Celebrates Drastic Improvements Since New Ownership in 2009

Clubhouse -Pictured outside of the clubhouse at the Club at StoneRidge. Inside these facilities are a pro shop, banquet facilities, meeting rooms, a bar and grill, a work-out facility, locker rooms, and a restaurant.

After talking with Dru Lammle, it would be easy to visualize him checking things off his to-do list.

New restaurant. Check. Bar and grill. Check
Ladies locker room. Check.

Office. Check.
Pool. Check.

As co-owner of Stone Ridge Golf Course, Lammle has been on a whirlwind of renovation. And even though his to-dos will never be complete, he noted that members like what they see.

Lammle has been concentrating on the clubhouse and pool, while his brother, Dave Lammle, is focused on the 18-hole golf course.

“When we bought the club 15 months ago,” Dru said, “the greens were half dead. Dave has turned them around. We immediately gave them nutrients and water to get them growing again. I have heard long-time members say the greens have never look so good. Golfers always notice the greens first. Do they putt nice? Do they hold? Are there bare spots? You won’t find those problems with Dave.

One the Green - Two couples take part in the StoneRidge Couples Golf Tournament that took place in late June. "Obviously one of the most popular of our member services is our golf." says owner Dru Lammle. "Green fees add up pretty quick for people who golf regularly, so a membership is always recommended."

“I often hear people say ‘how does that guy work so many hours?’ It is just his nature. Dave has done this all his life,” Dru added. “And he has a green thumb; he must get that from our grandma who was a wonderful gardener.”

The course has been fertilized and weed killer has been applied. It has a full-time staff of eight people who work seven days a week during the season. Great Bend native Steve Gotsche is the golf pro.

As a whole, the club employs 28 people during the golf season and 18 at other times.

While the golfers have expressed their appreciation for the revived, well-manicured golf course, Dru said he is hearing from virtually all members that the club is once again an inviting place to spend time.

“We just started in the clubhouse and went room to room,” Dru recalled. “First, we took the original lounge, renovated it and opened a new restaurant called Francesca’s, which is an Italian steakhouse.

Brunch Time - StoneRidge patrons enjoy a buffet brunch in the banquet room inside the clubhouse.

“The members have really appreciated this improvement,” Dru continued. “They like to bring their clients and families here. It is a nice, quiet place to dine in a relaxing atmosphere. It is an intimate setting.”

The JayCats Bar & Grill also has been renovated for those times when quiet and relaxing are not on the agenda. JayCats has been upgraded with new wallpaper, big flat-screen televisions, new carpet and a dance floor. The area behind the bar has also been remodeled.

“We just wanted to get it up-to-date and be more attractive,” Dru said.

Next came the ladies locker room, with new carpet, wallpaper and some fixtures. Then the office received a fresh coat of paint. The pool has also been renovated, and is now open for families and guests.

“The pool is just beautiful now,” Dru said. “We have a great staff of lifeguards who are CPR trained and certified.”

Summer Fun - Kids Splash in the StoneRidge swimming pool, located immediately behind the clubhouse. "The pool is probably one of the areas where the changes we've made are immediately evident," says Administrative Assistant Elizabeth Tomlin. "We've really cleaned up the whole pool area, and are hoping to have the concession stand back open before the end of the summer."

In addition, the on-site fitness center is now part of the membership package; there is no longer an extra fee for the facility that opens at 5 a.m. The banquet facility continues to be available for private parties and the popular Sunday brunch.

“The feedback from members has been fabulous,” Dru said. “Members are so appreciative of the improvements. I have heard people say ‘this is the first time in years that the air conditioning has worked.’ I have heard some terrible stories.”

In between remodeling projects, Dru also gave a boost to the golf and social committees. The result has been a resurgance in club-sponsored activities.

For example, the Men’s Golf League has gone from an average Tuesday night crowd of 30 to more than 50; the Ladies Golf Association has increased its membership; and the Ladies Bridge Group is meeting regularly.

Behind the Scenes -Club owner Dru Lammle works with Administrative Assistant Elizabeth Tomlin to review employee time cards during payroll processing. "There is a lot that goes into running a country club," says Lammle. "It was imperative that I bring someone in to help me on the administrative side when i'm not around, and Elizabeth is doing just that." Not pictured is General Manager Mark Hernandez.

Special events have included a member-guest golf tournament, Casino Night, Comedian Night, the New Year’s Eve Party, Super Bowl Party, Chili Cook-off and Tax Relief Day with a deejay, “which really packed ‘em in.” The Friday Summer Rib Fest will begin again soon.

“These kinds of things are important,” Dru commented. “Our members are quality people and we want to provide them with services. That is what they pay for.”

Currently, Dave is starting to update the golf course water system to digital, instead of manual; and the next goal is updating the complete irrigation system.

“We are dealing with a 40- to 50-year-old irrigation system. It is a tedious job, replacing all the sprinkler heads,” Dru said. “But we have been fortunate. We have had some wonderful rains and didn’t come close to using our water allocation.”

Pro Shop -Steve Gotsche assists a customer in the pro shop, located inside the club house at StoneRidge.

If it sounds like Dru and Dave know what they are doing, it is because they have many years of experience. They grew up in Peru, Neb., which helps them understand smaller communities. Both went to college in Peru, and then it was off to Omaha and then Lincoln, where they started in the golf business.

“Dave and I have built two golf courses from scratch,” Dru said. “One was a 27-hole public course, the other an 18-hole private. We owned and managed them both in Lincoln. I am still involved in one of them.”

The Lammles bought the club on May 1, 2009, when it had 165 members. As a result of the ongoing membership drive, that number is up to 275.

“Ideally, a private club with an 18-hole golf course would have 325 to 350 members,” Dru said. “That is a goal. Because of attrition, it is always a balancing act.”

Special membership prices are still in effect, and the Lammles are eager to talk with anyone interested in joining.

Exercise Environment - A StoneRidge patron utilizes one of the many pieces of equipment available to club members free of charge. This facility opens at 5 a.m. daily.

“We start by finding out what their needs are – whether they play golf or not,” Dru said. “They are welcome to come in and talk about the variety of membership packages. This gives us a chance to show them the facilities, and they can meet us and realize we are professionals in this business.”

The owners also are aware that their facility can be an economic-development asset to the entire community.

“This community has a need for a private club,” Dru commented. “When new businesses consider Great Bend, we are often competing with larger cities. So this is a plus, with golf, swimming, fitness, dining and social functions.

“We also are giving back to the community by donating to local charitable events,” he added, noting Stone Ridge wants to be a good corporate citizen. “When we are able to make money, we are re-investing in the facility and in the community.”

Dru’s ongoing goal is to not only know members’ names but to be able to put those names with faces.

JayCats - Club members enjoy a friendly game of poker while watching the U.S. Open on one of the four flat screen tvs in JayCats Bar & Grill. "The bar is a popular place for club members to hang out after a day of golfing," says bartender Omar Acosta. "It's a very laid back atmosphere."

“I want to get to know them and listen to what they want,” Dru said. “I want to learn about the things they used to enjoy about the club. We are simply rebuilding what they were so happy with years ago. We listen. This is not a dictatorship.”
               
               
Brief history of StoneRidge

The Great Bend Petroluem Club was incorporated in March 1951.
The clubhouse used to be located at 1318 Kansas.
The current facility was constructed in 1979, which was the same year it became an 18-hole course, instead of only nine.
Dru and Dave Lammle bought the club in May 2009; its name is now Stone Ridge Golf Course.

 

First Hand Account - John Jaco

If anyone knows about the ups and downs of Stone Ridge Golf Course it is John Jaco. He has been an eyewitness for 40 years. And what he is seeing now couldn’t please him more.

“They had a lot of problems when they took over,” Jaco said, referring to owners Dru and Dave Lammle. “The fairways were gone; the greens were in bad shape.

“They have done a marvelous job,” he continued. “The fairways are back; the greens are in great shape. And they have removed stone posts, which cut down on maintenance. They know what they are doing.”

Jaco, who joined the club in 1970, also noted that Stone Ridge is enjoying a nice increase in membership. “And it certainly needed new members,” he commented. “It has been improved enough that they will enjoy belonging again.”

While the club is important to local families, it is also crucial to Great Bend’s economic-development efforts.

“There is no question about it,” Jaco said. “When people come here thinking about re-locating, this is one of the things they look at. It is convenient and there are a lot of activities. It draws people in.”