Update On The Falls

4,747 Views | 30 Replies | Last: 7 yr ago by oldflyer
kw1960
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As some of you may know, I live at The Falls. Our problems out here stemmed from the fact that two factions who each owned 50 percent of the resort were at odds about how to run the business. One of the partners wanted to sell it to someone who actually knew what they were doing, but the other just wanted to see it burn. Fast forward, the reason we closed was the one owner who wanted to sell the place filed for bankruptcy and sought to have the resort placed into receivorship. The court agreed and appointed a receivor so now neither side has any power to do anything. The receivor will be here this week to determine the best path going forward. We are all hoping that will be to sell the place to a group who specialized in running golf resorts. I am cautiously optimistic that this thing may resolve itself in the next month or so. The receivor has 30 days to report his recommemdations back to the judge.
agsalaska
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AG
Pulling for you.
98Ag99Grad
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AG
Appreciate the update. Please keep us posted.
jonj101
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Thanks for the update. I certainly hope it works out.

Do you happen to know which management group they were looking to turn it over to?
AustinCountyAg
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I hope something can get resolved quickly for everyone's sake out there
ElCheAg
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Texmid
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AG
That is a fun course. My golf buddies and I used to make an annual trip there. The last time we went I aced number 3 with a 5 iron.
JYDog90
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AG
Truly am hoping it works out for you.
Prexys Moon
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AG
T&P
kw1960
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quote:
Thanks for the update. I certainly hope it works out.

Do you happen to know which management group they were looking to turn it over to?
Don't know, but I wish they would bring Troon back. Troon managed the course about 3-4 years ago and was doing great. We got up to about 100 members, they were booking the most rounds played in the courses history, etc etc and then the goofy ass owner thought she could do even better and did not renew their contract. Within a year, membership was back down to about 30 members and we have going downhill ever since. Last year we had less than half the number of rounds played since Troon left.
AustinCountyAg
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quote:
quote:
Thanks for the update. I certainly hope it works out.

Do you happen to know which management group they were looking to turn it over to?
Don't know, but I wish they would bring Troon back. Troon managed the course about 3-4 years ago and was doing great. We got up to about 100 members, they were booking the most rounds played in the courses history, etc etc and then the goofy ass owner thought she could do even better and did not renew their contract. Within a year, membership was back down to about 30 members and we have going downhill ever since. Last year we had less than half the number of rounds played since Troon left.
damn you new management for getting rid of the token ball dispenser on the range. the practice facility is nice, but not allowing people to come out there and use it without buying a round of golf was stupid. and charging ten bucks to hit balls was even stupider especially after paying $50+ for the round of golf
kw1960
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I agree Austin Ag. Current management had NO IDEA about how to run a golf course, maximize rounds played and give good customer service.

Example: After Troon left and their rounds played started to plummet, they decided they had to do things to increase revenue. So these idiots INCREASED greens fees and did other stupid crap like trying to charge to use the driving range. Now I only took one or two management classes in college, but if you are having trouble selling your product, maybe, just maybe, the last thing you should do is raise prices.

I hope someone comes in and realizes that you must establish a solid customer base from the surrounding counties. I would charge no initiation fees, lower my greens fees and try to get as many rounds played as possible. You can't count on people driving in from Houston and Austin as your primary customer base. Come on people, it is not that hard.

If it reopens, I would also rebrand the golf course if I were the new owner and market it like crazy.
Funky Winkerbean
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AG
Why did Troon leave?
AustinCountyAg
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quote:
I agree Austin Ag. Current management had NO IDEA about how to run a golf course, maximize rounds played and give good customer service.

Example: After Troon left and their rounds played started to plummet, they decided they had to do things to increase revenue. So these idiots INCREASED greens fees and did other stupid crap like trying to charge to use the driving range. Now I only took one or two management classes in college, but if you are having trouble selling your product, maybe, just maybe, the last thing you should do is raise prices.

I hope someone comes in and realizes that you must establish a solid customer base from the surrounding counties. I would charge no initiation fees, lower my greens fees and try to get as many rounds played as possible. You can't count on people driving in from Houston and Austin as your primary customer base. Come on people, it is not that hard.

If it reopens, I would also rebrand the golf course if I were the new owner and market it like crazy.
AgDotCom
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The group that bought / assumed Pebble Creek and the Club at Concan might be interested if they have any capital left. The Falls seems right up their alley, to me anyway.
stick93
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AG
I would sell an annual membership there with no initiation fee. Beers would be $2 and strippers outta Austin dressed appropriately would serve them. And I would have a good skins game every other weekend out there. That oughta do it.
kw1960
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quote:
Why did Troon leave?
They were "asked" to leave because the stupid owner brought in a new CFO who talked her into letting them go with so she could implement her own ideas on how to increase revenue. That new CFO was fired for embezzling money from The Falls about a year later. Just one in a string of horrible business decisions by Dave Swalms widow who can't find her butt with both hands.
kw1960
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The group that bought / assumed Pebble Creek and the Club at Concan might be interested if they have any capital left. The Falls seems right up their alley, to me anyway.
There have been several groups who have shown interest in the past year when the owners hands were tied. I hope they still have interest, and they may be getting the place for a bargain as well.
kw1960
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quote:
I would sell an annual membership there with no initiation fee. Beers would be $2 and strippers outta Austin dressed appropriately would serve them. And I would have a good skins game every other weekend out there. That oughta do it.
I got no problem with that.
kw1960
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One more thing. I realize that many of you think this course is too far out in the middle of nowhere, but the same group that owns the course also owns over 100 lots in the subdivision. If a really smart person came in, he could market those lots and have a captive customer base in the years to come. We have people who WANT to move in, but the lots are not priced market friendly and there are issues with water and sewer that I don't have the time to get into here but could be easily remedied by the right person. I really think you could find 100 families who are retiring in Texas who would be interested in moving out to the country with a truly great golf course to play.
birdman
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The subdivision isn't the easy sell that you think. A friend looked into buying a lot there. They have a problem with sewer or water, I can't remember which. They don't have the capacity to handle development of the neighborhood. So you could buy a lot and not be able to build on it because of water issues. He walked away.
AgDotCom
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quote:
One more thing. I realize that many of you think this course is too far out in the middle of nowhere, but the same group that owns the course also owns over 100 lots in the subdivision.
Concan is out in the middle of nowhere, too. I've played both numerous times over the years, and The Falls is similar in that it is remote with great scenery, with the advantage of more population to draw from within a 50 mile radius.

One or more of the buyers of Pebble Creek is associated with the Concan purchase, or at least he was last year when I was there.
Funky Winkerbean
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AG
quote:
quote:
Why did Troon leave?
They were "asked" to leave because the stupid owner brought in a new CFO who talked her into letting them go with so she could implement her own ideas on how to increase revenue. That new CFO was fired for embezzling money from The Falls about a year later. Just one in a string of horrible business decisions by Dave Swalms widow who can't find her butt with both hands.


Do you know how many rounds it is doing? Total number of members?
Ezra Brooks
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AG
I've never gotten to play out there, so I'm hoping that they can get back open and I can still get a chance.

I'd have to think a remote course like that has to get really creative.

The Wilderness in Lake Jackson is in a bigger town but it a similar distance from Houston and offers Tiered rates - locas/area/non-area (which they equate to City of LJ/Brazoria County/Non-County).

Something like that along with really playing up the "buddy trip" and catering to those groups would be at least two things to really look at.
kw1960
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quote:
quote:
quote:
Why did Troon leave?
They were "asked" to leave because the stupid owner brought in a new CFO who talked her into letting them go with so she could implement her own ideas on how to increase revenue. That new CFO was fired for embezzling money from The Falls about a year later. Just one in a string of horrible business decisions by Dave Swalms widow who can't find her butt with both hands.


Do you know how many rounds it is doing? Total number of members?
Not sure of how many rounds were played. Weekends were usually pretty busy, kind of slow during the week.

Currently we only have about 30 members, mostly residents who play on a regular basis. We had around 100 several years ago when Troon was here, then they were let go and the new management treated members really poorly and tried to nickle and dime them on everything. Most of the non residents dropped their memberships and play on a pay as you go basis.
Na Zdraví 87
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AG
quote:
That is a fun course. My golf buddies and I used to make an annual trip there. The last time we went I aced number 3 with a 5 iron.

True story. And I've never seen a better skulled 5 iron in my life!!!!
Texmid
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AG
quote:
quote:
That is a fun course. My golf buddies and I used to make an annual trip there. The last time we went I aced number 3 with a 5 iron.

True story. And I've never seen a better skulled 5 iron in my life!!!!
It was a great trip until our drunk friend found a knife...
Ag81Golf
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Continue with the rest of the story.
swampdog01
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AG
Any updates? Sad to see the place close for good.
AustinCountyAg
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I know several people who have houses out there and rumor is someone is in the process of purchasing the course.
AustinCountyAg
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I was able to go out this past weekend and play out at the course. Currently they have the back 9 open for residents of the Falls. The fairways and tee boxes get mowed maybe once a week so they are very thick and the greens are in decent shape considering they dont really do anything to them except mow them every so often. I would compare the greens to the likes of the Bellville golf course, maybe better than that.

Hopefully someone will come in and buy it soon and get up and running again. Even with the grass super thick and greens like they are the course is still fun to play....think very high end pasture golf in a country club setting. ha
oldflyer
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That sucks. The Falls was a great layout. I used to make the trip over there from CS when I was at A&M. Back in those days, the greens were bent grass and in really good shape and the course was always in great condition.
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