(LINCOLN, Neb.) – Zac Gavlak and Michael Nelson have been named General Manager and Golf Course Superintendent, respectively, of Mapleton Golf Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the new private, golf-only escape scheduled to open in Summer 2025.
Gavlak comes to Mapleton following stints at Yellowstone Club (Big Sky, Mont.) and Milburn Country Club (Overland Park, Kan.). A servant leadership style earned him PGA sections’ Private Facility Promoter of the Year and PGA Golf Professional of the Year honors. Gavlak honed his skills at famous golf clubs in the Rocky Mountains region and Midwest.
Nelson previously oversaw turf and property management at Blue Top Ridge Golf Club at Riverside Casino and Resort in Riverside, Iowa. There he worked with golf course architect Rees Jones from the earliest stages of construction to an on-time, on-budget opening and a No. 2 ranking on Golf Digest’s “Places to Play in Iowa” list. He also consulted with Jones on the design and grow-in of Dacotah Ride Golf Club in Morton, Minn., and prepped courses for PGA Tour and U.S. Open competitions.
“Members will love that no two holes will be remotely the same, and a hole you play on Tuesday will present different shot values on Saturday,” says Gavlak. “From the moment I first saw the golf course routing, clubhouse drawings and entire property, I immediately thought Mapleton will win ‘best new club’ awards.”
Nelson is smitten by the topography’s diversity: “There are high ridges, low meadows, mature trees, natural streams and long-range rural views, and golfers never feel bored come their thousandth round.”
Michael Nelson, named Golf Course Superintendent of Mapleton Golf Club in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
The players bringing Mapleton to life:
- Danny Amundson is Managing Partner of the club’s ownership group and is a Sioux Falls area native, lifelong golfer and son of a South Dakota Golf Hall of Fame inductee.
- Landscapes Golf Management leads pre-opening activities and will operate the club upon opening.
- Sister company Landscapes Unlimited’s Project Development Group is overseeing all aspects of site planning, design and engineering, permitting, contractor selection, project administration and budget planning, and is undertaking golf course construction.
- Golf course architect Scott Hoffman whose award-winning work includes acclaimed Gozzer Ranch (Durango, Colo.), Lost Rail (Gretna, Neb.), Monterey Dunes (Calif.) and Scottsdale National (Ariz.).
Traversing rolling natural prairies, Mapleton’s 18 holes are set to present a look and feel similar to Shinnecock and National Golf Links on Long Island, New York.
It promises wide bent-grass fairways, sloped landing areas, greens with subtle movements and short-grass surrounds for creative recoveries, and bunkers with natural fescue edges. Extremely short distances from greens to tees will make Mapleton one of the easiest walks in all golf.
The property’s 210 acres features a landmark, 50-foot, dome-less silo while towering cottonwoods and frequent wildlife sightings provide additional character and tranquility.
In addition to a driving range and practice facility is a roughly 13,000-square-foot clubhouse with a full-service dining room, bar and lounge, boardroom, locker rooms and pro shop. Overnight accommodations are in the development plans. True to its golf focus, Mapleton doesn’t plan to offer tennis, swimming, banquet facilities for large parties and other amenities.
Mapleton Township’s history dates to 1866 when Norwegian settlers discovered ideal farming conditions. Years following, the Milwaukee Railroad stopped at Renner Station, bolstering residency and commerce. Today, Mapleton Township’s is home to almost 2,000 people and a comfortable community to work, live and play.
Catering to the purest golf enthusiast looking to break the daily routine, single, corporate and national memberships are selling briskly.
More information: Mapleton Golf Club, info@mapletongolfclub.com.
About Landscapes Golf Management
One of America’s largest and most trusted operators of golf courses and country clubs, Landscapes Golf Management’s 60-plus property portfolio across 20 states benefits from conveniently located regional offices. The family owned-and-operated company has built a strong infrastructure and culture to successfully provide turnkey management and a la carte solutions to owners of golf courses and country clubs. Its experts cover business strategy and planning, golf course maintenance, clubhouse operations, marketing, IT, staffing and training, food and beverage, health and wellness, merchandising, golf instruction and financial management. Sister company Landscapes Unlimited is the recognized leader in development and construction of golf courses as well as sports fields.
More information: Landscapes Golf Management, 402.423.6653.
CONTACT:
Rich Katz
rkatz@katzstrategy.com
703.283.4852
