Ashlar/ Stonecutters Ridge Swap Deal

[Not so Big Easy]

Agree with you on all counts.

I guess if the current management of Ashlar are not equipped to run this larger scale operation, then fortunately or unfortunately its up to the members to change the board / management, but that can only open if there are candidates that willing to step up to make a difference, if so required.

But first, the vote has to take place.

[amanda]

I wonder if the developer (Medallist) has some sort of clause in the deal that requires Ashlar to hire particular staff qualified & with proven track record to run the business.

I know some owners are looking for the place to be "exclusive" - but in my mind, a very private expensive club in this area isn't going to work - unless you manage to attract a lot of high net worth individuals from places like Bella Vista Waters etc - I'd rather have a course that is still running!

I've played at Ashlar a few times and people on the whole seem nice - you're going to get good and bad members everywhere. Of course - we'd like no bogans please

[3oneday]

Good luck with that.

I wonder how they will go when social players come to destroy the course . Not many clubs can survive without them in the west.

[amanda]

I'm good at being a bitch - happy to volunteer as course marshall

[Hawkers2008]

Doing the deal in principle is the easy bit. Managing the contracts so you don't get screwed and making the switch work for members is a hell of a lot harder.

I am just about to leave a club in Melbourne that on paper did a reasonable swap deal. In theory the deal shifted them from being an absolute rubbish facility to a good quality (not resort) facility free of neighbour issues and with a nice cash pool of $1.5m. Through a lack of management/board skill they have made a meal of it in so many ways. They didn't manage the contracts well and got delivered a course that was not everything they bargained for. They failed to truly appreciate what the new course would cost to run, what the local demographics were and what that meant for how much they could take from members, green players and the F&B operations. And to cap it off the first GM did a huge amount of turnover on functions which were priced with no gross margin or in some cases even less than that. Less than 3 years after moving only $0.25m of the cash is left, they have just bunged on a levy to fix problems on the course and I would think they will be losing something like 15% of the members when the club year ends on 31 August.

[markTHEblake]

I'll be at Stonecutters next saturday, i'll take some pics.

Umm,. I forgot to take the pics.

[happy_golfer]

I had a chance to walk a few holes with some other members from Ashlar on Sat morning. The course looks fantastic albeit a little brown but has good grass cover on the completed holes we saw.. The greens look fabulous. Some are so big they need their own postcode.

[amanda]

Hey happy golfer - were you in the morning group around 9am-ish? Hubby opened the garage door to find a whole lot of people on the footpath - they looked shocked to seem him!

We've had some terrible frost - looked great in the pictures at the time - but everyone's lawns are suffering now

[happy_golfer]

Hey happy golfer - were you in the morning group around 9am-ish? Hubby opened the garage door to find a whole lot of people on the footpath - they looked shocked to seem him!

We've had some terrible frost - looked great in the pictures at the time - but everyone's lawns are suffering now

I was in that group, I do not recall a gaeage opening though, was probably too busy checking out the course.

[amanda]

I've heard the result of the vote was an overwhelming yes

[amanda]

Hey Richard - thanks for the info! So they're turning the 1st & 18th into houses? Glad we didn't wait for that land to open up to build a house - we'd still be waiting. (Though I'm sure you'll do a fab job on the course!)

[jimandr]

Still deciding on the line between residential and golf but the first 4 or 5 fairways at the top of the hill will go.

New Brighton is probably worth its own thread, but if I understand this comment correctly, you'd better be good at flood mitigation works Dicky.

The holes on the flat at New Brighton are among the most flood-prone golfing lands in Sydney, and building houses on the hill might make it even worse. Mind you, I won't miss the climb up the 18th if that disappears.

[happy_golfer]

hi amanda, a massive yes ... they were hoping for maybe 200 to turn to the meeting and got 378, of those 358 said yes, 17 said no, and 3 abstained. Not sure why you would turn up and not vote but hey each to their own. So now anxiously waiting the outcome of the Macquarie Board to give the final tick of approval on their side. Not sure when they meet, we were told we should know aound end of the month (Aug).

[happy_golfer]

I've heard the result of the vote was an overwhelming yes

hi amanda, a massive yes ... they were hoping for maybe 200 to turn to the meeting and got 378, of those 358 said yes, 17 said no, and 3 abstained. Not sure why you would turn up and not vote but hey each to their own. So now anxiously waiting the outcome of the Macquarie Board to give the final tick of approval on their side. Not sure when they meet, we were told we should know aound end of the month (Aug).

[matty]

Does anyone know how the progress is going with the Stonecutters Ridge course and when it is due to open?

The course is looking good. From the M7 at least!

[Scottt]

The houses will all be built above the 100 year flood line...nobody give a rats if the course goes under every couple of years.

That's the spirit!

[Danieljc]

Does anyone know how the progress is going with the Stonecutters Ridge course and when it is due to open?

The course is looking good. From the M7 at least!

From what I have heard not until Sep 1st 2011. Is the current date that they seem to be throwing around at the moment.

[matty]

Thanks

[Danieljc]

the reason that seems to be the date as thats when ashlar's membership starts and I think they want the new clubhouse built first before they move in. The course its self I think is pretty much 95% complete they are pretty much I think killing time allowing it to all take and get the contracts and everything else in order.

[matty]

After watching the course and surrounds develop over the last year I made the switch and joined Stonecutters (Ashlar) today. Had a walk around a few holes a couple of weeks back and I can't wait to play.

[WBennett]

Matty

Is Stonecutters now a full 18?

[Danieljc]

It's always been 18holes but they are waiting on the buildings and surrounds to be finished first. Moving end of august

[matty]

Opening 27th August apparently. The joining fee will more than double in two weeks so I jumped.

[stealth2]

Yes called Ashlar up today. From 1st July joining fee is going to $3000 with the annual subs around $1450. Currently the joining fee is $1500 until the 1st July

[Eldrick]

is Ashlar closing on the same day?