Team Members in the Spotlight - Cybergolf

WINTER 2007
Team Members in the Spotlight
W
e’re thrilled to add a new section to our corporate newsletter – Team Members
in the Spotlight. This new section will highlight two outstanding, dedicated team
members from an Honours property. In this issue we have two team members in very
different jobs, but with one mission in mind – creating memorable experiences!
MEET FARMLINKS’ WILLIE WYCKOFF: Willie is one of the
leaders for the outside services team at FarmLinks
Golf Club in Sylacauga, AL. He was born and
raised in Talladega, AL, and has worked at
FarmLinks since the club opened in 2003.
What do you like best about your
job Meeting people from all walks of
life and making sure they have a better
time at our course than at any other
course they have played – and giving
them the BEST service.
Who do you admire most and why
Casey Smith (head golf professional at FarmLinks),
because he can always keep his cool at all times. No matter how
bad things get, he can always smile and work it out.
What is your most memorable moment to date at your
property The day I spoke to Bo Jackson one-to-one and rode
him around the course. What a day!
If you could give any new team member some advice
pertaining to their job, what would it be Be the best
you can be all of the time, do your job with pride, always serve
the customer with a smile, and remember to look for nothing
but give everything.
GOLDEN APPLE AWARD
James Helton
of FarmLinks Golf Club
Willie is quite popular in
Birmingham! Even local sports
celebrity, Al Del Greco talks
about him on his sports radio
show – The Opening Drive.
“People remember Willie,”
said John Trawick, FarmLinks’
director of golf. “His smile,
customer service, and
willingness to go above
and beyond contribute to
our team’s success. Willie is
proud of FarmLinks and treats
the property as his own.”
MEET REUNION’S FOOD & BEVERAGE DIRECTOR,
CORINNA PARKER: Originally from Long Island, New York,
Corinna joined the World Golf Village team three years ago
where she rose from server to floor supervisor to catering
manager. She transferred to Reunion last year as the food
and beverage director and currently oversees the Reunion
Grille, the new bar, the beverage carts, pool food service,
catering and special events, children’s day care and
accommodations at the Devlon House.
What do you like best about your job The fulfillment
that I get from pleasing a member and encouraging the
staff – that is the best personal gain.
Who do you admire most and why
I admire my children. They are so young,
and have this beautiful innocence about
them. They don’t know how hard
anything is and I hope they don’t
find out too soon. They are my
pride and joy.
What is your most memorable
moment to date at your property
Spending 4 months planning the first
“Official Members’ Christmas Party” and
feeling that it was worth a million words to
see so many people enjoy themselves and a service we
didn’t know we could handle with our current size facility.
If you could give any new team member some
advice pertaining to their job, what would it be
If you work hard when you need to, no matter how long
you have worked somewhere, and you are always willing
to help “anyone,” you will be repaid.
According to General Manager David Shaffer, “Corinna
has made a 180 degree turn around in the Club’s F&B
operation – cost of sales has gone down 15%, revenue is
up 40% and 8% under budget in expenses. It takes a good
manager to do that!”
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 1

Greetings and
Happy Holidays
We have recently completed an internal review
of our company at all levels. This process led
us to develop new corporate and golf property
priorities. We would like to share with you some
areas of focus that apply to each of you daily:
Consistency – Every day we have the opportunity
to turn an initial customer experience into
a lifetime relationship. Consistency is vital to our
success. It is important that we all remember to
be consistent in our quality of service and attitude
– make every moment count.
Pace of Play – This is the #1 problem to the game
of golf and also the biggest opportunity for Honours
Golf to make a difference. If we are successful in
keeping players moving at a reasonable pace, then
we will win the battle for customer time.
Communication – In any relationship (personal
or business), communication is the cornerstone of
trust and understanding. This is an area we are
committed to improving at all levels.
Keep Score – Great teams always know where
they stand – create a scorecard for every department
and periodically evaluate yourself.
These areas are important, and we urge you to
take them to heart. However, it would be a huge
oversight not to mention one other key element
in our business – enjoyment! Golf is a game that
is meant to be enjoyed (although we all get
frustrated with bad shots occasionally). We
believe the core of our culture is our managers’
ability to assemble teams of good people that
share a passion for golf and service; provide
them with the resources they need to perform
their jobs; and communicate expectations and
standards. Once those items are in place, go out
and have fun on game day – each day – and
deliver memorable experiences to the best of your
ability. Our customers will appreciate this warm
atmosphere, and we all know it is much more
fun to play for a winning team.
As always, thank you for your tireless pursuit of
delivering memorable experiences to our members
and guests! We look forward to seeing you in the
year ahead. Happy Holidays!
Creating Memorable
Experiences…
FARMLINKS GOLF CLUB
BY JOHN TRAWICK, DIRECTOR OF GOLF, FARMLINKS GOLF CLUB
After implementing daily thank-you emails to the
golfers who played our course, we started receiving
numerous replies regarding their experiences
at FarmLinks. One in particular is from a group of
men from Trinity Methodist Church in Opelika, AL.
The email read, “the course was in excellent
condition, which is not unusual for FarmLinks. What made our Saturday afternoon
extra special was coming up the 18th fairway about 5:00 p.m. A perfect day
weather-wise for golf was made more special by hearing the singing of Christian
hymns. Now how much closer can you get to heaven than playing golf with a
group of church friends, at FarmLinks on a perfect fall day while listening to
hymns coming up the 18th fairway”
What they didn’t know was one of David Pursell’s (owner of FarmLinks) daughters
was getting married on the property while they were playing their round.
ROCK CREEK GOLF CLUB
BY CHAD LEONARD, GENERAL MANAGER, ROCK CREEK GOLF CLUB
We hosted the monthly Red Elephant Club again at Rock Creek and developed
some raving fans! Although everything went wrong, the Rock Creek team gave the
Alabama Alumni a night to remember!
At 6:45 p.m., when the usual crowd rolled into the clubhouse, something unusual
occurred – the power went out. With the dining room pitch black, the team put
together a plan. Candles were brought out and placed on tables while staff made
jokes about seeing Auburn fans out near the transformer. Thirty pizzas were ordered
from Dominos and scheduled for a quick pick-up. Cars were brought into the
breezeway, with their lights directed through the windows. Restrooms were lit
with candles. The pizza arrived and Chef Mollie’s pudding was served. Cold beer
was still cold beer and the guest speaker started his speech with just a glimmer,
not a grimace, on his face. The speaker made light of the situation by providing
stories from inside The Tide Locker Room. The 6 foot, 275 pound super bowl
champion, and special teams coach for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide, Ron
Middleton wasn’t fazed by the power outage and actually seemed to enjoy it.
Middleton kept everyone focused on Alabama football.
A couple of hours later as the fans walked out of the clubhouse and were escorted
down the stairs by flashlight, the comments about our recovery were tremendous.
Comments like “a night to remember”, “best meeting yet”, and my favorite
comment, “hey, thanks for making it happen” were all tributes to the staff’s
teamwork and willingness to make the best of a bad situation. The crew that
made it happen included: Rock Creek’s – Patrick Taylor, Mollie Walsh, Prissy Rolex,
and Melissa Muench, along with Peninsula Team members – Amanda Stokes, and
Tara LaFoille.
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 2

COURSE HAPPENINGS
Moore’s Mill Expands
Club Amenities
BY MICHELLE PETTY, MEMBERSHIP DIRECTOR, MMC
TOP: NEW GOLF LEARNING CENTER.
BELOW: LAYOUT OF THE NEW RESORT-STYLE POOL.
Not only is MMC growing
in membership, but it’s also
continuing to add amenities.
Last year the Club opened the
new tennis courts, and by the
end of the year, the Club plans
to present its latest endeavor –
a new learning center.
Construction of the new Moore’s Mill Golf Learning Center is reaching
completion. This new state-of-the-art training facility will feature
two indoor hitting bays complete with video instruction; a members’
lounge area overlooking the driving range and golf course; outdoor
deck, two short-game practice greens and a new putting green.
Slated to open next year is a second swim area. Construction has
begun on the resort-style swimming pool which will cater to families.
A rendering of the new pool is on display in the clubhouse. The new
pool area will feature a large grill and Tiki bar, zero entry design, a
diving well, water spouts, water basketball, rock work jump point
and a sunning hill. The existing pool will transition to a more relaxing
adult pool area. This addition will allow our entire membership to
fully enjoy their summer swimming experience.
Santa Helps WGV Boost Early
Online Holiday Gift Card Sales
BY STEPHEN HILLS, DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING, WGV
The World Golf Village 2007 Holiday Gift Cards media campaign
used the slogan “Give Santa a break this Christmas by giving
someone special the Gift of Legends.” It encouraged customers to
log on to www.golfwgv.com or call the golf shop to purchase gift
cards which would let the course designers and legends of golf –
Snead, Sarazen, Palmer, and Nicklaus – give Santa a well-earned
rest this year.
Historically, holiday gift card sales begin at the end of November.
In an effort to maximize sales in early November (knowing the
media campaign would take care of sales at the end of November
and through December), Santa’s help was commissioned in the
form of “Santa’s Appreciation Tournament.” Connecting to the
campaign slogan, this tournament was an incentive for early
purchasing of Holiday Gift Cards by allowing purchasers to sign
up for a ‘complimentary green fees’ event on a historically slow
Monday afternoon in January. The field was limited to the first
120 registrations for potential revenue of $3,600, which would
likely be subsidized by merchandise and food and beverage
purchases from participants. This initiative was promoted with
an E-Blast to the World Golf Village
database of 26,000, to partner
databases and under the
‘What’s New’ scrolling text on
the World Golf Village website.
Give
Santa
a Break!
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 3

Reunion Team Wins 2007 Gulf States
Pro-Superintendent Championship
BILL WHATLEY (ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT), DAVID SHAFFER (GENERAL MANAGER), JOSH OWENS (SUPERINTENDENT),
AND TERY SHERER (TENNIS PRO) POSE WITH THEIR TROPHIES WITH TOURNAMENT SPONSORS AND ORGANIZERS!
Peninsula Wins 1st Annual Honours Golf
Gulf Coast Interclub Competition
Head Golf Professional Evan
Godfrey and the Peninsula
Team brought home the First
Annual Honours Golf Gulf
Coast Interclub Trophy. The
championship consisted of four
events hosted by Honours Golf’s
coastal properties: Rock Creek,
THE PENINSULA TEAM TRAVELED TO KELLY PLANTATION AND
CLINCHED THE 2007 INTERCLUB VICTORY AT THE FINAL EVENT Peninsula, Bay Point, and Kelly
HELD ON SEPTEMBER 25TH.
Plantation. This event was played
during the summer and gave 11 members and one professional a chance to play
three other HG properties in a great competition style of golf.
MAKE A COOL
$ 100
We are offering $100 to the team
member that comes up with the
best name for our new company
internal website.
To submit your names and
to see other names listed, visit
www.honoursgolf.com/team!
Save Money on
Your Health Care!
It appears that rising health care
costs are inevitable in today’s world.
However, there are ways to off set
some of these costs. One way is
to participate in the company’s
Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
WHAT IT IS: Honours Golf teamed up
with ADP to offer a program to help you
offset your health care costs – Flexible
Spending Account (FSA). Basically, it’s a
pre-taxed special money account to be
used towards medical expenses that may
not be covered by your medical insurance.
HOW MUCH YOU’LL SAVE: Because
this program is pre-taxed, the money set
aside in this special account may
save you anywhere from 20 to 40% off
of health care expenses. Plus, it will help
you reduce your income taxes when “tax”
time comes around.
HOW TO USE IT: ADP will provide
you with a card that you may use at your
doctor’s office, pharmacy and other medical
venues. The card is similar to using a prepaid
credit card but for selected medical
expenses. You may spend as much
money as is in your special account.
ELIGIBLE MEDICAL EXPENSES:
• Medical plan deductibles
• Medical plan co-payments
• Routine checkups and physicals
• Well baby care and immunizations
• Prescription drugs
• Prescription eyeglasses
• Lasik Surgery
• Over-the-counter drugs and medicines
For more information on this program,
contact Payroll & Benefits Supervisor, Lindy
Williams at (205) 298-0001 or email
lindy.williams@honoursgolf.com. You may
also visit ADP online at flexdirect.adp.com.
REMINDER FOR CURRENT
PARTICIPANTS: The end of the year
is almost here. Don’t forget to stock up
on health supplies/expenses, or visit your
doctor for that physical you’ve been putting
off. You must use all of your contributions
by December 31, 2007 or you risk losing
your unused balance for the year.
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 4

2007
Annual Directors
Meeting
In mid-October, Honours held its annual Directors of Golf meeting
at Peninsula Golf Club in Gulf Shores, AL. During this two-day
meeting, corporate priorities were announced and new club
initiatives were established. The objectives set by the directors for
2008 will focus on the following areas: Pace of Play, Loss Prevention,
Team Member Retention and Labor Analysis.
CHAD LEONARD
AND BOB BARRETT
Revenue Achievement Awards were also
distributed to David Shaffer (Reunion),
John Trawick
(FarmLinks) and
Gregory Kebe
(Moore’s Mill
Club) for their
teams’ efforts
in driving revenue at their properties.
GARY SPIVEY AND
JOHN TRAWICK.
DAVID SHAFFER, BETSY ANDERSON,
ROB SHULTS, AND CHAD LEONARD.
DAVID SHAFFER, ROB
SHULTS, BOB JULIAN, AND
KELLY OLSHOVE.
But it wasn’t all work and
no play… the Directors also
had the opportunity to tee-it-up
in an 18-hole scramble with the
corporate team as well as kickback
during the sunset boat
cruise.
JEREMY LITTLE, GRIFFIN STEVENS,
AND GREGORY KEBE.
CATHY HARBIN
AND BOB JULIAN.
TODD EDWARDS, PHIL OAKES, AND
LANCE BAILEY.
REVENUE ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
John Trawick (FarmLinks) Gregory Kebe (MMC) David Shaffer (Reunion)
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 5

WELCOME NEW TEAM MEMBERS!
Awards &Accolades
ROCK CREEK
Chad Leonard,
General Manager
HIGHLAND PARK
& LIMESTONE
SPRINGS
Buster Inman,
General Manager
HIGHLAND PARK
James Williams,
Assistant Golf
Professional
MOORE’S MILL
Kelly Rogers,
Fitness Director
KING & BEAR
Richard McClure,
Head Golf
Professional
SLAMMER &
SQUIRE
Erica Heiny,
Assistant Golf
Professional
FARMLINKS voted
“Best Rounds of Golf
Worth The Drive,”
Birmingham Magazine
HIGHLAND PARK
voted “Best Public
Course in Birmingham,”
Birmingham Magazine
CATHY HARBIN, General Manger of WGV, was
named to the “Northeast Florida 2007 Women of
Influence” by Jacksonville Business Journal
CORPORATE
OFFICE
Griffin Stevens,
Financial Auditor
Katherine Bassett,
Executive Assistant to the President
FARMLINKS
David DeWeese,
Golf Course
Superintendent
REUNION
Kevin Boutwell,
Assistant
Superintendent
Nathan Manis,
Assistant Golf
Professional
KELLY PLANTATION
Curt Mooney,
Assistant Golf Professional
MOVERS & SHAKERS
BENTWATER
Trey Childs,
Assistant Golf
Professional
Trey moved to Bentwater from
Kelly Plantation.
In the News:
FARMLINKS AND
LIMESTONE SPRINGS
were featured in T+L
Golf’s October issue as
“Best Places to Play in
Alabama for Buddy Trips.”
Nicklaus Course at Bay
Point and King & Bear
were featured in Florida Golf Journal’s Fall issue for
“10 Favorite Courses in Florida.”
honoursgolf.com/team
Get up-to-date information on Honours
Golf, our clubs and team members.
Visit www.honoursgolf.com/team!
Ask your Director of Golf or Superintendent
for the username
and password.
Upcoming Events
• 2008 PGA Merchandise Show
Orlando, FL • Jan 17 – 19
• Honours Golf Director/
Superintendent Meeting
Orlando, FL • Jan 28 – Feb 1
• Golf Industry Show
Orlando, FL • Jan 28 – Feb 2
• Bay Point Resort’s Panhandle Pro-AM
Panama City Beach, FL • Mar 10 -14
• Honours Cup 2008
St. Augustine, FL • May 15 -17
HONOURSGOLF.COM • PAGE 6