Designed by Rees Jones, ASGCA, the Ledgerock golf course opened in 2006. He was that guy.". As you know, private golf clubs are closing, redeveloping and converting to public play in record numbers. " FitzGerald said. Panelists. 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. All rights reserved. Powered by Invision Community, Becoming a superintendent was always in the cards for LedgeRock's FitzGerald, Copyright 1994-2022, Turnstile Publishing Company. What none of these clubs did was adjust proactively to what has become a new, broader, and still evolving market, one that includes more millennials, minorities and women. Thats how I ended up at Penn State.. According to some estimates, 50% of private golf club members eat at their club 1 out of 10 dining out experiences. 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. With lodging here and our unique golf-only approach, weve recognized our niche and folks are eager to buy in., Your email address will not be published. The Blinder business accounts for the other 3 percent, but because its all above board, fielding a Blinder call in the middle of the day is seamless and unremarkable, to be honest. Slopes are so severe that one hillside is named in honor of the Toro mowers used to keep it clipped. He was on committees, greens committees, whatever. The most outstanding feature at Ledgerock is the dramatic topography. 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. TUNKHANNOCK, PA | Enjoy 3 nights' accommodations at Shadowbrook Resort and 2 rounds of golf at Shadowbrook Golf Course. The Ledgerock Golf Club is a private 18 hole facility located near Reading, Pennsylvania. It was a big moment," said FitzGerald. Miller gets jerseys made up with the LedgeRock logo AND the logo of the college football program represented by each team. My standing joke has been, The members here have never played in brand-new bunkers.. Play private golf, access private courses, and book private Tee Times at Ledgerock Golf Club in Mohnton PA with Boxgroove 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. 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. This is a very dramatic site topographically. He described Fall Junior Team Golf as a combination of Drive, Chip and Putt and PGA Jr. League skills contests with a college football theme. These are essential for both sides. Larry Hirsh, the owner of Conshohocken, Pa.-based Golf Property Analysts says. 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. Miller highlighted the special programs he offers, especially the junior golf opportunities. At the time, I was young, and I had no idea how huge it was. Weve had people switch clubs to take advantage of our junior golf program or join LedgeRock in addition to their original club, Miller mentioned. Ledgerock Golf Club Targets May Reopening For New Hole, Rees Jones Returning To Enhance Southeast Pennsylvania Course. Sign in. I think having to continuously resell the same dining experience is a tough challenge. "He's from Ireland, so I felt sorry for him," Bator joked. The par-4 17th is slated for renovation next year. . 4.4 "Coming to New York City from Kilkenny was a culture shock," he said. Your email address will not be published. The approach is sound. Get started on your journey with a PGA Coach who specializes in your experience and needs. Page content. The course plays through wooded and open areas with streams and ponds coming into play on several holes. Seriously, what impressed me about him was his ability at a young age to think outside the box to get things accomplished. 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. That's when I decided I wanted to do this as a career. Smaller courses could be as little as $200 per month, while more prestigious clubs are much more. LedgeRock is a Golf Club owned by its Members. Add a tournament here. But as a regional club, its market actually extends well past Harrisburg, north of Reading, south to Lancaster and all the way into the western Main Line suburbs. This membership includes unlimited Golf and Club Amenities, listed on page 2, for the primary Member, spouse and any children under the age of 23 who are living at home or a full-time student. The golf shop is open year-round and between Halvonik and his PGA Assistant Professional, Bill Kindoll, someone is always on duty to help members with their retail needs, or in the winter, to make sure the indoor hitting bays, located in the clubs Learning Center, are stocked with balls for member practice. LedgeRock Golf Club offers 6 sets of tees, allowing golfers of all abilities to choose an experience designed for their level of expertise and desire for challenge. By 1996, he was off to Penn State. days before the event. Our premier event of the year, The Rock Member Guest, was an absolute blast! Loch Lomond in Scotland where Penn State grad Ken Siems was superintendent, was deemed the perfect fit. National candidates for LedgeRock GC membership cannot live within 100 miles of the club. "Seriously, what impressed me about him was his ability at a young age to think outside the box to get things accomplished.". This trend is not limited to the Hamptons. Their traditional country club cultures resisted these changes, said Hirsh, owner of Conshohocken, Pa.-based Golf Property Analysts. I asked him where one gets an LSU Tiger-themed cake in rural Pennsylvania and he credited the internet and some thoughtful planning for making the party an annual success. 1 0 obj Registered previously? Bator remembered hearing about the tough transition in FitzGerald's early days at Penn State, and was impressed by his willingness to see it through to graduation. USE OF AND/OR REGISTRATION ON ANY PORTION OF THIS SITE CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF OURVISITOR AGREEMENT(UPDATED 1/6/23),PRIVACY AND COOKIES NOTICE(UPDATED 1/4/23) ANDCALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE. TheGolfMembershipSpot directory includes thousands of golf & country clubs offering regional, national and corporate golf membership opportunities. Where local private clubs fell away, LedgeRock embarked on a regional strategy that broadened its membership base. Getting members on the golf course helps boost participation in member events. The big thing, obviously, is to be sure the club is on board. (Photo: Fernando Gaglianese). 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. It is a hub of activity that includes private and group instruction, practice sessions and various social gatherings. Coming from a place like Pine Valley, theres an expectation and hes fulfilled those expectations, because LedgeRock is as good as Pine Valley. Aidan told me 'if you want to do this, you need to go to the States.' But here again, LedgeRocks founders showed great tenacity. Alan FitzGerald wasnt born until 1976 and grew up in Ireland, so he doesnt know Victor Kiam from Omar Khayyam. The award includes a Golfdom cover story celebrating the honorees accomplishments, as well as expenses-paid trips to the Golfdom Summit and the Golf Industry Show. The unique LedgeRock Golf Club logo also helps sell merchandise, as the clubs members like to show it off while demonstrating pride in their club. 2023 North Coast Media LLC, All Rights Reserved. Golf Courses, Sinking Spring, PA Membership is by invitation only. "He had a lot of staying power," Bator said. "I did my two years of basic greenkeeping at Mount Juliet, then I got into the two-year program at Penn State," said FitzGerald. Golf Courses. FitzGerald grew up in Castlecomer, in the southeast of Ireland. "My dad was always involved in Castlecomer Golf Club in Ireland," he said. Then LedgeRock, a private Rees Jones signature design just breaking ground south of Reading, Pa., called. Its a big investment no matter what product you choose, so its got to last. 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. But I got the assistant's job at Pine Valley, and that made me stay. Golf Range Association of America. So, I came back to them: What if I imported it for you and you taught me how to do it? Hes outside the box. It was a magnificent place to work. These bunkers just do not fail, FitzGerald says. After a stint as assistant working for Rick Christian at historic Pine Valley in New Jersey, FitzGerald has spent the past 18 years as superintendent at vista-rich LedgeRock Golf Club in Mohnton, Pennsylvania, a remote area near Reading. Thats so important in todays world. Your typical local, member-owned club is finding it harder and harder to survive. In fact, his signature pitch line made him a minor celebrity: I liked the shaver so much, I bought the company.. Miller plans ahead and prepares a season-ending party with cakes and party products of the teams represented in the competition. "It isn't an easy process. By looking at the course and speaking with its PGA Professionals, Im sure if they opened it up to more outings, groups would be knocking down their door. . The exacerbating factor is often club debt, much of it accrued prior to 2008 recession. The secondary thing is, if the club said, No way, you have to be prepared for that and have a Plan B. Because of his rough transition to life in the U.S. his first year in State College, FitzGerald said the late George Hamilton, Ph.D., then director of Penn State's two-year program, wanted him to intern over the summer for a PSU alumnus. Ledgerock Golf Club. The private club market is certainly changing faster and more dynamically than any time during my 30 years in this business, said LedgeRock GC General Manager Gerry Heller. I was of age and able to enjoy college life more.". Inhindsight, meeting Dick Bator was huge for me. He's from Ireland, so I felt sorry for him. Thats why so many clubs are closing or selling out to corporate ownership or going public.. Photos by John Reitman 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. Great layout that is very challenging. And he remains philosophical about how this outside business project plays into his natural ability to multitask a trait most superintendents develop early in their careers. 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. This naturally builds up the old rsum. LedgeRock captures the essence of a classic, old style course by maintaining the scenic beauty and elegant rustic nature of the original landscape. 3,732 were here. If you dont, it would get real awkward, real fast., Your email address will not be published. Eventually, he would earn a two-year turfgrass science degree under the watchful eye of George Hamilton, Ph.D. and meet his Pocono-bred future wife, Jamie. But golfers dont just stop playing because their club went public. Essentially, the base is compactable road stone, a solid, consistent surface that water runs along and does not penetrate, he says. As Jones explains, There are a lot of sites for elevated tees and greens, and that means the course will have spectacular visibility. The exacerbating factor is often club debt, much of it accrued prior to the 2008 recession. The challenge for LedgeRock Golf Club is its location. Member Login. tennis courts, swimming pools, spa & wellness services, fitness, etc.). Indeed, things didnt stabilize for FitzGerald and LedgeRock until about 2011. 2019 Herb Graffis Businessperson of the Year: Alan FitzGerald. While private clubs regionally and nationally struggle, LedgeRock is reinvesting. 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. Call (610) 777-9705 for more information. "I don't get excited much, but that was something that was very exciting." The LedgeRock Golf Club created two special types of membership: Be it standard, regional or national, membership in LedgeRock Golf Club is offered by invitation only and remains subject to Board of Managers approval. 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. I would also think about how could the club help their members grow not just on a social level, but on a financial and intellectual level. Community building is about relationship building. More surprising, perhaps, is his full-time employers belief in the venture. Demographics and attitudes have changed. 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. I will tell you right away, how the LedgeRock Golf Club has thrived by doubling down on golf itself. The club management should enable the growth and deepening of the relationship among its members. 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. I was hired to be the golf course superintendent, to grow the course in, he said. 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