Smart Moves Revive Conditions at Calabasas Country Club and Increase Memberships

THE CHALLENGE

A Revival of Course Conditions

Founded in 1968 and located on the site of the famed Warner Ranch, Calabasas Country Club is known for its great scenery. But in 2012, the club’s championship golf course was looking less than picture perfect.

The course, designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. and Jr., was suffering. Bare spots marred the fairways, algae floated atop lake waters, and inconsistent mowing ruined course aesthetics. Worse, the club had just invested heavily in a new irrigation system, but nothing seemed to be helping get the turf — and the course — back in shape.

Like many longtime club members, Patrick Nielson, Men’s Club president and board member, was concerned about the decline. It was clear that a more unified, focused effort was needed to get the course back on track.

As Nielsen pointed out, the Calabasas course is subject to challenging climate conditions, from extreme heat in the summer to frost and freeze delays in the winter.

“We needed experts who could build a course maintenance program from the ground up,” he said. “We needed a team with experience coping with these conditions — one that could provide consistent, comprehensive guidance and on-the-ground training.”

After doing due diligence, the club chose to partner with our Golf Maintenance, and it wasn’t long before Calabasas Country Club regained its star appeal.

THE SOLUTION

Smart Moves Save Irrigation System and Considerable Costs 

Working closely with club leadership, we achieved immediate results. After a thorough audit and updating of system software, the irrigation system was re-nozzled, water pressure issues were resolved, and turf came back to life. A customized agronomic program was put in place to keep course conditions up to standard consistently throughout the year and all tee beds were re-done, some from scratch. The lakes were treated to remove algae and new water features were added to complement course aesthetics.

Maintenance equipment was also updated, allowing for more efficient operations. Thanks to our purchasing power and inventory, costs were saved and replacement equipment was brought in to span the gap between order and delivery of the new equipment, much of which was equipped with electric motors. This proved invaluable as it enabled crews to complete morning maintenance without disturbing nearby residents.

THE OUTCOME

Maintenance Budget Streamlined and Memberships Up

The upshot? We saved Calabasas Country Club $200,000 in yearly maintenance costs, and membership sales are at an all-time high in the first two years on the job.

With the savings realized through their work with us, Calabasas Country Club is embarking on more course improvements, including tee box renovations, cart path installations, and more.

“I feel very positive about the work that BrightView has done,” Nielson said. “They inherited many challenging issues, but with great leadership, strong management, and communication skills, they provided the expertise we needed. We now have a better, more playable course year round.”