(Middlefield, Conn.) – Lyman Farms, operated continuously since 1741, and Billy Casper Golf (“BCG”) the nation’s fifth largest golf course operator, today announce that BCG has been selected to manage Lyman Orchards’ 36-hole golf facility located in Middlefield, Connecticut.
Under terms of the multi-year agreement, BCG will provide management services at the multi-course property including clubhouse operations, course maintenance, financial management, merchandising, oversight of food and beverage, staffing and training, and marketing and public relations.
The course adds to the company’s formidable, nationwide portfolio, which now encompasses 52 properties in 19 states and the District of Columbia. The semi-public facility is BCG’s third property in Connecticut.
“We are excited to have engaged with Billy Casper Golf to manage Lyman Orchards two outstanding, 18-hole golf courses,” says Steve Ciskowski President of Lyman Farm. “BCG was selected because of its pioneering work in marketing, golf course operations and its commitment to improving service levels for its customers.”
BCG’s primary charge at Lyman Orchards is to “reinvent” the venerable facility via the implementation of service level improvements, technological advancements, and innovative yield and tee sheet management programs. A user-friendly, online tee-time reservation system will also be instituted to improve operational efficiency and enhance the overall customer experience.
“We have an outstanding opportunity to build upon decades of success at Lyman Orchards,” says Peter Hill, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of BCG and a native of nearby New Haven, Conn. “We look forward to partnering with Lyman Farms to help it realize its revenue, conditioning and service goals.”
Lyman Orchards, set on a 1100-acre farm in bucolic central Connecticut, houses two regulation length courses designed by Gary Player and Robert Trent Jones Sr. The Jones course opened in 1969 and is the only public design credit from the legendary golf course architect in all of Connecticut.
The par-72 layout is known for being a strong test from the 7,011-yard back tees, with water coming into play on nine holes. Golf Digest rated the Jones Course as the eighth best public facility in the state in 1996, and the exigent circuit regularly hosts the state Women’s Amateur Championship as well as the qualifier for the PGA’s Buick Open in Cromwell.
The Gary Player Course, which opened in 1994, presents golfers with three distinct aesthetic flavors throughout its 6,725-yard layout: ravine, meadow and orchard holes. Whereas the Jones Course sets up well for good drivers of the golf ball, the Player Course – with its hilly fairways and numerous doglegs and blind shots -- is considered a “shotmakers” venue. Also in contrast to the Jones Course, greens on the Player Course are flat and medium-size, by comparison. The par-71 layout features a number of photo-ready holes, including the 395-yard, par 4 third hole, which requires an approach shot over a 75-foot-deep ravine to a green protected by a creek in front and two sand bunkers on the right. This Signature course represents the only Player design in New England.
Golfers can hone their skills at the Lyman Orchards Golf Academy under the tutelage of GOLF Magazine Top 100 instructor and “peak performance” expert T.J. Tomasi. Tomasi and his experienced staff train students of all skill and experience levels at Lyman Orchards’ state-of-the art practice facility. All classes are conducted with a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio, providing highly personalized lessons and game improvement plans.
For tee times and more information on Lyman Orchards golf courses or Golf Academy, call 888.99.LYMAN, or visit www.lymanorchards.com .
About Lyman Farms, Inc. and Lyman Orchards
One of America’s oldest family-owned farms, Lyman Farms, Inc. is the purveyor of Lyman Orchards -- an 1100-acre property located amid the pastoral charm of the Connecticut River Valley. Lyman Orchards is world-renown for its award-winning, commercially grown fruit, including apples, peaches, pears, pumpkins, blueberries, and raspberries. Over 40,000 apple, pear, and peach trees grace the farm’s rolling hills and guests are invited and encouraged to “pick-their-own” produce throughout the growing season. Or, visitors may choose to purchase fresh goods at the Lyman’s Apple Barrel Market – home to Connecticut’s best Apple Pie (as voted by readers of CT magazine) and year round events for the entire family. Nestled within this beautiful setting is The Lyman Homestead, an historic home of gracious proportions. Home to generations of the Lyman family of Middlefield, the Homestead is available to host special events or corporate outings. Built in t! he 1860's, the Homestead is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Any event or outing can be complemented with rounds of golf on Lyman Orchards two outstanding, 18-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones and Gary Player.
