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Looking Foreward to a Golden Future SHORTCUTS AT LARGE 78 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 6 O ne of the jewels in the Monterey Peninsula golf crown is getting a thorough burnishing by new owners and two powerhouse hospi- tality and golf players. Assistant General Manager James Kellogg and Director of Golf Chuck Dunbar bring decades of experience to their new positions at Nicklaus Club Monterey, the club formerly known as Pasadera. The future was bright indeed in 2000, when the first golfer teed off on the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course and then relaxed in its $24 million clubhouse. But as it did to much of America, the general economic down- turn of 2007/08 took its toll on this magnificent facility. Membership fell from a high point of 350 to the low 200s. The B word (bankruptcy) float- ed around; at one juncture, Donald Trump was in negotiations to purchase the property. Hainan Airlines Group (HNA), a privately owned Chinese airline con- glomerate, added Pasadera to its portfolio in 2010. It was rebranded as Nicklaus Club Monterey three years later. "This is the only private club HNA owns," Kellogg says. To bring the club back to its former luster, HNA brought in Kellogg and Dunbar. Both have impressive resumés. Kellogg comes to Nicklaus Club from the top spot at Tehama after a career that included lengthy stays at the Peninsula's most respected hospitality properties. For 16 years, Dunbar held what is probably the most enviable position in the world of golf: Head PGA Professional at Pebble Beach. But Kellogg is quick to point out that the Nicklaus Club's renaissance is a team effort. "We work closely with General Manager Bryan Liu," he says. "And we have a fantastic staff, many of whom have been here since the club opened." Take a world-class golf course and clubhouse with every imaginable amenity in a sunny Monterey location and stir in a top-notch management team. What do you have? A recipe for success. For more information, take a virtual tour at www.ncmonterey.com. — Michael Chatf ield Nicklaus Club Monterey, formerly known as Pasadera, is in good hands with (from left) Assistant General Manager James Kellogg, Director of Golf Chuck Dunbar and General Manager Bryan Liu. The new owners and management are making improvements to the club. Photo: Kelli Uldall