Recipe to a viable business -with fun and sophistication.
A story of triumph around the active & prosperous.
A little over 25 years ago when I was at the height of my career at Morgan Stanley in Chicago, I had a prominent client called Mr. L which at the time was the richest man in Switzerland. He made his money in a listed company before my time -and I met him at his owned Castle-golf course, along lake Geneva.
By no accident I was practicing green puts one day and he gave me a few hints. After I introduced myself and told him whom I worked for, he asked to meet up before I left to the US. We had a nice chat in his office the following Monday. To which he just said he would be in touch.
During that 3-4 hour private charter flight (which I had to expense on my own AMEX Platinum Card, as his own normal green card got rejected -of course he promptly reimbursed me), Mr. L. explained to me how he will “make many more millions all around the snobbism of golfers”.
Aged nearly 65, Mr. L. already owned or partnered with a couple of high end courses and was just then expanding into Spain. The whole concept was how to cherish around affluent golfers and meet up with many whom loved being around him, the magnetic billionaire. [In the meantime Mr. L gave me close to 10 mill US$ to manage in US stocks, just like that. Later he told me, he always liked me.]
Such successful trips encompassed exclusive private stays at his Villas/Castles/Chalets/Ranches he held/owned and/or maintained. All tastefully decorated/furnished/different and with character around prominent residential sites near a signature golf course. No two where the same, nothing the sort like just plain vanilla abodes.
Priced expensive for groups of select dozen couples to get together for high class golf outings in fashionable destinations around the Western world (to start primarily in Switzerland, USA and Spain). One I attended was in Morocco N. Africa and it was as unrestrained as an affair as I ever can remember. Most golf courses of course he did not buy, only paid the green fee for his paying guests.
Golfers are mostly older, have money, want to get better in what they do, beyond sitting around -or bloating in fancy cruise ships. They spare no expense to gather together in exclusive places among their exclusive groups -and in/for what they view as healthy desires. It’s a “like meet like”, in Shangri-La’s.
It’s more then a name-dropper, elitist gathering with the gala event as it encompasses the sportive twist… memories to be shared among similar high zone active folks. On top, it’s a big money maker to the iconic & charismatic figure whom puts it all together.
Mr. L went on to become the celebrity as it came to be just as he first told me. An undertaking of fun, sport and social entanglement to the rich. Just as I left for Thailand, he told me I am always welcome at his numerous estates even while he never developed this in Asia due to his advancement in age. I wonder what would have happened to me had he done this here with me at the helm?
I think something similar could be undertaken in resorts like Phuket around the variety of great golf courses here, besides the very international expanding airport about to double in capacity. Not for me, as I never turned into the golfer nor the grand social entertainer -instead keep on looking for a few good Thai stocks.
Best Regards to all Members,
