Jim Hahn is the new General Manager of the Cape Fear National at Brunswick Forest near Wilmington N.C.. a Kemper Sports managed facility. Hahn has 25 years of general manager experience, as well as executive experience serving as a Kemper Sports VP. Cape Fear National was designed by Tim Cate and offers 18 holes with plans to add an additional nine holes and an off-site driving range.
Vicki Martz recently opened Victoria Martz Golf Design, Inc., a boutique design firm managed out of Jacksonville, Fla. Martz has seen high customer interest in remodeling courses and rerouting holes, all in the effort to make golf courses more accessible, affordable and family friendly. With Arnold Palmer Design more than 25 years, Martz most recently retired as VP, Senior Golf Course Architect and Director of Environmental Design.
Marie Jackson of SydMar Golf Management Inc. increased golf traffic at The Sugar Creek Golf Course in Atlanta by 10%. Sugar Creek is an 18-hole, 6,200 yard par-71-course serving DeKalb County. Two programs in particular have helped this increase: The Nine and Wine program as well as The Church League that caters to all denominations. The Nine and Wine program creates a relaxed and romantic atmosphere featuring tiki lights, live jazz music, and of course wine and cheese, and has been particularly successful.
Rick Robbins is working on the renovation to the Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, N.C. The 54-hole course will offer much more consistency to the greens and bunkers, and the drainage will be improved as well. Owned by James Goodnight and designed by Tom Jackson, the course will host the SAS Championship in September.
Richard Mandell and Richard Mandell Golf Architecture, together with Jason Sloan and Frontier Golf are working on a complete bunker renovation at The Reserve at Pawley’s Island in Pawley’s Island, S.C. The Reserve is an 18-hole private course that measures 7,179 yards from the back tees. Frontier Golf utilizes state of the art laser and GPS technology to excavate, revamp and configure greens to within 1-millimeter accuracy of the vertical and elevation survey.
Clay Thomas has increased rounds at the Westchase Golf Club in Tampa, Fla., from 100 outings in September of 2009, to 700 scheduled outings for September 2010. September is typically a slow month at Westchase. The increase is a result of intensified focus on specific target markets, tournaments and other outings.