News & Events
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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.
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March 7, 2010
Golf Resources Group Press Release
Contact:
Leigh Goodall
Sunwest Communications
214.373.1601D.A. Weibring’s Golf Resources Group to Provide Restructuring, Repositioning and Turnaround Management
Company expands to meet economic need for golf coursesDALLAS (February 20, 2010) –Golf Resources Group, a golf course advisory management firm, has expanded its services to include the restructuring, repositioning and turnaround management for public and private golf facilities
“The current state of the economy has had a major impact on the financial stability of new and existing golf courses. We understand what it takes to make a golf property successful, whether that means club management, stabilizing operations or analyzing the financial state of the course,” said D.A. Weibring, chairman of Golf Resources Group.
Serving golf property owners, secured lenders, investors and other golf course stakeholders, Golf Resources Group provides turnaround consulting, financial restructuring, and the development and execution of business plan strategies as well as sales and marketing strategies, crisis interim management and working capital management. In addition, Golf Resources Group will continue providing club management in existing facilities, repositioning of current facilities and the launching of new facilities.
“With almost 25 years of experience and knowledge of the golf course industry, we will provide our clients the direction, leadership and expertise needed to improve and maximize their business performance and potential,” Weibring said.
Golf Resources Group is currently working on three projects for clients in Iowa and Illinois. They include: turnaround management for Glen Oaks Country Club in West Des Moines, IA, operational and marketing consulting for Weibring Golf Club at Illinois State University and start up golf course management for Metamora Fields Golf Club in Metamora , IL
Leading the daily efforts for the Golf Resources Group is Bill Kirkendall, CEO, and Dan Budzius, who will serve as president/director of operations of Golf Resources Group. Weibring serves as founder and chairman and Steve Wolfard, lead architect.
Kirkendall joined Weibring in 2006 and has 25 years of executive management, restructuring and sales/marketing experience. Budzius brings more than 20 years of leadership in golf operations to the team. Previously, Budzius worked on golf courses in the United States, Europe and Mexico as an area manager and general manager with Troon Golf, a leader in upscale golf management. Budzius has also been a member of the PGA of America since 1991.
D.A. Weibring/Golf Resources, Inc. was founded in 1987 by Weibring, a 13-time winner on the PGA, Champions and other international golf tours. In 1997, Weibring was joined by award-winning golf course architect Steve Wolfard, and in 2008, the company reintroduced itself as Weibring-Wolfard Golf Design, Inc. to reflect the collaboration between the two. Today, the company is proud to expand their range of services through the addition of the Golf Resources Group division.
About Golf Resources Group
Golf Resources Group is a restructuring and turnaround management advisory firm that specializes in eliminating or reducing financial harm and improving the business operations for golf properties. Golf Resources Group serves golf property owners, secured lenders, unsecured creditors, investors and other stakeholders. Services include corporate restructuring, turnaround consulting and crisis interim management, and golf operations management. The firm also has extensive experience in start-up and management of new and existing golf properties. For more information visit the website at: www.golfresourcesgroup.com.
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March 1, 2010
Bank hires PGA’s Weibring for Glen Oaks
Glen Oaks Country Club members were reintroduced Thursday evening to professional golfer D.A. Weibring and told that his management company, Golf Resources Group, has been given a consultant’s contract to help run the financially strapped West Des Moines golf course.Making the introduction was David Milligan, chief executive of West Bank, which is owed a little more than $8 million by the country club. The bank is expected to acquire title to the Glen Oaks course and club house at an April 29 sheriff’s sale.
Glen Oaks members first met Weibring when he won the PGA Champion’s Tour event held at their golf course in 2004. Since then, the finance of the club have stumbled, while Weibring’s management company has prospered. Weibring now works with 50 private and public golf courses around the country, including two Tournament Players Courses where PGA events are played.
Milligan said Weibring’s group “won’t replace the staff.” Weibring will be looking for ways to decrease expenses without cutting services. Instead, he said, the plan is to make the operation more efficient and increase revenues.
The bank plans to eventually sell the country club and has had discussions with potential buyers. So far, Milligan said, no one has offered enough money. The contract with Weibring is short-term but can be extended, he said.
Blog post by David Elbert • delbert@desmoine.gannett.com
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February 19, 2010
Welcome to the New Website
Golf Resources Group has just launched the new website. As our portfolio of fantastic golf properties continues to grow, we will keep our website up to date with our recent aquisitions and mergers. Please contact us if you have any questions.