Coldwater Golf Links

What Coldwater Golf Links does

Coldwater Golf Links is a privately held, traditional links-style 18-hole championship golf course located at 1400 South Grand Avenue in Ames, Iowa. The facility serves individual recreational golfers, families, and seniors through a combination of daily green fee play (weekday 18-hole rates of $38, weekend $44) and annual seasonal pass memberships across Individual, Senior (65+), Family, and Family Senior tiers (priced $1,595-$2,790 before tax). The course is independently owned and locally managed by General Manager Barrett Randall, Course Superintendent Rob Lindsay, and Equipment Manager Ben Noland. Coldwater operates a hybrid go-to-market model combining direct-to-consumer tee time booking (via ForeUp Software), self-serve gift card e-commerce, and full-service event planning for corporate tournaments and charity outings.

The business generates revenue across six distinct streams: green fees, cart and equipment rentals ($14-$18 for motorized carts), seasonal pass subscriptions, driving range token sales, gift cards ($25-$100 denominations), and group outing/event services. Marketing and distribution are executed through a digital and community-based mix: an Instagram presence, a YouTube channel featuring hole-by-hole aerial flyovers, an online storefront, and an active event programming calendar. The facility hosts recurring men's and women's leagues, The First Tee of Central Iowa junior development program, and a portfolio of charity outings (Trice Legacy, Fairways for Futures, Mid-Iowa FCA). Coldwater has been selected as host for multiple Iowa Golf Association state championships and USGA qualifying events between 2004 and 2025, and received Golf Digest's 4-Star Best Places to Play rating in 2009, anchoring its reputation as a championship-caliber regional venue. The company is a single-location, non-tech, service-based business with no parent company, no disclosed funding, and no public listing.

Name

Coldwater Golf Links

Legal name

Coldwater Golf Links

Website

https://coldwatergolf.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Golf Course Operations

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Public golf course
• Golf memberships
• Golf tournaments
• Corporate golf outings
• Junior golf programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Green Fees: Revenue from daily golf play charges for 9-hole and 18-hole rounds, with weekday rates of $27 (9-hole) / $38 (18-hole) and weekend rates of $32 (9-hole) / $44 (18-hole). Twilight rates also available.
2. Cart and Equipment Rentals: Per-round cart rental fees charged on a per-seat basis. 9-hole cart rental at $14, 18-hole at $18. Push/pull cart rental at $8.
3. Seasonal Golf Pass Memberships: Annual/seasonal membership subscriptions providing unlimited golf course and driving range access. Individual passes from $1,595-$2,190, Family passes from $1,895-$2,790, with senior discounted options available.
4. Driving Range Revenue: Range token sales at $6 for 30 balls, and punchcard option at $110 for 10 baskets.
5. Gift Cards: E-commerce sales of gift cards in denominations of $25, $50, and $100 through the online store.
6. Group Outings and Tournament Services: Full-service event planning and execution for corporate tournaments, fundraising events, and private group outings. Revenue generated through tournament packages and event fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Coldwater Golf Links operates a traditional links-style 18-hole championship golf course in Ames, Iowa, offering daily green fee play, annual seasonal pass memberships, cart and driving range rentals, and gift cards. The facility provides full-service event planning for corporate tournaments, charity outings, and private groups, hosts weekly men's and women's leagues, runs The First Tee junior golf program, and serves as a championship venue for Iowa Golf Association and USGA qualifying events. Golf instruction services are offered on-site.

Product overview

Coldwater Golf Links is a traditional, links-style golf course offering a comprehensive suite of golf services. The core offerings include daily green fee play (weekday and weekend rates), annual Seasonal Golf Pass memberships in multiple tiers (Individual, Senior, Family), gift cards in $25/$50/$100 denominations, and golf instruction. The facility hosts major championships including the Iowa Junior Amateur and Iowa Senior Amateur, and provides group outing/event planning services. Seasonal league programs for men and women, plus The First Tee junior development program, round out the recreational offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Green Fees Daily green fee access for 9-hole and 18-hole rounds, with separate weekday ($27/$38) and weekend ($32/$44) rates and twilight pricing available for individual recreational golfers.
• Seasonal Golf Pass Membership Annual membership providing unlimited golf course and driving range access with priority and exclusive tee times, offered in Individual ($1,595-$2,190), Individual Senior ($1,690), Family ($1,895-$2,790), and Family Senior ($2,195) tiers.
• Cart and Equipment Rentals Per-seat golf cart rentals at $14 (9-hole) and $18 (18-hole), plus push/pull non-motorized cart rentals at $8, available to golfers without their own equipment.
• Driving Range Services Driving range ball purchases at $6 for 30 balls individually or $110 for a 10-basket punchcard, available to golfers for practice.
• Gift Cards Prepaid gift cards sold in $25, $50, and $100 denominations through the online store for use toward golf services and merchandise.
• Group Outings and Tournament Services Full-service event planning and execution for corporate tournaments, fundraising events, charity outings, and private groups, providing staff, facilities, and customized tournament coordination from planning to production.
• Ladies League Weekly women's golf league with individual stroke play format, random teammate pairing, and weekly skins competition; $50 one-time league fee plus $20 weekly (includes greens fee and skins).
• Men's League Weekly men's golf league with Thursday tee times beginning at 2:00 PM and weekly skins competition; $50 one-time league dues and $20 weekly per person (includes green fees; cart additional).
• Iowa Junior Amateur Championship Hosting

Quantifiable outcome

• Host of Iowa Men's Senior Amateur Championship (2025)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• The First Tee of Central IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver The First Tee Summer Certification program for junior golfers ages 7-18. The program teaches The First Tee Life Skills Curriculum including Nine Core Values, Golf Skills, and Nine Healthy Habits. Session runs from July 13-31 on Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Troon: Global golf and club-management company managing more than 600 courses; broad incumbent whose daily-fee, membership, and tournament-event business models mirror Coldwater's core revenue streams.
• KemperSports: Northbrook, Illinois-based golf, club, and sports-management company operating more than 100 courses nationally; comparable as a broad incumbent monetizing green fees, memberships, and tournament events at owned/managed facilities.
• Arcis Golf: Large U.S. golf-course owner-operator managing more than 60 private, resort, and daily-fee clubs; a broad incumbent whose daily-fee and tournament-event revenue mix is a scaled analog of Coldwater's course operations.
• Invited (formerly ClubCorp): Network of more than 160 golf and country clubs in the U.S.; comparable at the membership- and event-driven business-model level even though its mix skews more toward private clubs than public daily-fee.

Emerging players

• Topgolf: Off-course golf-entertainment venue operator competing for casual golfers, leagues, and corporate events - the same segments Coldwater serves through its leagues and group outings, but via a fundamentally different delivery model.

Direct peers

• Finkbine Golf Course: Public 18-hole University of Iowa-affiliated course in Iowa City offering green fees, memberships, and league play; structurally similar to Coldwater's daily-fee plus membership model.
• Cog Hill Golf & Country Club: Well-known public 18-hole facility near Chicago hosting PGA Tour, USGA, and amateur events; directly comparable at the daily-fee-plus-championship-event business-model level for a Midwest public course.
• Otter Creek Golf Course: Public 18-hole course in Ankeny, Iowa (greater Des Moines area) with a green-fee, membership, and event model that directly mirrors Coldwater's daily-fee plus seasonal-pass offering in the same state.
• Spirit Hollow Golf Course: Public daily-fee 18-hole course in Burlington, Iowa with green fees, memberships, and tournament revenue comparable to Coldwater, making it a direct in-state regional comparable.

Regional players

• Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa: Multi-course Midwest golf resort in Galena, Illinois combining championships, lodging, and group outings; a regional Midwest peer that competes for the same destination-event and corporate-outing demand.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCmtUrGh5V-ZqLe19wGPYfpQ
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/C-aHYccuZNk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coldwater-golf-links

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Coldwater Golf Links