Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Nastalski.
Hi Dave, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
My wife, Elyssa, and I opened Dogwood in August of 2018. I had a PGA professional background and would handle the golf operation. She had a communication & PR background and would tackle branding, design, member relations, and outreach.
We dumped our life savings into the project, along with maxing out every credit card we owned! We started out by buying two TrackMan golf radar units and some initial merchandise inventory. Then we up-fit every inch of the space ourselves to save on startup costs. Given some uncertainty with the timing of a potential sale of the building, our initial lease was only for 90 days. We took another big chance and signed it anyway.
Fast forward 3.5 years, and because of our loyal members and guests, along with a strong and growing demand for our services from indoor golf to private instruction and events, we are blessed to say we’ll be opening a new location in the coming months of 2022.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I’d say much of our journey has been smooth because we always try to take everything as a learning experience. You always have the option to view obstacles as opportunities. But 2020 was definitely tough for us (as it was for nearly every small business) with COVID shutting us down for several months. This was probably the biggest challenge we’ve faced since opening. Indoor golf wasn’t exactly at the top of everyone’s list as COVID surged.
And the pandemic unfolded right smack dab in the middle of Elyssa’s pregnancy with our first child. We did our best to take advantage of the extra time at home and we also adopted the pivot mentality for the business. We’re still using some of that new direction today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Dogwood Country Club is an indoor golf facility in the heart of downtown Raleigh. We specialize in full swing golf simulation, private instruction, and events, along with offering a curated selection of retail merchandise. While swinging with us, guests can enjoy our beer and wine menu, including a selection of rotating locally brewed drafts.
We do offer membership, but we also welcome public play with hourly rentals. And Dogwood is as much a great place for beginners who are just getting comfortable with the game as it is for avid golfers who want access to the best technology in the world for practice and game improvement. For those interested in private one-on-one instruction, I offer a full game analysis ($225) as the starting step to lesson-taking membership.
From there, I tailor a game improvement package specific to the client’s goals and put a plan in place to help them achieve it. Lesson-taking membership is currently waitlisted, but folks who are interested in signing up can visit us here: https://www.dogwoodcountryclub.com/pages/total-game-evaluation.
One of our brand pillars is congeniality. We want every type of person from every walk of life to feel like they belong with us. We’ve aimed to kick all the old, stuffy, pretentious country club stigmas to the curb. There’s no dress code. We play upbeat music. And we’re 100% locally and independently owned.
Another of our brand pillars is community. We love to host other local businesses for team building or client events. And at the same time, we’ve loved partnering with local charities.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Never underestimate the power of grit and heart.
Pricing:
- Hourly Simulator Rental (Mon-Thurs before 5p) $40/hr
- Hourly Simulator Rental (Peak – Evenings, Weekends + Holidays) $55/hr
- Golf Membership – 6 months, $350/mo
- Golf Membership – 12 months, $300 /mo
- Lesson Taking Membership – Price Varies, Contact DWCC For More Information
Contact Info:
- Email: raleigh@dogwoodcountryclub.com
- Website: www.dogwoodcountryclub.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/dogwoodcountryclub
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/dogwoodcountryclub
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/dogwoodccRAL
