Hud Hinton is back in the golf industry. The former CEO of Troon Golf has partnered with the founders of Affiniti Golf Partners — Whitney Crouse and Steve Willy — to rebrand the company as Mosaic Clubs & Resorts.
“We are extremely excited about this new company and this marriage of expertise and entrepreneurial spirit,” Crouse said. “Our substantial experience combined with Hud’s history at the world’s largest club management company will make for a great team.”
Hinton will be CEO of Mosaic. He was previously managing director of The Plaza Hotel overlooking New York’s Central Park, executive vice president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts and COO of Troon Golf from 1999 to 2010. Dana Garmany had chosen Hinton to be his replacement as CEO of the world’s largest management company. But after a little more than a year at the helm of Troon, the company’s board asked Garmany to return as CEO. Hinton’s management style did not reportedly mesh well with the Troon culture.
“I joined Whitney and Steve because I saw the chance to create another major golf company, one that can bring a great brand to the table while taking advantage of the remarkable systems, training, and infrastructure that Whitney and Steve had developed,” Hinton said. “Their ability to deliver superior financial results really appealed to me.”
Mosaic Clubs & Resorts will focus on managing the world’s most prestigious private and resort clubs for developers, private equity groups and member-owned facilities. The company hopes to offer “first class golf experiences, unsurpassed service, state-of-the-art marketing and websites, superior staff training and exceptional client attention,” it said in a press release.
The portfolio will initially include five to seven clubs, including Waterfall Club in Clayton, Ga., and The Manor Golf and Country Club in Alpharetta, Ga.
While the company name has changed, Mosaic Clubs & Resorts will also continue to manage courses under an Affiniti banner. The portfolio includes clubs such as Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Cobblestone Golf Course, and Dutchess Golf Club outside of New York City.
Affiniti Golf Partners was founded in 1998 and grew to manage 24 courses, making it one of the largest in the U.S.,. It also has overseen $100 million of new course and clubhouse construction.