Golf notes: Brown tells plans for Dolphin Head club; newest RBC champ's portrait ready for reveal
Even in the evolving model of golf-course ownership, the concept is rather novel.
Open a formerly private course for public consumption, while trying to attract new memberships via a revamped pricing structure. And perhaps sometime the road, if membership reaches a certain threshold, take the club private again.
John Brown calls it a "value-oriented private club," and it's what he plans for Dolphin Head Golf Club.
"It's really moreso a private model for the Hilton Head area," said Brown, who added the Hilton Head Plantation layout to his portfolio with Wednesday's sale.
Dolphin Head becomes Brown Golf's sixth course in the area, but first on Hilton Head Island itself. Along those lines, the blueprint is a little different.
Brown said Dolphin Head's membership will control three days of the week in which member play has been strongest -- Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
"Those are going to stay primarily private days," he said. "Then we'll supplement with resort play on the other days of the week."
At the same time, Brown plans a drastic reduction in membership pricing with an eye on bringing in new players and families. Over time, a growing membership would control more days.
"If it gets to a point where we can grow membership enough, we'll slide in another (member) day," he said. "If we grow it enough, we'll go to four. Maybe eventually we can go to five."
A burgeoning membership could even go back to controlling all seven days.
"I wouldn't rule it out," he said.
One thing that won't change, Brown said, is that Dolphin Head members will receive the same perks that members at other Brown Golf courses can take advantage of -- including free lessons for all family members.
"It's a wonderful retention tool," he said, "and an opportunity for families to get their kids to learn the game."
SCHWAB CUP DEADLOCK
Improbable as it seems 18 events into the Champions Tour season, Jeff Maggert is in a tie for the lead of the Charles Schwab Cup points race.
While the Sea Pines resident finished outside the top 10 at the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, Colin Montgomerie picked up 119 points in a three-way tie for third behind winner Esteban Toledo.
That left Maggert and Montgomerie each with 2,992 points, with Bernhard Langer third at 2,604. Montgomerie has a streak of six consecutive top-3 Champions Tour finishes, plus a win on the European Senior Tour last month.
Four events remain in the season, starting with next week's SAS Championship outside Raleigh, N.C.
PORTRAIT READY TO VIEW
The newest addition to the RBC Heritage's gallery of champions will be revealed Thursday night, as Jim Furyk's second portrait is unveiled during a ceremony at Arts Center of Coastal Carolina. The 5:30 p.m. event is free to the public.
Furyk claimed his second Heritage crown in April, outlasting Kevin Kisner in a two-hole playoff at Harbour Town. It was Furyk's first victory since winning the FedExCup in 2010, a drought that had reached 100 starts. He also won the 2010 Heritage, one of three victories that year.
West Fraser, nephew of Sea Pines founder Charles Fraser, has produced the annual champion's portrait since 1988.
GALDIN SIZZLES IN IJGT WIN
Lino Galdin, an IJGA student from France, used a back-nine 31 to surge away with a two-shot victory at the IJGT Southeast Kickoff at Crescent Pointe.
Galdin birdied five of his final eight holes, carding a 6-under-par 65 that wiped out a two-shot deficit to start the final day. He wound up carding 13 birdies over the 36-hole event.
Fellow IJGA student Colton Tanner took second with rounds of 71-69, following strongly on an early September win on the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour.
Hilton Head's Anita Uwadia ran off with the girls' division, opening with a 67 on the way to an eight-shot romp.
JOHNSTON'S NEW PROJECT
Hilton Head architect Clyde Johnston has landed a new project in Manning, hired to design a course for a five-phase planned community called Eagle Cove.
The 420-acre community not only will have single and multi-family housing, but independent and assisted living facilities for the elderly. Planning will continue well into 2016, with design and construction planned for the later half of the year.
The project will be Johnston's 36th original design or full renovation, including four locally. He also has overseen lesser renovations of Dolphin Head GC, the Fazio Course at Palmetto Dunes and both Moss Creek Plantation layouts.
Follow reporter Jeff Shain at twitter.com/Jeff_Shain.
This story was originally published October 1, 2015 at 8:23 PM with the headline "Golf notes: Brown tells plans for Dolphin Head club; newest RBC champ's portrait ready for reveal."