05-2010 Troon Report

Corporate News – May 2010
TROON GOLF LAUNCHES NEW TROON FAMILY GOLF PROGRAM
Juniors play for free after 3 p.m. and receive complimentary Callaway rentals with a full paying adult
In April, Troon Golf proudly launched the new Troon Family Golf program, making the game more accessible to junior golfers and their families at
participating Troon Golf facilities throughout the United States.
Troon Golf is making a conscious effort to lead the way with introducing juniors to the game of golf in a simple and affordable way. Through the
Troon Family Golf program juniors play for free after 3 p.m. at more than 60 Troon Golf facilities when playing with a paying adult. Each junior also
receives complimentary Callaway® rental clubs to use during their round. The offer is that simple and is available 365 days a year.
“Troon Golf is excited to team up with Callaway to help grow the game with junior golfers throughout the country,” stated John Easterbrook,
executive vice president of operations, Troon Golf. “Troon Family Golf will give young players the opportunity to experience our fabulous golf
courses 365 days a year, creating lasting memories for them and their families.”
“The Troon Family Golf Program is a very innovative and forward thinking initiative, and one that Callaway is extremely proud to be part of,” stated
Joe Urzetta, senior vice president of U.S. sales, Callaway Golf.
Guests can book their round as a family by contacting their favorite Troon Golf facility or calling 1.888.TROON U.S. and mentioning the Troon
Family Golf program. The offer is based on availability and juniors are defined as golfers 15 years of age and under.
ARIZONA
Talking Stick Golf Club – Scottsdale
The 8th annual University of Wyoming
Cowboy Classic event was played at the club
April 5-6. The Wyoming Cowboys closed out
the tournament by posting their best team round
of the 2010 season. The 24 teams made it the
largest Cowboy Classic to date.
Brian Kolehma, head golf professional along
with Chad Rogers and Doug Brooke, teaching
professionals, taught 21 kids from the Salt
River Pima Maricopa Indian Community on
April 20. Kids learned everything from preswing fundamentals to short game basics.
The food & beverage department hosted
their Four Peaks Barbecue and Beer Tasting
event in April. The sold out event included
night golf contests, entertainment and raffle
prizes.
The department also represented
Talking
Stick
at
the Salt
River
Elementary Career Fair. Information was
presented to students giving them a picture of
possible opportunities for them in the future.
Troon North Golf Club – Scottsdale
The month of April was quite robust as the
weather began to turn the corner for the better.
FACILITY NEWS
The men’s club held their Member Guest event
which was quite a success. Patrick French,
assistant golf professional, did a great job
spearheading the men’s member guest event.
The ladies ended the month with their club
championship. As in recent years, the
championship was highly contested down to
the last hole.
Classic Club hosted the Palm Springs
Boxing Club’s fundraising event on April 9 and
the California State University San Bernardino
Palm Desert Campus fundraising event on
April 19. Both events were huge successes in
raising money for their organizations, which
continues to show Classic Club’s commitment
to holding the facility for charitable purposes.
Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass –
Chandler
April was a steady month at Whirlwind
where the greens were rolling just over 11 on
the stimpmeter.
New to the Whirlwind Troon Experience is
the option for players to be stretched out before
they play. Guests can now benefit from a
stretch therapist who will help loosen tightened
backs and muscles before they play.
Indian Wells Golf Resort – Indian Wells
The Senior Masters Golf Tournament was
held at the resort. The four-day event featured
116 of the top senior amateur players from
around the world.
The facility had a tremendous response after
launching the Troon Family Golf Program.
There were many families who took advantage
of the offer during their spring break vacations.
The program has really helped the twilight
rounds at the course.
CALIFORNIA
Classic Club – Palm Desert
Diane Plichta, charitable sales & marketing
manager, Christine Paxton, catering & sales
manger, and Gregg Monette, executive chef,
did a fantastic job representing Classic Club’s
Bellatrix Restaurant at the El Paseo Fashion
Week and Taste of Palm Springs events.
El Macero Country Club – El Macero
El Macero is working with Audubon
International in an effort to point the club
toward a more environmentally-sound future.
Dustin Strickland, superintendent, and the golf
maintenance team are restoring natural areas,
limiting chemical treatments and building
shelters for bird species. A recent survey from
Audubon International counted 40 species of
birds and five mammal species on the property.
The food & beverage team, led by clubhouse
manager Kevin Robinson and executive chef
Matt Newton reached a milestone for the 2009
fiscal year. The club’s F&B department turned
a small profit, a first-time feat in the 48-year
history of the club. When Troon Golf arrived
at El Macero, F&B was losing $225,000
per year. A turnaround to profitability is
truly an amazing accomplishment.
Monarch Beach Golf Links – Dana Point
Monarch Beach is buzzing as the summer
season rolls in. The facility welcomes its new
owners and their drive to improve the golf
course and facility. The staff is eager to exceed
their expectations and create a valuable
partnership.
April brought some much needed showers to
Southern California and also a 7.2 Baja
earthquake to shake things up.
The golf course hosted a number of events in
April including a charity event for the Boys and
Girls Club.
COLORADO
The Ridge at Castle Pines North – Castle Pines
North
The Ridge at Castle Pines North successfully
coordinated a wine tasting with the chamber of
commerce to benefit local charities. One
hundred people attended to enjoy French wine
and paired hors d’oeuvres.
April 21 kicked off the first “Ladies Day”
event of the season. Twenty-eight ladies
attended the 9-hole event, which concluded
with an appetizer buffet and cocktails in the
clubhouse.
CONNECTICUT
Lake of Isles – North Stonington
Lake of Isles opened for the season on April
1 and has been gearing for a busy golf season.
Members and staff recently got together to play
in the annual Member Staff Scramble and
everyone had a great time.
FLORIDA
The Golf Club at Del Webb – Ave Maria
The Club Championships were a success
again this year as the event crowned its first
repeat champion. The club is also serving as the
host facility for The First Tee of Immokalee for
the third year in a row.
The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa –
Hallandale Beach
The Diplomat played host to two exciting
events last month. On April 17 the professional
staff hosted over 350 participants from
Panasonic in a Night Putting Contest. The
putting green was transformed into a night light
miniature golf course.
The “Women on Course” event took place
on April 24 with a two-hour beginner golf
clinic. The participants were business
professionals from the Miami/Ft. Lauderdale
area who are interested in using golf to
network. They all had a great time and ensured
the staff they would be back for more clinics
and private instruction.
MINNESOTA
Rochester Golf & Country Club - Rochester
From June 21-26, the club will host the
Women's Western Amateur. The event is in its
110th year and is the one of the longest running
women's amateur event in the United States.
Such LPGA stars as Christy Kerr, Patty Berg,
Grace Park and Nancy Lopez are past
champions.
NEW JERSEY
Seaview Resort & Spa – Atlantic City
April is the beginning of the golf season in
Southern New Jersey, which started off with a
bang. Course preparations for the LPGA
Shoprite Classic are underway on the Bay golf
course and the maintenance staff has been hard
at work cleaning the golf courses for the
upcoming season.
Seaview Golf Resort recently hosted the
International Junior Golf Tournament, a two
day event with over 100 junior participants as
well as the New Jersey PGA Pro-Pro event,
which brought 100 of the best club
professionals to the facility.
NORTH CAROLINA
St. James Plantation – Southport
The eGolf Professional Tour’s inaugural
Championship was held at St. James Plantation
in April. Each player in the 194-person field
played for $222,951 in prize money and
thoroughly enjoyed the hospitality and
community amenities of St. James Plantation.
Three-time Canadian amateur champion
Richard Scott of St. Simons Island, Ga. carded
a final-round 70 to claim a one-shot victory.
The eGolf Tour is the No. 3 tour in the United
States and helps prepare players for Q-School,
while allowing the opportunity to earn prize
money along the way.
Special thanks are extended to the staff for
their hard work and to the members for
allowing the eGolf Tour to use their facilities
for the week.
PENNSYLVANIA
Colonial Golf & Tennis Club – Harrisburg
The club recently enjoyed the opportunity to
have Marisa Fallone, Troon Golf’s food &
beverage marketing manager, to the property.
Marisa is helping Colonial with new menu
designs and marketing materials for its
restaurant and banquet events.
Colonial hosted its first open house for
prospective members. The event was a great
success and produced two new members that
day, with several others committing to join in
the following weeks. Since March 1, an
astounding 40 new members have joined
Colonial along with 23 upgrades. John Brown,
membership & group sales director has
achieved something few can boast about in
such a difficult economy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Associate of the Year
El Macero Country Club – Calif. Katie Olson,
property accountant: Katie's work ethic, drive
for accuracy, and consistent kindness to
members and staff alike helped her earn this
honorable title.
Associate of the Quarter
Classic Club – Calif. Drury Blair, golf shop
attendant and Adolfo Munoz, irrigator.
Colonial Country Club – Fla. Daniel Hatcher,
assistant golf professional (front of house),
Alfredo Canarte, banquet cook (heart of
house), Brad Jenkins, executive chef.
The Golf Club at Del Webb – Fla. Bianca
Reyes.
Indian Wells Golf Resort – Calif. Steve
Garnica.
Lake of Isles – Conn. Katie Francolino,
associate golf professional: Katie has excelled
with her new job responsibilities and is always
willing to help members, guests and fellow
associates with anything they need.
El Macero Country Club – Calif. Ben Smythe,
bartender (front of house): Ben's outgoing
nature and helpful attitude make him the
obvious choice this quarter. Marcos Sanchez,
groundskeeper (back of house): Marcos has
earned a place on the full-time maintenance
team through his hard work and helpful
demeanor.
Associate of the Month
Classic Club – Calif. Luis Amaya, lead busser
and Rufino Linares, landscaper.
The Golf Club at Del Webb – Fla. Felix Diaz
and Valerie Rago: Both associates are quality
team members and take initiative in there
respective work areas.
Monarch Beach Golf Links – Calif. Corrie
Sternquist.
The Revere Golf Club – Nev. Kevin Phillips,
outside services.
Southern Dunes Golf Club – Ariz. Alejandro
Lopez, golf course maintenance; Nathan
Smith, golf operations.
Troon North Golf Club – Ariz. Lucas
Rodriguez and Pedro Reyes: Both are
important assets to the kitchen staff and
continue to amaze everyone with their
hospitality to guests and co-workers alike.
Jose’s professionalism and stability have
brought him to this promotion.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa – Ariz.
Kevin Crawley, sales attendant: Kevin has
shown great respect for the golf business. He is
not afraid to ask questions about anything
pertaining to the work environment and is very
friendly with the members and resort guests.
Rochester Golf & Country Club – Minn.
Kendra Eide from server to bar manager:
Kendra has been the face of the service staff at
the club for over seven years and everyone is
excited for her to take on this new role.
On the Spot Award
Lake of Isles – Conn. Diane Cardon.
Troon Experience Award
Classic Club – Calif. Anna DeLeon: For
creativity in the kitchen; Davey Snyder,
associate golf professional: For going above
and beyond during a difficult guest situation;
Bart Vandersnick, outside service supervisor:
For taking initiative; Chris Martinez,
greenskeeper: For his suggestion of an
innovative best practice idea; Scott Melland,
intern: For going above and beyond in
cleaning.
The Ridge at Castle Pines North – Colo. David
Tyler Freilinger, golf course maintenance: For
taking the concept of teamwork to the next
level; Darcy Sell, Braden Huntley, Tina
Feska and Dillion Graybeal, restaurant
staff: For cleaning and organizing work and
storage areas which help improve efficiency
and maintain the quality of the clubs assets;
Deena Dent, beverage cart operator: For
picking up trash on the course during her
rounds on the beverage cart; CJ Greenwell,
Kim Brazile, Joey Costello, Greg Goecker:
For taking apart the halfway house grill and
cleaning and restoring it to a guest service
level.
Southern Dunes Golf Club – Ariz. Mike
Stanger, Talia Dorn, Perry Holmes, Emily
Stark.
Talking Stick Golf Club – Ariz.
Brian
Kolehma: Awarded for taking the initiative
with junior clinics throughout the year.
Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass –
Ariz. Ramon Puertas Ortega: Ramon took his
own time to get a mower fixed and had a part
repaired by a machine shop instead of ordering
the new part, saving money in the process.
Promotions
Classic Club – Calif. Ronna Jimenez to
Classic Grill supervisor; Casey Cross to
Bellatrix Restaurant supervisor; Keith Force to
second assistant superintendent; and Jorge
Romo to assistant mechanic.
Colonial Golf & Tennis Club – Pa. Hillel
Mindlin from food & beverage supervisor to
restaurant manager: Hillel will now be
overseeing all operations in the Squires
Restaurant.
Indian Wells Golf Resort – Calif. Jose
Montejano to PM lead kitchen supervisor:
Special Achievements
The Golf Club at Del Webb – Fla. Assistant
golf professional Adam Anderson passed his
PGA Playing Ability Test and achieved Level 1
status in the Professional Golf Management
Program.
Indian Wells Golf Resort – Calif. Natasha
Vidrine: Honored as the associate who best
exemplified safety in the first quarter.
Lake of Isles – Conn. Sheila Graham received
a Serve and Recognize Award.
Monarch Beach Golf Links – Calif. A special
thanks is extended to superintendent Kelly
McCaffrey. He and his staff have done a great
job with the golf course, even with scaled back
resources.
Quintero Golf and Country Club – Ariz.
Quintero golf professionals Bob Mann and
David Shearer both shot even par 72s to
capture their respective divisions in a southwest
PGA Section event. Mann won the senior
division by several shots while Shearer tied for
the lead in the open division and won the
Apprentice Division outright.
Savannah Quarters Country Club – Ga.
Outside services supervisor Randall Sizemore
is commended for his service in a tough
situation. When a member suffered an injury at
the club, Randall calmly and efficiently
managed the situation by getting the member
the appropriate care and ensuring his safety and
comfort.
Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass –
Ariz.
John Hall received a Serve and
Recognize Award. John solved a lot of grounds
issues for guests from a bee problem to
reducing golfer disruption with a new ramp
system for aerifiers. John also fabricated
shelves for the chemical room, which satisfies a
requirement for the Audubon Society.
New Associates
Camp Creek Golf Club – Fla. Thom Deakin,
food & beverage supervisor: Thom comes to
Camp Creek from the Country Crossing Casino
where he served as food & beverage manager.
Colonial Golf & Tennis Club – Pa. Blair
Asbury, banquet manager: Blair will be taking
over banquet operations supporting all private
events held at Colonial; Sean Dublynn,
building maintenance manager: Sean has over
20 years of facility management and
construction experience. Most recently, Sean
held a similar position at Concord Country
Club in West Chester, Pa.
Indian Wells Golf Resort – Calif. Aleta
Bateman joined the team as catering manager:
Aleta previously worked at PGA West and has
10 years of banquet, wedding and event
management experience.
El Macero Country Club – Calif. David Knox,
head professional: David is returning to
Sacramento, where he started his Troon Golf
career in 2003. He has served as head pro and
director of golf at a variety of Troon Golf
properties and El Macero is fortunate to have
him on the team.
The Ridge at Castle Pines North – Colo.
Natasha Brady and Bridget Corea, restaurant
serving staff; Summer Weirich, Katy Dater
and Nicole Moore, beverage cart attendants;
Patrick Shreck, David Tyler Freilinger,
Jonathan James Morrison, Jose Alvaranga
and Joel Badali, golf course maintenance staff.
Southern Dunes Golf Club – Ariz. Stephen
Kahler, head golf professional; Brian Gifford,
assistant golf professional.
The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa – Fla.
Destiny Whitney, assistant golf professional:
Destiny joined the team in January as a guest
service attendant and recently had the
opportunity to join the professional staff.
The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa – Ariz.
Katy Pizzuto, Bobby Weigand, Steven
Ernsky and Taz Greiner, swim team; and
Chris Grijalva, landscaping team.
On the Move
The Revere Golf Club – Nev. The club wishes
David Scharfen the best on his new
appointment as the superintendent at Elkhorn
Golf Club.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
AUSTRALIA
Kooindah Waters Golf Club – New South
Wales
The Craig Parry Classic was held at
Kooindah in late March as part of the Central
Coast Festival of Golf event. Australian PGA
Champion and Kooindah Waters Ambassador
Craig Parry offered instruction to golfers
during the event, which raised $4,000 for
charity.
Twin Creeks Golf & Country Club –
New South Wales
Under the guidance of Troon Golf’s general
manager Rob Selley, Twin Creeks has
experienced success through several innovative
strategies, resulting in extremely positive
growth. In fact, growth in the first quarter of
2010 is up nearly almost 40 percent compared
to 2009.
Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club –
Queensland
Pacific Harbour recently celebrated its 4th
birthday on April 1. It remains the #1 public
access course in Queensland, ranked by Golf
Course Guide.
ENGLAND
The Grove – London
The Grove’s monthly Black on Black event
kicked off in April with 56 players competing.
It is expected that The Grove will see more
than 400 golfers compete in the event in 2010.
Prince's Golf Club - Kent
The club hosted its first major event of the
year with the Halford Hewitt golf amateur
event. The tournament marked the official
unveiling of the changes that were made to the
course over the winter. The course has received
great reviews with representatives from the
neighboring Royal St. George's commenting on
how the standard has improved dramatically.
These changes are due to the hard work and
effort that has been put in by the green keeping
staff, led by Nick Chidwick and Sean McLean.
Golf Course Architecture magazine recently
ran a feature on the course’s successful
renovation.
Planning for an 80-room lodge was recently
approved. This will position Prince's very well
in the international market as a Golfing Links
destination close to London.
SOUTH AFRICA
Pearl Valley Golf Estates - Cape Winelands
Pearl Valley Golf Estates recently hosted the
first of four events of the newly launched Jack
Nicklaus Club Challenge, a local initiative
designed to strengthen the bond between the
members of five South African Jack Nicklaus
Signature courses. Each club hosts an event on
all the major championship dates of the year.
Pearl Valley has been recognized as the best
conditioned golf estate by Golf Digest South
Africa and the agronomy team is striving to
maintain this remarkable achievement.
Pearl Valley Golf Estates once again will be
hosting its golf member & guest invitational
tournaments this winter. These tournaments
proved popular with members in recent years
and the team looks forward to a successful
turnout in 2010.
SPAIN
Las Colinas de Campoamor – Alicante
It’s proving to be a busy start to the summer
as Las Colinas prepares to open in June. Tee
time bookings are coming in at a steady pace as
players are excited to be amongst the first to
experience the much anticipated new Troon
Golf venue in Spain.
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Abu Dhabi Golf Club – Abu Dhabi
The 2010 Club Championship came to a
close on April 3 with over 70 competitors
participating. Bill Farrell took home his first
men’s title while ladies captain Sue Henderson
won her third consecutive championship.
Friday Floatin’ Films was held twice in
April, providing fun for the whole family at the
outdoor pool.
The Els Club – Dubai
Summer time at The Els Club and Butch
Harmon School of Golf is set to reach new
highs with the early launch of several offerings.
The summer campaign is heavily geared
towards capturing the local market with
advertisements appearing in Golf Digest,
Worldwide Golf, Middle East Golfer and Men’s
Fitness. The flyer and application form are not
only strategically placed around the club but
can also be downloaded from the home page of
the club’s website. An email was sent to a
database of more than 10,000 people to
promote the programs as well.
The Montgomerie Dubai - Dubai
As summer draws near, the end of the
season brings some of the club’s biggest
events, including the annual Men’s Open. The
event has been considered the best open in the
region and it certainly didn’t disappoint this
year.
Preparations are now underway to host the
first industry network event called The Oil &
Gas Open, which is a club initiative designed to
target different market segments across the
region.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club – Abu Dhabi
In April, the club launched special offerings
tailored toward the interest of men, women and
children to create an enticing family experience
at the facility. For those men looking to take
some time away from the hustle and bustle of
city life, Thursday’s Lakke Manne Night
begins at 4 p.m. and includes a nine-hole round
of golf plus a burger afterwards.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club has launched the
‘Twi-Day’ special for the ladies, which
includes a full round of golf with a tee-off prior
to noon offered Sunday through Wednesday.
In support of the club’s young golfer
development program, complimentary junior
golf clinics are being held Friday and Saturday
afternoon. In addition, one child under the age
of 16 was able to play free with a paying adult
for the entire month of April.
INTERNATIONAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Associate of the Quarter
Abu Dhabi Golf Club – U.A.E. Shamsul
Aflatoon, lifeguard.
Associate of the Month
The Allegria Golf Club – Egypt. Abdel Gawad
Mohamed Mohamed Khalifa, equipment
operator: Abdel Gawad has great skills in
operating all of the golf course equipment but
his greatest asset is his high quality of work.
The Els Club – U.A.E. Endera Escabarte, golf
operations: Endera possesses a genuine
passion to help others, which is marked by a
friendly disposition; Nagenthiran Rasaiyah,
golf course maintenance: Nagenthiran’s work
ethic surpasses expectation.
The Grove – England. Bradley Gould,
tournament coordinator: Bradley has had
continuous praise from corporate groups and
individuals alike. Since taking on the role in
spring 2009, Bradley has excelled in the
position.
On the Spot Award
The Montgomerie Dubai – U.A.E. Hai Yen,
locker
attendant:
For
a
personal
recommendation and appreciation from a guest
who was particularly impressed with the
service she received.
Promotions
The Montgomerie Dubai – U.A.E. Charmaine
Sigue, locker room attendant promoted to
receptionist.
Special Achievements
Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club –
Australia. Meg Nolan, agronomy team, is the
club’s representative for the Bribie Island
Environmental Protection Agency. She has
been undertaking volunteer work including the
trials that have identified a new species of
mouse on Bribie Island. She has also been
instrumental in the implementation and
ongoing work with the club’s E-Par program
and also Saftee-Pro OH & S program. The
work she has done with the local associations
in these very important fields is a credit to her
passion for the environment and her position
for Pacific Harbour.
New Associates
Las Colinas de Campoamor – Spain. Robert
Mitchell, head professional: Robert is a PGA
qualified professional and a teaching staff
member of Today’s Golfer, a leading UK golf
publication; Jose Antonio Martínez and
Nicolás Olivo, golf operations team: Both
show great enthusiasm and aptitude for
delivering exceptional customer service.
The Montgomerie Dubai – U.A.E. Roneila
Sewperwadh, receptionist.
On the Move
The Montgomerie Dubai – U.A.E. Ryan Smith
joins the team as senior golf operations
supervisor after a seven-year tenure at Pearl
Valley in South Africa.