Author: Larry Wright

As General Manager of DragonRidge Country Club, I have seen the club forge ahead through some exciting boom times, and also some challenging times such as the housing recession in 2008 that impacted so many in southern Nevada. Our valley is resilient, and so are our Members. They have indicated they are every bit as excited to get past this COVID-19 hurdle, as those of us who work at the Club. Together, with our collective determination and commitment to safety, we are moving forward, as quickly as possible, to the day when DragonRidge Country Club will be fully reopened. Here is a brief timeline of the unusual events that have defined our operation this Spring:

• Governor Steve Sisolak announced that all non-essential businesses must close by Wednesday, March 18, 2020.
• All gyms, restaurants, and clubhouses were required to close.
• Restaurants were allowed to deliver food or have curbside pick-up only. Thus began our first ever DragonRidge Curbside To Go operation.
• Golf courses were allowed to stay open under strict guidelines such as only one rider per golf cart, mandatory, proper distancing, no common elements on the golf cart such as coolers, scorecards, sand and seed bottles, etc.
• Tennis courts stayed open with players exercising proper spacing of at least 6’ apart, using sanitized equipment with no touching or shaking hands allowed.
• On Friday, April 10th, the Governor closed all golf courses in Nevada, in response to some public courses not following social distancing guidelines.
• On Friday, May 1st, the Governor allowed golf courses to reopen with additional safety guidelines established.
• On Saturday, May 9th, Nevada restaurants were permitted to open with 50% occupancy and proper social distancing.

As you might imagine, these unpredictable openings and closings have made it challenging to operate efficiently and follow any kind of business model. With each state responding to their own Governor’s mandates, it’s been nearly impossible to find any clear-cut business plan to follow, in order to serve our Members, maintain proper staffing levels, and promote or market services and events with any kind of cohesive strategy.

Other operational difficulties have emerged in the supply chain. Vendor services such as food, liquor, and beverage distribution have significantly been impacted. Most vendor suppliers keep inventory at anticipatory levels, but the COVID-19 crisis has made it difficult for them to manage inventory without taking losses. Furthermore, outside contractors, such as repair services are closed or have limited operation. It has been challenging for us to schedule necessary service and repair appointments, assuming contractors are even taking jobs.

Despite the uncertainty and turmoil this has caused, we have been more fortunate than many businesses in that we remained open, in some capacity. Our first ever Curbside To Go operation saw a bustling volume of business. We also have been able to continue offering valuable services to Members eager to get out of their homes and enjoy sports that naturally lend themselves to social distancing.

Throughout this response to the COVID-19 crisis, we have concentrated on what we can control. First and foremost, our number one priority has been to keep Members and staff safe by rigorously cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting all common areas. We have followed, and in many cases exceeded, the CDC guidelines for Health and Sanitation. Every day we monitor employees’ temperatures, provide protective gloves and masks, and promote overall good hygiene and sanitizing practices throughout our operations. As the summer progresses, we anticipate we will be able to gradually return to a more normal semblance of Club life. We are grateful to our members for their patience and persistence, as they have continued to support the Club. We truly are “in this together” and look forward to the day we can host one of the best celebrations this community has ever seen in honor of the 20th Anniversary of DragonRidge Country Club.

Larry Wright

General Manager

DragonRidge Country Club