My new golf course

[Don_Mahaffey]

After numerous set backs and hurdles everything has come together in the last month and tomorrow I will officially own my own golf course. The course is in the Texas panhandle in the town of Canyon, home of West Texas A & M, and about 10 miles south of Amarillo.
It is a good golf course, playing about 6,900 yards to a par of 72. Two of the holes are squeezed by housing but the majority are free of any interference by homes. It has a creek which meanders through the course and comes into play on 11 holes, crossing directly in front of three greens and running along the edge of many of the holes.
The name of the course is Palo Duro Creek Golfing Club.
The turf is TERRIBLE and getting it in shape is the #1 priority. We have retained an architect to design two new greens which will be built this winter and to begin the process of a comprehensive master plan which can be implemented incrementally.
The course is very walkable, although most golfers seem to want to ride. It is value golf and I doubt greens fees will ever be more then $30.
I'm obviously very excited but I'm also apprehensive. For the first time in my professional life I'm operating with no safety net as the buck really stops with me. I need to make a good impression on the locals and getting the place cleaned up and in decent shape will do a lot of that, but I'm open to any suggestions or comments. Some of you may have seen a run down property in your area that has been taken over by a new entity. What did you see that worked and what didn’t?

[Bill_McBride]

Congratulations, Don!  Palo Duro sounds like a good place to play, especially with good firm turf.  As to the risk, I've worked for other people and I've run my own business for the past 10 years, and I can tell you, running your own show is the best.  For one thing, you can make those changes you know in your heart are best, regardless of what the boss thinks!  Not having seen the course I can't make any specific recommendations, but I do think maybe buying a few three-wheel push carts and offering them to rent inexpensively could encourage walkers.  Of course anywhere in Texas in the summer is not great for walkers!  Best wishes for much success, and I hope to be in Canyon one of these days.

[Bob_Huntley]

Don:

All best wishes on your new venture.

My advice to you to get the locals really interested, tell them how they can play like you in five easy lessons.

Bob

[angie]

(1) put ball washers at some of the forward tees. women don't like to spit clean their golfballs.
(2) make sure the relief stations - be they port-a-pots or permanent installations - are clean and have a good supply of t.p.
(3) if you have the room, set up a practice sand bunker. we all need a few pre-round practice blasts to feel perfectly confident at being able to spank that ball outta there.
(4) plenty of water on the course - and a few tornado shelters considering your locale!
(5) free diet coke available at all times

i wish i owned a golf course -- HAVE FUN!

 

[Steve Lang]

Don't forget some benches along the way for the walkers, under a shade tree if possible, with a nice view...

[Joe Hancock]

Don,

Welcome to the ranks! I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, and remembering the hours of paper signing it took us when we did the purchase. Best wishes to you and your family!

Joe

[mike_beene]

Congratulations.What a great area.Take an interest in your customers,ask for suggestions andapologize when things go wrong.Learn and use their names.Get the high school golf coaches on your side.Oprah owns property in Amarillo(she won her meat slander trial there ,forever rescueing Dr Phil from the trial consulting business and idiots like me)Call her.I bet she would invest.

[A_Clay_Man]

Don- Great news! I hope your stress level is low and you can breeze thru the difficult first year.
 The only recommendations I could make to try to get the local clientel behind you, is to develop some sort of game or games ala Pacific groves 8 oclockers and 2 oclockers. Knowing that a game could be had at prime time (sat. & sun) is great for comraderie.  Daily putting for quarters is not only fun but great practice. Cold beer and hot women won't hurt.
 But seriously, I love the sound of the creek coming into play and am confident that your success has already been built in.

best of luck and If i ever do get to texas i'll be lookin you up.

[RJ_Daley]

Don, good luck.  From hearing you speak and getting a sense of your passion for subjects of turf, golf course design, and the game, I think you have all the skills you will need.  But, obviously there is great advise above.  Consider hiring angie to come down and consult a bit because she sounds like one very smart lady...

[Lynn_Shackelford]

Don, congratulations and best of luck.  Who is the architect?  Do you feel someone is more knowledgeable than you concerning green construction?  Don't underestimate you talents.  You have played Cypress Point, has your architect?

Regarding advice, don't spend too much money at first.  Things which you thought need to be done may look different when you are on the site a few weeks.
Maybe a quite customer survey.  What may be important to you may not be to your customer.  Even a focus group may help.
Was it Napoleon who said "no battle plan survives the first fired bullet?"

[Brian Phillips]

Don,

Congratulations.  If you get a chance, take a trip up to Sand Hills to see how members and guests are treated up there.  There is no snobbery but pure friendliness and service.

A great club to copy.  I also agree about the trolleys if you really want to get members walking.  All clubs in Europe have trolleys for hire for about £2 - £4 each.


RJ,

I totally agree with you on Angie!!  She is the Alice Dye of this site!!  If only she was in Norway, then I would offer her work.  She would make a killing here!!

Brian

[Jimbo]

Congratulations Don, this is really great.

I've really enjoyed your posts here and on GCSAA and knew you had your act together!

Probably not telling you anything you don't know, but: Buy a beverage cart (I can see the cringing all over GCAdom) and keep the rest of F&B to a minimum! And hire great people.  Get a green, hungry, and moral guy for the field.  Get the greens in shape first, then fwys, then tees then rough.

I am very happy for you and a just a little bit jealous.

The very best of wishes and good luck,
Jim DeReuil

[David Wigler]

Don,

I remember your excitement when you were telling me it might happen.  Congratulations.  Life can only be great when you are doing what you love.  

[A.G._Crockett]

I imagine that everyone on GCA will be dreaming they are you today at work!  Congratulations--hope to play your course someday.  Update your progress.
Most courses have a core group Friday p.m. and Sat. a.m.  I agree that regular games (Skins, net and gross on Friday, points game Sat.) are a great draw for the regulars.  Hope it goes better than great.
Make it as kid-friendly as possible.  Special rates, let the high school team play and practice, clinics, etc.

[Ed_Baker]

Don;

Sincere congratulations and good luck.

I have been a small retail business owner for 31 years.

Doesn't matter if your selling nails, videos, or golf.A few suggestions:

The only thing that seperates you from the competition is YOU.

Be there,be visible and accessible.

Initially, I would suggest stationing yourself behind the 18th green, thank each finishing foursome personally,let them know your plans for improvements, solicit their advice and take notes on a simple yellow legal pad, offer them a free soft drink or modest discount coupon for a return round. It's better to meet your customers after the round their input will be more valuable after sampling the wares.

Become a "townie", what's the favorite group or organization within the town, Elks,Jaycees,Rotary,whatever. Do a mass mailing just within the zipcode, offer residents a discount or form an "inner club" for residents and regulars.

Offer senior rates and cater and cultivate that group to fill the mid-week tee sheets.

Solicit the fire and police depts, see if you can put together 'mini outings for them, start small and do a few really well and those guys will be big supporters.

Spend at least 80% of your advertising dollars locally, that's where your bread is buttered.

Contact the schools and start a junior program and if the high schools and college have golf teams offer practice rounds to them, make a modest donation to their booster clubs.

Make sure you do your accounting and maintainence chores in off hours, spend the bulk of your day in front of your customers, nobody sells like the owner.

Hope some of these help,best of luck to you.

[Mike_Young]

Don,
Congratulations.  I have been part owner of two and it is hard work.  Understand that most $30 clients don't see what you see.  At first think of nothing but the best putting conditions you can have.  GREENS GREENS GREENS That brings in the dough.  Everything else will follow.
Mike

[Kelly_Blake_Moran]

Congratulations Don.  Angie's list reminded me of something you may not be aware of if you are not from Texas.  Ballwashers and Aggies can be a deadly combination.  Make certain the Aggie men's team understands that the ball washers are for their GOLF BALLS.  It is likely the women's team felt they had no need for ball washers at their tees.

Make sure you are there everyday.  Like Reagan said, inspect, don't expect. Put a big plate glass window at your office so you can see everyone coming and going.  Make yourself accessible to your customers, make sure they know you, that you are there to listen and address any problems personally, not through a minimum wage employee.  Watch the cash in the register.  People steal, and that can hurt your business.  

[JakaB]

Texans like things big...so have a Fat Boys Scramble where every team has to weigh a total of over 1000 pounds...get a local BBQ joint to sponser the event and have ribs and beer located throughout the course for appetizers...Have a big feed afterwards with the winning team getting to go through the feed line first with the losing team last.   If its a success maybe a Fat Boy Wednesday would be good nine hole event at 5:30 every wednesday night.

If women want to play lower the limit to 800 pounds per team but make them bring side dishes of their favorite deserts.

[Mike_Young]

KBM is correct.  Watch the register.  We have had it happen a couple of times.  Think about it... if an employee puts 1 foursome a day in pocket at $30 each that is $120 x 360.  $43200 per year.  We have found deals where wiaters and rest. staff from places in town were comped and the pro was eating and drinking free...tires for golf outings etc....green fees turn into lesson money...beer in the grill goes home...
Tee times are like meat in a non refrigerated market.  every eight minutes they are gone never to be seen again.  And sometimes employees cannot see them as an inventory.  So they just start to comp their buddies and make deals....
None of this is meant to be cynical ..it is just a reality in any course that accepts cash.

[JohnV]

Don,

Congratulations.  I wish I had known about this when I passed through the area last month, I would have stopped by for a round and a beer.

JakaB, if Don has a Fat boys tournament, perhaps Tommy, you and I could get Tiger for our 4th.  Even with his skinny a** we would still be well over the weight limit.

[David Wigler]

Don,

Now for the important stuff:

1. Construct a tasteful waterfall behind the 9th green.
2. Add GPS's (With ads) to each of your golf carts.
3. The wind in Texas is a pain in the ass, so put enough containment mounding on each hole to protect the golfers.
4. Sod the entire course to handle your turf issues.
5. Think ornimental flower beds.
6. Create a program where each of the first 100 members gets to plant a memorial tree in their honor.
7. There is no such thing as a good golf course with stone tee markers. (Think Paiute's turtles).  Since you are in Texas, I think stone Armadillo's would work.

After doing all of the above, mention offhand to the local newspaper that Rees Jones is coming out to get the course ready for the 2011 PGA Championship and then hope that a Japanese investor reads it and purchases the course from you at a healthy profit.  Glad I could help, send me my commission upon execution of this plan.  

[THuckaby2]

Congratulations - good for you, Don!  

I'm a business rube and have zero practical advice to add here, but I'd say listen well to Ed Baker particularly.  And Dave W. puts great perspective on this, as always.  Oh yes, life has to be great indeed when you're doing something you love.

TH

[Peter Galea]

Congratulations Don, you are "living the dream."
You might have a welcome tournament for locals, where you start on the first tee and play one hole with each group.
It's a good way to meet your clientelle and you'll get an earfull.
Good Luck.
"Keep a close eye on your dimes and nickels and never conceed a putt."-Sam Snead

[Scott_Burroughs]

Lots of good advice here.

Another congrats, Don.  Perhaps your course will be a side trip for those who come to see the Texas Tech course once it opens!

[Pete Lavallee]

Congratualations Don!

Since you've always been so informative on turf grass issues, maybe you could give us the low down on what kind of grass you have on your fairways and greens. What are soil conditions like? Is it F&F, what is the water quality like? I know these issues are of interest to everyone on this site, and how you handle them would be a valuable insight to all of us. Lots of luck.