Brown Golf Management LLC is growing — fast. Since January 2014, the South Carolina-based firm has acquired three new management contracts at Cherokee Valley Golf Club, Badin Inn Golf Club and Wiltwyck Golf Club located in South Carolina, North Carolina and New York respectively.
John Brown started Brown Golf Management in 2011 — which is about the time some of the buyers we’ve been profiling became more active.
“I waited until the economy was so bad that the prices were lower,” said Brown, the company’s president. “And I jumped in.”
That’s because the former Troon Golf turnaround specialist knew he could operate them more efficiently, given his vast experience in doing so.
“That’s all I ever done,” he said. “That’s the key to our success. We’re operators.”
He’s since purchased 10 courses. Like other buyers, Brown tries to purchase a number of golf courses in the same geographical area. For instance, in South Carolina he owns four courses within five miles of eachother. This clustering helps control costs and gives members more golfing options.
“Instead of having four general managers, I have one,” he said. “Instead of four superintendents, I have two.”
He can buy in bulk, as well, and that further reduces costs. He also is very cautious and deliberate in his purchasing decisions. He looks at dozens upon dozens of courses.
However, his firm — which has offices in Harrisburg, Pa., and Bluffton, S.C. — also offers management and consulting services, which he expects to grow. In early 2014, Brown Golf Management signed consulting agreements with Emerald Lake Golf Club, Tanglewood Park Golf and Wiltwyck Golf Club.
“We own courses,” he said. “We’re running courses. We’re doing it, too. So we can show them how it’s done and how it’s done successfully.”
Brown Golf Management has an additional two courses in the Pinehurst and Winston-Salem, NC markets due to come on board by mid-year 2014. These acquisitions will bring the portfolio totals to 20 courses, 11 owned and nine managed in three and a half years’ time.