Q: Who does the actual review?

A: We don't send a high school kid. You get a member of the GOLFMAK, INC. team!  

Why order a Golfmak golf course review? 

Once, I told an owner I would find thousands of dollars 'behind the cushions' and he said, "Have at it and we'll split!" After all, he owns the course and he knew the place better than me, right?

Well, I walked into his golf course and found over $110,000 in pure hard cash - I mean cash he'll earn every year forever - in less than 60-seconds! He reneged on the split, ha ha! He thought I meant a few pennies. Nope --- over $110,000!

• Income opportunities you missed or don't even know about.
• Expenses way out of whack - do you know what to look for?
• Do you have any idea how much walks out the back door?
• You thought you were giving better service - but you're still losing rounds.
• You forgot to listen to your customers. Look at your bank statement and you;ll hear them.
• You attention to your marketplace. Do you really know what's going on out there?

We have not reviewed a single golf course where we have not uncovered money-surprises. There are hundreds of reasons to have a golf course reviewed, but the key is to obtain a 'fresh' view of the property by our experienced eyes. These eyes are from over 150-years combined experience in every nook and cranny of the golf course business. We apply operation principles that 99% of golf course operators either ignore, or are oblivious to.

At the top of the list you may be a required to prepare summary for a finance application. Persons or Corporations planning to acquire specific golf courses often want a 'third-party' review to make sure what they see is what they get. Possibly the subject is falling on hard times and needs a fresh approach to regain its revenue and market share. Often, private golf club board members want an independent review of their own club to help them in making appropriate decisions for their golf course (club) going forward. 

Another need for a golf course review is the redundancy phenomenon experienced by golf courses more than 10-years old. The truth is, golf courses wear out. For instance, that brand new $60,000 dollar fairway unit is ready for the scrap yard after five or six years. An irrigation system, at least $2 million to replace in 2022, is about dead if it was installed in 02! The 'redundancy' dilemma at all golf courses need clear study going forward. Has your club maintained its reserves? I'll bet not. NOW WHAT? 

  FAQ SHEET

Who orders a golf course review?

How long does a golf course review take?

Can Golfmak help us prepare our business plan?

What parts of the golf course do you review?

Has a Golfmak review uncovered major problems that may have otherwise gone undetected?

How is a Golfmak Golf Course Report delivered?

What is the cost of a Golfmak Golf Course Review?

What Does Golfmak Need to get Started on a Golf Course Review?

How much Advance Notice is Required?

Will Golfmak Return my Telephone call or Email Inquiry? 

Can Golfmak Provide us with References?

 

Who orders a golf course review? Any Interest in a Golf Course can Order a Review. We do reviews for individual golf course owners, corporate owners, board of directors, municipalities financial institutions, potential buyers, and any interest in a golf course. Golfmak has completed reviews for bankers, attorneys, even creditor committees caught up in bankruptcies. 

How long does a Golfmak golf course review take? We normally complete a site visit and written review in about two weeks from the start date of an assignment.

Can Golfmak help us prepare our business plan? Preparing business plans is part of what we do. If the subject is an acquisition requiring financing, or planned as part of an investment portfolio, it will require a business plan. We address operational and marketing plans and prepare revenue forecasts for one-year and five-year terms. Our business plans are accepted in finance applications by major financial institutions.

What parts of the golf course do you review? We review every detail of the subject golf course and its market service area. Our property inspection starts with a review of the golf course, maintenance building, irrigation system, drainage system, equipment and machinery, superintendents logs, offices, etc. We inspect the clubhouse, kitchens, pro shop, lockers and washrooms, and all other amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts and fitness facilities. Wherever possible, we interview key personnel like the superintendent, general manager, kitchen manager, golf professional, tennis professional, and other department leaders.  

We review the permitting and licensing documents, plus membership rules, employee job descriptions, etc. We observe methods of service to members and/or daily fee golfers.

We apply one exercise that few market studies ever do! We visit all the most significant competitive golf courses, golf retail stores, tourist places like local sports bars or restaurants. Without revealing our mission or our clients, we attempt to dialogue with employees, golf players, bar tenders, or anyone we find willing to discuss the local golf neighborhood. We try to get a 'feel' how our client's golf course is viewed by the local golf community. Many time we come up with information that, "Even your best friends won't tell you!"

Finally, we make an opinion from our experience, which includes how we see the future of the subject golf course.

Has a Golfmak review uncovered major problems that may have otherwise gone undetected? Absolutely! In fact, we have uncovered information that may have saved clients from financial disaster. In our key-employee interviews we listen for clues to problems that may be deeper then meets the eye - sometimes in the $ millions! We have uncovered areas of thievery, waste and deterioration totally unnoticed by the principals. Our reviews have never failed to identify areas of savings or opportunities for our clients. Believe me, my work has made $ millions for my clients. 

When Golfmak completes a golf course review, our clients have a very clear picture of the property and the business.   

How is a Golfmak Golf Course Report delivered? Our written reviews are delivered via Google Docs by email invitation to the appropriate person/s. Although, we stick to our message, receivers of the report may have editing capability - mainly as it needs to be worded for presentation to board members, or to be circulated to the membership at large - if it's a member-owned country club. 

What is the cost of a Golfmak Golf Course Review? A Golfmak golf course review including a site and market area visit is $12,000, requiring an initial up-front portion of $6,000 fee, balance, $6,000 due upon arrival at the site by member or members of our consulting team. Clients approve, or pay expenses from their own account for travel and accommodation, and agrees to pay $2,000 daily if extended beyond 5-days. Most assignments are completed in three to five days including travel time. A written report is included with a brief outline of our observations, comments, or recommendations. A five-year business plan, complete with one and five-year cash flow projections, suitable for a finance application can be ordered if required. The fee for the five year pland and pro forma will depend on the type of golf course or club, it's amenities, age, and location. The business plan and/or pro forma is prepared and delivered in two to three weeks.

What Does Golfmak Need to get Started on a Golf Course Review? We require a simple engagement agreement agreeing to the fees indicated above. If you intend to engage our team, indicate so in an email message to mike@golfmak.com and you'll receive our consulting agreement outlining what our work would entail. 

How much Advance Notice is Required? We (normally need 30-days notice - subject to availability.

Will Golfmak Return my Telephone call or Email Inquiry? We have never failed to respond to an inquiry - usually within 24 hours. 

Can Golfmak Provide us with References? Most certainly. Just write: mike@golfmak.com.