Accommodating the distinct needs of club members and guests of all ages keeps pool areas bustling.
While lounging by a glistening pool on a hot summer day has long been a favorite American pastime, there is now a certain expectation for pool areas to be more dynamic. As such, clubs and resorts are recognizing opportunities to turn these spaces into social centers on their properties.
Well-positioned pools can not only add a valuable aesthetic benefit to a property, they can also be a strong draw for those ever-elusive family memberships that many properties are trying to attract.
Summing It Up
• Adding an aesthetically appealing pool setting satisfies current members while enticing new member families. |
“You have to find ways to increase the worth of your memberships,” says Robert Reynolds, Club Manager of Woodland Country Club in Carmel, Ind. “Adding and improving amenities like a pool will make your club more inviting and more valuable from a social membership standpoint—and that is very important.”
Appealing to All
Like many properties, The Lodge & Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., has seen its membership diversify as more families enter the mix. To appeal to its changing demographics while still serving non-family members, the club renovated its previous lap pool into a family-friendly water oasis that still has a separate area for lap swimming and exercise.
“We have a large membership of 2,000 at The Lodge & Club,” says Dale Haney, President of Gate Hospitality Group, which owns the property. “We needed to make a change to accommodate the demands of our membership.”
The club met the distinct needs of adults, children and families with a new pool that offers something for everyone. The newly renovated free-form pool is zero-entry, with a 20-foot slide and splash features for the kids. At the same time, it has four designated lap lanes in their own separate area.
The new pool also has a large deck, with seating for about 150 people. This space offers plenty of room for families and individuals alike to enjoy the outdoors together. The pool deck is comprised of state-of-the-art pavers made of compressed concrete that contains shell fragments. The pavers are not as porous as other pool decking, making them more resistant to common poolside spills, such as sunscreen and drinks.
The Lodge & Club’s deck is set up with high-end, swing-back lounge chairs and side tables, along with round four-tops and picnic tables for dining. Large umbrellas and palm trees throughout the space provide much-needed shade to the entire deck area.
When it came time to plan the food-and-beverage operations at the pool, the club decided to try something off the beaten path. “We have a custom-built food trailer that sits on the deck and serves cocktails and a variety of lunch items, like sandwiches and fish tacos,” says Haney. “It adds character to the pool area and has a kind of retro style to it.”
The Barefoot Bistro is also significantly simpler to manage operationally. “It is a really easy venue to open and close as needed,” says Haney. “It gave us more flexibility, and it has been really well-received.”
A Smoother Process
Launching a pool project can be a long, costly process. Here are some tips for tackling your pool renovation with finesse: |
In addition to meeting member needs for a family-friendly space, the pool and pool deck added another event venue to the property. The Lodge & Club now utilizes the pool area for cocktail receptions and coffee breaks during conferences.
Overall, the new pool has added to the property’s success, Haney says. While the club had a large existing membership prior to opening the new pool, 2015 was its best year ever in terms of new-member sales. “There were a lot of different components involved, but I’m sure the pool played a major role,” says Haney.
Further, the club has seen a 15% increase in food-and-beverage revenue, which can be credited to the food trailer and increased poolside event opportunities.
Focusing on Family
As clubs and resorts continue efforts to draw in more young families, the pool is often an effective way to meet that goal. That objective was the catalyst for the pool renovation at Woodland Country Club. “Four years ago, we started doing focus groups and surveys with our membership, to find out what we can do to better the club and the club facility,” says Reynolds. “There are a lot of families around here, and we wanted to become the family club of Carmel.”
The focus groups and surveys revealed that members wanted a more dynamic pool area. Specific features that were cited as desirable included foodservice with healthier options, more shade, gathering areas for parents to hang out, Wi-Fi access and a fitness center.
Prior to the larger pool-area renovation, the club updated the pool itself with a new liner and new surfacing, which helped from both aesthetic and functional standpoints.
During the renovation, the club added a kid-friendly splash pad to meet member demands for more family-friendly pool amenities. Additionally, the club added a poolside restaurant with an indoor, air-conditioned seating area, a television and plenty of space for families to take a break from the sun. There is also a covered area with seating on the pool deck. In addition to day-to-day dining, the club also utilizes this new space for pool events and cookouts.
These added amenities have not only increased member satisfaction, they have helped to increase club usage and revenue. Specifically, food-and-beverage sales have doubled, due in large part to the poolside restaurant.
Further, the pool has helped to boost the overall aesthetics of the property. “Prior to this renovation, the area was tired-looking,” says Reynolds. “It is now a much more attractive area of the club, and it has definitely helped us meet our goal of being a family club.”
Worth the Wait
Although Tetherow Golf Club in Bend, Ore., opened in 2009 without a pool facility, club leadership knew from the get-go that a pool would be built when the club was ready for one. “We didn’t want to have a pool that was underutilized; we didn’t want it to be empty,” says Chris van der Velde, Managing Partner/General Manager. “It is hard to break even on an amenity like a pool if you don’t have enough people using it.”
Making An Old Pool New AgainHaving modern aquatic amenities with options for the whole family can be a big factor when members are making enrollment or renewal decisions. However, if clubs are saddled with an older conventional pool that makes it difficult to compete with other aquatic facilities in the area, all is not lost. For 35%-50% of the cost of an all-new facility, specialty aquatic design/build firms can reconfigure existing pool areas into like-new modern aquatic facilities, complete with as many waterslides and play features as your budget will allow.Rehabbing tired pool facilities saves money for clubs in two ways: The firms typically have in-house design departments, saving significant design costs. And by creatively reusing as much of the existing infrastructure as possible, a lot more project can be built for the same dollar. |
Instead, the new club focused on growing its membership. And grow it did. Today, the club is five times larger than when it opened. Tetherow has 330 social members, with numbers continuing to increase—and those members are now ready for a pool.
The club is currently in the midst of building a pool and adjacent recreation center, with the goal of having these amenities up and running for the summer 2016 season. The project was kicked off with a member survey that yielded an impressive 63% response rate. “We used SurveyMonkey and asked members about all of the things they wanted in a pool and recreation center,” says van der Velde.
The club then used the survey results to plan the amenities. Additionally, it found design inspiration in the natural beauty of Bend. “Bend is often compared to a smaller Aspen; we have great skiing and great outdoor activities like mountain biking, rafting and fishing,” says van der Velde. “At the pool, we tried to maximize the natural beauty of the area.”
The 25-yard lap pool will face the southeast, looking directly at the Mount Bachelor mountain range and ski resort. Landscaping throughout the pool area will be used to further enhance the picturesque setting.
Mirroring the surrounding mountainous terrain, the pool deck is designed with a number of different levels of elevation. Two to three raised platforms will sit about a foot above the pool deck, set up with outdoor dining tables and chairs. The pool will also house four to six cabanas, all with sunshades that can be opened or closed with a louver system. High-end loungers, tables, and chairs will complete the pool area’s overall look and feel.
The pool center will also feature a poolside café that will serve breakfast, bakery items and coffee in the mornings, and salads, sandwiches and smoothies in the afternoons. In the evenings, the café may be used as a wine and tapas bar. The café will have outdoor seating (on the elevated patios) and about three fire pits.
As Tetherow GC’s members anticipate the pool opening this summer, the club is working tirelessly to create a pool experience that will be worth the wait.
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