KemperSports’ expansion into Ohio marks 18 total new deals

KemperSports has expanded its footprint into Ohio by adding the management of four Columbus, Ohio-area public golf courses to its portfolio.

The company has partnered with the City of Dublin to manage The Golf Club of Dublin and with Bayberry Capital to manage New Albany Links and Bent Tree Golf Club. KemperSports was also retained by New Era Golf to operate Royal American Links.

The four facilities give the company a total of 18 new golf and sports facilities management deals this year.

The state of Ohio outpaced the national increase in rounds played by recording a 5.8% increase in 2021, a year where there were more than 14.9 million rounds played across the Buckeye State, according to the National Golf Foundation.

Jeremy Goldblatt, executive vice president of managed and leased services at KemperSports, said the company will be doing normal upkeep like fixing cart paths and bunker work detailing for the four properties.

“The golf experience is quite high at all four courses, and we want to keep that consistent,” he said. “Daily fee golf is really the heart of what we do.”

KemperSports will also bring innovative junior programming and golf instruction initiatives for players of all skill levels, and will look to drive community outreach and engagement by revitalizing each facility’s programming calendar and bringing more community events and live entertainment.

“These locations are engrained in their communities,” Goldblatt said. “We’re really excited to be joining this market. Columbus has a great golf history.”

Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, said in a press release, that they look forward to working with the local communities to enhance the golf experience for all participants and to continue to grow the game in the Columbus area.

“Ohio and the Columbus area is one the country’s great golf markets, producing some of the world’s greatest players and serving as a host to prestigious events,” Skinner said. “We recognize this valued heritage, and we are excited to enter its golf scene with these four premier courses.”