The Citrus Club

The Challenge

When The Citrus Club needed to separate from the iconic La Quinta Resort & Spa into a standalone entity within the PGA WEST portfolio, Century Golf Partners led one of the most complex transitions in club management – designing a new model that preserved legacy, confidence, and member pride. The club faced unique complexities:

  • Structure required creativity, as separating from the resort demanded a new ownership and operational model without disrupting member continuity
  • Membership stability was at risk, with concerns about preserving the club’s legacy and maintaining member confidence during the transition
  • Identity needed to be honored and refined – complementing the broader PGA WEST portfolio while ensuring The Citrus Club remained distinct, with its own sense of pride and belonging

Century Golf Partners was charged with creating both a business model and a cultural foundation that would position Citrus as a premium, member-first club – thriving independently while strengthening the overall PGA WEST family.

 

"Positioning The Citrus Club for long-term success required a thoughtful and deliberate strategy. We transitioned operational and management responsibilities away from the La Quinta Resort while maintaining a valuable relationship that continues to provide meaningful benefits for our Members. At the same time, we focused on celebrating The Citrus Club as a distinct and vibrant Club, while ensuring that Members also enjoy the expanded opportunities that come with being part of PGA WEST. This balanced approach has been essential to creating the strong and thriving Club we have today."

- Ben Dobbs, Executive Director

"Since Century Golf commenced managing The Citrus Club, the members have rediscovered our identity. Compared to previous owners and managers, Century Golf has enhanced the operations and properties of the Club. The members now appear confident and are excited about continuing future investment in golf and other facilities. The members are considerably happier and proud to be members of The Citrus Club - distinct within PGA WEST, yet proudly part of its legacy."

- Pat Williams, Citrus Club ABG President

The Century Solution

The Citrus Club logo with an orange C and green leaf, alongside blue text reading The Citrus Club.Century’s creative solution went beyond operations – it redefined how a member club could evolve without losing its soul. Century Golf Partners designed a creative, one-of-a-kind ownership and operational structure to bifurcate The Citrus Club and PGA WEST from the La Quinta Resort and Spa, preserving operational integrity and financial stability. Following the separation, Century’s Arnold Palmer Golf Management arm was engaged to lead operations and elevate the member experience through both strategic and cultural transformation.

The team focused on three priorities:

  • Reinforce pride and belonging by converting the club to Membership by Invitation Only and deepening engagement through thoughtful programming and communication
  • Enhance facilities and amenities with new bocce courts, a covered patio expansion, updated furnishings, and refreshed landscaping
  • Elevate the member experience through curated events and lifestyle programming that reflected Citrus’s premium and distinctive position within the PGA WEST portfolio

 

The Results

  • Membership grew to 400 Full Golf Members with a 25-member wait-list
  • Member pride and brand identity strengthened, establishing The Citrus Club as one of the most coveted memberships within PGA WEST

 

The Legacy

At Century Golf Partners, creativity and experience come together to solve the industry’s toughest challenges – transforming complexity into enduring performance.

 

 

Four hands clink drinks together at a table, with a smiling woman in sunglasses in the background.
People play bocce ball outdoors on a sunny day while others relax in white chairs under palm trees.
Group of people playing bocce ball outside a Spanish-style building on a sunny day.
A chef serves fresh pizza from an outdoor wood-fired oven to a man holding a young child.
A person putts on a green at a golf course with palm trees and a large clubhouse in the background.
People dining outdoors at a restaurant patio, with two people standing and talking, and a server approaching.
Two people smiling and enjoying drinks at an outdoor restaurant, sitting by a fire pit.
Three older adults sit at an outdoor table, smiling and holding drinks during a social gathering.
Palm trees and houses by a calm lake with mountains in the background under a blue sky with clouds.
A resort with white buildings, palm trees, and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
A golf course with sand bunkers, green fairways, palm trees, and mountains in the background under a blue sky.
Green golf course with palm trees, water, and houses, set against a backdrop of rocky mountains under a blue sky.
A sunny golf course with green fairways, sand bunkers, trees, and mountains in the background.
A golf course with sand traps, a pond, palm trees, houses, and mountains under a blue sky.
People dining and socializing on a sunny outdoor patio with mountain views in the background.
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