8 | Champions Retreat
“We want people to come here and not
have to feel like they have to make a deci-
sion ... if they need something, we’re here
to provide it ... if that means preparing
and serving dinner in their cottage, we’ll
do it. Or, if it is a couple who want to have
a romantic dinner on the river, we’ll set
it up, our focus is to be in tune and to be
responsive to whatever our members or
guests want and to deliver it with the true
southern hospitality that exists here.”
As the former Director of Operations
for Arnold Palmer’s golf management
company, Fitzpatrick has had the oppor-
tunity to experience some of the world’s
greatest encounters with golf, but when
he was selected as COO/General Man-
ager at Champions Retreat, he says he
immediately recognized that this was a
very special place. “From the moment I
was exposed to this environment, I knew
it had great possibilities, not only as great
place to golf, but as a great place to enter-
tain.” Over an era which has seen some
private clubs struggle to increase mem-
bership, Champions Retreat has grown to
more than 400 members, a composite that
includes professionals from some of the
