News & Events
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October 24, 2011
A Cinderella Story at Glen Oaks CC
Taken from: http://www.clubandresortbusiness.com/2011/10/11/a-cinderella-story-at-glen-oaks-cc/
The new owners of Glen Oaks CC not only saved the club from bankruptcy, but also injected much needed life—and capital—into the club’s dining operation.
If you asked Jeff Strahl, Executive Chef at Glen Oaks Country Club, West Des Moines, Iowa, to tell you the story of dining at Glen Oaks, you’d be hard-pressed not to think of it as something of a Cinderella story.
“I came to the club seven years ago with a lot of benchmarks that I wanted to achieve,” he says. “We have a really good core of chefs here, but we had to get a better handle on both the business side of things as well as iron out some culinary basics. Over the years, we improved the menu, the quality of the food and the skill level of the staff, but the facility never saw any change, and was in dire need of a facelift.
Glen Oaks CC
Club Location: West Des Moines, Iowa
Management: Golf Resources Group
No. of Members: 560
Average Member Age: 50
Average Annual F&B Revenue: $2,000,000
Average # a la carte meals per week: 1,050
Food Costs: 44%
Annual Golf Rounds: 20,000
No. of foodservice employees: 80 (in season)
A La Carte Kitchen Size: 880 sq. ft.
Banquet Kitchen Size: 1,760 sq. ft.
Clubhouse Size: 46,000 sq. ft.Unfortunately, the dining room’s desperately needed makeover was a long way off. In 2009, the club and the surrounding homeowners’ association defaulted on a $7.7 million loan. Ultimately, Glen Oaks went up for sale at a sheriff’s auction in April 2010 and a local bank purchased it for $5.25 million, after there were no other bids.
Throughout the reorganization, the club remained open for business.
“The chances of upgrading the facility, given the financial situation, were nonexistent,” says Strahl. The bank then brought in a management firm, Golf Resources Group (GRG), to help run the financially strapped property.
“When I came on board, the property was still owned by the bank, it lacked a true brand identity, and member—and staff—morale had reached rock bottom,” says Bill Kirkendall of GRG, who was brought on as General Manager.
Finally, Glen Oaks found its prince.
In October 2010, a group of local investors completed the purchase of the club from the bank for an undisclosed price. The new owners, all of whom live in the Glen Oaks community, came together to acquire the championship golf course and club earlier that summer.
Their common vision was to restore Glen Oaks to its original design, and make the club a profitable enterprise as well as an appealing venue for the entire community.
The ownership group decided that GRG would continue to run day-to-day operations and that Kirkendall would continue as General Manager, overseeing all aspects and operations of the club including membership.
“The new owners saw what a valuable asset this club is to its members and the community,” says Strahl. “They planned to maximize that potential by making appropriate investments to improve the club and make it more appealing.”
Turning a Pumpkin into a Carriage
Two of the first steps in optimizing the potential of Glen Oaks CC were a much-needed makeover for the first floor of the clubhouse, specifically the dining room, as well as some upgrades to the 18-hole championship course designed by Tom Fazio.
“The clubhouse was only 17 years old, but the facilities hadn’t been touched—not even painted—in that time. It was dark and dated and no one wanted to come to the club, despite the quality of our food and service,” says Kirkendall. “We only had one dining room to service all of our members.”The new owners, along with Kirkendall and Strahl, worked with a designer to strategize how to reinvent the member dining experience.
“We lacked a true gathering point in our clubhouse,” says Strahl.“We also had no mixed lounge or family dining components,” adds Kirkendall.
Ultimately, space-planning improvements were made, speaking to both member enjoyment and improved operational efficiency. Existing interior spaces were rearranged and right-sized into comfortable, connected spaces that have an engaging sense of flow and ease of transition.
The interior design enhancements reflect the contemporary lifestyles of a modern membership, with appropriate elements of style such as comfortable chairs, flat-screen televisions, well-placed lighting and many other rich appointments.
Looking to serve its members first, the renovation was done only on the first floor of Glen Oaks’ clubhouse, while member dining was temporarily moved upstairs into the banquet space.
“We are fortunate to have separate a la carte and banquet kitchens,” says Strahl. “There was no disruption to service during the renovation.”
Ultimately, the project cost $1.3 million dollars and took five months to complete. But when Glen Oaks CC reopened the first floor of its clubhouse, the glass slipper never fit so well.
Night at the Ball
Today, Glen Oaks CC boasts three distinct dining options, in addition to its two outdoor dining terraces.
The family dining room—also known as Bogey’s—features an extensive menu of inventive appetizers and small plates such as Wood-Fired Asiago Salmon, as well as hand-pressed pizzas, salads, spa cuisine (all dishes are under 400 calories), traditional club classics, and more forward-thinking culinary specialties such as Champagne Chicken (view entire menu here).
The bar and lounge area—also known as The Bunker—features a limited menu of small plates and other dishes geared toward sharing and relaxing. “Every week, we have live entertainment in The Bunker,” adds Strahl. “So the menu here is more relaxed and casual.”
The adult dining room—aka The Gallery—is Glen Oaks’ formal dining venue. The menu is more cultivated than in the family dining room, and the service is much more meticulous and upscale. “When we train our servers, we start them in the family dining room,” explains Strahl. “Only the best servers work in The Gallery, as the level of service can’t be compromised in that room.”
With three distinct dining operations for members to choose between, Glen Oaks has seen a surge in member usage.
“Our F&B sales are up 40%,” says Kirkendall. “We’ve also added 80 new members in just the past year.”
“The club has truly come full circle,” says Strahl. “All the little worries are gone. Our volume has increased substantially and there is more room for culinary creativity.”Managing the increased volume has certainly been a challenge, but Strahl keeps his staff motivated by having each chef prepare a special one night a week. “It’s become somewhat of a competition to see whose special will sell the most,” he says.
In addition, a new wood-fired oven that was added to Bogey’s has helped to supplement the volume of business, as well as open the lines of communication between the kitchen and the members.
“The wood oven has been a lifesaver,” says Strahl. “We do more than just pizza in it—we do fish, appetizers and breads, too. The flavor is unmatched, plus the pizza oven is right out in the open, so members can watch the action.”
Living Happily Ever After
Even though the F&B operation at Glen Oaks has come full circle, there are plenty of plans for the future.
“These changes have helped us to meet the needs and lifestyles of our membership,” says Kirkendall. “Our dining and lounge options have increased member and family usage, and given us tremendous tools to grow our membership.”
The club is also planning a second phase of renovation, which will include an extensive update to the banquet facilities, beginning in January.
For Strahl, the “happily ever after” is really just another beginning. “All of the pieces have come together,” he says. “Now, we can really push ourselves from a culinary perspective, and enhance the dining experience for our members.”
View Chef Strahl’s recipes for:
Crunchy Cornflake Chicken Fingers
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September 1, 2011
TPC Deere Run named #1 you can play in Illinois by the PGA
Illinois is home to some of the best golf courses in the nation — public and private. What we wanted to know is which courses do YOU consider the best in the Prairie State — the kind anyone one of us could play.
Rank #1: TPC Deere Run
TPC Deere Run, Silvis, Ill. “Our goal was to build an old-style, traditional golf course and I think we’ve captured that,” says D.A. Weibring, PGA Tour course designer and three-time champion of the Quad Cities tournament on the course’s site. “We wanted to create a course that had memorable holes with dramatic views of the rolling hills and vistas.” Weibring did just that.
Facebook fan quotes:
“TPC Deere Run in Silvis Illinois. Home of the John Deere Classic.” — Jack Johnston
“TPC Deere Run, Silvis.” — Troy Eden
by T.J. Auclair, Interactive Producer
PGA.com -
August 16, 2011
Vision and planning help couple shape the day of their dreams
METAMORA —
Erik and Amanda Perkins had very different ideas for their wedding.“I wanted a destination wedding. My husband wanted local,” Amanda Perkins said. “We compromised with an outdoor wedding.”
They decided to have both ceremony and reception at Metamora Fields. The planning required as much imagination as it did logistics; the large clubhouse wasn’t even built when they booked it.
“It was just dirt and frame when we visited,” she said. “But they really gave us the plans and the vision. I really trusted them.”
Even the menu was a leap of faith for the Peoria couple. The first meal they ever ate there was at their reception.
The Metamora Fields catering staff cheerfully made suggestions when Amanda decided she didn’t want a traditional menu.
“We got married Memorial Day weekend. And with it being outside, I thought ‘Hey, how about barbecue,’” Amanda said.
So after the outside ceremony, the guests filled the new ballroom on the second floor of the clubhouse and enjoyed macaroni and cheese, Jamaican jerk chicken and pulled pork. It was a huge success.
“Everybody who was there ranted and raved about the food,” she said.
Amanda also ditched the traditional wedding cake. Instead, guests were treated to a lavish display of brightly colored cupcakes.
That kind of customizing is par for the course, according to Lisa Miller, director of events at Metamora Fields, which opened for business Dec. 1.
She’s seen quite a few brides opt out of traditional wedding cake and instead ask the Metamora Fields chef for something special.
One bride next month will be serving each guest mini desserts in little parfait cups. An October bride who is using a fall theme will have pumpkin bars, apple pie and caramel apples at her reception.
The personalization doesn’t stop at the menu, Miller said. The banquet hall has yet to look the same for two receptions.
“The decor is neutral. So what we’re seeing is every bride who comes in really makes it her own,” Miller said. “It’s like an artist with an open palette.
“I tell the brides all the time, ‘You can put your signature on the day.’”
Amanda was the first bride to book at Metamora Fields. She found she was a little out of her element when it came to finding other vendors nearby, and wasn’t sure an untested staff would be able to make recommendations.
Not only did the Metamora Fields wedding coordinator suggest vendors for the cupcakes and flowers, but she also arranged a meeting among Amanda, herself and the other vendors, so everything would be coordinated for the big day.
“They all worked together,” Amanda said. “It took a lot of stress off me.”
The ballroom can seat 350 guests or can be divided for smaller weddings. Brides and grooms can choose not only their decor, but how they want the reception laid out.
But one of the most enviable facets of the decor comes courtesy of Mother Nature.
“Three sides of the ballroom all look out on the golf course,” Miller said. “One side faces west, so you get these wonderful sunsets. It’s truly breathtaking.”
For Erik and Amanda, who had never visited the facility at night before their wedding, the sunset made for some of their best pictures and memories.
“People really need to see the view and the windows up there,” Amanda said. “Daytime, nighttime. It’s gorgeous.”
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Metamora Fields
Address: 801 Progress St., Metamora
Phone: 367-4000
Website: www.metamorafields.com
Maximum capacity: 400
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August 16, 2011
Ladies ready to hit the links
For central Illinois golfers, the wait is almost over.
Metamora Fields is set for a July 11 grand opening. The 18-hole course was designed by D.A. Weibring and his firm, Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design.
The clubhouse opened back in December before the course was ready for play, and the Front 9 has been open for a few weeks.
From the championship tees the entire course will measure about 7,100 yards.
Work on the course began back in 2009. With eight man-made lakes, plenty of dirt moving, and the planting of roughly 1,000 trees, the work to get Metamora Fields ready to play is finally complete, giving local golfers a new venue to try their luck at.
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August 16, 2011
You Gotta Eat Goes To Metamora Fields Clubhouse
By Tom McIntyre
July 7, 2011 Updated Aug 11, 2011 at 4:31 PM CDTMetamora Fields is just that: In Metamora and on what used to be a cornfield. No longer.
Now, a D-A Weibring designed golf course surrounds the clubhouse on three sides.
The restaurant on the clubhouse main floor and the clubhouse itself are designed to look decades, not months old.
General Manager Dan Budzius told me, “It’s a feel It has a nice sense of poshness, yet it has a sense of home to it. When you walk into it, it’s not overdone, it’s comfortable when you walk in. Our motto is; “where you’re always welcome”.
Taking a light lunch in the restaurant when I was there were Denny Powers and retired judge Bob Manning.
Powers said he invited the judge back in February but has got such a busy schedule that we’re just now getting it worked in.
The retired judge said, ” Denny brought me out, and I’ll pay for it. I had a chicken noodle soup and a half a chicken sadwich and they were great”
Dan Budzius gave us a tour of the second floor of the clubhouse. That’s where the Sunday buffet lunches are served…and where a lot of weddings receptions are already scheduled.
There’s plenty of windows…and a balcony overlooking the ninth and 18th greens.
With that in mind, photographer Larry Foulk and I decided to eat on the patio overlooking the course.
We decided to start lunch with an order of Philly cheese steak egg rolls. I don’t know thought of this combination..but it’s really good finger food.
Beef, peppers onions and cheese with a toasted horseradish sauce.
I had two, Larry says I had three.
Either way –it was good eating.
Lunch for me was a grilled mahi sandwich with fries.
The mahi comes on a bun drenched with a tropical salsa–sweet, not spicy.
The Mahi was light and flakey–but the salsa makes the sandwich.
Very nicely done
Larry had the daily special…a chicken parmesan over fettuccini. It could comfortably feed a small family. Larry pronounced it very good and ate most of it.
To finish things off, they wheeled out the dessert tray of decadence.
Larry polished off a Swiss chocolate cake.
Apparently he has a second stomach someplace.
I decided to eat healthy and had the carrot cake. It’s a vegetable, right? Like the rest of the meal, it was delicious.
Our bill, with endless refills of soft drinks, was 48-dollars, 64 cents plus tip.
Metamora Fields currently serves lunch Wednesday thorough Saturday, 11 to 3 with a Sunday brunch buffet from ten til two.However–that changes July 15th, when the back nine of the golf course opens and lunch will be served Monday through Saturday.
Evening meals remain on a Wednesday to Saturday schedule.
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August 16, 2011
Metamora Fields- Back 9 is Open
The Metamora Fields Golf Club is now entirely open! The back 9 holes opened today with a big outing. Public tee times are available starting Friday. Metamora Fields Director of Golf Jeff Roche gives us a tour of holes #10 through #18.
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August 16, 2011
Metamora Fields Grand Opening
Today was a day of celebration for Heart of Illinois golfers. The vision of Jim and Carol Ring to turn their farmland into a top golf course is a reality. Today, the grand opening celebration of Metamora Fields Golf Club.
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August 16, 2011
Metamora Fields an ‘ace’ in ISU grad Weibring’s book
METAMORA — When D.A. Weibring made a hole-in-one last Friday at the U.S. Senior Open, he was asked in the press tent how many career aces that gave him.
“I was embarrassed because I’ve lost track,” said Weibring on Monday morning. “It’s 20-something.”What brought the Illinois State graduate back to Central Illinois was anything but embarrassing. In fact, it’s almost unheard of in these difficult economic times.
Metamora Fields Golf Club, the brainchild of Jim and Carol Ring, celebrated its grand opening Monday. It was designed by Weibring and his Dallas-based firm, Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design. A 25,000-square foot clubhouse, complete with a full-scale restaurant and banquet facility, opened last December.
“New projects are not happening right now,” said Weibring.
The Golf Foundation reported that more courses closed than opened in 2010 for the fifth straight year. That trend is expected to continue in 2011.
The 58-year-old Weibring maintains his playing career on the Champions Tour while devoting much of his time and energy to his businesses, Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design and Golf Resources Group. Dan Budzius, a Dwight High School graduate and former ISU golfer, is president of Golf Resources and serving as Metamora Fields’ general manager.
Weibring’s groups have no other new projects ongoing, but are involved in several renovations. They will unveil a renovation in the Dallas suburb of Plano later this fall.
It was about four years ago when Weibring first met with the Rings at the nearby McDonald’s to discuss opening a golf course. Surprisingly, the Rings are not golfers. They sold their family business, National Wheel-O-Vator Co. in Roanoke, in 2008 and wanted to turn 195 acres of farmland they eventually purchased into a golf course with a clubhouse big enough for social events such as wedding receptions and outings.
“They really had a vision to do something nice for the community. I can’t get that across any stronger,” said Weibring. “We’ve been involved in so many projects throughout the years. There’s sometimes an investment motivation, there’s a variety of different things. But this family made an investment in a challenging time of the economy to do something nice for their community.”
Those who played Monday found Metamora Fields’ layout to be generous off the tee and fair into the greens. Native grass is on the outer edges of the fairways to give a “bronze and framing look … and not to gobble people’s golf balls,” said Weibring, because there were no trees on the original property.
Four holes on the back nine had to be reseeded a couple times and haven’t matured as much, but the rest of the course has grown in well. Cost is $49 during the week and $59 on weekends, including cart.
“The forward tees will be very accessible for kids, ladies and seniors,” said Weibring. “If you go to the back tees and the wind blows a little bit, it gives you all you want.”
Weibring, who has won $7.85 million, five tourneys and one major (the 2008 Senior TPC) since turning 50, wants to extend his playing career a little longer.
He underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery last November in hopes of “keeping myself in shape to invest in having maybe a few more years.”
The healing process has taken a little longer than he expected, but Weibring is starting to feel better every week. Weibring has earned $137,691 in 12 tourneys, with his best finish a tie for 16th at Pebble Beach three weeks ago.
“It’s not like me not to have a top 10 (finish), yet I have to listen to what the doctor says and give myself a benefit of a doubt,” said Weibring, who is off to Minneapolis this week for the 3M Championship. “I’ll only play if I can be competitive. I knew this year, certainly half of it, would be a challenge. We’ll go from there.”
Read more: http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/recreation/golf/article_fa655b8e-bcad-11e0-8002-001cc4c002e0.html#ixzz1VCYmaAJD
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November 1, 2010
Investor Group Completes Purchase of Glen Oaks CC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For More Information, Contact:
Jamie Buelt, Spokesperson
515-249-1857PLAN TO BUILD MEMBERSHIP, IMPROVE FACILITIES
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (October 28, 2010) — A group of local investors announced today that it has completed the purchase of Glen Oaks Country Club from West Bank for an undisclosed price.The ownership group is composed of three families—Mark and Jill Oman, Ron Pearson and Robert and Deb Pulver. The new owners, all of whom live in the Glen Oaks community, came together to acquire the championship golf course and club earlier this summer. Their common vision is to restore Glen Oaks to its original design, and make the club a profitable enterprise as well as an appealing venue for the entire community. The new owners hosted a reception for members on Thursday, October 28.
“Glen Oaks is a tremendous asset with a lot of potential,” Pearson said. “We plan to maximize that potential by making appropriate investments that further improve the club and make it more appealing to members, golfers, guests, employees and the community.”
The ownership group announced that Golf Resources Group, a management firm owned by D.A. Weibring, will continue to run day-to-day operations at Glen Oaks. Bill Kirkendall of GRC will continue as general manager of the club, overseeing all aspects and operations of the club including membership.
“By choosing the Weibring group to manage Glen Oaks, we achieve continuity and have access to the best management professionals in the business,” Mark Oman added. “Bill Kirkendall and his team have gone above and beyond over the past several months to provide a positive experience for our members and guests.”CLUBHOUSE MAKEOVER
One of the first steps in optimizing the potential of Glen Oaks is a makeover for the clubhouse. The new owners have contracted Tom Hoch Plan Design Build, a well-known club designer in Oklahoma City, to provide a plan.“Getting members and their guests to Glen Oaks several times a week is what will ultimately make the club successful,” Bob Pulver said. “A country club succeeds when members are using the facilities, shopping in the pro shop, lunching at the restaurant and generally enjoying themselves.”
Since Glen Oaks was completed in 1994, the club has not undergone any significant updates or changes. Pulver noted that in the past 16 years, however, the industry has seen significant changes in membership demographics.“Women drive a lot of the decisions regarding country club membership, and we will be the club that makes women feel welcome and comfortable,” Pulver said.
The planning process with Tom Hoch will also address how to better accommodate signature events as well as weddings and parties. While the club’s kitchen facility has the capacity to cater large events, the current layout best accommodates events for approximately 250 people.
“A few changes will allow us to bid on more events and be a true venue of choice,” Kirkendall noted. “After all, the view from the club house is one of the best in the metro.”
IMPROVING PLAYABILITY OF THE COURSE
Glen Oaks golf course remains highly rated and will continue to host The Principal Charity Classic, a signature PGA event. Over the next several months, the team will work on improving the playability of the course for all levels of golfers.“We have one chance to make a first impression next spring,” Pulver said. “The work that is starting now and continuing over the winter is aimed at restoring the course to the original Tom Fazio design.”
Glen Oaks Country Club was conceived in 1991 as part of a golf and residential community. The 18-hole championship course was designed by Tom Fazio and officially opened in July 1994. Today, the club has 479 members.
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June 9, 2010
Principal Charity Classic: Weibring’s Company Helps Run Glen Oaks
D.A. Weibring was getting ready to tee off in one of the Principal Charity pro-ams last week when a marshal stopped him.“He said, ‘Hey, you’re running this place,’” Weibring said.
“’No,’” Weibring told him. “Our company is helping run it.”
Weibring, the 2004 Principal Charity Classic champion, wore two hats last week. He was one of the 78 golfers in the field. And his company, Golf Resources Inc., has been hired by West Bank to manage Glen Oaks Country Club.
“I felt a connection here,” Weibring said. “Obviously, I was fortunate enough to win here. I felt a kinship with the membership and the course. If we can help short term, middle term, long term, we’ll do that. I think we’ve turned things around pretty quickly. But we’ve got a ways to go.”
West Bank initiated foreclosure proceedings in July 2009, after the club defaulted on $7.8 million in loans. West Bank became owner of Glen Oaks on April 29 when it was the winning bidder at a sheriff’s sale of the golf course and clubhouse property.
David Milligan, West Bank’s chief executive, said this week that Glen Oaks remains for sale. Mulligan also said that he is pleased with the job Golf Resources has done since coming on board in February.
“I hear trouble all over the country, every day,” said Weibring, whose company specializes in golf course renovation and management assistance. “Clubs are losing members, they have too much debt. I told the people at Glen Oaks, ‘Don’t feel like you’re the Lone Ranger. We can do something about it.’ This is a valuable asset, and we’re going to grow this asset. We’re just trying to provide good service, good food, a little enthusiasm and enhance a great golf course.”
Weibring, who is chairman of Golf Resources, is part of a threesome helping the West Des Moines club get back on its feet.
Bill Kirkendall, chief executive officer of Golf Resources, is serving as interim general manager at Glen Oaks. Kirkendall, also an accomplished player, was in the Principal field in 2005. He was also Weibring’s college roommate at Illinois State.
“Bill is applying practical business sense,” Weibring said.
Dan Budzius, president of Golf Resources and another Redbird alum, is handling the golf operations and hospitality.
“We looked them in the eye,” Weibring said of the Glen Oaks membership base, “we answered their questions and told them what we were going to do. Bill and Danny are here a lot. We’ve turned momentum back in the right direction. We’ve given people more responsibility and support, and they’ve just flourished. There are good people here.”
Weibring said more than 50 new members have joined the club since Golf Resources got involved.
“I think the members are happy, and I think we’re doing a lot of little subtle things,” Weibring said. “They’ve gone from distressed and losing money paying taxes to having a cash flow.”
The original agreement between West Bank and Golf Resources was for three months.
“We’ve blown through that,” Weibring said. “We’re here to help them, to increase their assets and improve the operations and financial stability.”
While Weibring’s energy last week was devoted to his play, Kirkendall and Budzius worked to keep the event running smoothly.
“Bill and Danny were everywhere,” Weibring said.
