Issue 30 February 2011 wwwasiangolfbusinesscom | wwwasiangolfmonthlycom | wwwgolfconferenceorg

Don RiDDell host of Cnnrsquos ldquoliving golfrdquo talks to Chinese phenom liang Wen-Chong

INSIDE STORIESPRUSArsquoS POINTcentPEBBLES OF GOLF

UGA NEWSLINEcent AN lsquoAPPrsquo SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR TURGRASS MANAGER

FROM A DESIGNERrsquoS DRAFTBOARDcent CHINA THEN AND NOW

GENERAL BUSINESS NEWS amp MUCH MORE

ISSUE 30

SPECIAL REPORT 10000 MEETINGS IN THREE DAYS FUELS SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL GOLF TRAVEL MARKET

2|3

A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER MIKE SEBASTIAN

PUBLISHERrsquoS NOTE

PublisherEditorMike Sebastian

Executive DirectorsSpencer Robinson

Georgina Wong

Art DirectorSaiful Sufian

Video EditorsWayne Lwee Muhd Najeeb

Finance

Myra Paras

Marketing ExecutiveAlice Ho

Published By

Asia Pacific Golf Development Conferences Pte Ltd

EditorialAdministration Office

Suite 05-06 Hong Aik Building

22 Kallang Avenue Singapore 339413

Tel 65-6323 2800 Fax 65-6323 2838

Contactmikesebastianasiangolfbusinesscom

or Visit Our Websiteswwwasiangolfbusinesscom

wwwgolfconferenceorg wwwasiangolfmonthlycom

wwwasiangolfdailycomwwwasiangolftvcom

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of Asian Golf Business may be reproduced in any form or means without the written permission of the publisher Opinions expressed by writers and advertisers within Asian Golf Business are not necessarily endorsed by Asian Golf Business Asian Golf Business accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts transparencies or other materials Manuscripts photographs and artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by appropriate postageMike Sebastian

Publisher Asian Golf Business | E-mail mikesebastianasiangolfbusinesscom

According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF) of America more than 600 golf courses have closed in the past five years in the country The NGF expects at least another 500 courses to close between now and 2015

Is this primarily due to a case when supply flies past demandRecords indicate that golf course construction zoomed past the nations interest in golf and this was partly because of real estateThere was a significant demand for that dream of having a house on a golf course and a lot of entrepreneurs got wealthy building golf course real estate developments We are now seeing

this trend in Asia

In Asia the new courses that are sprouting up will inevitably find it difficult to have enough players to stay open Many of the older courses are already experiencing great difficulty in staying viable and profitable

Some of the older courses are emptier today than some years back To survive these courses have lowered prices and gone looking for new golfersSome of the clubs have tried to attract lady golfers while others are hunting down seniors

This trend is already very obvious

in North America where older clubs are fighting for their very survival and this is further compounded by a growing attrition rate amongst golfers The NGF reports that in 2005 30 million people played golf Today there may be 3 million fewer golfers And people are also playing less

Therersquos a lesson to be learned for Asia from this North American trend Let all those involved in developing the game of golf in Asia understand the dynamics and reality of supply and demand We have problems in Japan already and to a lesser extent in other parts of the region So letrsquos be pragmatic as we move forward

Golf Course ConstruCtion ndash Are there lessons to Be leArnt from AmeriCA

6|

CONTENTS

UGA NEWSLINE

ldquoTURFGRASS MANAGEMENTrdquo AN APP SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR THE ACTIVE TURFGRASS MANAGER pg32

Turfgrass managers spend a significant amount of time away from the office and rely on mobile technologies in their everyday routines Mobile phones with email internet and application programs help them communicate and access information faster than ever before ldquoSmartrdquo phones have become important tools for industry professionals and allow greater work flexibility when away from the office

PRUSAS POINT

PEBBLES OF GOLF pg36

Much of the future of golf in the world depends on this generation of Asian golf course owners and golf course management practitioners These people must build now for the future ages Owners and golf course managers are the head of golf after all and the most fundamentally important essence of golf -- all others involved in the game are merely the tail Without the owners and managers as the head there can be no golf course no game of golf no golfers no professional tour stars no need for golf course equipment not a need for operating companies not a need for vendors no need for suppliers no need for golf course architects no golf course industry and no golf in the Olympic Games

pg52

GENERAL BUSINESS NEWS pg52-59

Troon Golf Shocker - hinTon QuiTS And GArmAny reTurnSGoldmAn SAchS GeTS SeT To Pull ouT of JAPAn mAJor Golf courSe develoPmenT To STArT AT SecreT GArden SiTAizuinew chief SelecTed for GcSAA dAvid leAdbeTTer receiveS nGcoA lifeTime AchievemenT AwArd imG bAGS A new deAl in vieTnAm nATionAl Golf foundATion beefS uP wiTh new key APPoinTmenT

NEW GOLF EqUIPMENT pg60-61

FROM A DESIGNERrsquoS DRAFTBOARD

CHINA THEN AND NOW pg62By Robert Trent Jones Jr Chairman amp Master Architect ndash Robert Trent Jones II Golf Course Architects

ldquoI want to assure everyone that the company is strong and well positioned for 2011 and beyondrdquondash Dana Garmany CEO of Troon Golf

Another aspect of Turfgrass Management is the capability to add new content is regularly updated with information recommendations and new content New products will be added and updated to the pesticide database with application information and pests controlled

pg36

INSIDE STORIES FEBRUARY 2011

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

Pebbles of Golf

ldquoDo you not know that a life that is not dedicated to a great idea is a useless life It is a pebble lost in the fields instead of being part of an edificerdquo

ndash Statement by the lead character lsquoSimounrsquo in the famous novel El Filibusterismo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines who was executed by the Spanish in 1896 First Asian to be published writing against the evils of colonialism and calling for democratic reform

36|37

Pebbles of Golf

For those who respectfully educate themselves in the histories of freedom loving peoples everywhere the Filipino Joseacute Rizal clearly stands out as a unique person of great genius and astounding vision In my opinion Rizal ranks highly amongst the selfless martyrs of the ages who today need to be heard by us even perhaps more than those of his own age Not unlike Shakespeare did in his own dangerous times Rizal primarily used the virtuosity of his artful fiction to convey real truths but his wisdom is timelessly applicable simple and universal He wrote for the ages Rizalrsquos subtle and not so sublime lessons couched in fiction are needed in life today in relations between cultures in international business and even in golf Surely his wisdom syncs well with the lessons also conveyed by the ideals of the game of golf and I am certain Rizal would today express his confirmation of this with much passion

The Orchard Golf and Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

Life in Asia thankfully has improved light-years for the better since Joseacute Rizal fell face-up to the ground at the hands of a firing squad ndash his bountiful life snuffed out at the young age of only thirty-five Fortunately for us today his passion lives on even in the golf business through the many Asians who are now building and managing the new golf courses that continue to be developed throughout the oriental regions of the world

There are many Asian golf course owners and management experts who are very practically applying Rizalrsquos words spirit and passion today by dedicating their lives to a great idea instead of being pebbles fruitlessly lost in a field ndash or even simple pebbles on a beach These far-sighted true leaders the pebbles in the Asian golf business have a passion for the great idea of bringing the peoplersquos game of golf to as many Asians as possible ndash Asians of every culture and every walk of life

Much of the future of golf in the world depends on this generation of Asian golf course owners and golf course management practitioners These people must build now for the future ages Owners and golf course managers are the head of golf after all and the most fundamentally important essence of golf ndash all others involved in the game are merely the tail Without the owners and managers as the head there can be no golf course no game of golf no golfers no

professional tour stars no need for golf course equipment not a need for operating companies not a need for vendors no need for suppliers no need for golf course architects no golf course industry and no golf in the Olympic Games

It seems the tail now shakes the whole dog today in golf today Over the last several decades recognition of the significance of golf course owners and managers the real head of golf has been cast askew in the golf industry by too much shallow glitz glamour greed and self-importance by others as the cause It is time for all of us who ply the business of golf to recognize and appreciate who the real VIPs of golf are These wonderful people at the golf courses are most often not of themselves self-focused but are rather solid pebbles who are building the edifice of the future of golf that supports the whole of the golf industry We need to remember the importance of this truth

For this reason I have opted to begin a series to introduce owners and managers to whom we are all indebted ndash the people at the golf course field level who really do make golf happen

Let us begin this effort appropriately in the heart of Asia that Joseacute Rizal affectionately called the ldquoPearl of the Orient Seasrdquo ndash Manila and the Philippines

DOROTHY DELASIN

ANGELO QUE

GOLF IN THE PHILIPPINES

Today this great nation boasts a substantial number of golf courses ndash and it remains an English speaking people British expats are said to have introduced the game in Manila as early as 1886 with a few roughed-out holes near to Intramuros that were expanded to 9-holes by the turn of the 20th century Yet while the Scots can lay claim to the establishment and popularization of the modern game of golf that the world now well knows it was their Celtic cousins the Irish who delivered a popularized game to the Philippines In 1908 a group of Irish engineers working on the Pinay Railroad build the first golf course in Iloilo Province and dubbed it the Santa Barbara Golf Club

Golf easily became popular and soon golf courses were common in the Philippines ndash likely preserved in its growth by the same force that settled accounts with the martyred Saint Barbararsquos executioners

Golf in the Philippines has a rich history The oldest national open in Asia began in Manila and the complete equivalent of Americarsquos famed Francis Quimet is found personified in the wonderfully parallel story of Filipino caddie Larry Montes along with the founding of the Wack Wack Golf Club ndash a greatest story in golf that truly opened up the game for the Filipino people and all Asians

THE ORCHARD GOLF amp COUNTRY CLUB

The Philippines is now growing its second one-hundred golf courses and a substantial percentage of these courses are world-class quality By anyonersquos lsquobest listrsquo The Orchard Golf and Country Club is always found in the Top 5 ranking amongst excellent company It is located only 45 minutes outside of Manilarsquos center and built on what was once a mango orchard The Orchard is a private club that is also open to destination tourists It consists today of two 18-hole championship courses ndash designed by the legends of golf Arnold Palmer and Gary Player respectfully It is a combination of great design and consistent high-quality conditioning

The Orchard derived its name from a huge mango tree orchard that once belonged to one of the most historical families in Asia ndash the Benitez family Amongst this illustrious family are those who wrote the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (ratified by the United States Congress) a signer of the first revolutionary constitution of the republic in 1898 a Philippine senator founders of the first womenrsquos university in Asia (the Philippine Womenrsquos University ) the first dean of the University of the Philippines College of Business the founder of the first independent Filipino newspaper ndash and those who loved and played golf enough to establish The Orchard

38|39

ANGELO QUE

FRANKIE MINOZA

JENNIFER ROSALES

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

36|37

Pebbles of Golf

For those who respectfully educate themselves in the histories of freedom loving peoples everywhere the Filipino Joseacute Rizal clearly stands out as a unique person of great genius and astounding vision In my opinion Rizal ranks highly amongst the selfless martyrs of the ages who today need to be heard by us even perhaps more than those of his own age Not unlike Shakespeare did in his own dangerous times Rizal primarily used the virtuosity of his artful fiction to convey real truths but his wisdom is timelessly applicable simple and universal He wrote for the ages Rizalrsquos subtle and not so sublime lessons couched in fiction are needed in life today in relations between cultures in international business and even in golf Surely his wisdom syncs well with the lessons also conveyed by the ideals of the game of golf and I am certain Rizal would today express his confirmation of this with much passion

The Orchard Golf and Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

Life in Asia thankfully has improved light-years for the better since Joseacute Rizal fell face-up to the ground at the hands of a firing squad ndash his bountiful life snuffed out at the young age of only thirty-five Fortunately for us today his passion lives on even in the golf business through the many Asians who are now building and managing the new golf courses that continue to be developed throughout the oriental regions of the world

There are many Asian golf course owners and management experts who are very practically applying Rizalrsquos words spirit and passion today by dedicating their lives to a great idea instead of being pebbles fruitlessly lost in a field ndash or even simple pebbles on a beach These far-sighted true leaders the pebbles in the Asian golf business have a passion for the great idea of bringing the peoplersquos game of golf to as many Asians as possible ndash Asians of every culture and every walk of life

Much of the future of golf in the world depends on this generation of Asian golf course owners and golf course management practitioners These people must build now for the future ages Owners and golf course managers are the head of golf after all and the most fundamentally important essence of golf ndash all others involved in the game are merely the tail Without the owners and managers as the head there can be no golf course no game of golf no golfers no

professional tour stars no need for golf course equipment not a need for operating companies not a need for vendors no need for suppliers no need for golf course architects no golf course industry and no golf in the Olympic Games

It seems the tail now shakes the whole dog today in golf today Over the last several decades recognition of the significance of golf course owners and managers the real head of golf has been cast askew in the golf industry by too much shallow glitz glamour greed and self-importance by others as the cause It is time for all of us who ply the business of golf to recognize and appreciate who the real VIPs of golf are These wonderful people at the golf courses are most often not of themselves self-focused but are rather solid pebbles who are building the edifice of the future of golf that supports the whole of the golf industry We need to remember the importance of this truth

For this reason I have opted to begin a series to introduce owners and managers to whom we are all indebted ndash the people at the golf course field level who really do make golf happen

Let us begin this effort appropriately in the heart of Asia that Joseacute Rizal affectionately called the ldquoPearl of the Orient Seasrdquo ndash Manila and the Philippines

DOROTHY DELASIN

ANGELO QUE

GOLF IN THE PHILIPPINES

Today this great nation boasts a substantial number of golf courses ndash and it remains an English speaking people British expats are said to have introduced the game in Manila as early as 1886 with a few roughed-out holes near to Intramuros that were expanded to 9-holes by the turn of the 20th century Yet while the Scots can lay claim to the establishment and popularization of the modern game of golf that the world now well knows it was their Celtic cousins the Irish who delivered a popularized game to the Philippines In 1908 a group of Irish engineers working on the Pinay Railroad build the first golf course in Iloilo Province and dubbed it the Santa Barbara Golf Club

Golf easily became popular and soon golf courses were common in the Philippines ndash likely preserved in its growth by the same force that settled accounts with the martyred Saint Barbararsquos executioners

Golf in the Philippines has a rich history The oldest national open in Asia began in Manila and the complete equivalent of Americarsquos famed Francis Quimet is found personified in the wonderfully parallel story of Filipino caddie Larry Montes along with the founding of the Wack Wack Golf Club ndash a greatest story in golf that truly opened up the game for the Filipino people and all Asians

THE ORCHARD GOLF amp COUNTRY CLUB

The Philippines is now growing its second one-hundred golf courses and a substantial percentage of these courses are world-class quality By anyonersquos lsquobest listrsquo The Orchard Golf and Country Club is always found in the Top 5 ranking amongst excellent company It is located only 45 minutes outside of Manilarsquos center and built on what was once a mango orchard The Orchard is a private club that is also open to destination tourists It consists today of two 18-hole championship courses ndash designed by the legends of golf Arnold Palmer and Gary Player respectfully It is a combination of great design and consistent high-quality conditioning

The Orchard derived its name from a huge mango tree orchard that once belonged to one of the most historical families in Asia ndash the Benitez family Amongst this illustrious family are those who wrote the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (ratified by the United States Congress) a signer of the first revolutionary constitution of the republic in 1898 a Philippine senator founders of the first womenrsquos university in Asia (the Philippine Womenrsquos University ) the first dean of the University of the Philippines College of Business the founder of the first independent Filipino newspaper ndash and those who loved and played golf enough to establish The Orchard

38|39

ANGELO QUE

FRANKIE MINOZA

JENNIFER ROSALES

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

Life in Asia thankfully has improved light-years for the better since Joseacute Rizal fell face-up to the ground at the hands of a firing squad ndash his bountiful life snuffed out at the young age of only thirty-five Fortunately for us today his passion lives on even in the golf business through the many Asians who are now building and managing the new golf courses that continue to be developed throughout the oriental regions of the world

There are many Asian golf course owners and management experts who are very practically applying Rizalrsquos words spirit and passion today by dedicating their lives to a great idea instead of being pebbles fruitlessly lost in a field ndash or even simple pebbles on a beach These far-sighted true leaders the pebbles in the Asian golf business have a passion for the great idea of bringing the peoplersquos game of golf to as many Asians as possible ndash Asians of every culture and every walk of life

Much of the future of golf in the world depends on this generation of Asian golf course owners and golf course management practitioners These people must build now for the future ages Owners and golf course managers are the head of golf after all and the most fundamentally important essence of golf ndash all others involved in the game are merely the tail Without the owners and managers as the head there can be no golf course no game of golf no golfers no

professional tour stars no need for golf course equipment not a need for operating companies not a need for vendors no need for suppliers no need for golf course architects no golf course industry and no golf in the Olympic Games

It seems the tail now shakes the whole dog today in golf today Over the last several decades recognition of the significance of golf course owners and managers the real head of golf has been cast askew in the golf industry by too much shallow glitz glamour greed and self-importance by others as the cause It is time for all of us who ply the business of golf to recognize and appreciate who the real VIPs of golf are These wonderful people at the golf courses are most often not of themselves self-focused but are rather solid pebbles who are building the edifice of the future of golf that supports the whole of the golf industry We need to remember the importance of this truth

For this reason I have opted to begin a series to introduce owners and managers to whom we are all indebted ndash the people at the golf course field level who really do make golf happen

Let us begin this effort appropriately in the heart of Asia that Joseacute Rizal affectionately called the ldquoPearl of the Orient Seasrdquo ndash Manila and the Philippines

DOROTHY DELASIN

ANGELO QUE

GOLF IN THE PHILIPPINES

Today this great nation boasts a substantial number of golf courses ndash and it remains an English speaking people British expats are said to have introduced the game in Manila as early as 1886 with a few roughed-out holes near to Intramuros that were expanded to 9-holes by the turn of the 20th century Yet while the Scots can lay claim to the establishment and popularization of the modern game of golf that the world now well knows it was their Celtic cousins the Irish who delivered a popularized game to the Philippines In 1908 a group of Irish engineers working on the Pinay Railroad build the first golf course in Iloilo Province and dubbed it the Santa Barbara Golf Club

Golf easily became popular and soon golf courses were common in the Philippines ndash likely preserved in its growth by the same force that settled accounts with the martyred Saint Barbararsquos executioners

Golf in the Philippines has a rich history The oldest national open in Asia began in Manila and the complete equivalent of Americarsquos famed Francis Quimet is found personified in the wonderfully parallel story of Filipino caddie Larry Montes along with the founding of the Wack Wack Golf Club ndash a greatest story in golf that truly opened up the game for the Filipino people and all Asians

THE ORCHARD GOLF amp COUNTRY CLUB

The Philippines is now growing its second one-hundred golf courses and a substantial percentage of these courses are world-class quality By anyonersquos lsquobest listrsquo The Orchard Golf and Country Club is always found in the Top 5 ranking amongst excellent company It is located only 45 minutes outside of Manilarsquos center and built on what was once a mango orchard The Orchard is a private club that is also open to destination tourists It consists today of two 18-hole championship courses ndash designed by the legends of golf Arnold Palmer and Gary Player respectfully It is a combination of great design and consistent high-quality conditioning

The Orchard derived its name from a huge mango tree orchard that once belonged to one of the most historical families in Asia ndash the Benitez family Amongst this illustrious family are those who wrote the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (ratified by the United States Congress) a signer of the first revolutionary constitution of the republic in 1898 a Philippine senator founders of the first womenrsquos university in Asia (the Philippine Womenrsquos University ) the first dean of the University of the Philippines College of Business the founder of the first independent Filipino newspaper ndash and those who loved and played golf enough to establish The Orchard

38|39

ANGELO QUE

FRANKIE MINOZA

JENNIFER ROSALES

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

GOLF IN THE PHILIPPINES

Today this great nation boasts a substantial number of golf courses ndash and it remains an English speaking people British expats are said to have introduced the game in Manila as early as 1886 with a few roughed-out holes near to Intramuros that were expanded to 9-holes by the turn of the 20th century Yet while the Scots can lay claim to the establishment and popularization of the modern game of golf that the world now well knows it was their Celtic cousins the Irish who delivered a popularized game to the Philippines In 1908 a group of Irish engineers working on the Pinay Railroad build the first golf course in Iloilo Province and dubbed it the Santa Barbara Golf Club

Golf easily became popular and soon golf courses were common in the Philippines ndash likely preserved in its growth by the same force that settled accounts with the martyred Saint Barbararsquos executioners

Golf in the Philippines has a rich history The oldest national open in Asia began in Manila and the complete equivalent of Americarsquos famed Francis Quimet is found personified in the wonderfully parallel story of Filipino caddie Larry Montes along with the founding of the Wack Wack Golf Club ndash a greatest story in golf that truly opened up the game for the Filipino people and all Asians

THE ORCHARD GOLF amp COUNTRY CLUB

The Philippines is now growing its second one-hundred golf courses and a substantial percentage of these courses are world-class quality By anyonersquos lsquobest listrsquo The Orchard Golf and Country Club is always found in the Top 5 ranking amongst excellent company It is located only 45 minutes outside of Manilarsquos center and built on what was once a mango orchard The Orchard is a private club that is also open to destination tourists It consists today of two 18-hole championship courses ndash designed by the legends of golf Arnold Palmer and Gary Player respectfully It is a combination of great design and consistent high-quality conditioning

The Orchard derived its name from a huge mango tree orchard that once belonged to one of the most historical families in Asia ndash the Benitez family Amongst this illustrious family are those who wrote the Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines (ratified by the United States Congress) a signer of the first revolutionary constitution of the republic in 1898 a Philippine senator founders of the first womenrsquos university in Asia (the Philippine Womenrsquos University ) the first dean of the University of the Philippines College of Business the founder of the first independent Filipino newspaper ndash and those who loved and played golf enough to establish The Orchard

38|39

ANGELO QUE

FRANKIE MINOZA

JENNIFER ROSALES

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

The dedicated service-to-others tradition of the Benitez family is carried on in golf by Conrado L Benitez II President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club Known as lsquoConradrsquo to his friends around the golf world he is one of todayrsquos solid leaders in Asian golf who is dedicated to ldquoa great ideardquo Conradrsquos great idea is for building the future of the game of golf in the Philippines and Asia

THE CREATION OF THE ORCHARD

The Orchards was created a few decades ago now and Benitez has been involved since its inception ndash albeit as an objective skeptic in the beginning He notes ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses

ldquoWhen my family was approached by the developer we accepted his offer to purchase 150 hectares for cash When he wanted more land in order to include two golf courses in the project and approached my aunt who had an extra 100 hectares I was the only one in the family who played golf at that time and I was the only one who counseled against going into the joint venture as I felt just selling the property would be better for my aunt ldquoIf I recall specifically I said that the developer had no experience in putting up a golf course that he was only coming in following another developer who was building two Nicklaus courses (Southwoods the first of the new modern courses in the Philippines) and that cash could be better used for anything my aunt (who was single and around 75 years old then) could ever want ldquoWell she decided to go into the venture saying to me that at her age she had done everything that she wanted to do and was entitled to do a little gambling And she was right in her wager She probably got 10 times more out of the venture than if she had sold the land for cash ldquoBeing the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups ldquoI remember when the first 9-holes of the Palmer course were being built my two sons and I were the first persons to play it To my surprise I shot a 39 and promptly went to Erik Larsen the Palmer architect assigned to the job (BTW hes now the managing director of the Palmer Design Co after Ed Seay died) I told Erik that I thought the course was playing too easy as a 14-handicapper like me should not be able to shoot 3 over par He replied that we were probably playing off the forward tees ldquoThe next time I played we teed off from the furthest tee boxes that the course offered and I shot a 40 I again told Erik about this and he promised he would come with me the next time I played When I got out to the course again I asked him to ride the course with me and

ldquoI got into the business because my family decided to go into a joint venture with a real estate developer who proposed that we use a mango farm we had in the outskirts of Manila for a residential development encompassing two golf courses Being the only one of her nephews and nieces who played golf I got myself involved in the development of the two golf courses ndash with the architects of both Palmer and Player design groups

40|41

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

pointed out certain things that I found lacking Like the first hole tee shot which was straight up a hill without any sign of where to go He agreed and said a couple of fairway bunkers on the left would indicate the right place to put your drive

ldquoWe continued going through the course and I suggested putting a few more bunkers to the side and back to better frame a few other holes which he also agreed to do When we came to the 6th hole a par 5 I told him that instead of being a tough hole that zig-zagged it was turning out to be a par 4 frac12 because he had put a big waste bunker that everyone would just try to carry as there was no penalty for coming up short Instead I suggested if we could flood the bunker to create a massive lake or pond and then there would be a much better risk or reward situation ldquoAt the end of the nine holes he asked if he had my permission for a redo Since I wasnrsquot spending for it I immediately agreed and almost gave our developer partner a heart attack as Erik recommended 39 more bunkers and that huge lake that I had proposed on the first nine alone ldquoI didnrsquot have to suggest anything on the back nine as Erik changed his design plan to make the course a real championship challenge rather than a residential course The changes with the trees that

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

were originally there also from the original mango farm that we had convinced the Johnnie Walker people to hold their Classic in 1995 at the Orchard The first and only time the event was held in the Philippines ldquoEven more important to me than my name on the clubrsquos Foundersrsquo Cup (our big annual member-guest tournament which I won in 1990 in the low gross category with a lot more credit due to my scratch handicap partner) I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo

EARLY INTRODUCTION TO GOLF PROVES IMPORTANT

Benitez like many golfers was introduced to the game at a young age ldquoI started playing golf when I was around 9 or 10rdquo Benitez recalls ldquoMy mother played golf when she was single and decided to take it up again when my father expressed interest in learning the game Being the eldest of their children and as I was followed by 5 sisters I very quickly got into the game ndash mainly so I could play with other boys my age

I treasure a cap from the Palmer Design Company that I had asked Erik Larsen to give me during the Johnnie

Walker When I asked him to autograph it he said he would do more than that On the bill of the cap he wrote

lsquoTo Conrad Benitez my co-architect Erik Larsenrsquo ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

42|43

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

the rain water that falls on factories and shopping malls that our vast areas of greenery attract the birds and provide the filters that clean up the air in our cities and towns that the waters that we use for our fairways and clubhouses and eventually spew out to the areas lower than ours are free of harmful chemicals and detergentsrdquo

He goes on to show a depth of understanding for the marketing implications related to golf rsquos competitive advantages over other growing and competing recreations ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control onrdquo

Occidental people often want to know if Asians have a greater affinity for golf than the rest of the world Benitez has reasoned this common question through based on economics and demographics

He expounds on whether Asians are especially attracted to the game ldquoI think no more than in the rest of the world I think the Chinese particularly are just now getting more affluent and finding more leisure time and with their population numbers it really is no wonder that golf is booming in China ndash where there was nothing like it beforerdquo

ldquoI had an accident in golf when I was 14 ndash I was hit in the eye by a pitch shot of my father from a gulley I lost sight of my left eye but continued to play while in school [Sadly Conradrsquos father stopped playing golf completely after this accident ndash unable to even touch a golf club afterwards]

ldquoMy grandfather however was a very avid golferrdquo Benitez continues ldquowho played at least three times a week walking (there were no golf carts in Manila back then) until he died at age 80 and I must have gotten hooked the same way he wasrdquo

ON THE FUTURE OF THE GOLF MARKET IN ASIA

ldquoI think golf in Asia has only just started to moverdquo explains Benitez ldquoThe new economic tigers of the world are all in Asia and the developing middle classes are going to impact on golf and golf course development very positivelyrdquo ldquoI think that the golf industry has to show that it is contributing very positively to the greening of the planetrdquo Benitez states with a firm conviction and obvious love for the game ldquoWe have to prove that we are able to bring the rain waters back to the aquifers much more than

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

THE REAL VALUES OF GOLF

In getting to know Benitez one finds his familyrsquos heritage of great thinkers reflected in him too as he is a man who has thoughtfully considered what attracts all people to golf Benitez reasons ldquoAside from the handicapping system which enables golfers of all levels to play with each other golf allows one to play by himself to learn more about himself to improve on his own game if he cares to at his own time and pace It provides a chance for the most introspective and the most extroverted persons their respective places in the sun and hopefully also in the clubhouse

ldquoI love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with It affords me a chance to get to meet other people and knowing very quickly over the course of a round whether you want to get to know them more or drop them

Benitez is also a philosopher who sees the important universal value lessons for life that playing golf conveys ldquoI once told Gary Player that it was unfair that he put a stone wall that bisected and split the fairway

ldquoIf we cannot show that we are positive influences to the environment then we will lose our greatest advantage against all other forms of sports and recreation and the natural surroundings that we can exert control on rdquo

I love to get out and breath-in the fresh air and take in the sun but I also donrsquot mind going out even in foul weather provided therersquos no lightning I think itrsquos a game you can play for your entire life with friends that you enjoy being with

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

on his hole number 6 into two parts He only said lsquoConrad you have to understand that golf is not a fair gamersquo ldquoOn looking at the hole again I began to appreciate why he did it The hole is the only one on his course without a bunker but there is a pond directly beside the left side of the green If you aim to the left fairway you will have to contend with the pond

As the wind generally blows left to right everything to the right of the fairway is out of bounds So you have to pick your poison risk the pond or risk the OB and if you go straight down the middle and find yourself stymied by the rock embankment on a hole that looks so wide and unintimidating initially you get to realize that Player designed this hole with so many subtle options to make golf truly the fairest game of allrdquo

ASIAN PUBLIC GOLF

Benitez has an eye on Asian public golf too and Chinarsquos great potential to command the future of golf as the peoplersquos game ldquoIn Scotland the public courses were and still are mainly municipal courses (ie courses owned by their municipalities) In the US and now in Europe the public courses are mostly owned by private persons or groups who open their courses to the public for a fee and of course hopefully for a profit There is a world of difference between the two public golf models

ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoAside from our management committee meetings every week I schedule another meeting with the managers and assistant managers who have anything to do with course maintenance and make sure that all their needs are attended to ndash if they can justify them I also have been going to the Golf Industry Show for the last 7 years and have attended GCSAA and NGCOA sessions that invariably justify my trip to the conference Over the last few years I have alternately been bringing the two people who are directly involved in course maintenance to the show for their own training ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ldquoOur principal course superintendent started off as an ordinary laborer without a high school diploma when the golf course began He showed with his enthusiasm natural feel for the grass and willingness to learn and be trained that he merited his position I have told him that I hope and will be very proud if he will be able to accumulate enough credits to have a lsquoCGCSrsquo [Certified Golf Course Superintendent] after his name

ldquoThere are great municipal courses in the US and in the UK that provide very affordable golfing for their constituents while generating the added revenue from others to keep their facilities in top shape Harding Park Torrey Pines and Bethpage are very good examples of this The great courses of Scotland are also similarly situated ldquoI think that a public model will not work in China unless and until the State itself decides to use its own land and financial resources to build this type of municipal courses I just canrsquot expect many private individuals to set up their own public courses without the profit motive foremost in their minds ndash a few maybe but not many ldquoOn the other hand if the State does get involved just imagine how many more people will be able to take up the sportrdquo

KNOWING THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT

Conrad Benitez is also a man who understands the critical foundation of greenkeeping to the game of golf and he supports his staff ldquoI think course maintenance is one of the most important aspects of managing a golf course if not the most important Our members take inordinate pride in the quality and speed of our greens despite the huge amount of rounds played This is the result of good equipment utilized properly by dedicated people

ldquoI think my club is the exception more than the rule Management listens to our course superintendents more than we order them around We keep our greens lsquostimpingrsquo at 95 to 10 and not any higher because we feel this roll is best for the grass on our greens We have inculcated in our course maintenance managers that during the summer slightly brown fairways that are ldquoFIRM AND FASTrdquo are healthier than overly green fairways which we will get anyway during the rainy season ndash Conrad Benitez President and Chief Executive Officer of The Orchard Golf amp Country Club

CONRAD BENITEz

46|47

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

THE NEED FOR GOLF MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION IN ASIA This author has long suggested that there are urgent and practical needs for both national and Pan-Asian organizations of golf course owners and managers Benitez is reflective of owners who understand these needs and he explains ldquoIn the Philippines unfortunately we have a national golf association that is not quickly responsive to the needs of the golf industry

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs) is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national association which is why we have a bigger membership ndash but this is just not the way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national association to grow the game

SELLING HIGH VALUE NOT DISCOUNTS Marketing of golf courses in Asia is not one dimensional as too many people currently think Segments and trends do not stop at national borders but rather weave intricately throughout the region in a pan-Asia web as Asians are rapidly developing world-class destination golf in the region that compete with the best globally Benitez offers his insightful observations ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist market

which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within ldquoThe Orchard prides itself as the best value-for-your-money private club in the country While we cater to Koreans as well as other tourists we do not bring our fees down to the levels of the clubs around us as we prefer to concentrate on our members and their guests and member-sponsored tournaments for the bulk of our business Our slightly higher green fees also reflect the better condition and quality of our courses We are able to keep these in tiptop shape despite rounds play that averages about 85 to 90000 rounds per year As we are a not for profit club we plow back operating profits into course maintenance and CAPEX and despite not growing our rounds play any further wersquove found that the more we spend the more we get backrdquo

MANAGEMENT AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOLF In dealing with sound marketing practices that include preeminent product quality Benitez obviously has strong convictions about functional management models for golf courses as well ndash and also an understanding of their potential mismanagement ldquoI can only speak of

ldquoThe Federation of Golf Clubs (Philippines) Inc (which has a bigger membership

of private golf clubs than the national association has of private and public clubs)

is seen to be more responsive to the needs of our members than the national

association which is why we have a bigger membership -- but this is just not the

way it should be Hopefully we can all get together and really use the national

association to grow the game

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

48|49

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

ldquoThe majority of local clubs in the region whether public or private depend a great deal on the tourist

market which is mostly Korean As a result Korean tour operators try to get the cheapest possible

green fee rates from these courses which results in cutthroat competition For many of these clubs

these are just the facts of life and they will not be able to survive without the inflow of Korean tourist

green fees But what happens if this market slows down or stops altogether Many of these clubs

will simply not be able to survive if they do not grow their own clientele from within

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT

SPECIAL FOCUS REPORTSPECIAL FOCUS REPORT

JAMES GRAHAM PRUSAChief Agronomist

E jgpalumni-gsbstandfordedu

my own experience but Irsquove come to realize that private golf clubs that have a steadily changing board of directors and management are not as successful as clubs like mine which have a more or less permanent chief executive officer who is dedicated to his club I work for a dues-paying membership of 2500 individuals whom I have to keep reasonably satisfied I have a board composed of the original investors and representatives of the membership that is critical but supportive and this allows me to look at projects and investments that are not limited to the one year term of office that the board is elected to Sage advice is offered by Benitez for newcomers to Asia that should be carefully heeded ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and

the staff and even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

The re-entrance of golf into the Olympic Games can surely have a dramatic impact on the growth of golf in Asia Turning again to his vision of the future Benitez suggests that there are some caveats to the Olympic influence ldquoI honestly think it will have a greater impact on Asia only if there are Asians contending for the gold very much like the impact on Japan when it contended for the Canada Cup I also think that the Europeans and Australians are still developing world class players much more rapidly than Asians but Asians are definitely coming up and in 2016 whorsquos to tellrdquo

Conrado Benitez is obviously a man on a mission and the sustained high quality of The Orchard and its membership reflects it

ldquoFor Western interests wishing to do business in Asia it is imperative that they get

to understand the people they will be dealing with ndash and these are not just the local

investors but also the different publics that will be involved like the potential members

if this will be a private club or the clientele if public the managers and the staff and

even the people around the course all have some vested interest in the course and all

of them have to be considered if not attended tordquo

ldquoBecause Irsquom not writing for this generation Irsquom writing for the agesrdquo

ndash Response by the character lsquoPhilosoper Old Tasiorsquo in the novel ldquoNoli Me Tangererdquo written by Dr Joseacute Rizal National Hero of the Philippines

GOLF COURSE FOCUS

PRUSArsquoS POINT