PRESIDENT’S LETTER

Dear Members,

A few years ago, Private Clubs magazine commissioned a survey to attempt to quantify the impact of the ongoing civic, charitable, and environmental causes of clubs and Members. I say “attempt” because the process became overwhelming. There were as many faces and facets of this force for good as there were clubs and Members. The effort did result, however, in a story that highlighted certain of these “noble causes,” which had few commonalities other than the heartfelt caring of individuals.

Because this issue of the magazine focuses on honoring the American spirit, it is an appropriate time also to pay tribute to the heroic, giving spirit of our Members throughout ClubCorp’s clubs and resorts. We might never be able to properly measure or recognize how our clubs and Members improve their communities. But I know the cumulative impact is huge.

For example, there is a story in the “Clubs & Members” section about John and Pat Reynolds, Members of Monarch Country Club in Palm City, Florida. They cut the ribbon earlier this year on the expansion of an idea first spawned by the couple in 1997. That’s when they discovered that a large number of children in Martin County did not have sufficient clothing for school. In 2001, their 4-C Club (Caring Children-Clothing Children) made a difference in the lives of more than 3,000 children.

If this illustration is a laser of light, so to speak, imagine the brightness when the results are magnified.

Heroes and their noble causes have long been the mainstay for literature. In his many writings on the topic, Joseph Campbell defined a hero as “someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” You — our Members — make the heroic journey part of the everyday world. In the process, you enrich your own and others’ lives. You create fulfilling connections at your clubs and within your communities. And you infuse all of us with a tremendous Pride in Belonging. This Pride in Belonging is the essence of a truly fine private club.

I am moved by your kindness, courage, sacrifice, and passion. You make a difference. As a result of your efforts, our clubs are part of a higher calling — the noble cause. As I look to the future, I see unlimited opportunities to leverage our noble causes. If we could connect the Members of all clubs like we connect the Members of an individual club, imagine what could be accomplished.

Robert H. Dedman Jr.
President and Chief Executive Officer
ClubCorp