Golf Inc - April 2008 - (Page 30)

GREG KINNEY General Manager, Revere Golf Club, Las Vegas, Nev. As a golf club general manager in the highly competitive Las Vegas market, Kinney regularly deals with course demand that fluctuates with the city’s conventions and bettor-attracting sports events, as well as some of the country’s toughest water regulations. Last year, he also dealt with the distractions of having prospective buyers trooping in and out until CORE Realty eventually purchased the club from his Troon Golf employers. For keeping guest and employee satisfaction ratings — and revenues — up throughout, Kinney was named General Manager of the Year for 2007 out of nearly 200 Troon-managed facilities worldwide. He admits that pricing the course is difficult in the dynamic Vegas environment. “It’s probably the change in peak periods that’s the toughest, how it fluctuates. The key is understanding the market and how to price it.” DR. KENNETH CHU Vice Chairman, Mission Hills Golf Club, Shenzhen, China Chu, along with his father, Dr. David Chu, and brother Tenniel, has created and operates the world’s largest golf facility at the 12-course Mission Hills complex in China. The size and scope of the Mission Hills operations is mindboggling in terms of golf alone, not to mention the resort and hospitality facilities and residential components of the property. On a peak day, Dr. Chu and his staff move 3,000 players through the 12 courses, each of them designed by celebrity architects including names like Nicklaus, Norman, Faldo, Els, Singh, Olazabal and Sorenstam, using a unique bag shuttle system that would make the most efficient airline baggage system pale by comparison. In 2007, Chu became the youngest honorary doctorate recipient in the history of the University of Western Ontario in Canada, where he graduated in 1996. Begun in 1992 with a single course, Mission Hills hosted 600,000 rounds last year, Chu said. While the core of Mission Hills’ business is tourism, expatriate and corporate play from nearby Hong Kong and other Asian business centers, Chu admits that to get to the next level and maximize long term success, China needs more native players. To that end, the Chu family has created the property’s David Leadbetter and Cindy Reid golf academies for summer and winter training camps and in-school visits to reach local youngsters. “In order for the sport to continue to grow globally, I strongly believe it needs China’s involvement,” Chu said. “It cannot be recognized as a true world sport if the vast majority of our country’s 1.3 billion citizens never see a golf ball.” And, with China’s continuing emergence as an economic giant, Chu says golf plays a part, perhaps more so in China than anywhere in the world. “Golf is the best medium to link the East and the West,” Chu said. “In Asia today, golf is more than a sport, it is a business language and social networking tool.” 30 Golf Inc. April 2008 FRANK ROMANO Owner/General Manager, Scenic View Golf Club Slinger, Wis. In a golf market that’s dominated by the high-profile Kohler brand, Romano has made Scenic View and two other properties in his portfolio — Fire Ridge and Blackstone Creek — stand out. Romano was working as general manager when he bought Scenic View about 10 years ago. His first priority: roll up his sleeves and come up with innovative marketing ideas. “I had to define who the customer base was and build products that would fit,” he said. “We focused on leagues and events.” One of his most popular events was the Miss Beer Cart Tournament, an annual event that attracts golfers from all over the state to judge the best beverage cart operators. And after noticing that many of his customers were also bowlers, he created a bowling and golf league and followed that up with a fishing-golf league. Romano served on the National Golf Course Owners Association board for more than 10 years. He’s also former head of the Wisconsin Golf Foundation, which operated the local First Tee program, and has raised thousands of dollars to place more than a dozen defibrillators at area golf courses.

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Golf Inc - April 2008

Golf Inc - April 2008 Contents Editors Column Birney Takes NGCOA Helm Construction Costs on the Rise KemperSports Adds 14 Courses Americas: Fazio Designs St. Kitts Layout Europe/Africa: Seaside Resort Planned in Egypt Asia/Australis: Faldo Opens New Chinese Course High-Tech Tools: New Technologies that can Help Operators There's No Economic Slump at Still-Popular Reynolds Plantation Tim Moraghan Wants to Make Golf Fun Again Why a $1.5 Billion Resort has Made Environmental Protection a Top Priority Most Admired Operators Marketing Experts Make Their Pitch for Golf Courses From Korea, with Cash Last Word

Golf Inc - April 2008

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