"Crystal Clear Vision in Haverhill"
FROM North Shore Golf and Tennis Magazine

Unlike some developers who delve into the golf course business and talk big but never deliver, Mike Maroney has put his money where his mouth is — and delivered.

Since purchasing Crystal Springs Golf Club and 50 buildable adjacent lots in golf course-happy Haverhill in February 2010 for $3.7 million, the 59-year-old Maroney has impressed the region’s golfers and real estate agents with the progress he has made in his grand plan remake of what is now Crystal Lake Golf Club. In tough economic times no less.

“We’re ecstatic with what we’ve accomplished in a short period of time,” Maroney says. “We made major strides in improving the golf course. We’re on schedule to build a new clubhouse for 2012, and we’ve sold 12 of the 16 Cape Cod-style homes available in the first phase of our residential project.”

Maroney has a new head golf professional in Peter Vlahos, formerly of Bradford, and a new course superintendent in Jerome O’Donnell, who moved across town from nearby Renaissance. O’Donnell has directed, with Maroney’s input, the relocation of No. 12 tee and the reconstruction of No. 12 green; the rebuilding, with new drainage, of all 19 bunkers on the back nine; the rebuilding of six tee boxes; the removal of one fairway bunker on that side; the current rebuilding of all front nine bunkers; the rebuilding of the fourth and fifth holes, one at a time, with the new par-5 fifth becoming the course’s signature hole along Crystal Lake.

The club’s water supply is favorable – a major factor these days in the successful operation of the golf course. Maroney has an irrigation pond with two artesian wells as backup. That and Mother Nature should keep the course in fine condition.

“This work will make the course better defined and more playable in every respect,” Maroney says. Tied in with the construction of a new $1.4 million clubhouse/pro shop/office area, featuring a tavern that can accommodate 100 and a function room that can handle 200, Maroney wants to make the club’s 50th anniversary in 2012 special. The late, great George Gelt founded Crystal Springs as a nine-hole enterprise in 1962. The current clubhouse has a full liquor license and sells sandwiches and snacks. The new clubhouse will have a full menu, as well as sandwiches.

“There’s no better time than now with the milestone year coming,” Maroney said.

Maroney has additionally acquired 60 new gas-powered golf cars.

The element that’s making this venture work for Maroney, who has been in the construction business for 34 years, is the home building. He has sold the aforementioned 12 homes and lots, located adjacent to the 13th and 14th holes, accessible via North Broadway, for between $460,000 and $580,000, somewhat under his original prices, but necessitated by the struggling economy of the past three years.

“I’m fortunate we have found buyers who like the concept of housing near the fairways,” Maroney said. “They also like that we are not ‘over-55’ restricted and that we provide snow removal and lawn care for a $150 monthly fee.”

The homes, with two or three bedrooms and lofts, average 2,200 square feet of living space, the lots 8,000 square feet. Once he sells the remaining four homes, Maroney will move on to Phase II, which will consist of 14 homes located on the old driving range, followed by 18 parcels in Phase III in the same general area. He hopes to build a new practice area after that.

Maroney is grateful for the loyalty that past Crystal Springs members and the enthusiasm that public golfers have shown to the new management of the semi-private facility. “We had 120 members in 2010. We’re approaching 200 at this point in 2011,” Maroney said. “We had 20,000 rounds last year. We’re up maybe 5 percent this year. We’re encouraged.”

Crystal Lake is a family affair and then some. Mike’s wife, Michelle Watts, administrates the business side of the operation. Their two daughters are currently involved, too. Nicole, 23, a graduate of Johnson & Wales, is the club’s business and marketing manager and looks forward to managing the new clubhouse function activity. Colleen, 21, works the food and beverage division.

“We hope the girls stay with us,” Mike says, “but if opportunity takes them elsewhere, we’ll certainly understand.”