Century Enters Management Game

Dallas, Texas – Former ClubCorp president Jim Hinckley formed Century Golf Partners, a golf investment company created for the purpose of acquiring and managing country clubs and daily fee golf courses throughout the United States. Hinckley also announced the creation of a golf investment partnership between Century Golf Partners and Walton Street Capital, a private real estate investment company based in Chicago.

Over the last three months, Century Golf Partners and Walton Street Capital have together acquired two portfolios consisting of 34 golf courses across Texas and the northeastern U.S. The portfolio contains both private country clubs and daily fee golf facilities, generating in excess of $100 million in total annual revenues. GE Commercial Finance Real Estate provided the financing for all of the golf course acquisitions.

Century Golf Partners also acquired the exclusive worldwide rights to the Arnold Palmer Golf Management brand and will operate its courses under the Arnold Palmer name.

“I am delighted to be moving forward with Jim and his team,” says Arnold Palmer. “They are true golf professionals who improve the golf experience at all of their courses. They’re great for the game.”

The principals of Century Golf Partners are Hinckley, Greg Adair, and former ClubCorp executives Ken Story and Larry Galloway. Together with a team of 2,300 field personnel, Century Golf Partners manages its 34 owned courses as well as eight additional courses on behalf of third-party owners.

“We chose the name Century Golf Partners for a reason,” Hinckley says. “Our approach is truly one of partnership – we partner with our members and customers, we partner with our employees and we partner with our investors. We are determined to deliver a superior golf experience for our members and customers.”

As for the future of Century Golf Partners, Hinckley says he will be “strategic and opportunistic” in the deals he’s looking at.

“We will continue to be focused on looking for good opportunities and helping the existing courses achieve all they can,” he says about driving revenue and getting the courses to full capacity.

According to Hinckley, his company is interested in getting involved in ownership or partnership ventures, not just short-term management agreements.


Century Golf Partners properties