A Message from Our President Winter 2018 The holiday season is wrapping up, and golf course owners and operators in the Mid-Atlantic preparing for the new season, which will be here before we know it. So, what will the New Year hold? Is the supply and demand going to level out some, with the recent closing of a number of courses in the Mid-Atlantic? Will we find new ways to create revenue at our courses? The NGCOA Conference is coming up in San Antonio on February 6-8, and a great program is planned. The program looks great – hope you can make it! There is a lot of momentum, following a successful TechCon event in Las Vegas in September. Second-year CEO Jay Karen is now building strong industry relationships and bringing new faces to the conference. Click here to view the program for the NGCOA Conference. Say, did you see the Nov./Dec. issue of Golf Business magazine? The cover features “The Four Golf Golf Horsemen,” the four new minority owners of Marlton Golf Club in the Washington, DC area. They plan to expose the minority community to both golf and business. Great reading! We had a really great annual meeting a few weeks ago at 1757 Club in Dulles, a Billy Casper Golf facility. Peter Hill, CEO of Billy Casper Golf, shared his insights on the industry and where it is headed. We had a national update from NGCOA CEO Jay Karen, and a Government Relations report from the GCSAA’s man on the Hill, Bob Helland. Then it was time for the awards, and we honored some real all-stars – Wayne Nooe of Kingsmill Resort, 1757 Golf Club, Farmington Country Club and Belle Haven Country Club (read more inside!) We also bid a fond farewell to everyone’s friend, Don Ryder of The Omni Homestead, who retired from our board. We have plans to defend our industry this year through advocacy. NGCOA Mid-Atlantic will be Business monitoring issues in Virginia, Maryland and DC, along with allied associations through legislative visits and on-the-ground representation at state and local events. Coming up this spring is another rendition of National Golf Day in Washington, DC and NGCOA MA will be there visiting Congressmen and Senators in our region. The event features over 100 meetings with Congressional leaders. Last year our own board member Keith Miller, PGA of the Montgomery County Revenue Authority, was on the case on Capitol Hill alongside the top industry officials. In addition, we continue to look for ways to collaborate with our allied associations. NGCOA Mid-Atlantic is a member of the Mid-Atlantic Golf Council, comprised of VA and MD organizations serving golf. The group includes us plus the state golf associations, the PGA chapter, the CMAA chapters, the GCSAA chapters. We are pleased to announce our inaugural Mid-Atlantic Regional Golf Conference at Belle Haven Country Club on March 6, 2018. We are expecting well over 200 attendees to hear industry updates from the leaders of national organizations (see article inside). Bring your top club leaders and don’t miss it! Mid-Atlantic In other news, our friends with the Mid-Atlantic Association of Golf Course Superintendents have now completed a Best Management Practices project designed to set standards and to showcase the environmental stewardship of the golf industry. The turf professors at the University of Maryland stepped up to write the BMPs, along with the region’s top superintendents. Now a word about our Corporate Partners. We now have 25 companies supporting our organization, and their support allows us to serve you better. Up to Par Management and Textron Golf have stepped up in a major way to support our Annual Meeting with award sponsorships. Companies like Performance Food Group, Yamaha Golf Cars and Acumen Golf have been with us since Day One. ETS is a big partner, and we welcome PowerFilm Soloar as a new partner. Please visit our Partner listing and support the companies that support you! I am honored to serve as your President, and I am pleased to serve on a board with some of the sharpest minds in the region (check them out on our board page). They are here to grow the game and serve our member clubs, and they do it pro bono! So please join us as a member, and help us grow the game and share operating successes for the betterment of our industry in the region! A publication of the National Golf Course Owners Association, Mike Bennett Mid-Atlantic Chapter NGCOA Mid-Atlantic President 2017 NCGOA Mid-Atlantic Board of Directors President Vice President Secretary/Treasurer Mike Bennett Bob Swiger Glen Byrnes, PGA Commonwealth Golf Asset Management Raspberry Golf Management Golden Horseshoe Golf Club 4808 Courthouse Street, Suite 201 P.O. Box 6175 401 South England Street Williamsburg, VA 23188 Leesburg, VA 20178 Williamsburg, VA 23185 Bus: (757) 229-0808 Bus: (703) 779-2555 x102 Bus: (757) 220-7570 Mobile: (757) 342-0390 Mobile: (202) 409-6872 Mobile: (757) 876-9060 [email protected] Fax: (703) 779-8721 Bus Fax: (757) 565-8969 [email protected] [email protected] Directors John Anderes, CGCS Joel Gohlmann Jonathan Ireland Queenstown Harbor Billy Casper Golf Kinloch Golf Club 310 Links Lane 8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 350 100 Kinloch Lane Queenstown, Maryland 21658 Vienna, VA 22182 Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103 Bus: (410) 827-7518 Mobile: (571) 221-3692 Bus: (804) 784-8000 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Damon DeVito Michael Hatch Keith Miller Affinity Golf Management Acumen Golf Montgomery County 304 Hickman Road, Suite A c/o Brandermill Country Club Revenue Authority Charlottesville, VA 22911 3700 Brandermill Parkway 101 Monroe Street, Suite 410 Bus: (434) 817-4570 x2 Midlothian, VA 23112-4500 Rockville, MD 20850 Mobile: (434) 906-4440 Mobile: (804) 363-9888 Bus: (301) 762-9080 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Joe Hills Mike Fentress Rick Rounsaville Blue Mash GC / Waverly Woods GC Virginia Beach Golf Management Bulle Rock Golf Club 5821 Olney-Laytonsville Road 4840 Princess Anne Road 320 Blenheim Lane Laytonsville, MD 20882 Virginia Beach, VA 23462-4443 Havre de Grace, MD 21078 Bus: (301) 674-6651 Bus: (757) 474-8441 Bus: (410) 939-8887 [email protected] Mobile: (757) 409-1626 [email protected] [email protected] Staff & Counsel Executive Director Chapter Executive General Counsel NGCOA Membership David Norman Tyler Eastham Grant S. Grayson Director NGCOA Mid-Atlantic 1900 Manakin Road, Suite C LeClair Ryan Hollie West 1900 Manakin Road, Suite C Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103 Riverfront Plaza, East Tower NGCOA Manakin-Sabot, VA 23103 Bus: (804) 708-9760 951 East Byrd Street, Eighth Floor 291 Seven Farms Drive, 2nd Floor Bus: (804) 708-9760 Mobile: (757) 329-3577 Richmond, Virginia 23219 Charleston, SC 29492 Mobile: (804) 399-7802 [email protected] Bus: (804) 343-4381 Bus: (800) 933-4262 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] http://www.leclairryan.com NGCOA Mid-Atlantic Annual Events a Success 1757 Golf Club & Trump National, Washington, D.C. Co-host Annual Meeting & VIP Reception On October 17th, Trump National, Washington D.C. hosted the pre-con Public Golf Leader was 1757 Golf Club. The award is given in VIP reception in the majestic clubhouse that overlooks the championship recognition of programs executed by a public facility to promote golf in golf course. Attendees gathered for an evening of networking, cocktails the Mid-Atlantic. Director of Golf, Dave Ahart accepted the award on and hors d’oeuvres. It was a fun event that included a raffle for a Bag Boy behalf of 1757 Golf Club. travel golf bag with one lucky winner, Kody Key of Textron Golf. Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, VA was recognized as the The NGCOA Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting was held the following day at Private Golf Leader for 2017 by NGCOA Mid-Atlantic. The club earned 1757 Golf Club in Dulles, VA. the award by its leadership through thoughtful capital planning and NGCOA MA President Mike Bennett emceed the event and kicked off the programming. General Manager Joe Krenn was on-site to accept the award. meeting with a special thank you to all of the meeting sponsors and The NGCOA Mid-Atlantic’s Sustainability Award, which is sponsored year-long partners, followed by attendee introductions. The keynote speaker by Textron and was presented by Regional Director of Sales, Matt Miller, was Peter Hill, CEO of Billy Casper Golf. Pete was recently named the #6 recognizes the ability to incorporate sustainability and environmental Most Important Person in Golf by Golf, Inc. magazine and he also serves stewardship into operating practices. Belle Haven Country Club in as a Chairman of the National Golf Foundation and as a Board Member of Alexandria, VA is the 2017 winner. Accepting the award was Golf Course NGCOA. Pete gave a riveting presentation on factors affecting the golf Superintendent, Mike Augustin. industry right now. The final award presented was theNGCOA Mid-Atlantic Golf Leader Following the Pete’s presentation was the annual meeting. The Award, in recognition of leadership and long-term service to the golf nominating committee recommended a slate of Directors for the 2017-2018 industry. Up to Par Management sponsored the award, and it was board which was voted on in the affirmative. Mr. Don Ryder of the Omni presented by CEO and founding partner, Sean Taylor. Wayne Nooe of Homestead submitted his retirement from the board, leaving the position Kingsmill resort was this year’s recipient. His tenure at Kingsmill Resort to be filled by board action, according to the Bylaws.