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Ensuring Quality Golf
Two Idaho courses, one in Washington, enjoy Troon touch
By Paul Ramsdell, PNGA Media
Virtually every time a customer steps foot on a Troon Golf property, a
sense of distinction welcomes that step.
It isn't by chance.
A carefully structured business plan, both overall and individually at
the more than 140 golf courses in 12 countries, has resulted in Troon Golf
growing into the leading provider of enjoyable golf experiences.
"There is a minimum quality standard at any place that we have," said
Dana Garmany, chairman and CEO of the golf course management company based
in Scottsdale, Ariz. "And that minimum quality standard is something that is
important for all of us to do."
Troon has management contracts with Elkhorn and Whitetail in Idaho and
TPC at Snoqualmie Ridge in Washington. Troon is involved in managing both
daily fee or resort courses, along with private clubs.
Key to being able to have a minimum quality standard at such a
wide-ranging array of clients is having knowledge of your properties and
people.
In other words, knowing what is needed or wanted in a resort-heavy spot
like Scottsdale or the Chowchilla Valley in California, doesn't mean those
same aspects of service and commitment are needed at a neighborhood daily
fee course near Denver.
"We're going to be a little more labor-intensive in those (resort)
markets because that's the expectations of the guests," Garmany said.
"They're going to want the bag drop monitored daylight to dark. We're going
to do those things that they would expect to see in a five-star hotel."
But the customers at the neighborhood course in Denver aren't looking
for the equivalent of a five-star hotel, but rather an enjoyable, affordable
place to play once or twice a week.
"We don't want to have to charge people for something they don't want."
And Garmany knows it's impossible for him to make those types of
determinations for more than 140 properties, so that's why Troon personnel
around the world are key to the company's success.
"What's different about our company is we've really grown one (property)
at a time. And to be at 140-something properties one at a time, most people
don't have the patience to do that. They want to do it in a big portfolio
deal."
Garmany and his company stay away from the big portfolio deals, because
if he suddenly landed 30 new properties, he's not sure he would have the
proper personnel to bring those properties to a minimum quality standard
promptly.
"We never grow as fast as we could grow because it's not a business
where there's thousands of people qualified to run the facilities," he said.
Troon Golf is more than just a management company. Garmany says Troon
has an ownership share in roughly 15 percent of its properties, which can
range from 100 percent of some courses, to as little as 5 percent.
Troon also tries to be what Garmany calls a "start-to-finish kind of
company" that can assist a developer in all aspects of construction and
development.
Remodel projects also are a part of the Troon expertise, and the company
currently is doing a major remodel at Elkhorn in Sun Valley, Idaho.
"Yes, we've been very involved (in Elkhorn), and that's probably a good
example of a place where we've gone in and recommended the changes that
should be made, and how much they should spend, set the budget and have our
people oversee that," Garmany said.
It sounds like a big task, but Troon has proven at 140 properties that
it's up to the challenge.
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