Over the past year we have identified “experience-based” clubs as one of the growth areas within the destination club industry. A prime example is the fly-fishing-themed Spring Ridge Club. The club’s founder and CEO, Donny Beaver (photo, below), recently took some time to share his unique vision.

How did The Spring Ridge Club come to be?

In the 1970s, I noticed two major changes in the landscape along my favorite trout streams in Pennsylvania – developments and subdivisions, and “No Trespassing” signs.

By the late 1980s, I decided I wanted to do something to prevent development and gain access to these trout streams. At first, I leased access from private property owners as a hobby for my family, friends, and business associates. In 1995, I decided to approach the acquisition of blue ribbon trout streams as a full-time business.

We built a lodge and received our Orvis fly fishing endorsement in 1998. After a few years of operating a lodge and outfitting business, I realized that acquiring trout streams was going to require a business model that was more self-sustaining than a typical outfitting business. So in 2000 we began to research the private golf club industry as an analog for our fly fishing club.

We launched Spring Ridge Club in September 2001.

Did the Spring Ridge Club represent a need that you noticed was missing in the industry?

Yes, there were scores of trout-fishing clubs in Pennsylvania that had been established over the past 100-plus years. However, there were three things missing:

1. All of these clubs had a full complement of members with long waiting lists…if you could get nominated at all
2. All of these clubs operated from a “fixed base” with a limited amount of stream…usually from one to five miles of stream per club
3. Not conveniently located – many of these clubs were in remote places

My idea was to conserve an ever-expanding portfolio of gold-medal trout streams across Pennsylvania. As the number of miles of streams expanded, so could the membership roster, thereby allowing for more members to join and help conserve more waters. Finally, I wanted to find trout streams conveniently located to where my prospective members live and work, rather than in remote locations.

What are the biggest challenges facing The Spring Ridge Club today? How about two years from now?

Today it is sprawl. Our mission is to provide private fly-fishing experiences near to where our members live, work, and play. Unfortunately, many of the great trout waters are being overtaken by development. It’s no wonder that developers and their clients are naturally drawn to prime waters.

Two years from now it will be sprawl plus rapidly increasing costs to own the underlying lands. We are in the business of buying and conserving properties with very limited development. Our goal is to conserve 80% to 100% of the Club’s properties.

We constantly compete against developers who can build 300 retirement condos along a mile-long stretch of trout stream and charge a premium because of the location. This drives the riparian land values through the roof. Fortunately, our members are extremely conservation-minded and are willing to help underwrite the costs of buying and conserving these irreplaceable properties.

Paint the picture of a standard getaway for a Spring Ridge Club member. How does the experience in residence differ from that offered by other destination clubs or private residence clubs?

The principal difference is the fact that our key asset is a portfolio of trout streams, not a group of luxury homes. Our members all come from very busy and successful careers and they have access to luxury living at home and on vacation. We offer a portfolio of private outdoor sanctuaries as our primary amenity. Our secondary amenity is our cabins and cottages that are “rustically comfortable” and perfect for your fly-fishing retreat.

Since many of our trout stream properties are near to members’ residences, workplaces, and vacation homes, overnight accommodations are not as critical to member satisfaction.

You advertise the club as “conservation-minded”. Tell us about some of the steps you’ve taken to cultivate that value in the club’s organization and among your membership base.

During the interview process with prospective members, we ask them to share their conservation goals with us. The vast majority of our members are already active in land trusts and other conservation-oriented organizations. Also, the Club has a very active Conservation Committee made up of members and staff who constantly monitor our fisheries and surrounding lands.

In addition, we have formed a partnership with about 1/3rd of our most conservation-minded members to participate in the purchase and preservation of trout streams. It’s called Rural Conservation Partners.

Finally, at the heart of our club is the catch-and-release ethic we practice 365-days a year. By returning the fish to their natural environs, we are teaching conservation every moment.

What do you personally love most about the club?

I love the fact that we have our eyes focused on future generations of conservationists. We are teaching our kids and grandkids to be wise stewards of our natural resources and to stand in the gap against the onslaught of development.

Why should a consumer choose your club over the competitors’?

Our main competitor is Father Time not other fly-fishing destination clubs. Our primary goal is to offer world-class fly-fishing destinations near to where our members live, work, and play. A prospective member should choose us because we have built our entire experience [around] offering to help them redeem the maximum amount of their precious time.

What changes or improvements would you like to make to the club now or in the future?

In addition to adding more top-quality streams to our portfolio, our plan is to offer an ever-increasing array of conservation-oriented experiences for all members of our families.

What is the background experience of the senior management team and how is that relevant to the business?

Every key associate in the business has been involved in fly-fishing for decades as biologists, guides, outfitters, [or] fish culturalists. In addition, we have all spent at least ten years in the hospitality industry.

Due to the fact that all the key employees love fly-fishing, we are uniquely qualified to offer the very best experiences to our members, families & guests.

What would be a sign of true success for you with this company?

To leave a lasting legacy of trout streams conserved in perpetuity.

Beaver’s commitment to delivering a great experience is reflected in The Spring Ridge Club’s member satisfaction. Read what members are saying about the club.