The PGA Tour Club Tees Off

By: Destination Club News
Date: February 5, 2010

The fusion of the PGA Tour brand and the experience of Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World comes the world's newest destination club, the PGA Tour Club.

Originally planned to launch in September of last year, the PGA Tour Club teed off their inaugural event yesterday at the Northern Trust Open with eight members setting pins in the morning at Riviera Country Club. While focused on golf, members enjoyed breakfast and met with basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West before touring the media center and hospitality tent. Following lunch, some watched golf while others went out to play a round on the private course.

These are the "behind the ropes" experiences that the PGA Tour Club will provide to members. Other activities include:

  • Attending the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony
  • Walking with the pros as an honorary observer
  • Joining a Tour official to set up the course
  • Visiting the television control center during live broadcasts
  • Playing the course after a tournament in a members' only event
  • Flying to an event with a top 50 Tour player
  • Participating in select Pro-Am events

Targeting a corporate audience at launch, the Tour Club will give large corporations 100 full tournament passes in addition to these services to allow businesses the ability to entertain clients without having to buy expensive, on-time tournament sponsorships. In April, the club plans to begin offering individual and family membership options.

The five month launch delay stems primarily from the economic climate. With job numbers still in decline and corporate spending under a microscope, the PGA Tour Club elected to wait. "It's a little bit contrarian to start a club like this in the middle of what may be the worst recession that we've had in our lifetimes," said Ben Addoms, Founder and Chief Marketing Officer. "But if money being spent on sports entertainment is tightening, how are you going to grow your share of it over the long term? So it's a growth initiative."

Led by a group of Quintess executives, including Addoms, Pete Estler, and Ken Mesikapp, the PGA Tour Club and Quintess, The Leading Residences of the World will give members reciprocal access to the other club's property portfolio, but will be two different entities.

"The Tour Club is a club that operates separately from Quintess, LRW, although it is owned, along with PGA Tour Experiences, by a common parent company, Club Holdings, LLC," writes the club. "It is, however, much more than a traditional destination club: one part destination club, one part experience club, and one part country club. Because of this relationship with Quintess, LRW, members have the opportunity to enhance their leisure time with exclusive offerings only made possible by the club's long-term licensing contract with the PGA Tour."

Memberships begin at $200,000 with accompanying annual dues of $39,000. Once the club introduces their individual offering in April, it is planned to be available for approximately $125,000.

With The Markers Club expanding their offering to include more family activities, will the PGA Tour Club take over the spot of best golf destination club? Check back frequently for more news on the club.

If you are considering membership with the Tour Club or any other destination club, request a free copy of our Destination Club Guide for insight into the benefits and risks of membership and suggested due diligence questions to ask when speaking with a club.