Dalhousie's GM accepts new post in California

Dalhousie Golf Club prepares for its second annual American Junior Golf Association stop down one key person, but club officials believe they have a good template from which to build.

Andy Deiro, the general manager for Dalhousie for 3 years, began his new duties as director of guest services for Indian Wells Golf Resort in California on June 21.

Both courses are managed by O.B. Sports Golf Management, which is based in Arizona.

"We've been talking about this transition period for quite a while," said Cord Dombrowski, the founder and managing member of Dalhousie Golf Club.

Deiro managed the course through a period of growth as facilities such as the practice area, the member cottages and eventually the clubhouse were added to a golf course that has ranked among the best in the state of Missouri since its opening.

"All along the way, we were defining membership services," Dombrowski said. "Andy did us well."

He takes on a similar project of growth at Indian Wells, a city-owned resort complex in the Palm Springs area that features two golf courses and four luxury hotels. The courses recently completed major renovation projects with Clive Clark working on the Celebrity Course, which hosted the Skins Game last year and will again this November; and John Fought redesigning the Players Course, which will host the Skins Game in 2009.

Deiro said the price tag on the project was $80 million, and Indian Wells will have a soft opening for its new clubhouse Aug. 1.

"The clubhouse, good heavens, is maybe the finest I've seen in my life," said Deiro, who has worked for O.B. Sports for 17-plus years with the majority of those in Las Vegas. "It's 53,000 square feet of spectacular architecture. Breathtaking."

Deiro's new mission is to "train and direct all levels of staff in creating a great golf experience for locals and resort guests," he said.

During Deiro's time at Dalhousie, he helped provide a top-flight experience for junior golfers who took part in the 2007 AJGA tourney stop, which was the circuit's tournament of the year.

Dombrowski said plans are moving forward for this year's event, scheduled for Aug. 11 to 14.

"We had good documentation from last year," he said. "Last year was like going to the fair for the first time and trying to find your way around. Now we know where to go first, where to go second. Our intention is to do at least about what we did last year."

Dombrowski said sponsorship details are being finalized, with Montgomery Bank among those committing again. He said Dalhousie staff is contacting junior-am participants and hole sponsors as well.

Dalhousie again will have six exemptions for the AJGA event. Poplar Bluff's Trent Hillis, the champion of the SEMO Conference tournament, grabbed one of those spots.

Dombrowski expects a qualifier event to determine at least some of the other local exemptions, though one has not yet been scheduled.

"We had some exceptional play from juniors in state competition, and we're taking that into consideration," Dombrowski said.

As for the search for a new GM, Dombrowski said there is no timetable on that. He said O.B. Sports is conducting a national search, and it likely will bring Dalhousie officials a finalist group of about five candidates for consideration.

The golf course should be alluring.

"The golf course at Dalhousie -- I'm biased in a way -- but it's so great," Deiro said. "I'll always miss Dalhousie, no matter what. I had a great 3 years."