Author: Trevor Dennett, BSU student
About The Course
Squirrel Run and Village Links Golf Club is a company located in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The owner is Timothy Carey, who is a Titleist Performance Institute Certified Professional. He runs golf operations at both courses, along with the golf academy, Caranci Academy, that he runs in the off seasons. The late Charlie Caranci is the grandfather of Mr. Tim Carey. Charlie was a developer who built and established a golf course business that his family could run and love for many years.
Why did they enter the business?
Mr. Carey informed us that his grandfather wanted to enter the golf industry because it had a strong connection through their family. The development of the course ended in September of 1992. While interacting with him during our short conversation I asked what he would have done differently if he could go back in time over 20 years? When asked Mr. Carey mentions “The Academy building is located too far back off the main strip, shorting the driving range possibilities it has. But with the team we have working here, we are doing more developing to rearrange the driving range to the full potential it has.”
The driving range next to course, the Caranci Academy is the family’s driving range, with a gym, indoor putting room and 360-degree camera to analyze players’ swings. When asking him to elaborate on what improvements they are making on this driving range he continues with “the academy is becoming public soon with an indoor driving range bay and more”. When asked he stated the toughest thing they had to go through during the process of developing the course was keeping the course at a small size due to the amount of acres they had to work with.
If a customer was to choose between your course and three others, why would they choose yours?
Mr. Carey elaborated on how Village Links is an executive course, while the other course, Squirrel Run, is a small course meaning it is lower in price and a good course for all ages. When asked what his number one way to bring in customers he stated, “Our professionals we have on staff run a Junior League to help young golfers start their careers off strong, with the junior league fee these golfers get a discount at our course, allowing a continuous cycle of players. We also have multiple leagues that take up over two and a half days of tee times total, keeping a consistent group of players along with new players joining the clubs.”
How has the internet played a role in your business?
Squirrel Run and Village Links golf course share a website, linked below, but also use a cite called GolfNow. Mr. Carey continued his interview by stating “Yes, it is a platform where you can pre-book tee times at a discount at each course. Golf Now allows around four tee time discounts at each course a day.” When asked how the internet can play a larger role in the company he mentioned that Golf Now could coordinate lessons along with the tee time purchased.
Your future at the course!
Six months from now the goal is to have both the courses stay filled up with tee times and soon to have The Caranci Ademy a full-time lesson center with swing speed training, workouts, range balls and more.
Squirrel Run
Website: https://www.golfatsquirrelrun.com/
Phone: 508-746-5001
Address: 32 Elderberry Drive Plymouth
Facebook: Squirrel Run Country Club
Village Links
Website: https://www.golfatsquirrelrun.com/
Phone: 508-830-4653
Address: 265 S Meadow Road Plymouth
Facebook: @VillageLinksGolf