Dong Raymond Ou signed a contract to purchase the West End, N.C., property in February and recently met with 200 members of the surrounding community to discuss ideas for the future. Through a separate LLC, Green Lotus Championship Golf Academy, Ou will target junior golfers from East Asia to use the property, and the restaurant will offer a menu featuring Italian and Japanese cuisine.
The new owner of Beacon Ridge Golf & Country Club in West End, N.C., plans to improve the course and its offerings, while also expanding marketing to a new demographic: East Asian junior golfers, the Southern Pines, N.C., Pilot reported.
On Sunday afternoon, Dong Raymond Ou met with approximately 200 members of the gated Seven Lakes West community, where the club is located, to discuss his ideas for the future, the Pilot reported.
The pending contract between longtime owner Don Billings and Ou had generated plenty of discussion over the last few weeks; however, the meeting was the first time club members and community residents had a chance to meet Ou. Specific terms of the purchase agreement were not disclosed, but Billings had previously announced it would be a cash sale, the Pilot reported.
“Mr. Ou demonstrated a significant passion for the game of golf and said he wanted to provide a platform for the members and the Seven Lakes community to enjoy the course and clubhouse. He also plans to create a very special place for children to learn the game,” said Jack Lattin, president of the Seven Lakes West Landowners Association (SLWLA) Board.
In 2016, Ou incorporated several new businesses under the Green Lotus name, including Green Lotus Sports, which is the entity that purchased Beacon Ridge. A separate LLC, Green Lotus Championship Golf Academy, will target junior golfers from East Asia, the Pilot reported.
General Manager Howard Cannon will continue to oversee day-to-day operations, and the management team includes Pro Shop Manager Greg Hall, Academy Director Mike Passmore, and Andrew Kelly, who will direct the club’s food-and-beverage services, the Pilot reported.
“He plans to have a world-class restaurant featuring fresh cuts of beef—never frozen—and a menu of Italian food and also Japanese cuisine,” Lattin said. “He also possibly may add a sports bar.”
Other anticipated improvements include work on the course’s greens and, eventually, replacing the existing Bent grass with Bermuda grass. The asphalt cart paths will be removed and several holes will be redesigned. In addition, short term plans include fixing the roof on the cart barn and shifting the golf pro shop to that building, plus upgrades to the clubhouse’s dining room, the Pilot reported.
Ou’s presentation emphasized his interest in building a good relationship with members and the community and he also spoke about wanting to add more activities. “Mr. Ou said, “Tell me your ideas, I want to hear them,” Lattin said.
“They are planning on working with the U.S. Kids Golf Academy and talked about setting up a junior golf team to participate in North Carolina and U.S. events,” Lattin said. “Another thing discussed was starting an after-school program for students to share experiences at the club, like planting flowers and cooking activities, with seniors in the community. It would be a youth social club that is a positive, healthy and friendly.”
Beacon Ridge features a par 72-course designed by Gene Hamm and a Mount Vernon-style clubhouse with a 100-seat formal dining room, bar and lounge areas, a newer fitness center, and a golf pro shop. Outside amenities include a pitch and sand practice area, a driving range with 12 hitting stations, three tournament-quality Har-Tru tennis courts, and a junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, the Pilot reported.
Billings and his wife, Rhonda, initially purchased the club from bankruptcy proceedings in 1990, and had made substantial investments in the property over the years. In February, Billings inked the contract with Ou, but the new owner’s lack of experience in owning or managing a golf course created some consternation within the community. There were also concerns raised about sustainability and long term viability for the club, and whether Ou’s previous business interests, including a lawsuit against another golf course in the Myrtle Beach area, were an issue, the Pilot reported.
“From my perspective he said all the rights things this this club needs. He spoke about revitalizing the course, renovating the buildings, and making some improvements that have been long put off,” Billings said. “I believe somebody in the audience asked how he planned to get (former) members to come back. He answered it would be by improving the club to make it a great experience.”
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