(WHEELING, WV) – Oglebay Resort and Wheeling Park, managed by Billy Casper Golf (BCG), has named Danny Ackerman as General Manager of golf operations, representing a homecoming for the 25-year member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America.
A Wheeling, WV native, Ackerman will build upon Oglebay and Wheeling Park’s storied golf history to guide the brand for the next generation. He will oversee all golf activities at Oglebay, which includes three 18-hole courses, a nine-hole, par 3 course and driving range, as well as nine-hole Bloch Memorial Golf Course at Wheeling Park.
Working with BCG regional and national teams, Ackerman will direct course maintenance, staffing and training, clubhouse operations, food and beverage, merchandising and golf programming to benefit golfer experiences and rounds played. He and his team will reinforce and expand Oglebay Resort and Wheeling Park’s reputation as a popular community outlet and “go-to” golf destination.
“Danny’s high golf IQ and leadership will mesh well with his tremendous passion for Wheeling,” says Nick Bednar, BCG Regional Director of Operations. “It will shine through to his team, our guests and the entire community.”
Born and raised in Wheeling, Ackerman started playing golf with his father at Wheeling Park’s 9-hole course when he was seven years old. He starred on the Wheeling Park golf team before captaining the West Virginia University golf team.
“I’m honored and excited to return home to Wheeling, the place that inspired my lifelong love of golf,” says Ackerman. “With Billy Casper Golf’s strong guest and employee service programs, and its modern marketing approach, we will strengthen the Ohio Valley’s golf offering now and for the future.”
Ackerman comes to Oglebay from The Virtues Golf Club in Nashport, Ohio where he was General Manager. Formerly known as Longaberger Golf Club, it was one of Golf Digest’s “America’s 100 Greatest Public Courses” and ranked No. 1 in Ohio on Golfweek’s “Best Courses State-by-State” list. He also worked in North Carolina at U.S. Open host Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, and at Nike Tour host Quail Hollow Resort & Country Club in Ohio.
About Oglebay and Wheeling Park
Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains one hour southwest of Pittsburgh, Oglebay features exceptional overnight accommodations, world-class amenities and 1,700 acres of year-round recreational opportunities. Swimming, tennis, horse stables, miniature golf, mountain biking, an aerial adventure course, miles of paved walking and jogging trails, shopping and sightseeing are among the activities.
Once the estate of Earl W. Oglebay, the land dates back to the late 1700s. Upon his death in 1926, Oglebay willed his property to the people of Wheeling for as long as “they operate it as a place for public recreation.” Today it is the only self-supporting public municipal resort in operation. Funded mainly through operations, Oglebay Park has more free activities than many facilities of its type in the country and attracts more than one million visitors annually.
Oglebay is widely known for its variety of golf courses, including two championship layouts at the Speidel Golf Club. The par-71 Arnold Palmer design is a modern links layout that takes advantage of rolling terrain with strategically-placed bunkers, contemporary mounding and ample-size greens. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., the Jones Course is draped over the hills and dales of a former dairy farm, and hosted the West Virginia LPGA Classic for 11 years. A nine-hole, par-3, full-service practice range and short-game area at Speidel offers warm-up and game-improvement opportunities. The property also features the 18-hole regulation Crispin Course – Oglebay’s original layout. In addition, Wheeling Park’s Bloch Memorial nine-hole, executive course, provides a nice complement for golfers of all abilities, located just minutes away in residential Wheeling.
Oglebay Resort accommodations include the inviting, 251-room Wilson Lodge, quaint cottages overlooking the lush greens of the golf courses, and spacious estate houses. With more than 20,000 square feet of meeting space, Oglebay amenities meet today’s business demands and are an ideal setting for training programs and corporate retreats.
More information: www.oglebay.com, 304.241.2545
About Billy Casper Golf
Billy Casper Golf is one of the largest privately owned golf course management companies in the U.S., with nearly 150 properties in 29 states. Headquartered in Reston, Va. – with regional offices across America – BCG has more than 25 years of results-driven expertise. The company specializes in full-service course management as well as assistance in specific segments of the golf business, including course and property maintenance, staffing and training, career growth, clubhouse operations, food and beverage, merchandising, golf instruction, marketing and public relations, special events and financial management.
BCG continues to evolve the golf experience through customized solutions and innovative programs like the annual World’s Largest Golf Outing – a national golf fundraiser conceived by BCG Chairman and CEO Peter Hill. The company recently launched its newest management solution, Billy Casper Signature, as a boutique division focused on country club, resort and private club management.
More information: www.billycaspergolf.com, 703.761.1444
Contact:
Kira Jones
Buffalo.Agency
703.940.3599
kjones@buffalo.agency
