The Links At Lighthouse Sound

What The Links At Lighthouse Sound does

The Links at Lighthouse Sound is a privately held, single-property 18-hole championship golf course located in Bishopville, Maryland, minutes from Ocean City. Opened in 2000 under Ruark Golf ownership, the course sits on a 1,000-acre site featuring 10 holes bordering pristine marshlands, the longest cart bridge in the United States at approximately 1,500 feet, and the only consecutive holes in America playing to the same 16,000-square-foot double green. The property has earned recognition including a Top 100 Golf Courses You Can Play designation from Golf Magazine and self-claimed ranking as Maryland's #1 golf course.

The company generates revenue through five primary streams: daily green fees with dynamic, demand-based pricing that includes cart, range balls, GPS, and tax; tiered annual memberships ($2,500 Single, $2,850 Family, $3,200 Family Plus); TaylorMade club rentals at $65 per 18 holes; on-site food and beverage operations at The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound, including weddings and corporate events; and bundled stay-and-play vacation packages distributed through a partnership with Ruark Packages. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via a self-serve online booking platform, phone reservations, walk-in play, and gift card sales, supplemented by cross-property Ruark Golf network packages.

Technology deployment is conventional: GPS-enabled ProLink systems provide yardage, hole graphics, pace-of-play tracking, and on-cart F&B ordering, while dynamic pricing tools support yield management. Customer segments split between individual and family members, casual public golfers, and Ocean City vacationers. The business operates as part of the Ruark Golf network alongside sister courses Nutters Crossing, Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links, and GlenRiddle Golf Club, with shared marketing, package deals, and unified booking infrastructure. Headcount sits in the 11-50 range, consistent with a single mid-sized golf facility.

Name

The Links At Lighthouse Sound

Legal name

The Links at Lighthouse Sound

Website

https://lighthousesound.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Links at Lighthouse Sound operates an 18-hole championship golf course in Bishopville, Maryland, near Ocean City, serving individual golfers, families, members, and vacationers via daily green fees, memberships, dining, events, and Ruark Golf stay-and-play packages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Golf Course / Recreational Sports Facility

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Golf Courses and Country Clubs (71391)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Championship golf course
• Public golf play
• Golf memberships
• Stay and play packages
• Golf club rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Bishopville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Green Fees with Dynamic Pricing: Daily green fees including cart fee, range balls, GPS, and tax. Rates vary by day of week (weekend rates apply Friday-Sunday) and are dynamically priced based on demand.
2. Golf Memberships: Annual membership programs including Single ($2,500), Family ($2,850 for married couple with children under 17), and Family Plus ($3,200 for married couple with children under 30). Membership provides access to Maryland's #1 golf course with priority tee times.
3. Equipment Rentals: Taylor Made rental clubs available for $65 per 18 holes.
4. Food and Beverage: On-site restaurant and bar offerings, including The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound. Dinner vouchers included with Ruark Special packages.
5. Golf Packages and Stay & Play: Partnership with Ruark Packages for bundled golf vacation packages including accommodations and multiple course play.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Links At Lighthouse Sound operates a single 18-hole championship links-style public golf course in Bishopville, Maryland, near Ocean City. Revenue is generated by selling tee-time play (green fees and memberships), bundling golf with partner hotels into stay-and-play packages, renting clubs and carts, and operating an on-site restaurant and bar plus a pro shop. The course is distinguished by coastal links design, an approximately 1,500-foot cart bridge spanning coastal waterways, and a back-to-back double-green configuration.

Product overview

The Links at Lighthouse Sound operates as a single-property golf resort offering an 18-hole championship golf course as its core product, supplemented by dining services, membership programs, vacation packages, and seasonal specials. The course opened in 2000 and is recognized as Maryland's #1 golf course, featuring distinctive elements including America's only consecutive holes playing to the same double green and the longest cart bridge in the United States. The property is managed by Ruark Golf alongside sister courses including Rum Pointe, GlenRiddle Golf Club, and Nutters Crossing, with offerings coordinated through centralized booking and package systems. Technology features include GPS-enabled ProLink tools for player assistance and dynamic pricing for tee times.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 18-Hole Championship Golf Course Play (Green Fees) Public-access round of golf on the property's signature 18-hole links-style course with signature holes spanning coastal waterways via the longest cart bridge in the United States and featuring the only back-to-back holes playing to the same double green. Sold per round to individual golfers, families, and groups.
• Annual Golf Memberships Recurring membership product that grants individuals and families preferred tee-time access, member rates, and member benefits at The Links At Lighthouse Sound.
• Stay & Play Golf Packages Bundled vacation offering that combines one or more rounds at The Links At Lighthouse Sound with lodging at a partner hotel in the Ocean City area, designed for destination golfers from outside the immediate region.
• Lighthouse Restaurant & Bar On-site clubhouse dining and bar service offered to golfers, members, group outings, and walk-in diners as part of the overall golf-and-hospitality experience.
• Golf Equipment Rentals Rental of golf clubs, golf carts, and related equipment for players who do not bring their own equipment, supporting casual public players and traveling golfers.
• Pro Shop Merchandise On-site pro shop retailing golf apparel, accessories, and equipment for visiting golfers and members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 100 golf course ranking by Golf Magazine
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ruark GolfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuark Golf is the parent company/ownership group for Lighthouse Sound. The Ruark family acquired the property in the late 1990s. Ruark Golf operates multiple golf courses in the Ocean City, MD area including Nutters Crossing, Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links, GlenRiddle Golf Club (War Admiral and Man O War courses), and Lighthouse Sound. Shared marketing, package deals, and unified booking systems.
• Ruth's Chris Steak HouseminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partnership included as dinner voucher option with Ruark Special packages. Guests who play 3+ Ruark courses receive dinner vouchers redeemable at Ruth's Chris Steak House or The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound.
• Audubon SocietyminorOthersLighthouse Sound has joined the Audubon Society and is pursuing certification as a fully certified Audubon Sanctuary. Partnership focuses on protecting the property's unique ecosystem including salt marshes, native forests, freshwater ponds, and tidal pools.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Troon Golf: Largest third-party golf course management company in the world, operating hundreds of premium public and private courses. Provides the broadest benchmark for premium public-course operating economics, dynamic pricing, and F&B/event revenue mix similar to Lighthouse Sound.
• KemperSports: Major U.S. golf and hospitality management company. Operates destination and resort courses comparable to Lighthouse Sound's positioning and provides an industry benchmark for memberships, stay-and-play packaging, and event-driven revenue.

Direct peers

• Baywood Greens: Public championship course in Long Neck, DE within ~30 miles of Ocean City. Targets the same Delaware/Maryland coastal golf-trip demographic with comparable green-fee and membership pricing tiers.
• Bear Trap Dunes Golf Club: Public golf resort in Ocean View, DE. Comparable coastal Delaware/Maryland golf-trip offering with package play and similar premium pricing structure.
• Rum Pointe Seaside Golf Links: Sister course under Ruark Golf in Bishopville/Ocean City, MD. Premium public-access bayside course sharing the Ruark Special and Triple Crown package network with Lighthouse Sound — directly comparable on geography, customer base, and pricing structure.
• Eagle's Landing Golf Course: Public-access course in Berlin, MD in the Ocean City market. Directly comparable on customer base (regional public golfers and resort visitors) and membership/fee structure.
• Bayside Resort Golf Club: Jack Nicklaus-designed resort course in Selbyville, DE near the MD border. Competes directly with Lighthouse Sound for Ocean City-area stay-and-play vacation golfers.
• Nutters Crossing Golf Club: Ruark Golf sister course in Salisbury, MD. Public-access mid-Atlantic course participating in the same Ruark multi-course package distribution — overlapping customer base and pricing benchmarks.
• Ocean Pines Golf Club: Semi-private course in Ocean Pines, MD (minutes from Ocean City). Local golf-trip competitor with public play and memberships, targeting overlapping Maryland/Delaware golfer demographic.
• GlenRiddle Golf Club (War Admiral & Man O War): Ruark Golf sister property in Berlin/Ocean City, MD. Two 18-hole courses bundled together with Lighthouse Sound in the Triple Crown package; same membership and stay-and-play ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Lighthouse-Sound-Golf-Course/140954089296740
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/links-at-lighthouse-sound

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 The Links At Lighthouse Sound