From the Desk of Tim Schantz: Bright Future

When I was named CEO of Troon last April 1, taking over for Dana Garmany as he moved into his active Executive Chairman role, it was very exciting and a bit daunting; given the person I was following. With the opportunity to lead a dynamic company that I had been with for 21 years, it was apparent to me that it was an exhilarating time for Troon, as the future of the company was taking clear shape.

As Dana said at the time of the transition, beginning in 2014 we shifted our business focus from growing one course management contract at a time to “casting a wider net over the industry.” That led to acquisitions such as Honours Golf ®, and CADDIEMASTER® and the ongoing search for other opportunities to grow in the golf and golf-related hospitality space.

Over the last 18 months, we accelerated that momentum with the acquisition of Cliff Drysdale Tennis®, RealFood, OB Sports®, Green Golf Partners® and Premier Golf Centers; again, all well-recognized and highly-regarded companies. While OB Sports, Green Golf Partners, and Premier Golf Centers further expanded Troon’s golf management footprint around the world and added to the incredible talent inside Troon, Cliff Drysdale Tennis and RealFood Consulting presented important strategic acquisition opportunities as we execute on the vision articulated above.

As an example, one of my goals as CEO is to see our reputation in food and beverage reach the levels of our well-deserved reputation in agronomy, which is where Dana and his original partners really made a name for Troon. RealFood has tripled the size of our F&B department, brought a dynamic food and beverage visionary (Ed Doyle) and his well-regarded team into the company, and gave us a Northeastern office (in Boston). The efforts RealFood has made alongside our talented Troon food and beverage team jumpstarted improvements at many of our facilities that our guests and members are noticing and commenting on positively. Much the same can be said of Cliff Drysdale Tennis, the industry leader in tennis, led by tennis and ESPN legend Cliff Drysdale, and another well-regarded tennis executive, Don Henderson, and his team. And we now have an office in Texas!!!

We are actively looking to acquire companies and expand our golf management presence around the world, but we are also looking afield, as part of the overall golf and hospitality experience, at opportunities that make a lot of sense for Troon and that will benefit our members and guests.

As we celebrate our 30th year in 2020, I’m proud to lead a very capable team of people into what I see as a bright future. We’re dedicated to creating unparalleled experiences fostered by our collective passion for enabling fun.

Here’s to another fantastic three decades for Troon!