Source: The Myrtle Beach Sun-News
TSC Golf Inc., which has managed golf courses on the Grand Strand for 11 years, has strengthened itself through a merger with Blythe Golf Group based in Charlotte, N.C.
The new company, known as Signature Golf Group LLC, will manage eight courses when the deal takes effect on Jan. 1 - including four on the Strand - and handle marketing for another three Myrtle Beach area courses.
"Together we think we bring an awful lot to the table," said Steve Taylor of TSC, now president of Signature Golf.
The new company will manage TSC courses Diamond Back Golf Club, Indigo Creek Golf Club and Wicked Stick Golf Links, as well as Cannon Ridge Golf Club in Fredericksburg, Va., River Bend Links in Tunica, Miss., Timberlake Golf Club in Chapin, Rivers Edge in Shallotte, N.C., and Palisades Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., which is scheduled to open in early December.
In addition, the company will market Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort, Prestwick Country Club and Tradition Golf Club.
"Rivers Edge is just a fabulous golf course," Taylor said. "When we marry that up with some of our other courses, we've got a great mix. It gives us a second course on the North end [of the Strand], and I think it allows us to offer a wider range and bigger variety to our customers."
Taylor, Chuck Hutchison of TSC and Skip Blythe of Blythe Golf are the principal owners of Signature Golf. Blythe is the chief operating officer and Hutchison is the director of marketing. Former owners of both TSC and Blythe Golf have a stake in the company, as do some individual investors.
Blythe is tied to the Strand through his ownership and development of Rivers Edge, and has been a partner in Blythe Golf, which has built, developed and managed courses for nine years. Taylor and Blythe became friends when Taylor was president of the Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association and Blythe attended meetings and served on committees.
"It's the right thing to do," Blythe said. "I have a lot of projects going on up here and I needed some help with Rivers Edge. We want to continue to grow. We would love to talk to any owner that feels like they need to step up their operation a little bit. Whether it's from the marketing side or operational side."
Taylor said Signature Golf is looking to expand in the Southeast market, especially the Carolinas and Georgia, and will consider courses on the Strand.
Palisades is a Nicklaus design adjacent to Lake Wylie that will open as a semi-private property and become entirely private as tennis courts, pools, an exercise facility and other amenities are built out.
Like the Blythe Group, owners of TSC have at least a minimal ownership stake in all of the courses they manage, with the exception of River Bend. Taylor said there will be few if any personnel or operational changes made at any Signature courses.
"We're just trying to improve," Taylor said. "We'll take the best from Rivers Edge and Blythe, and they'll take the best from TSC, and hopefully it will make us all better."