Legacy Golf Properties has acquired the semi-private Achasta Golf Club in Dahlonega, Georgia, marking the Texas-based company’s first acquisition outside its home state and its fourth overall.
Troon has been selected to manage club operations, agronomy, retail, food and beverage, and sales and marketing for Legacy.
The acquisition also represents another step in Legacy’s growth strategy. The company is planning significant capital investments at Achasta while actively pursuing additional acquisitions outside Texas.
Achasta is known for its Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course. The par-72, 6,955-yard, 18-hole course features water hazards on more than half of its holes, in part because the layout crosses the Chestatee River seven times. The green on the par-3 fifth hole, for example, sits entirely on an island in the river. The course also features an expansive practice facility with a driving range and practice putting green.
Nicklaus and team designed the course to optimize the natural environment of the site and allow players to devise unique strategies to tackle its challenges. Achasta has hosted numerous tournament qualifiers, including the PGA Tour AT&T Classic, Bell South Classic and the U.S. Open, and has been ranked in the top 25 public golf courses in Georgia by GolfPass.
“The reception we have received from the membership couldn’t have been more welcoming, and our team is extremely excited to bring our focus on the ‘Member Experience’ to this hidden gem,” said Steven Held, president of Legacy Golf Properties. “The opportunity to upgrade the clubhouse, and to provide our members and guests with the food and beverage selections, quality, service, and course conditions that properly support a club of this stature is our immediate focus.”
The property also features a 10,500-square-foot clubhouse and full-service restaurant called The Achasta Grille, as well as event space that can accommodate weddings and events of up to 250 guests. Other amenities at the facility include two tennis courts, six pickleball courts and a resort-style pool.
Legacy plans to invest in improvements throughout the property this year, including the golf course, practice facilities, clubhouse and recreational amenities.
“With a storied past that includes [the aforementioned tournament qualifiers], Achasta has also gone through several owners and is in need of some substantial capital investments,” said Justin Jafarian, chief operating officer for Legacy Golf Properties. “We see this as a significant opportunity, and this year we’ll be investing in everything from the golf course and practice facilities to the tennis courts and pool area, as well as the clubhouse. In fact, a design firm is already working on plans to update the clubhouse, along with adding a patio bar and dining area that maximizes the views.”
Another immediate focus is elevating the club’s food and beverage experience and providing additional staff training. Plans are underway for a comprehensive training program, new menus and a beverage program with wine lists designed to showcase wines from the numerous vineyards in the Dahlonega area.
Legacy’s other properties include the 27-hole Comanche Trace in Kerrville, Texas; Cimarron Hills Golf & Country Club, another Nicklaus Signature course, in Georgetown, Texas; and Buffalo Creek Golf Club in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Jafarian said that Legacy is actively evaluating opportunities for more acquisitions and expects to continue growing, but they are being very deliberate with the process.
“We would rather add the right club than simply add clubs,” he said. “Texas remains our home base, but our acquisition of Achasta opened the door to growing our portfolio to other parts of the country. In addition to [Achasta and Buffalo Creek] within the past year, we currently have another elite private club in the northeast under contract, and we are in negotiations with two others.”
Legacy Golf Properties describes itself as an active listener to its members, with communication and responsiveness central to its approach to operating clubs.
“The reputation we have built is that of a steward,” Jafarian said. “When Legacy acquires a club, we are proud that the membership feels that the character of their club was protected and its best days are still ahead.”