Inverness Country Club is unveiling plans for a new $5 million club house to replace the one that burned down, as well as additional tennis courts and a spa - all part of an effort to reach out to a new generation of members.
While longtime avid golfers are key to its membership core, Inverness' owners recognize the club needs to be more family-friendly in an age of dwindling numbers at private clubs nationwide.
To that end, plans for the new club house include a less formal dining area, full-service fitness center and staffed child-care program, said co-owner Bill Ochsenhirt, who bought the club in 2005.
Over 18 years in the industry, Ochsenhirt said he's seen a changing membership profile that's prompted him and other club operators to look beyond taking care of Saturday golfers.
A proliferation of two-earner households and couples who are waiting longer to have children means families are looking for a more well-rounded experience when it comes to joining a club.
In addition, there are more public golf courses these days, as well as great restaurants that anyone can go to, shrinking the pool of people looking for what the traditional club model offers.
"It used to be the club was a place for dad to get lost, and some still use it as that," Ochsenhirt said. "We look at it as a place for families to get together, to play tennis, golf, work out or meet for Sunday brunch."
Since the club's purchase in January 2005, a $3.5 million rebuilding of the golf course has been completed. There have long been plans to make other changes and add amenities, and a June 11 arson fire that destroyed the club house redefined that process.
"It was a tragic day. We lost a lot of history. But the heart and soul of the club is the members, and it gave us a good chance to step back and re-evaluate," Ochsenhirt said.
Chambers Architectural Associates, a Baltimore firm that has designed country clubs, golf clubs and yacht clubs across the country, is designing the new club house.
Dallas-based Club Industry Consulting, which designs fitness facilities and spas worldwide, is creating the club house's fitness space.
The one-story, 23,000-square-foot club house will be about 6,000 square feet larger than the old one. It will combine traditional amenities, such as a pro shop, with those that go beyond the norm, including a focus on health and wellness.
Ochsenhirt describes the dining space as casual but elegant, with an outdoor dining area. It will be a place that is suitable for business dinners, but parents won't be afraid to let their children touch the furniture, he said.
About 4,000 square feet will be dedicated to the fitness center, with room for workout equipment and group exercise programs, as well as an on-site fitness director.
For the exterior, a traditional design in keeping with the Inverness neighborhoods off U.S. 280 is planned, including the use of brick and stone, chimneys and dormer windows.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2008 and be complete in early 2009.
As a part of the re-evaluation following the fire, the club scrapped plans to build a high-rise condominium tower on top of the club house. A slowing real estate market and a need to reopen the club house as quickly as possible contributed to that decision.
Apart from the club house, there are plans to renovate the club's existing 10 courts and add 10 more, a project that will start in 2008 and proceed in phases. The spa is slated for the tennis complex.
Despite the increased focus on fitness, Ochsenhirt said he's not trying to create a gym, and there will be no fitness-only memberships.
He has, however, created a new limited golf membership for people who play only a handful of times each year. It's less expensive than a full membership and lets people test the other benefits of the club.
"It's our way of opening up our population of potential members," he said.
The planned "Kid's Corner" staffed child-care area, along with existing youth sports programs, is another way of opening up the club's potential to young mothers, Ochsenhirt said.
Membership campaign:
About 650 families are members at Inverness, including 228 who have joined since January 2005. Typical initiation fees range from $2,500 for limited golf to $10,000 for charter members, although an ongoing "Friends & Family" membership campaign has lowered those fees to $1,000 and $5,000, respectively.
Since 2005, the average age of the club's members has dropped from 55 to 47. Nationally, the average age of club members ranges from 52 to 56.
Ochsenhirt expects the young trend at Inverness to continue, since it is attracting many young professionals, although those in their 70s also are among the new members.
The club's newest members illustrate changing demographics in the club industry, underscoring the need for the new plans, he said.
For example, one new member is a 28-year-old single woman who is an avid tennis player. Another new family includes two working professionals with three children.
"If a club is going to survive and thrive in today's world, you've got to do what we're doing," he said.
