Source: The Arizona Republic
Mike White and David Ashton were longtime partners even before escrow closed on their latest venture.
The two men, who recently acquired The Golf Club at Johnson Ranch in the Santan Foothills, have been friends since the age of 11.
Back then, it was backyard football. Today, they run a golf course.
"It's been a good relationship," White said. "We've been playing together since we were young. Now, with my golf background and his financial background, it's a great combination."
The tandem formed the Swing First Golf Corporation with the sole purpose of joining the golf game together.
They had played Johnson Ranch more than 10 times over the years, and when it went on the market, it became the perfect fit.
"It was a course we enjoyed," said White, a Gilbert resident. "It's in a nice setting and great community. When we found out it was available, we went after it pretty hard."
White, the club's general manager, and Ashton, the president and managing member, brought in Jeff Lundgren as the director of golf. They have been running the place for about three weeks.
Now that the overseeding period is done, the course is in fine shape.
"Everything is going well," White said. "The response has been overwhelming, and we're learning something every day."
White, who attended Brigham Young University along with Ashton, has managed golf courses in the Phoenix area for more than 10 years, including time spent at Pepperwood in Tempe, Desert Sands in Mesa and Country Meadows in Peoria.
There are no immediate plans to do much to the Johnson Ranch course, which is an 18-hole, par-72 championship course close to 7,200 yards in length.
That's because the desert design offers dramatic elevation changes, blind tee and approach shots with plenty of bunkers and water.
There will be changes to the grounds, though, as a club pro shop will be built with groundbreaking scheduled for next summer.
"The permanent facility will feature a larger indoor retail and restaurant area," said Ashton, a Peoria resident. "There will be an expansive covered patio that seats up to 150 people."
Additionally, the club plans to offer a golf academy and several junior programs run by Lundgren.
"Swing First hopes to build a strong relationship with local schools and community centers to make the game more accessible to young people," White said.
Eventually, Swing First would like to acquire three or four more properties. Until then, it will concentrate on Johnson Ranch, five miles east of Ellsworth Road at Hunt Highway and Bella Vista Road.
"We're excited to become part of such a vibrant and fast-growing community," White said.
"Our primary goals are to make the course a centerpiece in the community and to continue to provide an outstanding golf experience for players of all skill levels."