Club + Resort Business May 2020

May 2020

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Southern Hills CC Prepares for the Future

By Preserving Its Past INSIDE: Club Kitchens Adapt to Changing Needs Interns Exert New Influence on Course Maintenance Firming Up Pro Shops’ Soft Goods Sales Pictured: General Manager/COO Nick Sidorakis

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EDITORIAL EDITOR

Joe Barks

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M AY C L U B I N D E X Club and resort properties featured in this issue

Ansley Golf Club, Atlanta, Ga. ......................................................36 Bishops Bay Country Club, Middleton, Wis. .............................31 Boothbay Harbor Country Club, Boothbay, Maine .............28 Circling Raven Golf Club, Worley, Idaho .................................43 Desert Highlands Golf Club, Scottsdale, Ariz. ........................32 Desert Mountain Club, Scottsdale, Ariz. .....................................48 Farmington Country Club, Charlottesville, Va. ...................46 Hendersonville Country Club, Hendersonville, N.C. ...........37 Lahontan Golf Club, Truckee, Calif. ..............................................38 The Landings Club, Savannah, Ga. ................................................20 Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa, Lexington, Ky. .....................................................................................................43 Mizner Country Club, Delray Beach, Fla. .....................................24 Old Palm Golf Club, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. ..........................54 PGA Golf Club, St. Lucie, Fla. ..........................................................43 Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C. ...................................43 Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla. ..............................16 Spring Brook Country Club, Morristown, N.J. .....................54 Springfield Golf & Country Club, Springfield, Va. ...............30 Summit Hills Country Club, Crestview Hills, Ky. ...................38 Traverse City Country Club, Traverse City, Mich. ...................28 Trinity Forest Golf Club, Dallas, Texas ....................................32 Tulare Golf Course, Visalia, Calif. ...................................................43 Westlake Golf and Country Club, Jackson, N.J. .................40 Willoughby Golf Club, Stuart, Fla. ...............................................23 Wilmington Country Club, Wilmington, Del. .........................32 www.clubandresortbusiness.com

EDITOR’S MEMO

Unmasking the Ignorance You certainly haven’t had to look or listen very hard to find or hear stupid comments that have been made in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak—and I’m not just talking about what comes out of Washington, D.C. My personal annoyance level keeps getting sent through the roof by the self-absorbed news, sports and weather people who are all so eager and pleased to tell us each day that they’re now “broadcasting from my home,” as if we can’t see that anyway or might not fully appreciate that they’re making such a world-saving sacrifice.

The club and golf industries have certainly been subjected to their share of ignorant comments during all of this as well. I’ve collected many contenders over the past weeks, but at this point I’m going to give the award for Most Idiotic to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, who posted a series of Facebook videos during the period when that state was still banning golf.

First, Nessel tried to be cute, responding to those who asked why courses weren’t open with statements like “Obviously, many of you are concerned about the impact COVID-19 may have on your golf handicap. And if your game is anything like mine, this temporary break won’t really matter much—you’ll still be terrible at golf when you get back out onto the greens. So please stick to practicing on the putting greens in your house—you’ll protect the public, and no one but the members of your family will know how really bad at golf you are.”

When that approach (not surprisingly) failed to calm the clamor for Michigan’s courses to reopen, Nessel followed up with this exasperated tweet: “I just can’t hear about one more [black person dying] while getting a barrage of complaints from white folks outraged because they can’t go golfing.” Her account then blew up with multiple photos of rainbow foursomes and Tiger Woods. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Many government officials, as well as some among the general citizenry, have shown complete misunderstanding of not only how and why golf is played and who plays it, but also of what the difference is between a golf course and a full-service club.

Unfortunately, Nessel was only the most blatant offender among many government officials, as well as some among the general citizenry, who have shown complete ignorance of not only how and why golf is played and who plays it, but also of what the difference is between a golf course and a full-service club. Our industry organizations—especially the National Club Association, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, and National Golf Course Owners Association—are to be commended for how they patiently and effectively made the case for not only why golf should be played and could be done so safely, but also for highlighting the larger contributions of the club industry in supporting

social distancing and relief efforts during shelter-in-place mandates. Club staffs and memberships throughout the country quickly mobilized to make it possible for many people to get meals and supplies safely, whether or not they lived in a golf community, and to provide immense support to front-line workers. In the process they helped to give local economies badly needed infusions through their support of area businesses, while also retaining a significant number of jobs and not taking bailout funds.

None of this should be forgotten or abandoned as recovery gets underway.

Clubs’ accomplishments and efforts should continue to be trumpeted, and realistic portrayals of club memberships and activities should be emphasized.

Additionally, needed reforms that can help clubs support a faster return to prosperity should be pursued. For example, in an era when facility “capacity” will now have a whole new meaning, the time is right to push for revamping of tax-code restrictions on carryout food and other off-site activities that stand to limit clubs’ ability to provide what will now be much more important and indemand services.

Joe Barks • Editor jbarks@wtwhmedia.com

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INSIDE

May 2020 • Vol. 16 • No. 5

THIS

ISSUE

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Southern Hills CC Prepares for the Future by Preserving Its Past

The storied Tulsa, Okla. club developed its new History and Founders’ Halls over the past six years, to chronicle its rich championship golf legacy and key role in the city’s growth. While the pandemic has delayed the displays’ unveiling, club leaders are looking forward to the extra excitement they will provide upon reopening, and for years to come.

(Cover Photo by Reagan Kingsley and Courtesy Southern Hills CC)

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

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20 STRONGER BY

Design + Recreation

THE DAY

Club fitness facilities have added plenty of new muscle.

Course + Grounds 32 INCREASING

INTERNS’ INFLUENCE

Editor’s Memo

UNMASKING THE IGNORANCE

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The Rob Report

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C+RB News Roundup

MINDING THE CURVE CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

Plus other industry, supplier and people news.

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Design Snapshot

ACROSS-THE-BOARD APPEAL

Springfield G&CC’s versatile new spot for members and guests to take a meeting.

What students learn from clubs, and vice versa.

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Super in the Spotlight

BACK WHERE SHE BELONGS

How Jennifer Torres took the path to return to her love of the outdoors.

46

Today’s Manager

STAR POWER AT THE READY

Farmington CC knew it could count on Brandon Johnson to rise to the occasion.

48 + Beverage 36 Food PREPARATION

MEETS NECESSITY

Clubs quickly adapt their kitchens to meet new needs.

4 Club Index 6

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Operations 43 Golf A HARD LOOK

AT SOFT GOODS

How to keep a pro shop in fashion as the go-to store.

50 Product Showcase

Products at Work

DESERT TIME

Desert Mountain Club’s shiny new piece.

54

Idea Exchange

HERE TO HELP

Spring Brook CC’s local initiative blooms into a national cause.

53 Ad Index www.clubandresortbusiness.com

©2020 Yamaha Golf-Car Company

THE ROB REPORT

Minding the Curve I coached my son’s third-grade basketball team this winter. I was so proud of the effort and dedication that he and his friends/teammates showed. While only three of the boys had played competitive basketball before—and many more had never even dribbled a ball prior to our first practice—they gave me everything they had, each and every game. You couldn’t tell if we were up 10 or down 20 (and we were down 20 more than once).

Why do I lead off with youth basketball for a publication that focuses on the world of clubs and resorts? To stress the amount of effort we’re going to need to keep our golf courses open for play.

While thousands of golf courses began to reopen in late April and early May, we’re not at the finish line yet. We are much closer to the start. If we let our guards down now, we could very easily find ourselves watching state and local leaders close our fairways again.

It took extraordinary measures to flatten the curve enough to get to this point. As schools closed and our kids were introduced to remote learning, clubs were taking massive hits to the bottom line by being forced to cancel banquets, tournaments and virtually all member activities and services.

There’s no telling when food and beverage and other parts of a full club operation will return to normal—or, if in fact, we are living in the new normal. Until clubs are able to welcome back in-house diners, event guests and users of fitness centers, pools and other facilities, filling the tee sheet is more important than ever. And those tee sheets aren’t as full as they can be, as some courses have been forced to limit groups to twosomes, and tee times have

While thousands of golf courses began to reopen in late April and early May, we’re not at the finish line yet. We are much closer to the start.

been spread from every 8 minutes to 12, 15 and even 20 minutes.

We’re all in this together and we need to work as a collective unit to make this work. I’ve grown accustomed to the post-round handshake and really enjoy having a drink at the 19th hole with my playing partners. And I’m looking forward to the next outing that I can play in. All of that will have to wait, however.

Today, I’m more than happy to smile, wave and exchange pleasantries in the parking lot as we leave the course, and I have no problem “raking” a bunker with my foot. And I actually prefer making a tee time online and paying in advance.

We’ve come this far, but if we’re not careful, our sport may be taken away again, and we’ll be right back where we were in February, March and much of April.

Enjoy the golf course and let’s not take this for granted.

It’s better to have something, rather than nothing, and it’s better to be six feet apart than six feet under.

Stay safe and play well.

Rob Thomas • Senior Editor

rthomas@wtwhmedia.com

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP CORONAVIRUS CLUB UPDATE Editor’s Note: Club + Resort Business and Club + Resort Chef have been covering the club industry’s response to the coronavirus pandemic through C+RB’s Daily E-News and C+RC’s weekly e-newsletter. All of our reports have been archived at clubandresortbusiness.com/category/covid-19/ and clubandresortchef.com/covid-19/ For free subscriptions to both newsletters, go to www.clubandresortbusiness.com and click on Subscribe at the upper right of the home page.

Here are some highlights of what C+RB and C+RC have reported about individual clubs’ responses to the outbreak, and some notable ideas that have been implemented:

INDIAN RIVER COLONY CLUB SHIFTS OPERATIONS TO SERVE RESIDENTS IN RESPONSE TO GOV. Ron DeSantis’ stay-at-home order, the Indian River Colony Club (IRCC) in Viera, Fla., a 55+ neighborhood of predominantly retired military personnel, created and then supported two programs that both benefited the senior residents and protected staff jobs, Florida Today reported.

IRCC’s busy “At Ease Club” restaurant quickly retooled its processes for takeout only. Using the lunch menu as a foundation and adding an entree “special,” the club prepared and boxed up between 170 and 200 takeout meals daily, Florida Today reported.

That number swelled on Easter, when 385 special holiday meals were prepared to

order, boxed and bagged, and staged for car and golf cart pickup.

A second and particularly innovative program for the golf course community was devised by Club Manager Thomas Shonkwiler, CCM, CAM. The new “At Ease Post Exchange (PX)” grocery menu allowed residents to avoid grocery-store shopping and stay sheltered at home, Florida Today reported.

Neighborhood members simply placed their orders for more than 30 popular grocery items that included chicken breasts, steak, lunch meats, cheese, eggs, soft drinks, snacks and even beer and wine. Coveted paper products that had become scarce during the pandemic were also made available.

SOUTH FLORIDA CLUBS JOIN FORCES TO PROVIDE MEALS FOR MEDICAL CENTER SEVEN COUNTRY CLUBS IN Palm Beach County, Fla. joined forces to provide two weeks of dinners for staff at the Delray Medical Center in Delray Beach, Fla., to help its staff cope with the pressure and long hours brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Each of the country clubs—Addison Reserve CC, Quail Ridge CC, The Polo Club of Boca Raton, Delaire CC, Gleneagles CC, St. Andrews CC and Woodfield CC—delivered 200 meals on its assigned day. Menus were shared among the clubs, to ensure there was no duplication.

The hospital staff received complete dinners and desserts—the same meals that club residents received—in individual, to-go containers.

“We call it the ‘Adopt a Hospital program,’” said Michael McCarthy, Addison Reserve’s Chief Executive Officer/General Manager. “These people are putting their lives on the line for us. We wanted to make sure that they get a good, hot meal.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP RIVER HILLS CC EXTENDS CARE TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS RIVER HILLS COUNTRY CLUB, a private club in Valrico, Fla., led a “River Hills Cares” effort to donate 900 lunches to healthcare professionals in two local hospitals.

Funds for the effort were raised from member donations, and River Hills CC shared half of the donations with seven other local restaurants in the Valrico area that helped to prepare and supply the meals, in an effort to financially support them as well.

The meals were delivered over the course of three weeks to frontline workers at both the Tampa General Healthplex and the Brandon Regional Hospital in Brandon, Fla. “Together with our Board of Directors, management at River Hills Country Club has looked for creative ways to keep our staff productively employed during these uncertain times,” said Bob Swezey, the club’s General Manager. “Initially, we thought this might be a way to both say, ‘Thank You’ and add meaningful work for our team. As we thought about how we would benefit, we wanted to offer the same thing to other ‘mom and pop’ restaurants in our community.”

SUPERINTENDENT LEADS FUNDRAISER FOR COLORADO FIRST RESPONDERS JUSTIN DAIGLE, GOLF COURSE Superintendent at Perry Park Country Club in Larkspur, Colo., and his wife Vanessa created a GoFundMe account to provide Colorado First Responders with N95 Masks. After reaching their initial goal of $9,000 in under 72 hours, they created a new goal of $19,000 to try and donate as many as 10,000 masks. With the help of a $5,000 additional dollar-for-dollar match from onegoat.org, they reached that goal in just 12 days.

The Daigles then announced they were going to continue their campaign by raising the goal to $50,000, in the hope of donating more than 20,000 N95 masks to first responders.

BOCA WOODS MEMBERS SALUTE FRONT-LINE STAFF HEROES MEMBERS OF BOCA WOODS COUNTRY CLUB in Boca Raton, Fla. showed support for the club’s staff on April 24 with a golf cart parade past the clubhouse. Club staff watched and waved as members showed their appreciation with signs and decorated carts.

“I was overwhelmed to see the tremendous participation by our members arriving in golf carts and on bicycles with creative, endearing signs,” said Board Member Joanne Deutsch, who organized the event. “The idea was to take a moment to thank all of the dedicated essential workers who are keeping Boca Woods safe and functioning.

“It was great to see the staff also holding signs to the parading members that read ‘We miss you,’” said Deutsch, who then added this message to the club staff: “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, and we miss you, too!”

SEVERAL PGA TOUR PROS and top amateurs competed in a 54-hole fundraising tournament in the Dallas, Texas area.

The Maridoe Samaritan Fund Invitational was held April 28-30 at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas, and its 72-player field included Tour pros Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler and Harry Higgs, as well as former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, former NBA guard Deron Williams and several NCAA All-Americans.

The members-only competition was 10

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separated into three flights by handicap, including an “elite flight” playing at nearly 7,900 yards, and top professional finishers received cash payouts from a purse of $27,000, GolfChannel.com reported.

The remainder of the proceeds, including all entry fees of $250 per player, were donated to the club’s full-time caddies, who were out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Maridoe’s managing member, Alison Morrison, hoped that the event could

“send a message” that golf tournaments could still be played safely and in accordance with local social-distancing orders and Center for Disease Control guidelines, GolfChannel.com reported.

The tournament was closed to the general public and media, and competitors carried their own bags.

The Maridoe event also used virtual scorecard collecting and mandated temperature checks when players arrived each day, Golf Channel.com reported. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

D.C. CLUBS PARTNER TO FEED FRONT-LINERS EXECUTIVE CHEFS MARCUS WORLEY (top left, on left) of the Capitol Hill Club and Troy Jackson (top left, on right) of the National Democratic Club posed front and center after happily preparing lunches for doctors and nurses at National Children’s Hospital.

The two clubs teamed up to plan to continue donating to first responders and medical personnel at least once a week. At far right, Stan Lawson, General Manager of Capitol Hill Club, and Banquet Manager Tom Galvin are shown loading up an SUV for delivery.

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS AS GOLF COURSES ACROSS Wisconsin prepared to reopen to the public under Safer-at-Home guidelines, 10 Milwaukee-area club operators launched a new membership program in the hope of boosting business while revenue was limited, the Small Business Times reported. Through the Badgerland Golfer Membership Program, members could pay a monthly fee of $55 (plus a $75 initiation fee) to play up to four 18-hole rounds at each participating club, adding up to 40 rounds of golf per month.

Participating clubs included Western Lakes Golf Club, Muskego Lakes Country Club, Evergreen Country Club, The Golf Club at Camelot, Horicon Hills Golf Club, West Bend Lakes Golf Club, Eagle Springs Golf Resort, Songbird Hills Golf Club, Brookfield Hills Golf Course and St. John’s Northwestern Golf Course, the Small Business Times reported.

Plans were to add courses across Wisconsin throughout the season, allowing the program, which was expected to sell out by early May, to expand its membership. Applications to join officially opened April 22 through the program’s website, according to Jason Hoelz, General Manager of Western Lakes Golf Club in Pewaukee, Wis.

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INDUSTRY ROUNDUP RUSH LAKE HILLS GC TO BE PART OF NEW REC AREA RUSH LAKE HILLS GOLF Club in Pinckney, Mich., along with a lake and hundreds of acres of natural land, could be combined to form a new publicly owned recreation area in Hamburg Township, Mich., the Livingston Daily Press & Argus of Howell, Mich. reported.

Township officials are making a move to buy the golf club, Herndon Lake and neighboring lands from the Henry Ford Health System, the Daily Press & Argus reported.

The entire property is 492 acres, including the approximately 120-acre course, a par-73 that was designed in 1961 by Jim

Montville and renovated in the mid-1990s.

Dearborn, Mich. real estate developer Robert Herndon donated the land to the health system in the early 1980s, the Daily Press & Argus reported. Golf course proceeds have funded oncology research.

Township officials have applied for an approximately $3.6 million grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) Trust Fund to purchase the property, the Daily Press & Argus reported. The health system would donate about $1.2 million in land value, in lieu of the town-

ship spending township funds on a 25% match required by the terms of the grant.

“Ultimately, Hamburg Township residents could own their own golf course, with no local taxpayer dollars spent,” said Township Clerk Mike Dolan.

The club is currently operated by SIGA Corp., the Daily Press & Argus reported, and Frank Garzia, a partner in the course management firm, said the plan is for that relationship to continue. The health system hired SIGA Corp. to take over operations of the course in 1992, Garzia said.

BUTTERFIELD TRAIL GC CLOSING MAY BE AVERTED ON APRIL 16, THE El Paso (Texas) International Airport, which owns Butterfield Trail Golf Club in El Paso, Texas, announced that the financially troubled club would permanently cease operations on May 31.

The club features a highly rated, Tom Fazio-

designed daily-fee course that has been managed by KemperSports.

Later in April, however, reports emerged that local developer Russell Hanson had offered to buy and save Butterfield Trail, as part of a plan to build housing around the course, and that a second potential offer from an undisclosed source had surfaced as well.

While rated as one of the top golf courses in the nation, Butterfield GC has lost $20 million in the 12 years since it opened, El Paso Inc. reported. The recession of 2008 wiped out the airport’s plans for a resort hotel to anchor the golf course. It then failed to win a following among El Paso

golfers, and the city lost money every time someone played a round.

“At Tom Fazio courses, the rates they charge average anywhere between $100 and $120 per round,” noted Monica Lombraña, the city’s chief operations and transportation officer, who put forth the recommendation for its closing. “But here in El Paso, we were charging $45 for residents and $65 for visitors. El Paso is just not a market for high-end golf courses.”

Fazio courses also require a lot of maintenance and water, which Lombraña said costs an average of $460,000 a year, El Paso Inc. reported

THE CHAMPIONS CLUB HAS NEW OWNERSHIP THE CHAMPIONS CLUB, A private country club located in Ooltewah, Tenn. is under a new ownership group and management team. Comprised of local businessmen and community stakeholders, Champions Club LLC has taken over ownership of the club. The new ownership group will make more than a million dollars in improvements to the golf course in the first year, focusing on greens and bunker renovations, as well as amenity upgrades that will enhance the member and guest experience.

In addition, The Champions Club has engaged Bobby Jones Links, an Atlanta-based club management company, to oversee management and day-to-day operations at the club.

Renovations to The Champions Club golf course are being overseen by golf course architect Bobby Cupp, Jr. Work includes renovating bunkers and greens on the front nine, to match the greens on the back nine that were completed last summer. The Champions Club will remain open during the renovations. Cupp will also oversee a complete renovation to several holes.

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SUPPLIER NEWS MOUNT VERNON CC INSTALLS EARTH NETWORKS LIGHTNING DETECTION SYSTEM

NORTHSTAR ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH CORPORATE SPENDING INNOVATIONS

MOUNT VERNON COUNTRY CLUB has deployed the Earth Networks Sferic Siren at its golf course in Alexandria, Va. In 2019, Earth Networks detected 4,924 lightning strikes in Alexandria and neighboring Fairfax County. Mount Vernon Country Club is now equipped with an advanced warning system to detect nearby lightning, enabling staff to enhance member and guest safety by better managing weather threats.

When lightning is detected within a pre-defined radius of the club, the system will sound one long 15-second horn blast and a strobe light will flash. This means it is unsafe to be outdoors, and people in the vicinity must seek shelter immediately. When the area is under alert, the strobe light will continue to flash. Three short five-second horn blasts will sound an all-clear alert when it is safe to resume outdoor activities.

Sferic Siren is powered by Earth Networks’ Total Lightning Network (ENTLN), the world’s largest lightning detection network with more than 1,800 sensors in more than 100 countries.

NORTHSTAR HAS PARTNERED WITH Corporate Spending Innovations (CSI) to deliver an automated and integrated payments solution with Northstar’s platform. CSI’s solution replaces costly paper checks with virtual cards, allowing customers to pay vendors with a secure, single-use card number to significantly streamline accounts-payable workflow, including approval and reconciliation processes.

“The new features offered through the partnership with CSI will bring efficiency and savings to clubs’ accounts-payable processes,” said Prasad Suryadevara, Northstar CEO. The new partnership will provide Northstar clients with access to CSI’s AP-certified customer support that enables clients to: • Create new revenue with a monthly cash rebate on credit-card transactions (with a typical vendor card acceptance rate of approximately 30 to 40 percent).

• Easily approve and track transactions, both individually or in batches, and more.

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Mobile Strategies Lead the Way Clubs change. Members change. The world changes. Discover how club leaders are paving the way forward by balancing traditions with technology and mobile strategies to create the ultimate experience for their members.

Download “Conversations with the Next Generation of Club Leaders” to get their stories in their own words.

Visit www.clubessential.com/leaders

BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF CLUB LEADERS

Conversations with the Next Generation of Club Leaders Hear how Clubs are Successfully Addressing the Most Pressing Industry Issues

“We want to stay creative. We’ll look at what we have and say how can we use it to be completely different?” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

GRAHAM HOUSE, Clubhouse and Lodging Manager, Cordillera March 2020Ranch l Club + Resort Business l 13

SUPPLIER NEWS SKYLINE COOK & CHILL RECEIVES ENERGY EFFICIENCY AWARD

HOSHIZAKI PUTS REFRIGERATED SOLUTIONS ON A ROLL HOSHIZAKI ANNOUNCED THE ADDITION of four upright roll-in and roll-thru refrigerators to its Steelheart series.

The models fit busy catering and hospitality needs. Kitchen staff can optimize workflow by loading baker-sheet pans full of prepared food onto rolling racks and then into these refrigerated cabinets.

All roll-in and roll-thru models accommodate one 72-inch or shorter rolling rack with full-sized sheet pans per section (rack and pans not included). The 35-inch-wide, one-section, and 68-inch, two-section cabinets are constructed of stainless-steel interiors with stainless-steel exterior fronts, sides and tops.

Roll-in cabinets feature one four-inch-long stainless-steel ramp and field-reversible stainless-steel door(s) with heavy-duty, stay-open, spring-assisted self-closing hinges. The rollthru models have ramps and door(s) at both the front and back of the cabinet.

All Steelheart reach-ins are engineered to maintain NSF-7 temperatures, even in 100º Fahrenheit kitchens.

THE NEW SKYLINE COMBI Ovens and Blast Chillers with the all-in-one solution for Cook&Chill by Electrolux Professional were recognized with the Best of Market Award for Energy Efficiency, in combination with the independent 4-Star ErgoCert certification.

The award was the result of an extensive reader survey on the range of services, as well as products and concepts offered by industrial partners in Germany.

The new range’s revolutionary capabilities are made possible by the optimal link between cooking and blast chilling, which provides operators with a streamlined, all-in-one food preparation process.

SkyLine Ovens and Blast Chillers are synchronized and communicate with each other, thanks to the unique SkyDuo smart technology that makes work-life in the kitchen even leaner, preventing error possibilities and ensuring a concretely seamless Cook&Chill experience. This helps to ensure top food quality with the highest efficiency, productivity, and safety.

For its innovative design, SkyLine also recently received the GOOD DESIGN® Award announced by the Chicago Athenaeum.

PEOPLE NEWS

CLUB PEOPLE Hunting Creek Country Club in Prospect, Ky. has named Zeke Larson as General Manager and Juanita Griffin as Director of Food & Beverage.

Most recently, Larson Zeke Larson was at NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala. where he served as Assistant General Manager. Griffin was the Director of Food & Beverage at The Reserve Club at Woodside Plantation in Aiken, S.C. Midatlantic Golf Inc. has named Jeff Allums as General Manager of Sycamore Creek Golf Course in Manakin-Sabot, Va. Allums was previously an owner/operator with Baja Bean Co. of Richmond, Va., which operates a family of restaurants throughout central Virginia.

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Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, Mich. has named Jack Wenz as Executive Chef. Most recently, Wenz worked on the Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan.

Royal Palm Golf Club in Naples, Fla. has named Sam Olson as Director of Golf.

Olson was most recently Head Golf Professional for Redding (Conn.) Country Club.

Tyler Deaver

Sam Olson

Johnson City (Tenn.)

Country Club has named Tyler Deaver as Head Golf Professional.

Deaver was most recently an Assistant Professional at Athens (Ga.) Country Club.

Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Ohio has hired Benjamin Collie as an Assistant Golf Professional. Collie previously worked in the two-year program at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club.

The Preserve Golf Club in Carmel, Calif. has named Michele Trimarche as Assistant Golf Professional. Trimarche was most recently First Assistant and Head Teaching Professional at Michele Trimarche Capital Canyon Club in Prescott, Ariz. She also served as Head Teaching Professional at Alpine Country Club in Demarest, N.J. from 2002-2019.

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Thornblade Club in Greer, S.C. named Kyle Callahan as Director of Golf Course and Grounds. Callahan Kyle Callahan was most recently at Victoria National in Newburgh, Ind. He replaces Randy Long, who retired after a 30-year career at Thornblade.

Jimmy Damiano, Director of Golf Instruction at the Club at New Seabury in Mashpee, Mass. has been named 2020 NEPGA Cape Cod Chapter Teacher of the Year.

Four-time major champion Susie Maxwell Berning, a Golf Instructor-in-Residence at The Reserve Club in Indian Wells, Calif. since its inception in 1998, has been selected as an inductee in the World Golf Hall of Fame, Class of 2021.

SUPPLIER PEOPLE

Codelocks Inc. appointed Greg Millis as Business Development Manager.

Most recently, Millis served as a sales and marketing manager for a mechanical and electronic door and gate security hardware company.

Supreme Golf appointed Chris May as Vice President of Strategy and Implementation. May was previously Vice President of Revenue Management at American Golf.

Mark Host

Bettcher Industries named Mark Host as North American Director of Sales. Most recently, Host served as the Director of Western Hemisphere Sales for TOMRA Sorting Solutions.

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IN MEMORIAM

Paul Foley, a golf industry leader who served as Executive Director of the Golf Course Builders Association of America, died April 17 of complications from coronavirus. Foley was 77.

Edward D. Gintert Sr., 93, passed away April 18. A longtime member of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Gintert built and operated Riverview Golf Club in Newton Falls, Ohio.

Edward Gintert

Robert Cleason Poston passed away at age 82. Poston was part of a group of Founding Members of the International Network of Golf.

May 2020

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» Southern Hills CC

SOUTHERN HILLS CC PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE

BY PRESERVING ITS PAST The storied Tulsa, Okla. club developed its new History, Trophy and Founders’ Halls over the past six years, to chronicle its rich championship golf legacy and key role in the city’s growth.

While the pandemic has delayed the displays’ unveiling, club leaders are looking forward to the extra excitement they will provide upon reopening, and for years to come.

By Joe Barks, Editor

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SINCE 2014, Southern Hills Country Club (SHCC) has been preparing for 2020 to mark another important milestone in the Tulsa, Okla. club’s storied 85-year history. Only two months in, however, events began to unfold to ensure that the year is now likely to be remembered most, at least for the short term, for the disruption it brought to SHCC, along with the rest of the club industry, through the coronavirus pandemic.

But even in the face of this latest challenge, 2020 still promises to leave behind the best evidence yet of why Southern Hills has stood since its founding as one of the nation’s most enduring and admired properties—and proof of why it is as well-positioned as any club to continue to thrive as this latest threat subsides.

As the year began, SHCC was finalizing plans to celebrate the completion of a six-year campaign to preserve and promote its heritage by instituting a comprehensive archiving process and installing 19 permanent displays in its clubhouse, to showcase not only its world-renowned championship golf pedigree, but its important role in the history of Tulsa as well.

Those displays, in newly renovated History Hall, Trophy Hall and Founders’ Hall corridors within the Southern Hills clubhouse, had just been completed as March began. But the club then had to be “closed as soon as [the displays] were opened,” reports General Manager/COO Nick Sidorakis, because of the coronavirus outbreak. That caused postponement of plans for a series of special events that would include an initial unveiling party for members on March 25th; a featured media presentation during coverage of the now-cancelled Big 12 golf championship, when it was to be held at SHCC in late April; and an appearance by Dave Stockton to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of his winning the 1970 PGA Championship at Southern Hills, during which he would personally dedicate the display of photos and memorabilia from that occasion.

Even with all of that temporarily off the table, however, Sidorakis knows there will eventually be ample opportunity for all who are associated with Southern Hills to fully appreciate, and benefit from, the club’s extensive preservation initiative. From the members who were able to see the displays before the club was closed, he reports, he heard nothing but glowing exclamations of “wow” about all that had been assembled

Southern Hills’ Perry Maxwell-designed course, which was restored by Gil Hanse in 2019, has been synonymous with bringing championship golf to Tulsa since the club was founded in 1935, with a total of 15 championships held there in virtually every decade since.

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» Southern Hills CC

Replicas of all the major tournament trophies won at Southern Hills over the years were commissioned and given their own special place of honor.

for display. “It’s an impressive venue that immediately gives you a sense of depth and presence,” he says. “It has the feel of a museum, and it just makes you want to spend hours taking it all in.”

With the opportunity to do that in person temporarily denied by the club’s closing, Southern Hills’ Marketing & Communications Manager, Reagan Kingsley, has been keeping members’ interest engaged, and whetting their appetite for more, by sending out a series of social-media posts featuring pictures of individual displays and summaries of the

Commemoration of Southern Hills’ affiliation with The First Tee of Tulsa, which the club sponsors and operates, has also been given prominence through a new display.

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featured tournament and what life was like in the year that it was held.

required boxes: he was retired, so he had the time; and he had strong affinity for golf and the club, so he had the passion.

In short, Sidorakis says, Chrisman was the “godsend” needed to get the right traction for the process, as he willingly took on the tasks that called for dogged persistence, to track down the materials from past champions and other sources that would create complete and compelling displays.

After securing approval for the vision from the SHCC Board, a new Historical Committee was formed, consisting of Sidorakis, Chrisman, Mutch, Dan Lowry, the club’s facilities director, and an interior designer. The original plan was to focus only on an enhanced History Hall featuring elaborate, chronological “chapters” of the championship golf events held through the years at Southern Hills.

But the project then expanded to also include creation of a Trophy Hall, featuring replicas of all the major tournament trophies won in competitions held at the club over the years (see photo above), and a Founders’ Hall, with materials relat-

GETTING IT ALL TOGETHER Like many GMs, Sidorakis, who has been in his position at Southern Hills since 1995, had long been nagged by a desire to find the time and a way to properly corral the club’s archival material, which he admits was “all over the place” for many years. When SHCC’s clubhouse was made over as part of a $20 million renovation project in 2007 (“The Bold New Approach at Southern Hills CC,” C+RB, June 2007), an initial attempt at creating a History Hall was made. But six years later, Sidorakis knew the club was still just scratching the surface of what a place with its legacy deserved.

So in 2014, he reached out to Andy Mutch, the former curator of the United States Golf Association Museum who then founded Golf Curator, Inc., to specialize in helping some of the U.S.’s most historic clubs, including Merion Golf Club (“Living History,” C+RB, January 2017), launch comprehensive and ongoing archive programs.

As has been the case at Merion and pretty much every other club among the dozens that Mutch has worked with, though, those programs are really only as effective as the help he can get internally from a club’s staff and membership. At Longtime Southern Hills member and club Southern Hills, the lion’s share of that historian Clyde Chrisman (left) teamed with assistance came from Clyde Chrisman, a 30-plus-year member who checked all the Andy Mutch of Golf Curator, Inc. to coordinate the collection and display of archives. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

After plans for in-person celebrations of the new displays were put on hold when Southern Hills had to be closed because of the coronavirus outbreak, Marketing & Communications Manager Reagan Kingsley has kept members’ interest engaged, and whetted their appetites for more, with a series of social-media posts that include historical context for the year of each championship shown.

ing to the equally fascinating history of the original development of the club and its founding mission of social and recreational interaction, including documents pertaining to Perry Maxwell’s original design of the golf course “where championship golf will be held,” and the involvement of philanthropist Waite Phillips (one of the founders of Phillips Petroleum) in helping to establish Southern Hills.

The cost of the initiative also grew along with its expansion, from an initial budget of $400,000 that was then increased by another $300,000 for some of the replica trophies alone (only one individual, John Bowles, is authorized to duplicate the PGA Championship’s Wanamaker Trophy, and only Nicholas Winton can reproduce the U.S. Open trophy; both reside in London, England). But a donation drive spearheaded by Jim Bush, SHCC’s President in 2018, that drew participation from many of the club’s other past presidents not only significantly helped to defray the additional costs, but spoke to the widespread support and appreciation for the effort that ran throughout the Southern Hills membership.

The end result is “amazing and beyond my expectations,” Sidorakis says. Together, the three halls now “really provide the basis for properly preserving and promoting our history and tradition, and for giving both new and existing members a special sense of pride to be part of all of that and to help carry it forward.

“It’s just too bad we have to wait now for everyone to be able to see it,” he adds, understandably. But the good news is, there’s no doubt it will clearly be worth the wait. C+RB

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DESIGN + RENOVATION

Stronger by the Day

From individual workouts to group training, these all-encompassing facilities may prompt some to rethink their outside gym memberships.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

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SUMMING IT UP >

The need for distinct spaces for individual workouts and group classes warrants fitness-center expansion.

> Implementing hi-tech

capabilities for check-in and personal fitness tracking streamlines business operations.

> Additional amenities

like food-and-beverage stations for healthy options, and close proximity to other recreational outlets, maximize the member experience.

REGISTERING FOR A SPIN CLASS at the touch of a smartphone. Grabbing a cold-pressed juice after hot yoga. Meeting with a personal trainer to assess individual goals.

These may sound like wish lists for the health-conscious gym goer, but at a growing number of private clubs, they are becoming a regular component of fitness facilities.

By dedicating more space and resources to house the latest equipment and boost their exercise offerings, clubs that invest in full-fledged fitness facilities are better suited to satisfy their existing membership.

ROOM TO MOVE At The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga., the construction of a dedicated wellness facility was an integral component of a capital improvement plan that involved a revised internal layout and an increased footprint. By bumping up to a whopping 52,000 sq. ft., the club’s Oakridge Wellness Center (OWC) opened its doors in November 2018, to showcase a response to members’ requests for more spacious accommodations and expanded fitness programming.

“The design was a reflection of member feedback focused around adjectives such as airy, bright, inviting, cozy and open,” says Director of Wellness Lukasz Monka. Employing what he dewww.clubandresortbusiness.com

scribes as “an organic floor design,” the open space is strategically divided by 105 pieces of fitness equipment and does not utilize walls or dividers.

Two large group-fitness studios assume 2,500 sq. ft., while two Pilates studios (one for group and the other for individual sessions) take up 1,200 sq. ft., and a selectorized fitness equipment section comprises 1,900 sq. ft. The center’s largest area—the cardio zone, which contains treadmills, ellipticals, bikes and rowers—comprises 3,600 sq. ft., balanced out by the free weight area at 1,700 sq. ft. Two smaller footprints, a 400-sq.-ft. stretch zone and a 600-sq.-ft. spin studio, provide additional training facilities.

Two of the OWC’s more notable additions include a wellness bar, which provides members with a place to enjoy a freshly made smoothie, cold-pressed juice or another healthy snack, and The Green, a 1,900-sq.-ft. space equipped with pull-up bars, rope climbing and other functional training amenities. According to Monka, this area is very popular with club trainers, “as it allows for unlimited creativity and for our fitness professionals to shine.”

The Green is equipped with astroturf flooring, and other areas have special flooring to promote safe usage— luxury vinyl tile in the cardio section, and rubberized flooring in the selectorized equipment and spin studio. A rubberized flooring style was seMarch 2020 Photo + Resort Business Mizner CC l ClubCourtesy l 21

DESIGN + RENOVATION THE LANDINGS CLUB Savannah, Ga.

“The design was a reflection of member feedback focused around adjectives such as airy, bright, inviting, cozy and open. [Lighting fixtures] augment a bright environment and amplify the design while becoming a conversation starter, due to their unorthodox look.”

—Lukasz Monka, Director of Wellness

unorthodox look,” he adds.

To let members and guests take full advantage of the entire roster of fitness amenities, the OWC has expanded its hours of operation from 5 am.-9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. “This allowed our professional staff to perform over 20,000 training sessions in 2019,” says Monka, noting that the group fitness studio and spin room saw nearly 4,000 classes last year.

Personalized small-group sessions, such

as Women on Weights and Strength Training Under Direction for men, have also increased usage of the OWC, making it the club’s most visited facility last year.

FIT AND FOCUSED Staying in shape at Willoughby Golf Club in Stuart, Fla., has become much easier since the inception of its fitness center in December 2018. After previous incarnations had outgrown their usefulness, management realized that an updated, more Photo Courtesy The Landings GC

lected for the free weight zone, “to allow for weight drops and extensive noise reduction,” notes Monka.

Rounding out the other design extras are a security system that assists with check-in process control and an upgraded music system that can be controlled from a central tablet or an instructor’s smartphone.

Lighting fixtures were chosen “to augment a bright environment and to amplify the totality of the design efforts while becoming a conversation starter due to their

Fitness from a Distance WITH CLUBS HAVING to temporarily shutter facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, on-site fitness-center usage came to a standstill. But novel ways were found to bring exercise regimens to members as they sheltered in place.

At The Landings Golf Club, wellness operations moved outdoors. “We now safely conduct almost 40 group fitness classes per week in our parking lots and outdoor pools, with an average participation of 30 members per class,” Director of Wellness Lukasz Monka reported in April. Small group and personal training activities were also conducted outside and made available via live streaming. “To add more options, we started to pre-record group fitness classes and a workout of the day, which allowed members to follow along at their convenience,” Monka added.

The Landings Club also planned to launch a “Gym to Go” initiative, alllowing members to select equipment from

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a provided list to use at home.

The staff would disinfect and set up the requested equipment for retrieval at a reserved time slot outdoors on club grounds.

To help its gym-going members stay in shape, Mizner Country Club launched a YouTube channel dedicated to fitness. “Through our apps, we [sent] programs, [created] workouts of the day and [encouraged] our members to engage through digital challenges,” said Fitness Director Paul Raymond. Yoga and “bootcamp” classes were also are offered through Zoom.

At Traverse City Country Club, the personal-training staff uploaded exercise videos to the club’s YouTube page, and the golf and fitness staff created weekly golf-fitness webinars.

Once stay-at-home orders could be lifted at these clubs, management planned to adjust safety protocols accordingly while also retaining options

Classes at The Landings GC didn’t miss a beat when its wellness center had to close during the coronavirus outbreak, with an average of 30 members participating in safely conducted outdoor options. developed during the shutdown.

“Programs we once ran indoors will be led outside, for proper spacing and comfort to our members,” said Diane VanderVeen, Traverse City CC’s General Manager. At The Landings Club, Monka reported, “Current online streaming classes will be added to regular in-person classes, to ensure a larger reach.”

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expansive facility was in order.

“It worked for a while, but the ceiling was low and the room was dark,” describes General Manager Michele Reilly of the former setting. “We did not have room for fitness classes, and too many people in the gym created a long wait for equipment.”

With available real estate at a minimum, the club sought out a planning firm to determine a sufficient footprint for the fitness center and also visited neighboring clubs to get a better sense of the project’s scope. The four-zone center is a result of those findings and includes an extra zone reserved for physical therapy services provided by Cleveland Clinic Martin Health.

A combined cardio and strength area, accounting for 1,830 sq. ft., houses fourteen cardio machines, eight strength training machines, free weights and a cable crossover. A 926-sq.-ft. studio has an 18-person occupancy, while an 891-sq. ft. stretching room has two tables, a stretch cage and a hoist motion cage.

To differentiate the separate spaces, the club chose a variety of flooring options—wood flooring in the studio and vinyl composite tile for the stretching area. Specialty flooring in the weight and cardio area allows allergy suffers to work out comfortably while also withstanding any dropping of weights.

“Our selected material functions like rubber, but is non-petroleum-based,” says Reilly. “This was a more expensive option, but important for our membership.”

WILLOUGHBY GOLF CLUB Stuart, Fla.

“Our selected [flooring] material functions like rubber, but is non-petroleum-based. This was a more expensive option, but important for our membership.”

—Michele Reilly, General Manager

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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DESIGN + RENOVATION

Each area features a different ceiling style for visual appeal. Areas along the east wall boast floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto a large lake and fountain.

Acoustical tiles easily transmit music that is piped into the background during regular business hours.

Although the center is contained within a fully gated community, the club’s security personnel permits early or after-hours access via special request.

The facility’s hi-tech, virtual check-in capability is used for group classes as well as workouts and personal-training sessions. Members can register for weekly classes via their smartphone or home computer and log in upon visiting the facility. “This allows us to track utilization in all areas,” says Reilly.

PERSONALIZED WORKOUTS Creating a fitness regime tailored to individual needs has become a new way of living at Mizner Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla. Last September, the club partnered with Technogym to design an expanded fitness center that replaced an outdated building with cramped quarters. “It just wasn’t flexible enough to adapt to today’s health-conscious, technological and environmental universe,” explains Paul Raymond,

MIZNER COUNTRY CLUB Delray Beach, Fla.

“The renovation gave us more square footage for group aerobics and specialty classes, so we can run multiple classes at the same time. We also provided open functional-movement spaces, to hold boxing classes and other performance-driven programming. With the diverstiy of our membership, we also made sure we had plenty of space and tools for strength training.”

—Paul Raymond, Director of Fitness, Spa and Aquatics

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To all our front-line workers keeping us safe & sound...

Thank you!

To all our club friends...

We can’t wait to see you again!

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

DESIGN + RENOVATION TRAVERSE CITY COUNTRY CLUB Traverse City, Mich.

“The redesign of the fitness area was a result of an increase in demand, a club-wide shift to familyfriendly amenities and programming, and [the ability] to provide products and services the club was not able to in the previous layout.”

— Diane VanderVeen, General Manager

Director of Fitness, Spa and Aquatics.

The expanded 6,000-sq. ft. facility—a significant jump from the previous 1,200 sq. ft.—houses over 50 pieces of gym equipment and includes a 1,017-sq. ft. group aerobics studio. New design features include a 532-sq. ft. Pilates studio, a 725-sq. ft. group cycle studio and two massage and tranquility quiet rooms. A seamless layout allows gym goers to move effortlessly, with a diverse programming roster that is as conducive to individual workouts as it is to group training sessions.

“The renovation gave us more square footage for group aerobics and specialty classes,” Raymond says. “We can now run multiple

Celebrating

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classes at the same time, which we were not able to accommodate prior.

“We also provided open functionalmovement spaces, to hold boxing classes and other performance-driven programming on the gym floor,” he adds. “With the diversity of our membership, we also made sure we had plenty of space and the tools required for strength training.”

The fitness center utilizes technology to create a customized experience for personal workouts. Individual equipment is designed to connect to users’ mobile devices, so they can keep track of personal fitness goals and monitor their progress on various machines.

“Members can also access their personal information and training programs on any Technogym machine, from anywhere and from any personal device,” Raymond notes.

This enhancement also allows Mizner’s fitness staff to analyze data and tailor individual workouts accordingly.

After a vigorous workout, members can refresh themselves at The Market, Mizner’s newly designed café that offers a healthconscious menu of fresh juices, smoothies, salad bowls and sandwiches, or snack on resh fruit. “Recovery through nutrition is key to performance, and we are working toward educating our members to train, fuel and rest,” Raymond notes. The club is also looking to bolster its programming with topical health and wellness lectures, as well as Pilates and boot camps for teens.

ONE FOR THE TEAM Heightened demand for fitness prompted Traverse City (Mich.) Country Club to rethink its existing set-up, along with “a club-wide shift to family-friendly amenities and programming and [the ability] to provide products and services [we were] not able to in the previous layout,” according to General Manager Diane VanderVeen. After a year-long renovation that included a new pro shop, Traverse City CC unveiled a revamped fitness center this past December.

At 1,800 sq. ft., the new fitness center is double the size of the previous footprint, with an open floor plan that includes cardio and strength equipment, functional training space and a 500-sq.-ft. group exercise room.

Adjacent to the clubhouse pro shop and with direct access to the tennis courts, the center’s design fosters a comprehensive, year-round fitness regime for members.

To establish a welcoming atmosphere that meshes well with the club’s existing www.clubandresortbusiness.com

DESIGN + RENOVATION BOOTHBAY HARBOR COUNTRY CLUB Boothbay, Maine

“All aspects of the wellness center were designed around the comfort and enjoyment of our members.”

—Paul Coulombe, Owner

style, designers chose to repurpose a flagstone wall previously used on the exterior.

“The earth tones of the stone were highlighted with the use of light maple wood finishes, cool gray walls and black flooring and ceiling,” describes VanderVeen. Large exterior windows embrace natural lighting and add depth to the 10-foot-high ceilings.

The additional overhead space lends itself well to the club’s first group-exercise programs, while also accommodating functional training equipment and providing ample room for personal training sessions.

“Increased ceiling height allows our golf fitness group to provide personal sessions and the opportunity to swing golf clubs and training aides year-round,” VanderVeen adds.

Members can also take advantage of a new

self-service area, stocked with ready-to-go healthy foods and beverages, for pre- and post-workout sustenance.

FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES To boost the overall member experience and appeal to multigenerational visitors, Boothbay Harbor Country Club in Boothbay, Maine, has maximized its reputation as a fullfledged fitness destination. The club’s wellness center, which opened in June 2018, built upon recent improvements to the golf course and came on the heels of a 2016 clubhouse grand opening.

The facility features a 1,800-sq.-ft. fitness pavilion, yoga studio, massage therapy room, cycling room and personalized fitness training room. Members also have imme-

diate access to a heated salt-water pool, 12-person hot tub, two tennis courts and two pickleball courts.

As its central element, the fitness room is designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and includes a variety of cardio, strength training and functional training equipment. Separate training and fitness rooms and private offices for trainers that allow for one-on-one consultations with members are also provided.

And designed with group training in mind, the center’s pool supports water aerobics classes.

“The wellness center was the perfect fit to be able to provide our members with exceptional amenities and the best all-around experience,” says Paul Coulombe, the club’s owner. “All aspects were designed around their comfort and enjoyment.” C+RB

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DESIGN SNAPSHOT

Photo by Lindsay Galatro/LG Photography and Courtesy Springfield G&CC

ACROSS-THE-BOARD APPEAL Having a new place to take a meeting—either on-premise for members, or off-site for guests—is providing a breath of fresh air for Springfield (Va.) G&CC.

By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor

foyer via the main staircase or elevator.)

At Springfield (Va.) Golf & Country Club, business While outside guests can access the boardroom via meetings are now at the top of the to-do list for memthe lobby, which overlooks the club’s high-ceiling sitting bership and visitors alike. Thanks to a recently updated room, they are not permitted to visit members-only boardroom, the club is experiencing a boost in corporate portions of the club, including the restaurant, bar and business accommodations as it looks to serve an expandpatio. “Members who use the space for meetings often ing clientele. invite their group to join them in the grill or on the patio As part of a clubhouse-wide renovation that began in for lunch, or for cocktails in the bar after their meeting January 2019, the boardroom received a recent facelift that was undertaken “as a means of creating an updated, refreshed and modernized feel,” exDesign Snapshot plains Communications Director Emily Kauffman.

The enhanced space opened its doors in June SPRINGFIELD GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 2019, and has since seen consistent usage from Springfield, Va. both the membership and area businesses.

Project: Updated boardroom as part of clubhouse-wide renovation

AWAY FROM IT ALL Rather than being positioned front and center, the cozy boardroom is tucked away on the second floor of Springfield G&CC’s clubhouse, making it conducive for structured business meetings.

(At the same time, it is easily accessible from the 30

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Designer: Contract Furniture Options, Bethesda, Md. Chairs, Tables and Furnishings: Shelby Williams Lighting: Currey & Co.; custom chandelier by Niermann Weeks Carpeting: Masland Paint: Benjamin Moore (Revere Pewter), Sherwin Williams

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Photo Courtesy Bishops Bay CC

FULL BOARDROOM APPROVAL As part of the last stage of a three-part renovation project, Bishops Bay Country Club in Middleton, Wis., now boasts a private boardroom.

The addition rounds out a myriad of design enhancements that include an updated clubhouse, casual dining spot and revamped dining room.

According to Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey T. Murray, the boardroom can accommodate 12 to 14 occupants and has become a popular spot for conducting member business.

“It has fully functional meeting components that allow our members to do presentations and conference chat with others not able to come,” Murray says. “We have been amazed by how many of our members have a use for this space. We don’t look to profit from it, just for our members to see value in their membership.”

concludes,” Kauffman notes.

As part of a slew of enhancements to the overall clubhouse design, management took a closer look at what could be maintained and what needed to be updated. “Our overall color palette was influenced by a rebranding project that began in the spring of 2016,” Kauffman says of the mixture of grays, whites and blues. The boardroom’s walls were given a fresh coat of paint in a shade of light gray with warm undertones, while carpeting is in a soft neutral tone.

Lighting remained essentially untouched. “We have overhead lights and large windows with white plantation shutters that allow the room to flood with light when guests want it, but also offer a lightless alternative that is perfect for on-screen presentations,” notes Kauffman.

With room for from 10 to 30 people, non-members can take their meals in their boardroom or have a buffet set up in the lobby. Members are offered these same options, with the addition of holding a private luncheon downstairs in the member grill room. Those groups looking to host breakout sessions or team-building exercises can book separate space in either of the club’s two ballrooms, choosing from a smaller 30- to 60-person facility, or one that seats 200 guests.

OUTSIDE INTERESTS Since the club’s renovation, management has seen a noticeable uptick in corporate business events, with an average now of 5 to 10 meetings per month. While the club’s members do not have priority booking over outside guests, they do not have to pay a room rental fee.

One of the club’s more notable clients is Amazon Web Services, which started holding off-site meetings

Bishops Bay CC’s new private boardroom has become a popular spot for conducting business, both for those in the room and others joining via conference chat. “We’ve been amazed by how many members have a use for this space,” says COO Jeffrey Murray.

“

Members and clients have expressed how their employees

appreciate getting out of their own buildings’ meeting rooms and conducting off-site meetings in such a beautiful facility.

[And those] who use the space often invite their group to join them in the grill or on the patio for lunch, or for

”

cocktails in the bar, after their meeting concludes.

—Emily Kauffman, Communications Director

for its Springfield facility’s employees last December. “Most meetings include some form of [food-and-beverage service], from light refreshments to full-day catering,” says Jennifer Kazmi, Springfield G&CC’s Catering Director, citing an increased and ongoing revenue stream for the club.

While Springfield G&CC had originally planned to implement additional technical advancements, that project is now currently on hold until either the fall of 2020 or the following spring. Future enhancements will include updated audio capabilities, new LCD projectors and ceiling mounted screens—all of which will entail increased rental fees.

For now, the club is content to bask in the glow emitted not by projection screens, but user love. “Members and clients have expressed how they feel their employees will appreciate getting out of their own buildings’ meeting rooms and conducting off-site meetings in such a beautiful facility,” says Kauffman. C+RB

Groups looking to host breakout sessions or team-building exercises can book separate space in either of Springfield G&CC’s two ballrooms. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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COURSE + GROUNDS

INCREASING INTERNS’

INFLUENCE By investing in programs that support turfgrass management students, golf course properties and their superintendents can earn as many dividends as the bluechip interns they mentor.

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

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EVEN THOUGH GOLF HAS BEEN banned or restricted in some states during the coronavirus pandemic, golf course maintenance has still been allowed in almost every area of the country. With the need to continue golf course upkeep, clubs’ grounds departments have tried to maintain proper staffing levels, but have seen some staff members not be able to work because of health concerns or the need to tend to family issues during stay-at-home mandates. For many properties, being able to draw on their relationships with turfgrass-student interns has been a key part of having enough help on hand.

John Kaminski, Professor of Turfgrass Science and Director of the two-year Golf Course Turfgrass Management Program at Pennsylvania State University, believes interns can always be a good fit with turfgrass management staffs, which include seniorlevel personnel, seasonal staff members, and migrant or unskilled labor.

“Interns are a hybrid of that,” he says.

“They have career goals and some experience. Interns bring more than just labor.

They bring ideas, thoughts and careerdriven passion to do everything it takes to maintain the golf course.”

CREATING INTERN EXPERIENCES Curtis Tyrrell, CGCS, MG, Director of Agronomy at Desert Highlands Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., has one intern, Jack Daley, from Penn State for this summer.

Tyrrell, who has been at Desert Highlands since December 2019, is crafting a new internship program at the property, which includes an 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature course and an 18-hole, par -41 putting course.

Tyrell wants to create an internship program at Desert Highlands similar to the one he had at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club,

“

Interns bring more than just labor. They bring ideas, thoughts and career-driven passion to do everything it takes to maintain the golf course.

where he spent 10 years as Director of Golf Course Operations. The program at his new club will play to the strengths of the Arizona property, which has an arid climate. And while he typically recruited four interns to Medinah every year, Tyrrell plans to have one or two a year at Desert Highlands.

In his second season as Director of Golf Courses & Grounds at the 36-hole Wilmington (Del.) Country Club, Jon Urbanski, who also had an internship program at nearby Biderman Golf Club for about 10 of his 14 years there, has two Penn State interns this year.

“If we have more than two, then the experience gets watered down for the students,” says Urbanski. “When they leave, we want to make sure this prepared them for the next step in their career.”

With bentgrass on its South Course and bentgrass and poa annua on the North Course, interns get two experiences at once at Wilmington CC, as well as additional input from the two courses’ superintendents, Sean Whiston and Brett Snyder.

“The students have the opportunity to work for a full week with each superintendent on their respective courses and then move over to the other course the following week,” Urbanski says. “This gives them a nice rotation throughout their entire work experience, and provides an opportunity for our superintendents to mentor the student, giving them a different perspective on turf maintenance from me. Each superintendent can depend on the intern day-in and day-out, and the intern gains responsi-

Relationships with interns such as (left to right) Jack Daley at Desert Highlands GC, Tina Rosenow at Trinity Forest GC and Nick Leggin at Wilmington CC have proved to be even more valuable as clubs have had to maintain courses with smaller staffs and restricted operations during the coronavirus pandemic. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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— John Kaminski, Professor of Turfgrass Science, Pennsylvania State University bility and ownership in the operation.”

At the 27-hole Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, Texas which currently has one post-graduate intern from the University of Minnesota, the coronavirus pandemic has affected the internship program, reports Director of Grounds Kasey Kauff. Another intern might join the staff later this summer, but international travel restrictions have kept a third intern from Canada from working at the club. The virus also upended plans that Kauff had this year to team up with Nicole Sherry, head groundskeeper for the Baltimore Orioles, and have a Trinity Forest intern work for the baseball team after concluding his or her work in Dallas.

PRIZE RECRUITS To recruit interns, superintendents rely on job boards and relationships with turfgrass programs and professors nationwide. Tyrrell starts by reaching out to about a dozen programs in the late summer every year. But he is finding it harder to recruit interns because turf-school enrollments are declining.

In introductory interviews, he tries to find out what the students hope to gain from their internships. “There’s always something they want to learn,” he says.

“We’ve always brought our interns immediately into our management circle. We give them insight into what it takes to manage a golf course.”

When recruiting interns, Tyrrell tells them about upcoming activities at the course, which could range from bunker projects to a tournament.

“I definitely want somebody that’s got all the basics already, because we want to bring them into the management side of things,” he says. “We focus on giving them May 2020

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After taking his position at Desert Highlands GC at the end of 2019, Director of Agronomy Curtis Tyrell is modeling his new club’s internship program after one he successfully managed during his 10 years at Medinah CC.

next-level experience.”

Urbanski, who also calls recruiting the biggest challenge of internship programs because of the lack of available students, looks for well-rounded, inquisitive interns who show interest in the position.

“Recruiting to me is an everyday thing,” he says. “You have to fill the position with purpose. There’s a reason we have that person here.”

Kauff, who has worked at Trinity Forest for six years, has hired interns for the last four years from a variety of universities, including Kansas State, Purdue and North Carolina State, as well as Minnesota. The N.C. State grad frequently speaks to students at his alma mater, which also opens up the pipeline for him.

An intern’s skill level doesn’t matter to Kauff; last year, he had a female intern who had never worked on a golf course before.

“We are open to anything because we can teach them,” he says. “We can train them on the operation of equipment.”

TWO-WAY STREET Penn State’s Kaminski stresses that students also have an obligation to prepare for their internships. They should look up the local chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America in the area where they will work, and find out about grass species and pest problems specific to the property, he suggests.

“The biggest challenge is when students don’t have a clear idea of what they want,” Kaminski says. “Do they want to work at a top 100 property or at a property that is holding a tournament? Do they want to work 40 hours or 80 hours a week? Do they want to work with warm-season or coolseason grasses?”

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This year, over a dozen Penn State students will be going to golf course properties where Kaminski never has sent interns before. All of them, however, will share one similar part of the experience.

“They all go away from home,” Kaminski says. “There are less distractions that way, so they can focus on their internships.”

To land the most prized recruits, properties have to be prepared to offer students a competitive package that includes a strong network, housing or a housing stipend, and hourly compensation, in addition to the course’s reputation and profile.

This year, Desert Highlands’ intern will have pre-arranged housing, but Tyrrell says the club “is trying to figure out how to bring housing here [on property], so we can compete with other programs.”

At Medinah, the club arranged for an apartment the intern could use at a complex two miles away. But Tyrell doesn’t believe it should matter if interns are on-site or not, as long as they understand the need to respond quickly when required. “Part of their experience is to be the one called when there’s an issue, or to stay late,” he says.

“They’re the ones that get the call when the pump station goes down at night.”

Wilmington CC provides its interns with an off-site, two-bedroom, furnished apartment three miles from the property.

The housing package includes utilities and

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linens, says Urbanski, so the students’ only expense is food.

Trinity Forest keeps an apartment in a trendy Dallas neighborhood year-round to house interns. “We push a work-life balance,” says Kauff. “It’s not just about work.

We want the interns to have a great time in Dallas for the summer.”

FROM CLASSROOM TO FIELD Of course, the greatest benefit to interns is on-the-job training. “You need to plan to manage the students from start to finish, stay engaged with them, and teach them,” says Tyrrell, who will customize internships for students. “It takes time to explain why you’re doing what you’re doing.

“You have to be willing to do your part,” he adds. “It’s definitely an added job task to your day, but it’s a worthwhile and rewarding one, if you have a passion for teaching, and you’re willing to give back to students.”

Tyrrell prefers that interns already know how to perform basic course maintenance duties, so they can focus on honing skills such as personnel management, project management and development, and spray calibrations. “The purpose of internships is to give students the chance to take everything they have learned in the classroom and translate it into the field,” he says.

As part of offering that opportunity, he

We give [interns] the chance to make their own decisions. We don’t micromanage. We like to give them their own creativity.

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—Kasey Kauff, Director of Grounds, Trinity Forest GC

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Wilmington CC’s interns get a three-for-one mentorship opportunity from (left to right) Sean Whiston, South Course Superintendent; Jon Urbanski, Director of Golf Courses and Grounds, and Brett Snyder, North Course Superintendent.

has interns attend meetings, contribute to long-term planning, and oversee staff. “We want to provide access to elements of the occupation they normally wouldn’t see if they’re punching a time clock as a laborer,” he says.

In addition, he adds, superintendents need to develop their internship programs in conjunction with other department managers at their club. “We have to think through the goals for the student after he or she leaves,” he says. “What do we need to expose them to? We have to have an open dialogue and include them, so they can sit in on everything and ask questions.”

And as part of the experience, Tyrell says, Interns need to be prepared for criticism and scrutiny from the highest levels.

At Wilmington CC, interns also spend time in other areas such as the mechanic’s shop, food-and-beverage department, and golf operations. “Our program is not solely focused on turf management,” says Urbanski. “We’re trying to give them a perspective on operations of the total club.

“We can really individualize an educational program for each student,” he adds.

“The needs of one student may not be the same as another student. We’re investing a lot in the individual, so there is a high level of expectation with us as well.”

The Wilmington CC interns work 55 to 60 hours a week, just like the superintendents and assistant superintendents. They take care of golf course setup, including putting out tee markers and cutting cups; learn about budgeting; gain insight into chemical applications, including when and why to apply a product and why to use product A instead of product B; and learn how to adapt to changing climate and turf conditions. “They do every facet of turf management that an assistant superintendent does on a daily basis,” says Urbanski.

They also participate in weekly staff meetings and for one week are given the opportunity to run the staff, which totals 65 people in season, under Urbanski’s direction. “The student is really nervous at the beginning of the week,” says Urbanski. “By the end of the week, they’re comfortable.

It’s nice to see their growth that week.”

“We don’t want them to be too quiet.

We want them to be a sponge,” he adds.

“We also want to feed off that student as well, because they have experience that can benefit us.”

For example, one of Wilmington CC’s interns noticed last year how much time the setup routine was taking for the maintenance staff each morning. So he suggested that equipment be set up at the end of the day before. That intern, Cody Sander, is now an assistant superintendent at the club, working primarily on the South Course.

At Trinity Forest, Kauff also stresses the importance of teaching interns why the maintenance staff does things a certain way. “Our goal is to give interns training to be an assistant superintendent,” he says.

“They don’t hang out with the crew. They work with the assistants. They sit in the office for meetings, learn how to spray, do daily golf course setup, and run small proj-

ects. We make sure they can run the equipment first, and then train them to learn the operation and to be part of a team.”

Kauff relies on interns for new ideas ranging from course setup to more organized ways of carrying out tasks. “We give them the chance to make their own decisions,” he reports. “We don’t micromanage. We like to give them their own creativity.”

Like Tyrrell and Urbanski, Kauff interned when he was a turf student. All three try to model their programs after the experiences they had as interns. And because that kind of pay-it-forward attitude exists, Penn State’s Kaminski has complete confidence in the superintendents who mentor his students. “If the student wants to become a superintendent, they can’t just learn that on their own,” he says.

“There’s no one best internship; it’s really about the fit,” he adds. “Every time interns work in a new place, they learn new skills or management techniques. Most superintendents are good about giving students as much as they can handle.” C+RB MORE ONLINE For an extended version of this story, go to www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SUMMING IT UP > Because of the dwindling number of students in turfgrass management programs, interns are now “prize recruits” for golf course properties. Still, students should take an active role in landing internships and not just wait to be recruited.

> To attract interns, golf course properties need to offer competitive packages that can include perks such as a good reputation, a strong network, housing or a housing stipend, and hourly compensation.

> Superintendents should immerse interns in all aspects of golf course maintenance and property operations to prepare them for the next level of employment, but there is no “one size fits all” program. Superintendents can also customize an internship to meet the needs of an individual student.

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FOOD + BEVERAGE

Preparation

Meets Necessity Prior to the world coming to a screeching halt, country clubs across America were either in the planning stages or the midst of retooling their kitchen operations and, in some cases, adding and/or upgrading equipment.

But then the coronavirus outbreak required on-the-fly adjustments, to keep members safe and well-fed with innovative takeout programs.

By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey, Contributing Editor

Photo Courtesy Hendersonville CC

IN EARLY JANUARY, ANSLEY GOLF Club in Atlanta, Ga. completed an extensive $1.2 million kitchen renovation, reports J. Kevin Walker, CMC, the club’s Executive Chef. From ripping out walls to create additional walking space, to installing new electric, gas and water lines and adding and replacing equipment, the kitchen was totally revamped for increased efficiency and to allow for the installation of two Turbo Chef pizza ovens, to accommodate a menu expansion prompted by members' requests.

The project also installed a new eight-whip electrical system, using ceiling pull-down cords, to replace wall outlets and allow Ansley's staff to more easily work with equipment anywhere in the kitchen.

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A complete redesign of the chef’s counter on the main line replaced the six-pan steam wells that it had in the middle with two steam wells and a muchneeded flat surface for plating, Walker reports. A double-wide service shelf now provides more heatlamp area, and the dish station underwent a close to $40,000 remodel, with the replacement of the too-large washer with one that is four feet shorter, as well as a new drain table.

As another part of the project, a larger-thanneeded fryer was replaced with a smaller one to free up space for plating in the kitchen of the club’s 1912 Restaurant, Four more burners for sautéing and more grill space were also added in this kitchen. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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Walker and Ansley's culinary team had barely begun to enjoy the new features and efficiencies brought about by the renovation, however, when the club had to be closed becasue of the coronavirus outbreak. During the downtime period, Walker reported, “we have cleaned and sanitized every surface, so we’ll be ready to go” when the club reopened.

“We will remain hyper-focused on how everything is stored, handled, cleaned and delivered—either from the kitchen to the table, or from the back door to storage,” Walker added. “Job duties will change, and new positions will be designed [in line with that focus].”

DOING IT ALL Last summer, Hendersonville (N.C.) Country Club completed a major renovation of The Grill, its casual-dining venue, including a total redo of its bar equipment with the installation of a new beer-compression system, dishwashers, coolers and a blast chiller, reports Executive Chef Steven Boeger. The kitchen was also refreshed, including changing the floors from tile to a “semi-grip acrylic surface that cleans, drains and performs well,” Boeger says.

The renovation proved timely—and effective—when Hendersonville CC had to shift its operation to takeout-only after shelter-in-place orders kept members from coming to the club. During that period, The Grill offered pickup service for everything from sandwiches to a la carte entrees, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. From its main clubhouse, Hendersonville CC also offered pick-up meals on those same days from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.

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A major renovation of The Grill casual-dining venue at Hendersonville CC proved timely, to help the culinary staff led by Executive Chef Steven Boeger offer high-volume, full-menu takeout service while members had to shelter in place.

The club's menus weren't scaled back much, if at all, with the shift to takeout, Boeger reports, including the upscale a la carte fare available from the main dining room. And the menus continued to change weekly, to provide members with a wide variety of choices and flavor profiles.

One of the a la carte takeout menus offered to Hendersonville members included Caesar or House salad, crab-shrimp bisque or asparagus velouté as appetizers. And entrees, ranging in price from $14.25 to $24, included barbecue beef short ribs or king salmon with preserved lemon sauce, both with whipped potatoes and local asparagus, and tandoori chicken with basmati rice, peas and grilled bread. A variety of dessert choices were also offered with each menu.

Not surprisingly, the club's hamburgers made from locally sourced beef also continued to be popular, Boeger reported.

For all of the takeout service, Boeger kept prices low and sent mass e-mails to members detailing the items that were available on any given day. “Because we take all precautions and work in a more controlled environment, ordering food from

I like the idea of families sitting down for a meal together, even if it is at home.

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.—Charles Myers, Executive Chef, Summit Hills CC

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our kitchens [was] safer for our members than going to the grocery store,” he noted.

On one night, the club sold 125 Cuban sandwiches, Boeger reports. On other nights 130 Philly cheesesteaks and 125 lobsters were sold, and yet another brought a sellout of 150 dozen Oysters Rockefeller, at $6 a dozen, in an hour and a half.

“The membership has been supporting us like crazy—about 90% of members are ordering food from us,” Boeger reported in early April. “Members are calling me on my personal cellphone to say thank you.”

When it became apparent that a new approach would also be needed for Easter, Boeger designed a three-course, prix fixe family dinner for four, for $135. The menu began with a quart of seafood bisque, moved on to a 44-ounce prime rib with spring asparagus and Yukon Gold whipped potatoes, and concluded with spring lemon mousse cake. The club sold about 50 kits for the dinner over the holiday.

Instead of its usual staff of 16, Hendersonville produced all of this volume and variety while the club had to limit its operation to just a culinary team of four—Boeger, two sous chefs and a garde manger. “Aside from cooking, we’re also washing dishes, May 2020

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As his newly renovated kitchen ramps back up to full operation, Ansley GC's Executive Chef, J. Kevin Walker, plans to keep his staff "hyper-focused" on procedures instituted while the club was closed during the coronavirus outbreak.

mopping the floors, sanitizing everything and taking out the trash,” Boeger reported.

With the spotlight intensified on sanitation, procedures were reviewed and reinforced with both the back-of-the-house and front-of-the-house staffers, he added. “I tell everybody to treat everything like it has raw chicken on it,” Boeger said. “I never wiped door handles and equipment knobs like this before, but I believe we will continue this practice moving forward.”

Further, to help laid-off food-and-beverage staffers get through the crisis, Boeger and his crew took time to prepare and offer a daily pickup staff meal. “They’re like family and they need a hot meal,” he explained.

TIMELY ACQUISITIONS At Summit Hills Country Club in Crestview Hills, Ky., the snack shop was given a major overhaul about a year ago as part of a $4 million renovation of various parts of the property. The redo, Executive Chef Charles Myers reports, included acquiring about $80,000 worth of equipment, including new fryers, coolers, pizza ovens and smallware.

During that same period, Summit Hills' main clubhouse kitchen got some new undercounter refrigeration, a cooler, and a breading station to prepare its popular cod, halibut and chicken menu features.

The budget for those additions was around $24,000.

When the pandemic caused Summit Hills to close its dining rooms and reduce kitchen staff by 90%, the clubhouse kitchen continued to serve members through curbside 38

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takeout a la carte items and family meals for between four and eight people. The club received an average of between 10 and 20 family meal orders per day, Myers reported, which he filled with the help of four people in the kitchen, including the dishwasher and two servers who ran the food out to the members’ cars for pickup between 4 and 5 p.m.

The takeout menu offered 15 of the bestselling items from Summit Hills' a la carte menu, including halibut, cod, fried chicken and quesadillas, as well as some rotating

special items such as build-your-own pork belly tacos and shrimp jambalaya with cornbread. During Lent, Myers added baked ziti on Fridays.

Children were able to choose from favorites such as chicken tenders and mac and cheese, and all meals came with familystyle salad, bread options and chocolate chip cookies.

The takeout orders were taken mostly by phone and recorded on preprinted menu sheets. The sheets also had space for any requested modifications, such as a special type of dressing or extra cookies.

The family meals went over so well, Myers was considering making them available even after the dining room reopened, and perhaps even offering two or three selections all the time. “I like the idea of families

GROCERY GO-TO LAHONTAN GOLF CLUB in Truckee, Calif., is normally closed until Mother’s Day. But in response to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place guidelines, J.D. Doherty, the club’s Executive chef, started a twice-weekly marketplace program, allowing members to purchase grocery needs from bathroom tissue to liquor.

Doherty got the products from his usual purveyors and boxed them up for members to pick up on Tuesdays and Fridays at the club’s Lodge (pictured above).

A highlight of the service was themed boxes of products, from fruits and vegetables to grains, dairy and snack items, to provide comfort through the crisis. A breakfast box delivered everything from orange juice and tea to eggs, granola and pancake/waffle mix. And Mexican- and Italian-inspired boxes provided ingredients for meals authentic to those cultures.

The prices of the boxes ranged from $36 to $66, and the club sold 36 total boxes on the first pickup day, Doherty reported. Members could also request specific items on the order form and if Doherty could get them, he did.

“We want to help keep our members safe and healthy, so if we can shop for them, it eliminates or at least reduces the need for them to go out to stores,” he explained. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

The extensive a la carte takeout menu options offered while Hendersonville CC was closed even included lobster and other upscale fare.

sitting down for a meal together, even if it is at home,” he said.

If he has a limited amount of an ingredient such as duck breasts on hand, Myers will call a few members who he thinks would like them, and offer to make special meals for them. “I have a fairly intimate relationship with the members, and pretty much know who eats what and who are adventurous eaters,” he states.

Myers and staff now regularly disinfect every surface in the kitchen, including equipment and door handles—“generally everything that’s regularly touched"—and clean and sanitize deliveries when they arrive. They intended to continue those practices after the clubhouse reopened. C+RB

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SUMMING IT UP > New equipment can help club and resort properties > >

expand menus to offer increased variety Family-style to-go meals have proved to have great appeal to members More than ever, sanitation has become job one for all aspects of kitchen operations

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SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

BACK WHERE SHE BELONGS Jennifer Torres first developed her love for being outdoors in the earliest part of the day while growing up on a small family dairy farm. After serving in the military, working as a “cable gal” and running a day-care center, she found the perfect profession to take her back to her roots.

By Jeff Bollig, Contributing Editor

Growing up on a small family dairy farm in upstate New York, Jennifer Torres longed for an occupation that would allow her to begin her workday when the sun rose.

As a golf course superintendent, her dreams have been realized, but not before following a circuitous route that included stints in the military, working as a cable television technician and even running a children’s day-care center.

Torres’s grandparents started the farm, which is near Corning in New York’s Finger Lakes region, and then turned it over to her parents. Torres was joined by two sisters and a brother in helping their mother and father tend to the work, and the experience instilled a work ethic that has helped her achieve success as a turfgrass manager.

“Working on the farm required dedication and commitment,” Torres said. “I learned to respect the land and respect nature. It was hard work, but I enjoyed it. My dad said there was nothing like seeing the sun rise, and I agree with that.”

Interwoven with milking cows and other chores was a busy childhood full of sports. In high school, Torres was a standout in soccer, volleyball and softball (her best sport). True to her 40

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“early riser” status, she would practice pitching in the mornings before school, by throwing through a tire hung on a backstop on a field her dad had built near the entrance to the farm.

Upon graduation, she had every intention of going to college, but then became intrigued with joining the military.

“I was going to be a graphic artist,” Torres says. “But my parents mortgaged the farm for my sister to go to college, so I considered other options. I had some friends who were going to join the Army, so I thought it would be a good option to not only fund my education, but also serve my country.”

Over a four-year period, Torres’s stint in the military, in the role of a mobile-subscriber equipment operator, took her from basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C., to Advanced Individual Training in Fort Gordon, Ga., to Korea and finally to Fort Drum, N.Y. After being discharged, she returned home to Corning and became a technician for Time Warner Cable. She married her husband Ricardo, whom she met while stationed at Fort Drum, and they relocated to Fort Dix, N.J. in October 2000, where he took a federal job position. While there, she started a day-care service for the families on the base. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

Super in the Spotlight

Jennifer Torres Current Position: Golf Course Superintendent, Westlake Golf and Country Club, Jackson, N.J. Years at Westlake G&CC: Since October 2019 Years in Golf Course Maintenance Business: 17 Previous Experience: • Golf Course Superintendent, Makefield Highlands GC, March 2016 to September 2019 • Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, Makefield Highlands Golf Club, Yardley, Pa., June 2012 to February 2016 • Assistant Golf Course Superintendent, Indian Springs Golf Course/Billy Casper Golf, Marlton, N.J., June 2006 to November 2011 (position eliminated) • Tractor Operator, Fountain Green Golf Course, Fort Dix, N.J., May 2003 to June 2006

S

Education & Training: United States Army, August 1992-August 1996; Rutgers University, Certificate, Turfgrass Management, 2004-06.

Torres then transitioned to something else she had done at an early age, driving a tractor—but this time at Fountain Green Golf Course, located at Fort Dix. And it was while working on the golf course that Torres’s life took a turn, when Superintendent John Huda and assistant Dan Mears encouraged her to pursue a turf degree at Rutgers University. Approaching 30 years old and with three kids in tow (ages 11, 7, and 5 at the time), she took the leap and started the daily, 90-mile roundtrip to Rutgers.

“I had the full support of my husband,” Torres says. “He worked nights, so it allowed me to go to school. He told me to go for it and not worry; the work at home would get done. Plus, the G.I. Bill helped to fund my education. It was a great opportunity.”

While at Rutgers, Torres would enhance her skills by working with the school’s computer network, setting up the system prior to each class she attended. She also continued to work at Fountain Green GC. Her exploits were rewarded with the Paul DesChamps Memorial Scholarship and the Fort Dix Officers and Wives Club Scholarship. She completed the program, graduat-

Honors and Awards: Golf Course Superintendents Association of New Jersey Board of Directors; Golf Course Superintendents Association of America Grassroots Ambassador Program; 2018 Rutgers University Award for Professional Excellence; 2005 Rutgers Paul DesChamps Scholarship; 2019 Bayer “Women in Turf” Selection.

ing with high honors.

In her conversation with C+RB, Torres tells the rest of the story after she set out on the next chapters of her life: C+RB Let’s first talk about the impact of the coronavirus on your course and staff.

Is it open?

Torres Not now [as April began]. On March 15, we had just opened for the season.

We had removed the putting-green flags, turned the cups upside down, wiped down the flag poles, removed all rakes, closed access to the pro shop, and requested social distancing, with one person per cart. On Sunday, March 22nd we received word that Governor Murphy had forced all courses to close in New Jersey. All aspects, except course maintenance, are currently closed.

(Editor’s Note: New Jersey courses were finally allowed to open on May 2nd.]

C+RB How has it affected your staff?

Torres These are very different times, and

as a leader I too am adjusting. The fear

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

that my staff has expressed is real and I understand that fear. Some of my staff have young children at home and they worry about bringing this virus home to their families. Others are in the age group that has been hit the hardest and has health issues, so we have talked about their needs during this time as well. They know I am doing my best to look out for them.

I took it upon myself to sew masks for my staff, because there were none to be found in New Jersey. We are following recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. My staff cleans and disinfects prior to each shift. Each employee is assigned a piece of equipment. No staff rides together in the same carts. Gloves are provided, as well as cleaning supplies.

If weather permits, doors are left open, so there are fewer touch-point areas.

Everyone on the staff seems very upbeat, and at least we can work outside, with very little interaction with others. But it is different. We can only hope it comes May 2020

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SUPER IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Golf Course Profile

Westlake Golf and Country Club Website: westlakegcc.com Ownership: Private, member-owned Golf Course Type: Parkland Golf Course Designer: Arthur Hills Year Opened: 2001 No. of Holes: 18 Par: 71 Yardage: 6,300 Golf Season: Opens March 15 and closes December 31.

Annual Rounds: 43,000 Grasses: Tees, fairways, roughs, greens all L-93 Bentgrass Water Features: 17 ponds Bunkers: 29

to an end soon, and to make sure the course will be ready when golfers return!

C+RB When you decided to pursue your turf degree at Rutgers, were there other females in the program, and what was the reaction of your classmates to having you in the program?

Torres I was the only female, but I was treated great. Everyone was very encouraging and supportive. It was an awesome experience. My mother had always told me not to hold back and settle for less than I wanted. She has always been right by my side. That helped a lot. The other students always wanted me to join them to go out after class, but I had to study and get home to my family.

C+RB What did you do upon graduation?

Torres I had actually taken the Assistant MORE ONLINE For the complete interview with Jennifer Torres, visit www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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Superintendent position at Indian Springs Golf Course in June 2006 and graduated from Rutgers in November of that year.

It was great to work for Mark Peterson there; I learned a lot on the job from him and then from Jeremy Hreben, who replaced Mark after he moved on to Makefield Highlands Golf Club.

Unfortunately, my position at Indian Springs was eliminated in the fall of 2011. I was fortunate, though, because Mark had moved on to the Director of Agronomy position with Spirit Golf and he hired me as the Assistant Superintendent at Makefield Highlands the following June. The township owned the facility, but Spirit Golf managed it. I was promoted to the head superintendent position in March 2016.

C+RB Why the move to Westlake last year?

Torres It was a good career opportunity for me at a time I was looking for a change.

I have only been here [since October 2019], but I have a sound staff and the golf course is in fine condition; Tony Johnson left it in good shape for me to continue to improve.

They had just renovated all of the bunkers with the Better Billy Bunker lining this past fall, and I am very thankful for that.

C+RB What is your clientele at Westlake?

Torres We are a private club owned by the membership, but you have to be 55 or older. You can join if you are younger than 55, but you have to be sponsored by a member. We are full-service, with tennis, swimming, weights, bocce and a restaurant.

We do host a few outside groups.

From a playability standpoint, it is a fun golf course to play. There are many ponds, but very limited carries on some holes, and

Course maintenance at Westlake G&CC is a family affair, with Jennifer Torres’ son Ricardo, Jr. working on the staff while also studying turf management online.

we have many slopes and mounds.

C+RB What are your course challenges?

Torres Tony [Johnson] started a thatchremoval process, and I will be continuing that. We also have too many trees, and our rough struggles a bit, as it is patchy in places. We need to remove some of the trees. We are also doing an irrigation audit in preparation for a possible upgrade; it is going on 20 years and needs some work.

C+RB Your career has turned out to be a family affair, hasn’t it?

Torres Yes, it has. My two daughters worked on the golf courses at different times, and so has my son, Ricardo, Jr. He was young when I started at Rutgers, so he grew up around it. He has worked for me for almost four years and is taking online classes in turf management from Georgia.

I want him to do what he wants to do. He knows what is involved in this profession, so he can make his own decision. I am sure it is not easy working for your mother. He gets razzed a little, but it is all in good fun.

Course + Grounds Operations Profile Annual Course Maintenance Budget: $700,000 Staff Size: 11 (3 in offseason) Other Green and Grounds Managers: Equipment Manager John Soden Water Source and Usage: Ponds (5 used for irrigation), with nine wells on course Aerating and Overseeding Schedules: Core-aerate greens, tees and fairways in spring and fall. No overseeding.

Upcoming Capital Projects: Conduct an irrigation audit for possible upgrade/ replacement of nearly 20- year-old system. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

GOLF OPERATIONS

A HARD LOOK AT

SOFT GOODS

Photo Courtesy PGA Golf Club

Offering the right apparel to customers can go a long way toward making a sale—but for it to really pay off, club’s pro shops need to take distinctive approaches to providing value and special services.

By Rob Thomas, Senior Editor

WHEN A MEMBER OR GUEST shops in a pro shop, a club’s logo is often the only thing differentiating a shirt or hat from one they can buy online or at a “big box” retailer. Aside from the logo, clubs often have to find other ways to go above and beyond and set themselves apart.

For Colin Gooch, PGA, Director of Golf Operations at the Lexington Griffin Gate Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Lexington, Ky., that means being willing to pretty much match any price that’s out there.

“I’d rather the customer buy from us and sacrifice a little margin than not get the sale at all,” Gooch says. “If a member or resort guest wants something and we don’t have it, or don’t have an account with the vendor, we’ll open one to get the sale.” www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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Our belt has a ball marker and divot tool included with it, and Cuater, a Travis Mathew brand, has some fun novelty socks.

“Sure, Adidas has beautiful belts and plain-Jane socks,” Nava says. “But are they memorable? Do they create a story?”

If a member or guest wants something that Griffin Gate doesn’t carry, Colin Gooch, Director of Golf Operations, will go as far as opening a new account with a vendor just to get the item.

Through Griffin Gate’s relationship with Marriott, providing Bonvoy loyalty points with any purchase is a nice incentive that a customer can’t get anywhere else, too.

For Robert Nava, Tournament Director at Tulare Golf Course in Visalia, Calif., breaking golfers’ habits of going to a local big-box store for golf-related items was the key to having sales slowly start to grow at his property’s shop.

“We started from ground zero, even with a course built in 1957,” Nava says, explaining that a new owner purchased the club in 2017 and made wholesale changes to the operation.

Tulare’s biggest asset, Nava says, was starting a club repair service, which brought in golfers for other reasons but then drew them to the apparel and other soft goods offered in the pro shop while they were on property.

“Now you have this customer learning to check out the local pro shop for club work,” he notes. “Show them the clearance table—they are already opening their wallet and might spend the $24 they saved on a polo. If they continue to build this habit, maybe you have some new irons in your future, or you can get them to buy something 44

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they can't get at [another retailer].

“Every box store has Nike or Adidas, but where else are they going to find Travis Mathew?” Nava says. “I’ve learned that I can never ‘take down’ a big box or corporate store, but I have something they don’t.

Our customers are a ‘trapped audience’ and especially vulnerable to impulse purchases.”

He also counts on his team’s ability to provide upselling service when meeting customers’ needs.

“If they need shoes because they forgot to pack them, maybe they also need socks or a belt that matches the new shoes,” he notes.

“If I sell correctly, they’ll get both. I carry golfspecific products in both of those categories.

“

BATTLE OF THE SEXES Tulare GC’s first challenge when the club added apparel in its shop, Nava says, was the women’s market. He admits to approaching the issue somewhat “naively.”

“Assuming there was no market for women’s apparel simply because we had never offered women’s clothing hurt us,” he says. “I met with the Tulare Women’s Club and worked directly with them to bring in styles and colors that they hand picked.

Exactly zero sales went to these ladies, possibly because I didn’t order the correct sizes, or the product looked different in the catalog.

“Not more than three months after the product was on the wall, I had the ladies ask when we were ordering again, so they could pick more clothes,” Nava adds. “The silver lining to this dark cloud is the specialorder customers that we picked up. The majority of my ladies’ clientele now fall into this category.

“It does come with unique challenges, but it is by far the superior option for us,” Nava says of the special-order approach.

“We have started using the catalog and online sites as a method to allow more excellent choices, with less upfront cost to the pro shop.”

If [a customer] needs shoes because they forgot to pack them, maybe they also need socks or a belt that matches the new shoes.

If I sell correctly, they’ll get both.

”

—Robert Nava, Tournament Director, Tulare GC

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

SUMMING IT UP > Pro shops need to be

willing to match prices of local big-box stores. > Smart sales techniques can quickly add on to a customer’s purchase. > When deciding on the men-to-women ratio of stocking apparel, consider the season and upcoming events. > Listen to members and guests for suggestions on what to stock, and don’t hesitate to lean on vendors when needed to help maintain margins.

Shelly Dalton, Golf Shop Manager at Prestonwood Country Club, believes that diversifying the product mix helps to stimulate sales. “Lifestyle brands that can be worn on- and off-course have become our best sellers,” she says.

At Griffin Gate, Gooch says, the ratio of men’s-to-women’s apparel is 60/40.

“If we keep our members’ wives or the wives of resort guests happy, then everyone’s happy,” he jokes. “We want women to feel comfortable when entering our golf shop and never have to ask, ‘Where’s your ladies’ apparel?’”

Holly Taylor, PGA, Head Golf Professional of PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., believes that women’s apparel and accessories offer the best opportunities for future pro shop sales.

“There are so many new styles and fun prints and fabrics,” she says. “Dresses and skorts are doing amazingly well. There are all sorts of new vendors to try.”

Seasonal changes influence the balance between men’s and women’s apparel at Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho, says David Christenson, PGA, Director of Golf.

“Our general strategy is to have more men’s apparel in the spring and fall, when the temperatures and weather patterns are cooler and less favorable,” he says. “Men will still tend to play during these shoulder seasons, [while] women tend to play more during the summer season.

“Also, we examine what events are pending, and if they are skewed more towards men or women, we will rebalance our mix www.clubandresortbusiness.com

of products, so we don’t miss opportunities,” Christenson adds.

Shelly Dalton, Golf Shop Manager at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C., sees variety as an important key to successful sales.

“Diversifying the product mix that we carry in the golf shop will help stimulate sales,” she says. “Lifestyle brands that can be worn on- and off-course have become our best sellers. By having a variety of nongolf specific items, we are able to attract our other membership classifications to shop with us.”

MAKING THE SALE At Griffin Gate, Gooch uses resort voicemail blasts, social media and mobile-app push notifications to help get the word out on promotions, relay special messages and drive pro shop sales. He also asks those who matter the most for their opinions.

“Survey your members and frequent guests on what they’d like to have in their golf shops,” he advises. “Always follow up with a member or guest inquiring about a sale until they tell you no. Don’t give up after they say, ‘I’ll think about it.’

“Lean on your vendors for better terms or incentives to pay early to help your margins,” he adds. “Send back product on

“

There are so many new styles and fun prints and fabrics [in women’s apparel].

Dresses and skorts are doing amazingly well. There are all sorts of new vendors to try.

”

—Holly Taylor, PGA, Head Golf Professional, PGA Golf Club

wheels at the end of the year, so you’re not stuck with a bunch of it. You don’t know unless you ask your rep.”

At Prestonwood CC, Dalton has adopted another approach for making a sale without hurting profitability.

“I allow for a portion of my open-to-buy to be allocated for closeouts,” she says. “Our vendor partners have aggressive pricing when seasonal lines close out. It provides me with an opportunity to offer our special pricing on members’ favorite lines, without compromising our margins.” C+RB May 2020

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TODAY’S MANAGER

STAR POWER AT THE READY When the pandemic forced Farmington CC to curtail and significantly alter its operations, Club Manager Brandon Johnson confirmed his “Rising Star” stature by leading a measured response to provide welcomed service and comfort for members and staff.

By Joe Barks, Editor

When the coronavirus outbreak forced Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va. to lock down much of its sprawling, historic, 280-acre property for the first time since World War II (even though many of its older buildings didn’t have any locks), CEO/ General Manager, Joe Krenn, CCM, CCE, didn’t have to look very far down his bench to find the “lockdown defender” he needed to send in for that part of the club’s response.

Krenn pointed to Club Manager Brandon Johnson and told him to take charge of all of the day-to-day operational logistics needed to bring the property in compliance with mandates for curtailed operations, including communicating with staff and arranging for alternative member services, so Krenn and Farmington CFO Julie Brown, CPA, could focus on working with the club’s Board on longer-range response and recovery strategies.

Krenn drew the same confidence in giving those directives from what led him to successfully nominate Johnson for the 2019 Rising Star Award through the Excellence in Club Management Awards sponsored by the McMahon Group, Club + Resort Business and the National Club Association (“Expansive Group,” C+RB, February 2020).

“I didn’t have any worries about the operational side [of the shutdown],” Krenn says.

“I knew I could just give that to Brandon and he would run with it. He’s been making 46

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Farmington’s staff hustled to provide 100 to-go Easter meals for members, but Johnson exerted executive privilege to avoid a repeat bunny performance. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

tactical decisions on his own for us for some time now. He’s seen as a leader, and I had full trust in his ability to handle and navigate us through [the club’s closing], even during a time of unprecedented stress.”

Johnson, who became Club Manager in 2017 and has a total of 12 years of experience in various roles at Farmington, quickly marshaled the food-and-beverage and culinary teams to provide alternative curbside service for the club’s more than 1,100 resident members, including to-go Easter meals for 100 that included centerpieces arranged through a local florist and a social-distance wave from the Easter bunny as pickups were made (Johnson has himself donned the bunny costume in previous years, but exercised executive privilege in assigning that duty to someone else this time).

Farmington’s food truck, one of the first introduced in the club industry when it debuted in 2015, also proved its versatility in a new way, as it became the hub for safely providing breakfast and lunch service for both golfers and tennis players as long as they were allowed to continue to come to the property.

Johnson also willingly, and effectively, took the lead for lesspleasant tasks, such as communicating with staff as the club developed plans for pay reductions and furloughs that would have to be instituted as the reduction in operations was extended. “There was certainly no playbook for this,” Johnson says. “But there was some guidance on crisis communications that we had in place that I could draw from, and we also put together a task force of department heads and senior staff to help strategize through the unknown.

“There has definitely been a lot about this that hasn’t been comfortable for anyone to deal with,” Johnson said in mid-April. “But we’ve been fortunate in that we had a strong team in place that has always been nimble and good at making decisions on the fly, and that we’ve worked for a club and Board that’s let us be innovative and try new things. Working through this has fostered a lot of healthy debate, and a lot of creative new ideas have come out of

“[Brandon] is seen as a leader, and I had full trust in his ability to navigate us through [operations during the pandemic], even during a time of unprecedented stress,” says Farmington CEO/GM Joe Krenn (above left).

how we’ve responded—like our digital newsletters with videos and special ‘celebrity appearances’ that we’ve used to communicate consistently with the membership and that have had very strong viewership.”

As a small-city club with close ties to the University of Virginia, Farmington stood to take especially painful hits from the loss of events around graduation and other traditional gatherings. But Johnson anticipates that some “silver linings and positives” will eventually emerge from what the club has experienced this year.

“Our membership has been extremely supportive about what we’ve done and what we’ve asked of them, and I think they will see us a safe haven and trusted source of stability that they’ll be quick to come back to once we can be fully open again,” he says.

“Even in such especially difficult times, what we’ve been able to do as a team has generated some valuable good will.” C+RB

A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE The 2019 Excellence in Club Management winners were honored at an Awards Dinner held at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, Texas on February 8, 2020 (“The Toast of Texas,” C+RB, March 2020). The Awards Dinner was sponsored by Denehy Club Thinking Partners, ForeTees LLC, Izon Golf, Outdoor Lighting Perspectives and Preferred Club.

Farmington’s food truck, one of the first introduced by a club when it debuted in 2015, again proved its versatility as a centerpiece of how members were served during the partial shutdown. www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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PRODUCTS AT WORK

DESERT

TIME

Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. boasts six Nicklaus Signature designs, a brand-new par-54 championship course and myriad activities for its members and residents. A signature clock at a hightraffic area may be the cherry on top.

By Rob Thomas, Senior Editor

Desert Mountain Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. offers 126 holes of golf over seven courses. With six Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses—Renegade, Cochise, Apache, Geronimo, Chiricahua and Outlaw—it’s home to the largest collection of layouts personally designed by the Golden Bear. The latest addition—Seven Desert Mountain—is a par-54 championship course designed by residents Bill Brownlee and Wendell Pickett that opened in 2019.

Considering that Desert Mountain also boasts a 42,000-sq. ft. Sonoran Fitness and Spa, multiple tennis courts—including three clay courts and the desert’s only stadium grass court—20 miles of private hiking/biking trails, horseback riding, a youth center and much more, there’s not a lot missing in this expansive community.

But there’s always more to add, and Desert Mountain’s Director of Golf, John Lyberger, PGA, CCM, knew what was needed.

“Could you imagine a world without clocks? Clocks help us manage just about everything we do in life,” Lyberger says.

“They assist us with our daily activities, like waking up in the morning and going to sleep at night.”

And while Desert Mountain has been using clocks on its driving ranges for decades, the club never found a solution for the many times it needed to replace those clocks each year.

“Weather is our biggest enemy for the smaller clocks that exist on A-Frame signage,” Lyberger explains. “As it has been written many times, ‘Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insanity.’ That is how we felt about always replacing the plastic clocks on the driving range.

We committed to a permanent solution that will serve our members for decades—a Verdin clock.”

Lyberger and the club did its homework, of course, before deciding on Verdin.

“After researching clock companies, it became clear to us that Verdin was the best choice,” he says. “Their dedication and commitment to the design process, as well as their consistent communication, was remarkable.”

And once the call to Verdin was made, the real work began.

First, what clock to choose?

“We went back and forth on both the two-face and four-face clock,” Lyberger says. “The four-face was a bit more money, but

at the end of the day it was money well spent. After having the clock installed and seeing it proudly standing for all to admire, we made the correct decision.”

With seven golf courses at Desert Mountain Club and many possible locations for the new clock, the next step was choosing the right spot on the property for it.

“It was decided that we should start with the area that would have the greatest impact, and that is our Cochise/Geronimo and Chiricahua practice facility,” Lyberger says. “It is an area where all members warm up prior to playing one of these courses, as well as a place that gets many hours of standalone practice.

“We will be looking to add clocks to our other facilities as we continue to grow our capital budgets,” Lyberger adds.

From quips like, “I have no excuse to be late for my tee time” to “What an awesome idea,” members have responded very well to the new addition, which was installed in March, Lyberger says. And Desert Mountain’s management is also pleased with how the new clock “makes a functional statement and is completely in line with the club’s image and branding,” he adds.

If another club is considering a clock, Lyberger wouldn’t hesitate to recommend one just like Desert Mountain installed.

“If you have a need, make the investment. Your members will love you for it,” he says. “In life we make decisions for two reasons: It either serves a purpose, or it makes you feel better.

Our Verdin clock checks both of those boxes.” C+RB

John Lyberger, Director of Golf at Desert Mountain Club, endorses the newest addition at the property. “In life we make decisions for two reasons: It either serves a purpose, or it makes you feel better. Our Verdin clock checks both of those boxes.”

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE �������� ��������

POOLS + PATIO

Total Eclipse

TUUCI—Eclipse Cabana Features: ▶ Tested to withstand demanding commercial wind-force standards ▶ Retractable Roman shade roof ▶ Corrosion-resistant aluminum frame construction ▶ High-performance marine-grade materials ▶ Replaceable components for a lifetime of serviceability ▶ Available in four package configurations and three sizes: 8x8, 10x10 or 8x10

TUUCI

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Flexible Shade

Bambrella—Levante Commercial 10’ Square Bamboo Side Wind Features: ▶ The perfect solution for those who need flexible shade options ▶ Rotates 360º and tilts up to 45º ▶ 4” solid bamboo uprights and crossbeams combined with marine-grade stainless-steel fittings ▶ The Levante series is a durable and attractive choice for poolside, courtside, and outdoor dining areas ▶ Also available in 11’ square and 11.5’ round sizes and 12 color canopies ▶ The number-one choice of offset umbrellas by our existing club managers

Bambrella

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No-Slip Grip

Solar-Powered Shade

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

FiberBuilt Umbrellas & Cushions 866.667.8668 www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com

Wooster Products— Barefoot 60 Anti-Slip Coating Features: ▶ Provides high traction and durability for pool decks, waterparks, showers, spas, boats and marine surfaces, and more ▶ Member of the Walk-A-Sured® Water Clear Epoxy System ▶ Eco-friendly, two-component epoxy system meets OSHA and ADA standards, and ASTM slip-resistance requirements ▶ Contains 100% solids, with no solvents or VOCs, ensuring compatibility with previously installed coatings ▶ Water-, solvent- and chemical-resistant ▶ Contains polymer grit, to give the coating long-lasting added traction ▶ Available in 1-gallon kits that cover 200-275 sq. ft. ▶ Easily applied with ¼”-nap, lint-free epoxy roller ▶ Cures completely in 6 to 8 hours at ambient temperature (77 degrees F., or 25 degrees C.) ▶ Compatible surfaces include concrete, metal, wood, glass, ceramic tile, terrazzo, marble, stone, and previously installed coatings

Wooster Products

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C�����

Timely Remembrance

Product: Verdin Golf Course Clock Features: ▶ Many two- and four-faced 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 50

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

K������ E��������

������� ��������� Seascape Escape

Rolling Refrigeration

Hoshizaki—Roll-In and Roll-Thru Refrigerator Features: ▶ Accommodate one 72-inch or shorter rolling rack with full-sized sheet pans per section (rack and pans not included). The 35-inch-wide, one section and 68-inch, two-section models each have lockable, field-reversible, stainless-steel doors with full-length chrome handles ▶ Sturdy 8-gauge stainless-steel hinge-door plates with welded pins provide a door with self-closing design and stayopen feature ▶ Top-mounted refrigeration system with unique ducted airflow ▶ Solid-state digital temperature displays with high- and low-temperature/voltage alarms ▶ One interior LED light bar in each section ▶ A thermostatic expansion valve (TXV) controls the flow of environmentally friendly R290 hydrocarbon refrigerant through the evaporator ▶ Engineered to maintain NSF-7 temperatures, even in 100-degree Fahrenheit kitchens ▶ Door hinging can be reversed quickly and easily in the field, no kit required

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www.hoshizakiamerica.com

F��� + B������� Opulent Spread

Le Must—Prestige Condiments Features: ▶ Premier luxury condiment brand of choice at the finest properties in the country ▶ The range includes Chef’s Classic Ketchup, Artisan’s Mayonnaise, Gourmet Yellow Mustard and Authentic Dijon Mustard ▶ Collection is single-portioned and organic ▶ Combines classic culinary techniques with a contemporary enthusiasm for innovation ▶ Maîtres artisans of Le Must craft all-natural and organic balanced blends of condiments ▶ Produced in small batches to deliver a taste and texture that seek to set the brand apart ▶ Signature curved glass bottles offer a unique presentation

Product: Seascape Collection Features: ▶ Transitional design ▶ Texawood HDPE lumber made from recycled plastics ▶ Dining chairs, spa chairs and chaise lounges are all stackable and store with ease ▶ Available in all frame finishes and four lumber colors

Texacraft

800-327-1541 • www.texacraft.com

Outdoor Luxury

Product: Lennox Stacking Dining Chairs ▶ Comfortable wrought-iron outdoor furniture made in the USA ▶ Stacks four high for easy storage ▶ Can be used with or without a cushion ▶ 5-step powder-coating finishing process and outdoor foam and fabrics provide durability ▶ Modern design perfect for poolside dining spaces

OW Lee

800-776-9533 Sales@owlee.com

Harmonious Pairing

Product: Tropitone—Trelon Collection Features: ▶ Trelon outdoor collection includes: Dining Chair, Lounge Chair, Swivel Action Chair, Bar Stool, Sofa, Love Seat, Coffee Table ▶ Commercial-grade aluminum frame available in 19 finishes ▶ Cushions available in a wide selection of fabrics ▶ Integrated venting helps keep cushions dry and mold-free ▶ Cloth strap available in charcoal gray and brown ▶ Designed by John Caldwell ▶ Made to the highest standards in the USA

Tropitone

www.tropitone.com

Le Must

info@lemust.com www.lemust.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

M����� S������� G��� C��� + A���������

Smooth Going

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

Preferred Insurance

Product: Preferred Club Insurance Features: ▶ Available for private golf and country clubs, semi-private clubs, high-end daily-fee courses, social clubs, tennis clubs, private golf communities, homeowners associations and golf management companies ▶ Proprietary PREFERRED CLUB Package ▶ Building and personal property ▶ General liability ▶ Commercial auto for fleets ▶ D&O/EPL ▶ Pollution liability ▶ Cyber liability ▶ Excess and umbrella liability ▶ Limits of $25M, $50M and $100M ▶ D&O and EPL covered in the umbrella ▶ Workers’ compensation

Preferred Club

www.ventureprograms.com

Product: E-Z-GO®—EX1 Features: ▶ A smooth ride, free of vibration and lurching ▶ More responsive acceleration, even on hills ▶ Incredibly quiet, with no belt whine or thumping ▶ EX1 delivers a more refined experience ▶ Best-in-class fuel economy ▶ Fewer exposed parts and wear spots ▶ Easy maintenance, with two-year oil change intervals

E-Z-GO

www.ezgo.txtsv.com

Luxury Experience

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

Club Car

www.ClubCar.com

Quiet on the Course Product: 2020 Drive2 QuieTech EFI™ Fleet Car in Arctic Drift Features: ▶ Yamaha-exclusive QuieTech technology ▶ Performance-tuned, industryfirst 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

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www.clubandresortbusiness.com

A�������� Green Clean

Earth Friendly Products—Sustainable, Green Cleaning Features: ▶ For nearly half a century, EFP has created sustainable cleaning products ▶ Formulated with ingredients that are safer for people and the planet ▶ From laundry soap to glass and counter cleaners, EFP has everything your club needs ▶ A natural clean at a price you can afford

Fore Supply Co.

800-543-5430 • www.foresupply.com

Clear the Air

Tri-C Club Supply – Duffy’s—RestorAir Features: ▶ Uses Advanced Oxidation Cell Technology to effectively kill odors and eliminate viruses and other contaminants in the air and on surfaces ▶ Has demonstrated effectiveness against microorganisms that are similar to or more resistant to kill than Coronavirus (COVID-19), as well as vegetative bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Enterococcus (VRE) ▶ Designed for locker rooms, hallways, restaurants, spas, meeting rooms and virtually any common area room. Two unit sizes available to cover small and large areas ▶ The advanced oxidation cells in every unit have a rated life of 25,000 hours (34 months)

Tri-C Club Supply – Duffy’s

800-274-8742 • www.duffystric.com

F�������� 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

Heavenly Seating

Product: Celia Series by MTS Seating Features: ▶ 1-1/4” square aluminum frame ▶ COMFORTweb Seat® ▶ Available in a variety of back styles ▶ Available in both chairs and barstools ▶ 5-year structural frame warranty ▶ Standard powdercoat xolors

MTS Seating

734-847-3875 • www.mtsseating.com www.clubandresortbusiness.com

ADVERTISER INDEX CHAMBERS www.chambersusa.com

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CLUB CAR www.clubcar.com CLUBESSENTIAL www.clubessential.com/leaders

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EUSTIS CHAIR 978-827-3103 / www.eustischair.com

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FIBERBUILT UMBRELLAS 26 & CUSHIONS 866-667-8668 / www.fiberbuiltumbrellas.com ‘FORE’ SUPPLY 800-543-5430 / www.foresupply.com

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

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GSI EXECUTIVE SEARCH 15 972-341-8133 / www.gsiexecutivesearch.com OUTDOOR LIGHTING 804-207-8107 www.OutdoorLights.com/hospitality PREFERRED CLUB 800-523-2788 / www.preferredclub.com SOUTHERN ALUMINUM 888.387.5769 / www.sa-tables.com

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27 STAGING CONCEPTS 800.337.5339 / www.stagingconcepts.com 3

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

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

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TROPITONE 800-654-7000 / www.tropitone.com

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

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Club + Resort Business l 53

IDEAEXCHANGE HERE TO HELP

By Betsy Gilliland, Contributing Editor

SUCCESSFUL CLUB PROPERTIES pride themselves on being able to marshal a cohesive management team that can meet the needs of their members, even in the face of the most daunting challenges. In the midst of responding to the demands posed by the coronavirus outbreak, the management of Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown, N.J., took that capability much further, by starting a local initiative that quickly helped to launch an industry-wide and nationwide effort to support the cause of treating COVID-19 patients.

That effort spawned a 501(c)7 foundation called ClubsHELP, through which properties “adopt” hospitals in their local communities to provide much-needed resources to the medical facilities, healthcare workers and first responders on the frontlines of the pandemic.

David Bachman, CCM, CCE, Spring Brook’s General Manager/COO, got the idea from a member and her daughters who wanted to help their local hospital, the Morristown Medical Center. Since late March, Spring Brook has supplied food, beverages, and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the center’s medical staff.

“The membership at Spring Brook is extremely involved in the community. They really want to give back,” Bachman says.

After Spring Brook’s efforts garnered

Clubs often have unique connections through their memberships and staff to help meet the most pressing needs of local medical facilities, the organizers of ClubsHELP have found.

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national media attention, Rob Goulet, CEO of Entertainment Sports Partners, Inc., and manager to World Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els, reached out to Bachman to suggest they turn Spring Brook’s grassroots effort into a national campaign by enlisting the aid of the golf community.

“You have amazing networks within your clubs, and you know the captains of industry. They’re all members of your clubs and play at your clubs,” Goulet notes of the resources and support that can be marshaled through the club industry. “A lot of the hospitals that are hit the hardest are the ones that aren’t well-staffed and wellequipped financially,” he adds.

Under the initiative, each property names a member or an employee to serve as its captain. The facility then adopts a local hospital, which appoints a captain of its own, and through person-to-person contact, the captains work together to identify the most pressing needs at the medical facility.

Then property members, companies, and individual donors gather, collect, and deliver those resources to the hospital.

“We’ve provided a vehicle with ClubsHELP to take [local efforts] to the next level,” says Bachman. “Right from the start we found that the relationship between the club and the hospital was key. We need everyone to use the relationships they have with their clubs and members to help at these hospitals as best we can.”

Els quickly jumped on board, volunteering to serve as captain at Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., which joined forces with Jupiter (Fla.) Medical Center. In addition, Els and Jack Nicklaus made videos to challenge other captains of sports and industry to get involved.

Golf organizations such as the National Club Association and Golf Writers Association of America have also helped to jump-start the program, and the American Hospital Association and American College of Emergency Physicians have alerted their memberships about ClubsHELP. Corporate

Like many clubs, Spring Brook CC started an initiative to provide needed resources to local front-line workers—and then took its effort nationwide through the ClubsHELP program, with more than 350 clubs joining in the first three weeks. partners include Clif Bar, which has donated 6.6 million energy bars.

Donations can range from bottled water and hot meals to UV lights for sterilization and moisture-wicking T-shirts to wear under PPE. Volunteers also can pick up items from clubs’ kitchens or members’ restaurants, businesses, or homes and deliver them to the hospitals.

In its first three weeks, more than 350 club properties, which include about a halfmillion members, and 200-plus hospitals joined the ClubsHELP network.

Properties that are already connected to a hospital can become part of the network as well. “As we grow, there may be something that you need that is more than your membership wants to get involved with, so we can help,” Bachman says.

In addition, properties that don’t have local memberships can make monetary contributions, and those with foundations can use those funds to purchase supplies.

The ClubsHELP founders also hope to continue the network after the coronavirus crisis subsides, by using it for regional natural disasters, such as a hurricane on the Gulf Coast or a tornado in the Midwest.

“I envision this being here for a long time, but hopefully it won’t be needed a whole lot,” says Bachman. “We could even use it to get a new truck for a fire department, or a new EMS computer system.”

For more information, visit www.clubs help.org.

www.clubandresortbusiness.com

NEW! BACK OFFICE SYSTEM WITH FORETEES BUSINESS

VELA

Woven Cushion

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