Bespoke golf and leisure management consulting company Azalea Hospitality is reaching out to golf course owners in the Asia-Pacific region, including Malaysia, that are interested in leasing or selling their properties, or are on the lookout for investors.
“The golf business is an extremely competitive marketplace, and it is our mission to help golf club owners who wish to retain ownership of their property but may be looking at new alternatives rather than operating their facility at a loss,” said the company’s founder and managing director, David Townend.
“In addition to the option of leasing, we aim to assist owners who either have plans to sell their facility, or are considering investors to assist with redeveloping,” he added.
Townend noted that many golf facilities are currently “fighting for their existence”.
“Much of the market cannot compete without engaging expert help, adopting economies of scale, and implementing modern data-driven best practices. Accordingly, owners who are self-aware that their club is under-performing, and recognise that current tactics are not optimal are welcome to open preliminary discussions with us,” he said.
While leasing of golf clubs is not a common practice in this region, Townend reiterated that it is an attractive option for those who are looking to retain ownership but minus the operational and bottom line headaches.
“Leasing of golf clubs is not widely available in this region, but is an ideal option for club owners who are looking for relief from the stresses and risks of operational execution, and would value guaranteed cash flow as the value of their facility appreciates over time.
“We see that owners for varied reasons are not interested in the daily stress of running operations, and would prefer a long-term passive revenue stream from their asset, whilst still enjoying ownership,” he stressed.
Widely regarded as one of the leading golf management experts in Asia, Townend has spent the past 30 years developing and operating award-winning facilities across the Asia-Pacific region, including his current capacity as general manager of the highly-rated Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand. Prior to establishing Azalea Hospitality in 2016, he was engaged by management groups such as Starwood Hotels & Resorts, IMG and Troon Golf, to develop and manage their golf-related facilities.
In February this year, Townend was elected as vice-president of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
