Matt Lambert, General Manager/COO of The Country Club at Mirasol, and Tim Rayman, CEO of Greenleaf Hospitality Group and General Manager of Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club, join Rob Thomas on the Club + Resort Talks podcast.
Lambert was named the 2025 Facility Manager of the Year by the Racquet Sports Professional Association (RSPA), Florida Division. This prestigious award recognizes facility leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the advancement of racquet sports within their facilities and the professionals who support them.
Tim Rayman discusses the extensive renovations at the Kalamazoo Country Club. The club, founded in 1909, is undergoing significant changes, including a new 11-hole short course designed by Andrew Green, set to open in Q1 2026. The new clubhouse will feature two restaurants, a 34-seat movie theater, a six-lane bowling alley, and multiple pools. Additionally, a new 18-hole championship course will be built on the existing 145 acres. The project aims to enhance member retention and recruitment by offering a wide range of amenities, including a golf Performance Center with advanced teaching technology.
Also in the news ... A full remodel is underway at Desert Highlands to include enhanced lighting and expansive entrance in the golf shop, as well as self-serve comfort stations in the locker room.
The Country Club of Whispering Pines and Foxfire Golf Club in the Sandhills of North Carolina have been acquired by Rolling Pines LLC, a newly formed management concern with the parent company of Mid Pines Development Group.
KemperSports acquired Fire Pit Productions and named Matt Ginella Chief Storyteller, while also launching Youth Golf Week to inspire young players and grow the game through stories and community.
And, Scarecrow, designed by David McLay Kidd, will open for public play on August 1. The course plays to a par of 71, stretches to 6,900 yards and is turfed with traditional fine fescue, which provides for firm and fast surfaces.
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Matt Lambert, General Manager/COO of The Country Club at Mirasol, and Tim Rayman, CEO of Greenleaf Hospitality Group and General Manager of Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club, join Rob Thomas on the Club + Resort Talks podcast.
Lambert was named the 2025 Facility Manager of the Year by the Racquet Sports Professional Association (RSPA), Florida Division. This prestigious award recognizes facility leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the advancement of racquet sports within their facilities and the professionals who support them.
Tim Rayman discusses the extensive renovations at the Kalamazoo Country Club. The club, founded in 1909, is undergoing significant changes, including a new 11-hole short course designed by Andrew Green, set to open in Q1 2026. The new clubhouse will feature two restaurants, a 34-seat movie theater, a six-lane bowling alley, and multiple pools. Additionally, a new 18-hole championship course will be built on the existing 145 acres. The project aims to enhance member retention and recruitment by offering a wide range of amenities, including a golf Performance Center with advanced teaching technology.
Also in the news ... A full remodel is underway at Desert Highlands to include enhanced lighting and expansive entrance in the golf shop, as well as self-serve comfort stations in the locker room.
The Country Club of Whispering Pines and Foxfire Golf Club in the Sandhills of North Carolina have been acquired by Rolling Pines LLC, a newly formed management concern with the parent company of Mid Pines Development Group.
KemperSports acquired Fire Pit Productions and named Matt Ginella Chief Storyteller, while also launching Youth Golf Week to inspire young players and grow the game through stories and community.
And, Scarecrow, designed by David McLay Kidd, will open for public play on August 1. The course plays to a par of 71, stretches to 6,900 yards and is turfed with traditional fine fescue, which provides for firm and fast surfaces.
Jay Karen, CEO of the NGCOA, Addresses Impact of AI in Golf Operations on the Club + Resort Talks Podcast
Club and Resort Talks
41 minutes 27 seconds
8 months ago
Jay Karen, CEO of the NGCOA, Addresses Impact of AI in Golf Operations on the Club + Resort Talks Podcast
Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), joined Rob Thomas on the Club + Resort Talks podcast to discuss the organization’s role in advocacy, education, and trade association services for golf course owners. He highlighted Google’s entry into the tee time market, emphasizing the need for direct booking links to avoid third-party aggregators.
Karen also addressed the impact of AI on golf operations, predicting widespread adoption of gamified driving ranges and simulators. He noted the rising golf prices due to inflation and the importance of municipal golf courses for affordability. Legal issues, such as liability for errant golf balls, were also discussed, with Karen emphasizing the need for connective tissue between green grass and off-course digital golf experiences.
Also in the news, which was sponsored by KE Camps, Sarasota National in Venice, Fla., enlisted Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design to enhance the course’s playability for all skill levels and improve sustainability, while seamlessly tying-in the natural beauty of the Audubon International Certified Signature Sanctuary.
Wayzata (Minn.) Country Club will close its golf course in summer 2025 to complete a comprehensive $15M renovation, with plans to reopen by June 2026. In addition to regrassing the entire course with 007 bent grass, updates feature new tee boxes, including forward tees on every hole, reshaped greens, and a modernized irrigation system. An 18-hole putting course will also be added as part of the enhancements.
And … U.S. tennis participation has surged to a new high of 25.7 million players! The nearly two million player increase from 2023 marks a significant acceleration in excess of eight percent growth. Retained and returning players are on the rise with a 5 percent increase in retention rates over 2023 reaching a five-year high, while those who returned to the game after a break of at least one year rose 9 percent.
Club and Resort Talks
Matt Lambert, General Manager/COO of The Country Club at Mirasol, and Tim Rayman, CEO of Greenleaf Hospitality Group and General Manager of Kalamazoo (Mich.) Country Club, join Rob Thomas on the Club + Resort Talks podcast.
Lambert was named the 2025 Facility Manager of the Year by the Racquet Sports Professional Association (RSPA), Florida Division. This prestigious award recognizes facility leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the advancement of racquet sports within their facilities and the professionals who support them.
Tim Rayman discusses the extensive renovations at the Kalamazoo Country Club. The club, founded in 1909, is undergoing significant changes, including a new 11-hole short course designed by Andrew Green, set to open in Q1 2026. The new clubhouse will feature two restaurants, a 34-seat movie theater, a six-lane bowling alley, and multiple pools. Additionally, a new 18-hole championship course will be built on the existing 145 acres. The project aims to enhance member retention and recruitment by offering a wide range of amenities, including a golf Performance Center with advanced teaching technology.
Also in the news ... A full remodel is underway at Desert Highlands to include enhanced lighting and expansive entrance in the golf shop, as well as self-serve comfort stations in the locker room.
The Country Club of Whispering Pines and Foxfire Golf Club in the Sandhills of North Carolina have been acquired by Rolling Pines LLC, a newly formed management concern with the parent company of Mid Pines Development Group.
KemperSports acquired Fire Pit Productions and named Matt Ginella Chief Storyteller, while also launching Youth Golf Week to inspire young players and grow the game through stories and community.
And, Scarecrow, designed by David McLay Kidd, will open for public play on August 1. The course plays to a par of 71, stretches to 6,900 yards and is turfed with traditional fine fescue, which provides for firm and fast surfaces.
