Well-conceived patio areas can help properties take full advantage of their real estate and extend members’ stays well into the evening hours.
By Pamela Brill, Contributing Editor
No longer relegated to a solo spot off the 18th hole, outdoor patios are popping up all over club and resort properties: alongside the pool, just off the bar, and outside restaurants. Through a total design concept, patios are serving to help integrate the clubhouse and golf course and maximize use of the entire facility. “All of our patios have a residential feel, mimicking what most of our members have in their own homes: a continual flow of indoor and outdoor space,” says Steve Cenicola, General Manager of the Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif.
Patio additions, expansions or renovations call for careful consideration of how these outdoor additions will fit into a club’s existing layout. And when done correctly, patio projects can be profitable ventures that help to greatly expand a property’s versatility and boost overall business.
SUMMING IT UP
- Patios are effective in a variety of non-traditional settings: alongside the pool, near the bar or outside a restaurant.
- Outdoor spaces integrated into the existing landscape offer unobstructed views of picturesque surroundings.
- Natural lighting and heat can supplement man-made designs, eliminating the need for additional resources.
Fountain Hills, Ariz.
“The idea is to keep people around following their rounds and at the same time entice local, non-golf patrons. [We’ve] turned what was underutilized space into a real conversation piece and hangout.”
—Jeff Lessig, General Manager
A Room With a View
When your club is surrounded by a 3,500-ft. mountain range nestled inside desert terrain, it would be a crime not to take advantage of such a picturesque backdrop. For the SunRidge Canyon Golf Club in Fountain Hills, Ariz., an existing outdoor space—complete with a five-foot-high wall and fireplace—hindered what General Manager Jeff Lessig describes as an “all-world view of distant mountains, the golf course and the canyon that gives the course its name.”
Last June, the club underwent a major renovation to address this design concern. Replacing the existing wall and fireplace with a two-foot-high accent wall, plus a fire pit, outdoor bar and extra seating, would “encourage golfers to stay after they played and provide the community of Fountain Hills with a venue for social affairs,” notes Lessig.
Capitalizing on the SunRidge Canyon’s finishing six holes—dubbed the “Wicked 6”—a design theme was born. A fire pit and adjoining wall were erected in the shape of a “6,” with the center of the fire pit featuring a sundial with a gnomon indicating true north (see photos, pg. 28). Because of the mild Southwestern climate, heating and lighting were both moot points for SunRidge Canyon’s patio redesign. “Winter afternoons and evenings are ideal for an outdoor Arizona lifestyle,” Lessig notes, providing sufficient warmth and illumination.
Entertainment amenities are also part of the patio experience. A high-tech control system was installed to allow four TV monitors and audio to be managed remotely—coming in especially handy on Friday evenings, when the patio features live music.
The patio addition has also allowed SunRidge Canyon to expand its bar menu offerings. Prior to the renovation, only breakfast and lunch options were available. But beginning in January 2013, small plates were set to be added to the outdoor menu, directed at two distinct audiences.
“The idea is to offer some traditional, as well as some eclectic, after-golf fare, to keep people around following their rounds,” explains Lessig, “and [at the same time] to entice local, non-golf patrons who simply want an attractive venue for late afternoon and evening socializing.”
Because SunRidge Canyon’s new patio was completed in October 2012, it’s still a bit too soon to tell just how much of an impact the redesign stands to have on overall business. But judging from the amount of member fraternizing he’s already seen, Lessig is confident the project will pay off. “This renovation has turned what was an underutilized space into a real conversation piece and hangout,” he says.
Embracing the Outdoors…Times Four
Much like SunRidge Canyon’s temperate climate, warm weather plays a key role in the near year-round outdoor appeal of the Bighorn Golf Club. “The desert has arguably the best weather in the country six months out of the year, making functional, attractive outdoor space a necessity more than an amenity,” explains Cenicola.
Palm Desert, Calif.
“Our campus-based layout lends itself to making each outlet a destination. That’s why all of our outlets have indoor and outdoor space, meeting the demands of membership for comfort and view, along with
convenience.”
—Steve Cenicola, General Manager
The desire to capitalize on its seasonal surroundings led the club to add four new outdoor patios over the past five years. These back-to-back projects included two add-on patios for Bighorn’s restaurant, The Pour House (each costing $100,000), in the summers of 2010 and 2011; a patio for the club’s Star bucks Marketplace in the summer of 2009 (priced at $25,000), and a patio for its steakhouse (part of a $10 million budget reserved for this specific facility) in the summer of 2007.
Creating a uniform design ensured seamless integration between Bighorn’s widespread facility, which is comprised of two golf courses, two restaurants, a marketplace, the Starbucks and a spa/fitness center. “Our campus-based layout lends itself to making each outlet a destination,” says Cenicola. “We look for ways to keep members in the outlets after they arrive. That’s why all of our outlets have indoor and outdoor space, meeting the demands of membership for comfort and view, along with convenience.”
While the majority of Bighorn’s outdoor patios are used primarily during daylight hours—and are already bolstered by natural lighting and heating—additional lighting was essential for the steakhouse patio. “We did not want to take away from the Coachella Valley view, but we did want members to be able to see their menus and the food in front of them,” notes Cenicola. Extremely low-lit overhead lights were installed, complemented by backlit menus and table lamps, which diffuses light downward and changes it to an amber color suitable for the dining experience.
Heating was also a critical component for the steakhouse patio redesign. Individually controlled overhead heaters were balanced out by portable propane space heaters that could be moved as needed. Outdoor fire pits not only provided extra heating, but added lighting and atmosphere to the space.
Despite the extensive duration of these multiple renovations, the obstacles were minimal. “We spent many hours determining what space was needed,” Cenicola recalls, adding that the approach was to create a patio that could meet demand, but didn’t look full. “No one likes to sit in an empty restaurant or too large a space,” he notes. “It needed to be intimate, yet functional.”
A well thought-out design paid off in the end for Bighorn, with its new outdoor space adding tremendous value to the club’s overall business. Cenicola reports a record number of weddings and private member events at the steakhouse—and the allure of the increased business proved enticing enough that another project, to add three fire pits to the steakhouse’s patio space, is scheduled to begin this summer.
Boise, Idaho
“Our location is on a rise that allows a spectacular view of the [golf] course and Boise. With our climate, we wanted the shade without disrupting the view with
umbrellas or canopies.”
—Norris Sturgeon, General Manager
“It will offer members a stunning location to have a cocktail before or after dinner,” Cenicola says.
Bridging the Gap
When your outdoor patio adjoins your club’s two main facilities, its renovation takes on even greater functionality. Like many older clubs, Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Idaho, has been remodeled and expanded a number of times over the course of its more than 70-year history. Its layout consists of two main facilities: a social building, containing the clubhouse, main kitchen, dining rooms, offices and adjacent pool complex; and an athletic building, which houses the golf shop, locker room, 19th Hole and a small satellite kitchen—all located directly across the patio.
A major renovation at SunRidge Canyon Club added a fireplace with a two-foot-high accent wall, fire pit, outdoor bar and extra seating. Patrons can enjoy a sunset view of Four Peaks as well (below).
“Because of the distance from the main kitchen [more than 250 feet], the patio was only used for special occasions,” says General Manager Norris Sturgeon. “In effect, it had very little usage.”
Following a strategic planning process in 2005, member surveys indicated that a number of new additions, including an outdoor dining area, were high on the list of requests. “Our location is on a rise that allows a spectacular view of the golf course and Boise,” notes Sturgeon. The intent was to take advantage of that desirable setting, while uniting the two main buildings. After a design firm presented plans to Hillcrest’s membership in 2008, construction began in September 2009.
Lighting was a key component in Hillcrest’s patio design. Hanging fixtures are enhanced by natural light from windows in the top cupola, which can be opened electronically to improve air flow on hot days without air conditioning. Heating and cooling were supplied by a complete HVAC system, while a fireplace provided extra warmth and ambiance. Full overhead coverage on the patio was also essential. “With our climate, we wanted the shade without disrupting the view with umbrellas or canopies,” adds Sturgeon.
With such an extensive total renovation, the project was divided into two stages, each with its own challenges. In the first phase, which included not only a new patio, but an expanded athletic building, new golf shop, locker rooms, fitness area, 19th hole and kitchen, all dining was moved to the main clubhouse, and a trailer served as the golf shop.
ENJOYING THE VIEW in outdoor settings still requires taking a load off—but not all seats are created equal. In more relaxed venues like patios, traditional, formal dining chairs are traded in for more casual seating.
At SunRidge Canyon Club in Fountain Hills, Ariz., members can opt for one of eight rocking chairs (see photo above) to relax after a round of golf. Or, they can pull up a bar stool and enjoy a cocktail in the cozy setting. Meanwhile, at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Idaho, soft seating of sofas and chairs allow for up to 72 patrons, balanced out by a stained concrete floor.
At Bighorn Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., comfortable seating was essential at each of its outdoor restaurant patios, especially “for those who want to stay after the dining experience and enjoy a glass of wine and a great view,” notes General Manager Steve Cenicola. Outdoor wicker chairs with full backs and seat cushions fit the bill. “We don’t get a lot of rain here, but the sun, especially in the summer, destroys the fabric,” Cenicola adds. For more casual diners at the Starbucks marketplace, standard tables and chairs were upgraded with soft seating.
The second phase of construction, dedicated to the main clubhouse, temporarily displaced all dining, which was handled by the club’s satellite kitchen. “We did not have any banquets during this phase, reducing food and beverage revenue by 30 percent,” notes Sturgeon.
Today, patio food operations are handled by the club’s 19th Hole kitchen—which, at 500 sq. ft., does not allow for an extensive menu. During the summer, members can opt for a casual, bistro-style menu in the courtyard, or a full-service menu at the main clubhouse. While operating two kitchens with two menus simultaneously may not be the most efficient operation, Sturgeon admits, it does provide members with options that did not exist before the remodel.
In fact, Hillcrest has seen an increase in the patio’s covers and overall usage. “It’s a great place to relax after a round of golf or tennis, meet friends and enjoy our spectacular view,” says Sturgeon. Member feedback indicates how much the casual nature of the area is being enjoyed, and how it allows members to better entertain guests and show off their club.
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