by Jeff Saunders
Reporter
Macedonia -- As it begins its third year in operation, 2-Club Golf is looking forward to increasing its success.
"Business the first year was a little slow, last year it picked up a bit and we're real optimistic about this year," said General Manager Tim Edwards. "It's gone at about the pace that we expected."
The course opened for business in May 2006 under a lease agreement with the city, which owns the land it sits on. It is at least partially in operation, year round, weather permitting.
The driving range was in operation over the winter and nine of the course's 27 holes were also open.
The course is on about 40 acres in Longwood Park, on the north side of Route 82, across from the Macedonia Family Recreation Center.
Finance Director Steve Brunot said that the $5,000 monthly rent and revenue share the city receives from 2-Club is in line with estimates projected before the course opened.
In 2006, Brunot said, the course generated $52,500 for the city, and in 2007, the first full year of operation, it generated $61,800. Revenue for 2008 is projected at $62,600, he said.
Edwards declined to provide figures for revenue and customer numbers.
Under terms of its lease, the business pays 10 percent of all food and beverage sales, as well as 2 percent of all in-house instructional fees to the city. The city is also to get 8 percent of all earnings exceeding $750,000 per year, a milestone the business has not reached, said Brunot.
The business has completed one milestone by completing three soccer fields to the east of its complex on Route 82.
Under a separate agreement with the city, most of the revenue the city was owed for 2006 and 2007 was used to reimburse 2-Club Golf $120,000 for construction of those fields. That project was paid off in March, Brunot said.
"The golf course is an excellent use of the land and it's great we could work on the soccer fields with them," said Brunot.
The course has a clubhouse and a 330-yard driving range that can accommodate up to 60 golfers in heated cubicles.
"People hit when the snow is flying," said Edwards.
The course itself is based on a concept called "pitch and put" which developed in Ireland and involves only two clubs, the pitching club and the putter. In contrast to a traditional golf course, where the distance between tee and hole ranges between 100 and 600 yards, the distance at 2-Club Golf ranges between 35 and 80 yards.
Edwards said the course has three instructors on staff. He said private instructors have also been bringing their students for lessons.
"We do a lot of group clinics and individual instruction," said Edwards, who estimated that 350 kids took lessons last year from staff instructors.
"It's a good place to learn the game of golf because it's not as intimidating as a traditional golf course," said Edwards.
The course also has a snack bar and the clubhouse has a gift shop and permits to serve beer and wine. The clubhouse's main lobby, which can accommodate up to 160 people at a time, has somewhat unexpectantly become a "miniature party center," said Edwards, that is frequently booked for such occasions as anniversaries and birthdays.
"One of the things that surprises us is the number of events we have here," said Edwards on May 9. "We have 10 parties booked in the next two weeks."
As 2-Club Golf began its full operating season at the beginning of April, Edwards said it is looking forward to grounds that will be even better for playing than they have been in the past.
"We're putting increased efforts into improving the quality of the course and the driving range," said Edwards. "Grass needs to mature and the sod needs time to be at its best and we're just about at that point."
E-mail: jsaunders@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3169