Grand Rapids facility celebrating 50 years as a place ‘Where Golf is Fun’
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Mar. 1, 2012) – Scott Lake Country Club, which is celebrating its 50th year as a place where golfers go to have fun, on Wednesday was named the NGCOA’s 2012 Course of the Year.
Scott Lake opened its first nine holes in 1961; the original 18 was completed four years later and a third nine was added in 1998. The course is an unassuming but solid layout that’s best known for its affordable golf and friendly attitude. The course advertises itself as a place “where golf is fun.”
“We give our customers an affordable place to play, enjoy each other’s company and maybe create a memory,” said co-owner Jeff Hoag, who is also the recipient of the NGCOA’s Don Rossi Award for significant and long-lasting contributions to the association.
To keep the good times rolling, Scott Lake conducts numerous promotions and giveaways, including its Friday Scramble, which has been attracting players for the past 40 years. Hoag estimates the course has given away more than a million dollars in prize money and merchandise over the years.
“If someone doesn’t have fun at Scott Lake, it must have been because of their golf game or their partner,” Hoag joked.
As much as course conditions, Scott Lake, which hosts approximately 46,000 rounds per year, puts a premium on hospitality. “We know most of our customers by name, and we do our best to figure out a way to say ‘yes’,” Hoag said.
Scott Lake was recognized as the 2012 Course of the Year at the NGCOA’s Annual Conference here. In addition to Scott Lake, The Pete Dye Course at French Lick Resort in French Lick, Ind.; and Renaissance Golf Club in Haverhill, Mass., were finalists for the Course of the Year Award.
The NGCOA’s 2012 award winners also included the Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach, Calif., which received the Jemsek Award for Golf Course Excellence; Terry Sedalik, executive director of the South Carolina Golf Course Owners Association and the Charleston Golf Course Owners Association, who received the Champion Award in recognition of service to course owners at the state level; the Michigan Golf League Championship Committee, which received the Player Development Award; Del Ratcliffe, president of the North Carolina Golf Course Owners Association and owner of Ratcliffe Golf Services, who received the Paul Porter Award, which honors an owner who has established a legacy of commitment, service and leadership; and Ronald Schiavone, who was honored posthumously with the Award of Merit, which recognizes long-term and significant contributions to the game of golf.
About the NGCOA
The National Golf Course Owners Association is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The Association represents the key decision makers with ultimate responsibility for golf courses throughout the world. Through advocacy, information resources, purchasing programs and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information, visit www.ngcoa.org or call 1-800-933-4262.
Contact:
Sarah Gurley Masche, NGCOA
800.933.4262 Ext.208
smasche@ngcoa.org
Bill Bryant, Bryant Marketing Communications
678.366.3232
bbryant@bryantmarcomm.com
