Last Update :8/5/2014

2013 NGCOA VA Award Winners Recap

Goodwin, Raspberry Golf Management and Meadowbrook CC Honored

2013 NGCOA VA Innovation Awards

Williamsburg, VA - The inaugural NGCOA VA Innovator Awards were presented today at the Association’s annual meeting at Ford’s Colony Country Club.  William H. “Bill” Goodwin, Jr. was honored with the Virginia Golf Leader Award “in recognition of leadership in the golf industry in Virginia as evidenced by long-term business achievement and/or service to the industry.” Raspberry Golf Management received the Public Golf Leader Award, “in recognition of an outstanding marketing program executed within the past year for a non-private facility.”  Meadowbrook Chesdin Country Club received the Private Golf Leader Award “in recognition of a private club for an outstanding marketing or member recruitment program executed within the past year.”

Virginia Golf Leader Award

Quietly, Richmond business icon William H. “Bill” Goodwin and his family, operating as The Riverstone Group, LLC, have established a huge presence in the golf industry nationally.  It was in 1992 that Goodwin first ventured into the golf business, with the purchase of the Ben Hogan Company, which he moved from Ft. Worth, TX to Richmond, VA.  The move brought jobs and a presence in golf equipment business to Virginia, and he owned and ran the company for over five years, before Spalding purchased it. 

The longtime owner of the famed Jefferson Hotel in Richmond expanded his golf business into the luxury golf market in 1993, when Riverstone purchased Landmark golf properties, which included Kiawah Island Golf Resort in SC. Later the company developed The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, creating high-end resort amenities including a spa.  Goodwin sought to leverage Kiawah’s acclaim from the 1991 Ryder Cup, “The War by the Shore,” held on The Ocean Course.  Goodwin hired original architect Pete Dye to renovate the course and the result was an invitation to host the 2012 PGA Championship, won by Rory McIlrory.

Another opportunity came their way in the form of the famed Sea Pines Resort in Hilton Head, SC, with its iconic lighthouse at the 18^th green of the Harbour Town course.  It was in March, 2005 that Riverstone gained ownership of the famed resort, annual host of the PGA Tour’s Heritage Classic.

Then it was just last year that Riverstone purchased Keswick Hall, an award winning property located in the beautiful horse country of Albemarle County, VA.  The Goodwin Family again brought in Pete Dye to renovate the golf course, and this process is currently underway.  The course will re-open for next season.  Meanwhile, they moved executive staff from The Jefferson to the tony boutique hotel property to improve management and guest services.

The Goodwin Family has quietly supported various industry initiatives through his golf properties, and in 2007, they donated the former Ben Hogan Company driving range to the University of Richmond golf team.  Mr. Goodwin and his wife, Alice, have been thoughtful philanthropic supporters of golf in the Commonwealth, including a significant contribution to the VSGA Foundation in support of junior golf.  He also serves on the UVA Board of Visitors and provided a major gift to the Darden School of Business.

Public Golf Leader Award

Raspberry Golf Management is a full service golf consulting firm based in Leesburg, VA, with over 35 years of experience.  The firm owns and/or operates four Virginia courses: Raspberry Falls GC, Old Hickory GC, Augustine GC and Bull Run GC, and also Royal Manchester GL in York, PA and Legacy Golf Resort in Phoenix, AZ.

The company is being honored on the strength of it cooperative regional marketing program, the Raspberry Golf Trail.  RGM Principle Bob Swiger and colleague LaMott Smith conceived the idea to build relationships with similar upscale daily fee courses in VA, MD and PA, and pool resources to develop a “trail.”  The unique aspect of the program is that the courses are otherwise unrelated, and different owners that formerly competed are now partners to grow business for all trail members.  The program has grown to now feature 13 top clubs:

Virginia Clubs – Raspberry Falls GC, Old Hickory GC, Augustine GC, Bull Run GC, Blue Ridge Shadows GC

Maryland Clubs – Blue Mash GC, Waverly Woods GC, Lake Presidential GC, Queenstown Harbour GC

Pennsylvania Clubs – Royal Manchester GL, The Links at Gettysburg, Penn National GC, Inniscrone GC

A key element in the program is the “Trail Card,” which players display when playing one of the Trail courses.  Players may choose to play any three Trail courses, then receive a fourth round free at any of those four courses.  The card costs just $5, and the system works with a convenient card swipe at check-in.

Trail members also pool marketing resources and utilize a regional map to market all courses collectively in print and digital media.  This makes for an efficiently advertising program, and digital promotions feature links to each club’s website.  Each year Raspberry Golf Management determines which clubs participate in the Trail, in order to ensure the high quality golf experience associated with the brand.

Private Golf Leader Award

In April, 2013, two Chesterfield County clubs negotiated a unique partnership to broaden services to members – Meadowbrook Country Club and Lake Chesdin Golf Club.  The new Meadowbrook-Chesdin Country Club markets itself with the slogan, “More Golf!  More Family Fun!  More Value!”  A membership campaign was initiated to bring new members into the club and enjoy privileges at both facilities.

About 50 investors, made up of members of both clubs, put up the funds for the transaction where an LLC was formed to purchase Lake Chesdin GC from a Canadian company.  Lake Chesdin had opened in 1998 as part of a real estate development.  Meadowbrook CC was formed in 1957.

“You have to adapt or change or die,” said Charlie Graffeo, President of the new club.  

The club’s new membership promotion offered a zero initiation fee at the outset, with a step-up that begins October 1, 2013.  As part of the initiative, the Lake Chesdin clubhouse has been renovated to feature a new fine dining service.  Members can play both courses and enjoy other amenities such as swimming pools at both clubs.

Since the combination of the clubs, around 90 new members have joined, with good representation from the area surrounding both clubs.  The club achieved a measure of publicity this summer when its members won both the men’s and women’s Richmond City titles (Adam Ball and Lyberty Anderson), and were featured in Virginia Golfer magazine.

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