Two course model - One Private, One Public

[John Kavanaugh]

Geneva National up in Wisconsin does this with their Player, Palmer and Trevino courses, rotating the members' course.

That makes you a member of nothing and only a preferred tee time holder.

[Eric Smith]

Thank you all for the responses.  It seems to me that this model can be a success.  It looks to include nearly everyone in a given market.  I like that.  The model allows the owners some flexibility.
 
In a few examples given by previous posters, their memberships either went fully private after some time or are in the process of doing so.  

I'd imagine that many memberships end up being purchased by players who were introduced to the club via the public course.

With inclusion of on-site lodging, ownership has the ability to offer private-public-resort all on one property.  Very cool .

[Mike Hendren]

That makes you a member of nothing and only a preferred tee time holder.

John,

Us quasi's / semi's know our place and do not need this pointed out by club-collectors such as yourself.

Mike

[Kyle Henderson]

rchesnut,

            There was a thread about a potential second course at Ballyneal called Grateful Dunes.. here is a quote from an article..

"Today, the Ballyneal golf club experience (like that at Sand Hills and Dismal River) is largely available only to the well-heeled or well-connected. Ballyneal is restricted to members and guests. But the O'Neal brothers hope to change that, soon, and expose the charms and challenges of links golf to others by building a public course.

While the public links -- which they intend to call Grateful Dunes -- will likely have a few cart paths, the brothers want it to retain the deep, blowout bunkers and the natural feel and contours of the private course. They have started planning the public course on land near the current facility, and hope to open it in the next few years.

"We are excited about that," Rupert O'Neal said one evening, sitting with friends, family and club members at the restaurant at Ballyneal. "We want to be able to offer this type of golf to more people and we want to create more jobs in the community."

If so, the public course could extend the lure of golf in what remains a largely remote part of the country. For now, Ballyneal sits as an oasis on the high plains."


Has this changed?  I certainly hope not.

As someone who is not very well-connected, aside from with a few benevelent compatriots I've met because of this website, I am generally all for promoting public access to world-class courses. In fact, I can count my private course rounds on one hand.

However, in this particular case, I think it will be sad when the windy calm of the Eastern Colorado sand dunes are filled with the drone of carts and the blight of concrete corridors. Perhaps Mr. Doak (if he's involved in the public course) can convince them to adopt a more Bandon-like approach.

[Tom_Doak]

Kyle:

The Grateful Dunes is still speculative, but the speculation is that if it does happen, the architect will be someone else.  (Strange how that stuff works.)  I wish Rupert the best with it, but I trust he'll wait until Ballyneal's membership is nearly full to rush off and build another 18.

[Dave Givnish]

The Boulders (Scottsdale) and the Biltmore (Phoenix) alternate private and public use.  Troon North doesn't rotate.

[Tim Rooney]

Guys,Pronghorn Nicklaus&Fazio provide this non-rotating model.I've been recently informed a  Bend(O) bylaw policy, regarding this mandatory G.Course P/Pu concept utilization?

[Eric Smith]

Guys,Pronghorn Nicklaus&Fazio provide this non-rotating model.I've been recently informed a  Bend(O) bylaw policy, regarding this mandatory G.Course P/Pu concept utilization?

Tim,

I'm confused by your post.   Are you saying in Bend, OR there is a bylaw regarding 36 hole public & private club models?  Do you have any more information?

Thanks,
Eric

[Tim Rooney]

Yes!

[Ken Fry]

A facility down the road from Syracuse University, Drumlins Country Club, has operated 36 holes as private and public for many years.

From their website, it looks like SU has since purchased the facility since I was last there in 1991.

http://www.drumlins.com

Ken

[Tom_Doak]

Eric:

Actually, Oregon put in land use zoning in the 1970's which designated certain areas as resort/recreational ... they are zoned for golf, but only if there is a certain percentage of accommodation for visitors.  So, most people developing real estate and golf in these zones develop multiple courses -- one private, one public.

I'm not sure if that is the reason Pumpkin Ridge is the way it is, but it is certainly true of all the newer courses around Bend and also of Bandon Dunes, which like some others just stayed entirely public.

[Sean Leary]

Both courses at Pronghorn are private..  They have a couple of different types of memberships with different access, but they are definitely private...