The foursome behind Glen Kernan Club.
BY MARK PAZDUR, PUBLISHER
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA: Fate describes what happened to Travis Norman, COO of Hampton Golf, over 25 years ago. “My wife and I were just married and had relocated to greater Jacksonville to start our lives together,” recalled Norman.
“Money was tight, but we scraped together enough pennies for a down payment on a house. A large berm [more than 20 feet high] was immediately behind our backyard fence. I remember my wife asking me, ‘What’s on the other side of the berm?’ I explained that on the other side was the prestigious and very private Glen Kernan Golf & Country Club. I promised her that at some point, we would move there. To this day, I’m not sure either of us believed it would come to fruition.”
Today, Travis not only has a house within Glen Kernan Club, but is part-owner of the club.
Not a Slam Dunk
Glen Kernan was opened by the Hodges, a predominant developer in Northeast Florida with vast real estate holdings. “It’s rumored that George Hodges, the patriarch of the family, was personally responsible for dredging the 64 acres of lakes scattered about the property,” reported Norman. “He would pack a brown paper bag lunch, hop on his tracker, and not be seen until suppertime. It’s a routine he followed for years. I imagine it was cathartic for his soul to be one with the land.”
After George passed away, the estate decided to sell the club. “There were several qualified golf-centric developers looking at the acquisition,” said Norman. “Ultimately, after eight months of coxing estate representatives, they chose us [Hampton Golf] and Corner Lot Development to continue with the original family’s vision to upgrade and, most importantly, maintain the expected standards for members. Although we likely weren’t the highest bidder for the property, legacy mattered in their minds. Considering most of us were locals, who knew the area better than our team?”
Our Passion—Understanding
Renovations both on and off the course started almost immediately. “I held regular town hall meetings to keep members abreast of our plans for the $30 million in improvements,” continued Norman. “Our goal has remained constant to appeal to the player who shot 84, not someone who last played golf in 1984!”
Deciding on which golf course architect was right for the job was fairly easy. Jim Furyk (a 30-year veteran of the PGA TOUR with a resume including 17 tour wins) had been a long-time friend of Hampton Golf and a member at Glen Kernan for more than 20 years.
“It took me only a couple of minutes to decide Furyk was the one,” stated Norman. “We were touring the course and he commented how the mogul behind the fourth tee box was really ‘out of place.’ I think for the two decades he was a member, he would often daydream about how to redesign the course if the opportunity arose. Our objective, that Furyk accomplished, was to create a design that didn’t simply look like the ‘old routing’ with a couple of minor modifications.”
Cutting His Teeth
Although greater Jacksonville is home to the PGA TOUR and the Players Championship (often referred to as golf’s fifth major), its choice of fine private clubs is at least 20 years behind other major cities in Florida.
“Our region certainly has a higher golfer IQ than most of America, yet there are few completely private golf clubs [with a caddie program and no tee time policy] that cater to locals. Our commitment to Glen Kernan Club is one step in shifting the tide,” explained Andy Allen, CEO of Corner Lot Development. “Golf is such a wonderful platform in life and opens the door to economic opportunities. It’s where deals get done!”
Andy “cut his teeth” in the development world, constructing single-family homes. “I have found Jacksonville might be on people’s short list of cities for relocation, but it is not necessarily at the top of the list,” continued Allen. “That is changing. The city offers some of the best medical facilities in the world, we offer a mild, true four-season climate, and our selection of outdoor activities is unrivaled. Best of all? Southern manners still count.”
Glen Kernan Club is in the ninth inning of completing its overnight member accommodations—with a national membership program following soon afterward. “We will be the only private club in the area to offer cottages,” expressed Allen. “They are anything but cookie-cutter. The luxurious amenities will make you feel like you are staying in an upscale boutique hotel.”
Lessons Learned
MG Orender, CEO of Hampton Golf, has been involved with the management and operation of more than 100 golf clubs and over 30 golf club construction and/or renovation projects. His illustrious 50 years in the golf business include eight years in upper management at the PGA of America, where he served as president in 2001-2002. He also was inducted into the PGA Hall of Fame in 2005.
“Most golfers don’t appreciate how many hats a golf professional has to wear during the day—particularly at smaller clubs,” said Orender. “It’s not uncommon for your pro to turn the key into the lock in the golf shop at 6 a.m., six days per week. Their commitment goes beyond receiving a paycheck. They love the game and business of golf.
“There is a famous saying, ‘You can do well by doing good.’ For me that means take care of your members, and guests and your team members, put them first and everything falls into place,” continued Orender. “Though the game hasn’t changed in the late 1990s, I could see club life was changing. At one of our clubs in Georgia, we would have more members sign up for shag dancing classes than the nine-and-dine on Fridays. So we started a lifestyle division in the company that creates and hosts over 1,600 fun non-golf events annually.
“Our team wanted to create a great club experience at Glen Kernan that works hand in hand with a great golf experience, so we started with Jim Furyk.
“In addition to being a personal friend, I have the utmost respect for Jim, He is a disciplined player with an ‘eye’ for architecture and an uncanny sense of what ‘works’ on a golf course,” concluded Orender. “At Glen Kernan, the decision was made to have the course be one cut with little rough unless you hit your ball into the Bahia grass. The upshot? You will likely find your ball in the tall grass versus having it trickle into the water.”
For more information, please visit GlenKernan.com.