Jencess Software Establishes Augusta Office
Jencess Software, a leading provider of golf and club solutions, has opened a regional office in Augusta, Ga., to service the growing demand for Jencess golf and club management solutions in the southeastern United States.
The Augusta office expands Jencess’ ability to offer local sales and support services to its fast growing base of customers and prospects in the region. Augusta joins the Jencess’ U.S. offices in Boston, Chicago and San Francisco along with other offices worldwide.
Troon Golf Expands in Wisconsin Troon Golf has gained the management contract for Kenosha Country Club, a private golf club in Kenosha, Wis.
A Donald J. Ross design from 1922, Kenosha Country Club was founded in 1898 and relocated to its current location in 1920. Considered one of the finest courses in Wisconsin, the club has appeared on top 10 lists of leading golf publications.
Mature trees line the bluegrass fairways of this magnificent course, and the winding Pike River lends character and beauty for a unique country club experience. The hilly terrain offers a challenge for golfers at all levels. Long considered the signature hole and “one of the toughest golf holes in Wisconsin” is the 430-yard 15th. Named Waterloo, it plays from an elevated tee and players must cross the Pike River.
ClubCorp Teams with Pulte Homes
ClubCorp has entered into a development and acquisition agreement with Pulte Homes of Delaware Valley to develop Applecross Country Club in East Brandywine Township, Chester County, about 35 miles west of Philadelphia.
Along with the first Nicklaus Design golf course in the Philadelphia area, the club will feature a 22,000-square-foot clubhouse and a 19,000-square-foot community sports center that will include exercise facilities, an indoor and outdoor pool, and two outdoor tennis courts. In addition, an existing barn will be converted into an indoor basketball court and a golf cart storage facility. Construction on the golf course is slated to begin in spring 2006.
KemperSports to Manage Westbury Country Club
Ocean Atlantic, a leading private real estate development firm based in Washington, D.C., recently selected KemperSports as the project developer, construction and operations manager of Westbury Country Club. The 18-hole club will headline a collection of first-class amenities and recreation within Westbury Village, a master-planned residential and golf community located 55 miles southwest of Chicago in Yorkville, Ill.
The golf course will be surrounded by a village center along with five residential villages comprising approximately 4,000 units. Recreational amenities, including multiple community clubhouses, indoor and outdoor pools, formal and informal dining, a state-of-the-art fitness center, spa and wellness center, tennis club and various children’s facilities, will be spread throughout the large-scale private community.
KemperSports will plan and develop Westbury Country Club, working closely with golf course architecture firm Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest and Associates.
Forewinds to Manage Deerfield Club
Delaware has announced the appointment of Forewinds Hospitality LLC as the management company chosen to take over the operation of Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club. Located in Newark, Del., the 18-hole daily-fee golf club and four-court tennis club, led by general manager Jeff Andrews, opened to the public April 14 under the new Forewinds Management team.
Chosen through an RFP process, Forewinds will manage all aspects of the facility operations on behalf of the state of Delaware, owners of the property. Forewinds Hospitality was chosen as the candidate that best demonstrated the capability to maintain and operate the facility in a manner commensurate with other premier facilities in the region.
Forewinds Hospitality is the hospitality division of one of America’s largest real estate acquisition and property management firms—Sawyer Realty Holdings LLC, a privately held acquisition and management firm based in Needham, Mass. and College Park, Md. They specialize in the acquisition and revitalization of premier private and public golf clubs, restaurants, hotels and resorts. Under state ownership and managed by Forewinds Hospitality, Deerfield will operate as a premier public golf course with membership options. Golf and tennis are offered with special rates to Delaware residents.
Arysta Acquires BASF Assets
Arysta LifeScience North America Corp. and BASF Corp. have completed the transaction in which Arysta has acquired major assets of Micro Flo Co. from BASF Corp. The acquisition will significantly broaden the scope of Arysta LifeScience’s North American sales operations and create a strategic position in the U.S. crop protection segment.
With sales of around $4 billion in 2005, BASF’s Agricultural Products division is a leader in crop protection and a strong partner to the farming industry providing well-established and innovative fungicides, insecticides and herbicides. Farmers use these products and services to improve crop yields and crop quality. Other uses include public health, structural-urban pest control, turf and ornamental plants, vegetation management and forestry.
ClubCorp to Manage Harbor Station
KSI Services Inc. and ClubCorp have entered into an agreement for Dallas-based ClubCorp to manage the Harbor Station Golf Club. Located within KSI’s Harbor Station resort community, situated on the Potomac River in Prince William County, Va. The club will feature a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, which is currently under construction and due to open in 2007. The deal also includes management of the premier Harbor Station Sports Club.
Harbor Station is a mixed-use resort community bordered by Powell’s Creek to the north, the Potomac River to the east and Quantico Creek to the south. The golf course will be available to owners of the 4,000 new homes as well as guests of the luxury hotel, conference center and spa. Other resort amenities include a destination town center, Virginia Railway Express rail station, 350-slip yacht basin and marina village plus two million square feet of office, retail and civic development.
ClubCorp will manage the club facilities at Harbor Station, which include the golf course, 35,000-square-foot clubhouse and 15,000 square foot sports club. The clubhouse offers a variety of formal and casual dining options, banquet facilities and a pro shop. The sports club is comprised of indoor and outdoor pools, tennis courts, yoga studio, workout area with cardio and circuit training equipment, juice bar, social areas and other amenities.
The course is planned to open in spring 2007, with the club opening in September 2007.
Devant Acquires Sir Christopher Hatton
Devant Sport Towels, a leading manufacturer of high quality custom and licensed sport towels, has acquired of Altadena, Calif.-based Sir Christopher Hatton Inc., the largest supplier of custom jacquard woven towels. As part of the announcement—which forms the largest overall manufacturer of golf, sports and beach towels—all products currently manufactured by Sir Christopher Hatton will immediately inherit the Sir Christopher Hatton by Devant brand name and be sold through the Devant sales force.
The uniting of the Sir Christopher Hatton and Devant portfolios of products will enable the company to improve efficiencies while continuing to provide personalized service to existing customers and making way for new customers to experience the heritage and quality of both brands.
Hot Stix Golf Adds $6 Million Equity, Reorganizes A majority of interest in Hot Stix Golf, Hot Stix Mobile and Hot Stix Technologies, privately held Arizona companies, was recently purchased by StormWind Ventures LLC for an undisclosed amount. StormWind Ventures is owned and operated by a trio of Arizona entrepreneurs—Tim Crown and Eric Crown, founders of Insight Enterprises, and Tom Graunke, founder of Mastering Computers and KnowledgeNet.
Under the new management, Mark Timms, the founder of Hot Stix Golf, Mobile and Technologies, will remain as president of Hot Stix Technologies, leading all research and development. Graunke has assumed the position of chairman for all three Hot Stix companies.
As part of the reorganization, Chris Dragon, who was a founding member of KnowledgeNet and CIO at Thomson NETg, has become Hot Stix Mobile president. Doug Blouin was named vice president of business development for Hot Stix Golf.
Jamie Glass was selected as vice president of marketing for Hot Stix Golf, Mobile & Technologies. Jodi Juretich is the new vice president of finance for Hot Stix Golf, Mobile & Technologies. The new position of vice president of sales for Hot Stix Technologies was filled by Hot Stix veteran Michael Helfrich.
Sponsorship, Promotions & Special Recognition
ClubCorp Members Give Back to USO On behalf of ClubCorp, Frank Fahrenkopf, chairman of the board of governors at the City Club of Washington, presented a $19,500 check to United Service Organizations (USO) president and CEO Edward A. Powell Jr. during a reception April 13. The funds, raised during ClubCorp’s annual Lobster Feast, will be used to support USO programs and services for military personnel and their families.
More than 160 ClubCorp private clubs participated in the event this year, serving more than 6,500 lobsters and donating $3 of the cost of each meal served. Lobster Feast began in 1992 as a way to help victims of Hurricane Andrew and has donated event proceeds to charitable organizations over the years. To date, Lobster Feast has raised more than $180,000 for various charities.
Shadow Wood Club Attains Environmental Excellence Shadow Wood Country Club in Bonita Springs, Fla., has been designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary by the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System, the educational division of Audubon International.
The country club is the centerpiece of Shadow Wood, a traditional country club community in The Brooks, with two championship golf courses as well as a third course in Shadow Wood Preserve, a master-planned community in South Lee County being developed by The Bonita Bay Group.
Kenyon Kyle, CGCS, director of golf course operations, led the effort to obtain sanctuary status on the courses which are being recognized for environmental stewardship.
“Shadow Wood Country Club has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Shawn Williams, staff ecologist for the New York-based Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Programs. For more information, visit www.shadowwood.com.
Staff Appointments & Promotions
OB Sports Golf Management has promoted Tom Christy to vice president of construction and agronomy.
Pronghorn, a private golf community in the Pacific Northwest, has appointed Jennifer Fisher superintendent of the new Tom Fazio Championship Golf Course at Pronghorn scheduled to open to Pronghorn members in August 2006.
Marriott Golf has promoted Charles Sheppard to head golf professional and Donald Moyer to the tournament coordinator/golf shop supervisor at Marriott’s Grande Pines Golf Club, in Orlando, Fla. Brett Meabon has been promoted to director of golf at Shadow Ridge Golf Club, Palm Desert, Calif.
Jeffrey Jones has been named club cottage manager at the National Golf Club in Southern Pines, N.C.
Castle & Cooke has named Al Martell as vice president of golf properties at The Experience of Koele and The Challenge at Manele, located on the Hawaiian island of Lanai.
Kenny Gilbert has been appointed executive chef at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club & Spa, Jupiter, Fla.
Eagle Creek Golf Club in south Orlando, Fla., has named Josh Czarnecki as its new golf course superintendent.
The Seabrook Island Club (S.C.) has hired Brian Thelan as head golf professional.
Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas, has hired Olivier Glattfelder as the resort’s new rooms division manager.
The Equinox Resort & Spa in Manchester, Vt., has appointed Joan McDonald to head golf professional of The Gleneagles Golf Course at The Equinox.
Greg Muirhead, a Montclair, N.J.-based golf course architect, was elected president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) at the organization’s recent 60th Annual Meeting in Pinehurst, N.C.
Ken Melrose, retired chairman and CEO of The Toro Co., has been named to the advisory council for The Environmental Institute for Golf.
New Course Openings & Renovations
Los Valles Holds Groundbreaking
A groundbreaking was held recently for Los Valles Golf Club, the first Arnold Palmer Signature course in greater Los Angeles.
The 18-hole, par 71 has 6,700 yards designed over varied canyon and meadow terrain. Construction will begin later this spring and completion is set for March 2008. The course will also feature a practice green, driving range and clubhouse. The Club will offer private memberships and be open to public access.
Planned for 209 home sites, custom lots range in price from $600,000 to more than $1 million. Los Valles is a family-centered development, defined by the majestic hillsides, a system of both equestrian and hiking trails, generous open space, neighborhood parks and a recreational complex that will feature tennis courts, high-end swim and athletic club and a children’s recreational area. Memberships will begin at $45,000. For more information, visit www.LosVallesLife.com.
Kaanapali North Course Undergoing Major Renovation
Kaanapali Golf Courses, a Billy Casper Golf-managed property on Maui, Hawaii, has announced the historic Tournament North Course is undergoing a number of layout renovations and will reopen for play in November.
Part of a two-year, $13 million investment to enhance Kaanapali’s courses and golf facilities, Robin Nelson—a designer with more than 30 courses in Hawaii to his credit—is overseeing the work on the North course. Last year, Nelson completed a successful re-design of Kaanapali’s Resort South Course.
While the North course is closed, players can enjoy the South, which boasts a new array of strategically placed bunkers, contoured fairways and re-shaped and resurfaced greens.
Phase I of this multi-million dollar project began with the renovation of the Resort South Course in April 2005.
Trump to Build Scottish Golf Resort
Donald Trump plans to design and build a spectacular golf development on an 800-acre stretch of stunning sand dunes at Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire, in the northeast part of Scotland.
The Trump Organization, which already has $200 million invested in the U.S. golf industry, is in the preliminary stages of a planning application to build the multi-million-dollar project located just minutes outside Aberdeen, and close to world renowned links courses such as Cruden Bay, Royal Aberdeen and Murcar.
The development, which will be known as Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, will be comprised of two championship golf courses, a five-star hotel with associated facilities, a state-of-the-art golf academy and a turfgrass research center. The development will also include a mixed-use residential element.
The courses will be designed in conjunction with Tom Fazio, nephew of legendary golf course architect Tom Fazio, and his firm, Tom Fazio II LLC. The land has been acquired, and planning and permitting is underway. Work is scheduled to begin by September 2006, with a course opening scheduled for spring 2008.
Lederach Golf Club Opens
Lederach Golf Club, the championship layout designed by course architect Kelly Blake Moran, opened for play April 8, satisfying great anticipation for a tournament-caliber routing centrally-located for players throughout eastern Pennsylvania.
The course measures 7,023 yards and has three other sets of tees, as well as teeing grounds on each hole for juniors to encourage more youngsters to take up the game. Guarding Lederach’s bentgrass fairways and greens are a host of fescues, bluestems and Indian switchgrasses. The course also has an enormous driving range.
Municipally-owned by Lower Salford Township and managed by Billy Casper Golf, the course is competitively priced and offers preferred rates for residents, junior and senior players.
