The unique LedgeRock Golf Club logo also helps sell merchandise, as the clubs members like to show it off while demonstrating pride in their club. The approach is sound. Golf Courses, Denver, PA
I was going to my spiritual home," FitzGerald said. Located about 90 minutes from Philadelphia, in Mohnton, Pennsylvania, LedgeRock Golf Club is a private 18-hole facility with 340 members who enjoy exemplary golf and dining services. Whether you are interested in a premier golf experience, new friends, camaraderie, and an active social calendar of events, or simply an exceptional place to dine and entertain, we have the membership for you. It is a hub of activity that includes private and group instruction, practice sessions and various social gatherings. I asked him where one gets an LSU Tiger-themed cake in rural Pennsylvania and he credited the internet and some thoughtful planning for making the party an annual success. Welcome To Your Club Watch on Golf About Amenities Guest Information People have forgotten how to talk to people! LedgeRock Golf Club offers several categories of membership to fit your needs. They may play up to 20 rounds of golf per year and have access to all club facilities, including overnights at Kohl Lodge, the clubs on-site guest cottage.
Alan was totally upfront with us about this, and we frankly viewed it as an opportunity for him as a valued employee and for us as a club, Heller says. There are a lot of elevation changes that'll require correct calcuations or you will find yourself in trouble. As it is, he says, Id say 97 percent of my day is still centered on LedgeRock and day-to-day maintenance operations and the renovation we have going here. Mikls Breitner is a savvy, well-connected senior golf club marketing professional with extensive, All Rights Reserved By Golf Business Monitor Privacy Policy, Gauging the Impact of Private Club Trends. LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, Pennsylvania is flush with wide, sweeping views. endobj
Miller sends video recaps with color commentary to add to the kids (and their parents) experience. 2 0 obj
But the benefits versus the costs didnt make it worthwhile, in my opinion, FitzGerald says. According to FitzGerald, in 10 years and more than 1,000 bunkers, there have been zero failures. Page content. The Great Recession hit the following autumn, and private clubs started dropping like flies all over Pennsylvania and across the nation. No local tournaments listed for this course. But I also do something called Fall Junior Team Golf, which Ive done presentations about during [Philadelphia PGA] Section meetings, Miller added. Mt. LedgeRock provides a sanctuary for golfers of all ages and . While Jones doesnt recall that exact moment from 15 years ago, he does remember how easy it was and still is to work with the Irishman. Essentially, the base is compactable road stone, a solid, consistent surface that water runs along and does not penetrate, he says. So, I came back to them: What if I imported it for you and you taught me how to do it? 2023 North Coast Media LLC, All Rights Reserved. As a kid in Ireland, Alan FitzGerald discovered more than 25 years ago that the best route to becoming a golf course superintendent would include going to the United States - at least for formal education. This involvement often leads to kids joining his more golf-specific programs that drive membership as mentioned briefly already. "He was a Penn State grad, I had friends there and my dad's family was from around there. (Photo: Fernando Gaglianese). Even though the greens were just aerated last week, they still rolled pretty true and were very receptive to approach shots. LedgeRock Golf Club: Ledgerock. There, he encountered Aidan OHara, CGCS, who had learned his trade, in part, at Muirfield Village in the other Dublin (Ohio), and whom FitzGerald and others credit for first bringing U.S. agronomic standards to Ireland. "I spent the summer there, then went back to Penn State. The PGA of America is one of the world's largest sports organizations, composed of PGA Professionals who work daily to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. Copyright 2023 GolfPass. LedgeRock is a Golf Club owned by its Members. These are essential for both sides. This is why I thought to bring a positive example of the LedgeRock Golf Club (in suburban Philadelphia: 15 minutes southwest of Reading).
But we havent lost any either. Alan FitzGerald (Photo courtesy of Alan Fitzgerald). But he sees it as eminently sensible, as well. The transition to life in the United States was difficult at first, mostly due to cultural differences between the U.S. and Ireland, where no one much cares how old you are when ordering a beer. A 2020 Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) Top 50 Private Facility, LedgeRock Golf Club has also been recognized as a Distinguished Club by BoardRoom Magazine for three consecutive years. Community building is about relationship building. Thats what the club gets out of it, and we see that as a pretty good deal., Most recently, Blinder outfitted all the bunkers at Skippack GC in Eastern Pennsylvania, but FitzGerald is clear-eyed about the challenges ahead. I think we had 23 inches of rain that first July. The golf shop is open year-round and between Halvonik and his PGA Assistant Professional, Bill Kindoll, someone is always on duty to help members with their retail needs, or in the winter, to make sure the indoor hitting bays, located in the clubs Learning Center, are stocked with balls for member practice. Demographics and attitudes have changed. LedgeRock Golf Club opened in 2006 on 212 acres of terrain marked by striking elevation changes and riven by half a dozen roaring brooks. But as a regional club, its market actually extends well past Harrisburg, north of Reading, south to Lancaster and all the way into the western Main Line suburbs. The Ledgerock Golf Club is a private 18 hole facility located near Reading, Pennsylvania. In the Philadelphia market, A-list clubs are doing just fine. That is as important today as growing grass., Jones notes FitzGeralds pedigree, but adds that having Pine Valley on ones rsum doesnt do any good unless that superintendent can deliver. I had a much better year. FitzGerald, a native of Castlecomer, a small town in the southeast of Ireland near Kilkenny, came to the U.S. in 1996 to attend Penn State. The elevated tee and green locations offer long vistas of the surrounding countryside and enhance the playability of this outstanding venue. Water flows right through that layer. <>
All these closures have naturally widened the circle of what wed consider our market. Its not about thriving. All the latest stories & news from the Major PGA Championships. The Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year Award is named in honor of Golfdoms founder, World Golf Hall of Fame member Herb Graffis. 1 Greenbriar Dr, Mohnton, PA 19540 There are no tennis courts or swimming pools just its nationally ranked golf course and one of the Northeasts most expansive practice facilities. I wouldnt say Ive procrastinated on it, but I couldve done it sooner It was a handy excuse to get out of jury duty.. Hes outside the box. <>>>
In a matter of two to three years, it felt like wed built pretty much every feature of a golf course. Getting members on the golf course helps boost participation in member events. He described Fall Junior Team Golf as a combination of Drive, Chip and Putt and PGA Jr. League skills contests with a college football theme. Our fortunes are frankly going the other way, Heller said. With his foresight, Graffis helped advance the game in numerous ways, from founding the National Golf Foundation and the Club Managers Association of America to his work advocating on behalf of superintendents and elevating their profile. 2023 North Coast Media LLC, All Rights Reserved. Graffis was one of the first people to think of golf as a business when he and his brother Joe founded Golfdom in 1927. It allows me to bring in fresh product throughout the year knowing that its going to sell, he said. The course plays through wooded and open areas with streams and ponds coming into play on several holes. Estimates for the cost of membership at Augusta National cover quite a range, with Golf.com estimating a club initiation . If you dont, it would get real awkward, real fast., Your email address will not be published. For the Avid Golfer For the Traveling Golfer Starting his 3rd season at LedgeRock, Halvonik highlighted the great support his membership provides the golf shop. Your data protection & privacy is important to me! 3 0 obj
Its about engaging the young kids, often between 6 and 13 years of age, in a fun and supportive environment. The average individual club membership is $520 per month, according to a survey by Golf Digest. If we want to build a community in our private golf club and not just manage a private golf club then we have to help our members to build relationships with each other. Course has a ton of character. Heller reports that several members, rendered clubless by the Harrisburg closings, have already joined LedgeRock. The Ledgerock Golf Club is a private 18 hole facility located near Reading, Pennsylvania. I think having to continuously resell the same dining experience is a tough challenge. He's from Ireland, so I felt sorry for him. By looking at the course and speaking with its PGA Professionals, Im sure if they opened it up to more outings, groups would be knocking down their door. Ledge Rock Golf Club, Mohnton, PA About Andrew Andy Miller is the Director of Instruction at LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, PA. These bunkers just do not fail, FitzGerald says. ". FitzGerald, 45, was seemingly destined for life as a golf course superintendent. If I were a private golf clubs manager in addition to investing in customer experience development, I would also try to create a sense of community. Eventually, he would earn a two-year turfgrass science degree under the watchful eye of George Hamilton, Ph.D. and meet his Pocono-bred future wife, Jamie. "Coming to New York City from Kilkenny was a culture shock," he said. What does it cost to get a crew over here? As it happened, it wasnt cost prohibitive, and once I saw the product perform honestly, the flexibility of the liner struck me as genius I could see this was a real technological advance. Play private golf, access private courses, and book private Tee Times at Ledgerock Golf Club in Mohnton PA with Boxgroove Favorite
Its perhaps no surprise that FitzGerald believes in the Blinder product; on some level, every entrepreneurial venture requires that belief. In general, FitzGerald believes the bunker liner product universe can be broken into two broad categories: soft (fabric liners) and hard (aggregate liners). The Rees Jones design has top-to-bottom elevation changes of some 80 feet and severe slopes at every turn that make mowing a real-life adventure. Well-groomed fairways and greens keep Ledgerock Golf Club difficult yet friendly, and the staff can offer tips and tricks for playing your best round. Where local private clubs fell away, LedgeRock embarked on a regional strategy that broadened its membership base. Jones and his associates were in Mohnton all year revamping the par-3 10th. Juliet, 18 miniature USGA spec greens with gravity-powered water features! They stayed with it, so thats what we did as well.. Required fields are marked *. I recently spoke with Halvonik and Miller, and they were all too willing to share some stories from their club, as well as details of their golf shop, member events and Learning Center. My standing joke has been, The members here have never played in brand-new bunkers.. The short course caters to juniors and beginners who want to take the skills they learn on the range out to the golf course. Required fields are marked *. And he remains philosophical about how this outside business project plays into his natural ability to multitask a trait most superintendents develop early in their careers. LedgeRock GC opened for play in June 2007. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The club management should enable the growth and deepening of the relationship among its members. Each one has their strong and weak points. The latest news & stories from PGA Amateur Programs. The course plays through wooded and open areas with streams and ponds coming into play on several holes. I would also think about how could the club help their members grow not just on a social level, but on a financial and intellectual level. The tenacity of the founders was really amazing. Its a big investment no matter what product you choose, so its got to last. "The first year there was miserable, but then it became fun. FitzGerald calls the workload back in those early days completely nuts, as the project manager left for a different project, and the weather refused to cooperate. National candidates for LedgeRock GC membership cannot live within 100 miles of the club. It reimagines the traditional country club model. Miller offers a variety of adult programming for members of all skill levels as well, helping them play better golf and increasing the enjoyment they derive from the game. 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