Dormie Club - George Golf Design Practice Facility Plan

[Ben Sims]

JC,

What's your angle here?  

Ah hell, this is stupid.  There's no reason to be arguing over any of this stuff.  NASCAR's on. 

[JC Jones]

Ben,

My angle is access.  Always is.

[Chip Gaskins]

Good grief Charlie Brown, another Dormie Club thread headed in the wrong direction. 

[Sam Morrow]

Good grief Charlie Brown, another Dormie Club thread headed in the wrong direction. 

Heck any thread going in the wrong direction.

[JC Jones]

Good grief Charlie Brown, another Dormie Club thread headed in the wrong direction. 

Heck any thread going in the wrong direction.

Sometimes the shortest distance between two points is a straight line -- in the opposite direction.

[Mike Sweeney]

Ben,

My angle is access.  Always is.

Lester,

I think this is where it gets interesting. I have friends who are members at Pine Needles and they love it:

http://www.pineneedles-midpines.com/membership/index.cfm

They get all sorts of access and priority over traditional guest, and most importantly, they can walk the course at anytime. Pine Needles is smart as they are appealing to "core" golfers.

Tie your membership in with some sort of priority at Dormie, Pine Crest Inn and Tobacco Road, and you are on to something, I think. I think having a "base" in Pinehurst without being tied down to one course and all the cost associated with supporting a private club would be appealing to many.

I would love to see something like this in Orlando near Disney due to family logistics for sure.

[Lester George]

Everybody take a breath please. 

It doesn't matter what you believe or don't.  Numbers for different scenarios are being discussed.  If you don't agree with them, fine.  I feel (from discussions with the teachers and their agents) that there is an unmet potential for clinics, playing lessons and ongoing contractual instruction at a facility like this.  The conversations have been with the owners, and I am positive none of you have been involved. 

The fact is that the Dormie Club is pusuing this idea and I am trying to keep them grounded with diligence and conservative thinking.  Before you go off claiming "ugly" or "shallow" or anything like that, be aware that the ideas of top teachers, clubfitting, television and other revenue streams were brought up by the owners.  The owners asked us to consider such, not the other way around.  So, we invited the top teacher and the strategies are being researched by others.

The most important thing to remember is that the Dormie Club is a client and I will work with them to help them with a viable business solution. 

JC "in the right place at the right time" Jones actually saw the tenets of this plan the same day as the owners and has always been supportive of it, which I have always appreciated.  In my mind it needs no further debate here.

Lester 

 

[Don_Mahaffey]

Lester,
Please remember your the one who brought it up here. This is a discussion board where people "debate" issues relative to golf. If you didn't want us to "debate" about the business model, why post about it here?

I hope your successful with finding a way to make it work.

[Mike Nuzzo]

Everybody take a breath please. 

Lester
You can only control your behaviors.
Cheers

[Kalen Braley]

Don,

In all fairness, I asked how the numbers would work for such a facility.  I wasn't trying to stir the muck, but was genuinely interested in how they intended to pay for the facility.

The business model does seem pretty unique, as well the benefit of being in the Pinehurst area, aka access to a whole lotta potential customers.

[Lester George]

Don,

I am happy to debate any topic, just not here.  That is partly because I type like a gorilla wearing boxing gloves but more importantly it would take me more time than it is worth to argue points of the discussion with someone who is not close to the discussion.  Moreover, my client relies on a certain amount of discretion which I agree he should have.

Agree or not with my comments, your choice, but if you want to learn more or debate the issues, please feel free to call me to discuss which will prevent me from wearing out my four typing fingers.

Mike,

I did say please.

Lester

[Mike Nuzzo]

Lester
Good luck with keeping your fingers on ice after the workout

This is what I hear you saying:
"We have a ton of creative ideas for making this project pencil out, we really want this to work for everyone"

You did say you'd get $750k from golf clinics and demo days - every year, year after year.
I'm glad I questioned that idea and I'm glad you have a ton of other cards in your deck.


I am still curious who you think is a better golf teacher than Fred Shoemaker?
Cheers