[Tommy Williamsen]

It seems that having someone with deep pockets purchase struggling golf clubs is a good option for clubs.  John McConnell in the Carolinas has purchased six clubs.  Five of them were struggling financially.  It has been a good deal for all of the clubs. The key is to make them financially viable, which McConnell is doing.  He took Raleigh CC when it was on the verge of closing and turned it into one of the best clubs in Raleigh.

[Tim Martin]

Giving "Trial Members" a full membership vote has to be one of the bonehead moves in golf in recent years.

One thing about the letter to the members jumps out as a conflict.

On one hand the letter states that next year (2011) will be the best year yet, and on the other hand, the letter indicates a degree of disappointment that the club wasn't sold.  If 2011 was going to be the best year yet, why even consider a sale.

It sounds like lower dues and/or initiation payments are part of the Trump offer.

Just the other day I had a conversation with the President of a local club who was informing me of the financial pressures associated with a reduced membership.  I advised him to cease looking at the club from a historical perspective, culturally and financially, and to view the club and operations from the perspective of a new purchaser.

It might be that Trump's organization can make prudent operational decisions that clubs have a hard time making for sentimental or cultural reasons.

This is a very interesting situation.

If Trump buys Engineers, perhaps it will be an eye opener and a financial model for other clubs to adopt if they want to survive.
Another Sputnik moment...... for golf
Time will tell 

I can`t fathom the need to allow "trial members" a full membership vote. The trial alone is not enough incentive to attract new blood? I can only imagine the acrimony of the long time members. It seems to me that if you are baiting a mouse trap you don`t do it with an entire wheel of cheese but with only enough to get the mouse interested.

[Rory Connaughton]

Tim and Pat

  The trial member vote issue leaped out at me as well. Is it possible that when the program was implemented no one was thinking through all of the potential ramifications and simply missed this issue?

[JMEvensky]

Tim and Pat

  The trial member vote issue leaped out at me as well. Is it possible that when the program was implemented no one was thinking through all of the potential ramifications and simply missed this issue?

Maybe one side likes their odds of winning more with this group voting.If there was an oversight,it was by the group who won't get the votes of the trial members.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Trump backs out...for now. Members anticipate a big assessment:

http://rothmanevan.blogspot.com/2011/01/trumpengineers-cc-deal-off-table.html

Courtesy of geoffshackelford.com

[Bruce Katona]

Ok - the deal appears to be off - for now.  Tis is real esate, there is always another deal on another day for the same parcel of land.

Now, if the membership rejects a huge assessment, what happens:
1. White knight with deep pockets comes in to "save the course"
2. NLE

It appears the many here on GCA had their wish granted and The Trump organization appears to be taking their ball and playing elsewhere.

[Richard Hetzel]

Give Trump a break.  Bedminster looked really good on TV.  It looked like a course that most of us would love.

That hole strikes me as Arthur Hills...

[Patrick_Mucci]

Richard,

The individual holes do look good on TV, but, the walks from greens to tees creates a significant disconnect.

If the group opposing the sale to Trump was serious, they'd buy the club or act as a prefered creditor after they ponied up the money to right the ship.

Time will tell.

[Richard Hetzel]

Richard,

The individual holes do look good on TV, but, the walks from greens to tees creates a significant disconnect.

If the group opposing the sale to Trump was serious, they'd buy the club or act as a prefered creditor after they ponied up the money to right the ship.

Time will tell.

Patrick,

Is this the course where Tom Glavine and John Smoltz played a match play for TV match? If so, yes, it was a very nice course, but for me nothing special. Maybe if I played it, I would form a completely different opinion.  Condition-wise it looked to be EXCELLENT.

I think the Donald is just taking advantage of a downturn and trying to buy stuff up for cents on the dollar. His course portfolio appears to be getting bigger.

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