Mahoning Country Club Focuses on Renovations
GIRARD, Ohio – 2018 marks the 120th year for the Mahoning Country Club in Girard. Founded in 1898, the club operates one of the oldest golf courses in the Mahoning Valley with nine of the original holes still in play, says David Ezzo, course manager.
2018 also marks the 75th year of the Ezzo family owning and operating the club, he notes.
Ezzo’s father, John, bought the golf course in 1943. The 1,300-seat banquet hall was added in 1968 after fire destroyed the original clubhouse. That year the club became a public facility.
John, now 96, retired in 2007, at which time David took over the golf operations and daughter Susan the office and banquet operations. Today the Ezzo family’s third generation is poised to oversee operations.
Ezzo calls his son Greg the “go-to guy heading up the renovation projects,” with son Nick managing the new restaurant.
“Since my father’s retirement, we have continued to update the facility in several phases,” Ezzo says.
The first project was the banquet hall exterior, he explains. Next was constructing new lakes on the seventh and 18th holes. Then came a complete renovation of the golf clubhouse with construction of the Albatross Bar and Grill.
“This year, our main goal is improving the golf course,” Ezzo says. “New tee construction continues as well as our plans for a new pump station and an outdoor patio for the restaurant.”
The Mahoning Country Club employs 15 full-time and 25 part-time workers, according to Ezzo.
Since 2007, banquet sales are up 75%, and golf is “steadily coming back after 15 flat years,” he reports.
“2016 and 2017 have been our best years in golf with weekend sales near capacity. Depending on weather, 2018 should be our best year yet,” he predicts.
Editor’s Note: This story was published in The Business Journal’s Growth Report 2018. The 144-page edition features growth reports from more than 200 local businesses and organizations. It was published this week. If you are not a subscriber, CLICK HERE to purchase a copy or call Eileen Lovell at 330 744 5023 Ext. 1008.
Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
