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Scott Weersing

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Does the management company make a difference?
« on: August 16, 2017, 08:38:15 AM »



So does the management of a course make a difference in how you view a course? Is a course better or worse because of the company that manages the course? Which companies are the best at managing a course?


I would say yes. I have played lots of courses managed by Kemper Sports and they do the right things to ensure that the customers want to come back and play again. I have also played courses managed by people who are there just to collect your green fees.


I am excited that they are now managing Golden Horseshoe GC, http://www.kempersports.com/about-us/news/Press-Releases/0/157_KemperSports-Selected-to-Manage-Historic-Golden-Horseshoe-Golf-Club




Steve Lang

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Re: Does the management company make a difference?
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2017, 08:55:39 AM »
 8)  I think mainly if they can add value and realize the most profit when they exit ownership.
Inverness (Toledo, OH) cathedral clock inscription: "God measures men by what they are. Not what they in wealth possess.  That vibrant message chimes afar.
The voice of Inverness"

Carl Rogers

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Re: Does the management company make a difference?
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2017, 09:00:03 PM »
I would bet the management deal was in the works as a component of the remodeling.  Kemper may has access to more capital at lower rates.
I decline to accept the end of man. ... William Faulkner

Anthony_Nysse

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Re: Does the management company make a difference?
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2017, 05:42:24 AM »

I would bet the management deal was in the works as a component of the remodeling.  Kemper may has access to more capital at lower rates.


Management companies can be very scary for the employee and the membership.
Anthony J. Nysse
Director of Golf Courses & Grounds
Apogee Club
Hobe Sound, FL

Carl Rogers

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Re: Does the management company make a difference?
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2017, 11:46:54 AM »

I would bet the management deal was in the works as a component of the remodeling.  Kemper may has access to more capital at lower rates.

Management companies can be very scary for the employee and the membership.
I imagine that you are very correct.  Riverfront went the reverse direction several years from a "National Corporate"  group (forgot who that was) to a local consortium.  The bent grass greens, now at least 18 years old, have always been maintained in pristine condition for a transition zone, but other wise maintenance has gone to pot.
I decline to accept the end of man. ... William Faulkner

SB

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Re: Does the management company make a difference?
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2017, 12:34:50 PM »
It depends on a lot of factors, although there are exceptions to every rule.


If you are talking about a management company vs. no management company at the same golf course, it sometimes can make a significant difference.  If the course was poorly run, management companies may not always run them perfectly, but they'll usually run them reasonably well.  Also, that kind of change may be accompanied by some investment or large changes in operation that can make a big difference. 


If you are talking about one management company vs. another under a management contract, the differences will be smaller.  The overall level of expenses is usually determined by the owner and the revenue, so there's a fairly thin margin as to what can be done within those constraints.  Most management companies do a reasonably good job, so there isn't as much opportunity to improve.


If you're talking about management companies buying a course, that's a little bit different, and there can be much wider swings because now you're talking about ownership, which can have a big impact when it comes to investment, strategy, and goals.  And those can vary from one course to the next, so that's not always an easy answer, either.