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Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club - In A League of Their Own
09/07/2011 - By Carolyn Brink
Photos by J2 Golf Marketing
Exclusive interview with
Domenic F. Gatto
Chairman & President
Eagle Oaks Golf & Country Club
Nestled in Farmingdale, just minutes South of Colts Neck, Eagle Oaks is a world class golf & country club with amenities usually found at the Ritz Carlton.
I had the opportunity to interview Domenic F. Gatto, the visionary behind the award-winning Club, to discuss the significant investment and renovation that he and financial partners made to the now legendary golf course and club house in 2007. The $50 million refined, elegant club has been an outstanding success despite the economic downturn and continues to set new standards of excellence in the Private Club industry.
1 Eagle Oaks has been very successful since its inception while other private clubs in the area have struggled in today’s economy. What do you think has contributed to your success?
I firmly believe our enormous success has been our ability to differentiate our Club from others in the area. We created a club that has great appeal with three core offerings under one roof: a private golf & country club, a private dining club and a luxurious banquet facility. We have a championship golf course created by two of the greatest champions in golf - Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller. We are the only Jack Nicklaus course in New Jersey and since we are a Nicklaus Design course, our golf members have access to 138 Nicklaus courses around the world. Johnny Miller designed another course in New Jersey called Due Process Stables. The collaboration of these two great minds has produced a true “Players” golf course. Our world class course includes 70 bunkers, 8 holes where water is in play, rolling hill fescue, and up to 7 sets of tees stretching between 5,600 and 7,100 yards. It accommodates all skill levels and maintains a modern look and feel. Additionally, we have incorporated “Little Eagle” tees for our future young golfing stars. Aside from these attributes, we have new Augusta 1/Augusta 4 bentgrass greens that have helped make our greens the best and most beautiful in the area. I would say our golf course is a primary attribute to our success.
2 What about Eagle Oaks’ elegant clubhouse design makes one feel they are in Charleston, South Carolina? The Southern Plantation style is one of a kind in the area. What was the thought behind this Southern Style?
Yes, Thank you. We wanted something ultra luxurious, unique and very special. Our members are serious golfers, avid tennis players and enjoy the relaxation and serenity of our South Beach style pool facility complete with colorful cabanas, palm trees, Wi-Fi connectivity and high-definition flat screen TVs. We have found that many members spend up to 30 hours a week at the Club utilizing all the non-golf facilities like the various dining facilities, the massage rooms or fitness centers, Jacuzzi, steam room or just relaxing and socializing at our exclusive member only events. Simply put, we want our members to feel this is their home. It’s a matter of “quality of life.” Sitting out behind our club house mansion overlooking the 13th and 18th holes is simply breathtaking.
Yes, we have created a complete catering business for any type of corporate or private affair and. Our grand chandelier-filled ballrooms have the capacity to serve more than 600 guests. We have had great success in our banquet business because our customers get it all; the ambience, the elegant look, great food and excellent service from our well-trained, professional banquet staff. One benefit of hosting such affairs is this business helps to keep costs down for our members and for our banquet clients. We are able to be very competitive. And, our members receive a special member discount when they book banquets or parties. Our biggest advantage over our competition, besides the look and feel of our facility, is we have a full non-restricted liquor license and can handle any type of affair with all the embellishments and spirits that our banquet guest demand, unlike others in our market place. Our fine service and extravagant displays has been our best advertisements as a Club. Our party planners and sales associates are experts in their field and are booking events well over a year in advance. Additionally our gifted à la carte and banquet culinary teams received the Achievement of Excellence Award from the American Culinary Federation. We were one of only 23 establishments nationwide to be recognized. That says a lot about their commitment and talent.
I don’t believe any one club in the area can compete with us. Our golf course is definitely superior and our facilities, amenities, rooms and service produce a five star, luxury experience - we are in a league of our own. Perhaps one of the most important ingredients to our recipe for success is our club’s diverse membership. We have an average membership age of 51 (which is young by any club’s standards) and a great group of lady golfers as well. The camaraderie of our members is the back bone of our club. We can also boast of luxurious locker rooms and wet area amenities, separate men’s and ladies’ workout and massage rooms, private men’s and ladies’ lounges as well as a large mixed grill and outdoor dining areas. If you are a golf purist you have your own space, conversely, if you want the full service Country Club lifestyle you can have that as well. There is a great deal of value at our Club and our dues are lower than some of the other clubs in our area who do not provide what we offer. And another item of note is our realistic membership cap of 285 which ensures tee time availability.
With the exceptional value and impeccable service we bring to our members it is not necessary for us to do this. When a club does that, they are telling a story about their struggles while showing disregard and lack of respect for their current members who paid tens of thousands, or in some cases hundreds of thousands, to become members of an exclusive club. They are stating to their current and new members their perceived value has become zero. What will they do next if dropping their standards doesn’t work? I see it as “pulling the ripcord” and I believe respecting our current members who paid an entry fee is a moral and ethical responsibility felt by our Board of Directors. We are maintaining our integrity by providing a limited-time, extended term entry fee payment program. We are planning for long-term success and not the quick dime. In the club environment, such short-term philosophies can create a long lasting pessimistic environment for members and a bargain hunting mentality for the prospective member. You may as well remove the word “Private” from your club when you fall to such desperate measures.
We are offering a non-refundable entry fee that is significantly less than our refundable entry fee. We fully recognize and appreciate the uncertain economic times and understand the quality of life we offer is accomplished with discretionary dollars. Therefore, the program we created is a longer term path of paying the entry fee. This means that the entry fee payment plus our dues ends up being less or comparable to what other clubs are charging for dues alone. We have created even more value for the prospective member. This temporary program will help attract quality people and their families who want a special place to call home and who are not enamored with brand names or other labels. We want exceptional new members who will contribute to the Eagle Oaks culture and keep us in a league of our own.
Eagle Oaks has never experienced what would be considered normal member attrition, which is usually 8% to 12% of the membership. I think the reason our attrition has been so low is that we provide tremendous value and quality to our members.
We welcome you to experience Eagle Oaks first-hand with a private tour by our Assistant General Manager and Membership Director John Beurskens who can be reached at (732) 938-9696 ext. 311 or you can visit our website and complete the Request Tour form at www.eagleoaks.com/tour.
Interview conducted on July 20, 2011 By Carolyn Brink, New Jersey-based freelance writer and public relations specialist.
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