Owning your dreams

Reaching Chippewa Golf Club in Doylestown, Ohio, requires driving straight down Shank Road. It could be your straightest drive of the day. When you arrive, you’ll find Brad and Melanie Stewart working hard as owners in their second full season. From the Bermuda Triangle to Finn Scooters to the Don Olney Memorial Golf Tournament, there is so much to like about this public 18-hole course, its operation and its motivated crew.

Brad became the superintendent 25 years ago, shortly after he and Melanie were married and when Kevin Larizza, then the owner, had the course renovated. Previously, Brad worked as an assistant at Brookside Country Club in nearby Canton. Larizza had a portfolio of northeast Ohio courses and clubs so at one time Brad was simultaneously the superintendent at Chippewa, Rosemont Country Club in Fairlawn, and The Fairways of North Canton in North Canton. Brad can multi-task with the best of them! Larizza and Brad co-owned Chippewa for three years before the Stewarts purchased the property outright, closing on the paperwork in October 2021.

Brad started working in the golf industry as a 16-year-old at Brookside, a private club with a highly regarded Donald Ross design. “I’m not a desk kind of guy so being outside and having a job where I can use my skills and get results is perfect for me,” he says. With Brad’s tenure, he is well-versed in Chippewa’s operations, as are Brad’s and Melanie’s two children, who both help when they are home from college. “Chippewa has always been like their big backyard,” Melanie says. It’s hard for the Stewarts to imagine life without the course.

Chippewa features four sets of tees: blue (6,756 yards), white (6,101), gold (5,389) and red (4,974). Greens, tees and fairways are bentgrass. Nos. 14, 15, and 16 form a triangle at the far edge of the course across a series of ponds and they’re also the most difficult holes, earning them the moniker of “The Bermuda Triangle.” The phrase “Come play the Triangle,” has become a digital and merchandising slogan, as the Triangle is a memorable section of the course.

Melanie has 18 years of experience with sales, marketing and events for clubs throughout northeast Ohio, including famed Firestone Country Club in Akron. She believes that building relationships is the secret to a successful business.

“We try and do this every day, taking time to listen to members and league members, touching base on a personal level with employees and establishing a rapport,” she says. “That’s what it’s all about and we consider ourselves truly blessed to have some of the most amazing people walk through our doors every day.” Melanie handles payroll, the books and daily operations. She and Brad collaborate on selecting merchandise for the pro shop.

The Stewarts joke that no two days are ever the same, but besides having a close-knit team, another fun dynamic at Chippewa is the fleet of single-rider Finn Scooters. “Golfers love them because they bring a new dimension to the game,” Brad says. “We like them because they reduce wear and tear on the golf course.”

It costs about $10 extra per round to take the scooter and the process to rent one is handled through an app that the golfer uses to sign for liability, and pay for and release the scooter for use. For Chippewa, there is a little more maintenance and repair work required to keep the bikes functioning compared to carts. Finn Scooters’ parent company, Sun Mountain, has been quick about sending parts and frames when necessary. “It’s nice to see the excitement,” Brad says. “We have people coming daily just to ride the scooters.” That’s good for golf and for business — and, ultimately, the community that Chippewa draws and embraces.

Community strength

The strength of Chippewa’s community starts with Brad’s expertise and his consistently prioritizing the course. “I start my day on the grounds,” he says. “Most of my crew is gone by early afternoon so then I make my way into the clubhouse to work on the business and financial side of things.”

Melanie shares what most superintendents won’t say about themselves. “Brad is an amazing, driven, detail-oriented individual,” she says. “He’s here almost every single day during the season and he believes the condition of the course is a direct reflection of him and his abilities. It’s not unusual for Brad to call into the pro shop and ask for golfer feedback. He has wanted to own his own course since the day I met him and I’m incredibly proud he has made this professional goal come true. He’s earned it.”

Everyone wins with that level of enthusiasm, joy and dedication. The course is home to the Chippewa High School boys’ golf team. Don Olney, Jr., who was a former coach there and who worked as a golf professional at Chippewa for more than 20 years, is fondly remembered and celebrated at the club. Olney passed away in a tragic car accident in 2015 and was a valued colleague and friend.

Olney gave lessons to kids and adults. Teaching and coaching came naturally. Every October, the Don Olney Memorial Golf Tournament is a reverent event near the end of the northeast Ohio golf season to help honor and remember a great man. Proceeds from that event go toward a scholarship awarded to a Chippewa High School senior who was on the golf team and will be pursuing further education.

Brad continues to live his dream of owning a course — and not just any course, but one that is special for his family and the Chippewa golf community. Being the superintendent and the owner is demanding but he is motivated by his family and the people he works with. “When I make changes to manage this business effectively, it allows me to finally give back to the people and community that support our course,” he says. “That’s a huge motivator for me.”

Lee Carr is a northeast Ohio-based writer and senior Golf Course Industry contributor.

Tartan Talks 89

Jim Cervone doesn’t need approval from a board, committee or owner to make an architectural change at Venango Valley Inn & Golf Course.

Earlier this year, Cervone combined with his brother-in-law, Michael Pero, and Tony Passilla to purchase the charming northwest Pennsylvania course. The acquisition placed Cervone, the founder of western Pennsylvania-based Cervone Golf Design, into the rare category as an architect who also owns a golf course.

Venango Valley represents a special purchase for Cervone and his partners. The trio hails from Meadville, a small town 10 miles south of the course, and Cervone spent two decades working with previous owners Durbin and Kim Loreno to enhance the layout.

“This golf course has always been very impressive to me,” Cervone says. “And in my line of work, I noticed from a public golf course standpoint this was one of the best. It’s been very successful and very well-maintained. Along with it, you have a really wonderful restaurant where so many people in this area come to eat and they don’t even play golf.”

The purchase resulted in a busy 2023 for Cervone, who has no intention of curtailing his golf architecture work. Download the podcast on popular distribution platforms to learn how Cervone plans on co-owning a golf course while continuing his architecture business.

People news

The GCSAA announced their 2023 Environmental Leaders in Golf Awards: H. Mitchell Wilkerson, director of golf and grounds maintenance at Moss Creek Golf Club in Hilton Head, South Carolina, won the Communications and Outreach Award; Matthew Gourlay, the former director of golf course operations at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, Kansas, who last month was named the superintendent at Hillcrest Country Club in Boise, Idaho, won the Healthy Land Stewardship Award; Jim Pavonetti, superintendent at Fairview Country Club in Greenwich, Connecticut, won the Innovative Conservation Award; and Landon Lindsay, superintendent at The Nelson Golf and Sports Club of Las Colinas in Irving, Texas, won the Natural Resource Conservation Award. All four will be recognized during the GCSAA Conference and Trade Show in Phoenix. … Kansas State University graduate student Olayemi Ojeokun is the 2023 winner of the Larry Powell Scholarship, which focuses on individuals from underserved populations who are or want to become a GCSAA member. Ojeokun earned her bachelor’s degree in agronomy in 2021 from Osun State University in Osun, Nigeria, and is on track to earn her master’s in horticulture science from KSU in December 2024. … Chip Halderman is a new consultant for Turf & Soil Diagnostics. He worked most recently as the superintendent at The Orchards Golf Club in Lawrence, Kansas. … Envu hired T.J. Ashachik as product manager for herbicides and Brandon Ball as area sales manager for central Florida. Larry Barefield was recently promoted to senior project manager for Landscapes Unlimited. Barefield has worked on projects in 29 states and three foreign countries during his almost 30-year career. … Flomatic promoted Jim Tucci to become its new municipal and OEM sales manager.

Course news

Bobby Weed Golf Design and MacCurrach Golf Construction completed a nine-month modernization of the Lagoon Course at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club in north Florida. The course features nine holes designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1961 and nine designed by Joe Lee in 1978. Director of agronomy Joey Flinchbaugh assisted with rebuilding all 20 greens to USGA standards and re-grassing them with TifEagle Bermudagrass. Tees. Fairways and roughs were re-grassed with TifTuf Bermudagrass. Bunkers were also restored. … Beau Welling Design recently started a renovation of The Peninsula Club, just outside Charlotte, North Carolina. Senior design associate Chase Webb will oversee the project, which will include re-grassing greens with TifEagle Bermudagrass, and surrounds, fairways, rough and tees with Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass; a new irrigation system; upgraded drainage; new cart paths; strategic tree clearing; and a net reduction of bunker area. The project is scheduled for completion in October 2024. … Elsewhere in the Carolinas, Wild Dunes Resort near Charleston, South Carolina, will start an $8 million upgrade and enhancement to its Tom Fazio-designed Harbor and Links courses. That renovation is also scheduled to finish in October 2024. … Tripp Davis and Associates completed a bunker project at Sonoma Golf Club in Sonoma, California. DHR Construction worked with shaper Jason Gold and superintendent Stacey Wallace on the 16-week project, which is part of a larger master plan to enhance the course and practice facilities. … Architect and restoration specialist Ian Andrew is leading a renovation of the Gerard Lambert-designed and William Flynn-revised Springdale Golf Club in Princeton, New Jersey. Work will focus on bunkers and surrounds, as well as the irrigation system, and conclude by the end of this year. Donovan Maguigan has been the course’s superintendent since 2018. … Astor Creek Golf & Country Club opened in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The course is the fourth that architect Chris Wilczynski has designed since 2010 for Kolter Homes, a resort-style development. RVI Planning & Landscape Design, Ryangolf, Thomas Engineering Group, Cotleur & Hearing and irrigation consultant Tony Altum were all involved in the project. … Florida’s Treasure Coast will also soon be home to Jim Furyk’s first course design. The 17-time PGA Tour winner will be involved in the effort at Glynlea Country Club at Wylder. … Grass Clippings, a Phoenix-based modern golf brand that celebrates greenskeepers, reopened Rolling Hills following a four-month renovation and ryegrass overseed. Architect Jackson Kahn Design and Grass Clipping director of agronomy Scott Hebert worked on the project, which included a new ninth hole, new tee boxes, a new irrigation system, and a new 15,000-square-foot practice putting green. … Landscapes Unlimited helped with the groundbreaking for construction of Contentment Golf Club in Traphill, North Carolina. Located within two hours of Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Winston-Salem, Asheville and Greensboro, the focus of the property will be a Lester George 18-hole design set to open in September 2025. … Troon is now managing the Bill Johnston-designed Hideout Golf Club & Resort in Brownwood, Texas, and the Graham Marsh- and Vijay Singh-designed Al Houara Golf Club in Tangier City, Morocco. … Audubon International honored 40 courses that attained Audubon Certified Sanctuary Program for Golf status for 10, 20, or 30 years — including the Bay Course at Kapalua Resort on Maui, Hawaii, and Village Links of Glen Ellyn in Chicagoland, which both reached the 30-year mark.

Industry buzz

Husqvarna Group is entering the U.S. golf and sports field market with a dedicated sales team and dealer network. Aspen Outdoors, which focuses on much of the Midwest, is the company’s first channel partner in the effort. … DLF opened its new seed enhancement and operations facility in Albany, Oregon. The 141,000-square-foot facility includes 12 loading docks and 65,000 square feet of storage space, allowing the company to consolidate operations in the Beaver State. … Spray Caddie Golf Cup Covers will now be available internationally. Thanks to a distribution deal between Back Nine Boys and Dint Golf Solutions, the products will be on the market in Australia and New Zealand, as well as much of Asia and the Pacific Islands.

A for Advisors

How can veteran superintendents who have done just about everything during decades in the industry help others? Dave Delsandro and Jeff Corcoran think the answer is any way you can imagine.

After nearly 50 years combined in daily leadership positions— most recently at Oakmont Country Club and Oak Hill Country Club, respectively — the duo is partnering to launch Agronomic Advisors, a consulting firm focused on providing a diverse and comprehensive solutions set for the industry. Those solutions will include but are not limited to agronomy, operational management, project and construction prep and management, capital planning, tournament prep, hosting and restoration, and team building.

In a statement, Delsandro and Corcoran said that their new endeavor will be “the vehicle that will allow us to impart our acquired knowledge that was gained by managing golf courses at the highest level to other superintendents.”

Delsandro prepared for, hosted and restored venues for four national championships, including a pair of U.S. Opens. Corcoran has hosted two PGA Championships and two Senior PGA Championships at Oak Hill, where in 2019 he also worked with architect Andrew Green to renovate the East Course.