The Strong State of the Governors Club

®
www.clubandresortbusiness.com
JULY 2014
The Strong State of the
Governors Club
Holding a Tent Revival
Keeping Your Staff’s Heads Above Water
Women’s Golf: Breaking the “Grass Ceiling”
Reprinted with permission from
Club & Resort Business magazine.
Copyright 2014
IN THIS ISSUE
JULY 2014 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 7 www.clubandresortbusiness.com
40 Today’s Manager
Singular Purpose
Strong synergies
among an experienced management
team have led to
40
steady success for
Westwood CC—and earned Excellence in Club
Management recognition for its long-time leader,
GM/COO Tony D’Errico, CCM, CCE.
FEatures
16 Cover Story
The Strong State of the Governors Club
Sound administration of a property that offers a uniquely
diverse appeal continues to earn enthusiastic approval from
the members of this North Carolina community.
(Cover image courtesy Governors Club)
23 Design & Renovation
Attention Getters
Even if implementation of the new GM/CEO governance
model may not be possible, all clubs can learn from its
guiding principles.
Beyond the “Grass Ceiling”
Many club and resort properties are proving there are
no limits to growing
the women’s side of golf,
given the proper mix of
fundamentals and fun.
28 Design Snapshot
45
50 Products at Work
Wining and Shining
30 Chef to Chef
The “New New” Tabernacle
45 Golf Programs
Neutral tent
spaces serve as
ideal outdoor
venues for
member
23
events and can
strengthen a property’s identity.
A showcase room at Highland Springs
CC has helped the club increase wine
sales while also creating a great new
source of pride for members.
43 Today’s Manager: “Yes...But How?”
Passing the Tests
A partnership between a “living laboratory” golf course
and a leading manufacturer of grounds maintenance
equipment is helping more club properties learn to
buy with confidence.
28
A World of Experience
30
34 Course & Grounds
Executive Chef Francisco (Paco) Aceves
has brought training from top master
chefs and lessons learned at a variety
of culinary venues to his new role at
Berry Hills CC.
Water on the Brain
With increased emphasis on water usage
and conservation, superintendents are
finding eco-friendly ways to manage
their irrigation inputs while still maintaining top-notch course conditions.
50
DEPARTMENTS
10 C&RB News Roundup
The Forest
and the Trees
57 Advertiser Index
3 Publisher’s Letter
8 Editor’s Memo
34
Color Blindness
57 Club & Resort Index
58 Idea Exchange
Club & Resort Business is published monthly by Harbor Communications, 19111 Detroit Rd., Suite 201, Rocky River, OH 44116
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4 Club & Resort Business
JULY 2014
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C&RB CLUB FEATURE
The Governors Club’s
three nine-hole layouts each
offer unique topography,
culminating with the
surprisingly striking views from the
Mountain course (below).
The Strong State of the Governors Club
By Joe Barks, Editor
C
hapel Hill, N.C., takes its name from a small Anglican
church that was built in 1752 on a 480-foot point in central North Carolina, as a place that could provide locals
and travelers with a place “of ease.” Forty years later, the town
that is now most well-known as the home of the University of
North Carolina (UNC), and as one leg of the Research Triangle, was founded.
The site of the original church is now part of downtown
Chapel Hill, adjacent to UNC’s main campus, and is occupied
by The Carolina Inn, which was built in 1924 as an impressive,
Mount Vernon-style structure that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But while the original “cha-
16 Club & Resort Business
JULY 2014
pel hill” has retained its historic significance and is still worth
seeing for its architecture, it’s really not all that noteworthy for
its actual geography.
A few minutes from downtown, though, and still within
Chapel Hill’s city limits, there is a surprisingly striking physical vista. While it actually only involves another 200 feet of
elevation, Edwards Mountain literally sticks out as a unique
prominence, ranking as the highest point between WinstonSalem, N.C. (75 miles to the west) and North Carolina’s Atlantic Ocean coastline (more than two hours east).
In the late 1980s, when real-estate developers sought a location for a high-end gated community with golf and club amewww.clubandresortbusiness.com
nities that could appeal to the burgeoning affluence brought
to Chapel Hill by the university and Research Triangle, it was
easy for Edwards Mountain to catch their eye. Sixteen hundred
acres, many heavily forested, were acquired that surrounded
the mountain and ran up to its summit. And plans were unveiled for creating over 1,200 homesites, ranging in size from a
half-acre to more than three acres, for a community that would
be called the Governors Club (the name was selected to attach
a sense of historic significance and dignity to the project, and
then later reinforced by naming the community’s streets after
those who had held the state’s highest elected office).
When it came time to start to plan the club component
of the development, historic significance and recognizable
prominence was also the theme. Jack Nicklaus Design was
enlisted to carve Signature courses out of the unique topography, through what at the time was a very progressive approach:
nine-hole layouts, each with unique character and features. The
first two nine-hole courses—the Lakes, at the lower end of the
property and with a more typical North Carolina “Sandhills”
feel, and the Foothills, featuring elevation changes as it runs
up Edwards Ridge—opened in 1990. Four years later, a third
www.clubandresortbusiness.com PHOTOS COURTESY GOVERNORS CLUB
Sound administration of a property that offers a uniquely
diverse appeal continues to earn enthusiastic approval from
the members of this North Carolina community.
JULY 2014
Club & Resort Business 17
C&RB CLUB FEATURE
A new round of interior renovations directed
by GM/COO Doug Shifflett (left) and Clubhouse Manager Jay Johnson included an
upgrade of the men’s locker room bar.
course, “The Mountain,” literally completed the journey, taking
players up to a 27th hole offering a spectacular view (see photo,
pg. 17) that prompts first-timers to wonder if they haven’t suddenly been transported to the western part of the state.
As part of recognizing the Governors Club’s 20th anniversary in 2010, Jack Nicklaus, after noting that he is always hesitant to make comments about courses he designs that could
indicate they might be a “favorite,” went on to cite several reasons why what he and his company created in Chapel Hill did
have special qualities.
“I have always felt that Governors Club was one of the true,
great natural pieces of property on which I have had the fortunate pleasure to design,” Nicklaus wrote. “It was one of the
best golf course sites I can remember—and in fact, of all the
pieces of property I recall, this site provided the most potential
for great golf.
Governors Club
AT A GLANCE
n Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
n Opened for play: 1990
n Number of members:
430 Full; 632 Total
n Clubhouse Size: 42,000 sq. ft.
n Wellness Center Size: 12,000 sq. ft.
n Annual Golf Rounds: 34,000
n Architect: Jack Nicklaus Signature
Golf Course, 27 holes
n General Manager/COO: Doug Shifflett, CCM
n Director of Golf: Thomas Brinson, PGA, CCM
n Director of Grounds & Golf Course
Superintendent: Kevin Redfern
n Executive Chef: Ben Guaman
n Clubhouse Manager: Jay Johnson
n VP, Director of Membership & Marketing:
Sara O’Leary
n Director of Sales, Catering & Special Events:
Lisa Johnson
n Director of Wellness & Tennis Operations:
Todd Ching, USPTA
18 Club & Resort Business
JULY 2014
“I would have to say it would be in the top 10 of natural
inland properties on which I have worked,” Nicklaus added.
“It had great trees, wonderful roll to it, and the layout of the
course just fit in there so naturally and comfortably. I think if
you looked back, we did not move a lot of dirt to build, [and]
that is the sign of a great golf course. The course just fit, and
nothing was forced.
“I have always thought Governors Club never truly got the
recognition it deserved,” Nicklaus concluded. Four years after Nicklaus made that comment, Patrick Seither, as he was
preparing to leave as the club’s Director of Golf to embark
on a new pro-shop software venture (he is being succeeded
by Thomas Brinson; see pg. 15 of this issue), reported that it
had continued to be somewhat puzzling during his tenure why
the many unique aspects of the Governors Club golf courses
hadn’t created more of a general-public buzz, or climbed higher on course-ranking radars.
“But that’s starting to build,” Seither added. “And from a
member-play standpoint, recognition of all that we have here
has never been an issue; rounds [currently at 34,000 a year]
have always held steady.”
Never Growing Old
The recent buzz-buildup that Seither cites stems largely
from reaction to the results of a comprehensive, $600,000
course renovation that the Governors Club completed in the
past year. The project rebuilt bunkers and also added the Governors Club to the list of transition-zone clubs that have converted greens to ultradwarf bermudagrass.
Kevin Redfern, the club’s Director of Grounds & Golf
Course Superintendent, reports that the conversion stands to
be a big plus not only from an operational standpoint (he now
plans to aerify just one time a year, versus three previously), but
even more importantly, in terms of positive member response.
“We worked closely with Jack Nicklaus Design to make
sure we wouldn’t lose any of the original architectural integrity with the renovation,” Redfern reports. “And now that the
members have their golf course back, you can really sense the
happiness—in fact, this is the happiest I’ve seen them in my
ten years here.”
Even though Redfern has been at the Governors Club for a
decade, as an original native of central Illinois he still marvels
at all that the property presents, both to him as a workplace
and for members and guests to enjoy.
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C&RB CLUB FEATURE
C&RB CLUB RECIPE
Pan-Seared Day-Boat Diver Scallops
with lobster meunière sauce, haricots verts, and Romano cheese risotto
For the scallops:
AmtIngredient
3 ea.
sea scallops
1 tsp.
whole butter
olive oil
to taste
salt and pepper
Procedure:
n In a sauté pan set over medium heat,
add oil.
n When the oil is heated, add the scallops. Let the scallops sear for two minutes, then flip them over and continue
to sauté until they turn golden brown.
Executive Chef Ben Guaman continues to
seek inventive ways to make events special
for a Governors Club membership that has
been growing younger through initiatives
led by VP, Director of Membership
& Marketing Sara O’Leary.
“You just don’t expect to find topography like this and with
a true four seasons in this part of North Carolina,” he says.
“For someone coming from Illinois, where the biggest hill is
an overpass, it’s amazing to see all that’s here and all that you
can do. It can actually get a little overwhelming if you don’t
constantly pay attention to detail. But certainly, being bored is
not an option.”
Perpetual Care
That’s also proved to be the case for the other facilities at
the Governors Club and all the programming and activities
they encompass. The club’s 42,000-sq. ft. clubhouse opened in
1995, followed by a 12,000-sq. ft. Wellness & Recreation Center that was completed in 1997, the same year Governors Club
members acquired the club and its facilities from the developer. (The club component is a separate, for-profit entity from
the community’s Property Owners Association; about 70% of
the homeowners are club members, reports Sara O’Leary, the
club’s VP, Director of Membership & Marketing.)
Member dues fund all maintenance and improvements for
the club and its holdings, as well as club staff salaries. In addition to the golf courses, clubhouse and Wellness Center, those
holdings include six Har-Tru tennis courts, two hard tennis
courts, indoor and outdoor pools, and a playground. The club
also owns all but one of the lakes within the community. “We
have more water here than we know what to do with,” says
Redfern.
Since taking ownership, the membership has stepped up
to fund a series of improvements to the clubhouse, notably
through a $3.1 million project called “A Better Way” in 2008,
and then with another $1.6 million last year that renovated
substantial areas of the clubhouse, including locker rooms, the
ballroom, the foyer and much of the upstairs.
The latest round of clubhouse upgrades focused on cosmetic
details designed to enhance the Governors Club’s appeal both
for regular member use and outside events, while also making room for new services and amenities, reports Jay Johnson,
Clubhouse Manager. Johnson came to the club two years ago
from Carolina CC at around the same time that a new General Manager/COO, Doug Shifflett, CCM, arrived from River
Hills CC in Lake Wylie, S.C., to succeed Haissem Baityeh
after his move to Bent Tree CC in Dallas.
“We’ve added taps in our men’s locker room bar and our
casual Club Room that have increased draft beer sales 40%,”
Johnson reports. “We also put in a new cappuccino machine
that’s been a big hit. Overall we’ve seen our chit averages go
up several dollars because of success with small plates, dessert
sales and specialty drinks.”
Johnson, a sommelier, has also helped to stimulate more
growth in what was already a very active wine program and
Wine Society at the club; his biggest challenge, in fact, is arranging enough events to accommodate a Society membership that has grown to 180 and has a wait list of another 100.
“Every wine dinner we do, for 80 people, sells out within three
hours,” he reports.
Johnson also works closely with Executive Chef Ben Guaman and Lisa Johnson, the club’s Director of Sales, Catering &
For the lobster meunière:
AmtIngredient
3 ozs.
lobster meat
6 tbsp.
whole butter
1 tbsp.
chopped parsley
1
garlic clove, minced
¼ cup
white wine
1 tbsp.
lemon juice
to taste
salt and pepper
Procedure:
n In a sauté pan, heat the butter on
high heat until sizzling.
n Add lobster meat, immediately
reduce the heat to medium, and cook.
n Add parsley and garlic, tossing to
coat, and sauté; add the wine and
cook for one minute more.
For the Romano cheese risotto:
AmtIngredient
4 cups
chicken stock
4 tbsp.
butter
1
medium shallot,
diced
1
clove garlic, minced
1 ½ cups
short grain
Arborio rice
1 cup
white wine
shaved Romano
cheese
to taste
salt and pepper
Procedure:
n Keep chicken broth warm over low
heat. In a sauté pan, melt the butter.
n Add the shallots and garlic and
cook, stirring with a wooden spoon
until onion is transparent.
n Add the rice and cook, stirring until
it is well-coated with the butter and
starts to turn translucent (about two
minutes). Add the wine and simmer
gently until all the liquid is absorbed.
n Ladle a half-cup of the warm
chicken broth into the rice mixture
and simmer, stirring occasionally
until the broth is absorbed. Repeat,
adding a half-cup of the broth at a
time, until the rice is cooked through
but still firm (20 to 25 minutes total).
n Add more butter and salt, pepper,
and Romano cheese. Stir to incorporate; adjust the seasoning with
more salt to taste.
For plating:
Scoop the risotto on to the plate,
topped with the three scallops,
lobster meunière sauce and haricot
verts.
Submitted by Ben Guaman, Executive Chef,
Governors Club, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Even after 10 years, Director of Grounds and
Golf Course Superintendent Kevin Redfern
never tires of seeing the variety of terrain
presented by the 180 acres that his staff
maintains.
20 Club & Resort Business
JULY 2014
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Club & Resort Business 21
C&RB CLUB FEATURE
Handling his dual role in such
an active club is a matter of
focusing on “management and
execution,” says Director of
Wellness & Tennis Operations
Todd Ching, who has seen
tennis reservations more than
double since arriving in 2012.
Special Events, to maximize how the clubhouse improvements
can pay off on the event side. While the club seeks to host 20
or more weddings a year, it adheres to a policy of never having
more than one a day, which Lisa Johnson says helps to provide
a competitive edge with hotels in the area. Another advantage
comes from Chef Guaman’s knack for incorporating family
recipes and other customized touches in event menus—especially if the customer is interested in seafood, which dominates
a la carte sales at the club. (For Chef Guaman’s recipe for panJuly2014Halfpage_7W x 4.625H 6/19/14 4:22 PM Page 1
22 Club & Resort Business
JULY 2014
seared day-boat diver scallops, see pg. 21).
All of this activity continues to help position the Governors Club as anything but a retirement community, which is
another perception the management staff has worked hard to
dispel. “We’ve had many families with kids join in recent years,
and our average age has dropped by three years,” says O’Leary.
“Once we can get people on site, it’s easy for them to see just
how active we are, and just how much of a sense of a community there is for people of all ages.”
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