might be 15-under. If they want to get them up to 12, then it might be 10-under. Either way they’ll have a great time out there.” His father is less concerned with what the final scores may turn out to be than you might think. “The winner might shoot 16 or 18 under, which is fine with me,” Miller says. “It’s not one of these funky courses where you’re hitting 3-woods or hybrids off the tees. The pros are going to love just letting it go. It’s kind of a course where Tiger in his prime would win every year. There’s nothing tricky about it. And we’re not going to grow U.S. Open rough. The main thing is I really want people to enjoy the Napa Valley, the food and wine, even the scent of the beautiful oak trees on the course.” Changes have been taking place off the course at the resort as well. Renovation of the rooms was the top priority of the new ownership group, even more so than the golf course project. “The feedback we received at the start was that the facilities were great, but the rooms needed a little love and attention,” said Geesey. The bulk of that work is now complete, with approximately 300 of the 400 rooms updated, with work on the remaining rooms to start later this year. In the historic Mansion building (originally the home of Civil War general John F. Miller—no relation to Johnny) that serves as the resort’s centerpiece, renovations of both ballrooms and meeting space have been completed. The resort also has a full-service spa, tennis courts and multiple swimming pools. The courses became part of the Troon Golf portfolio in 2010. “I feel we have the best agronomic team around and get the most out of every dollar that we spend,” says Geesey. “That comes through when you see the course. It looks like a completely different facility now. Our attention to service means we treat people like they are walking into our home. And because we have 630 members, we have to blend member service with resort guest service. That means recognizing what each of our customers is looking for when they come here.” That long gap between PGA Tour events has created a strong local interest in this year’s Frys. com Open. “You don’t have to have a PGA Tour event here to make the Napa Valley what it is,” says Geesey. “But for the community and people who live in the area, having the tournament means more than I can describe. There was a sense of pride when tournaments were played here before. To see that come back is wonderful.” No one would agree more than Miller, who has watched the resort evolve through many stages over the past forty-five years. “It’s just one good thing happening after another since we purchased it,” says Miller. “I’m very excited to show people what we have.” This article originally appeared in Troon Golf & Travel Magazine (troongolf.com). Johnny MIller FRYS.COM Tournament Info Dates: October 8-12 Defending Champion: Jimmy Walker DAILY TICKETS ($35-$45) • SEASON TICKETS (Weekly - $175) DAILY HOSPITALITY TICKETS ($90) • YOUTH TICKET (14 and under - FREE) For information tickets/info, call the tournament office at 408-487-4653 (ITS-GOLF). TELEVISION COVERAGE: Golf Channel will broadcast all four rounds TITLE SPON SOR: Fry’s Electronics, founded in 1985 and headquartered in San Jose, California, is a privately owned retailer with 34 nationwide locations. CHARITY: In 2013 alone, the event donated $1 million to charity. Since the tournament’s inception in 2006, over $6 million has been given to deserving charities. A primary beneficiary is the American Institute of Mathematics (AIM), a non-profit currently based in Palo Alto, California. S E P T E M B E R / O C TO B E R 2 0 1 4 25
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