Digital newsletters allow clubs to disseminate information with greater speed and ease than ever before, all at a minimal expense. The challenge is getting members to actually read it.
Breaking News
Through its Kids Newscast, Champions Run is spreading the word about its youth events by putting kids front and center.
From the Inside
High-tech indoor golf practice and teaching facilities allow members of all abilities to see the game in a new light.
Cultivating Effective Turf Strategies
Club and resort properties are improving the conditions and playability of their golf courses with major regrassing projects.
Contract Mishap Puts Cedar Crest GC on the Ropes
A renovation of the Dallas golf course planned for this year that would have closed the property during its seven busiest months was put off when the city auditor discovered that the park and recreation department mishandled the contract. The delay cost the golf course business, while the greens and driving range continue to suffer.
Town of Cary, N.C. Relaxes Noise Rules for Golf Courses
Mowers and other lawn maintenance equipment will now be able to start at 7 a.m. on weekends during the fall and winter, two hours earlier than a previous ordinance, and at 6 a.m. in the spring and summer. The issue became controversial after a resident claimed he was harassed for speaking out against the change, a charge that Prestonwood CC denied.
Resident Claims Harassment Over Golf Course Noise Issue
An ordinance in Cary, N.C., that would allow golf courses to begin mowing as early as 6 a.m. is being considered by the town council, but resident Bob Butler says he has been harassed for speaking out against the proposal.
ClubCorp Gets Bullish Endorsement from Barron’s
“With a balance sheet in good shape,” the weekly financial publication wrote in a “Sizing Up Small Caps” article, “there’s no reason to doubt that [ClubCorp CEO Eric Affeldt] can keep hitting it straight down the fairway.”
John Deere Golf, First Tee Set Careers on Course Schedule for 2015
The program, which provides hands-on experience and leadership skills for teenage participants to help them prepare for a career in golf course management, includes “shadowing” opportunities with superintendents around PGA Tour events.
No Grown Ups Allowed
In response to member and guest requests, more club and resort properties are introducing a new generation of kiddie zones.
ClubCorp to Retire $270M in Debt
The Dallas-based owner and operator of private clubs plans to pay off $270 million of principal in senior notes, saving $14 million in net interest each year. The payment will be made May 11 with a $350 million lower-interest loan that is scheduled to mature in 2020, easing the company’s financial future and freeing up capital.
ClubCorp Posts $60M Revenue Increase
The private club owner-operator announced financial results for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, including the 8% revenue increase, $26 million spent on reinvention capital, and a total membership increase of 2,037, or 1.4%. One of the firm’s most recent acquisitions was of Prestonwood CC in Dallas, for which ClubCorp drew $11.2 million from a credit line to make the purchase, with plans for $5 million in improvements.
ClubCorp Acquires Prestonwood CC
The Dallas, Texas club features two 18-hole golf courses, each with its own clubhouse, and ClubCorp “plans to invest in a multimillion-dollar renovation project that will include improvements to member dining areas, both golf courses and family amenities.” Prestonwood has been involved in a water dispute with the city over the irrigation source for its Plano golf course, and the owners announced that they would sell the property last week.
Owners to Sell Prestonwood CC After Water Dispute
The Miller family, which has owned the Dallas, Texas club for about 36 years, is selling the property to an undisclosed buyer in a deal scheduled to close on March 3. Earlier this month, the club offered to pay the city $50,000 and give it the right of way to build a wastewater pipeline under its golf course following allegations that the club diverted city-owned water to irrigate its second golf course in Plano, Texas.
Prestonwood CC Offers Dallas $50,000 in Settlement
The club, whose main property is in Dallas while its The Hills golf course is in Plano, Texas, is offering to pay the city as part of a settlement of allegations that it improperly diverted city-owned water to irrigate The Hills. A previous agreement between the parties grants the city the right of way on an easement at the club’s main golf course to build a wastewater pipeline.