Matthew Creech has been in the golf industry since he was 14 years old—much of the time working for the Mayfield Sand Ridge Club in Northeast Ohio. He is now transitioning away from his role as General Manager and taking a new position as Owner-Operator of the Golf Dome in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

By Matthew Creech, PGA • General Manager, Mayfield Country Club and Sand Ridge Golf Club

Club + Resort Business: How long have you been at Mayfield-Sand Ridge?
Matt Creech: 31 years … I started at 14 years old as a caddie and worked up to the bag room, pro shop attendant and then interned at the club while in college working for Charlie Wood, PGA. After college I was hired on as an Assistant Golf Professional and received a well-rounded experience with a lot of teaching, merchandising and tournament operations experience. In 2005, after an exhaustive national search, I was named the Head Professional at Sand Ridge Golf Club. At this time I was the youngest Head Professional at a Golf Digest Top 100 Club. The following year, our two clubs—Mayfield CC and Sand Ridge Golf Club—had a historic merger, which continues to work well and provides the benefits of a dual club membership, but at a single due price structure.

C+RB: How long have you been General Manager? Role prior?
Creech: I started as Head Professional at Sand Ridge in 2005. In 2018 I also became the club’s General Manager and in 2020 I was given the additional duties of General Manager at both Mayfield CC and Sand Ridge Golf Club. It’s a pretty neat honor to be at two great clubs. 

C+RB: What sparked your interest in buying The Golf Dome in Chagrin Falls, Ohio?
Creech: The opportunities for coaching and player development. We want to be known as the top facility for coaching and development in the upper half of the state. With that goal in mind, we have added six PGA Professionals, five TrackMan Studios, a 700 sq. ft. putting green, a 1,000 sq. ft. TPI Fitness area, and a robust Junior Golf Program, which includes programming for 5-7 year olds and up, as well as an elite junior program.

C+RB: Describe the process in acquiring the property and getting it ready for reopening.
Creech: It was a good learning curve … I wanted to move fast, but these things take time with letters of intent, purchase agreements, building permits, lawyers, architects, etc.

I had great discussions with the prior ownership group, they loved my vision as it’s great for the local and surrounding community, and in particular families and youth players.

C+RB: Your wife is a golf professional, as well … What are her thoughts on the venture?
Creech: She is very supportive and naturally our co-owner. She thinks it has a lot of potential and shares the same vision with youth and player development. [Chagrin Falls] is a terrific area which we think we’ll see a lot of growth in the years to come.

C+RB: What are your plans for the property?
Creech: Continual reinvestment … We also own a great 18-hole Putt-Putt course, batting cages, a baseball field and 14-room movie theater that sit on the 26-acre property. Over the next 12 months we plan to add additional TrackMan Studios, re-carpet the Putt-Putt course, and turf the baseball field so that it may be used all the time from Spring to Fall.

C+RB: What are your club members saying?
Creech: Our club members have been very supportive. I have built so many great relationships over the years and they are very happy for me as they see me taking the next/additional step in my career.

C+RB: Any plans to “commingle” activities between the club and Golf Dome?
Creech: Yes, for the short term. I will stay on as the club’s General Manager for the first half of the year and then transition to more of an ambassador/support role. In this role I will still be visible around the club, perhaps even practicing and playing, but also continuing to drive members and events to the club. This is something we were extremely successful with over the past two years as we added over 300 members in the past two years.

C+RB: How has your experience as a Head Golf Professional and General Manager helped you in this new role as business owner?
Creech: There is no doubt that these helped shape me …. Namely customer service, building great rapport and relationships with members, guests, vendors, and staff. Also, the management side and continual review of budgets and monthly financials has given me a great understanding of cash flow, and what’s needed to maintain and stay profitable.