MANAGEMENT BRIEFS LEGAL CORNER Beauty turns environment into a beast, court rules

By NANCY SMITH, J.D. he inherent beauty of a golf course has long been recognized by golfers. The AGCC REASSIGNS CLARK T attraction of verdant links has now SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Ameri- been officially recognized by the Cali- can Golf Country Clubs (AGCC) a divi- fornia Court of Appeal. A three-judge sion of American Golf Corp., has reas- appellate panel recently ruled it is vir- signed Vice President Terry Clark to tually undeniable that developing a Kissimmee Bay CC is one of the many Florida courses in IGM's growing portfolio. Palm Desert, Calif. Prior to this as- course will invite people to build signment, Clark was regional director homes nearby. of AGCC's eastern division. He will be The court addressed the question based at Monterey Country Club, one IGM in midst of ambitious expansion of whether a course and clubhouse, of more than 38 private country clubs By PETER B LAI S by themselves, could induce residen- in AGCC's portfolio. LAKELAND, Fla. — International is just in the past five to 10 years that tial development in Stanislaus Golf Management's (IGM) recently municipal, public and private golf Audubon Society v. County of signed agreement to maintain Brevard course operators have begun turning Stanislaus. County Florida's three municipal over all aspects of their maintenance When local officials approved de- courses enhanced the company's self- operation to outside firms. velopment of a golf course in a rural proclaimed image as the fastest- ISS Golf Services has been one of the area in Northern California, environ- growing contractual maintenance most successful contractual mainte- mentalists challenged the decision in organization in the country. nance companies. Zakany — a certified court. The environmentalists won, in The Brevard County deal — which golf course superintendent with 18 a unanimous opinion that essentially involved Habitat Golf Course (GC) in years of course management experi- found the attraction of a golf course to Eric Affeldt Donna Kellerman Valkaria, Spessard Holland GC in ence — worked at ISS for eight years residential development was undeni- Melbourne, and Sykes Creek in Merritt and advanced to vice president, before able. KSL PROMOTES PAIR Island — brought the number of IGM- leaving the Tampa-based firm 18 A local ranching family, the Willms, MANASSAS, Va. — KSL Fairways maintained courses to 17, all in Florida. months ago to start IGM. obtained approval from local authori- recently announced the promotion of The Lakeland-based firm planned to "We started as a smaller firm with ties to build a 27-hole semiprivate two top executives, Eric Affeldt was increase that number to 24 by year's less overhead," Zakany said. "And course and clubhouse on 600 acres named president and chief operating end, according to General Manager we've associated ourselves with some used since the 1800s for grazing within officer while Donna Kellerman be- Scott Zakany. other golf companies that have helped the family's 2,500-acre ranch. comes vice president of sales and mar- "Among our competition, no one has to make us more cost-effective." Although no solid legally binding keting. KSL Fairways owns and oper- more than 13 or 14 courses," Zakany When a golf facility first approaches commitment existed, the Willms indi- ates 20 courses from Pennsylvania to said. "We're looking to expand into the IGM, the company initially reviews the cated they would continue the family's Florida. Southwest United States, Georgia and club's entire maintenance operation, long-standing tradition of ranching the Carolinas during 1996." analyzing expenditures, course condi- surrounding terrain. County authori- PORT MALABAR RECRUITS ISS Contractual grounds maintenance tion, manpower allocations, environ- ties approved the project without re- MELBOURNE, Fla. — ISS Golf Ser- has been popular for many years in the mental compliance and liability con- quiring an environmental impact re- vices has reached agreement with Port commercial real-estate business. But it Continued on page 37 Continued on page 38 Malabar Country Club to manage the course's maintenance operation. Lo- cated 5 miles south of Melbourne, the course is the centerpiece of a residential Palmer Mat. announces community owned by Robert Dolci. marketing partnership KIAWAH HIRES BOLES CHARLESTON, S.C. — Kiawah Is- ORLANDO — Arnold Palmer Golf Management land Resort has named Kathy Boles Co. and Robinson, Yesawich & Pepperdine Inc. director of marketing for the Ocean recently announced a marketing partnership to Course. Boles previously served as advance Palmer Golfs $50 million expansion pro- tournament director for the 1991 Ryder gram in the course management industry. Cup held at the Ocean Course and Palmer has been acquiring, leasing and manag- most recently as event manager for ing private and public courses since 1984. Palmer the BOC Challenge, an around-the- Golf specializes in adding value to courses and world yacht race for vessels sailed solo, adjacent real estate, including hotels, resorts, resi- starting and ending in Charleston. dential and commercial developments. A recent business school study of Palmer prop- CORSO MOVES UP AT CLUB RESORTS erties reported premiums of 10 to 20 percent on adjacent property while dramatically increasing DALLAS—Patrick Corso, president absorption and occupancy rates. and chief operating officer of Pinehurst "In aligning ourselves with RY&P, we add the Resort & Country Club since 1986, professional marketing services of a major agency has been ap- to the roster of unique capabilities Palmer Golf pointed executive provides to add value," said Peter Nanula, presi- vice president of dent and chief executive officer of the Arnold operations for Palmer Golf Management Co. "The natural alli- Club Resorts Inc. ance between our marketing and brand assets and Corso was for- RY&P's extensive experience will help us accom- merly senior vice plish our overall marketing and growth objec- Patrick Corso president for Club tives." RY&P has offices in Orlando, New York and Los Resorts. He will remain Pinehurst's Angeles and specializes in serving hotels, resorts, chief executive. destinations and travel companies. The Presidio Golf Club in San Francisco is an Arnold Palmer Golf Management property GOLF COURSE NEWS January 1996 33 MANAGEMENT PGA seeks new standards for golf pros

By MARK LESLIE the 1992 PGA Golf Professional who was the 1992 Golf Profes- PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — of the Year, national education sional of the Year for the South- There are no industry standards chairman in 1992-93 and national western Chapter South Florida for golf pros, and PGA Golf Prop- Bill Strausbaugh Award Winner PGA and 1993 Merchandiser of erties Inc.'s senior director of for work in club relations in 1989. the Year for South Florida PGA. operations would like to solve "PGA Golf Properties wants to Saying that some of the PGA that problem. embody all the knowledge nec- pros who visit The Reserve "will "The golf industry is one of essary to run any kind of golf come down here with a critical the major leisure-time industries operation... We can gather that eye," he said: "That's okay. It's in the country. But it's run pretty information through the opera- their facility. We want their input. much as a cottage industry," said tion of our own properties and "But we're not interested in Marty Kavanaugh from the we can test new concepts." doing anything that cannot be PGA's new home golf course Hands-on handling activities replicated throughout the coun- here. "Everybody's doing some- atThe Reserve is Bill Cioffeletti, try. If it can't be, what good is it?" Bill Cioffeletti, left, and Marty Kavanaugh at The Reserve. thing a little bit differently. We [atPGA Golf Club atThe Reserve] would like to develop some defin- able industry standards." Standards would speak to such questions as: What should be the average number of employees for a 12-month season at a public facility's golf shop? What is the average golf ball loss at a driving range in a season? What is the opti- mum labor for a 36-hole facility — how many full-time and part-time? "The answer is: Nobody has these figures," said Kavanaugh, IGM expands Continued from page 33 cerns. IGM then provides a maintenance proposal and, if the course operator is interested, negotiates a fixed-price contract. Among the advantages, he added, of signing an IGM contractual maintenance agreement are: • reduced management headaches and employee problems • one check to cover all needs; • professional budgeting and planning; • reduced employee liability; • reduced environmental liability; and • reduced capital expenditures. Reporting to Zakany are three regional managers — Jim Wells (oversees eight courses), Jim Witt (five courses) and John When I need a reliable Carlin (two courses). Wells, a Missisippi State University graduate and certified superinten- straight shot, I reach dent who most recently worked with Golf Ventures and Profes- for my Putter." sional Turf Managers Inc., joined "There's nothing like making a great putt. How the ball takes the staff in November. Each course has its own a smooth roll on a closely trimmed green. Over a texture so superintendent. Staffing depends fine, nothing's going to get in the way of my shot. on a course's individual needs. "That's why I reach for Putter from Jacklin. A dark, Overall, IGM has 230 employees. bluish-green Creeping Bentgrass, Putter has a uniform leaf "Most of our superintendents texture, improved resistance to many patch diseases and is have turf degrees," Zakany aggressive against Poa annua encroachment. And its explained. "We offer a good dwarf-growth habit and high-shoot density puts me overall benefit package and in a better position to call those tough shots. more job stability than a "In fact, in test after test, Putter offers a true-line putting superintendent employed surface that outperforms the competition. (Now, if I could only directly by a course. If our outperform my competition, game after game.)" company were to lose a mainte- For more information on how to seed up with Jacklin, call nance contract at a particular 1-800-760-4321. Or call your local JacklinGolf distributor today. course, chances are that superintendent could transfer to another one of our courses. Or an up-and-coming superinten- JAG&LINGolf dent could transfer to a larger course without having to leave 5300 West Riverbend Avenue Tony Jacklin is the winner of 14 PGA European Tour events (including the 1969 British the company and losing the Open) and 11 other international events (including the 1970 U.S. Open). Tony is also a Post Falls, Idaho 83854-9499 benefits he'd gained." four-time European Ryder Cup captain, and can be seen on the Senior PGA Tour. 1-800-760-4321 Fax: 208-773-4846 ©1995 JacklinGolf. All rights reserved. GOLF COURSE NEWS CIRCLE # 130/GCSAA BOOTH #4167