October 20, 2023
Dear Geneva National Members,
Fall colors have officially arrived. There are few more beautiful backdrops in the Midwest than when the trees on the ridgeline behind Lake Como display their changing colors. As I reflect on summer, I am thankful for what has been a positive and successful peak season marked by amazing golf weather. I’m looking forward to all the positive feelings the holidays can bring and hope to balance it with some bonus days outside on the courses if we are fortunate to stay open later into November. Our Club Turkey Trot is around the corner, and based on Wellness Center activity, I’m expecting record attendance this year!
Following are some important updates coming to the Club.
The Member Event & Dining Experience
I’d like to start my fall letter by acknowledging all of you who supported and participated in this year’s Member-Staff Classic. The mutual appreciation between our staff and Membership is indeed something to be celebrated! Thanks to your generosity, 17 college student staffers received cash scholarships, and more than 130 GN associates received raffle prizes ranging from AirPods and Tailgater speakers to microwaves, blenders, and a host of gift cards.
Throughout the year, the Member’s Club hosts close to 100 social events and is grateful to benefit from the area’s top Banquets & Events team. A round of applause goes out to our Culinary and F&B leaders; Executive Chef Alex Sadlier, Director of Banquets Frankie Nicia, and Assistant Directors of F&B, Jackson Bell and Nikki Wales, for delivering on taste and execution. As we continue to raise the bar on Member Events, we have added to the team a new Member Services and Events Manager, Lily Quinn. Lily worked seasonally as a server at Geneva National from 2016-2018 and fun fact, was a former GN Member’s Club Scholarship recipient.
Executive Chefs Alex Sadlier and Adam Stratton appreciate the constructive feedback shared during the recent Member Food & Beverage survey. Your top-requested item from the survey was a “memorable hamburger.” This input led to the recent launch of the Legendary Turf Burger, which is as good as any burger I’ve had in my lifetime. Great news for foodies: There’s more to come! As head of the Member Taproom and Turf Smokehouse kitchen, Chef Adam plans to offer expanded dinner options coming into the off-season and is 100% focused on elevating the offerings at this Clubhouse outlet.
The Hunt Club Steakhouse is under new leadership, including Manager Carl Lawrenz, formerly of Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse; Assistant Manager Michael Szeszol, who comes to us from The Restaurant at the Charmant Hotel; and Executive Chef Ryan Short, a 10-year veteran of the Hunt Club who returns after leading the acclaimed kitchens at The University Club of Milwaukee for the past two years. Expect a delectable revival at the Hunt Club, starting with the recent debut of a fabulous new menu and brilliant weekly specials that will make you a regular at GN’s signature restaurant.
We’ve received an excellent response to the new presentation of the Ladies’ locker room and appreciate everyone’s patience through this redesign. We look forward to similar offseason updates to the Men’s locker room including new tile, showers, fixtures, seating areas, and a new trophy wall to honor the historical champions of past events.
Arnold Palmer Course Renovations
Moving on to golf, we are well underway with the Palmer Course renovations which will encompass four green complexes on Palmer 1, 2, 6, and 14 with various levels of regrading and resurfacing. We are very fortunate to have 36 additional holes to minimize the impact of this construction this fall and into the spring.
We will attempt to renovate close to 20 various tee boxes, laser leveling and squaring them off to give a more formal presentation that complements the course’s natural setting and varied terrain. In most cases, tees will be expanded to accommodate foot and divot traffic. We also will take advantage of this downtime to strategically ADD about 40-50 new trees and remove a few that are negatively affecting the health of the turf. Lastly, to accompany these on-course enhancements, we will repair portions of the cart paths, which will include some rerouting and new curbs. In addition to updating several of the Palmer holes cart paths we will be expanding the Member cart staging area north of the Pavilion next year as part of the continued improvement of the Member arrival experience.
For those following recent golf industry news, Arnold Palmer Design Company officially closed in early September 2023 as the Palmer family focuses on philanthropic endeavors to honor Arnie’s legacy. GN has retained Brandon Johnson, longtime Senior Director of Course Design from Arnold Palmer. Staying true to the course designer’s intent, Johnson will oversee the renovation work for the green renovation and direct the addition of three new bunkers.
There are countless variables when undertaking a below-ground construction process that maintains healthy turf and produces an attractive above-ground playing surface. The ideal scenario would have the course reopening in mid-to-late May 2024. Otherwise, we may be looking to reopen in early- to mid-June.
You will be able to observe the renovation stages as local golf blogger Paul Siefert, Wisco Golf Addict, plans to produce a three-part series featuring before-and-after images as well as video insights from Brandon Johnson throughout this historic renovation to our fan favorite golf course. Again, we appreciate your patience as we take on this significant upgrade.
2024 Membership Dues & Elective Programs
During two of my listening sessions in 2023, the topic of Membership levels and new Members arose. Specifically, several Members inquired about Club size and how the various levels of Memberships create equity. We brought these questions to a national golf club consultant who formerly advised Garth Chambers, Sr., and Pamela Chambers. The consultant confirmed that an inequity exists in the Membership structures and pricing at Geneva National.
After reviewing the data, he determined that we have more Memberships and access electives in discounted Membership categories than we have Members paying customary full Membership club dues. (Examples of discounted categories include Generational privileges, Young Executive, Weekday Membership, Senior, and Senior Plus Memberships.) The consultant pointed out that this structure isn’t ideal for achieving a balance in tee time access and overall equity among club members. As previously mentioned, the number of members in these categories surpasses the number of Golf and Signature Memberships. We consider this a crucial point at which we need to make adjustments, with the aim of ensuring excellent tee time access and sustaining operating expenses associated with delivering a premier club experience.
As a result of this review, the Club is making the following changes:
Also, the resort courses will be increasing Friday-Sunday greens fees by 19% to capture a greater fee rate from non-Members and reduce the overall number of rounds played on the resort courses. While the post-pandemic golf boom certainly bolstered volume at Geneva National, I am proud of the track record we’ve maintained in averaging $2.5 million of annual capital improvements to the Club for three consecutive years. As long as the golfers keep coming, we plan to keep improving this already special Club and community.
In my four years at Geneva National, I have contributed to a lot of change. I believe Geneva National is on a trajectory to becoming the premier golf community in the Midwest. Our goal is to continue to elevate and invest in an experience that exceeds Member and guest expectations. I am grateful to be on this inspiring journey alongside our skilled staff and dedicated Membership.
In appreciation,
Glen Murray, Chief Operating Officer
Geneva National Member’s Club | Destination Geneva National
gmurray@palomaresorts.com | 262.245.7087
