an ECM and Michael Smith.

1818l lClub Club+ +Resort ResortBusiness Businessl lMarch March2020 2020

www.clubandresortbusiness.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Photos by Bradley Voyten, WTWH Media

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

March 2020

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Club + Resort Business l 19

» ECM AWARDS DINNER

recipient in 1999, as he led the transformation of the DAC and its iconic downtown clubhouse into a showpiece for not only Detroit, but the entire club industry, were made by DAC Past President David Brodie.

A new award, The John Furlong Award, was introduced as part of thd 2019 ECM

The Excellence in Club Management Awards were established in 1997 by the McMahon Group and have been co-sponsored by Club + Resort Business since 2005.

The National Club Association joined as a sponsor in 2018.

Awards, to honor excellence in management of a club property in Canada. Peter Holt, Chief Operating Officer of Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, was named the initial recipient of the Furlong Award. Holt was unable to attend the Awards Dinner.

(John Furlong was Chief Executive Officer for almost 15 years of The Arbetus Club in Vancouver, B.C., before leaving club management to become President and CEO of the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Winter Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games.)

The 2019 Rising Star Award was presented to Brandon Johnson, Club Manager of Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va. Farmington’s Chief Operating Officer & General Manager, Joe Krenn, CCM, CCE, presented the award to Johnson.

The Mel Rex Award, for Managers of City, Athletic or Specialty (Non-Golf) Clubs, was presented to Thomas E. Gaston, Jr., CCM, General Manager of The Pacific-

After remarks by Detroit Athletic Club Past President David Brodie (above left), Ted Gillary (with wife Annie, above) hoisted his Lifetime Achievement award.

Union Club in San Francisco, Calif. Remarks on Gaston’s behalf were made by longtime friend and colleague John Dorman, General Manager of The University Club in New York, N.Y. (and a recipient of The Mel Rex

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» ECM Awards Dinner

2019 EXCELLENCE IN CLUB MANAGEMENT AWARDS SELECTION COMMITTEE

Selection Committee Chairman David Chag (right) with previous Chairman Jeffrey Kreafle (left) and the McMahon Group’s Bill McMahon, Sr.

Chairman

David Chag, CCM The Country Club, Brookline, Mass.

Mark Bado, MCM, CCE, ECM Myers Park Country Club

Rising Star Brandon Johnson was joined by Farmington CC colleagues and introduced by the club’s COO/GM, Joe Krenn (far right).

Steven Buck, CCM, CCE The Stock Farm Club Lynn Butler Bogey Club Robert Crifasi, CCM, CCE, CEC, CPA, ECM New Orleans Country Club John Dorman, CCM, ECM The University Club of New York Suzanne Godbehere Chief Executive Officer The Canadian Society of Club Managers Brian Kroh, CCM, ECM John’s Island Club Jeffrey McFadden, CCM, CCE, ECM The Union League of Philadelphia Joseph Murphy Thornhill Golf & Country Club John Schultz, CCM, ECM Carmel Country Club Thomas Spellman, CCM, ECM The Chicago Club Anne Stryhn The Country Club of Virginia

Award in 2012).

(Melvin D. Rex, CPA, CCM, was the longtime Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh, Pa., and a winner of an ECM Award in 2000.)

The Mead Grady Award, for Managers of Country/Golf Clubs with Fewer than 600 Full-Privilege Members, was presented to Michael Smith, CCM, CCE, the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of The Country Club of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., by club President Jeff Mapstone. In his acceptance remarks, Smith acknowledge the personal and professional influence of his mother, Mary Smith, who was in attendance and is the Club Manager of the Rochester (N.Y.) Yacht Club.

(Mead Grady, CCM, managed clubs of various sizes in Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin

John Dorman (left), General Manager of The University Club in New York City, made remarks on behalf of friend and colleague Thomas Gaston.

and Georgia during a distinguished 56-year club management career.)

The James H. Brewer Award, for Managers of Country/Golf Clubs with 600 or More Full-Privilege Members, was presented to Robert Sereci, CCM, General Manager/Chief Operating Officer of Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill. by Michael Scimo, a Past President of the club. At the

Terra Waldron, CCM, CCE, ECM Greensboro Country Club Chairmen Emeritus Jeffrey Kreafle Congressional Country Club Kevin Vitale, CCM Baltusrol Golf Club Phil Kiester, CCM, ECM The Country Club of Virginia David Voorhees, CCM, CCE, ECM Big Canyon Country Club Jay DiPietro, CCM, ECM Boca West Country Club Kevin Carroll, CCM, ECM Bath & Tennis Club 22

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Michael Smith acknowledged the personal and professional influence of his mother, Mary Smith (far left), Club Manager of the Rochester Yacht Club. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE

James Brewer Award winner Robert Sereci (left) was introduced by Medinah CC Past President Michael Scimo.

previous year’s ECM Awards Dinner, Sereci himself was a presenter of the 2018 Rising Star Award to Mark Jablonski, then Medinah’s Assistant General Manager and now the General Manager of Hinsdale Golf Club in Clarendon Hills, Ill. (James Brewer, MCM, was General Manager of The Los Angeles Country Club for 35 years, as part of a distinguished 45-year club-management career.)

On-site presentations will also be held at each ECM Award winner’s club throughout 2019, and in-depth profiles detailing the achievements that led to the selection of each of the winners will appear in issues of Club + Resort Business throughout the remainder of 2019.

More information about the ECM Awards, including a full listing of past winners and their affiliated “Clubs of Excellence,” can be found at www. clubmanageraward.com, along with details for how to nominate candidates for the 2020 awards. C+RB March2020Halfpage_7W_4.625H.pdf_7W_4.625H 2/19/20 9:17 AM Page 1

The Awards Dinner for the 2019 Excellence in Club Management winners was sponsored by Denehy Club Thinking Partners, ForeTeesLLC, Izon Golf, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Preferred Club.

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

Drinking

It All In

Strategically curated collections of spirited and non-alcoholic beverages, selected to span the entire day and accommodate the full scope of members’ and guests’ preferences, are helping the “B” in F&B take off.

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Contributing Editor

OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, beer sales on the golf course at Manchester Country Club in Bedford, N.H., have increased 114%, and liquor sales have soared 853%, reports David Smith, the club’s Executive Chef/Director of Food and Beverage. Overall, total beverage sales on the course have risen 215%, from $14,224 in 2016 to $44,941 in 2019.

“Member-satisfaction scores are higher in this area as well,” Smith notes.

Much of the boost reflected by both barometers can be attributed to the introduction of a mobile beverage cart during regular play times at Manchester CC in 2019, Smith says.

While previously the cart had been available only for special member events or when it was purchased for golf outings, that was changed after a member survey indicated they would like to have the cart be part of their everyday experience at the club, too.

“Our cart is stocked with full-size bottles of several spirits; nips just don’t satisfy our membership’s tastes,” Smith notes. “Our members demand the same pour on the course that they get in the club, and the cart attendants are trained as bartenders, to maintain the continuity of the drink on the property.”

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

DRINKING WITHOUT EXCESS LIGHTER LIBATIONS—both spirited and non-alcoholic—are showing strong growth in demand from among healthand fitness-conscious members and guests at club and resort properties around the country.

At the Pier House Resort and Spa in Key West, Fla., guests are increasingly choosing to quench their thirst with lower or non-alcoholic options such as spiked seltzer, light beer and organic coconut water, according to Director of Food and Beverage Blanka Lamberson.

“We still sell a lot of frozen drinks such as margaritas at the pool and beach bars, but spiked seltzers are definitely becoming extremely popular,” Lamberson notes.

“Anything light and fizzy” such as spritzers, flavored seltzers or Aperol “makes members happy” at Daniel Is-

land Club in Charleston, S.C., adds Jenn Paciotti, Director of Clubhouse Operations. “And it’s not just the women,” she emphasizes. “Even the men are asking for these beverages.”

At Talbot Country Club in Easton, Md., notes Beverage Manager Jen Moran, male golfers are looking for beverages that are “full-flavored, but not full of calories,” such as a mango fizzy water or pomegranate spritz cocktail. Crushes made with fresh-pressed fruit juice such as grapefruit or watermelon and combined with flavored vodka are also popular at the club, as are non-alcoholic versions made with club soda or Sprite.

Lower-calorie IPA beers are also in high demand at the pool.

“This is 100% driven by a focus on fitness, decreasing sugar consumption and reducing carbs,” Moran says.

“

[The trend to lighter libations] is 100% driven by a focus on fitness, decreasing

”

sugar consumption and reducing carbs.

—Jen Moran, Beverage Manager, Talbot CC

Recipe YIELD: 1 Serving INGREDIENTS: 2 ozs. gin 1 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 oz. Crème Yvette (for garnish) fresh flowers

PROCEDURE: 1 Shake and strain into a martini glass.

2 Garnish with fresh flowers.

SUBMITTED BY JENN PACIOTTI, DIRECTOR OF CLUBHOUSE OPERATIONS, THE DANIEL ISLAND CLUB, CHARLESTON, S.C.

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Club + Resort Business

In a recent blog entry, IRI research reported that sales of hard seltzers (carbonated and usually fruit-flavored malt-based beverages, such as White Claw and Truly) have been “exploding,” achieving $1.3 billion in U.S. sales in 2019. The researchers attribute this meteoric rise to consumer thirst for better-for-you products, interesting flavor profiles, and convenience. There have been few instances over the past several decades where specific spirited beverage products have grown to such a high level so quickly, it was noted.

The makers of drinks in this category—which now also includes Bud Light Seltzer—are targeting young adult consumers (including millennials and the first Gen-Zers who have reached the legal drinking age) who grew up on fruity drinks and are carrying that taste for sweet, fruity products with them as they age, IRI research noted.

In addition to the bottled spirits, the club offers more than 20 different labels of regional New England craft beer in cans on the cart, as well as in the dining room.

“Our Dining Room Manager, Sarah Dunn, prides herself on finding unique and seasonal craft cans, and members really appreciate her efforts,” Smith says.

This year, Smith adds, Manchester CC is “stepping up our game with an improved new model cart, which will allow us to offer more beverages and hot and cold food items, enhancing the experience even more.”

Viola

26

Spiked seltzers are becoming "extremely popular" at Key West's Pier House Resort, reports Director of F&B Blanka Lamberson.

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March 2020

VALUE POURS Attractive pricing is one way that The Union Club in Cleveland, Ohio encourages spirit sales. Alcoholic beverages, including wines, are priced 5 to 10% lower than in the surrounding market, said Lawrence McFadden, the club’s General Manager and COO. “Our members get the same exact product at a better price,” McFadden says. “To make sure members get the full value from bottles of wine they purchase for dinner, we secure the unfinished bottles so the wine doesn’t oxidize, and put them in a nice-looking to-go bag.”

Members of The Union Club also like to attend wine tastings paired with activities such as yoga, knitting and book clubs. “People seem to www.clubandresortbusiness.com

be more comfortable having a couple of glasses of wine when it’s part of a special program,” McFadden points out. “If we just do a wine tasting, we might get 10 people; but if we combine it with an activity, we’ll double that number right away.”

Every Friday, he adds, The Union Club features a community or chef’s table, for which members can purchase one to 12 seats.

The prix fixe degustation menu, created by the club’s chef and sommelier, includes a suggested wine pairing that many members opt to include.

Twice a year, McFadden notes, The Union Club does a “Cellar Sweep” to clear out its wine cellar and let members buy wines, at a significant discount, that they might not see again.

A VARIETY OF WINE-SELLING TECHNIQUES Talbot Country Club in Easton, Md., is licensed to sell wine in bulk, so members of Talbot’s Wine Club can always have their favorite bottles available, reports Jen Moran, the club’s Beverage Manager. A staff member also works as a personal wine buyer for members, tracking down labels that they request.

On the regular dinner menu at Manchester CC, Smith explains, all entrees are paired with by-the-glass wine suggestions, to take advantage of the club’s preservation system (see box, pg. 28). The same goes for weekly features.

Jenn Paciotti, Director of Clubhouse Operations at Daniel Island

Recipe YIELD: 1 Serving

Smoldering Knob Creek Manhattan

INGREDIENTS: 2 1/2 ozs. Knob Creek Bourbon 1/2 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth 2 dashes Orange Angostura Bitters 2 Bada Bing Cherries 1 orange slice 1 rosemary skewer, slightly dried (for better smoking effect) PROCEDURE: 1. Pour the bourbon, vermouth and bitters on the rocks.

2. Garnish with orange slice and cherries skewered on rosemary.

3. Light the rosemary before bringing it to the table, and trail the smell throughout the bar to delight the guest.

DAVID SMITH, EXECUTIVE CHEF/FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER, MANCHESTER COUNTRY CLUB, BEDFORD, N.H.

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Recipe

FOOD + BEVERAGE Club in Charleston, S.C., describes her members as wine aficionados. So not surprisingly, Daniel Island has two wine clubs, one being a cellar club.

Daniel Island’s dining menu also features different varietals by the glass, and spotlights a Wine of the Month.

“Whether it is a Far Niente Chardonnay that we were able to bring in at a good price or a Chateauneuf-du-Pape that they had never tried, the wine-by-the-glass program drives our members to try new varietals and wineries,” Paciotti says.

RETURN OF THE CLASSICS Classic cocktails are also making a comeback at Daniel Island Club. “We are seeing a resurgence of the pre-Prohibition Era cocktails, with a modern twist or unique technology,” Paciotti reports.

“These tend to be very simple drinks with a minimum amount of ingredients, all of which must be of the highest quality.”

In 2019, she says, the club’s vodka sales were around $280,000, followed by bourbon at $71,000. Gin and tequila tied for third at around $42,000.

One of the club’s most popular cocktails is the Viola, a variation of a dramatically purple classic cocktail from the early 1900s called the Aviation (see recipe, pg. 26). Other big sellers are Mezcal Tequila and bourbon transformed at the table into a multi-sensory experience with the application of a smoker gun, for a smoked Manhattan.

Details can also help to elevate the beverage experience. Paciotti says she has seen ice cubes or balls branded with a stamp or mold,

PRESERVING PROFITS WINE-BY-THE GLASS SALES, including higher-end labels that would typically be offered only by the bottle, are getting a big boost at Manchester Country Club in Bedford, N.H., since last winter’s debut of a wine-presManchester CC's wine-by-theervation system, reports David glass program has created new Smith, the club’s Executive appeal for members while reducing costs and waste for the Chef/Director of Food and club, reports Executive Chef/ Beverage. Even during the winDirector of F&B David Smith. ter off-season, wine sales show that members have embraced the by-the-glass program.

“This program opens up opportunities for members to try different wines, and we don’t have to be worried about when we’re going to sell the next glass, because the system preserves the bottles and keeps them fresh,” Smith says.

On its weekly dining-room menu specials, Manchester CC now features a page that offers tasting notes of selected bottles that are using the wine-preservation system. The club is also now able to offer wine flights (three three-ounce pours) utilizing the system.

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1910 Pomegranate Spritz YIELD: 1 Serving INGREDIENTS: sprig thyme .5 oz. Seacrets Orange Infused Vodka .5 oz. Pama Liqueur 1 oz. Aperol Aperitivo splash sparkling water (for garnish) fresh pomegranate seeds (for garnish) orange twist PROCEDURE: 1. Shake all ingredients, except the sparkling water.

2. Strain into a stemmed glass over fresh ice and top with sparkling water.

3. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and orange twist.

SUBMITTED BY JEN MORAN, BEVERAGE MANAGER, TALBOT COUNTRY CLUB, EASTON, MD.

and is looking to introduce one with the club’s logo. She is also exploring having a supplier produce liquors such as vodka and gin under the Daniel Island Club brand.

“We want to offer liquors at the quality levels and price points as the ones we currently offer,” she said. “Gin is particularly exciting, because we can customize it with herbs and botanicals.”

Just as people are buzzing about farm to table when it comes to food, they’re now also looking for “farm to glass” in beverage offerings, Paciotti notes. “We work with the kitchen staff to use unique ingredients in our cocktails,” she explains. “Members enjoy watching their juice get freshly squeezed or herbs muddled into their cocktails, as opposed to something poured from a bottle.”

Much of the appeal of cocktails now served at Manchester CC also stems from the freshness of the ingredients, including herbs, peppers and different kinds of mint grown in the club’s three large gardens, as well as honey from its on-site beehives, Smith notes.

“We actually grow mint inside the bar over the winter, so we can serve the freshest Mojitos all year round,” he reports.

PRETTY AS A PICTURE Good looks can also go a long way to increasing liquor sales. “We are living in a visual society, so presentation matters, from glassware to garnishes,” Paciotti says. “Every drink has to be ‘Instagrammable.’ ” Picture-perfect tropical libations fit the setting at the Pier House Resort & Spa in Key West, Fla., reports Joe Dantoni, Divisional Vice President of Operations for Remington Hotels, the property’s parent company. Guests can sip a signature rum punch made with light rum, banana liqueur, Malibu Rum, pineapple and orange juice with a dark rum floater. And in One Duval, the property's fine dining room, the signature cocktail is the Pier House Royal—vodka, Chambord and sweet and sour in a sugar-rimmed glass with a floating lemon peel. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

“

Colorful concoctions such as the Cranberry We are living in a visual society, so presentaMule (cranberry juice, agave nectar and ginger tion matters, from glassware to garnishes. beer topped with club soda) and the Strawberry Banana Soda made with Monin Strawberry and Every drink has to be ‘Instagrammable.’

Monin Banana topped with club soda are served — Jenn Paciotti, Director of Clubhouse Operations, at the Daniel Island Club.

Daniel Island Club Manchester CC has taken the wine flight concept and applied it to cocktails such as margaritas, How members drink at The Union Club is also a generational Smith reports. Little placemats are printed with thing, McFadden notes. Those in their mid-50s usually start with a descriptions of each of the three versions of the cocktail. cocktail that they generally bring into the dining room from the bar Spirit consumption changes with the seasons at Talbot CC. During the winter months, single-malt scotch dominates, while in other or order at the table. Younger members, between the ages of 30 and 45, lean more toward wine. seasons, sales trend to rums and “Dark and Stormy” cocktails, No matter what the age group, almost everybody orders someMoran says. thing to drink at the beginning of the meal, McFadden says. “You More established members at Talbot prefer port or sherry to could say it’s a social lubricant,” he offers. C+RB finish out their meals, Moran adds, while younger members will go for more fun and trendy dessert-style cocktails, such as a chocolate martini made with “peanut butter whiskey” (infused with peanuts, MORE ONLINE for a creamy mouthfeel and finish).

For recipes for Thyme At The Union Club, McFadden reports, “anything in a barrel is Collins, Mango Margarita, popular now.” At first, he notes, that primarily applied to bourbons and Gin Grapefruit Sour, see the online version of and rums. But now vodka, gins and even wines aged in old bourbon this article at www.clubanbarrels are also on trend. Sustainable and organic liquors are also dresortbusiness.com popular when they can be offered at the right price point.

”

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March 2020

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

CLUBS WITHOUT

BORDERS

Outdoors has become the preferred place to be, as clubs and resorts welcome the change in seasons with exciting and inviting exterior space.

Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor 30 lBy Club + Resort Business l March 2020

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Photo Courtesy Shadow Wood CC

THE CURE FOR CABIN FEVER is a healthy dose of outdoor activity. As the calendar turns to spring and clubs open their doors to members and guests looking to dine and socialize outside, revitalizing patios and adjoining eateries becomes a priority.

To meet the demands of a growing customer base and accommodate a surge in a la carte dining and special events, these facilities illustrate how redesigning their outdoor space has become vital to sustaining member satisfaction.

CREATING A FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH At Shadow Wood Country Club in Estero, Fla., a dedicated space for member dining fueled the decision to convert an existing outdoor dining spot into a full-fledged food-and- beverage operation. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

“We decided to utilize our new space for member a la carte dining only,” says Clubhouse Manager Jeff Brown. “We have over 1,100 memberships, and this gave us an opportunity to be able to accommodate a much higher percentage.” The newly named Golfside Grill (see photo above) opened last November, with no disruption to service, and turned a former 36-seat piazza into a covered dining area that now seats 260.

Amassing 9,000 square feet, the spacious grill is adjacent and accessible to the clubhouse lobby, lounge and dining rooms, the latter of which is connected via a set of nano doors along the south wall. Brown credits this installation for “opening the dining room to the outside and providing a panoramic view of our beautiful sunsets and outdoor space.”

To better serve the grill, the club erected a self-contained March 2020

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DESIGN + RENOVATION SHADOW WOOD COUNTRY CLUB Estero, Fla.

“We decided to utilize our new outdoor space for member a la carte dining only.

We have over 1,100 memberships, and this gave us an opportunity to be able to accommodate a much higher percentage.”

—Jeff Brown, Clubhouse Manager

kitchen, which features a pizza oven, open-concept sushi bar and built-in hot/ cold buffet lines in the member dining area. “The location of the kitchen, sushi and permanent buffet area has increased our efficiencies in providing food to our members and guests with excellent ticket times,” Brown notes. “It has increased our speed of service exponentially.”

Stellar service is essential for Shadow Wood’s busy outdoor dining facility, which

boasts a variety of seating options and configurations. Members can relax at hightop tables, lounge seating, banquettes or at standard tables, along with 21 seats at the center bar or five seats at the sushi bar.

Outfitted in a soft color palette of white and gray with darker accents, the overall design creates a comfortable, casual vibe for dinner and drinks. To protect members from the Florida sun’s penetrating rays, the entire dining venue is completely

covered and also includes built-in electric shades to reduce glare.

With such a thoughtfully designed layout, members are responding in kind to the new space. According to Director of Membership and Marketing Danita Osborn, usage has increased by approximately 70 percent from previous years.

“In fact, we served 6,000 more meals in December 2019 than we served in December 2018,” she says. “Our focus has

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DESIGN + RENOVATION been to deliver a quality food offering to members at a reasonable price, in an efficient manner with a friendly smile.”

Osborn praises the renovation for instilling a tremendous energy in the dining area and throughout the club. “Our membership is more engaged than any prior time in the club,” she says. “We have been told by some members [that] the beautiful space and energy makes them feel younger.”

OUTDOOR OASIS Offering a staycation for its members was the goal of a recent patio renovation at the Red Tail Golf Club. In June 2018, the Avon, Ohio-based facility expanded its patio café from a 75-person seating capacity to a 175-person eatery.

The goal was to create a destination that met members’ needs and exceeded their expectations. “We wanted the expansion to our Patio Café to make our members and guests feel like they were at a resort, without a care in the world,” says Food and Beverage Director Brandi Cole.

RED TAIL GOLF CLUB Avon, Ohio

“We wanted the expansion to our Patio Café to make our members and guests feel like they were at a resort, without a care in the world.”

—Brandi Cole, Food and Beverage Director

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

HOP MEADOW COUNTRY CLUB Simsbury, Conn.

“We are comfortable in three seasons— and we stayed open into early November in our first year [since the renovation].”

—John Bermel, Treasurer

Situated alongside the 18th-hole fairway and the tee box for the 10th hole, Red Tail’s café provides golfers with a neighboring post-game respite.

Newly installed stamped concrete seating assumes 2,000 square feet, while an array of outdoor couches and chairs are positioned around three custom-stonework firepits. Adjacent bocce ball courts include a covered seating area to take in a game or two.

Maximizing the outdoor dining experience is the addition of a woodfired pizza kitchen, complete with a custom-made pizza oven, to which patrons have a front-row seat. “Our members can interact with our chefs while they prepare gourmet pizza and other fun food creations,” says Cole.

The pizza kitchen enhances the open-air kitchen design for optimal efficiency, enabling dishes to move from oven to table, and offering a seamless path for front- and back-of-house staff.

The Patio Café’s design is enhanced by a variety of décor elements, including granite countertops, professional landscaping, in-ground accent lighting at the café, pole lights on the bocce courts and decorative string lighting overhead. To protect the café from the elements, the pizza kitchen features a custom-made awning, enabling staff to handle foodservice operations undisturbed.

“A large portion of the seating area is covered by a pergola with aromatic wisteria [that] allows for protection from the heat of the day, as well

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

Patio Dining at Its Peak WHEN IT COMES TO FULFILLING outdoor dining needs, Mountain Ridge Country Club has got it covered—literally. After completing a multi-tiered renovation that included a fully renovated clubhouse and updated golf course [“Preserving the Future,” C+RB, October 2019], the West Caldwell, N.J.-based facility underwent an outdoor dining renovation that bumped up its footprint from 7,099 to 10,400 square feet. The larger space now features covered areas for the club’s two al fresco eateries.

The primary reason for the increase in square footage was to accommodate a brand-new, 4,200-sq. ft. tent that can hold 275 guests. “Our banquet room is very small, due to the architecture of the clubhouse, so a majority of our ‘life’ events (weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs) take place in the beautifully appointed tent,” says General Manager/COO James Messina. The tent’s firm blue stone floor “allows party planners and décor

Celebrating

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companies to have a solid footprint to put forth a great party,” he adds.

As for the two outdoor dining spots, located at the back of the clubhouse and overlooking the golf course, The Pub features an indoor/ outdoor bar, four televisions and a seating capacity of 120. Messina describes this casual dining spot as “the workhorse of the lunch/post-golf cocktail/ snack operation.” While remaining virtually untouched and utilizing the existing footprint, the design has been enhanced by the installation of moveable doors that provide the experience of being outdoors even while inside.

A covered patio area, just off The Pub, has a canvas top and drop-down shade screens for protection from sunset

All of Mountain Ridge CC’s outdoor space was expanded to maximize views of the club’s Donald Ross golf course and the surrounding landscape. glare. Fans cool the air on sultry summer days, and portable heaters extend the usefulness of this space well into crisp fall evenings.

Over at The Mixed Grill dining patio, an enlarged seating area is now covered and seats 150 people. “In an equity club, it is vital that all members be seated in a like area with similar panoramic views [of the club’s 1930 Donald Rossdesigned 18-hole course],” says Messina.

Like its Pub counterpart, the Grill benefits from a set of moveable doors, with the added bonus of boosting the interior square footage and ceiling height. The extra space made room for a 24-person square bar just off the door system, “allowing those members enjoying a casual drink [to] take in the dramatic Mountain Ridge views and get that fresh air from the exterior,” Messina notes. A 1,000-sq.-ft. covered area transitions directly into the noncovered dining area and includes fans, drop-down shade screens and recessed heaters.

As a result of the redesigned outdoor facility, Mountain Ridge has seen substantial increases in member dining. According to Messina, Sunday family BBQs averaged 250 covers in 2019, surpasing the previous year’s best of 190. In addition, Friday Tavern Night improved from 120 covers to 150.

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Hop Meadow CC has seen a 50 percent increase in F&B spending since its patio renovation, and special-event bookings have also been on the rise.

as from brief showers,” notes Cole.

Speaking of weather, Red Tail’s patio cafe project was slightly impacted by Mother Nature during the course of the renovation, but ultimately did not upset the overall schedule. “The northern Ohio spring was a bit of a challenge and did cause a small delay, but the contractors were superior,” recalls Cole. “As soon as the weather allowed, the project was completed with plenty of time for our members to enjoy the summer season in style.”

And enjoy it, they did. Red Tail’s sum-

mertime business increased by 20 percent due to the patio project’s success. “We not only have more patrons, members and nonmembers alike, enjoying the patio, but many of our catered events and weddings have chosen to have their function at the new and improved space,” Cole says, noting the addition of a 12-foot x 16-foot cedar pavilion.

The club is enthused by members’ sentiments that have become universal. “‘It’s been described as ‘the next best thing to a private resort or a beautiful vacation getaway,’ ” says Cole of recent feedback.

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DOUBLE THE PATIO PLEASURE At Hop Meadow Country Club in Simsbury, Conn., expanding the outdoor space from 4,000 to 8,000 square feet was a game-changing experience last May. By adding a 1,000-sq. ft. outdoor bar, 1,000-sq. ft. outdoor dining pavilion, extra seating and revamped deck space, this renovation has been described as a “transformative project” by John Bermel, Treasurer, Board member and Chair of Hop Meadows’ patio bar committee.

Located just off the back and side of

Infrared Dynamics / C&RB March 2019 7” x 5” 2/1/19

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DESIGN + RENOVATION SUMMING IT UP > the clubhouse, the patio is a hot spot that draws usage from all four corners of the property: the pool, the third hole, six tennis courts and banquet facilities. While the layout utilizes the existing interior banquet for access to the kitchen, the design has also been supplemented with outside serving areas and POS stations that support the dining and bar areas.

Seating is available for up to 160 patrons in the bar and dining areas—flexible zones that Bermel says “can easily accommodate a reception for 250 people and provide much improved access to the club’s pool and tennis areas.”

Surrounding the entire deck is a wire railing system with a wood top rail, while overhead a custom awning lined with pendant lighting provides coverage for both the bar and dining pavilions. Comfort zones outfitted with sofas and chairs are featured in the dining and fire pit areas (see photo,

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pg. 36), where pavers lead the way from the patio bar to the pool area.

These same pavers also constitute a large landing area at the bottom of a grand staircase which, Bermel says, “is considered the literal and figurative centerpiece of the outdoor facility.” Wall sconces, spot lighting above the bar and colored LED around the top of the bar itself showcase this space as dusk brings nightfall.

Overhead heaters in both the bar and dining pavilions, along with electric screens that provide complete protection from wind and sun, extend the patio’s usefulness. “We are comfortable in three seasons—and we stayed open into early November in our first year [since the renovation],” Bermel notes.

By creating both a practical and purposeful outdoor space, Hop Meadow has seen a boost in overall membership following the patio renovation. Bermel reports a 50 per-

> >

Increasing the footprint of outdoor facilities allows clubs to better serve both a la carte and event dining.

Easy access to the clubhouse, kitchen and recreational facilities creates better workplace flow.

Special attention to purposeful lighting and generous seating mimics the comforts of indoor dining.

cent increase in food-and-beverage spending over the previous year, and says special-event bookings are also on the rise.

“In the summer, Sundays have become a consistently strong revenue day for the club, as members enjoy being at the pool and then having a meal with their family on the patio,” he adds. C+RB

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SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

A

BLOOM AND A BUZZ

In addition to caring for a 96-year-old golf course that has ties to Tom Bendelow, Jeff Sexton’s duties at Evansville (Ind.) CC also entail tending to over 13,000 annual flowers and more than 200,000 honeybees.

By Jeff Bollig, Contributing Editor

WHILE STUDYING to be a golf course superintendent, Jeff Sexton, CGCS, knew he would spend much of his time managing turf. He also figured he would do a bunker renovation at some point during his career. And no doubt there would be an irrigation upgrade to be completed, too.

What the Superintendent at Evansville (Ind.) Country Club [ECC] didn’t anticipate, though, is that his career would also eventually entail taking care of 13,000-plus annual flowers, and tending to more than 200,000 honeybees. Those features, and more, are just a part of Sexton’s philosophy and approach for delivering an outstanding experience to club members. And being a resident of the city since his early teens, he brings an ample amount of hometown pride to his position as well. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

“The flower project was started by the previous superintendent Gary Shetler [who is now the club’s General Manager] in the early 2000s,” Sexton says. “To save money, instead of buying plants, I decided to grow them from seeds, which allowed us to provide more flowers.

“We plant the seeds in our 3,000-sq. ft. greenhouse in early February. Our varieties include Vinca, Lantana, Impatiens and Petunias. I believe we have the biggest display of flowers of any club in the country.”

A big hit at the club, the flowers are displayed at tee boxes, and also presented as gifts to members. At the beginning of the season for the ladies’ club, each participant is given a hanging basket of flowers. A flower pot is also given out to attendees at the Mother’s Day Lunch.

The bees came along when Sexton introduced them March 2020

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SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Golf Course Profile

Evansville (Ind.) Country Club Website: www.evansvillecountryclub.org Golf Holes: 18 Par: 71 Yardage: Championship Tees, 6,200; Member Tees, 5,900; Women’s Tees, 5,100 Ownership: Private/Member Owned Type: Parkland Course Designers: Front 9 designed by Tom Bendelow prior to 1924. The course added an additional 9 holes, plus redesigned the front 9, with the help of William Tucker from 1926-1927. The course was renovated again by Bill Diddel in 1945, and

by Gary Kern and Ron Kern in 1992.

in 2015 to prove a point. Frustrated by the negative publicity that bees were being killed by pesticides, he introduced five hives off the 14th hole, because he knew that bees are extremely important to the plant ecosystem as pollinators, transporting pollen to plants and enabling them to grow and produce crops. The club was leery of the project, Sexton says, but he eventually won them over.

“I was very apprehensive sitting in front of Gary [Shetler] telling him what I wanted to do,” he recalls. “But I got the green light.

“We now produce six to seven gallons of honey from the hives each year,” he says.

“We call it ECC honey, and let me tell you, it is in high demand. Our chef is first in line.

Then we sell the rest to the membership and put the money back into our operations. I’m told there is no better honey than ours.”

Working so close with the hives and bees, the obvious question is, has Sexton 42

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Year Opened: 1900 (as Social and Fishing Club). Golf course opened as a 9-hole course in 1908.

Golf Season: April 1–October 31 (year-round, weather permitting) Annual Rounds: 13,500 Grasses: Fairways and Tees: Meyer Zoysiagrass Rough: Mix Greens: Penncross/Pennlinks Bentgrass mix Water Features: Two ponds (both in play; one for irrigation); Pigeon Creek adjacent to the course Water Source/Annual Usage: Pigeon Creek; 12 million gallons

ever been stung? “Oh yeah, a few times,” he says. “It doesn’t feel very good.”

But overall, Sexton’s career has been a feel-good story, as he described in his conversation with C+RB: C+RB How did you decide to become a golf course superintendent?

Sexton When you have a father [Tony] who was a golf course superintendent, an uncle who worked for him and then another uncle who was a superintendent, golf is naturally a frequent subject of your conversations. I began helping my dad on the golf course when I was 10 years old by picking up the wooden tees. If I did that, he would allow me to drive his golf cart around the course. I began helping him to do other things as I worked through high school and when I was home from college. But I made the decision on my own. My father really did not encourage or discourage me. He wanted me to do what I wanted to do.

C+RB Who were your mentors in the profession?

Sexton My father taught me the importance of attention to detail and of having a strong work ethic. He was such a hard worker and it made an impression on me.

When I was an assistant working at Rolling Hills Country Club in Newburgh, Ind., Brad Coole, CGCS, was—and still is—the superintendent. He taught me the importance of communications, of being a professional, and of getting involved in your professional associations for the education and networking opportunities.

One thing that [Brad] shared that stuck with me is that the golf course belongs to the members, not me. So it is important for me to listen to them and communicate with them. I have a column in the club newsletter, do a member e-mail every two weeks, and maintain a Twitter account. I get good feedback and they appreciate knowing what we are doing on their course.

C+RB What is your biggest golf course management challenge?

Sexton One reason we are doing an in-house irrigation project is we had an uneven application of water. So we are replacing some heads, plus we are extending lines so we can reach the edges of the fairways and roughs. The original system was installed in 1987, so it was time.

Seeds for Evansville CC’s flowers are planted in a 3,000-sq. ft. greenhouse on the property in early February each year. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The other issue we have is flooding from Pigeon Creek, which runs adjacent to the golf course. We have had some discussions with the Corps of Engineers to see what can be done. It would be at our expense, so we are looking at options right now. And one thing we have done to help our turf quality is to have a strong tree removal program.

C+RB What has been the impact of your

recent bunker project?

Sexton That was one of the best things we have ever done. The history of bunkers here was that we would renovate a few every year and then when we got all 67 done, we’d start over. In the meantime, there was so much maintenance needed on the older bunkers and they would get muddy.

Super in the Spotlight

Jeff Sexton,

CGCS Current Position: Golf Course Superintendent, Evansville (Ind.) Country Club Years at Evansville CC: Eight Years in Golf Course Maintenance Business: 20

Previous Positions: • Golf Course Superintendent, Henderson (Ky.) Country Club, 2010-12 • Golf Course Superintendent, Madisonville (Ky.) Country Club, 2004-05 • Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, Rolling Hills Country Club, Newburgh, Ind., 1999-2004; 2005-10 Education & Training: B.S., Turfgrass Science, Purdue University, 2002 Certifications: GCSAA Certified Golf Course Superintendent Honors and Awards: • Tri-State GCSA Superintendent of the Year, 2011 and 2014 • President, Tri-State GCSA, 2013-14 • Board of Directors, Midwest Regional Turfgrass Foundation, 2013-19

So I decided we were going to do a project in-house with the Better Billy Bunker liner system. It took us four years to do the front nine. But the results were amazing. There was better drainage, the sand was consistent, and the look was cleaner. The membership decided to give me more resources to finish the back nine in one year, because they liked the results so much.

C+RB What makes the course fun to play, yet challenging?

Sexton We have an unusual layout, with the front nine being a par 34 and the back a par 37. We have tight fairways and a lot of undulations in the greens. So you better keep it in the fairway and you better be a good putter if you want to get a good score.

We are not really long, so you might think it is easy to play, but we can hold our own. They call Doral the Blue Monster— I call us the “Short Monster.” That makes it fun, but challenging.

C+RB What does the club offer to members?

Sexton We are full-service. We have a great

junior golf program, laid out by our Head Golf Professional, Nick Haudek. We have swimming. We have tennis. We do a lot of events, including weddings and parties, and meetings as well. Our food and beverage is significant, as we have a huge social membership. As for golf, we host several Monday outside events for groups and businesses.

C+RB What is your membership demographic?

Sexton That has changed over the years.

Today, we have businessmen, retired couples, families—it’s across the board. I heard that in the 1990s, our average age was closer to 70. I’d say it’s closer to 50 today. We offer a little bit of something for everyone.

C+RB I understand that Arnold Palmer once made a big impression on the club?

Sexton I think it was 1964, and someone arranged for Arnold Palmer to come do an exhibition. People still talk about it. They

Course + Grounds Operations Profile Staff Size: Eight full-time; seven seasonal Aerating and Overseeding Schedules: Aerate greens twice a year (March and September, solid tine) Upcoming Capital Projects: Releveling tees; extending irrigation to rough; acid injection system added, to neutralize high pH levels in water.

said we had 5,000 people come out to watch him play a match against a young club member, Jerry Schreiber. Jerry actually beat Arnold by one stroke on the front nine, shooting a 32. But on the back nine, Arnold shot a 33 and Jerry had a 37. That was a big day around here.

C+RB What has changed most in golf course management during your career?

Sexton It’s been this way for a while, but labor is tight. Not only for our staff, but especially in finding assistant superintendents. The schools are not producing as many turf students, so the top 100 courses get them as assistants. If we get them, they are here a short time and then move on to higher-paying positions.

So I made a decision to stop chasing the assistant and divide that salary among a few guys who had been here a long time.

I figured they know everything about the course, they are loyal, and they can handle things when I am gone. Why not reward them? That might be a bit controversial, but I think it is something others should look at doing.

Also, I really do not get caught up in the issue of high or unrealistic golfer expectations. That is what we signed up for when we got in this profession. C+RB

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COURSE + GROUNDS

TRAININ For superintendents, creating the best possible golf course conditions begins

with training, retraining, retaining and rewarding a quality maintenance staff.

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

GOOD HELP CAN BE HARD to find in any profession, and golf course superintendents are putting a premium on finding the manpower to ensure that they can provide golfers with top-notch playing conditions.

After all, those efforts begin in the maintenance shop.

With a crew of quality employees who are trainable, dedicated, and passionate, superintendents can mentor personnel who can adapt to new approaches and ever-changing industry technology.

Chris Carson, Golf Course Superintendent at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., knows the traits he needs in his crew members.

“I look for eagerness to grow, a desire to become a superintendent, good communication skills, and an awareness that this is a business,” he says. “More than anything else, I look for passion. I want somebody that loves the business and wants to grow.”

Ryan Cummings, Golf Course Superintendent at Elcona Country Club in Bristol, Ind., has a similar philosophy. “I can always serve as a teacher on any turf-related task,” says Cummings. “I can’t teach work 44

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ethic, and I can’t teach dependability. I look for those intangibles you cannot teach.”

LEARNING THE BASICS The Echo Lake golf course maintenance department does not have a formal training program, but Carson says new employees must “learn the basics.” New crew members start out with tasks such as cutting greens and approaches with hand mowers, raking bunkers, and doing trim work. Once they have established those skills, Carson says, “We get them on machines. People that show aptitude and desire tend to grow.”

On their first day on the job at Elcona CC, new grounds crew hires get a general overview of the 18hole golf course. “They are never by themselves for the first few days,” Cummings says.

He also gives new employees a laminated sheet with step-by-step instructions, written in English and Spanish, that they can take out in the field.

Some of the first maintenance tasks they perform are raking bunkers, filling in divots, trimming, or www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Photo Courtesy Elcona CC

NG DAYS walk-mowing greens. While the foreman typically oversees training for new grounds crew members, Cummings trains new senior-management personnel. “We make sure they understand the expectations of quality that our members have,” he says.

For established staff members at Elcona, retraining usually pertains to new equipment. Staff members also watch YouTube videos to learn how to operate new machines, and they go over the equipment manuals. “We make sure the operators read those through and through before they’re turned loose on a machine,” Cummings notes.

Sometimes, Cummings or his assistants make changes to the maintenance schedule on the fly, so he’s taught another helpful skill to crew members. “When the staff comes in the shop, they’re trained to look at the job board immediately,” he says.

DIGITAL DIRECTION Training for new employees at the 27hole Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore, Md. begins before they ever set foot on the golf course. “Before employees start, they’re given a digital file with all of our

standard operating procedures,” says Director of Grounds and Facilities Tyler Bloom.

The digital file includes articles, YouTube videos, and testimonials from employees about their work experience that Bloom films after they have been on the job for 30 days, and again after a year on staff. New employees can relate to the people in the videos, he notes.

“We do a lot of in-field training,” continues Bloom. “A new employee is partnered with someone who has been here at least six months. Mentorship isn’t just coming from me. It’s disseminated all through the organization.”

Typically, new employees at Sparrows Point also start out with jobs such as filling divots, raking bunkers, using backpack blowers, planting flowers, or cleaning up debris. Bloom also makes sure they know how to drive a utility cart and within about 60 days, he will start teaching them how to use basic equipment.

He also turns to manufacturers and distributors for training assistance. “I try to leverage every resource I have,” he says.

GIVING EVERYONE THEIR PART Seattle (Wash.) Golf Club uses a Section Maintenance system to maintain the golf

SUMMING IT UP > Safety training is a priority for golf course maintenance staff employees, and new

hires should start out performing simpler tasks such as raking bunkers, trimming, and walk-mowing before they learn to operate large pieces of equipment.

> To recruit staff members, golf course superintendents rely on word-of-mouth, online job boards, and relationships with high schools, community colleges, and universities. They also turn to people with special needs, retirees, and inmates on work-release programs to expand their labor pools.

> Advances in technology have improved equipment efficiency and reduced the need for larger labor pools.

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“

We make sure all of our bases are covered. Many of our staff can run almost every piece of equipment, because you never know what life will bring.

Cross-training is necessary in our industry.

”

— Ryan Cummings, Golf Course Superintendent, Elcona CC

course and train its maintenance staff. With this system, the grounds crew is divided into six teams of three people, and each team maintains a three-hole section of the 18-hole golf course.

“It’s a way to take a great golf course and try to make it better,” says General Manager Kipp Johnson. “It’s a good accountability tool, and it’s a good way to see how we measure up against ourselves.”

The program is also beneficial to new employees, because it accelerates expectations and gives them an earlier look at the standards that are expected. For seasoned

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staff members, it promotes leadership and accountability.

“It helps the new guys learn the golf course,” says Golf Course Superintendent Matt Schuldt. “They learn the lingo—tee box, apron, rough—and where the holes are. It also helps them learn a system and routine, and with time management.”

The Section Maintenance approach improves the performance of veteran staff members as well, Schuldt notes. “We try to pair a seasoned employee with a new one,” he says. “They feel like they are being empowered to help train somebody. They

have a say-so in our operations, and they learn new parts of the golf course.”

The program also promotes responsibility among the crew members. “Every guy has his own cart and his own tools,” reports Schuldt. “We’re able to hold people accountable for their equipment. We’ve become organized in the shop and in the field, and we’ve become more consistent.

Our priorities are clearer. [Everyone knows] what to do in what order, so they understand what the golfers want.”

CROSS-TRAINING AND SAFETY For the best course conditions, golf course properties usually cross-train maintenance crew members so that anyone can perform a given task.

“We do that to make sure all of our bases are covered,” says Cummings. “Many of our staff can run almost every piece of equipment, because you never know what life will bring. Cross-training is necessary in our industry.”

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NEW! BACK OFFICE SYSTEM WITH FORETEES BUSINESS

COURSE + GROUNDS

Seattle GC’s Matt Schuldt sends assistants to construction projects at other golf courses to help them expand their knowledge.

ASSISTANCE FOR ASSISTANTS GOLF COURSE SUPERINTENDENTS TRAIN THEIR crew members to work safely and effectively. However, most superintendents try to help their assistant superintendents advance their career opportunities as well.

Chris Carson, Golf Course Superintendent at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield, N.J., says there is a shortage of assistant superintendents.

He believes young people are less inclined to spend four years in college, followed by seven years as an assistant superintendent with the hope— but no guarantee —of landing a superintendent’s position. Instead, he says, many properties are developing assistant superintendents inhouse, rather than recruiting them from turf schools.

To put themselves in the best position for advancement, Carson, who also teaches at Rutgers University, recommends that assistants work at a property that offers learning opportunities and the chance to move forward. “Making sure you’re working for the right company is one of the keys to growth in our business,” he states. “They should work for a superintendent who is willing to mentor and challenge them.”

Carson also encourages his assistant superintendents to get involved in property activities by communicating with members and attending budget or greens-committee meetings when appropriate.

For the last several years, Ryan Cummings, Golf Course Superintendent at Elcona Country Club in Bristol, Ind., has taught a Golf Industry Show seminar for assistant superintendents, to help them understand the budgeting process, how to train individuals, how to use available technology to make decisions, and to practice the dialogue involved with hiring or firing people. “They get enough agronomic experience on the job,” he notes.

Tyler Bloom, Director of Grounds and Facilities at Sparrows Point Country Club in Baltimore, Md., tries to understand what his assistants’ passions are to help them advance in their careers, whether they end up working as a golf course superintendent or in a related field. If assistants only have their eye on a superintendent’s position, Bloom feels that they’re limiting their potential.

“It’s a very competitive job market,” he says. “The skills you develop working on a golf course transcend this specific sector.”

Matt Schuldt, Golf Course Superintendent at Seattle (Wash.) Golf Club, has sent his assistants to observe construction projects or demo days at other golf courses in the area. Schuldt also believes that interacting with the membership helps assistant superintendents develop their management skills.“I involve them in greens-committee meetings each month so they can talk to members, and they do golf course tours with greens-committee members,” he says. “I give them the latitude to make as many decisions for the operation as possible. Empowering them to make decisions for others is the key.”

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Schuldt also relies on his seasoned crew members to cross-train new staff members, and tries to match up personalities that will work well together.

“The veteran staff member feels like he is part of something good and will make it better,” he says. “It creates more of a team atmosphere, versus management telling people what to do.”

In addition to cross-training personnel, superintendents must ensure that employees understand how to do their jobs safely. At Echo Lake, for instance, employees receive training on individual pieces of equipment. In addition, some staff members are bilingual, which aids in communicating with a largely Hispanic workforce.

The Elcona maintenance staff has unlimited access to safety videos that are produced by a local vendor, and they watch a video once a month. Topics range from safety to golf etiquette to hearing and eye protection.

After they watch the videos, staff members take a five-question quiz online. Anyone who correctly answers all five questions gets an extra hour of pay.

At Sparrows Point, staff members watch one or two safety videos each week or undergo workplace ethics training. In addition, Bloom says, “Once a month, one person leads a 30-minute discussion on a safety topic. We use real-life situations that we’ve seen on the work site.”

Schuldt depends on vendors, who are typically on site once a month, to conduct safety-training sessions. In between visits, staff members also prepare questions for the vendors. Maintenance personnel attend daylong seminars sponsored by local chemical and fertilizer companies as well.

Schuldt also asks staff members what they want to learn and what kind of safety equipment they need. In addition, he takes photos of potential hazards to share with crew members, and to discuss ways to avoid the issues. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

LOOKING FOR LABOR Of course, superintendents also need staff members to train, and Carson, a frequent speaker at industry conferences, says finding labor is one of the biggest obstacles that superintendents face.

Wages, demanding hours and hard work contribute to the paucity of a viable employment pool. “The business is a hard one,” says Carson. “It’s a lifestyle that requires an intense commitment.”

Years ago, he notes, he might have had 15 to 20 applicants for four positions, but that’s now no longer the case. He is fortunate, though, he adds, that Echo Lake is “close enough to an urban center in Newark, New Jersey that there is a pool of employees that fits our profile.”

To recruit employees for Elcona CC’s maintenance staff, Cummings offers flexible

Chris Carson’s training practices at Echo Lake CC put as much emphasis on attitude and commitment as on aptitude and skills.

schedules and part-time hours to student workers. “Not a lot of young people know that this is a rewarding career path,” he notes. During the summer, he also hires teachers who want to fill their time and earn extra income.

When he arrived at Sparrows Point in 2014, Bloom says the property did not have a program geared toward long-term employment. For the last three years, how-

verdin clocks

ever, the facility has put more emphasis on employee development.

In 2019, adopting practices he has used for several years, Bloom founded a consulting company that serves the turfgrass, green and club industries in workforce development and strategy. He helps clients build recruitment and development models that rely on outreach, high school workbased learning, and apprenticeship. He calls

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THE VERDIN COMPANY CINCINNATI, OHIO 800-543-0488

COURSE + GROUNDS

Developing an internship program with local high schools near Sparrows Point GC has helped the departments under Director of Grounds and Facilities Tyler Bloom go from 50 percent turnover to 90 percent retention.

mentorship the foundation of the program.

One of the most effective recruitment tools that superintendents have at their disposal is word-of-mouth among existing staff personnel, friends, or family members. Other resources include retirees, who can perform less labor-intensive tasks; H-2B visas, which allow foreign workers to come to the United States temporarily to perform non-agricultural labor or services on a one-time, seasonal, peakload, or intermittent basis; online job boards; inmate work-release programs; special-needs individuals; and relationships with local high schools, colleges, and universities.

“Once you’ve experienced it, it’s a cool place to work,” says Carson, whose initial golf course employment came in the form of a summer job. “When you engage young minds and show them some of the mysteries of growing a golf course, that can pique their interest.”

With five high schools located within a five-minute drive of Sparrows Point, Bloom offers an internship program for local students. The schools now serve as the primary labor pool for the Sparrows Point golf course maintenance department, and Bloom says the students have no preconceived notions about the worksite.

“We went from 50 percent turnover to 90 percent retention,” he adds. “The high schools are feeding me employees every month. I never lack a supply of people, and 50

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our overall staff structure is better. We can pick and choose.”

He also has a relationship with a job placement firm for people with developmental disabilities. And in January, Bloom says, Sparrows Point became the first golf course in Maryland to be approved for golf course management apprenticeships by the state Department of Labor.

The employment initiatives not only give students a real-time lesson about the importance of a work ethic, but also provide them with an overview of turfgrass-industry career paths, Bloom says.

“Somebody’s got to show them what it’s like to work on a golf course and give them direction,” he says. “This is a career.

You don’t need to be a superintendent or an assistant, but you can go into sales or landscaping, or work on sports fields.”

While Bloom’s efforts began as a way to recruit employees for the golf course maintenance staff, his methods can be effective, he feels, for attracting employees for any department, from the golf shop to the culinary team to the front of the house.

At Seattle Golf Club, thanks to word of mouth, “We had to turn people down last year,” Schuldt says. As an added incentive, the property rewards $100 to an existing staff member who recommends an employee if the new hire works out.

“There’s a lot of creativity [in recruiting] going on right now,” notes Carson. “It’s projected that more is coming.”

RETAINING QUALITY EMPLOYEES To keep golf course maintenance operations running smoothly, employee retention is as important as recruitment. And little things can go a long way to let employees know that they’re appreciated.

At the 18-hole Echo Lake CC, where the average tenure for a crew member is 14.4 years, Carson says he tries to create a team and family atmosphere of mutual respect.

He also believes in compassion and treating people the right way.

“We work together for a common goal,” he says. “We respect them as individuals.

They can do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay.”

Sparrows Point employees typically stay on staff for three or four years, Bloom notes. If he hires a 16- or 17-year-old intern, he usually can count on having that person on staff for at least two years.

He also conducts a pre-screening assessment to evaluate the behavior and cognitive skill sets of his new hires, so he can put them in the best position to succeed.

Believing the job should offer employees the opportunity for continuing education and advancement, he holds weekly professional development sessions for the staff as well. “It’s important to have a vision for them,” he says. “If they do well, they’ll be rewarded.”

Rewarding the efforts of the crew members is effective as well. As part of the Section Maintenance system at Seattle GC last year, Johnson and Assistant General Manager Matt Morgan conducted reviews of each golf course section in June, July, and September. After each evaluation, the members of the winning team received gift cards. This year, the individual teams will receive a prize, but Johnson says the entire crew will also be rewarded if the staff as a whole meets expectations.

If a full-time crew member shows promise, Schuldt encourages him to get a two-year degree and keep working while attending school. He also offers employees flexible hours to cover staffing needs, even if it means hiring one or two extra part-time employees. “People need a life/work balance,” he says. C+RB www.clubandresortbusiness.com

GOLF OPERATIONS

A “HARD SELL” MADE EASY

Photo Courtesy of The Pointe Golf Shop

To compete with online retailers and “big box” stores for sales of golf equipment and other hard goods, clubs can use their knowledge of the industry and familiarity with members’ wants and needs to gain a distinct advantage.

By Rob Thomas, Senior Editor

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James Ondo, Head Golf Professional at The Apawamis Club, says technology and quick turnaround times have changed the way his club merchandises hard goods, as fewer clubs need to be in stock.

BETWEEN ONLINE RETAILERS AND “BIG box” outlets, a club’s pro shop has plenty of competition for a golfer’s hardgoods merchandise dollar. Because of this, club pros often have to think outside the box and go above and beyond how they’ve traditionally tried to move golf clubs and other equipment from their sales floors.

While selling on the Web has the advantage of “unlimited” floor space, and retail giants like Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy often benefit from foot traffic and impulse buyers, most clubs aren’t blessed with ample square footage, and they very rarely have someone just pop in for a purchase. So creativity and emphasizing the personal touch is important for becoming the store of choice, says Evan Bradley, Head Golf Professional of The Pointe resort in Branson, Mo. “The biggest challenge in selling hard goods is the competition that exists for us with the Internet and box stores,” Bradley says. “Limited staging areas, along with limited storage, require us to be crafty in our buying plan and carry out salesmanship each and every day.”

At Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho, an amenity of the Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort Hotel, Director of Golf David Christenson, PGA, enjoys a number of special advantages.

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“Largely because we are a tribal entity, purchases made at the golf shop are taxexempt,” Christenson says. “For customers and guests, this is pretty meaningful, given that it means a savings of 8 to 10 percent.

When you are talking about a set of clubs that may cost $2,000 to $3,000, those savings can be significant.”

Floor space is also not much of an issue at Circling Raven. “We’re fortunate to have a large retail floor that affords ample space, so our soft goods are not competing with hard goods, and vice versa,” Christenson says.

“Generally, we will merchandise the equipment in a section that is close to the pro shop counter,” he adds. “That way, if guests are looking at these items, we can quickly get out from behind the counter and assist them with any questions they may have. At the same time, this makes it easy for customers to see what we have available for equipment.”

A BETTER FIT James Ondo, Head Golf Professional at The Apawamis Club in Rye, N.Y., has seen a major shift in sales trends since he began his apprenticeship in 2001.

“The way we sell hard goods now, as compared to 10 or 15 years ago, has changed significantly due to advancements in technology,” Ondo says. “Ninety percent

of our clubs are now custom-fit, thanks to launch monitors and clubfitting components that are available through most leading club manufacturers.

“With the majority of clubs being custom-fit, and club manufacturers having very quick special-order turnaround time, there is not much of a need to stock too high of an inventory level of golf clubs,” he notes. “I only stock a small amount of drivers, metals and iron sets throughout the season. However, I do still carry a fair amount of wedges and putters.

“This has certainly freed up a lot of floor space and open-to-buy dollars, which allows me to carry different accessories and items that you might not normally see in a traditional golf shop,” Ondo says.

DAVID VS. GOLIATH While some may consider buying power and floor space a huge advantage for “big box” and online retailers, Ondo disagrees.

“The best way that small golf shops can differentiate themselves from the competition is through a high level of service,” he says. “Taking a genuine interest in your members, their families and their guests is the first and most critical component of providing great customer service.

“The next step is to create an experience at your club that creates a loyal customer www.clubandresortbusiness.com

base,” he adds. “Being able to run first-class club events, teach players of all ages and skill levels, professionally fit golf clubs, and play golf and travel with members are all ways to create an experience that big-box stores are unable to provide.

“I actually feel that I have more of an advantage than big-box stores; I have a captive audience that my staff and I interact with positively on a daily basis,” Ondo says.

“Lastly, I price the majority of our products that we offer in the golf shop at the same price as the big box stores or on-line retailers. So there is really no benefit for my customer to go shopping anywhere else.”

Bradley agrees that the personal touch and intimate knowledge of his golfers plays in the club’s favor. “We buy with an understanding of what our customers have demonstrated that they desire and buy over the years,” he says.

“Box stores and online outlets just carry a plethora of items that they can get their hands on,” he notes. “There is not a specific customer in mind for them, for the most part. They try to cast a big net and catch anything they can, where we cater to our customers and provide quality apparel and other items that we know they want.”

A plethora of options and a simple,

“

One employee may be focusing on wedge sales and taking our demo wedges to the practice facility, getting them in our customers’ hands and talking about what is new with these products, relative to what they currently play.

”

—David Christenson, PGA, Director of Golf, Circling Raven GC

yet recognizable, logo benefit sales at Circling Raven.

“Word of mouth is strong for us,” he says.

“We are known for having an interesting mix of products at reasonable prices. And the logo of the [Circling Raven] course is simple, distinctive, and easy to replicate in various applications.”

TIME WELL SPENT If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad (his golf club staff) must go to the mountain (Circling Raven’s golfers), says Christenson.

“One employee may be focusing on wedge sales and taking our demo wedges to the practice facility, getting them in our customers’ hands and talking about what is

new with these products, relative to what they currently play,” he says of his team’s proactive strategy. “Same thing with putters. We’ll place someone on the practice green with different putter styles. We sometimes incorporate incentivized putting contests, which requires and rewards the guests for testing the equipment for sale.”

And because margins on hard goods are not usually as good as those on soft goods, Ondo notes, it’s important to parlay hardgoods business into sales in other areas.

“The first piece of advice I have to maximize hard-goods sales is to make sure you have expert clubfitters on your staff,” he says. “Spending time with customers in a fitting will ultimately translate to incremental sales in other categories. Spending an

Limited staging areas and storage have forced Evan Bradley to be “crafty” with merchandising at The Pointe resort, to compete with big-box stores and online shopping.

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GOLF + OPERATIONS

Being a tribal entity, Circling Raven Golf Club is tax-exempt.

The savings of 8 to 10 percent can be very meaningful when a customer is considering a large purchase, such as a set of irons or a driver.

“

One of the biggest trends I see right now is in golf shoes. Look at what Nike has done with the Air Max 1 golf shoe—and now even Jumpman has got into the golf shoe game.

”

—Barry Friedman, Head Golf Professional, Valley of the Eagles

hour-plus in a one-on-one fitting gives you the opportunity to create a relationship and experience that will give your member a reason to want to support you in other ways.

“Second, playing golf with members can give you an up-close and personal look at what they need to improve their game,” he notes. “This could be short-game lessons, a driver that launches higher, or simply a wedge that actually has grooves on it.

“Third, partnering with key vendors and sales representatives to help with product education for staff, fitting days, etc., is necessary to help augment your hard-goods business,” Ondo says.

KEEPING PACE WITH TRENDS While Christenson and Bradley see rising prices and consolidated markets as negative trends in the industry, Barry Friedman, Head Golf Professional at Valley of the 54

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Eagles in Elyria, Ohio, is keeping an eye on footwear and possible regulations being imposed on manufacturers.

“It will be interesting to see where this ‘great distance debate’ goes and if we see any major restrictions on clubs or balls in the future,” he says. “One of the biggest trends I see right now is in golf shoes. In the past, you would only see a traditional-look-

ing, pretty plain saddle shoe. But now some companies are making a lot of cool, sporty shoes. Look at what Nike has done with the Air Max 1 golf shoe—and now even Jumpman is in the golf shoe game.”

Ondo sees increased technology as an exciting direction. “Golf manufacturers never cease to amaze me with the technology that they develop year-in and year-out,” he says. “I give all of the major manufacturers a lot of credit for the product they bring to the market every year. “[Things like] custom shaft offerings, launch monitor technology, video and online teaching software will only become more accessible and affordable in the future,” Ondo believes. “These advancements will continue to provide PGA pros with more opportunities to service their customers through more efficient teaching and fitting techniques.” C+RB

SUMMING IT UP > The way hard goods are sold now, as compared to 10 to 15 years ago, has > >

changed significantly due to advancements in technology, such as launch monitors and clubfitting components.

Building a personal relationship with members not only helps in understanding what is wanted or needed, but also reinforces loyalty when it comes to where they shop.

Strategically positioning an employee on the range or practice green with the latest clubs for members to test can result in added sales.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

2020 SHOW REPORT

WHIRLWIND OF ACTIVITY Three major trade shows held in a span of 20 days kicked off a new year full of promise, with those providing products and services to the industry displaying myriad offerings designed to help properties enhance amenities and improve operating efficiencies.

A C+RB Staff Report

THIS YEAR’S FIRST-QUARTER TRADE SHOW schedule for the club and resort industry was especially jam-packed, with three major events held in the span of 20 days between the last half of January and first half of February.

Fortunately, the mild winter weather

that prevailed through most of the country during that period minimized travel hassles for those who planned to attend the shows, and the coronavirus scare didn’t arise until well after the last one was held. So club and resort managers had a full opportunity to get up-close looks at a host of new prod-

ucts and services that industry suppliers have rolled out to help them enhance the amenities at their properties and improve efficiencies throughout their operations.

Here are some highlights of what took place and was on display at this year’s shows; a more complete report can be found in the online version of this article at www.clubandresortbusiness.com.

STRONG TURNOUTS In January, Orlando, Fla. took center stage as the PGA Merchandise Show was quickly followed by the Golf Industry Show (GIS), with both events held at the Orange County Convention Center. Then in early February, the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) shifted the industry’s focus with its World Conference and Club Business Expo, held at the Gaylord Texan Resort outside of Dallas in the Lone Star State.

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Yamaha’s all new Drive 2 Quietech EFI features the industry’s first Independent Rear Suspension on a golf car, offering a quieter, smoother and more luxurious ride.

The PGA Show drew nearly 40,000 golf industry professionals, including more than 7,800 PGA Professionals, from all 50 U.S. states and 80 countries. Attendees perused the newest products, trends and technology from more than 1,000 exhibiting golf companies and brands, including more than 250 companies that were new to the show this year.

The GCSAA Education Conference, held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, is the largest educational conference in the turfgrass management industry. Seminar attendance was up more than 12 percent over 2019, with nearly 6,200 seminar seats filled. In addition, thousands attended complimentary forums, sessions and panel discussions throughout the week.

Subject matter included agronomics, business, environmental management, communications, leadership, technology, and personnel management. Events included a full-size replica of a maintenance facility on the trade show floor and the “Drone Zone,” where the possibilities of using drones for property flyovers and golf course assessments were featured.

GIS total attendance remained strong, with nearly 12,000 for the second straight year, including nearly 6,000 qualified buyers.

The two-day trade show covered more than 450,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and hosted more than 500 exhibitors. In 2020, the Golf 56

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Course Builders Association of America (GCBAA) and American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) added to the show’s growth by both increasing their commitment to the event as presenting partners.

The CMAA World Conference was wellattended, with registration numbers meeting all expectations. The event featured 89 education sessions specifically for club management professionals. With the goal to always keep content relevant and up to date, 51 percent of presenters were new to the event.

Two hundred and seventy-nine companies (72 of whom were new) exhibited in the two-day Club Business Expo. During the Conference week, The Club Foundation awarded $190,000 in scholarship and grants, investing in the success of CMAA members and chapters and the work of Tee It Up for the Troops.

year was no exception. From traditional powerhouses like Yamaha, E-Z-GO and Club Car, to young, fresh upstarts like Finn and Skooza scooters, the booths were full of options.

While fuel efficiency, battery options and reduced noise were highlighted by golf car suppliers, words like “fun,” “exciting,” and “Millennials” were popular with those showing scooters. The hope and expectation is that the motorcycle-like machines will not only attract younger players to the course, but also speed up play as ready-golf gains steam.

For cart lovers, Yamaha’s all new Drive 2 Quietech EFI features the industry’s firstever Independent Rear Suspension on a golf car, offering a quieter, smoother and more luxurious ride.

The EX1 electric fuel injection system from E-Z-GO not only optimizes miles per gallon, but also produces the lowest emissions of any golf car on the market. Smart Engine Management monitors the electrical system, shutting off accessories when they’re not in use, helping to make EX1 the industry’s most efficient engine.

The theme for Club Car’s displays at this year’s shows was "Elevate the Experience," as the company promoted how clubs can drive greater success and profits by trimming overhead and streamlining vehicle and golf car maintenance.

Not every golfer rides while playing, of course. For those who enjoy a good walk, but don’t want to lug a full set of clubs across 18 holes, Walker Trolleys unveiled several models. From its whitewall tires to the polished aluminum frame and leather

GETTING AROUND On-course transportation is always a popular topic at all three shows, and this

The EX1 electric fuel injection system from E-Z-GO not only optimizes miles per gallon, but also produces the lowest emissions of any golf car on the market. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Club Car’s “Elevate the Experience” theme promoted how clubs can drive greater success and profits by trimming overhead and streamlining vehicle and golf car maintenance.

handle, the Walker Trolley was designed with the best of old-world style and modern design. A waxed canvas storage accessory comes standard on vehicles to hold extra balls and tees, and the trolley folds at one point, making it the simplest folding trolley on the market. The company offers a fleet of trolleys for the rental market, as well.

WATERING THE COURSE Proper irrigation is paramount in keeping the turf healthy and vibrant. Toro Irrigation and Rain Bird are leading the way in that category.

The Toro Lynx Control System was developed specifically to help superintendents address the unique challenges and changing priorities they face every day. With the Lynx System, clubs can now have all essential irrigation information readily available in one place, conveniently combined into a single, intuitive interface. Superintendents are now able to control water to the second and upgraded diagnostics can pinpoint any possible issues.

Rain Bird displayed its Integrated Control Interface Plus (ICI+) and ICI+LINK, which bring the intelligent IC System, Two-Wire Satellites and LINK (wireless) Satellites all onto the same interface. ICI+ and ICI+LINK open up new, budget-friendly and lessdisruptive ways to renovate or expand a course with the IC System. Add IC Rotors and Valves, as well as IC CONNECT, by updating satellite interface boards and tapping into existing MAXI Cables.

ACCESSORIES, SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT Admiring a golf course, but not seeing its inner workings, is tantamount to seeing the big picture, but missing out on the details. The lush fairways and tightly mowed www.clubandresortbusiness.com

greens would be little more than eye candy without tee markers and flagsticks. And the driving range would only be an open field without mats and yardage markers.

Companies like Wittek Golf displayed how they can provide just about everything needed to run a golf course. Wittek has made a huge push into recycled plastics—from outdoor seating and signage to rope-and-chain stakes, hazard and out-ofbound markers, and everything in between.

The material is made from plastic bottles (primarily milk jug resin) and will never splinter, chip, peel or fade. Everything can be produced in six colors: black, brown, green, driftwood, white and the company’s premium “walnut” color, which has a textured feel to it and was added in 2019.

Prestwick Limited also uses high-quality recycled plastics to create everything from towel solutions and waste and recycling bins to water cooler enclosures, signage and furniture. An NCAA licensing agreement adds favorite college teams to an already robust customization program.

Health-and-wellness products and services are also seeing a huge push in in the club industry. From supplement suppliers like Boiron Laboratories and Boomer Naturals to exercise solutions from Technogym, the PGA Show had a wealth of information about new offerings in this segment.

Clubs are investing millions of dollars into fitness facilities, and TechnoGym

supplies both the physical equipment and technological accompaniments. From cardio machines like treadmills, ellipticals and rowers, to strength equipment like multigyms/cable stations and free weights, TechnoGym is leading the push to help club and resort properties provide a full range of exercise and workout equipment for members and guests.

Arnicare from Boiron Laboratories comes in several medicines—tablets, pellets and topicals—and is formulated to temporarily relieve muscle pain and stiffness due to minor injuries, overexertion and falls, while also reducing pain, swelling, and discoloration from bruises. The tablets also relieve day and night muscle cramps, so golfers can recover quickly and feel up to playing more rounds and spending more time (and money) at the club.

Golf CB5 from Boomer Naturals is a doctor-formulated, FDA-compliant alternative that is 100 percent legal and contains Zero THC and Zero CBD. Golf CB5—available in a Roll-On, Gummies and InstaFreeze—supports a body’s internal regulatory system, which naturally manages pain, inflammation, focus, energy and sleep patterns.

A body's endocannabinoid system (ECS) works similarly to a building's thermostat, reacting to external stimuli to regulate the system. Boomer’s Golf CB5 formula features natural ingredients that work synergistically on all known ECS receptors March 2020

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Toro is introducing a new suite of autonomous technologies called GeoLink Solutions.

Autonomous-enabled products can alleviate growing labor challenges and budget constraints.

to regulate the system and keep a body running as it should.

If Boiron and Boomer Naturals help golfers feel better internally, Ranger Ready Repellants protects them externally. Ranger Ready use Picaridin 20%, an effective alternative to DEET, which is safe for adults and children over one year old. The sprays repel mosquitos and ticks for 12 hours, while also deterring biting flies, chiggers, gnats, sand flies and No-See-Ums for 8 hours. New this year is an XL bottle.

FULL-SERVICE PROVIDERS Keeping golfers healthy and playing is important, but keeping them safe while on the course is vital. Earth Networks provides a host of severe-weather intelligence products and services to ensure that a club’s operation runs smoothly. The company showed attendees how it can put together a custom technology solution to help clubs protect and inform golfers and staff about

dangerous weather; eliminate stress around weather-related decisions, by automatically clearing the facility; and monitor environmental factors that can affect groundskeeping activities.

Few companies cover everything—from agronomy and clubhouse to culinary and pro shop, but both ClubProcure and Clubhouse Solutions have made their mark by helping properties in virtually all aspects of their operations.

ClubProcure, which has been around since 1994 and was formerly known as VGM Club, recently rebranded. Over the years, the company has made moves to increase the volume of purchases, allowing ClubProcure to negotiate stronger programs with both national and regional companies.

Clubhouse Solutions just launched in the private club/country club industry with a focus on four simple themes that literally combine to make a “MARC”: Member

engagement, Administrative time savings, Revenue generation, and Cost savings.

KEEPING ON COURSE On the golf course maintenance side, Toro is introducing a new suite of autonomous technologies called GeoLink Solutions. Technology and market perceptions have evolved significantly since Toro first began exploring autonomous solutions. Today, customers are more receptive to considering autonomous-enabled products as a means to alleviate growing labor challenges and budget constraints. New GeoLink Solutions technologies are Toro’s answer to lost productivity and inconsistent results, creating machines that can complete the job the right way every time.

Toro’s Multi Pro 5800 with GeoLink AS (autosteer) is a 300-gallon dedicated sprayer that uses GPS control to ensure precision coverage, virtually eliminating the risk of overlap spraying or missing target areas. GeoLink AS ensures that the machine follows the optimal pass and fully utilizes all of the nozzles on the spray boom for a faster, more efficient spray process.

Toro also showcased its GeoLink Solutions for fairway and greens mowing, as embodied in its Reelmaster and Greensmaster concepts, at the 2020 Golf Industry Show.

John Deere now offers a complete range of seven triplex mowers, supplying golf courses with a variety of solutions that can be combined to provide the best cut quality and appearance for the course.

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John Deere unveiled three new triplex mowers at this year’s GIS: the 2400 PrecisionCut, 2550 PrecisionCut and the 2550 E-Cut Hybrid models. With the addition of the new models, John Deere now offers a complete range of seven triplex mowers, supplying golf courses with a variety of solutions that can be combined to provide the best cut quality and appearance for the golf course. The new models feature offset cutting units, right-hand Command Armmounted controls, which move with the seat for more operator comfort, and easy serviceability.

The offset cutting unit design eliminates triplex ring by staggering the wheel tracks.

With this design, operators can avoid triplex ring and compaction by changing the direction of travel each day, especially in cleanup passes, giving turf an additional day to recover before being driven over again.

Equipped with the Quick-Adjust 5 reel cutting units, the new models are designed for optimal cut quality and ease of adjustment.

LESCO’s CarbonPro-L with MobilEX is a tool to manage restrictions or blackout application periods for high-performing turf.

It is a nutrient-optimizing system that harnesses the power of plant-microbe interactions and organic soil sciences to maximize plant health and performance.

The proprietary MobilEX mobility technology supports cell-wall stability by mobilizing calcium ions from organelle storage and increases nutrient transport by binding minerals to facilitate movement throughout the plant’s vascular tissues. The multi-solution product can be tank-mixed with most non-pesticide liquid applications. This is an option to optimize invested nutrient dollars while managing for various restrictions.

IMPRESSIVE DESIGN Off the golf course and in and around the clubhouse, companies like Bozeman, Chambers, JBD/JGA, and Peacock + Lewis showed attendees how they are working tirelessly to create comfortable and memorable spaces for members and guests.

Chambers was founded in 1899 to provide painting services and decorative furnishings in Baltimore, Md. Through the decades, Chambers expanded, adding www.clubandresortbusiness.com

hotels, luxury cruise ships, residential and commercial spaces, and even the White House, to its impressive repertoire. Today, the firm boasts more than 75 years of experience in the private club industry.

Whether planning a renovation or a new club, Peacock + Lewis tailors its services to the unique requirements of a club. The company utilizes staff interviews, workload projections, operational concepts and functional priorities to create the Master Plan for each club. In addition to its core architectural and design services, Peacock + Lewis now also provides assistance in siteselection studies, land-use analysis, master planning and site-plan development.

planning, architecture, interior design, and procurement. A unique and integrated approach to each project’s distinctive personality and requirements, dedicating equal attention to function and form, results in innovative designs that are efficient, beautiful, timeless and cost-effective.

Much of what the design companies do has a direct correlation to comfort, which is precisely the goal of furniture companies like Eustis Chair and O. W. Lee. Eustis, makers of both stacking and nonstacking custom hardwood chairs, is known for its proprietary Eustis Joint—a revolutionary way to join two pieces of hardwood using concealed steel rods and space-age

Rain Bird’s ICI+ and ICI+LINK open up new, budget-friendly and less-disruptive ways to renovate or expand a course with the IC System.

The Bozeman Club & Corporate division oversees golf and country club designs and corporate projects that are both prestigious and distinguished. From properties as diverse as The Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Pinehurst Resort, Ansley Golf Club and The Residences at The Ritz Carlton, Bozeman has designed projects for a discerning clientele that desires the classic designs for which the company is renowned.

Since 1983, Studio Judd Brown Design and Jefferson Group Architecture (JBD/JGA) have worked together seamlessly to successfully complete an array of award-winning hospitality design projects delivering full-service solutions for clubhouse master

adhesives. This process creates a joint that is stronger than the hardwood used to build the chair.

While Eustis furnishes the inside of the club, O. W. Lee specializes in outdoor seating. Clubs can customize their outdoor spaces by mixing and matching fabrics, finishes and tiles. O. W. Lee offers outdoor dining sets, lounge chairs, sofas, chaises, fire pits, tables, modular seating and umbrellas. Designs are offered in traditional, transitional and contemporary styles and made in America.

Clubs looking specifically at umbrellas stopped by the Fiberbuilt booth at the CMAA World Conference. The innovative March 2020

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2020 SHOW REPORT

Walker Trolleys (left) unveiled several models of pushcarts with classic and high-end features. In addition to folding trolleys, the company also offers a fleet of trolleys for the rental market.

Golf is trying to attract more Millenials to the sport and companies like Finn Scooters (right) are catering to that crowd with motorcyle-like, single-rider vehicles. They not only add fun to a round, but can also speed up play.

fiberglass-support rib construction ensures strength, resilience and durability. Fiberbuilt has developed a full line of contract-quality umbrellas that hold up to the harshest weather conditions, including intense sunlight, high winds, salt air and driving rain, and will not decay or lose their shape.

Outdoor seating and umbrellas can be a thing of beauty, but The Verdin Company takes visuals up a notch with golf course clocks that are not only functional, but have also become must-stop destinations for golfers and guests looking for the perfect “selfie” spot. In both two- or four-sided options, Verdin’s clocks are unmatched in the industry.

GEARING UP Golf equipment manufacturers generally unveil their latest products at the PGA

Show, and this year was no exception, with Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO, Mizuno and Titleist all making splashes.

The Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO booth displayed the XXIO Eleven woods and irons designed exclusively for golfers with moderate swing speeds and CBX Full-Face wedges, which are highly versatile yet forgiving, and designed specifically for extreme open-face shots around the green.

The third generation Q-STAR TOUR is Srixon's softest golf ball, with tour-level performance.

ASICS golf shoes, in partnership with Srixon, will now be offered in North America, where they will be built with inspiration from ASICS running shoes to deliver comfort and flexibility while providing outstanding traction and stability.

Mizuno, a company that has long

ClubProcure, formerly known as VGM Club, has made moves to increase the volume of purchases, allowing the company to negotiate stronger national and regional programs.

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focused on irons, now offers a complete bag of clubs, from drivers through putters.

The ST200 driver combines the unlikely companions of low spin and abundant forgiveness—a high-stability tour driver for players wanting straight-line distance and predictability.

A first-edition, heel-toe weighted putter, the new M CRAFT line from Mizuno is forged from premium 1025 mild carbon steel, then CNC-milled to create the most precise shape and alignment.

The Mizuno company’s RB 566 golf ball is a soft, low-compression 2-piece ball with a 566-dimple pattern. The RB 566V is a highperformance 3-piece ball with a unique 566 D-dimple pattern.

Most notably, Mizuno’s Shaft Optimizer 3D helps golfers—and fitters—match equipment with specific swings. The fitter will take data from three swings and enter it into the Swing DNA software. The software will align each unique DNA with a map of custom shafts independently measured and assessed by Mizuno.

Titleist bills itself as the No. 1 Ball in Golf.

While the uber-popular ProV1 and ProV1x were just updated last year, the stage was cleared for the AVX, Tour Soft, and Velocity to get refreshed in time for the 2020 PGA Show.

MORE TO COME Looking ahead, the 2021 PGA Merchandise will return to Orlando January 26-29; The Golf Industry Show will move to Las Vegas, January 30-February 4; and the CMAA World Conference will be in Tampa, Fla., March 8-12. C+RB www.clubandresortbusiness.com

PRODUCT SHOWCASE �������� ��������

M�����

Sound of Silence

Product: Toro® Greensmaster® eTriFlex™ Series Features: ▶ All-electric riding greensmower carries no hydraulic fluid and utilizes allelectric components for traction, steering, lift and cutting units ▶ New “EnergySmart™ models deliver an operationally friendly design with noise reductions, operational cost savings, and other meaningful improvements to complement the ever-important enhancements in cutting performance ▶ Greensmaster eTriFlex 3360 is powered by a Kawasaki® engine/generator ▶ Greensmaster eTriFlex 3370 is powered by a lithium-ion Samsung® battery set ▶ Lower noise levels of the eTriFlex facilitate earlier mowing starts/tee times without disturbing nearby residents, to help the course be in conformance with local noise regulations ▶ The new engine/generator model, according to end users familiar with the new product, is much quieter than traditional engine-powered models, while the lithium-ion powered model is virtually silent during operation ▶ The individual reel- and wheel-speed control substantially improves both the aesthetics and playability of the green by greatly reducing the effect known as “Triplex-Ring” ▶ This smart feature standardizes the clip rate of each individual reel to avoid turfgrass thinning on the inside reel during perimeter cutting, and reduces wheel turf scrubbing to greatly improve the appearance of the cleanup cut, which ultimately leads to an increase in operational productivity ▶ The engine-powered eTriFlex with batteryassist technology is up to 20 percent more fuel-efficient, resulting in lower emissions and fuel savings

Toro

www.toro.com

Run Like a Deere

Product: John Deere—2550 PrecisionCut Triplex Mower Features: ▶ Newest member of a complete range of seven triplex mowers ▶ Innovative offset cutting-unit design, eliminates triplex ring by staggering the wheel tracks ▶ Equipped with the Quick-Adjust 5 reel-cutting units ▶ Designed for optimal cut quality and ease of adjustment ▶ Offers right-hand Command Arm controls, which move with the seat for more operator comfort ▶ Utilizes a 19.6 HP (14.6 kW) three-cylinder, liquid-cooled diesel engine ▶ TechControl system controls nearly everything regarding the operator’s performance, including frequency of clip, turn speed, cleanup pass speed, and how fast the cutting units raise and lower

John Deere Golf

www.JohnDeere.com

Float Like a Butterfly

Product: Infinicut Floating Head Features: ▶ Unique dynamic-return, floating-head design ensures that contact between the turf and bedknife remains consistent, resulting in uniform quality of cut and appearance every time, even under varying conditions ▶ The unique design and flexible set-up allow for precise operator tuning, providing height-ofcut adjustments within .10mm increments ▶ The all-electric, lithium-powered drive reduces noise and vibration for the operator without sacrificing power and vastly reduces fuel cost. All-electric drive means no potential for fluid leaks ▶ Coupled with a wider range of TMSystem™ cassettes, the versatility of the unit extends well beyond simply cutting turf. The cassettes provide aeration, de-thatching, grooming and brushing. The patented vibration cassette accelerates a return to smooth putting surfaces following aeration ▶ Electronic speed control ensures a constant clip rate is achieved, regardless of the severity of playing-surface undulations

Cub Cadet

1-866-246-4971 • www.CubCadetTurf.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

March 2020

l Club + Resort Business l 61

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Course + Grounds Missing Link

Product: Rain Bird Golf— Integrated Control Interface Plus (ICI+) Features: ▶ Makes it possible to install Rain Bird satellites and the company’s IC System™ on the same wire path ▶ Faster, easier renovations or expansions that can be phased in at a lower cost with less disruption to the golf course ▶ Satellite courses can access the benefits of the IC System like advanced diagnostics, precision watering and the ability to integrate and interact with sensors and other field equipment

▶ Two-wire version communicates

with existing and new Rain Bird Satellite and IC Systems ▶ ICI+LINK version communicates with existing and new LINK satellite systems, with the option to add the IC System

Rain Bird Golf

www.rainbird.com/golf

Tracking Technology

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

Textron Fleet Management

www.textronfleetmgmt.com

This Cat Loves Water

Product: Toro® Lynx® 7.0 Central Control System Features: ▶ Unifies all essential irrigation data into a single, easy-to-use interface ▶ Adds to the cloud-based features that make Lynx user-friendly and informative ▶ New rendering schemes for the customized, interactive course map add coursemanagement detail ▶ Every sprinkler is represented by a symbol and color that displays each sprinkler’s location, current status and the Precip Management Group (PMG) to which it belongs ▶ Review irrigation rates and ensure that the water hitting the ground ideally matches the infiltration rate of that area of the course ▶ Streamlines the relocation of sprinklers on the interactive map after adjustments have been made ▶ Eliminates need to manually enter the changes and resynchronize the interactive map ▶ Updates can be synchronized in about five seconds

Toro

www.toro.com

Clocks

Timely Remembrance

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

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

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U������ V�������

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

F��� + B������� Grab-n-Go Snacks

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

Quiet on the Course

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

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

P��� + P���� Bringing Warmth Outdoors

Product: SUNGLO infrared outdoor patio PSA265 Features: ▶ Natural gas ▶ Permanent mount in patio or deck; uses minimal floor space ▶ Manual controls to fully automated models ▶ 100% safety shut-off, quiet infrared heat ▶ Glossy black or stainless-steel post

Infrared Dynamics 888-317-5255 www.infradyne.com

Truly Good Foods

704-602-0664 • www.trulygoodfoods.com

������� ��������� Mi Casa, Su Casa

Product: Casa Bistro Dining Chairs Features: ▶ Comfortable wrought-iron outdoor furniture made in the USA ▶ Includes dining, counter, and bar-height chairs/stools ▶ Can be used with or without a cushion ▶ 5-step powder-coating finishing process and outdoor foam and fabrics provide durability ▶ Classic design fits any style

O. W. Lee

800-776-9533 Sales@owlee.com

M����� S������� + A��������� Join the Club

Product: ClubProcure Features: ▶ Program offers clubs 150 ways to save time and money ▶ More than 3,000 clubs nationwide leverage ClubProcure’s strategic relationships with well-known, national companies to gain tremendous buying power ▶ Pick and choose which offerings work best for your needs ▶ This year marks the 25th anniversary of ClubProcure servicing the club industry

ClubProcure

www.clubprocure.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

March 2020

l Club + Resort Business l 63

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Apparel Cool Coat

Product: Chef Works—Hartford Chef Coat Features: ▶ 65% polyester, 35% cotton “Lite” twill ▶ 4.7 oz. ▶ Cool Vent™ side panels ▶ Side-seam slits ▶ Roll-up long sleeve with tab ▶ Single-breasted with zipper closure ▶ Back-collar apron holder with snap tab ▶ Left sleeve thermometer pocket ▶ Right sleeve cell phone/notebook pocket ▶ Some colors available in 6XL ▶ Available in white, black, blue and graphite

Pro Shop

Chef Works

www.chefworks.com

Amenities Blanket the Earth

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

Fore Supply Co.

800-543-5430 www.foresupply.com

Shower of Power

Product: Dickens & Hawthorne Hair & Body Care Features: ▶ Well-established hospitality brand ▶ Economical gallon-size shampoo, conditioner and body gel ▶ Fresh Cucumber and Acai berry formula ▶ Formulated and packaged with the environment in mind ▶ A pleasurable and healthy experience for your members

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

A Good Walk

Product: Walker Trolleys Features: ▶ The first premium push carts pairing classic features with modern design elements in functional, stylish vehicles ▶ The vehicles are for players and purists who appreciate style, form and functionality while boldly experiencing the great game of golf via walking ▶ Premium materials, including aluminum, waxed canvas and handcrafted leather ▶ A convenient one-fold handle makes collapsing and unfolding the trolley easier than any other push cart on the market ▶ The patent-pending central hub enables the handle and legs to bend on two separate axes, allowing for a compact fold ▶ The storage unit, made of water-resistant waxed canvas, provides an endless number of ways for golfers to customize their trolley ▶ A non-folding line of Walker Trolleys made with the same materials will be offered directly to courses, clubs and resorts as a rental option ▶ The push carts nest for easy and quick storage in units, and premium soft-good options can be customized with logos and other branding elements

Walker Trolleys

www.walkertrolleys.com 64

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www.clubandresortbusiness.com

T����� + C�����

What’s What

Product: Como Series Banquet Stacking Chairs Features: ▶ Part of the MTS Seating Burgess Collection ▶ The Como series features the MTS exclusive COMFORTweb® seating system for unbeatable comfort ▶ Como is constructed from a proprietary aviationquality aluminum alloy that delivers superior elasticity and high tensile strength ▶ Frames are lightweight and easy to handle ▶ All Como models stack leg-on-leg, up to 10-high safely ▶ Como is available in a COMFORTflex® back version for even greater comfort ▶ Chairs feature an elegant reeded profile or a sleek smooth profile for contemporary sophistication ▶ Backed by a 12-year structural frame warranty

MTS Seating

www.mtsseating.com

Chair Fit for a President

Product: Eustis—Kennedy 23 Arm Chair Features: ▶ A newer design of the popular Kennedy chair ▶ Named for the arm height of the chair, which measures right at 23 inches ▶ Popular choice among country clubs, grill rooms, lounges, etc. ▶ Made to order and comes with a 20-year warranty ▶ Carefully engineered in the USA with the proprietary Eustis Joint®

Eustis Chair

www.eustischair.com

K������ E�������� Where There’s Smoke

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

Cres Cor

www.crescor.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

ADVERTISER INDEX BAMBRELLA 561-288-8655 / www.BambrellaUSA.com

32

BOLLINGER INSURANCE 800-446-5311 / www.RPSBollinger.com

67

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

15

CLUB CAR www.clubcar.com

68

ETHOS CLUB & LEISURE 12 972-341-8133 / www.ethosclubandleisure.com EUSTIS CHAIR 978-827-3103 / www.eustischair.com

27

FIBERBUILT UMBRELLAS 38 & CUSHIONS 866-667-8668 / www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com ‘FORE’ SUPPLY 800-543-5430 / www.foresupply.com

46

FORETEES www.foretees.com

47

GSI EXECUTIVE SEARCH 16 972-341-8133 / www.gsiexecutivesearch.com INFRARED DYNAMICS 888-317-5255 / www.infradyne.com

39

MCMAHON GROUP 20 314-744-5040 / www.mcmahongroup.com O. W. LEE 800-776-9533 / www.owlee.com

34

OUTDOOR LIGHTING 35 804-207-8107 / www.OutdoorLights.com/hospitality PEACOCK + LEWIS 40 561-626-9704 / www.peacockandlewis.com PHADE (SELECT REGIONS) www.phadeproducts.com/club

25

PREFERRED CLUB 800-523-2788 / www.preferredclub.com

17

SOLARI HEMP 888-384-7333 / www.solarihemp.com

21

SOUTHERN ALUMINUM 888-387-5769 / www.sa-tables.com

36

STUDIO JBD/JGA 401-721-0977 / www.JBDandJGA.com

33

SUSAN BOZEMAN DESIGN, INC 404.237.7745 / www.sbbdesigns.com

37

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

13

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

23

TROPITONE 800-654-7000 / www.tropitone.com TRULY GOOD FOODS www.trulygoodfoods.com/clubresort

9 29

TUCCI www.tucci.com

2-3

VERDIN 800-543-0488 / www.verdin.com

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YAMAHA 866-747-4027 / www.YamahaGolfCar.com March 2020

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7

IDEAEXCHANGE HEAD OF THE CLASS

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

EVERY PROPERTY TRIES TO CREATE a memorable experience for its members and guests. But truly successful facilities do the same for their employees.

Last fall, Seattle (Wash.) Golf Club launched “Seattle Golf Club University,” a series of classes to help staff members learn and grow to improve their job performance.

And the ultimate goal was to enhance their future employment opportunities, by preparing them for next-level interviews to advance in their careers.

“We have a lot of young, aspiring general managers,” says General Manager Kipp Johnson. “I want to educate them and help them understand the club world.”

Many of the property’s hourly staff members have restaurant and club experience, as well as a desire to grow in the private club industry, and Johnson wants to help them “see things more from 10,000 feet.”

The classes have also helped him to challenge his management team to think critically about how and why they offer services in a particular manner.

To fashion the University’s original curriculum, Johnson e-mailed a list of 10 potential topics to his staff that were all geared toward up-and-coming managers’ interests and needs, and the staff ranked them in order of preference. He also asked if there were other topics they would like to have covered. He promoted the two-hour educational sessions in the employee newsletter and in pay envelopes.

The first of the school’s four PowerPoint presentations was held in October. In this session, “Food & Beverage Costing,” Johnson reviewed how pricing strategies are formulated and why they vary from one

operation to the next. Assistant General Manager/Controller Matt Morgan taught the second class, “F&B Budgeting 101,” with instruction on how to budget a food-andbeverage department from scratch. Labor budgets, sales forecasting, computing the cost of sales and basic supply management were also covered.

In a class on “Profit & Loss Statements,” Johnson explained how to budget for and price an event. For last year’s final session, staff members held an internal “Idea Fair” to discuss various event concepts, including what has worked, what hasn’t, and why.

“We have a lot of active involvement and engagement [among the staff],” says Johnson. “It’s an interactive discussion, rather than a lecture.”

To engage class members, the instructors use spreadsheets, share financials and reallife documents, and distribute handouts.

The students also took home spreadsheets and documents they could play around with and use to create scenarios they might encounter in their jobs.

Seattle GC made plans to hold University sessions during its non-peak season in October, November, and January through March.

In 2019, each class had six to 12 attendees—but for 2020, Johnson expanded the University to also include employees from other member clubs of the local Evergreen Chapter of the Club Management Association of America. Some of the sessions are being held at other properties as well. “We want to expose the managers to different facilities,” says Johnson.

This past January, Seattle GC’s Food & Beverage Manager, Jennifer Barnhart, held “Event Planning 101” onsite. She guided

good to see there’s a lot of young, hungry talent “outIt’s there.

Our hope is they put what they’ve learned to use. We’re trying to give them the proper tools to be successful in their career.

”

— Kipp Johnson, General Manager, Seattle GC 66

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In addition to helping staff members improve their job performance, “Seattle Golf Club University” is designed to enhance their future employment opportunities and prepare them for next-level interviews to advance their careers. attendees through the event-planning process, from fielding the initial inquiry to sending the final bill.

In the first of two February sessions, Johnson taught “Leadership 101,” to help class members enhance their leadership styles and skills. Class members also went to Columbia Hospitality for a “How to Build a Resume” session led by that company’s talent recruitment specialists. Class members were invited to bring a copy of their resume for a free review as well.

The Evergreen Chapter is also offering “The Interview,” a one-hour mock interview with three to five local general managers, who will ask questions that focus on a job candidate’s desired next-level position.

Interviews will be by appointment only, and all participants will receive a personalized recap with specific feedback on how to improve their interviewing skills.

Later this year, Johnson and Evergreen Chapter President Jordan Pitre, CCM, Assistant General Manager/Club Manager at Wing Point Golf & Country Club in Bainbridge Island, Wash., will co-teach a finance class.

All of the classes have also been wellreceived by Seattle GC’s hourly employees, Johnson reports. “It has definitely created more questions from the staff,” he says.

“They’re trying to understand and learn how operations work, and it has made them more accountable.

“It feeds my soul as well,” he adds. Even if that means that some Seattle GC staff members will ultimately seek job opportunities elsewhere.

“It’s good to see there’s a lot of young, hungry talent out there,” Johnson says. “Our hope is they put what they’ve learned to use. We’re trying to give them the proper tools to be successful in their career.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

RPS Bollinger Sports & Leisure Golf & City Club Program » Providing insurance and risk management services to many of the nation’s finest clubs since 1983. » Built on a long term commitment to the club industry. » All products and services are accessible through your agent/ broker.

150 JFK Parkway Short Hills, NJ 07078 (E) Golf@RPSins.com (P) 800.446.5311 ext. 8098 RPSBollinger.com

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