Price leader buys Strand golf courses

Grand Strand golf course operators hoping to soon be relieved of the pricing pressure placed on them by Century Golf Partners are disappointed today.

The company, which for the past 17 months has managed five Strand courses previously owned and/or operated by Legends Group, has purchased four of the courses and a lease agreement for the fifth from General Electric Capital Corp.

Century Golf's management has been characterized by special programs for local residents and low pricing that includes a current afternoon rate of $32 for 18 holes of golf, a cart, breakfast, lunch and two beverages.

"[Century] has definitely driven this market," said International Club of Myrtle Beach head professional and General Manager Jamie Roderick. "They've driven this market way down, and I think it's going to be tough to drive it back up. They're kind of in the dealer's seat and people have to react to them."

According to Century Golf Partners Chief Executive Jim Hinckley, the company now owns Heritage Club in Pawleys Island and three courses at Legends Resort off U.S. 501 in Myrtle Beach - Heathland, Moorland and Parkland - and has acquired a long-term lease to operate Oyster Bay Golf Links in Sunset Beach, N.C.

Century is headquartered in Dallas and owns Arnold Palmer Golf Management, which has been managing the five courses since August 2009. The pricing strategy at its five Strand courses isn't likely to change.

"I think our business and marketing strategies will remain consistent," Hinckley said. "I think we wanted to put some programs in to attract local golfers, and I think we've been successful."

Prior to the rates instituted by Century Golf Partners, the five courses were priced among the top 30 percent of the nearly 100 public Strand courses. Century Golf's prices combined with the amenities offered immediately placed them among the best values in the market.

"We've had to come up with our own specials to try to get players on the course, though not as deliberate as they have. They're kind of throwing the kitchen sink at you," said Roderick, whose course has offered a special that includes lunch. "We lowered our rates easily between $10 and $30 in October alone compared to what we were expecting to have as our rates this year. ... That's a lot of money, but it's the only way to survive."

Century Golf introduced a Players Club at Legends Resort in the fall of 2009 that has attracted between 600 and 700 members, according to first assistant Matt Veltman. For $35 a month and a six-month commitment, players get unlimited use of the driving range, $18 for golf and a cart after 1 p.m., two free one-hour clinics per week, and a dozen Pro-V1s at sign-up.

The current price for 18 holes of golf, a cart, breakfast, lunch and two beverages is $35 in the morning, and is $3 less for players age 60 and older. The courses offered free replays after 5 p.m. this summer.

Legends Resort head pro Matt Biddington won the Carolinas PGA's 2010 Resort Course Merchandiser of the Year award, and cited the significant increase in traffic at Legends brought on by the special pricing as a contributor to his success.

"We felt we had the best package of the 100 or so courses in the area, and I think the market agreed with us," Biddington said.

Strand course owners and operators, who have been dealing with a decrease in total rounds played on the Strand every year from 2004-09, had hope in October that new owners might change pricing strategies.

Billy Casper Golf officials met with employees at the courses in advance of an expected purchase by investors who were going to hire the company to manage the properties. But the deal fell through, and Century acted. Century owns 45 of the 66 courses it manages throughout the U.S.

"We've always liked the golf courses, and when we had the ability to purchase we jumped right on it," Hinckley said. "We're excited about it. They are great golf courses, we've got a great staff there and we're happy with the performance so far, so we're happy to be part of the Myrtle Beach community."

Century partnered with Peter Ueberroth and private equity firm Contrarian Group to secure their ownership interest. Hinckley said terms and the purchase price were part of a confidentiality agreement with GE Capital.

GE Capital foreclosed last year on the four S.C. courses and Oyster Bay lease. GE's bid of $10 million for Heritage Club and $33.5 million for the Heathland, Moorland and Parkland courses at Legends Resort held up at auction in July 2009. GE purchased the Oyster Bay lease in a foreclosure sale in June 2009.

Court documents show GE was owed more than $52 million by Legends Group for the four courses and Oyster Bay lease that runs through 2032.

The Contrarian Group is a private equity firm with extensive experience in the lodging, hospitality, travel and golf industries. Ueberroth, chairman of the firm, previously served as commissioner of Major League Baseball, chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee and chairman of the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

"Peter has been a friend for a long time," Hinckley said. "We want to continue to invest together in the golf arena, and we felt Myrtle Beach was a great place to start."

Century Golf Partners also recently entered into marketing agreements with Woodland Valley Country Club in Loris and Wedgefield Plantation and Golf Club in Georgetown. Those courses now run golf-food promotions similar to those at the other five former Legends Group courses.

"In this competitive marketplace their pricing strategy has definitely driven other courses to lower their rates to stay competitive," said Tommy Smothers, general manager for Classic Golf Group, which manages five Strand courses. "Whether they like it or not, it's something they've had to do."

Hinckley intimated the company might not be done making acquisitions in the Myrtle Beach market. "As a company we're growing nationwide," Hinckley said. "We're going to continue to evaluate the market opportunities. We're very pleased to have a permanent place in the marketplace and excited about the opportunities."

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Silver Crescent goes to Georgetown County's Tara Hall leader

GEORGETOWN -- Blinking back tears, Jim Dumm accepted a framed certificate and letter written by Gov. Mark Sanford with a hesitation born of surprise.

"I don't know what to say," he said to the boys, board members and staff of Tara Hall gathered Tuesday in the home's dining room.

Dumm was given the S.C. Silver Crescent Award, the state's highest honor for people making contributions to their local communities.

Dumm has been the executive director for Tara Hall, a home for boys ages 6 to 12, for more than 30 years. He also serves as the chairman of the Georgetown County School Board and works with the S.C. Association of Children's Homes, the Waccamaw Center for Mental Health, the S.C. Foster Care Review Board and more.

But Dumm said he never thought aboutgetting an award for what he does.

"You do it for the love of the work," he said. "You never expect something like this."

And his wife, Barbara Dumm, said that humility is part of what makes him a great father figure for the boys of Tara Hall.

"He's not the asking type," she said. "The work, it comes from his heart."

She said she met Jim Dumm when she came to Tara Hall to do volunteer work. She overheard him tell someone that he likely would not marry, marrying Tara Hall instead.

"I knew when I married him that I would have to share him," she said.

"I never regretted it."

Ed Seegar, a member of the Tara Hall board, applied on Jim Dumm's behalf for the award about two months ago.

Seegar said he applied because of the level of dedication Dumm shows to the home.

"He's here every day at 5 a.m.," Seegar said. "He spends a tremendous amount of time with these boys."

Seegar, the rest of the board, and Patsy Morris, the assistant director, kept the award a secret from Dumm until he walked into the cafeteria Tuesday.

When Dumm walked into the room he looked around puzzled at the board members and TV cameras and asked, "Did we win the lottery?"

Throughout the presentation given by S.C. Sen. Yancey McGill, D-Kingstree, on behalf of Sanford, Dumm seemed bemused, and even more so when he received the award itself.

"I don't know what to do with it," he said, laughing. "I'm just overwhelmed."

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OSU names former Stanford exec as new leader of information services

By: Nancy Raskauskas | Posted the | October 13, 2010 | Comments off

CORVALLIS - Lois Brooks, who led the University computer company for his 25 years at the University of Stanford, 11 has been appointed new vice provost for information at the University of Oregon State services.

As vice provost, she will oversee information network technology and infrastructure which is essential for learning activity dynamic search OSU and administration by the University students. With 40 million annual expenditure, information technology is a rapidly growing, complex and vital part of Oregon State University and its land grant mission.

Brooks will succeed Curt Pederson, who served as vice provost for information since 14 ans.Pederson services helped to solve a difficult financial situation in its hiring in 1997 information services, and then led the development of the OSU Open Source Lab and is part of a team leading to the implementation of new it governance process at. It has also helped develop the infrastructure and support for the "5th, site" which provides with than it needs to Office of the Chancellor and the four regions campus.

? Brooks will take place in the coming months leadership transition, OSU officials say, with remaining at OSU Pederson to focus on strategic IT initiatives.

"Laws Brooks helped guide Stanford enormous growth in the calculation of his teaching and has been able to build a collaborative, effective, and cost-effective program through innovation and partnerships," said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and Executive Vice President."This experience as Oregon State University as well as we continue to develop our computing capacity and implement new it governance process."

A graduate of the University of San Francisco, Brooks was earning degrees MBA from the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.She joined Stanford IT team in 1984 working in information and medical graphics, then begin to rise through the ranks of the gestion.En 1998, it Director of academic computing, overseeing a $ 18 million annual operation provides technology, software development and support services to Stanford students and teachers.

In 2009, Brooks was invited to Executive Leadership Foundation of Sakai, on an interim basis until June of this year so that it would by reorganization.The Foundation is a non-profit company engaged in collaboration with the design, development and distribution of free software for education, research and scholarly activities.

"It is an honour to join Oregon State University," said Brooks. "OSU has solid background in excellent research and teaching, as well as a deeply committed community of students, professors and personnel.Technologie information is an essential element of the educational and academic research, and I look forward to working with the OSU community to develop and deliver innovative vision technology that promotes education and research in the years to come.

OSU has been a leader among the institutions of the University of Oregon for the information technology system and is home to a large part of it infrastructure and administration for 5 ^{th of the OUS} site .the ' University was also significant technology challenges; in addition to functioning single branch campus of Bend, State it has offices in many counties extension, exploits Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, has a network of stations farm of the Oregon experience and has a growing State with 24,000 students enrolment.

Search large enterprise University, that last year topped $ 275 million, is also growing computing needs, makes Randhawa remarquer.OSU leads international programs include ocean observation platforms, satellite, climate change, forests and agricultural monitoring templates and additional fields for data-intensive data transmission "requiring a robust and state-of-the-art infrastructure and skillful management."

"Technologies of information is critical learning, research and universities for research in the 21st century educational objectives," said Randhawa, "and we are lucky to Lois Brooks lead us into the future."

-Mark Floyd, Oregon State University

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OSU names former Stanford exec as new leader of information services

By: Nancy Raskauskas | Posted the | October 13, 2010 | Comments off

CORVALLIS - Lois Brooks, who led the University computer company for his 25 years at the University of Stanford, 11 has been appointed new vice provost for information at the University of Oregon State services.

As vice provost, she will oversee information network technology and infrastructure which is essential for learning activity dynamic search OSU and administration by the University students. With 40 million annual expenditure, information technology is a rapidly growing, complex and vital part of Oregon State University and its land grant mission.

Brooks will succeed Curt Pederson, who served as vice provost for information since 14 ans.Pederson services helped to solve a difficult financial situation in its hiring in 1997 information services, and then led the development of the OSU Open Source Lab and is part of a team leading to the implementation of new it governance process at. It has also helped develop the infrastructure and support for the "5th, site" which provides with than it needs to Office of the Chancellor and the four regions campus.

? Brooks will take place in the coming months leadership transition, OSU officials say, with remaining at OSU Pederson to focus on strategic IT initiatives.

"Laws Brooks helped guide Stanford enormous growth in the calculation of his teaching and has been able to build a collaborative, effective, and cost-effective program through innovation and partnerships," said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and Executive Vice President."This experience as Oregon State University as well as we continue to develop our computing capacity and implement new it governance process."

A graduate of the University of San Francisco, Brooks was earning degrees MBA from the University of California at Berkeley and Columbia University.She joined Stanford IT team in 1984 working in information and medical graphics, then begin to rise through the ranks of the gestion.En 1998, it Director of academic computing, overseeing a $ 18 million annual operation provides technology, software development and support services to Stanford students and teachers.

In 2009, Brooks was invited to Executive Leadership Foundation of Sakai, on an interim basis until June of this year so that it would by reorganization.The Foundation is a non-profit company engaged in collaboration with the design, development and distribution of free software for education, research and scholarly activities.

"It is an honour to join Oregon State University," said Brooks. "OSU has solid background in excellent research and teaching, as well as a deeply committed community of students, professors and personnel.Technologie information is an essential element of the educational and academic research, and I look forward to working with the OSU community to develop and deliver innovative vision technology that promotes education and research in the years to come.

OSU has been a leader among the institutions of the University of Oregon for the information technology system and is home to a large part of it infrastructure and administration for 5 ^{th of the OUS} site .the ' University was also significant technology challenges; in addition to functioning single branch campus of Bend, State it has offices in many counties extension, exploits Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, has a network of stations farm of the Oregon experience and has a growing State with 24,000 students enrolment.

Search large enterprise University, that last year topped $ 275 million, is also growing computing needs, makes Randhawa remarquer.OSU leads international programs include ocean observation platforms, satellite, climate change, forests and agricultural monitoring templates and additional fields for data-intensive data transmission "requiring a robust and state-of-the-art infrastructure and skillful management."

"Technologies of information is critical learning, research and universities for research in the 21st century educational objectives," said Randhawa, "and we are lucky to Lois Brooks lead us into the future."

-Mark Floyd, Oregon State University

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