Principal Charity Classic: Weibring’s Company Helps Run Glen Oaks
June 9, 2010
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.