Panther Creek Country Club

What Panther Creek Country Club does

Panther Creek Country Club is a private, member-owned equity country club located on a 400-acre site at 3001 Panther Creek Drive on Springfield, Illinois' growing Southwest side, minutes from the Illinois State Capitol. The club operates a Hale Irwin-designed championship 18-hole golf course playing to 7,286 yards with six sets of tees, complemented by indoor and outdoor driving ranges, practice facilities, tennis courts, swimming pool, fitness center, multiple dining venues (Family Grille Room, Main Dining Room, Panther Den, three private dining rooms), and clubhouse facilities. Since opening on June 6, 1992, and transitioning to member ownership on December 29, 1993 via a $4.5 million buyout, the club has served Springfield-area families, individual members, corporate accounts, and event clients across Central Illinois.

The core product platform is structured around five membership classifications—Regular Equity Golf, Junior Golf (Equity and Non-Equity, ages 21-39), Equity Social, Clubhouse/Dining, and Business Golf—each inclusive of spouse and dependent children under 26 and subject to annual dining minimums. Supporting offerings include event and wedding hosting (capacities of 20-250 guests), youth programming, and the ClubBenefits reciprocal club network via the Invited Alliance of Clubs. Technology infrastructure is limited to Jonas Club Software, which powers the club's website and iOS/Android mobile apps; no proprietary technology stack is developed in-house.

The revenue model combines subscription-style recurring membership dues and dining minimums with transactional revenue from golf operations (greens fees, cart rental, range fees), corporate outings, weddings and events, and food and beverage services. The club distributes exclusively through direct membership sales, event bookings, and professional golf tournament visibility—most notably as host of the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS, a PGA TOUR-sanctioned Korn Ferry Tour event since 2016 and contracted through 2025, having previously hosted the LPGA State Farm Classic from 2007 to 2011. The club employs approximately eight identified department heads spanning general management, finance, culinary, dining, golf operations, course maintenance, and membership, and is governed by a member-elected board structure.

Name

Panther Creek Country Club

Legal name

Panther Creek Country Club

Website

https://panthercreekcc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Panther Creek Country Club is a member-owned private equity country club in Springfield, IL offering a Hale Irwin-designed championship golf course, multiple membership tiers, dining, fitness, tennis, swimming, and event hosting services to families, individuals, and corporate members across Central Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Country Club & Golf Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Clubs & Tournament-Host Clubs (Professional/Elite Golf Clubs) (MPAKABAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Private country club
• Golf memberships
• Championship golf course
• Wedding event venue
• Country club dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Equity country club memberships including Regular Golf, Junior Golf, Social, Clubhouse/Dining, and Business Golf memberships. All memberships are inclusive of spouse and dependent children under 26 living at home, subject to dining minimums.
2. Event Hosting: Revenue from weddings, receptions, corporate meetings, parties, charity fundraisers, and golf outings. Catering and food & beverage services provided during events.
3. Dining Minimums: Members subject to dining minimums that must be met annually, generating additional food & beverage revenue.
4. Golf Operations: Greens fees, cart rental, range fees, and golf event packages for non-members and corporate outings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Panther Creek Country Club is a private equity country club operating a Hale Irwin-designed championship 18-hole golf course together with clubhouse facilities, multiple dining venues, fitness, tennis, swimming, and social programs. It sells annual memberships (Regular Golf, Junior Golf, Social, Clubhouse/Dining, and Business Golf) that include family access and dining minimums, and hosts weddings, corporate events, and the Memorial Health Championship PGA Korn Ferry Tour event.

Product overview

Panther Creek Country Club is a Private Equity Country Club offering a unified hospitality and recreation service portfolio centered on its championship 18-hole golf course designed by Hale Irwin. The core offerings consist of various membership tiers (Regular Equity Golf, Junior Golf, Equity Social, Clubhouse/Dining, and Business Golf) that provide access to golf, dining, fitness, tennis, swimming, and social facilities. Supporting services include event and wedding hosting, youth programming, and the ClubBenefits program through Invited Alliance of Clubs. The club also hosts the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS, a PGA TOUR Korn Ferry event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regular Equity Golf Membership Full-access membership providing access to the championship 18-hole Hale Irwin-designed golf course, indoor and outdoor driving ranges, the best practice facilities in Central Illinois, fitness center, tennis, swimming, clubhouse, dining, and all social events and activities. Includes complimentary bag storage and reciprocal club privileges, with spouse and dependent children under 26 living at home. Subject to dining minimums.
• Junior Golf Membership Membership for members aged 21-39 with the same privileges as Full Regular Golf membership, available in both Equity and Non-Equity options, and inclusive of spouse and dependent children under 26 living at home. Subject to dining minimums.
• Equity Social Membership Recreational membership including 6 rounds of golf per year per household, access to tennis courts, swimming, fitness center, all indoor and outdoor dining facilities, and all social events and activities. Optional heated indoor and outdoor driving range use available with an annual range fee, and golf clinic participation available. Subject to dining minimums.
• Clubhouse/Dining Membership Membership tier providing access to all dining facilities and social events and activities, including the Family Grille Room, Main Dining Room, Panther Den, and three additional private dining rooms suitable for intimate family dinners and meetings. Subject to dining minimums.
• Business Golf Membership Corporate membership available to corporations, general partnerships, limited liability companies, and sole proprietorships, customizable to fit business needs. Provides full access to the club and all amenities for employees and their household. Subject to dining minimums.
• Golf Course and Practice Facilities Hale Irwin-designed championship 18-hole course playing to 7,286 yards with 6 sets of tees, wide fairways, large putting surfaces, indoor and outdoor driving ranges, and best practice facilities in Central Illinois. Available to members and via greens fees, cart rental, and range fees for non-members and corporate outings.
• Event and Wedding Services Full-service event hosting including weddings (20-250 guests), rehearsal dinners, bridal showers, business meetings, seminars, charity fundraisers, golf outings, themed events, birthday parties, anniversaries, and reunions. Includes catering and food and beverage services in multiple dining venues.
• Youth Programming Youth activities including golf, tennis, pool activities, monthly Kids' Night Out program, Easter Egg Hunt, Kids' Halloween Bash, and Brunch with Santa, supporting family-oriented programming for member children.
• Memorial Health Championship (PGA Korn Ferry Tour Event Hosting) Hosting of the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS, a PGA TOUR sanctioned Korn Ferry Tour event held at Panther Creek since 2016 and under contract through the 2025 season.

Quantifiable outcome

• Best practice facilities in Central Illinois
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Memorial Health Championship / PGA Tour / Korn Ferry TourcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Panther Creek hosts the Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS, a PGA Tour sanctioned Korn Ferry event, since 2016. The event brings professional golf to Central Illinois and under contract through 2025 season. This partnership elevates the club's national visibility and provides exclusive access for members to watch professional golf.
• LPGA / State Farm ClassiccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Hosted the LPGA's State Farm Classic from 2007-2011 after the event moved from its 31-year home at Rail Golf Club. The event was televised from 2009-2011. The partnership ended after 36 years of women's professional golf in Springfield due to lack of corporate sponsorship.
• LRSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLRS is the presenting sponsor of the Memorial Health Championship. LRS provides sponsorship support for the professional golf tournament hosted at Panther Creek.
• Hale IrwincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGA Hall of Fame golfer Hale Irwin designed the championship golf course. Opened for play on June 6, 1992. The course plays to 7,286 yards with 6 sets of tees.
• Invited Alliance of ClubsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive membership benefit providing Panther Creek members access to a network of hundreds of private country and city clubs. Some lifestyle benefits available worldwide when traveling. Included with PCCC membership.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Bellerive Country Club: Bellerive is a premier private country club in the St. Louis region with a major championship pedigree. It is comparable on business model (private equity membership) and tournament-hosting infrastructure, though at a larger scale and larger market.
• Congressional Country Club: Congressional is a well-known private country club that hosts major golf championships. It overlaps with Panther Creek on membership model, championship hosting capability, and premium multi-amenity structure, though in a much larger metropolitan market.
• Pinehurst Resort: Pinehurst is a major multi-course resort that hosts U.S. Opens and other championships. Comparable on the private-equity country club business model integrated with tournament hosting, though with multiple courses, lodging, and resort amenities.
• Pebble Beach Resorts: Pebble Beach operates premium golf and hospitality venues including multiple championship courses. Comparable on championship-golf hospitality business model and tournament hosting, though at a much larger destination-resort scale.

Others

• Kemper Sports: Kemper Sports is one of the largest U.S. golf course management companies, operating private, public, and resort courses. Comparable as a peer in the broader private-club operating ecosystem, though primarily a third-party management company rather than owner-operator.

Direct peers

• Illini Country Club: Illini Country Club is a private country club in Springfield, IL with comparable golf, dining, and event programming, serving the same local member base and competing for the same household and corporate memberships.
• Invited (formerly ClubCorp): Invited is the largest operator of private membership country, city, and athletic clubs in the U.S. It manages Panther Creek's reciprocal Alliance of Clubs network and directly competes for private-membership dues through comparable club models nationwide.
• The Rail Golf Club: The Rail Golf Club is a private course in the Springfield, IL area that previously hosted the LPGA's State Farm Classic before the event moved to Panther Creek in 2007. It is the closest direct local competitor with overlapping golf, dining, and event offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PantherCreekCountryClub1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Panther Creek Country Club