They’ve got an interesting fractional model. One membership can be owned by 4 people and those 4 people can bring whenever they want as often as they want. And unaccompanied play is allowed which really gets interesting if you’re looking to split it with a bigger group.
The owner says something in the article to the effect of “Minnesota is missing a destination private club” which, I mean….Brainerd? I know it’s not private but it’s certainly not free either.
Yeah the fractional model is very appealing. Taking the numbers shown and dividing by four makes it start to almost look attainable.
Definitely excited for Ogilvy.
I’d be curious to know more about how the development of the course works and what OCM handles versus what the investor group handles. For example Is OCM responsible for the predevelopment zoning and permitting stuff or is that on the investor? Similarly what do they bring in for a construction crew. I think I’ve watched the TS Bandon development video too many times and now its got me thinking about that kind of stuff.
Maybe I’m too close to Brainerd but I’m increasingly out on its ranking as a national destination level attraction. Its great as a regional destination but I don’t see it having the pull it once maybe had. That said would be cool to see what Maddens would be like if they refreshed the two older courses there, so they were less generic parkland style courses. They’ve got the land and the courses, they’re just kind of tired and could definitely be improved upon. Like how cool would the main course on the property there be if it looked like Gearhart instead of Minnesota’s version of Firestone Country Club.
On their website there’s an “intrigued” button near the bottom. Somebody from my club reached out and received this message:
“We’re an invitation only club, and ‘tell me more’ says it’s not a fit…”
I don’t know the guy from my club so the “personal” connection doesn’t impact my opinions on the matter, but from where I sit, that response is appropriate from a petty 14 year old who just got broken up with via text.
Ironically, the person in charge of responding is not a 14 year old girl but a grown man! Not only is he a grown man, but he’s an Executive Director at a non-profit and if you go to their website you’ll find “We Teach Class” in bold letters front and center- hopefully he’s not doing the teaching!
Super interesting concept. Commit to 2 trips a year and buy in with a group of 12. If the lodging is more reasonable than Sand Valley it could be much cheaper. Plus, I’m guessing you have much more leeway in terms of organizing group events.
(All of this depends on the down payment of course).
I clicked that button interested in learning more and exchanged a few emails with the membership director (assumption on my part). The exchange essentially went along the lines of “thanks for your interest, here are some basic non-helpful facts, good day to you and have a good life”
It was more nuanced than that because this is Minnesota and Minnesotans will never tell you to F yourself and have a good life, but it wasn’t far off.
Sounds like an awesome way to get things kicked off for them. Nothing makes me happier than the people who provide you an opportunity to ask questions about what they’ve got going, only to answer your questions with, ‘take a hike.’
Sounds like an individual(s) who thinks they are much, much smarter than they really are.
I’m going to reach out “good morning, I recently read the $15,000 advertisement, I mean article, you had in Forbes. Was wondering about membership. I’m currently a member at Soule Park, the RACDG Los Angeles, Netflix and Norhtland CC. I’m on a message board and 50 of us might join (if the merch is right.)”
Urgent golf update - I canceled my half of the tee time at Pioneer today because I had to pick my kids up from daycare due to thankfully very minor illnesses. I canceled before I realized that my wife had already cleared her schedule.
Long story short, Keller apparently opened a bunch of tee times that weren’t previously open. Anybody want to meet me there at 11:39?
@chefcycle and I are set to duel next Tuesday the 26th at 2:20p at Bluff Creek in Eden Prairie. We have two extra spots in the group if anyone wants to join!
