From Father to Daughter

Tami Longaberger carries on the Longaberger tradition of quality service started by her entrepreneur father and founder of Longaberger Golf Club.

By Bob Denney, PGA of America

NASHPORT, Ohio (PGA.com) -- J. W. Longaberger used to hike through the woods near Dresden, Ohio, to find hardwood trees that could be hewn into splints for making baskets.

One of his 12 children, Dave Longaberger, learned the craft well and would go on to continue his father's legacy by building a direct-selling company of 5,700 employees who form today's premier makers of handcrafted baskets.

Dave Longaberger's vision to build his company extended to tourism and recreation. That vision resulted in Longaberger Golf Club, one of the nation's premier public-access golf facilities.

Longaberger lived to see the course bearing his name completed on some 450 of the expansive 950-acre property in north central Ohio. He died on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 1999, two months before the Arthur Hills-designed layout opened its doors to the public.

"Everything about my father was about making sure that everyone had the opportunity, whatever it may be: working in a business, selling the products, and this is certainly true for our golf course," said Tami Longaberger, the oldest of Dave's two daughters and who is chief executive officer and president of The Longaberger Company.

"Public access and daily fee is an important part of this golf course. This is a business about opportunity for everyone, and that certainly is abundantly clear in the golf world when you come to this golf course. Not only is it acceptable, it is a great quality course.

"There are a lot of great courses in Ohio, but we like to think that we are the best course everyone can play."

Longaberger Golf Club was the 24th course in the world and the first public course in Ohio to achieve the Audubon International Signature Status for environmental sensitivity.

"He would be so pleased; he would be so proud of the staff," said Tami. "He would be proud that there were so many fine golfers on the course and saying the nice things about the course."

Director of Golf Danny Ackerman guides a staff at Longaberger Golf Club that services golfers from April through October 31. The course averages 20,000 rounds annually, and it remains a difficult tee time for two reasons: tee times run at a comfortable 12-minute interval, or five groups per hour. And, Longaberger Company independent home consultants book their customers to fill some 75 percent of the available tee pairings.

Through it all, the popularity of golf, the success of a company and the upscale treatment or all visitors, Longaberger Golf Club fulfills Dave Longaberger's dream.

"He was a visionary," said golf course architect Arthur Hills of Toledo. "Dave wanted the course to be built as well as it could be. I wish he could be here today to enjoy the fruits of his vision."

Longaberger Golf Club General Manager Mike Kaido remembers accompanying Dave on many tours of the property.

"Dave wasn't a golfer, but he did have a feel for the land," said Kaido. "I remember him looking at the area that is now the No. 3 hole, which is about as natural a setting for a hole that you can get. He said to me, 'Even I know that a hole goes here.'

"Dave loved building things, and was the truest definition of an entrepreneur that you can find. He saw the success of things and the possibilities long before we did."

Ackerman said Dave Longaberger was "a regular man, a man whose handshake was his word and the way he did business. Many of his biggest deals were sealed by the handshake."

During a visit to the PGA Club Professional Championship's Junior Golf Clinic, Tami Longaberger wore a big smile as she watched her 12-year-old son, Matthew, participate in the program.

The scene brought back memories of her youth when she would greet her father at the door after he returned from a nine-hole adventure at River Greens Golf Course in nearby Coshocton.

"I remember him coming in the door and he didn't have his golf clubs," said Tami. "I asked him, 'Dad, where are your golf clubs?' He said he was so frustrated with his game that he threw them into the river.

"Although he mastered the business world, he succumbed to the challenges of the game."

Dave spent time with Hills to arrive at what is today a challenging, yet fair test of golf for players of all abilities.

Tami said the Longaberger Golf Club impression extends well into the business world.

"We are quite proud of our basket-making business, we've been around 31 years. I was at a dinner in Washington, D.C., with primarily businessmen a couple weeks ago. The man seated next to me ran well over a 100 billion dollar business. He saw my name plate and said, 'Are you associated with that country club?'"

Longaberger Golf Club is the permanent home course to two high school teams and a junior high school team. Golf clinics and other programs are offered by Ackerman's staff for any school that asks.

A second 18-hole course, designed by Tom Weiskopf, has been laid out on the property. But its construction is on indefinite hold, Longaberger said, due to the economy.

"It's been tough economic times," said Longaberger. "We've had our ups and downs on the business side. We have a commitment to our employees, too. As we're looking at ways to make that business better, that will give us the opportunity and the money to do the second course.

"One thing about this course that I'm proud of is that it is an Audubon International Signature Sanctuary course. I think it was the first one in Ohio. We would hold a second course to that standard as well."

J.W. Longaberger's hikes through the woods of Dresden many years ago eventually led to a profitable family legacy. His granddaughter, Tami, now takes her own hikes at Longaberger Golf Club.

"I would love to play the game, and I would want to get lessons to play well," she said. "When this course is closed from November to April, it's where I spend a lot of time walking. I love it out here."

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