invited – Syndication Server

Troon to acquire Invited’s club-management division as part of strategic partnership

The management of 18 golf clubs will transfer to Troon as part of a strategic partnership.

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Troon and Invited, two of the world’s largest golf course operators, announced Saturday a strategic partnership in which Troon will acquire the management or consulting contracts of 18 clubs previously under Invited’s umbrella.

The Dallas-based Invited, which rebranded from the name ClubCorp last year, owns and operates more than 200 clubs and has more than 400,000 members. That doesn’t change.

It’s Invited’s Management Services business, which served as a third-party operator and consultant for the 18 clubs included in the deal, that switches hands to Troon. The Scottsdale, Arizona-based Troon specializes in third-party club management and hospitality, with more than 760 18-hole equivalent courses around the world under its banner.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Among these managed clubs is PGA National Resort in Florida – Invited managed the PGA National Members Club, the private country club element at PGA National Resort, longtime home to a PGA Tour event.

As part of the deal, Invited and Troon will introduce a program that allows Invited members to play participating Troon-managed resort and daily fee courses as well as Invited’s portfolio of more than 150 clubs and 200 courses. Members of the former Invited Club Management facilities will continue to enjoy Invited’s XLife benefits, playing a network of hundreds of private clubs and renowned resorts.

The management teams and all employees of the clubs to be managed by Troon will retain their roles in the new arrangement, the companies said in a media release announcing the news. Invited senior vice president Seth Churi and regional vice president Peter Faraone will move to similar positions within Troon, continuing to support operations at the 18 clubs with the backing of Troon’s resources.

“We are excited to welcome these outstanding clubs, their members, management teams and associates to the Troon family,” Troon president and CEO Tim Schantz said in the media release. “We have long respected Invited’s contributions to our industry. This relationship creates new opportunities for each organization and perfectly aligns with our respective missions and focus.”

Troon and Invited said in the media release they have planned additional collaboration to leverage their mutual expertise.

“We are thrilled to embark on this historic relationship with Troon. By working together and pooling together our strengths, we can become even more dynamic in providing resources and infrastructure to our members and clubs,” David Pillsbury, CEO of Invited and the former president of the PGA Tour’s TPC network of clubs, said in the media release.

In 2017, Invited was purchased and taken private by Apollo Global Management in a deal valued at $2.2 billion. TPG Capital is a major investor in Troon. Each company also has PGA Tour golfers involved, with Jordan Spieth as an investor and ambassador for Invited, while Rory McIlroy is an investor in Troon.

Troon has not shied away from large acquisitions in the past 16 years, having purchased 13 companies since 2007.

The full media release is posted below, including the names of the clubs involved:

Massive course owner and operator ClubCorp announces company rebrand to Invited

“Invited is not just a name. It’s everything we are,” said Invited CEO David Pillsbury.

What’s in a name? ClubCorp thinks plenty.

Officials with the 65-year-old privately held lifestyle and hospitality company Friday announced a rebrand rolling out in the coming months with the name and fundamental belief that everyone is “Invited.”

The Dallas-based company includes a portfolio of 161 owned and operated golf and country clubs featuring 205 golf courses and more than 1,000 tennis and pickleball courts nationwide; 32 city and sports clubs; seven stadium clubs inside prominent college football stadiums; and six Big Shots locations around the country delivering a tech-driven entertainment and culinary experience.

“Invited is not just a name. It’s everything we are,” Invited CEO David Pillsbury said in a press release. “We are Invited because, from the golf courses to the tennis courts, from fine dining to family hang time, we connect and create communities attracting members from diverse backgrounds that share similar passions and pursuits. We create clubs and experiences that combine exceptional amenities and unmatched service with a friendly and welcoming spirit. We want our members, guests and team members to know that Invited is where they belong.”

Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California. (Courtesy of ClubCorp)

It’s an interesting move as the name ClubCorp held plenty of brand equity as the largest owner and operator of private golf and country clubs in the country, generically describing the business the company is in but failing to reflect the spirit of who company officials said they are and where they believe can go. The new name and brand speak to creating places where people are warmly welcomed and encouraged to enjoy each other’s company, and fit the modern, inclusive vision on display in the numerous programs that ClubCorp has instituted focused on bringing more women, girls and minorities to their clubs and into the game. These programs reflect this brand shift, the company said.

“Our clubs are the ultimate third place and play an integral role in the lives of our members. We are the place where they play, celebrate and build lifelong friendships,” Pillsbury said. “Invited, as a brand identity, reflects that connection and emotion of who we are, our dedication to our clubs and members and where we are headed as a company. We relearned the value of human connection during the pandemic and this new identity of an open invitation that brings people together and reflects those connections.”

The Dallas Morning News reported that the rebranding comes as the company’s owner, Apollo Global Management, is reportedly eyeing a deal to take the company public again as early as this year. Apollo paid a 31-percent premium (around $1.1 billion for the company) on then-ClubCorp’s stock price in 2017 to take the company private. Insiders estimate it could now be valued at about $4.5 billion in an IPO.

The Woodlands Country Club in The Woodlands, Texas (Courtesy of Invited)

The rebranding announcement was made as the ClubCorp Classic, a new event on PGA Tour Champions, gets underway Friday near Dallas, and the new name will be trumpeted there this weekend. The tournament will be renamed the Invited Celebrity Classic next year.

Full list of 58 NFL prospects who will ‘attend’ the 2020 virtual draft

The New Orleans Saints first-round pick has a good shot of sharing an instant reaction considering the number of prospects available in 2020

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We’re just two weeks away from the 2020 NFL Draft, and final preparations for this year’s event are underway. With the novel coronavirus pandemic limiting travel and group gatherings nationwide, the NFL won’t get to enjoy the fanfare — and rowdy fan presence — that always accompanies its prime-time spectacle. So they’re getting creative and inviting top prospects to share instant reactions to broadcast networks or social media on draft day.

The full list is much larger than the 30-or-so prospects that usually attend the draft and wait to be selected in the “green room.” Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, 58 draft prospects will be on hand when the Cincinnati Bengals go on the clock to start this year’s selections.

There’s a good chance that the player the New Orleans Saints will pick at No. 24 will be included on this list, and it’s possible that their next choice will be, too. While the Saints won’t make their next selection until No. 88, a trade up the board can’t the ruled out. And that player could be available late anyway given such an expansive list.

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