Bobby Jones Links

Personal Touches are Key to Standing Out in Today’s Daily Fee Golf Course Market

Marc Hall September 28, 2026

Golf News

With more people playing public golf than in previous generations, daily-fee golf courses have an opportunity to engender a unique kind of customer loyalty. While private clubs rely on familiar culture, member fees and dues to bolster revenue, public courses across the nation must employ programming and allegiance-driving techniques to keep their fair share of happy and engaged golfers. Perched on Charleston Harbor’s edge with views of Fort Sumter, Patriots Point Links might seem like a course that uses its visibility and prime waterfront location as its calling card, but growing its business requires more than a picturesque location. Managed by Bobby Jones Links, the facility has had its hurdles, and General Manager Brad Parker is tackling them head-on. Parker, a Buffalo, New York native who has been at the helm for 14 years, sees the 1979 Willard Byrd design as a solid layout that a renovation could truly elevate. Currently, the strategy for driving revenue centers on aggressive pricing and unique amenities that distinguish the club from other daily-fee operations.

Since the pandemic, the club has leaned into dynamic pricing. While many courses rely on third-party algorithms like GolfNow, Parker prefers a more manual, intuitive approach to managing the tee sheet. Everything is handled in-house. Parker, who also oversees regional operations for BJL, adjusts rates several times a week based on demand, local events, and the weather forecast. These aren’t minor tweaks; he moves the needle by $15 to $20 at a time. If play remains steady, Patriot’s Point holds steady. Post-COVID, the integrity of the rate has been remarkable. Growth over the last three years has been significant.

Retaining loyal customers, though, has never been an exact science. Parker and his team have employed some distinctive personal touches to stand out in the hearts and minds of golfers. He says the feel of the club is enhanced by offerings like warm cookies in the winter and pancakes that Parker flips himself on a Blackstone griddle outside the clubhouse. Since the facility lacks a full kitchen, they’ve had to use some creativity with the local menu. Without a hood for cooking, the snack bar now uses air fryers and hot boxes to serve fried chicken sandwiches. They’ve also found a winner in a frozen Transfusion machine that serves up a local rarity that moves quickly during sunny rounds. The results are tangible and well worth noting: roughly $450,000 in annual snack bar revenue against 38,000 rounds. That averages out to about $12 to $14 per golfer at the turn. Instruction and the lighted range, open until 9 p.m., are also key contributors to success. On the digital front, new social media director Lillian Stackhouse, who has a Disney background, uses drone footage among other strategies to grow the club’s online presence. Parker trusts her creative mindset to help keep the brand fresh. In 2019, revenue sat at $2.5 million. Today, projections are on pace for $4.8 million. Doubling the top line in six years is a significant milestone for the property.

The future could hold even more for this venerable Lowcountry mainstay. Patriot’s Point’s owners have explored the viability of a future golf course renovation with a vision to push the course into the Top 100 rankings. That plan would also call for taking strategic advantage of the prime, scenic locale and incorporating a premium stay-and-play component – an alluring notion in a coastal market already known for legendary golf travel opportunities. Throughout his 17-year tenure at Bobby Jones Links, Parker has valued the autonomy and support provided by BJL. Having worked with other management firms, he notes that this partnership has been a “really good ride.” He likes that he can call for help and get challenged or backed up when needed. It’s a culture of direct access rather than corporate layers.

Resources are just a phone call or email away. At BJL, you can reach anyone in any department immediately — a level of transparency Parker hasn’t found elsewhere. And, for the long term, this daily-fee property has found a formula to keep its team and its clientele coming back for more.

Bobby Jones Links to Manage Lancaster, PA’s Meadia Heights Golf Club

Marc Hall January 14, 2026

Golf News

For more than a century, this classic Lancaster, PA club has been a haven for golf and social enrichment.

ALPHARETTA, GA – Bobby Jones Links (BJL), one of the industry’s fastest growing club management companies, is pleased to announce that it has been selected to manage Meadia Heights Golf Club, a historic private club in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

For more than a century, Meadia Heights has been home to a renowned 18-hole, 6,197-yard golf course known for its challenging shot values and excellent conditioning. The club has served as a proving ground for great players and some of the region’s top competitive events.

In 2017, Daniel Glick acquired Meadia Heights and has strategically invested in the club to preserve its cherished legacy and to advance the club into a modern era where families and members of all ages are fully engaged and enjoying the facilities. Recently, new swimming pool and dining amenities have been developed, helping to create more fun and family-oriented programming for the club.

“We are thrilled to have Bobby Jones Links employing its team’s best practices to ensure optimal day-to-day operations so our team can remain focused on growing the rich culture and legacy of Meadia Heights,” Glick said. “As we continue to make this club the enriching and beloved second home for multiple generations of families, we’re pleased that BJL will be collaborating with our staff to help us thrive for many years to come.”

BJL will implement culture-based staff training and development, along with BJL standard operating procedures, to ensure smooth operations and foster creativity in programming member engagement at the highest level.

“It’s an honor to be selected to manage a property as historic and special as Meadia Heights and to be entrusted to help them embark on a second century of greatness,” said Steve Willy, Bobby Jones Links Co-Founder. “Daniel Glick’s vision for and stewardship of Meadia Heights inspires our team to help him succeed with our proven playbook of creative strategies for making members happy, active, and engaged.”

Glick highlights renewed interest in golf and resort-style amenities for families as a reason to keep improving operations and amenities at Meadia Heights. Additionally, the club’s rich history fosters pride among the staff and members.

For more information, visit BobbyJonesLinks.com and MeadiaHeightsGolf.com.

About Bobby Jones Links
Bobby Jones Links is a privately owned club management company offering hands-on, turnkey operations management and advisory services to select daily fee, private, and semi-private clubs. Based in Atlanta with an office in Scottsdale, the company supports more than 40 properties in 12 states and is currently assisting with $120 million of new golf course construction.

Visit www.bobbyjoneslinks.com to learn how Bobby Jones Links makes a difference for their clients and associates.

Press release by: Carl Mickelson, Kevin Frisch PR

Bobby Jones Links’ Founders Reflect on 25 Years

Marc Hall June 17, 2025

Golf News

Bobby Jones Links’ Founders Reflect on 25 Years of Changes and Milestones in the Golf Industry

Since founding Bobby Jones Links 25 years ago, Steve Willy and Whitney Crouse have learned plenty about both the golf industry and the business of managing golf properties. In retrospect, the pair originally entered the business relatively innocently. “We just jumped in with a few clubs and felt our way,” says Willy. “Over the years, we learned what we needed to do, solving the problems our clients presented us, and added the systems, resources, and expertise to deliver solutions.”

Willy is a PGA member with more than 30 years of experience, having managed a diverse array of private, semi-private, daily fee, and resort properties in the roles of general manager and regional manager of multiple clubs. Similarly, Crouse, who applies his expertise as BJL’s chief strategist, data researcher, key relationships manager, and idea generator, has spent more than three decades developing, building, and managing golf properties. He has written for Golf Digest, published two golf books, and currently serves as a board member of the National Golf Course Owners Association.

Steve Willy, Co-Founder (Left) Whitney Crouse, CEO and Co-Founder of Bobby Jones Links (Right)

The most important foundation they discovered along the way was that to build relationships and trust with clients, they had to “do what we said we would, and be consistent with our services and approach,” says Willy. “We’ve had to be consistent so that people can count on us.” As steady as they’ve been taking that approach, they realized quickly that no two golf properties have the same demands because the ownership of clubs is diverse and agendas vary from one place to the next. That said, the most common issues they’re asked to address today are food and beverage and top-line growth, regardless of whether the facility is private or public.

“One thing we have learned is how uniquely challenging private clubs can be to manage, given their political nature and competing and ever-changing agendas within the club,” says Willy, who adds that maintaining healthy membership numbers at those private clubs has changed over time. “A key element to growing membership is knowing that a membership buying decision is no longer made by just men, but now requires the approval of the whole family, particularly spouses. From there, member retention has three pillars: Developing an onboarding process that connects the whole family to the club from day one; offering various experiences and activities year-round to keep them engaged and add value; and reviewing monthly usage patterns of the members to see who is using the club and who isn’t.”

Simultaneously, Crouse says there are several keys to capitalizing on golf’s current mega-popularity at public and municipal courses – including continuously investing capital into course and clubhouse maintenance; making sure play flows steady to keep tee sheets full; offering excellent service; and providing loyalty programs for frequent guests. “That includes things such as player development programs, creating men’s and ladies’ golf associations that offer tournaments and events, creating playing programs that give the customers a small break when playing the course a certain amount of times, and providing some social gathering opportunities open to all, are just some examples of this,” he says. “Being flexible and nimble to the needs of our clients has been paramount to successfully retaining clients for years.”

From a “big vision” and philanthropic standpoint, BJL has led the way in reviving historic municipal courses as non-profit community give-backs, starting with Bobby Jones Golf Course in Atlanta, and followed by John A. White Golf Course in Atlanta – among other projects.

“You can’t overestimate what impact a public golf course can have on its surrounding community,” Crouse said. “Not only do high-quality amenities, programming and service make a huge difference in getting the community to take pride and join in the various golfing opportunities, but even the open-to-the-public food and beverage options can elevate the way the locals see the neighborhood. A well-operated municipal golf course can be incredibly instrumental in galvanizing a community with junior golf programs, affordable access to golfers and a welcoming place that residents of all ages can congregate and have a unique home away from home.”

Another key to BJL’s growth over the past quarter century has been building a robust infrastructure and a wealth of expertise needed to serve clients. Through all that growth, the company has kept a family culture and retained clients at a very high rate by providing them an abundance of attention.

“It sounds too good to be true, but we really do spend more hands-on time interacting and strategizing with our clients,” says Crouse. “We are not a big-box management company. We started small and grew by having all the systems and procedures like everybody else, but we interacted with our clients more than the competition. We also came up with one differentiator – our service initiative, by which we engaged a professional trainer who had worked with Chick-fil-A and The Ritz-Carlton, to find out how to make our customer service sustainable. If you go to Chick-fil-A, a 16-year-old girl says it’s my ‘pleasure’ to help you, where you don’t get that type of service at other fast-food chains. That proved to us that exemplary service is achievable in the same labor pool. That’s why we invested in a workplace culture focused on serving our customers and each other. It’s a difference here – we have a whole leadership center and initiatives around this culture and service.”

As for the future, Willy sees continued company growth in the right way. “That means making sure our culture stays in place by not growing too fast and having the people to handle the growth so that our first or 51st client feels like they get the same attention,” he says. “Sometimes companies grow rapidly and lose that personal touch. I don’t ever see us growing to operate hundreds of clubs but growing four or five a year will allow us to do it the right way, where we build long-term relationships with clients.”

Press release by: Kevin Frisch PR

Bobby Jones Links Selected to Manage Delaware’s Mulligan’s Pointe

Marc Hall June 7, 2025

Golf News

More than just a golf course, Delaware community hub offers recreation, dining, entertainment and social events.

ALPHARETTA, GA – Bobby Jones Links (BJL), the golf industry’s leading client-centric, boutique management company, proudly announces that it is now managing Mulligan’s Pointe in Georgetown, Delaware.

The tree-lined, walkable championship Edmund B. Ault design stretches to 6,659 yards and is flanked by a driving range, practice green and chipping and practice bunker area. The property also includes the popular Mulligan’s Pointe Bar & Grill, a lively destination for live music on weekends, trivia nights, music, bingo, and themed parties. The venue, with facilities accommodating up to 300 guests, is also popular for weddings, banquets, fundraisers, and corporate events. After its acquisition by Pete Townsend and Michelle DePalma-Townsend in 2018, the former Sussex Pines Country Club was transformed into a public facility focused on community involvement and accessibility.

“Mulligan’s Pointe is an incredibly fun and welcoming home away from home for many golfers in Central Delaware, and it’s a privilege that BJL has been entrusted with helping to preserve the culture, sense of place, and camaraderie that the course is known for – while maximizing service, efficiency and profitability,” said Doug Hellman, Bobby Jones Links Chief Development Officer.

According to DePalma-Townsend, the decision to select BJL to manage Mulligan’s Pointe came down to the people, the vision and the fit. “(Co-founder) Steve Willy and the BJL team impressed us with their profound understanding of our business and innovative solutions to steer Mulligan’s Pointe towards ongoing success,” she said. “Their expertise in optimizing operations and enhancing the customer journey will be incredibly beneficial. They bring a wealth of best practices, standard operational procedures and industry insights that we can leverage to streamline our processes, improve efficiency, and ultimately deliver even greater value to our members and guests.”

BJL will also help implement online booking systems and streamlined communication channels, helping to create a more seamless, convenient, and enjoyable experience for every guest. “With the support and resources of Bobby Jones Links we anticipate a dynamic period of growth and enhanced customer engagement across Mulligan’s Pointe” said DePalma-Townsend. “We foresee increased activity throughout our facilities, driven by the introduction of innovative programs, marketing initiatives and most importantly we are confident that the BJL team will have the people, systems and processes to manage the growth. It’s a very exciting time for us personally as we watch the changes and the progress.”

The Townsend’s also own Sports at the Beach, a 16-field youth baseball complex designed for league and tournament play. It attracts teams from across America and internationally. BJL will also help maximize efficiency on the 100-acre facility that includes dormitory-style housing for teams and coaches, recreational amenities, concessions and dining, pro shop and gift shop – as well as new pickleball courts.

The BJL team has already hit the ground running, beginning to implement new staff training procedures and back-end best practices. “We are very pleased to work for owners who have done such a good job taking care of its customers and making the course such an inviting and beloved destination,” Hellman said. “Our team is in a tremendous position to help Mulligan’s Pointe operate with utmost professionalism, ideal business practices, and staff training that takes a great customer experience to new heights without changing the character or approachability of property that locals really love.”

For more information, visit BobbyJonesLinks.com and MulligansPointe.com.

About Bobby Jones Links

Bobby Jones Links is a privately owned club management company offering hands-on, turnkey operations management and advisory services to select daily fee, private and semi-private clubs. Based in Atlanta with an office in Naples, FL, the company supports more than 35 properties in 12 states, including Bobby Jones Golf Course, Hope Valley Country Club, and Travis Pointe Country Club. Visit www.bobbyjoneslinks.com to learn how Bobby Jones Links makes a difference for their clients and associates.

Press release by: Kevin Frisch PR

North Carolina’s Acclaimed Woodlake Country Club Making the Most of Its Rebirth

Marc Hall May 7, 2025

Golf News

If there’s one thing more potent than imagination, it might just be reimagination.

In an area rich with some of the world’s most treasured golf courses and traditions, Woodlake Country Club in Vass, N.C., is emerging as an attractive destination for both golfing tourists and locals who have discovered a rare golf gem that offers pure value and doesn’t take forever to play.

Woodlake Country Club, nestled in the sandhills of North Carolina not far from such legendary golf locales as Pinehurst Resort, Pine Needles, and Tobacco Road, was named the 16th best course you can play in North Carolina by GOLF.com. When you consider that Pinehurst alone has 10 18-hole courses and all of them are good to great, it puts into perspective how far Woodlake Country Club has come.

And, all things considered, it happened in a short amount of time.

The club’s half-century history met unexpected challenging times in 2016 when Hurricane Matthew raged through the area. Heavy rainfall forced the Army Corps of Engineers to compromise the dam and drain the gated community’s once-thriving 1,200-acre recreational lake. The result was that not only did club members and locals lose their beloved boating and gathering haven, the golf course also lost irrigation and the course and lake club – the heart of the community – eventually closed.

Fortunately, the club was bought out of foreclosure in 2021 by Atlantic National Capital. The new owners – the Allison family who owns and runs North Carolina-based Systel Business Equipment – partnered with Bobby Jones Links to not only bring the course and club back, but to raise it to heights it never reached before. An ambitious plan and a hopeful beginning, fortuitously aided by golf’s newfound post-pandemic popularity.

Since that time, Woodlake has been operating to a grateful clientele from a new 3,500-square-foot clubhouse with amenities like pickleball, swimming, a new fitness facility, and most importantly, a golf course that is better than ever. The original Ellis Maples design first opened in 1971, with many holes built close to the lake, but it was never as good as it is now, or will be in the near future.

The Allison Family brought in architect Kris Spence, a renowned Donald Ross and Ellis Maples expert, to lead a full restoration and rebuild of the course, including a newly designed 18th hole. The work on the par-72 course, which can stretch to more than 7,200 yards, included new Tif Eagle greens, a new irrigation system, and exacting standards for pristine turf conditions.

General Manager Jeff Crabbe, who came to Woodlake in August of 2023 shortly after the course reopened, said being ranked 16th is amazing, but they aren’t done yet.

“I think when the lake comes back, with the aesthetics of that, we could be top 10 in the state,” said Crabbe, whose career includes a decade-long stint at Pinehurst Resort. “We opened at a time when this area needed another golf course for people to join or just play. Many of the area courses have become so busy that you are seeing five- or six-hour rounds of golf. We’re still building our membership, so even when it’s a beautiful day, we’re in that temporary phase where they just show up and go to the tee.”

The long-anticipated construction on the dam has begun. When that happens, everything will have come full circle. And even though the course is receiving impressive reviews at present – while it features a bit of a South Carolina Lowcountry look, with marshes and wetlands bordering many holes – when the 1,200-acre lake returns on holes 1,2,3,4,17 and the newly designed 18th, the course will really be spectacular.

There’s never been a better time to play or become a member, and Woodlake is presently open for daily-fee and resort play. Guests can book stay-and-play packages at Woodlake’s six luxurious one-bedroom condominiums. The Woodlake experience is a worthy addition to any Sandhills golf trip itinerary. To add this unique course to a visit to the Pinehurst Resort courses, Talamore, Tobacco Road, Pine Needles, and Mid Pines brings a fresh new dimension for golf aficionados visiting the region for prime golf.

Dues and initiation fees are surprisingly attractive currently, especially for a club that has added nearly 200 members in less than two years. Crabbe expects membership will increase as more amenities open but will still be of tremendous value in this coveted golf market. For locals, there’s never been a better time to consider membership at one of the most dynamic and growing clubs in the golf-rich region.

The club continues to improve under new ownership and expertise of Alpharetta, Ga.-based Bobby Jones Links, a premier golf management company that operates more than three dozen courses in 11 states.

Crabbe, a graduate of the PGA Professional Golf Management program at nearby Methodist University in Fayetteville, N.C., said having Bobby Jones Links’ expertise and experience at their disposal is invaluable.

“They have other clubs that are similar to ours, so we can always share ideas and best practices,” Crabbe said. “Their relationships with vendors is certainly helpful. I would say more than anything, just the support of the professionals that they have on staff picking the phone up and having someone to call is extremely helpful.”

When Crabbe started at Woodlake, the course had already been open for a couple of months, so he didn’t see it at its worst. But he did see the pictures.

“I’ve been in the golf business a long time – 22 or 23 years – and I can’t believe the quality of the golf course and the club amenities that we have compared to the old pictures,” said Crabbe who gives much of the credit to superintendent Chris Dwiggins and his crew. “There were trees in the bunkers, there was grown-up brush that was eight to 10 feet tall. It’s amazing what has been done to bring this course into a position to become one of the best golf experiences in a state full of legendary places to play. To see the conditioning of the golf course that we have now, it’s hard to believe that it’s only been a brief period of time.”

Not to be overlooked is the brand-new clubhouse with its patio dining and excellent cuisine at Maples Grille, led by award-winning Executive Chef James Regan. Crabbe said the membership is learning just how good the dining experience is at Woodlake. Most recently, a group of members were able to go back into the kitchen with Regan and learn how to prepare a multi-course meal of stuffed mushrooms, marinated beet salad, Steak au Poivre, and Chocolate Mousse.

“I can’t believe it’s been only 16 months.” Crabbe said of rebuilding the member experience. “I love every second of this chapter in Woodlake’s history.”

Chances are, as many more golfers discover the new Woodlake, they will grow to love it, too.

Article provided by: Kevin Frisch PR