Concert Golf Partners describes itself as “a boutique club hospitality company. ‘’
It uses its own capital to fund new projects and add amenities. Also, as pointed out by Vice President of Public Relations Michael Abramowitz, “we never give an assessment.’’
That formula has worked since Peter Nanula and Susan Dunnavant left Arnold Palmer Golf to start their own company. Nanula remains the chief executive officer and Dunnavant the chief operations officer. They wanted to acquire 10 private courses at first. Now they have 37 with No. 38 soon to be announced.
This is the story of their first one, near the company headquarters in Lake Mary, Florida. It actually started as two clubs in 2011. Heathrow Country Club and The Legacy Club at Alaqua Lakes are just a mile apart. Now they are one – Heathrow Legacy Country Club.
Heathrow has an 18-hole course designed by veteran Florida architect Ron Garl. Legacy has a tricky layout designed by Tom Fazio. In between is a tennis center that once was a stop on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour. Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras and Billie Jean King.
The two clubs were purchased in 2011 and were operated separately for 10 years. Now they are one. Legacy may be the more challenging course but the late Payne Stewart was one of the first touring pros affiliated with with Heathrow. Jim Thorpe, a long-time PGA Tour regular, has been a member for nearly 20 years. Annika Sorenstam’s junior invitational has also been played there.
Legacy had the most memorable golf event, however. Tiger Woods was just a budding star in 2001 when he was recruited to do a commercial for Buick there. Woods, along with camera crews, hid in the woods behind the par-3 12th hole. When a foursome came to the tee Woods walked out and challenged them to a hole-in-one contest. No surprise, he was the closest to the hole, hitting a lefthanded 7-iron to 10 feet. The commercial became famous and Woods’ path through to the tee has been dubbed the “Tiger Trail.’’ More
