Troon and Invited, two of the world’s largest golf course operators, announced Saturday a strategic partnership in which Troon will acquire the management 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 of 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 in Florida – Invited managed the PGA National Members Club, the private country club element at PGA National Resort & Spa, longtime home to a PGA Tour event. Another of the notables among the 18 is the still-in-development Trout National The Reserve in New Jersey, which was founded by baseball star Mike Trout with a course to be designed by Tiger Woods. (The full lineup of 18 clubs is listed below in the media release.)
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.
- Golfweek’s Best ranking of public-access courses in each state
- Golfweek’s Best ranking of private courses in each state
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 18 clubs involved in the acquisition:
Invited and Troon Forge Strategic Relationship
DALLAS and SCOTTSDALE – Today, officials at Invited and Troon, two leaders in the golf and club hospitality industry, announced a landmark strategic relationship designed to help shape the future of membership hospitality and growth across both organizations in the years ahead.
Invited, a leading owner and operator of private clubs, and Troon, a leading global third-party operator of private clubs, are collaborating in a way that blends the strengths of each company, ultimately resulting in benefits and improvements for the members and guests of each organization’s owned and managed clubs.
Troon will acquire Invited’s Management Services business with 18 managed clubs moving to Troon’s world-class managed club portfolio. This strategic move promises to drive enhanced services across all Troon-managed properties. For Invited, the move allows the company to laser focus on growing its industry-leading portfolio of owned and operated golf, business, and sports clubs.
With this alliance, Invited and Troon will introduce a program that allows Invited members to play participating Troon-managed resort and daily fee courses, the perfect complement to 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.
As part of the Troon/Invited agreement, management teams and all employees at the now Troon-managed facilities will remain in their current roles, now supported with additional Troon resources, services, and programs. In addition, Invited Senior Vice President Seth Churi and Regional Vice President Peter Faraone will move to similar positions within Troon, continuing to support the operations at the 18 facilities with the backing of Troon’s resources.
The 18 Invited Club Management contracts acquired by Troon include a mix of private clubs, resorts and athletic clubs, including:
- Bent Creek Golf Village Resort & Golf Club in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
- Canebrake Country Club in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
- Chateau Golf & Country Club in Kenner, Louisiana
- Crystal Lake Country Club in Crystal Lake, Illinois
- Hilton Head Owners Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
- Lake Toxaway Country Club in Lake Toxaway, North Carolina
- Lake Valley Golf Club, Longmont, Colorado
- Mystic Dunes Resort & Golf Club in Celebration, Florida
- Olde Town Athletic Club in Marietta, Georgia
- PGA National Members Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
- Pristine Bay Resort in Roatán, Honduras
- Riverton Pointe Golf Club in Hardeeville, South Carolina
- Saddlebrooke 2 in Tucson, Arizona
- Santa Rosa Golf & Beach Club in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida
- Serenata Beach Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
- Skyline Country Club in Tucson, Arizona
- The Ocean Club at the Hutchinson Island Beach Resort & Marina in Stuart, Florida
- Trout National The Reserve, Vineland, New Jersey
“We are excited to welcome these outstanding clubs, their members, management teams and associates to the Troon family,” stated Troon president and CEO Tim Schantz. “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.”
Beyond these promising developments, Invited and Troon have pledged to execute additional collaboration between their respective businesses. By leveraging their mutual expertise, they are well positioned to unearth new opportunities, and offer unrivaled services to their clientele.
“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,” said David Pillsbury, CEO of Invited. “Seth Churi and Peter Faraone are two well-respected, talented and extremely knowledgeable leaders in club management and will join a dedicated flagship team at Troon. By combining Invited’s unparalleled club offerings with Troon’s extensive portfolio, we are creating an unprecedented opportunity for our members to explore new and exciting experiences around the globe. This collaboration further solidifies our, and Troon’s, commitment to delivering unparalleled value to our members.”
About Invited (formerly ClubCorp) Since its founding in 1957, Dallas-based Invited has operated with the mission of Building Relationships and Enriching Lives®. A leading owner-operator of private golf and country clubs, city, and stadium clubs in North America, Invited is relentless in its pursuit of providing extraordinary experiences, meaningful connections, shared passions, and memorable moments for its more than 400,000 members. The company’s mission is supported by 20,000 peak-season employees and a portfolio of 200 owned or operated golf and country clubs, city clubs, sports clubs, stadium clubs in 29 states, and seven BigShots Golf locations. Invited creates communities and a lifestyle through its championship golf courses, workspaces, handcrafted cuisine, resort-style pools, tennis and pickleball facilities, golf lounges, fitness centers, and pioneering programming.
In addition to Canyon Creek, other marquee Invited properties include Firestone Country Club (Akron, Ohio); Mission Hills Country Club (Rancho Mirage, California); The Woodlands Country Club (Houston, Texas); and The Metropolitan Club (Chicago, Illinois).
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is a leading golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 770-plus locations, including 760-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses around the globe. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management, and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages 600-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses, and recreational facilities. With properties located in 45-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé,
Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Tennis, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design, Casa Verde Golf, and ICON Management. For additional news and information, visit http://www.Troon.com, TroonMagazine.com or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, and via The Turn Podcast
