by Tom Franklin
First published 2013
Tom Franklin addresses a major gap in golf literature by collecting oral histories from 18 diverse American golf course owners. Using a conversational approach, he explores how these entrepreneurs acquired or built their courses and the challenges they face in an industry that employs roughly half the world's golf facilities. The book covers practical business aspects including financing, construction, staff management, customer service, and community relations. Franklin examines different ownership models from multigenerational family operations to corporate enterprises and startup ventures. He documents the lessons these owners learned from both successes and failures while navigating an often frustrating but exciting business. The book also provides historical context about golf course development and reviews industry trends from the past decade. With a foreword by National Golf Course Owners Association CEO Mike Hughes, this work offers practical wisdom for anyone interested in golf facility ownership and management.
Genres: business, sports, non-fiction, entrepreneurship, oral-history
Vibes: informative, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: industry-trends, practical-wisdom
334 pages · Hardcover · Blue River Press