"I'm supposed to say I met my wife at Penn State, and that's why I stayed in the States. Hybrid tees are also an option. While that arrangement is unique, the fact that hes also gone into the venture 50-50 with LedgeRock Golf Club itself is even more unusual. What you wont see on the primary scorecard is a nine-hole short course that measures 1,298 yards and has a scorecard of its own. It was a magnificent place to work. "It isn't an easy process. Golf Courses, Denver, PA And he liked the product so much, he signed up to import Blinder Bunker in North America a unique arrangement, considering that once hed made that commitment, he stayed on as head superintendent at LedgeRock Golf Club, the property hes looked after since 2004. LedgeRock Golf Club: Ledgerock. Water flows right through that layer. 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. Your data protection & privacy is important to me! 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. %PDF-1.5 LedgeRock Golf Club offers several categories of membership to fit your needs. (Photo: Larry Lambrecht), Eventually, Aidan said that if I was serious about getting into the profession, I should get a basic greenkeeping education, then attend university in the States. Inhindsight, meeting Dick Bator was huge for me. This involvement often leads to kids joining his more golf-specific programs that drive membership as mentioned briefly already. 3,732 were here. Juliet, 18 miniature USGA spec greens with gravity-powered water features! 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. Starting his 3rd season at LedgeRock, Halvonik highlighted the great support his membership provides the golf shop. Hes outside the box. Your email address will not be published. He called and told me I was hired," FitzGerald said. Gerry Heller, CCM manages the course as the General Manager. Even if you find it, the smart play is to just chip it out and live to fight another day. Golf Courses, Sinking Spring, PA Back in the early 1980s, a fellow named Victor Kiam made himself famous by going on television to sell Remington electric shavers. 2020 was fraught with challenges, of course, but as has been the case with golf facilities across the country, LedgeRock added 95 new members to its ranks and still has room to grow. "Most superintendents, when they come here, ask 'how do you do that?' More surprising, perhaps, is his full-time employers belief in the venture. Sign in. There are a lot of elevation changes that'll require correct calcuations or you will find yourself in trouble. There are no tennis courts or swimming pools just its nationally ranked golf course and one of the Northeasts most expansive practice facilities. It allows me to bring in fresh product throughout the year knowing that its going to sell, he said. Every hole looks different. I was going to my spiritual home," FitzGerald said. 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. Bator, a consultant and former superintendent at Pine Valley, had recently returned from Ireland when he met FitzGerald in 1998 and recommended him to Christian. 2023 North Coast Media LLC, All Rights Reserved. Essentially, the base is compactable road stone, a solid, consistent surface that water runs along and does not penetrate, he says. Thats ultimately why he was drawn to the Blinder product, which, in his opinion, creates an all-new third category with its heavy, porous, seamless and flexible design. FitzGerald arrived at LedgeRock during the tree-clearing process, and despite his in-house construction credentials, was not expecting to be involved in building LedgeRock. Alan really knows how to relate to people, Jones says. Well see how this new market reacts. LedgeRock captures the essence of a classic, old style course by maintaining the scenic beauty and elegant rustic nature of the original landscape. 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. The success of the LedgeRock Golf Club is really interesting as they only offer: As we can see the LedgeRock Golf Club is not offering those services that are available at the leading private golf clubs (e.g. 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. Amenities 5.0 100.0% Recommend this course 1 out of 1 reviews Read Reviews About Holes 18 Type Private Par 72 Length 7245 yards Slope 153 Rating 75.6 Satellite Layout Tees Track Rounds Scorecard Course Details Year Built 2006 Fairways Bent Grass Greens Bent Grass Architect Rees Jones (2006) Keith Evans (2006) Rentals/Services Carts Yes Clubs Yes . Be it standard, regional or national, membership in LedgeRock Golf Club is offered by invitation only and remains subject to the board of managers approval. He also spoke of The Greenbriar Cup, a season-long Match Play event, and said they host 6-10 corporate and charitable outings each year, a number that works well within the business plan of the management team at LedgeRock. THE MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED, DISTRIBUTED, TRANSMITTED, CACHED OR OTHERWISE USED, EXCEPT WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. 2023 DISCOVERY GOLF, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The challenge for LedgeRock Golf Club is its location. The course plays through wooded and open areas with streams and ponds coming into play on several holes. Alan has showed that he can do this outside work and keep the conditions here at LedgeRock pretty close to perfect and effectively manage the maintenance staff here; and direct the renovation were currently doing with Rees Jones; and conduct a bunker study with the USGA; and serve on the board of his superintendents association , More to the point, the Blinder bunkers weve installed here have been done at cost. "He called me, and told me to expect a phone call from Rick. 1 Greenbriar Dr, Mohnton, PA 19540 Designed by Rees Jones, ASGCA, the Ledgerock golf course opened in 2006. It reimagines the traditional country club model. At first, I just wanted to get it done, but when I did it, it was very emotional. 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. Miller says the building offers meeting rooms with technical and presentation systems and is Wi-Fi enabled for everyones convenience. 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. For more information about Ledgerock Golf Club, please visit the courses website. Monthly Fees. Juliet was really one of the first two big resort developments in all of Ireland, FitzGerald says, noting that The K Club is the other. The young Irishman, newly married, would eventually spend six years at Pine Valley. 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. In short, private golf clubs should take care of their members wellbeing. The rubber is mixed with a polymer and hand-laid into place to ensure it closely follows the contours of the bunker. "Coming to New York City from Kilkenny was a culture shock," he said. The 18-hole "Ledgerock" course at the LedgeRock Golf Club facility in Mohnton, Pennsylvania features 7,191 yards of golf from the longest tees for a par of 72. Even though the greens were just aerated last week, they still rolled pretty true and were very receptive to approach shots. But the benefits versus the costs didnt make it worthwhile, in my opinion, FitzGerald says. Graffis was one of the first people to think of golf as a business when he and his brother Joe founded Golfdom in 1927. You'll discover it's more than just a golf lesson. Hes been (at LedgeRock) since the beginning and theyre glad they hired him there.. If you find yourself in the deep rough, keep an eye on your ball as it'll be difficult to find in the fescue. Two years ago, he made his extended stay permanent when he became a U.S. citizen. Page content. Thats how I ended up at Penn State.. Course acreage is simply worth way more as housing if the zoning allows it. I emailed (Blinder) out of the blue. With the programs that Miller has in place and the high level of service and selection in Halvoniks golf shop, the stage is set for the growth experienced in 2020 to continue well into the future. Membership is by invitation only. Golf Courses. Please know that it is the responsibility of the host to advise the vendor of our club policies. LedgeRock General Manager Gerry Heller, a 25-year golf hospitality veteran, recognizes that the arrangement with FitzGerald and Blinder is unique. Book Tee Times We do the normal stuff like PGA Jr. League and Drive, Chip and Putt. The latest news & stories from PGA Member Events. About Us LedgeRock Golf Club was conceived by its Founders at the turn of the 21st century to create the premier contemporary golf experience in Berks County. At the same time, the club would like to retain its members and acquire new ones. Miller highlighted the special programs he offers, especially the junior golf opportunities. With private club market in crisis, LedgeRock GC expands membership scope. " FitzGerald said. In a matter of two to three years, it felt like wed built pretty much every feature of a golf course. LEESBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Lansdowne Resort and 2 rounds of golf at The Golf Club at Lansdowne - Greg Norman & Robert Trent Jones Jr. courses. All these closures have naturally widened the circle of what wed consider our market. "Seriously, what impressed me about him was his ability at a young age to think outside the box to get things accomplished.". 2019 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year: Alan FitzGerald. He has received numerous accolades throughout his career. 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. "Our biggest issue is cost: We've done a lot to bring it down, but on a straight square-foot price, our product is 30 percent more expensive that most of our competitors. Seriously, what impressed me about him was his ability at a young age to think outside the box to get things accomplished. Categories of Membership, For the Avid Golfer, For the Traveling Golfer, Culinary . Over the last 15 years, Ive seriously looked into most every one of these products, FitzGerald continues. But here again, LedgeRocks founders showed great tenacity. These are essential for both sides. 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. WILLIAMSBURG, VA | Enjoy 2 nights' accommodations at Kingsmill Resort and 2 rounds of golf at Kingsmill Resort - Plantation & River Courses. Your typical local, member-owned club is finding it harder and harder to survive. Individual Golf Membership Monthly Dues $195.00 This membership includes unlimited Golf and Club Amenities, listed on page 2, for the But after some 15 years of research, test bunkers and cost-benefit analyses, he believes hes found the best bunker liner system out there. Posted By Ledgerock Golf Club Targets May Reopening For New Hole, Rees Jones Returning To Enhance Southeast Pennsylvania Course. He still asks Why? and as hes gotten older, he also asks Why not? And thats a great thing.. Then LedgeRock, a private Rees Jones signature design just breaking ground south of Reading, Pa., called. He was around the game all his life but never considered a career in golf until he took a summer job at Mount Juliet, the Jack Nicklaus-designed resort a half-hour from his home. Miller sends video recaps with color commentary to add to the kids (and their parents) experience. Thats due to the cost of the raw materials and that we install it. Its awful to see clubs closing. August 20, 2021. Wherever FitzGerald has found himself, hes shown a remarkable ability to find work (and high-caliber professional training) at the finest, most ambitious golf facilities around. The latest news & stories from PGA Amateur Programs. All the latest stories & news from the Major PGA Championships. We havent made any real money on this venture yet. Ratings from our panel of 1,900 course-ranking panelists, Fantastic golf course. How do I get it here? Ledgerock is a virtual unknown in the greater Philly area, but is a course that's set up to challenge even the best of golfers. Thats so important in todays world. stream Copyright 2023 GolfPass. The club member wants to thrive and grow and feel the value of his membership. O'Hara, the superintendent at Mount Juliet Golf in Kilkenny, learned the Jack Nicklaus way of greenkeeping under Mike McBride at Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin . Im going through the U.S. citizenship process right now, FitzGerald says with a wry smile. That's when I decided I wanted to do this as a career. March 2, 2021 GRAA Award Winner Profile: LedgeRock Golf Club By Vinnie Manginelli, PGA 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. I will tell you right away, how the LedgeRock Golf Club has thrived by doubling down on golf itself. "I don't get excited much, but that was something that was very exciting." We priced them out and looked into it seriously. With meeting space indoors and a spacious patio outdoors that overlooks the range, its a popular member gathering spot. So, I came back to them: What if I imported it for you and you taught me how to do it? Its FitzGeralds desire to keep LedgeRock looking pristine while also striving to make Blinder a success in the American market that has earned him the 2019 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year Award, awarded annually for eight years by Golfdom. Alan FitzGerald wasnt born until 1976 and grew up in Ireland, so he doesnt know Victor Kiam from Omar Khayyam. Crossing paths with Bator changed the trajectory of his career. I wouldnt say Ive procrastinated on it, but I couldve done it sooner It was a handy excuse to get out of jury duty.. 2 0 obj Request Membership Information Membership at LedgeRock Golf Club is by invitation only. Coming from a place like Pine Valley, theres an expectation and hes fulfilled those expectations, because LedgeRock is as good as Pine Valley. While private clubs regionally and nationally struggle, LedgeRock is reinvesting. ". The approach is sound. Where local private clubs fell away, LedgeRock embarked on a regional strategy that broadened its membership base. LedgeRock Golf Club has been crafted from 210 acres of pristine land from a former nursery, farm and estate, featuring open fields, ponds, elevation changes and wooded areas. TUNKHANNOCK, PA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Shadowbrook Resort and 2 rounds of golf at Shadowbrook Golf Course. The golf course at LedgeRock GC was designed by architect Rees Jones. A pair of golf experts are teaming up to lead one of Berks County, Pa.'s private golf clubs through its first major renovation, WFMZ 69 News out of Allentown/Reading, Pa. reported. In high-value communities, according to the property appraiser and broker Larry Hirsh, the issue is real estate value. 1 track on the planet. 4.4 Golf Courses, Reading, PA Demographics and attitudes have changed. Further down the hill sits Kohl Lodge, where national and regional members can stay the night. LedgeRock GC opened for play in June 2007. The bunkers at LedgeRock couldnt wait that long. That's due to the cost of the raw materials and that we install it. Their traditional country club cultures resisted these changes, said Hirsh, owner of Conshohocken, Pa.-based Golf Property Analysts. All rights reserved. But golfers dont just stop playing because their club went public. I think having to continuously resell the same dining experience is a tough challenge. Its seamless, and being rubber, its just more flexible than anything else. Final payment will be charged to the member account or can be paid by personal check no later than 14 days of the event. If you want to hit all the clubs in your bag play here.". Estimates for the cost of membership at Augusta National cover quite a range, with Golf.com estimating a club initiation . 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. 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. Welcome To Your Club Watch on Golf About Amenities Guest Information But before, I will share with you some ideas that can help you if your golf club is in a similar situation to the LedgeRock Golf Club. . Their dues and initiation fees are slightly higher full membership is more expensive still but regional member may play up to 50 rounds a year. Membership is by invitation only. 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I was going to sell, he said the relationship among its members and acquire New ones to. Golf club has thrived by doubling down on golf itself and live to fight another day for!, Fantastic golf course and one of these products ledgerock golf club membership cost FitzGerald says kids and. Shadowbrook golf course in short, private golf clubs should take care their!
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