Edgmont Golf Club, Edgmont, PA

[Mark Pritchett]

Ben,

Your club sounds like an interesting model.  How old is the course?  Curious as to what the land and construction costs for your club are/were?  Any idea? 

Thanks,

Mark

[BCowan]

Mark

      My club opened in 67' i think.  It was Dye's 2nd design.  I do not know the construction costs. 

Ben

[Ray Cross]

Joe,
Thanks for that great collection of pix. You made the course look better than I remembered.
Apparently, Edgmont's lack of total commitment to trolleys may have been the cause of their current financial situation....you think?

[JC Jones]

Mark

      My club opened in 67' i think.  It was Dye's 2nd design.  I do not know the construction costs. 

Ben

Ben,

The land and the course (and maybe the clubhouse) were all a donation from a wealthy alum.  It is pretty easy to do well on operations when you don't have any start up costs.

On top of that, I wouldnt exactly call Radrick a private club.  It is owned by a public university and doesn't have a membership.  It sells season passes, of which there is a 3-5 year wait to buy for alumni.  It still has tee times open to the public as well as some other membership opportunity that buys some tee time preference and maybe lower greens fees if I remember correctly.

Correct me if I'm wrong but there isn't a membership committee, greens committee, board, club president, by-laws, etc. at Radrick.  Is my recollection correct?

I think Radrick is a great place and a great course but I wouldn't call it a private club because they limit the availability of season passes to people affiliated with the university and there is a wait list for those passes.

[Joe Bausch]

Joe,
Thanks for that great collection of pix. You made the course look better than I remembered.

Ray, I live close to the course and know the pro from my days back at Springfield.  I'm going to get more photos over the next few months.

I used to play Edgmont once a year as a colleague at Villanova would host a group of us.  But that was 12 years ago.

My visits the last month or so, with I think a more refined architectural eye, revealed some wonderful terrain.  I hope the course survives and thrives for years to come.

[BCowan]

..

  

[Joe Bausch]

Ray,

I'm trying to keep this thread on topic!

[Ray Cross]

Yoh..  Ben.    Keep this post to the topic.
You already started something else. Keep to it, my man.

[Ray Cross]

P S Ben,
Your ownership of a trolley mfg company is evident.
Send us a brochure.

[BCowan]

Hello Ray,

I was told  they will try to reorganize hoping to pay creditors pennies on the dollar. A friend, who belongs there, blames their "gold card customers". I am told they pay under three grand for unlimited golf and most use pull carts.  Then very few stay for food or drink.

The member was unsure if the mortgage company was among those who called their loans.

Hope you are well,
Ed

Haha, Nope i am on topic and I am responded earlier to a post of a guy who said Edgmont Golf Club was held back by CHEAP PEOPLE who use pull carts and don't eat and drink at the club.  I wonder why they don't stay for drinks.  This is the attitude of why the course is struggling!  People only focusing on REVENUE and spending, and not expenses!  Two courses in different areas that prove that logic to be wrong!  Haven't learned anything from the Scots!

[Mark Pritchett]

Mark

      My club opened in 67' i think.  It was Dye's 2nd design.  I do not know the construction costs. 

Ben

Ben,

The land and the course (and maybe the clubhouse) were all a donation from a wealthy alum.  It is pretty easy to do well on operations when you don't have any start up costs.

On top of that, I wouldnt exactly call Radrick a private club.  It is owned by a public university and doesn't have a membership.  It sells season passes, of which there is a 3-5 year wait to buy for alumni.  It still has tee times open to the public as well as some other membership opportunity that buys some tee time preference and maybe lower greens fees if I remember correctly.

Correct me if I'm wrong but there isn't a membership committee, greens committee, board, club president, by-laws, etc. at Radrick.  Is my recollection correct?

I think Radrick is a great place and a great course but I wouldn't call it a private club because they limit the availability of season passes to people affiliated with the university and there is a wait list for those passes.

JC-Any idea if they pay property tax?  Sure is a nice head start for a course/club to be successful if they have free land and no tax burden.  

[Dan Herrmann]

I think Edgemont's location is great - awesome topography, beautiful landscapes, and a very good location for Chester/Delaware County golfers.

We had an ex-Edgemont member at our club for a few years, who left because he said he got bored by the course architecture.  He eventually gave up golf, so it might have been a case of golf burnout.

But every time I drive by, I wonder how much better the course could have been if they generally went parallel to West Chester Pike instead of up and down all those hills.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Article:

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2013/11/27/golf-club-filed-for-bankruptcy.html

[Mike_Trenham]

$125,000 per year in Real Estate Taxes!  The government must want this redeveloped.

[Dan Herrmann]

Sad story about the bankruptcy.  This is definitely NOT a Woodcrest FUBAR to me - this is more like a sign of our poor economic times.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

It was a "strategic move"

http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20131129/edgmont-golf-club-files-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy

[Pat Burke]

You guys are thinking of No. 7, the dogleg-left that plunges downhill. It's one of the great sledding spots at Edgmont in the offseason. 5 is an uphill dogleg-right, not a bad hole.

My dad was a member there forever until he found an unbeatable non-resident deal at Moselem Springs. I was a junior member through high school.

The routing isn't good. There are loads of great elevation changes that definitely could've been taken advantage of by a professional architect. There are a decent number of fun holes, but maintaining satisfactory course conditions has always been an issue. The elevation changes and  it's location right next to Ridley Creek State Park provide for some pretty cool foliage in fall.

I heard a rumor a few years ago that Llanerch CC was looking to purchase Edgmont and build a new course there. Also lots of rumors in the last few years that it was going semi-private. If it was priced right and conditions were decent, it would do really well.

Man, I used to go sledding on a few courses as a kid.
The holes that were best for sledding were almost all, terrible golf holes!!!
There has to be some good sledding golf holes, doesn't there?
(edit) I don't drink,  it's 1:35 am and I'm posting this.  Something has to change!

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Soon to be NLE. Land too valuable to remain a golf course. Sold to a residential developer:


http://www.delcotimes.com/general-news/20160321/say-goodbye-to-the-edgmont-country-club-on-sunday

[Jon Cavalier]

Credit to Craig Susalka, the current pro, who by all accounts made a valiant effort to keep the club open. Despite financial management not being Egdemont's strong suit, it's always sad to see a club go NLE.

[Joe Bausch]

Credit to Craig Susalka, the current pro, who by all accounts made a valiant effort to keep the club open. Despite financial management not being Egdemont's strong suit, it's always sad to see a club go NLE.

I've known Craig for almost 20 years.  Fantastic pro.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Credit to Craig Susalka, the current pro, who by all accounts made a valiant effort to keep the club open. Despite financial management not being Egdemont's strong suit, it's always sad to see a club go NLE.

I met a nice gent many years ago who said he was part owner there, I cannot recall his name. I asked why he was letting carts out on a very wet day, his response was great. I can always grow grass, I cannot grow money.

Sad to see it go.

[Joe Bausch]

Credit to Craig Susalka, the current pro, who by all accounts made a valiant effort to keep the club open. Despite financial management not being Egdemont's strong suit, it's always sad to see a club go NLE.

I met a nice gent many years ago who said he was part owner there, I cannot recall his name. I asked why he was letting carts out on a very wet day, his response was great. I can always grow grass, I cannot grow money.

Sad to see it go.

Rather ironic his statement.

[Philip Caccamise]

It was our home course for a while when I was in college at Drexel. Can't say I liked it much but don't like to see courses go away.

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Drove by there today. Sad. The course is fallow and no residential development happening yet....


http://www.delconewsnetwork.com/news/region/planners-ok-development-of-edgmont-country-club/article_7465d9ff-c935-5413-9776-dd6156736831.html

[D_Malley]

I heard some rumors that the development plans have hit some snags due to wetland issues, and that there was interest in the property from some major golf course operators.

Here is a drawing of the development plans:
http://ridgewoodrep.com/portfolio/edgemont-country-club-edgemont-pa/

Not sure if there is any accuracy in this, maybe someone else here has more info