crystal downs country club

What crystal downs country club does

Crystal Downs Country Club is a private, non-profit, member-owned country club located in Frankfort, Michigan, founded in 1927. Its core asset is a championship 18-hole golf course designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie, supported by clubhouse facilities offering dining, racquet sports, a pro shop, and a caddie program. The club operates seasonally, typically May through October, and is staffed by approximately 22 year-round and 50 seasonal employees.

The club's product is fundamentally an exclusive access and lifestyle experience: members gain playing rights, dining, and hospitality privileges on a top-tier ranked private course. Membership is invitation-only, obtained through sponsorship by an existing member, creating a self-curating social network that the club describes as spanning "Five Generations of Members." The course is consistently ranked #1 in Michigan, #11 in the United States, and #14 globally, and has been endorsed by Ben Crenshaw as an "unrealized masterpiece."

Revenue is generated entirely through the membership subscription model — initiation fees, recurring dues, and ancillary member spend on food, beverage, and guest fees. The club is a founding partner of the Alister MacKenzie Society (established 1997), and is scheduled to host the 2026 MacKenzie Gathering, leveraging its design heritage for reputational and event positioning. The club is governed by a Board of Directors elected from within the membership, with no external ownership and no capital-raising activity.

Name

crystal downs country club

Legal name

Crystal Downs Country Club

Website

https://crystaldowns.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Crystal Downs Country Club is a private, member-owned 1927 club in Frankfort, Michigan featuring an Alister MacKenzie-designed championship course ranked #11 in the US. It serves sponsor-referred members through seasonal golf, dining, and hospitality access.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Country Club

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD)

Keywords

• Private country club
• Golf course
• Club membership
• Recreational facilities
• Country club dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Private country club generating revenue through membership fees and dues from members. The club is a non-profit private organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Crystal Downs Country Club operates a private, members-only country club founded in 1927 in Frankfort, Michigan. Its core offering centers on an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie that remains essentially unchanged from its original construction, complemented by two clubhouse dining facilities, a golf shop, tennis courts, practice areas, and seasonal member social events. Access is exclusively through private membership, which requires sponsorship by a current member and approval under the club's bylaws.

Product overview

Crystal Downs Country Club is a private, non-profit country club offering a unified portfolio of recreational and hospitality services. The core offerings center around its championship golf course (ranked #1 in Michigan, designed by Dr. Alister MacKenzie), complemented by two clubhouse dining facilities (Upper Dining Room and casual dining spaces), a golf shop, tennis program, practice areas, and seasonal social events. All services are exclusively available to members and their guests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Championship Golf Course
• Clubhouse Dining Facilities
• Golf Shop

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked #1 in Michigan by Golf Digest
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Alister MacKenzie SocietyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997In 1997, Crystal Downs became a founding club member of the Alister MacKenzie Society, an international organization whose purpose is the preservation of Dr. MacKenzie's writings, course designs and related historical material. This membership reflects the club's commitment to preserving golf course architecture heritage.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Shinnecock Hills Golf Club: One of the oldest and most prestigious private golf clubs in the U.S., located in Southampton, NY. Comparable historic private club with strong member community.
• Sand Hills Golf Club: Highly exclusive private golf club in Mullen, Nebraska, consistently ranked among the world's top courses. Comparable prestige, low-member-count, and natural routing philosophy.
• Winged Foot Golf Club: Historic private golf club in Mamaroneck, NY, host of multiple U.S. Opens. Comparable classic-design pedigree, private membership model, and top-tier rankings.
• Pine Valley Golf Club: Highly ranked private golf club in New Jersey, frequently cited as the #1 course in the U.S. Comparable exclusivity, prestige tier, and member-only access model.
• Medinah Country Club: Private country club near Chicago offering golf, dining, and member events. Comparable diversified amenity offering (golf, dining, social) at a private member club.
• Augusta National Golf Club: Iconic private members-only golf club in Augusta, Georgia. The most comparable peer given its exclusive membership, world-class pedigree, and ranking among the top courses globally.
• National Golf Links of America: Prestigious private golf club in Southampton, NY, founded in 1911 with C.B. Macdonald design roots. Comparable historic pedigree, member exclusivity, and elite course ranking.
• Cypress Point Club: Ultra-exclusive private club on California's Monterey Peninsula, also designed by Alister MacKenzie. Direct design-lineage and prestige comparable to Crystal Downs.
• Seminole Golf Club: Highly exclusive private golf club in Juno Beach, Florida. Comparable elite membership tier, top-100 rankings, and referral-based membership model.

Broad incumbents

• Pinehurst Resort: Historic multi-course golf resort and country club in North Carolina. Broader scale operator with overlapping classic-design heritage and similar amenity mix (golf, dining, tennis).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 crystal downs country club