Thesis, Graduate (Master in Management)--University of the Philippines Mindanao, April 2006.

Confidential.

Branded as "Keeper of the faith" by Robin Moyer's Golfing Philippines, Lanang Country Club (LCC) has been in the golf business for almost three decades. It is owned by a family corporation established in the late 1950s. Years of being in the business show efforts of family members directed at keeping the land, not at expanding the business. LCC?s competitive advantage is its location. It has stood at the heart of the city for 28 years. Along with the corporation's traditions and culture, LCC has kept employees who have been with the company since the construction of the course. All these create a familial ambience at the club which should make the members comfortable and feel as if they are playing in an extension of their homes. Since its inception, LCC has been operated by family members. Its values are deeply rooted; policies and procedures have barely changed over the years while members of the older generation keep tight reins over the organization. While LCC has remained unmoved by the change in times, the game of golf has evolved tremendously. The number of golfers as well as courses is expected to increase over the next couple of years. A bright future for the sport is predicted as Davao region's GRDP and the number of tourists in the area increase. These are factors that encourage golf course operators to continue improving their clubs and offer better services to their members. However, the crises that have struck the country have allowed for the growth of other sports that are less expensive. Further, tournament sponsors have been more cautious with spending leading to fewer tournaments in clubs. This paper aims to develop a strategic plan for LCC based on the abovementioned facts and forecasts. The Corporation's personnel contributed most of the information needed for the study, while some data were gathered from company documents, the internet and books on golf in the Philippines. Professor Miguel D. Soledad's framework was used as a model in discussing the formulation, implementation and evaluation of the strategy. The strategy entails going into a business venture with a developer and operator to build a hotel on the available land surrounding the course. This will be a realization of family's initial plans of constructing a hotel on the property. More importantly, this addresses the owners' aversion to debt as no loan shall be made to carry out the plan. One major consideration in the formulation of the strategy is the family's value of stability. The owners have almost always taken a conservative stand on business decisions and undertakings, thus an alternative with the least risk involved will have a better chance of being accepted and implemented.