The Garden City Telegram
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Boomhower settled in as owner of Southwind
Published 7/28/2009 in Pro-Am
By BRETT MARSHALL
When the New Year started, few people were likely thinking about their golf game and the upcoming season that usually begins around April 1.
But for Craig Boomhower, golf was first and foremost on his mind.
That early part of January was when all the final paperwork was complete on Boomhower's purchase of what is now The Golf Club at Southwind from the family of Southwind founder E.C. Brookover, Sr.
In recent years the Brookover family had become interested in selling the golf course that was recently ranked as the ninth best course in Kansas by Golf Digest Magazine. Timing is everything and Boomhower and the Brookover family agreed to terms and the keys to the cours were turned over to the local businessman who is a partner at Garnand Funeral Home.
In the seven months Southwind has been under Boomhower's watch, he has gutted the interior of the clubhouse, remodeling and redecorating it. He has hired a new chef, a new general manager, a new golf professional and insured. He retained the golf course superintendent who had been promoted just last fall.
For Boomhower, a golf enthusiast, it has been a rewarding honeymoon with the golf facility and with the membership.
"It's definitely been a learning experience, and I think our employment situation has gone better than I envisioned," Boomhower said on the eve of the 30th Annual Southwest Kansas Pro-Am. "It was time to do the remodeling and bring the facility into what looks like 2009."
In addition to the new staff, Boomhower also changed the name from Southwind Country Club to The Golf Club at Southwind.
"We want to make the club the best we possibly can," Boomhower said. "We feel like we've got as good of facilities and golf course as anybody around. We're looking over time to firming up the fairways and greens. We don't want that spongy, soft feel. I think that's the way the golf course was intended to be played."
One of the immediate marketing efforts Boomhower and his staff made was to woo former members and attract new members.
"We've picked up over 100 new members, some of those were previous members, so we're happy with that initial increase in members," he said. "A lot of those new members are younger so we're bringing in quite a few families that have children and that is always exciting for our junior programs."
With the upsurge in membership, Boomhower said the total membership is about 375. There are still numerous specials available for individuals, juniors, families and corporate memberships.
Boomhower said he was excited about the upcoming Pro-Am.
"We're ready, our staff will be able to handle the traffic," Boomhower said. "The biggest challenge is to have the proper inventory of food and beverage for the week."
For the most part, Boomhower said there had been no big surprises as the new owner.
"People had told me how golf courses were the worst investment you could make, but I've definitely been pleased with what we've seen so far," Boomhower said. "The membership has been supportive and receptive and we're looking to keep doing things better and better all the time."
Boomhower said the club will continue to look for corporate outings and other outside tournaments to attract new people both to the club and to the Garden City area.
"We think we have top-notch facilities in town as far as golf, lodging and food go," he said. "I think we can make it a stay and play destination facility as well. I think ,for me, it's the challenge of knowing where I want to take it, but being patient with that plan as well."
In addition to being one of the two courses to host the Pro-Am, The Golf Club at Southwind will co-host the Southwest Kansas Two-Step tournament with Buffalo Dunes in mid-August. It is a couples event where different formats are utilized over a three day schedule. Also, the club will host one of three Kansas Golf Association Senior Series events in late August before hosting the annual High Plains Amateur, which is co-sponsored by the KGA and its sister organization, the Colorado Golf Association.
"We'd like to have one strong event each month," Boomhower said. "We're getting about 25 to 30 women playing on women's night and we think that will grow."
In September, The Golf Club at Southwind will host the Windmill Classic, a two-man better-ball event scheduled for Sept. 12-13. It is that type of event that Boomhower envisions becoming more popular in the future.
For now, though, he seems happy with the direction that The Golf Club of Southwind is headed.
"I enjoy employing young people and watching them grow in their work," Boomhower said. "I try to get out to the club once a day, provide a little direction and then get out of the way of the people we have. I'm enjoying it and I hope everyone else is too."
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