Holiday Golf and Racquet Club will temporarily manage Bay Dunes GC in Panama City, Fla., while KemperSports will manage Fountains CC in Lake Worth, Fla., and Brown Golf Management added Rose Hill GC in Florence, S.C., to its portfolio.
Bay County Commissioners have tossed around several ideas regarding the fate of Bay Dunes Golf Club, the Panama City, Fla.-based WJHG NewsChannel 7 reported.
Commissioners previously had decided to shut down the Panama City, Fla., property on December 8, after the course’s operator Tony Ray failed to pay a bond that covers maintenance and repairs to the course, WJHG reported.
This week, commissioners passed an agreement between the county and Holiday Golf and Racquet Club to temporarily manage the course over the next three months. After several people came forward asking for an extension on keeping the course open, they decided to change the direction of management, WJHG reported.
“My hope is once we get some relatively concrete numbers at the same time we can go through the process of putting out a bid request for proposals and maybe some private entities, that would be the best of both worlds,” said Bay County Commissioner Guy Tunnell.
Tunnell said the county no longer wants to be in the golf business, and it’s going to take a tremendous amount of maintenance to get it up to an operational level most golfers would expect, WJHG reported.
After three months the county will readdress the issue and decide if they can keep it open as a public course or need to go in an entirely different direction, WJHG reported.
KemperSports has been selected to manage Fountains Country Club in Lake Worth, Fla. KemperSports, who was initially engaged to perform anoperations assessment, will oversee all aspects of the club’s extensive golf, tennis, fitness and dining amenities.
The club, which serves as the centerpiece of an 865-acre gated community, includes three 18-hole golf courses (North, South and West Championship layouts) designed by notable golf course architects Bruce Devlin and Robert von Hagge, recently renovated 45,000-sq. ft. clubhouse, 12 Har-Tru tennis courts and a state-of-the-art fitness center. The world-class fitness center offers nutrition counseling, private wellness instruction as well as a private class studio with aerobics, yoga and pilates instruction with massage and spa treatments available.
The golf courses have hosted qualifying events for the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour and the Allianz Championship on the Champions Tour. The course has also hosted numerous regional U.S. Open qualifiers.
“In today’s competitive market, it’s important for us to seek leadership from industry professionals,” said Board President Paul McGinn. “The Board and I are confident that KemperSports is the right partner to ensure the long-term health of our club.”
“We have enjoyed working with Fountains Country Club and are pleased to expand our relationship,” said KemperSports CEO Steve Skinner. “We look forward to enhancing the members’ experience at Fountains.”
Brown Golf Management has added Rose Hill Golf Club to its portfolio, the Florence, S.C., Morning News reported.
The management firm signed a five-year lease Tuesday with the Bluffton, S.C., property, according to John Brown, CEO of Brown Golf. He declined to give financial details. The Rose Hill Plantation Property Owners Association will still own the course, but Brown Golf will manage it and collect revenue, the Morning News reported.
The deal continues the company’s rapid expansion in Bluffton. Since 2011, Brown Golf has purchased Island West, Pinecrest, Eagle’s Pointe and Crescent Pointe golf clubs. Overall, it owns or manages 22 courses in six states, the Morning News reported.
“It’s a natural fit for us. We sit all around Rose Hill,” he said. “Now, our members will have 90 holes to choose from instead of 72.”
Rose Hill Golf Club has been managed by a private company since it was purchased by the owners association in 2007. Before that purchase, the course was closed for more than two years after the company that owned it filed for bankruptcy, the Morning News reported.
Brown said the owners made clear during negotiations they do not intend to sell the club to his company. However, he has talked with several clubs on Hilton Head Island that might sell to him, he said. He declined to say which ones, the Morning News reported.
“I would love to own a course or two on the island, so hopefully something can materialize,” he said.
Integrity Golf Company has been selected by the Town of Huntington, N.Y., to oversee its two golf facilities, Crab Meadow Golf Course and Dix Hills Park Short Course, effective January 1, 2015.
The announcement marks a new beginning for historic Crab Meadow, which is celebrating its 50 anniversary in 2015.
“It’s a privilege for our company to be partners with the Town of Huntington and their highly regarded pair of public golf facilities,” said Integrity Golf CEO Gene Garrote. “As someone with family ties to Long Island, it’s also a thrill to come home to an area I know well.”
Crab Meadow Golf Course, a par-72, 18-hole championship course designed by William F. Mitchell, is in Northport, N.Y. Featuring views of the Long Island Sound, Crab Meadow measures 6,598 yards from the blue tees and 5,658 yards from the forward red tees.
Dix Hills Golf Course is a nine-hole executive layout for golfers and families seeking an alternative golf experience. The picturesque par-31 layout stretches 1,930 yards from the back tees and 1,882 yards from the par-32 forward tees and offers a practice facility and pro shop.
“We are excited to enter into a new partnership with Integrity Golf for the management of both Crab Meadow and Dix Hills Park golf course properties,” said Huntington Supervisor Frank P. Petrone. “Integrity’s proposed capital investment coupled with its strong background in operating an extensive golf course portfolio will benefit our golfing public and taxpayers.”
Tell Us What You Think!
You must be logged in to post a comment.