Brandon Miller, PGADirector of Golf,Clear Creek Tahoe,Carson City, Nevada
It’s easy to get distracted by the view at the Clear Creek Tahoe practice facility. It’s not marketing hyperbole when the club calls it the most beautiful in the game. But PGA of America Director of Golf Brandon Miller saw more when he was taking it in. He saw a family gathering spot where anyone at the club could come and have a good time, no matter their skill level.
A few Sundays each month, the range and short-game area at the Carson City, Nevada, club transform into a par-3 course with more than golf to enjoy. Music is playing, food and drinks are flowing, and the action doesn’t stop when it gets dark. Glow-in-the-dark balls and illuminated targets help turn the makeshift course into something between a putting challenge and a backyard party (pictured).
“We’re not asking anyone to keep score,” says Miller. “Parents can walk with their kids, friends can play barefoot. The whole point is to remove the pressure and let people connect with the game on their own terms.”
The reconceptualization was not only popular for what it offered, but also for what it didn’t require: any kind of architectural changes, capital budget or reallocation of maintenance staff. The event is basically plug-and-play.
“Transforming existing space into new experiences creates value without requiring significant capital investment,” says Miller. “Impactful innovations often come from creative thinking rather than major expenditures.”
The business case is straightforward. The Sunday par-3 program generates traffic and interest on days and hours that would otherwise be less utilized. But the return that Miller talks about most isn’t measured in green fees.
“When families associate your facility with fun, relaxed moments together, you’re building loyalty that transcends typical member satisfaction metrics,” he says. “You’re creating emotional connections to the club that extend far beyond traditional golf experiences.”
And given the challenges presented by the Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw-designed main course – which is ranked No. 2 in the state of Nevada by Golf Digest – offering a lower-stakes place for members to have fun, blow off steam and help new players get hooked is an important grow-the-game (and also grow-the-business) feature.
Miller’s advice to peers cuts straight to the practical: Walk your facility and look at it the way a newcomer would. Ask what it could be, not just what it is – or what has always been done there.
“Sometimes the best way to honor golf’s traditions is to make room for fun, and the most effective solutions often combine simplicity and a genuine understanding of what brings people together around the game,” says Miller. “Growing the game requires meeting people where they are, not where we think they should be.”
