I am delighted to report that we are adding a terrific new feature and invaluable resource to MyPhillyGolf – The Bausch Collection.

 

That’s the name I half-jokingly suggested for what is a remarkable collection of photo galleries of golf courses in the region.   Haven’t played a course but want to get a sense of what it looks like?  Check out The Bausch Collection.

 

The first few galleries have already been uploaded to MyPhillyGolf.  To see them, on the home page, go to the upper right-hand corner of the menu bar and click on the drop-down under "Photos."

 

Toward the bottom, you’ll see the list of courses – private and public -- whose galleries are already in place: Aronimink GC, Bella Vista GC, Blue Bell CC, Broad Run GC, Cobbs Creek GC, Inniscrone GC, Island Green GC and The ACE Club.

 

Then click on the galleries themselves, and each individual photo for an expanded version.

 

What you see is only the beginning.  In the coming weeks, we will add photo galleries for another 50-60 courses in the region.   To my knowledge, it will be the most comprehensive assemblage of Philadelphia-area course photos anywhere.

 

The Bausch Collection is named for Joe Bausch, a Villanova chemistry professor with a passion for golf course architecture.  As he plays courses, Joe snaps photos along the way, from every conceivable angle.  From the quality of the images, I assumed Joe was working with some sophisticated single lens reflex camera with a top-dollar lens.  Not so.  He get these results with a small, high-end point-and-shoot camera.

 

MyPhillyGolf came by the photos because I happened to be playing a recent round of golf with Joe at the GC at Glen Mills (gallery coming soon) when he mentioned that the growing collection of galleries was beginning to tax the limits of his 10-year-old Mac and wondered if we’d like to host them.

 

I had to think about it for a full half-second before I said, "You bet we would."

 

The Bausch Collection has been a work in progress for quite some time, as Joe points and shoots his way through the regional golf landscape.  If you know of a course that deserves to join the collection, let me know and I will suggest it to Joe.

 

In the meantime, keep an eye out as we add more and more course galleries -- and tell all your golf friends about The Bausch Collection.

There was a time not too many years ago when new golf courses were sprouting up all over the region, public and private.

 

I can recall writing round-up stories in the Philadelphia Inquirer about the half-dozen or so courses that would be in various stages of planning, construction or their first year of operation.

 

How many courses have opened in 2010?  One.

 

That course is Applecross CC in Downingtown, sister course to Talamore CC in Ambler, which the owners, the Talamore Group, are promoting as a 2-for-1 membership.

 

"If there is a better deal in town, I’d like to know what it is," said Jon Hazelwood, general manager of both clubs.

 

Given the laws of supply and demand, Applecross, which opened July 1, could be it the last new course in the area for a while.

 

Hazelwood goes even further, bluntly predicting, "Applecross will probably be the last new golf course built in the state of Pennsylvania.  There is no reason for there to be another one, unless the game of golf grows."

 

Good point.  Rather than grand openings, the talk in most grill rooms these days are rumors about what courses and clubs are barely hanging on or facing mergers or outright closure.

 

Why, then, did the Talamore Group, open Applecross?

 

Because he thought he could make a go of it even in the down golf economy.

 

"The courses complement one another – the courses and the distance between them," said Hazelwood.  "Applecross was a great product to add to the products we already had. But to think it’s not going to be a grind is very naive."

 

In 2005, when Applecross CC was first envisioned as the centerpiece of an upscale residential development by the Pulte Group, the Talamore Group wanted to develop the country club component.   It lost out to ClubCorp, at the time a big privately-held Dallas-based club management company.  In 2006, ClubCorp sold off everything except the Pinehurst Resort to private-held equity firm, KSL Capital Parnters. 

 

"Well, apparently Applecross wasn’t a good fit for KSL," said Hazelwood.  In 2009, the Talamore Group was back in the picture.

 

Any regrets, considering the downturn?

 

"No," said Hazelwood.  "Once we got involved, it was full steam ahead.  If you’re not going to go full steam ahead, then don’t get involved."

 

So far, said Hazelwood, the toughest part of marketing Applecross and Talamore is getting potential members to appreciate and understand the 2-for-1 membership – 4-for-1, if you include two more sister courses in Pinehurst, Talamore Resort and the Mid South Club.

 

"The concept of multi-club memberships is very new to this area," said Hazelwood.  "You have Philly Cricket with two courses, but I don’t know of anybody else who has two different facilities."

 

A Tier 1 full golf membership is a $12,500 refundable deposit with various incentive plans; annual dues are $2,995.  Like most clubs in the area, those numbers are down from years past ($4,200 in 2009, $5,200 in 2008).

 

So far, Applecross has about 115 full golf members and another 200 or so social members.  Talamore has 300 golf members.  The goal is for each to have 350 full golf members.

 

"We’re getting there," said Hazelwood.  "We’re continuing to grow, weathering the storm.  I can tell you that in the times we are in, it could be worse."