Chris Keiser
Integral member of a family team
It is not surprising that Chris Keiser makes his living in golf. After all, he has been around the game most of his life. The youngest of four siblings, Keiser was 10 years old when his father, Mike, opened the industry-altering Bandon Dunes course in 1999. And through his teens and mid-20s, Chris watched his dad expand the family business, adding several other layouts to that retreat as well as creating the Sand Valley resort in central Wisconsin.
In addition, the elder Keiser, who made his first fortune in the greeting card business, helped other entrepreneurs establish golf resorts in places as far-flung as Tasmania (Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm) and Nova Scotia (Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs).
So, it was not unexpected that Chris and his older brother Michael would adhere to many of the same principles that had made Bandon the gold standard of modern course development when they joined the family business. Minimalist designs fashioned on sand-based sites that are open to the public, emphasize walking and are as fun to play as they are interesting for golfers of all skill levels.
What is remarkable about the now 37-year-old, however, is how he and Michael are also doing many things their own way.
While the senior Keiser has assiduously avoided building or selling real estate on his properties, for example, his progeny have been only too happy to make that a part of their resorts. Provided, of course, that the housing does not affect the design or routing of the layouts.
(From left) Chris, Michael and Mike Keiser
courtesy Mike Keiser
The lads have also added offbeat recreational elements, such as an outdoor hockey rink, swimming pools and grass tennis courts at Sand Valley, which they purchased from their dad when construction on the first course began in 2016. And they seem to move at a more rapid rate, not only in expanding the golf offerings at Sand Valley to now include 101 holes, but also in developing entirely new golf complexes in Colorado (36 holes at Rodeo Dunes), Texas (two 18-hole tracks at Wild Spring Dunes) and Florida (an 18-holer called Old Shores).
The apple may not have fallen very far off the tree initially. But it has since rolled down the hill a bit, with rather impressive results.
Born and raised in Chicago, Chris Keiser left the Windy City for Georgetown University after graduating from another Jesuit institution, Saint Ignatius College Prep.
“I met my wife Biz there and played on a very mediocre golf team,” said Keiser, who is now raising three young children with her.
“(My dad, Mike Keiser) never directly said, ‘Come work for me.’ He’s a Tom Sawyer figure, and he simply tried to show Michael and me how much fun he was having with golf as he also encouraged us to do our own thing.”
chris keiser
He majored in government and minored in math. And once Keiser received his sheepskin from Georgetown, he went into education himself, teaching sixth grade for two years at an all-boys Jesuit school on Chicago’s West Side and coaching baseball, basketball and track.
“All the students were on scholarship and testing way below their grade levels when they started,” he said. “I loved the mission but eventually wanted to go to work for my dad.
“He never directly said, ‘Come work for me,’” Chris added. “He’s a Tom Sawyer figure, and he simply tried to show Michael and me how much fun he was having with golf as he also encouraged us to do our own thing.”
Interestingly, Keiser’s kids ended up doing both, and at the same place.
Chris started by revitalizing Bandon’s online store, which he describes as being “the graveyard” of the company’s retail operation when he took it over. It wasn’t long before sales quadrupled.
Keiser’s job description changed dramatically when the family started building at Sand Valley and then developing their other golf properties.
“Michael and I do different things for the company, which makes sense because we have very different personalities and skill sets,” said Chris, who is based in Chicago but makes frequent visits to the different courses and resorts to stay in touch with what is going on at those places and how their customers are enjoying them. “Michael has carved out the golf architecture and course development space for himself. And I am more involved in marketing and branding as well as operations, making sure the guests are as happy with the resorts as they are the golf and that we keep getting better.”
Keiser says he is also a partner at Bandon Dunes as well as Sand Valley and works closely with his dad at the original resort.
“We are a family but also a team,” Chris said.
And one hell of a team at that, with the youngest of that squad being a very integral part.
John Steinbreder
