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Touchstone's Growth Plan

Touchstone's Growth Plan

The West Coast operator sees growth ahead, even as courses perform better. BY ROBERT J. VASILAK During a career that spans more than a quarter century, Steve Harker has developed a reputation as a turnaround expert - someone who can pinpoint the root causes of a course's financial problems and quickly solve them.

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Regional Manager, Chris Meade Gets National Recognition for Coaching Kids

Regional Manager, Chris Meade Gets National Recognition for Coaching Kids

Local golf pro earns national recognition for coaching kids.

Chris Meade, from Lady Bird Municipal Golf Course, in Fredericksburg Texas, has been honored as a Top 50 Kids Coach by the United States Kids Golf, the world's leading organization in developing your golfers.

The Top 50 Kids Coahes of 2022 includes golf professionals from 29 states and six international countries.

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NGF Top 100 in 2023

NGF Top 100 in 2023

NGF Top 100 Businesses in Golf List The following are the businesses included in the latest version of the NGF GOLF 100, an effort to highlight the vitality, size and diversity of an almost $100 billion-a-year industry.

This is an alphabetical list, not a ranking, of companies and brands that deliver products and services primarily targeted to commercial golf and conduct all or a majority of their business within the U.S.

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Mill Valley Golf Course Gets Overhaul Under New Operator

Mill Valley Golf Course Gets Overhaul Under New Operator

Touchstone Golf is charged with overseeing a renovation of the city-owned course over the next five years.

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Brotherly Love at Tilden Park

Brotherly Love at Tilden Park

Tilden Park Golf Course long ago cast it's captivating spell on Steve and Doug Harker. They grew up in Berkeley in the 1960s, amid challenging circumstances in a turbulent time. Their parents divorced and then dad, Tdd, died. Jane Karker, their mom, wasn;t exactly sure how to keep her boys our of trouble. She turned to her brother, Jim Drowning, and he proposed introducing young Steve and Doug to golf.

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NCAA Regional Finals at The Reserve at Spanos Park

NCAA Regional Finals at The Reserve at Spanos Park

We are hungry': NCAA golfers prepare for regional competition in Stockton

STOCKTON, Calif. — For the second time in five years, The Reserve at Spanos Park will host the Division I Men's Golf Regional with the help of Visit Stockton and the University of the Pacific. “The course is fantastic,” Pacific head golf coach John Cook said. “It’s pretty generous off the tee and you need to pick the right side of the fairway to attack the greens coming into the hole location.”

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DeBell Inaugurates New Driving Range

DeBell Inaugurates New Driving Range

Hundreds were on hand Saturday afternoon as DeBell Golf Club inaugurated the re-opening of its driving range.

The event was highlighted by the musical performance of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Robby Krieger of the Doors who was joined by singer Haley Reinhart, who finished third in Season 10 of American Idol.

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The Flamingo at Shadow Mountain Golf Club

The Flamingo at Shadow Mountain Golf Club

A one-acre putting course hopes to attract scratch golfers, novice players to this California golf course.

What course officials are calling a one-of-a-kind attraction for the desert, the one-acre putting surface is the first step in new course owner Lindi Biggi’s plans to revive Shadow Mountain after several years of the course teetering on the edge of closure.

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Named to NGF Top 100 List

Named to NGF Top 100 List

The NGF’s Top 100 Businesses in Golf is a biennial list created to recognize the most influential, successful and innovative companies, organizations and associations in the golf industry. Also called the NGF GOLF 100, the initiative is a strategic fit with the NGF’s business model and unique standing...

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Lady Bird Golf Course Hits Profit Milestone

Lady Bird Golf Course Hits Profit Milestone

Under management company, course has increased use and reserves in the bank.

In just three years, Touchstone Golf has transformed the operation of Lady Bird Golf Course and positive changes and additions are obvious and abundant when visiting the course.

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Golf.com Recognizes Carlotta at Lake Chabot Golf Course

Golf.com Recognizes Carlotta at Lake Chabot Golf Course

Carlotta keeps Lake Chabot on everyone's radar with her famous Carlotta Burger.

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The Next Generation of Golfers

The Next Generation of Golfers

Today's youth are changing the face of golf, and challenging industry leaders to rid golf of its exlusivity.

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How Golf Hopes to Keep Winning After the Pandemic

How Golf Hopes to Keep Winning After the Pandemic

Golf has had a resurgence during the pandemic, with about half a million more players picking up clubs than did in 2019. Can it hold on to the growth in a post-pandemic world? Golf-course operators are scrambling to make sure it does, as they look for ways to keep the newbies coming back once the country gets closer to normalcy...

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Prospect Recreation & Park District  - Applewood Golf Course

Prospect Recreation & Park District - Applewood Golf Course

2020 Successes and 2021 Happenings While 2020 proved to be a trying year, we are so thankful for our amazing community and golfers who helped the course realize the highest number of annual rounds played in the history of the course. Applewood is proud to annouce that we received seven CAGGY awards for Best of Colorado Golf!...

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Colonial Park Golf Course

Colonial Park Golf Course

Touchstone Golf announced Tuesday that the City of Clovis has approved a management agreement for Touchstone to manage Colonial Park Golf Course. Touchstone will take over management on May 1 with the transition process already underway...

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The Best Public Golf in Austin, Texas

The Best Public Golf in Austin, Texas

Grey Rock Golf Club—Austin

Though not a new golf course, Grey Rock is the most recent addition to Austin’s stable of municipal golf courses. The city ...

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Golden Honor

Golden Honor

Applewood Golf Course in Golden was one of four finalists for the National Golf Course Owners Association National Course of the Year Award...

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Mark Luthman - President

Mark Luthman - President

Touchstone Golf announce that Mark Luthman has been named president of the company. Prior to being named to this position, Luthman was executive vice president and chief operating officer. Steve Harker will continue to serve as chief executive officer of Touchstone Golf...

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Applewood Golf Course

Applewood Golf Course

On December 20, 2016, Prospect Recreation & Park District acquired ownership of the Applewood Golf Course from the Coors Brewing Company, a subsidiary...

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Presidio Golf Club

Presidio Golf Club

Sacramento, CA - At their 2016 CGCOA Annual Meeting & Awards Ceremony held recently at Summitpointe Golf Club...

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The Turnaround Artists

The Turnaround Artists

Sometimes it is as simple as cutting the rough. Usually it isn't.
"They've called us head-scratchers," said Steve Harker, the founder...

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Willow Park Public Golf Course Under New Management

Willow Park Public Golf Course Under New Management

November, 2014
Effective Monday, December 1st, 2014, the Willow Park Public Golf Course at Lake Chabot Regional Park will be operated under new interim management while the East Bay Regional Park . . .

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New Management At Vicc Seeks To Restore Reputation

New Management At Vicc Seeks To Restore Reputation

April 14, 2014
Valley International Country Club was one of the first members-only resorts in the United States, developed in a time when postcards from motels along Old U.S. 77 billed Browns ville as a . . .

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Touchstone Begins Improvements To Golf Course

Touchstone Begins Improvements To Golf Course

October 10, 2013
There were changes needed at the Battleground at Deer Park Golf Course; changes that would affect playing conditions and profitability to the city-owned course. On May 29, Touchstone Golf . . .

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Thank Dog, City's Golf Course Finally Breaks Even

Thank Dog, City's Golf Course Finally Breaks Even

October 04, 2013
At Shoreline Golf Links there are fewer geese causing a nuisance, the turf is in better shape than ever and the course has finally made a profit after several years . . .

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Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

Smiling Faces, Beautiful Places

September 2013
Customer happiness is the cornerstone of business success
Smiling FacesEveryone who has traveled to play golf has experienced the nice surprises . . .

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Golf Business Magazine

Golf Business Magazine

September 2013
Ask most operators to quantify the bottom-line effect of things like cotton hand towels in the restrooms or a golf staff adorned in tartan knickers and you'll hear a lot of claptrap about setting tone or crafting an overall experience. Almost no one can put a number on how many green fees are . . .

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With A Few Strokes, Shoreline Golf Course Comes Out Of The Rough

With A Few Strokes, Shoreline Golf Course Comes Out Of The Rough

September 2013
Just a few years ago, Mountain View City Council members debated what to do about the $700,000 they lost annually from the city’s municipal . . .

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The Turnaround Artists

The Turnaround Artists

September 2011
Sometimes it is as simple as cutting the rough. Ussually it isn't. "They've called us head-scratchers," said Steve Harker, the founder of Touchstone Golf, one of the up-and-coming - and successful - "turnour artists" of the . . .

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On The Water Front Newsletter

On The Water Front Newsletter

September 2010
The Public Service Board recently presented Dr. Bill Schlesinger with a check for $21,646.98. The funds were the proceeds from events organized by El Paso Water Utilities employees and touchstone Golf to benefit . . .

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Golf Inc. Turnaround Artists

Golf Inc. Turnaround Artists

Summer 2010
Any reputable management company can tout its ability to take a languishing course, stabilize it, and deliver positive results that stretch over a period of years. But what if that company had to compress its plan into a year, six months or . . .

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