La Dolce Vita! For the first time, the Ryder Cup is coming to Italy. The matches of 2022 will be held in suburban Rome, the Eternal City, at a golf course that’s ideally suited to host golf’s greatest team event except for the fact that it needs to be completely overhauled. The venue: Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, which Golf Digest doesn’t rank among the 10 best in the nation. Nonetheless, Italy was deemed “the country best qualified” to stage the event, according to the decision-makers at the European Tour, because it submitted a “bold and ambitious bid” that includes not just a promise to fund “a complete reconstruction of the golf course” but, perhaps more importantly, a guarantee to increase the purse at the Italian Open, currently €1.5 million ($1.63 million), to €7 million ($7.6 million) by 2017 and to hold it there for 11 years. To further maximize its revenue streams, the tour understands that the work on the golf course, a Jim Fazio layout, will almost certainly be done by one of its affiliated companies, European Golf Design. As an expression of its gratitude, the tour called Italy “a worthy gold medalist.”
Greg Norman has agreed to create an “incomparable” golf course for a rarely visited resort community that a Mexican development entity aims to transform into “the most exclusive and spectacular tourist destination in Latin America.” Norman’s layout will take shape on Caye Chapel Island in Belize, as part of a formerly bankrupt resort community that was created by the late Larry Addington, a coal magnate from Kentucky. Caye Chapel’s new owners, a group led by Thor Urbana Capital, intend to spiff up the property’s existing attractions -- including overnight accommodations and an air strip -- and add high-priced beachfront houses and other attractions. Though the new owners haven’t admitted it, Norman will be redesigning the community’s existing course, an 18-hole track that Addington laid out before he went broke. When the new Caye Chapel makes its formal debut, Thor Urbana and its partners believe it’ll be “the home and meeting point of international jet setters.”
ClubCorp has taken on the task of “building relationships and enriching lives” -- a phrase it’s trademarked -- at Bernardo Heights Country Club, its third golf property in the San Diego area. The publicly traded, Dallas, Texas-based company paid an undisclosed price for Bernardo Heights, a 32-year-old property that needs what a press release calls “a multimillion-dollar reinvention” involving both its Ted Robinson-designed golf course and its clubhouse. “A modernized clubhouse, combined with the renovations on the golf course, will make Bernardo Heights a top-tier country club in the San Diego region,” the club’s president said. “We look forward to this new chapter for the club.” According to the press release, Bernardo Heights is ClubCorp’s ninth acquisition of 2015. The company’s other golf properties in metropolitan San Diego are Morgan Run Club & Resort in Rancho Santa Fe and Shadowridge Golf Club in Vista.
It appears that the expected merger of the European and Asian golf tours can’t proceed without a thorough housecleaning in Singapore. Just days after the sudden, unexpected resignation of its CEO, Mike Kerr, the Asian Tour replaced four of its board members, without offering an explanation. Various sources indicate that the dismissals are a reaction to complaints made by some golfers on the Asian Tour, who apparently fear that the proposed merger is little more than a money grab orchestrated by the European Tour, with Kerr, an Irishman, acting as a possible co-conspirator. “Many top-rate players feel that Asia is the burgeoning market,” writes the New Paper, “and Europe is struggling with sponsorship.” The players believe that the new board members are, in the words of the newspaper, “men of clout and credibility” who won’t “sell the Asian Tour down the drain.”
Speaking of the European Tour, for the fourth time this year it’s added to its network of “branded” communities in desirable locations. Maxx Royal Belek Golf Resort, on Turkey’s sunny Mediterranean coast, has become the 17th link in the fast-growing chain of European Tour Properties, a group that includes high-priced spreads in Austria, England, France, Germany, Spain, and other nations. The tour’s invitation to Maxx Royal comes as no surprise for two reasons. First, Maxx Royal’s golf course, a Colin Montgomerie “signature” layout, was “ghost” designed by European Golf Design, a firm co-owned by the tour. Second, the course hosts the Turkish Airlines Open, an event on the tour’s international schedule. This year’s other additions to the tour’s real-estate network were Black Mountain Golf Club & Resort in Thailand, Saujana Golf & Country Club in Malaysia, and Mount Juliet Estate in Ireland.
Sunday, December 20, 2015
Friday, December 18, 2015
The Pipeline, december 18, 2015
Haywood County, North Carolina. A former Walt Disney Company official has enlisted a trio of “signature” architects to create 18-hole golf courses for a “high-end lifestyle resort” in western North Carolina. Jerry Pospisil is counting on three of the best-known names in the business -- Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and Arnold Palmer -- to attract vacationers and home buyers to his Cataloochee Wilderness Resort, which will take shape on 4,500 acres roughly 30 miles northwest of Asheville. The community’s master plan includes, among other things, housing, hotels, a village center with boutique shopping, a campground, an RV park, a ski area, an equestrian center, the obligatory spa, and “meandering pathways.” If the venture is blessed by the Securities & Exchange Commission, Pospisil believes he can achieve build-out within a decade or so.
Hà Nội, Vietnam. A company that views itself as “the leader in Vietnam’s tourism industry” has laid plans for a resort community outside Hà Nội that will feature three 18-hole golf courses created by architectural firms with international celebrity status. Vingroup, one of the premier developers in Vietnam’s fast-growing golf industry, intends to build Cau Duong on 680 acres along the Red River outside the capital city. The community will feature courses created by Gary Player Design, Faldo Design, and IMG Golf. Nota bene: None of the tracks will be “signature” layouts. Although Player’s course -- described as “a links-style course that exceeds 7,500 yards” -- will be the firm’s first in Vietnam, Nick Faldo and IMG will be working in familiar territory. Faldo’s firm has so far produced two courses in Vietnam (unfortunately, only one -- Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Club, along the Central Coast -- is currently operating), and Brit Stenson of IMG Golf has either designed or co-designed at least five, among them Colin Montgomerie’s track at Montgomerie Links outside Đà Nẵng. Stenson even has some history with Vingroup, as he designed the layout at the company’s Vinpearl Golf Club Nha Trang, on Hon Tre Island in Khánh Hòa Province.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the October 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
County Durham, England. Money talks, and the members of Darlington Golf Club have been listening. Darlington, which has operated in northern England for more than a century, will accept what’s been described as a “substantial sum of money” to leave its present home and relocate to nearby farmland. And there was hardly any debate over Theakston Estates’ proposal, as the club’s members endorsed it by a vote of 221 to 36. “We believe that this unique opportunity only comes around once in a lifetime and provides facilities and a solid financial base to take us forward into the future,” the club’s chairman told the Northern Echo. Theakston intends to build houses on Darlington’s Alister MacKenzie-designed course.
Harris, Michigan. Paul Albanese and Chris Lutzke have been commissioned to design an 18-hole course that will eventually rank among the top five in Michigan. The track will be the second for the Island Resort & Casino, a tribal property in the western part of the Upper Peninsula. “Just my opinion,” the resort’s general manager told the Detroit Free Press, “but the land is so good that if it’s not top five in the state for public courses, I think we will have screwed it up.” While the pressure may be on, the Plymouth, Michigan-based architects have already delivered two of the state’s top tracks. Albanese was responsible for the resort’s first course, Sweetgrass Golf Club, while Lutzke designed Eagle Eye Golf Club in suburban Lansing. Their forthcoming course Harris, to be located six miles from the casino, is expected to debut in 2017.
Queensland, Australia. A Cairns-based accountant has acquired Paradise Palms Resort & Country Club, and he’s intent on restoring it to the status it had in the 1990s, when it was one of Australia’s premier golf destinations. Darren Halpin and his Brisbane- and Sydney-based partners reportedly paid $20 million for Paradise Palms, a 280-acre spread outside Cairns that’s been called “the premier golfing facility in Tropical North Queensland.” Despite such notices, the resort had been controlled by receivers since 2013, when its former owners lost it to their lenders. Paradise Palms’ 18-hole golf course was co-designed by Graham Marsh and Ross Watson, who were, according to Darius Oliver of Planet Golf, directed to create “Australia's most difficult tournament venue.” The track formerly ranked among Australia’s truly elite courses, but in recent years, without committed ownership, it’s slipped a bit. “We are ranked 48th in Australia, and I would like to get in the top 20 to 25,” Halpin told the Cairns Post. “I would like to unlock the hidden gem that is here. I want to give the club its heart back and make it a red-hot cracker.” To finance the revitalization, Halpin intends to develop 850 housing units along the golf course, a plan that will require him to relocate hole #7 and the driving range.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the October 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
Odisha, India. Government officials in the State of Odisha are hoping to jump-start a massive resort community that’s languished for more than a quarter-century. The resort is called Shamuka (or sometimes Shamuka Beach), and the state aims to build it on a 3,000-acre spread south of Puri, along the Bay of Bengal. Shamuka’s master plan calls for the construction of 13 hotels, a convention center, an entertainment district, a spa, a wellness center, a beach club, and various recreational attractions, including two 18-hole golf courses. The community is supposed to serve as “a one-stop rejuvenation facility for the mind, body, and soul” and offer “a strong and unique local culture-oriented experience.” It was originally proposed in the early 1990s but never went anywhere due to what the Pioneer calls a “lack of suitable investors and land acquisition problems.” Now the state is looking for private-sector developers again.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the July 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
Munich, Germany. For probably the first time in golf-industry history, a golf venue is being built via crowd-funding. The venue, GolfCity München Puchheim, is operating on a leased former landfill in Munich, Germany, created by an entity affiliated with Clubhaus AG, a firm based in suburban Hamburg. (Clubhaus opened a similar facility in Cologne in 2008, without the crowd-funding.) GolfCity München Puchheim, about half constructed, will eventually feature a nine-hole course, a three-hole course, a driving range, and other practice facilities. Clubhaus believes such facilities are essential to growing the game, for they’re in densely populated areas and offer golf “without pressure and elitist constraints, but with good humor in a friendly, sporting atmosphere.” The company has already declared GolfCity München Puchheim to be a success, as it’s close to meeting its goal of raising €750,000 ($840,000). As in other crowd-funded ventures, the money was provided in small amounts by individual investors in exchange for a stake in the outcome.
Hà Nội, Vietnam. A company that views itself as “the leader in Vietnam’s tourism industry” has laid plans for a resort community outside Hà Nội that will feature three 18-hole golf courses created by architectural firms with international celebrity status. Vingroup, one of the premier developers in Vietnam’s fast-growing golf industry, intends to build Cau Duong on 680 acres along the Red River outside the capital city. The community will feature courses created by Gary Player Design, Faldo Design, and IMG Golf. Nota bene: None of the tracks will be “signature” layouts. Although Player’s course -- described as “a links-style course that exceeds 7,500 yards” -- will be the firm’s first in Vietnam, Nick Faldo and IMG will be working in familiar territory. Faldo’s firm has so far produced two courses in Vietnam (unfortunately, only one -- Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Club, along the Central Coast -- is currently operating), and Brit Stenson of IMG Golf has either designed or co-designed at least five, among them Colin Montgomerie’s track at Montgomerie Links outside Đà Nẵng. Stenson even has some history with Vingroup, as he designed the layout at the company’s Vinpearl Golf Club Nha Trang, on Hon Tre Island in Khánh Hòa Province.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the October 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
County Durham, England. Money talks, and the members of Darlington Golf Club have been listening. Darlington, which has operated in northern England for more than a century, will accept what’s been described as a “substantial sum of money” to leave its present home and relocate to nearby farmland. And there was hardly any debate over Theakston Estates’ proposal, as the club’s members endorsed it by a vote of 221 to 36. “We believe that this unique opportunity only comes around once in a lifetime and provides facilities and a solid financial base to take us forward into the future,” the club’s chairman told the Northern Echo. Theakston intends to build houses on Darlington’s Alister MacKenzie-designed course.
Harris, Michigan. Paul Albanese and Chris Lutzke have been commissioned to design an 18-hole course that will eventually rank among the top five in Michigan. The track will be the second for the Island Resort & Casino, a tribal property in the western part of the Upper Peninsula. “Just my opinion,” the resort’s general manager told the Detroit Free Press, “but the land is so good that if it’s not top five in the state for public courses, I think we will have screwed it up.” While the pressure may be on, the Plymouth, Michigan-based architects have already delivered two of the state’s top tracks. Albanese was responsible for the resort’s first course, Sweetgrass Golf Club, while Lutzke designed Eagle Eye Golf Club in suburban Lansing. Their forthcoming course Harris, to be located six miles from the casino, is expected to debut in 2017.
Queensland, Australia. A Cairns-based accountant has acquired Paradise Palms Resort & Country Club, and he’s intent on restoring it to the status it had in the 1990s, when it was one of Australia’s premier golf destinations. Darren Halpin and his Brisbane- and Sydney-based partners reportedly paid $20 million for Paradise Palms, a 280-acre spread outside Cairns that’s been called “the premier golfing facility in Tropical North Queensland.” Despite such notices, the resort had been controlled by receivers since 2013, when its former owners lost it to their lenders. Paradise Palms’ 18-hole golf course was co-designed by Graham Marsh and Ross Watson, who were, according to Darius Oliver of Planet Golf, directed to create “Australia's most difficult tournament venue.” The track formerly ranked among Australia’s truly elite courses, but in recent years, without committed ownership, it’s slipped a bit. “We are ranked 48th in Australia, and I would like to get in the top 20 to 25,” Halpin told the Cairns Post. “I would like to unlock the hidden gem that is here. I want to give the club its heart back and make it a red-hot cracker.” To finance the revitalization, Halpin intends to develop 850 housing units along the golf course, a plan that will require him to relocate hole #7 and the driving range.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the October 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
Odisha, India. Government officials in the State of Odisha are hoping to jump-start a massive resort community that’s languished for more than a quarter-century. The resort is called Shamuka (or sometimes Shamuka Beach), and the state aims to build it on a 3,000-acre spread south of Puri, along the Bay of Bengal. Shamuka’s master plan calls for the construction of 13 hotels, a convention center, an entertainment district, a spa, a wellness center, a beach club, and various recreational attractions, including two 18-hole golf courses. The community is supposed to serve as “a one-stop rejuvenation facility for the mind, body, and soul” and offer “a strong and unique local culture-oriented experience.” It was originally proposed in the early 1990s but never went anywhere due to what the Pioneer calls a “lack of suitable investors and land acquisition problems.” Now the state is looking for private-sector developers again.
The original version of the preceding post first appeared in the July 2015 issue of the World Edition of the Golf Course Report.
Munich, Germany. For probably the first time in golf-industry history, a golf venue is being built via crowd-funding. The venue, GolfCity München Puchheim, is operating on a leased former landfill in Munich, Germany, created by an entity affiliated with Clubhaus AG, a firm based in suburban Hamburg. (Clubhaus opened a similar facility in Cologne in 2008, without the crowd-funding.) GolfCity München Puchheim, about half constructed, will eventually feature a nine-hole course, a three-hole course, a driving range, and other practice facilities. Clubhaus believes such facilities are essential to growing the game, for they’re in densely populated areas and offer golf “without pressure and elitist constraints, but with good humor in a friendly, sporting atmosphere.” The company has already declared GolfCity München Puchheim to be a success, as it’s close to meeting its goal of raising €750,000 ($840,000). As in other crowd-funded ventures, the money was provided in small amounts by individual investors in exchange for a stake in the outcome.
Sunday, December 13, 2015
The Week That Was, december 13, 2015
Once again, Mike Keiser is stirring controversy in Oregon. Just months after the famed, influential developer gave up on his attempt to build a municipal golf complex south of Bandon Dunes, he’s now angling to build an 18-hole course on waterfront property outside Netarts, on the state’s northern coast. If Keiser’s proposal is approved, the track would take shape on property that he plans to lease from a Boy Scouts troop. Note to prospective architects: Coore & Crenshaw has already done a routing. “It’s a beautiful place,” Bill Coore has concluded. Coore didn’t say it, but the site appears to have something else going for it: It looks to be within an hour’s drive of Portland, which is as close as a Keiser complex ever comes to a major city.
While he contemplates his joint venture with the Boy Scouts, Mike Keiser also appears to be eager to revive the great dream of Bandon Muni, but with fewer holes and without the headaches associated with municipal golf. “I hope to do both,” the Chicago-based developer told Golf Advisor. “They could be really good.” Keiser still owns 300 acres south of Bandon Dunes, and these days he’s thinking about what fun it might be to get back to where he once belonged, building an 18-hole track on property that Gil Hanse, the course’s architect, describes as “spectacular.” If Keiser green-lights the venture, Hanse’s course would function as Bandon Dunes’ fifth 18-hole layout.
Regarding the 2020 or 2021 Open Championship, the one that’s been virtually guaranteed to Trump Turnberry: You can forget about it, at least until Donald “the Insulter” Trump rehabilitates his image in Europe and the Middle East. Although the power elites in the U.S. golf industry continue to implicitly support Trump, the Independent on Sunday writes that “his dream of handing over the trophy at the Open is in tatters” because the R&A, the event’s organizer, “has privately decided that his reputation is now so toxic” that his historic Scottish resort “can no longer host the game’s most prestigious tournament.” Nobody has so far been willing to talk on the record, but good old boys at the R&A have begun to say nasty things behind Trump’s back. “Turnberry will be back,” one of them told the newspaper, “but perhaps not Trump Turnberry.” Another one said, “Those who forecast worse would come, including warnings from our American cousins, have been proved correct.” And finally, according to a source who’s said to be “close to the championship committee,” during a recent discussion about Trump, “One word was thrown around: Enough.”
In recent months Donald Trump has insulted Mexicans, John McCain, Univision, Megan Kelly, women in general, Jews, the handicapped, and who knows how many others. Nonetheless, the R&A allowed his increasingly inane comments to slide until he proposed to build a wall around the United States that would deny entry to Muslims. But why was an attack on Muslims the straw that broke the camel’s back? Why didn’t Trump’s many previous insults provoke indignation at the organization that takes pride in being the custodian of golf’s glorious traditions? The Independent on Sunday provides the answer: “Middle East sovereign wealth,” it notes, “is a key element of European Tour golf sponsorship.” So if you’re thinking that the Powers That Be in golf have found a social conscience, think again: They’ll forever tolerate insults to people of all races, colors, and creeds, but they’ll absolutely, positively never offend those who pay the bills.
Speaking of pocket-book issues, just days after it dismissed any notion of severing ties with Donald Trump, a high-profile Middle Eastern developer has apparently reconsidered. Reuters reports that Damac Properties, the company building Trump International Golf Club Dubai (the venue with the Gil Hanse-designed course), has “stripped the property of his name and image.” It’s hard to figure exactly what Damac’s action signifies, because neither it nor Trump has commented on the matter, but both parties have much to lose. If the partnership ends, Damac would have to overhaul its marketing program, and it would likely be forced to offer refunds to everyone who’s already purchased a high-priced house in a community that’s supposed to feature a Trump-branded golf course. Things could potentially be far worse for Trump, however, for such a loss of face would likely prevent him from turning the Middle East into his next gravy train. While we wait for things to shake out, it’s worth noting that both of Trump’s ventures with Damac -- Trump International Golf Club Dubai and Trump World Golf Club Dubai (the venue with the Tiger Woods-designed course) -- are still listed as part of Trump Golf’s portfolio.
Although doors are being closed on Donald Trump in the Middle East, it appears that he’ll have to hurl many more racial and religious insults before he wears out his welcome with the U.S. golf business. None of the organizations that have scheduled upcoming events at Trump-branded golf properties -- the PGA Tour, the PGA of America, the U. S. Golf Association -- have as yet shown any inclination to relocate them. In fact, last week the PGA Tour, which professes to have “a strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment,” announced that Trump National Doral Golf Club Miami will most definitely host the 2016 WGC-Cadillac Championships. As far as subsequent events at the resort are concerned, the tour remains non-committal: “Immediately after the completion of the 2016 tournament,” it said in a press statement, “we will explore all options regarding the event’s future.” Anyone who believes such comments indicate that a change of venue is on the horizon is giving the tour too much credit.
While he contemplates his joint venture with the Boy Scouts, Mike Keiser also appears to be eager to revive the great dream of Bandon Muni, but with fewer holes and without the headaches associated with municipal golf. “I hope to do both,” the Chicago-based developer told Golf Advisor. “They could be really good.” Keiser still owns 300 acres south of Bandon Dunes, and these days he’s thinking about what fun it might be to get back to where he once belonged, building an 18-hole track on property that Gil Hanse, the course’s architect, describes as “spectacular.” If Keiser green-lights the venture, Hanse’s course would function as Bandon Dunes’ fifth 18-hole layout.
Regarding the 2020 or 2021 Open Championship, the one that’s been virtually guaranteed to Trump Turnberry: You can forget about it, at least until Donald “the Insulter” Trump rehabilitates his image in Europe and the Middle East. Although the power elites in the U.S. golf industry continue to implicitly support Trump, the Independent on Sunday writes that “his dream of handing over the trophy at the Open is in tatters” because the R&A, the event’s organizer, “has privately decided that his reputation is now so toxic” that his historic Scottish resort “can no longer host the game’s most prestigious tournament.” Nobody has so far been willing to talk on the record, but good old boys at the R&A have begun to say nasty things behind Trump’s back. “Turnberry will be back,” one of them told the newspaper, “but perhaps not Trump Turnberry.” Another one said, “Those who forecast worse would come, including warnings from our American cousins, have been proved correct.” And finally, according to a source who’s said to be “close to the championship committee,” during a recent discussion about Trump, “One word was thrown around: Enough.”
In recent months Donald Trump has insulted Mexicans, John McCain, Univision, Megan Kelly, women in general, Jews, the handicapped, and who knows how many others. Nonetheless, the R&A allowed his increasingly inane comments to slide until he proposed to build a wall around the United States that would deny entry to Muslims. But why was an attack on Muslims the straw that broke the camel’s back? Why didn’t Trump’s many previous insults provoke indignation at the organization that takes pride in being the custodian of golf’s glorious traditions? The Independent on Sunday provides the answer: “Middle East sovereign wealth,” it notes, “is a key element of European Tour golf sponsorship.” So if you’re thinking that the Powers That Be in golf have found a social conscience, think again: They’ll forever tolerate insults to people of all races, colors, and creeds, but they’ll absolutely, positively never offend those who pay the bills.
Speaking of pocket-book issues, just days after it dismissed any notion of severing ties with Donald Trump, a high-profile Middle Eastern developer has apparently reconsidered. Reuters reports that Damac Properties, the company building Trump International Golf Club Dubai (the venue with the Gil Hanse-designed course), has “stripped the property of his name and image.” It’s hard to figure exactly what Damac’s action signifies, because neither it nor Trump has commented on the matter, but both parties have much to lose. If the partnership ends, Damac would have to overhaul its marketing program, and it would likely be forced to offer refunds to everyone who’s already purchased a high-priced house in a community that’s supposed to feature a Trump-branded golf course. Things could potentially be far worse for Trump, however, for such a loss of face would likely prevent him from turning the Middle East into his next gravy train. While we wait for things to shake out, it’s worth noting that both of Trump’s ventures with Damac -- Trump International Golf Club Dubai and Trump World Golf Club Dubai (the venue with the Tiger Woods-designed course) -- are still listed as part of Trump Golf’s portfolio.
Although doors are being closed on Donald Trump in the Middle East, it appears that he’ll have to hurl many more racial and religious insults before he wears out his welcome with the U.S. golf business. None of the organizations that have scheduled upcoming events at Trump-branded golf properties -- the PGA Tour, the PGA of America, the U. S. Golf Association -- have as yet shown any inclination to relocate them. In fact, last week the PGA Tour, which professes to have “a strong commitment to an inclusive and welcoming environment,” announced that Trump National Doral Golf Club Miami will most definitely host the 2016 WGC-Cadillac Championships. As far as subsequent events at the resort are concerned, the tour remains non-committal: “Immediately after the completion of the 2016 tournament,” it said in a press statement, “we will explore all options regarding the event’s future.” Anyone who believes such comments indicate that a change of venue is on the horizon is giving the tour too much credit.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Desolation Row, december 11, 2015
Rancho Cucamonga, California. First, the bad news: A developer wants to build an apartment complex and a retail center on the Arnold Palmer-designed Empire Lakes Golf Course. And now the good news: Randall Lewis promises to build “very nice housing for singles, couples, and retirees” on the nine-year-old, 160-acre layout. A series of public hearings has been scheduled, with a vote on a zoning change likely to come in the spring of next year.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a year of talking about it, the city has decided to quit supporting its least-played golf venue. A closing date for Howell Park Golf Course hasn’t yet been set, but the clock is ticking on the 5,779-yard layout. “Instead of a golf course which serves an average of 30 people per day, I prefer serving 3,000 with events, picnics, ball fields, fishing lakes, playgrounds, and other amenities,” a spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Recreation & Parks Commission said in a press release. In making its decision, BREC acted on a recommendation from the National Golf Foundation, which reportedly believes that Howell Park, a layout that dates from the 1950s, generates the fewest rounds of any 18-hole course in the United States. The NGF has also advised BREC to close J. S. Clark Golf Course, a nine-hole track in Baker, but the agency has so far resisted the temptation.
Washburn, Illinois. At an auction in October, a farmer agreed to pay roughly $868,000 -- $6,200 an acre -- for Snag Creek Golf Course. Not surprisingly, Steve Byrd will soon be tilling the soil at the 18-hole track, which was designed and built by Maynard Christ in 1965. “It would have been nice to see it stay as a golf course,” Christ’s son, Tracy, told the Peoria Journal Star, “but there just wasn’t any interest.”
Montgomery, Alabama. A parade of owners gave it their best shots, but in the end not even footgolf could save Tallapoosa Lakes Golf Course. The 36-hole complex, built on land that had been in Jimmy Dozier’s family since 1937, was undone by a key metric: It rang up roughly 88,000 rounds in 1997, but this year the number is down to roughly 40,000. “It’s a sad situation that all of this is going away,” Dozier told the Montgomery Advertiser. “I just want the public to know that I tried all I could.” Dozier has agreed to sell the property to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the owners of a neighboring casino complex.
Anderson, South Carolina. With no serious buyers on the horizon, the plug has been pulled on Anderson Country Club. “We had hoped to sell it as a country club,” one of the club’s owners, Tony Saad, told the Anderson Independent Mail. “But the revenue generated simply will not support the operation of the club.” Anderson opened in 1918, with a nine-hole, Tom Bendelow-designed course. The second nine arrived in the early 1930s. Saad and his partners, Greg Saad and Dee Watkins, reportedly paid just over $900,000 for the 187-acre property in 2004. They put it on the market a little more than a year ago, hoping it would fetch $1.4 million.
Danville, Pennsylvania. “We thank you all for your patronage!” was the message from the LLC that owns Liberty Valley Country Club, which went belly up in late September. The LLC is hoping to find a buyer for the 18-hole, 25-year-old course.
Livermore, California. Just one year short of its 50th anniversary, Springtown Golf Course went out of business in mid October. Local golfers tried to save the nine-hole municipal layout, but the increasing cost of water and a significant decline in the number of rounds played -- down by 30 percent since 2008, according to the Contra Costa Times -- put the facility’s operator in a financial squeeze. The city says it would welcome new private-sector managers, but none have so far knocked at the door.
Gainesboro, Tennessee. Unless a buyer steps up, the lights will go out at Cumberland Bend Golf Course on New Year’s Eve. “I try not to think about it,” Duane Randolph said in a comment published by Club & Resort Business. “You put your heart and soul into something, you’d like to see it go on.” Randolph hopes to get $800,000 for Cumberland Bend’s nine-hole, 45-year-old track. A possible hang-up: Much of the course has been laid out on land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
London, Kentucky. Crooked Creek Golf Course went dark on April Fools’ Day, and today, nine months later, an expected sale hasn’t yet materialized. Mike Nami bought Crooked Creek, an 18-hole, Brian Silva-designed layout, in 2007 and reportedly made $8 million worth of capital improvements. The investment didn’t pay off, however, because he was forced to close the course for a couple of weeks in 2012 while he negotiated with a prospective buyer. And now he’s closed it again. No telling where we go from here.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana. After a year of talking about it, the city has decided to quit supporting its least-played golf venue. A closing date for Howell Park Golf Course hasn’t yet been set, but the clock is ticking on the 5,779-yard layout. “Instead of a golf course which serves an average of 30 people per day, I prefer serving 3,000 with events, picnics, ball fields, fishing lakes, playgrounds, and other amenities,” a spokesperson for the East Baton Rouge Recreation & Parks Commission said in a press release. In making its decision, BREC acted on a recommendation from the National Golf Foundation, which reportedly believes that Howell Park, a layout that dates from the 1950s, generates the fewest rounds of any 18-hole course in the United States. The NGF has also advised BREC to close J. S. Clark Golf Course, a nine-hole track in Baker, but the agency has so far resisted the temptation.
Washburn, Illinois. At an auction in October, a farmer agreed to pay roughly $868,000 -- $6,200 an acre -- for Snag Creek Golf Course. Not surprisingly, Steve Byrd will soon be tilling the soil at the 18-hole track, which was designed and built by Maynard Christ in 1965. “It would have been nice to see it stay as a golf course,” Christ’s son, Tracy, told the Peoria Journal Star, “but there just wasn’t any interest.”
Montgomery, Alabama. A parade of owners gave it their best shots, but in the end not even footgolf could save Tallapoosa Lakes Golf Course. The 36-hole complex, built on land that had been in Jimmy Dozier’s family since 1937, was undone by a key metric: It rang up roughly 88,000 rounds in 1997, but this year the number is down to roughly 40,000. “It’s a sad situation that all of this is going away,” Dozier told the Montgomery Advertiser. “I just want the public to know that I tried all I could.” Dozier has agreed to sell the property to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, the owners of a neighboring casino complex.
Anderson, South Carolina. With no serious buyers on the horizon, the plug has been pulled on Anderson Country Club. “We had hoped to sell it as a country club,” one of the club’s owners, Tony Saad, told the Anderson Independent Mail. “But the revenue generated simply will not support the operation of the club.” Anderson opened in 1918, with a nine-hole, Tom Bendelow-designed course. The second nine arrived in the early 1930s. Saad and his partners, Greg Saad and Dee Watkins, reportedly paid just over $900,000 for the 187-acre property in 2004. They put it on the market a little more than a year ago, hoping it would fetch $1.4 million.
Danville, Pennsylvania. “We thank you all for your patronage!” was the message from the LLC that owns Liberty Valley Country Club, which went belly up in late September. The LLC is hoping to find a buyer for the 18-hole, 25-year-old course.
Livermore, California. Just one year short of its 50th anniversary, Springtown Golf Course went out of business in mid October. Local golfers tried to save the nine-hole municipal layout, but the increasing cost of water and a significant decline in the number of rounds played -- down by 30 percent since 2008, according to the Contra Costa Times -- put the facility’s operator in a financial squeeze. The city says it would welcome new private-sector managers, but none have so far knocked at the door.
Gainesboro, Tennessee. Unless a buyer steps up, the lights will go out at Cumberland Bend Golf Course on New Year’s Eve. “I try not to think about it,” Duane Randolph said in a comment published by Club & Resort Business. “You put your heart and soul into something, you’d like to see it go on.” Randolph hopes to get $800,000 for Cumberland Bend’s nine-hole, 45-year-old track. A possible hang-up: Much of the course has been laid out on land owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
London, Kentucky. Crooked Creek Golf Course went dark on April Fools’ Day, and today, nine months later, an expected sale hasn’t yet materialized. Mike Nami bought Crooked Creek, an 18-hole, Brian Silva-designed layout, in 2007 and reportedly made $8 million worth of capital improvements. The investment didn’t pay off, however, because he was forced to close the course for a couple of weeks in 2012 while he negotiated with a prospective buyer. And now he’s closed it again. No telling where we go from here.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
The Week That Was, december 6, 2015
Finally, the long overdue, Gil Hanse-designed Riserva Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro has celebrated its “soft” opening, with its official unveiling to come in the spring of next year. For the time being, though, forget that it’ll serve as the venue for the first golf competition that the Olympics have staged since 1904. Never mind that it represents the hopes and dreams of our industry’s institutional leaders, who are betting that it’ll spark both new and renewed interest in golf all over the world. Ignore the fact that it cost $16 million to build, and that its builder -- Pasquale Mauro, a billionaire -- is going to make a small fortune when he sells the condos that have arisen around it. Disregard Brazil’s chilly feelings for golf. Instead, concentrate on this: For as long as it stands, Riserva should remind us of a landmark moment in the history of golf design, the moment when the future of golf architecture was symbolically turned over to a new generation. Riserva might have been designed -- and, some have argued, should have been designed -- by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, or any one of the better-known old-timers who vied for the opportunity. Instead, the commission went to Hanse, a member of a younger crowd with altogether different ideas about how golf courses should look, feel, and play. It was a changing of the guard. With one fateful decision, golf’s past lost its grip on the present, and the future beckoned.
Callaway Golf doesn’t appear to have any regrets about its decision to start selling its products in India. “As the game is progressing, we are seeing huge growth opportunity,” Oliver “Chip” Brewer, the company’s CEO, told Hindu Business Line. Specifically, Callaway’s five-year-old Indian subsidiary is seeing 20 percent annual growth in sales of golf equipment, thanks mainly to increased corporate sponsorships and a healthy pace of construction. In fact, Brewer believes that India, which currently has roughly 250 courses, will add 50 or more over the next two years.
O.B. Sports has injected some life into Tucson, Arizona’s golf operations, but perhaps not enough to keep the lights on at all five of the city’s courses. Last year, despite increases in both income and the number of rounds played -- more than $1 million for the former, nearly 9,000 for the latter -- the city’s courses still managed to lose $1.1 million. As a result, the city’s debate over taxpayer-subsidized golf has been renewed. “We are going to have to make some hard decisions,” a councilmember told the Arizona Daily Star. Tucson’s city manager told Tucson News Now, “There has to be a conversation about potential closure, or at least scaling back of the golf operations.” City officials engaged in this same conversation two years ago, before they hired O.B. Sports to initiate a turnaround. Since then, according to the Star, O. B. Sports has “completed a facelift of the once-stodgy city golf operation,” and the playing conditions at the courses are “as good as they’ve been in more than 15 years, perhaps longer.” Unfortunately, Tucson’s golf courses have a problem that’s difficult to address: A debt load of nearly $8 million.
Donald “the Candidate” Trump was apparently not sold on buying the Puerto Rican golf course that bears his name. Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico, a bankrupt venue in Coco Beach, has been sold to a San Juan-based investment group called OHorizons LLC. For just $2.2 million, the LLC acquired a pair of 18-hole, Tom Kite-designed golf courses and a 46,000-square-foot clubhouse. The club was cheap because it’s been operating at a loss for close to a decade, a fact that was obviously not lost on Trump, who’d been “considering making a play” for the property. No word yet on whether OHorizons plans to retain Trump’s management, but Trump Golf no longer lists the property in its portfolio.
Callaway Golf doesn’t appear to have any regrets about its decision to start selling its products in India. “As the game is progressing, we are seeing huge growth opportunity,” Oliver “Chip” Brewer, the company’s CEO, told Hindu Business Line. Specifically, Callaway’s five-year-old Indian subsidiary is seeing 20 percent annual growth in sales of golf equipment, thanks mainly to increased corporate sponsorships and a healthy pace of construction. In fact, Brewer believes that India, which currently has roughly 250 courses, will add 50 or more over the next two years.
O.B. Sports has injected some life into Tucson, Arizona’s golf operations, but perhaps not enough to keep the lights on at all five of the city’s courses. Last year, despite increases in both income and the number of rounds played -- more than $1 million for the former, nearly 9,000 for the latter -- the city’s courses still managed to lose $1.1 million. As a result, the city’s debate over taxpayer-subsidized golf has been renewed. “We are going to have to make some hard decisions,” a councilmember told the Arizona Daily Star. Tucson’s city manager told Tucson News Now, “There has to be a conversation about potential closure, or at least scaling back of the golf operations.” City officials engaged in this same conversation two years ago, before they hired O.B. Sports to initiate a turnaround. Since then, according to the Star, O. B. Sports has “completed a facelift of the once-stodgy city golf operation,” and the playing conditions at the courses are “as good as they’ve been in more than 15 years, perhaps longer.” Unfortunately, Tucson’s golf courses have a problem that’s difficult to address: A debt load of nearly $8 million.
Donald “the Candidate” Trump was apparently not sold on buying the Puerto Rican golf course that bears his name. Trump International Golf Club Puerto Rico, a bankrupt venue in Coco Beach, has been sold to a San Juan-based investment group called OHorizons LLC. For just $2.2 million, the LLC acquired a pair of 18-hole, Tom Kite-designed golf courses and a 46,000-square-foot clubhouse. The club was cheap because it’s been operating at a loss for close to a decade, a fact that was obviously not lost on Trump, who’d been “considering making a play” for the property. No word yet on whether OHorizons plans to retain Trump’s management, but Trump Golf no longer lists the property in its portfolio.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Transactions, december 4, 2015
Bradenton, Florida. An investment group consisting mainly of executives from Coral Hospitality has acquired Rosedale Golf & Country Club, a 22-year-old venue that features an 18-hole, Ted McAnlis-designed golf course. The new ownership group, CH6, didn’t announce a price, nor did the seller, Newton Developments. The Sarasota Observer reports that CH6 aims to turn Rosedale, the featured attraction of a gated community, into “the premier club in the area.” The group also intends to take the club private, a process that’s expected to take two to five years. One last thing: The Observer also reports that CH6 aims to acquire “about 25 to 40 clubs” in the area between Tampa and Naples over the next few years.
Fort Myers, Florida. As long as we’re discussing Coral Hospitality, it’s worth noting that another entity related to the Naples-based management company -- CH5-Eagle Ridge LLC -- acquired Eagle Ridge Golf Club earlier this year. The club’s Gordy Lewis-designed golf course opened in 1984. “Eagle Ridge’s natural beauty, player-friendly golf course, and exceptional location fits well within the strategic club acquisition plan we are aggressively pursuing,” the managing member of the ownership group told the Business Observer. CH5 paid $1.87 million for the 129-acre Eagle Ridge property. The seller was Redus Properties, Inc., an entity controlled by Wells Fargo Bank.
Loris, South Carolina. Chris Manning has exercised his option to buy Diamond Back Golf Course at Woodland Valley Country Club. Manning, a Myrtle Beach-based real estate investor, is selling houses in the Woodland Valley community, and he began leasing the 18-hole, Russell Breeden-designed golf course from Lee Rawcliffe earlier this year. Diamond Back is Manning’s second golf property. Earlier this year, he and some investor/partners bought Balsam Mountain Preserve, a 4,400-acre community in Sylva, North Carolina that features an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course.
Indio, California. A Canadian who admits to being “a little nutty” has purchased Indian Springs Golf Club. Ken Hanna was joking about being nutty, because he’s a successful businessman in Vancouver who’s been snow-birding to his second home in Indian Springs, a seniors-only community, for several years. “I worked on trying to buy it for, like, two years,” Hanna told the Desert Sun. “I was back and forth -- do I, do I not, do I, do I not. But I just saw the potential, and that is why we did it.” Indian Springs has an 18-hole golf course. A sales price hasn’t been disclosed, but the seller was asking for $6 million.
Hastings, Minnesota. A St. Paul-based investment group has reportedly paid $3.8 million for Hastings Country Club, a 140-acre spread that opened in 1947. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Hastings “has been saddled with debt and declining membership in recent years.” The clock began to tick on Hastings’ future as a private club last summer, when its 230 members refused to extend a lifeline in the form of a $2,000 assessment. (The vote was 97 percent against.) All Pro Holdings LLC, the property’s new owner, is now calling the venue as Dakota Pines Golf Club.
Bradenton, Florida. ClubCorp didn’t hang on to Legacy Golf Club for very long. Just eight months after purchasing the 18-year-old, Arnold Palmer-designed track, the Dallas, Texas-based private club operator has sold it to a group led by one of its former employees, Jon Whittemore. The price: $3.4 million, which represents a $300,000 profit. Legacy, a daily-fee layout that was built to help sell houses at Lakewood Ranch, is Whittemore’s third course in the area. Over the past year or so, he and his partner, Larry Galloway, have purchased two golf venues in Sarasota, Serenoa Golf Club and Rolling Green Golf Club. They also own golf properties in Arizona, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
Milford, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University has agreed to pay $6 million for a 150-acre tract that includes Great River Golf Club. “We have been looking for good deals on land,” a spokesperson for the school told the Connecticut Post. “This is definitely a good deal.” Sacred Heart’s golf teams already practice at Great River, which features an 18-hole, Tommy Fazio-designed course, and before too long the university intends to make the club to anchor degree programs in golf and hospitality management. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the year. Sacred Heart is buying the parcel from Fairfield-based United Properties, a company controlled by the family of Alfred Lenoci.
Lenoir City, Tennessee. Avalon Golf & Country Club, which reportedly has an appraised value of $3.7 million, has been sold at auction for $750,000 ($814,000 including fees). Tony Hollins, the CEO of Knoxville-based EdFinancial Services, placed the winning bid for the 150-acre property, which features an 18-hole, Joe Lee-designed golf course. The club is the centerpiece of a 20-year-old, 430-acre community that was developed Paul Gillenwater and David Burleson, both of whom are deceased. Their heirs have no interest in golf.
Devils Lake, North Dakota. This being the holiday season, the city of Devils Lake has accepted a gift: Creel Bay Golf Course. Creel Bay’s 250 members made the donation, though they plan to continue operating the facility’s bar and grill. “We will maintain our organization,” the president of Devils Lake Town & Country Club told the Grand Forks Herald. Creel Bay opened in the early 1920s, as a nine-hole layout, and it got a second nine in the early 1990s. The newspaper reports that the property is scheduled to change hands on January 1, 2016.
Naco, Arizona. Turquoise Valley Golf Course has been sold, but not to the fellow who was willing to pay $600,000 for it. Harold Vaubel made the high bid for Arizona’s oldest golf course at an auction in June, but he didn’t complete the transaction due to a medical issue. Pete Lawson has now agreed to sell Turquoise Valley to Bob Barnes and Dave Cartun, who offered $100,000 less than Vaubel. “Our strategy for making Turquoise Valley successful,” Barnes told the Sierra Vista Herald, “is to extend a friendly, quality, fun, and affordable experience not only to our Bisbee golfers but to the communities of Sierra Vista, Douglas, and the entire golfing and non-golfing community of Cochise County. We know we have to expand the focus to attract non-golfers.” In addition to the golf course, Barnes and Cartun are buying an RV park and a restaurant.
West Palm Beach, Florida. A development group led by Domenic J. Gatto has coughed up $26 million for President Country Club, a venue that once had 36 holes but now has just 18. The seller, an entity controlled by George T. Elmore, reportedly paid $11 million for the club in 2011, but last year he secured permission to add more than 100 single-family houses and vacation villas, a 250-room hotel, and a spa to the property. In other words, he added value to his property.
Fort Myers, Florida. As long as we’re discussing Coral Hospitality, it’s worth noting that another entity related to the Naples-based management company -- CH5-Eagle Ridge LLC -- acquired Eagle Ridge Golf Club earlier this year. The club’s Gordy Lewis-designed golf course opened in 1984. “Eagle Ridge’s natural beauty, player-friendly golf course, and exceptional location fits well within the strategic club acquisition plan we are aggressively pursuing,” the managing member of the ownership group told the Business Observer. CH5 paid $1.87 million for the 129-acre Eagle Ridge property. The seller was Redus Properties, Inc., an entity controlled by Wells Fargo Bank.
Loris, South Carolina. Chris Manning has exercised his option to buy Diamond Back Golf Course at Woodland Valley Country Club. Manning, a Myrtle Beach-based real estate investor, is selling houses in the Woodland Valley community, and he began leasing the 18-hole, Russell Breeden-designed golf course from Lee Rawcliffe earlier this year. Diamond Back is Manning’s second golf property. Earlier this year, he and some investor/partners bought Balsam Mountain Preserve, a 4,400-acre community in Sylva, North Carolina that features an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course.
Indio, California. A Canadian who admits to being “a little nutty” has purchased Indian Springs Golf Club. Ken Hanna was joking about being nutty, because he’s a successful businessman in Vancouver who’s been snow-birding to his second home in Indian Springs, a seniors-only community, for several years. “I worked on trying to buy it for, like, two years,” Hanna told the Desert Sun. “I was back and forth -- do I, do I not, do I, do I not. But I just saw the potential, and that is why we did it.” Indian Springs has an 18-hole golf course. A sales price hasn’t been disclosed, but the seller was asking for $6 million.
Hastings, Minnesota. A St. Paul-based investment group has reportedly paid $3.8 million for Hastings Country Club, a 140-acre spread that opened in 1947. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that Hastings “has been saddled with debt and declining membership in recent years.” The clock began to tick on Hastings’ future as a private club last summer, when its 230 members refused to extend a lifeline in the form of a $2,000 assessment. (The vote was 97 percent against.) All Pro Holdings LLC, the property’s new owner, is now calling the venue as Dakota Pines Golf Club.
Bradenton, Florida. ClubCorp didn’t hang on to Legacy Golf Club for very long. Just eight months after purchasing the 18-year-old, Arnold Palmer-designed track, the Dallas, Texas-based private club operator has sold it to a group led by one of its former employees, Jon Whittemore. The price: $3.4 million, which represents a $300,000 profit. Legacy, a daily-fee layout that was built to help sell houses at Lakewood Ranch, is Whittemore’s third course in the area. Over the past year or so, he and his partner, Larry Galloway, have purchased two golf venues in Sarasota, Serenoa Golf Club and Rolling Green Golf Club. They also own golf properties in Arizona, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.
Milford, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University has agreed to pay $6 million for a 150-acre tract that includes Great River Golf Club. “We have been looking for good deals on land,” a spokesperson for the school told the Connecticut Post. “This is definitely a good deal.” Sacred Heart’s golf teams already practice at Great River, which features an 18-hole, Tommy Fazio-designed course, and before too long the university intends to make the club to anchor degree programs in golf and hospitality management. The transaction is expected to close before the end of the year. Sacred Heart is buying the parcel from Fairfield-based United Properties, a company controlled by the family of Alfred Lenoci.
Lenoir City, Tennessee. Avalon Golf & Country Club, which reportedly has an appraised value of $3.7 million, has been sold at auction for $750,000 ($814,000 including fees). Tony Hollins, the CEO of Knoxville-based EdFinancial Services, placed the winning bid for the 150-acre property, which features an 18-hole, Joe Lee-designed golf course. The club is the centerpiece of a 20-year-old, 430-acre community that was developed Paul Gillenwater and David Burleson, both of whom are deceased. Their heirs have no interest in golf.
Devils Lake, North Dakota. This being the holiday season, the city of Devils Lake has accepted a gift: Creel Bay Golf Course. Creel Bay’s 250 members made the donation, though they plan to continue operating the facility’s bar and grill. “We will maintain our organization,” the president of Devils Lake Town & Country Club told the Grand Forks Herald. Creel Bay opened in the early 1920s, as a nine-hole layout, and it got a second nine in the early 1990s. The newspaper reports that the property is scheduled to change hands on January 1, 2016.
Naco, Arizona. Turquoise Valley Golf Course has been sold, but not to the fellow who was willing to pay $600,000 for it. Harold Vaubel made the high bid for Arizona’s oldest golf course at an auction in June, but he didn’t complete the transaction due to a medical issue. Pete Lawson has now agreed to sell Turquoise Valley to Bob Barnes and Dave Cartun, who offered $100,000 less than Vaubel. “Our strategy for making Turquoise Valley successful,” Barnes told the Sierra Vista Herald, “is to extend a friendly, quality, fun, and affordable experience not only to our Bisbee golfers but to the communities of Sierra Vista, Douglas, and the entire golfing and non-golfing community of Cochise County. We know we have to expand the focus to attract non-golfers.” In addition to the golf course, Barnes and Cartun are buying an RV park and a restaurant.
West Palm Beach, Florida. A development group led by Domenic J. Gatto has coughed up $26 million for President Country Club, a venue that once had 36 holes but now has just 18. The seller, an entity controlled by George T. Elmore, reportedly paid $11 million for the club in 2011, but last year he secured permission to add more than 100 single-family houses and vacation villas, a 250-room hotel, and a spa to the property. In other words, he added value to his property.
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