To appeal to all ages, pool areas must offer both aquatic fun for kids, and high-quality finishes and amenities for adults.
Pools have long served as a required amenity at club and resort properties, even before their latest push to ramp up family-friendly offerings. Pools are one of the easiest and most direct ways to provide a much-needed injection of youthful activity for members and guests of all ages.
And while young and old alike can enjoy a pool, the mere sight of the water is often enough to entice kids to dive right in. But to maximize the area’s appeal to adults, incorporating high-quality materials and finishes, along with ample poolside amenities, are important for full engagement.
SUMMING IT UP• Incorporating neutral-colored building materials throughout the pool area allows for bright pops of color through furniture, accent pieces, and umbrellas that can be swapped out between seasons. • Pool-adjacent pavilions and lounges can serve as excellent venues to provide a unique ambiance for events such as cocktail parties. • Building solid structures near the pool gives members respite and shade from the hot sun, while allowing on-site storage during the off-season. |
The Old Standby
Though its clubhouse and golf course have been kept up to date, the pool at Wausau Country Club in Schofield, Wis., hadn’t been touched since the early 1970s, says General Manager Michael Rodriguez, PGA. So it wasn’t surprising, after engaging members through focus groups two summers ago, that the club learned its “tired and worn-out” pool amenity was thought to be in the most dire need of an upgrade, Rodriguez says.
After clearly getting that message, he adds, “We tried hard to have members be involved in the project, from picking the materials, to construction, to everything.”
The club demolished its old swim center in November 2013, so construction could begin the following April. The especially rough winter caused a later-than-preferred start for construction, culminating in a July completion of a two-pool swim center.
The new facility features a completely rebuilt zero-entry kiddie pool with an additional 800 sq. ft. of deck space around it, creating more room for lounge chairs and tables. The added square footage allows space around the pool for kid-sized lounge chairs that Rodriguez describes as “mini-cabanas for toddlers.”
Wausau CC’s larger, 102,000-gallon swimming pool also received structural upgrades through the project, with updates to the internal piping and new skimmer boxes.
Just steps from the pools, the club constructed a cedar-shake building (similar in style to the main clubhouse, to create continuity) that houses a lounge area with a bar and beer on tap (all served in plastic cups), barbecue grill, and a new point-of-sale system for quick transitions from the kitchen, located 50 yards away. Two of the building’s four sides are enclosed, with a long wall incorporating a mesh screen that allows for views of the golf course as well as air flow, while protecting members from errant balls.
The flooring is a concrete veneer that looks like stone, and the bar top is a 2 ¼”-thick cut-stone slab, with concrete pavers at the bottom. Most of the area utilizes neutral gray colors, plus black bar stools that are easy to climb onto. Lights that resemble stained glass hang over the bar and provide a pop of red for a sharp, professional look, especially in the evening, Rodriguez reports.
Nearby bathhouses offer slip-proof tile, with showers and a changing space. The pool deck features new umbrellas, stands, and chairs, increasing capacity to 72 seats, plus 25 loungers and up to 10 bar stools.
As of last year, Wausau CC had more junior members (39 and younger) than senior members on its membership roster, a clear sign that the property is moving in a more youthful direction.
“I know we have families who have joined the club because of what we did,” Rodriguez says. “I’d say 70% of all new golf members are junior families, and a large reason for that is the pool.”
Because the swimming season in Wisconsin is limited, Rodriguez says, a multimillion-dollar pool investment would have been unwise. But he’s confident that Wausau CC got good value from what it spent. “It ended up being around $500,000,” he reports. “For a club our size, we don’t need to spend that much for a pool we can only use for 100 days.”
Expanding the Season
Offering high-end seasonal amenities can keep members on-site during a time they might typically spend elsewhere. As part of an effort to take its pool season beyond the Memorial Day to Labor Day window, Providence Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., enhanced its pool area to the tune of $1.7 million, as the first phase of the club’s property-wide $3.9 million renovation.
The club’s new 2,400-sq. ft. West Pavilion was designed as an open structure to add an adult element to an otherwise kid-oriented pool area (which includes a 10-lane competition pool, a slide pool with two-flume water slide, and a zero-entry kiddie pool). Stamped concrete lines the Pavilion’s floors, and granite is used on countertops. The facility offers a full-service wet bar and full menu, and serves as an additional event venue. The club plans to market the space as an ideal location for cocktail receptions, reports General Manager Howard Murphy, Jr., CCM.
The club’s turnhouse—the only section of the pool area open year-round—was expanded as part of the project, with the kitchen nearly doubled so it could also serve the West Pavilion. Sales increased 82% in the first season, Murphy says, far better than the club anticipated. A new pumphouse prompted the club to install an entirely new filter system for the pools, and also includes restrooms.
Clean Water“Looking for Trouble,” a report on U.S. aquatic venue inspections, findings and recommendations issued by the National Association of County and City Health Officials, found that 90% of pool shutdowns are due to low sanitizing levels/chlorine, followed by pH imbalance at 61%, and turbidity/cloudiness of the water at 53%. To prevent sanitation issues, the report recommended that recreational water facilities take the following steps: Follow manufacturer recommendations. This includes staying up to date on all equipment maintenance, in addition to following chlorine delivery-rate guidelines. Establish routine testing and record-keeping. Regular testing of pool water allows potential chemical issues to be caught before they become a problem. It is also imperative to change pool-water testing kits at least once a year. Install automated control. This minimizes the error in test results and makes it easier to make minor adjustments to chemical levels throughout the day. Set stabilizer limits. Setting a limit of 50 ppm or less of cyanuric acid stabilizer (CYA) in water will help to reduce the time a pool may need to be shut down because of recreational water illness. CYA is for outdoor pools only. Monitor liquid chlorine degradation. Liquid chlorine can degrade rapidly based on storage and handling conditions. Consider requesting a certificate of analysis to confirm product strength at the time of delivery. Practice good hygiene. Encourage patrons to shower before swimming, and provide easy access to restrooms. Source: National Association of County and City Health Officials, Axiall Corporation’s Water Treatment Products Group |
Another facet of Providence CC’s pool renovation is the north terrace, a structure with staggered levels and an overhead pergola that is situated at the end of the competition pool. The pool area’s footprint was expanded to further increase social areas, and the pool deck had to be re-graded to accommodate the new structures, Murphy says.
The materials used throughout the pool center are neutral colors—beige and gray—and the ceiling of the West Pavilion is painted sky blue, adding to the outdoor atmosphere. An outdoor fire pit adds another gathering spot.
“We built this with the intention of maintaining the same style of the clubhouse,” Murphy says. “I describe it as ‘Southern plantation’-style.”
The club also spent almost $100,000 on technology in the outdoor space, including a PA system and sound system over the pool, so when football games are on, pool-goers can hear the broadcast even if they can’t see the action.
Overall, construction took about five months to complete, and Murphy estimates the entire pool complex now measures around 13,000 sq. ft.
“The main reason why I wanted to do the renovation is we wanted to retain members and attract new families—and the first season out of the gate, we were successful with both,” Murphy says. “We’ve had the best membership year since 2007 in terms of net gain. We’ve even have had other general managers come out to look at the facility.”
A New Standard
When the management at Dellwood (Minn.) Country Club decided an upgrade of its 25-year-old pool was necessary, they pulled out all the stops.
“We hoped to create a one-of-a-kind, ‘resort’ atmosphere,” says General Manager Dennis Countryman. “We wanted it to be fun for kids and adults.”
As part of the second phase of a three-year plan to renovate the property, Dellwood infused what Countryman refers to as “casual elegance” into the design of its large, 38,250-sq. ft. pool complex. Two new pools were added—a lazy river with a zero-entry pool for young children, and a 25-yard lap pool.
“We chose the lazy river and zero-entry pool to be unique, provide a fun element for families, and differentiate ourselves from other clubs,” Countryman says. “And the lap pool has multiple purposes: it’s a swim team venue; provides lap swimming for adults; is where we have general-purpose swimming and our water-fitness programs; and is also just a good place for lounging on the expansive steps.”
The surrounding complex includes a pool shop with towel service and inner tubes for the lazy river, a full bar, outdoor dining, and a limestone fire pit.
After seven months of planning, construction on the complex began in September 2013, and the area opened in July 2014. The complex is immediately adjacent to the clubhouse, incorporating “lines that mirror the clubhouse, but at different angles, to make it interesting-looking,” Countryman says.
The pool deck features brushed cement with accent tiles scattered throughout. Bright orange and red furniture create a festive feel, and four cabanas include four private chaise lounges for sunbathing, two lounge chairs, a couch, tables, and a TV. The complex also offers full bar service and and a basic food menu.
Though the severe Minnesota winters keep the pool complex closed from November through April, Countryman says the response from members has been “overwhelming.” With swim lessons offered for all ages, an active swim team, and monthly family pool parties held during the summer with games, music and contests, membership engagement has seen a spike, he reports.
“The pool was at full capacity almost every day,” he reports. “Members love the towel service, food-and-beverage service, and relaxed atmosphere.
“Much of our food service moved from our grill to the pool’s outdoor dining area during the summer months,” he adds. “And the cabanas were reserved for just over 70% of their availability.”
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