The Landings Golf & Athletic Club plans for the future.

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA: Recently, The Landings Club hired an outside agency to assist with the club’s five-year strategic plan. “I must admit our team was excited to receive the feedback,” expressed Gary Lorfano, director of membership. “When we received the final recommendations, we received top grades across the board documenting that we were ‘delivering the goods’ for our members.”

There was one notable recommendation: the logo (a schooner) and just the name of the community didn’t truly symbolize the depth of member amenities at The Landings Club.

“It was surprisingly common for prospects to visit our booth at real estate trade shows and ask if we offered golf,” lamented Lorfano. “With six championship courses, a Korn Ferry tournament, and the largest women’s golf association in the country [outside of the LPGA], our reputation for almost 50 years has been delivering a quality golf experience.”

So, the decision was reached to alter the name of the community from The Landings Club to The Landings Golf & Athletic Club. “The rebranding better reflects what we offer and 99.5 percent of our membership agreed with the change,” said Lorfano.

Evolution Versus Revolution

The Landings Golf & Athletic Club is a fiscally conservative community. The various member committees have a capital enhancement plan that dates all the way to the year 2050. “It really is a 30-year rolling schedule of blueprints to keep amenities fresh, modern, and attractive. We must be mindful of replacement costs as well as new projects,” continued Lorfano. “We have 55 club buildings on property and all have had their roofs replaced in the past six years. While it isn’t something you can touch and feel, by keeping an ongoing capital replacement slate on the books, it prevents a big assessment down the line.”

That’s not to say new amenities are an afterthought. Over the past five years, $75 million has been invested to attract, engage, and retain new and existing members. “We don’t operate in a vacuum and there are many quality golf choices in the Lowcountry. Our goal is to make The Landings Golf & Athletic Club an indispensable asset in life,” explained Lorfano. “Recent openings include The Deck at Franklin Creek and the modern Golf Performance Center. Both are performing above projections. With the addition of outdoor seating at The Deck, a fast casual dining venue, our food and beverage revenue is running 3X stronger than expected.”

A Golfer’s Wonderland

“Our 5,500-acre island [The Landings occupies 4,500 of those acres] is surrounded by salt marshes and the Intracoastal Waterway,” detailed Lorfano. “Our hallmark is access to six golf courses designed by Arnold Palmer [two courses], Arthur Hills [two courses], Tom Fazio and Willard Byrd—all designated as Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries. If you love golf, you will love living here!”

“The Landings Club is top-notch golf. Not many private clubs in the world can compare to its diverse courses and overall amenities. It is an ideal setting for great living,” applauded Tom Fazio. “I refer to it as a golfer’s golf club delight.”

Last year, the community transferred $3 million from the capital improvement budget. In 2023, the goal is $3.7 million. “These investments are being made without incurring new debt or loans,” expressed a pleased Lorfano. “Our upcoming renovation on the Palmetto Course and the expansion of our pickleball courts [without sacrificing any tennis courts] will be the highlights of the year.

“Best of all, with so many golf options to choose from, when the Palmetto Course closes for construction crews, members still have access to five other designs. A traditional club may lose 7-10 percent of their tee time inventory when a course closes for golf tournaments or renovations. We will lose only 1.7 percent, allowing members to play on the day and at the time they usually request. You’re not going to have to wait another day to play.

“While our Deer Creek Course seems to draw the most requests to play [likely because it hosts the Korn Ferry tournament], I consider Marshwood our sleeper course. It’s dogleg central, requiring you to think, and will challenge your shotmaking skills,” described Lorfano.

“All everyday conveniences, from gas to groceries, can be accessed on island,” concluded Lorfano. “But, when you do venture into downtown Savannah [named one of TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places], the best of the South’s history, arts, culture, and entertainment are at your fingertips. In fact, Savannah hosts the third largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade [behind New York City] beating out Irish hotbeds of Chicago and Boston.”

For more information on membership, please visit TheLandings.com.