Golf Lodge And Function Venue For Sale Has New Owners Ready To Chip In

An urban golf lodge and function venue where guests can take to the greens and fairways in conjunction with both corporate events or private gatherings has been placed on the market for sale.

The land, buildings and going concern business known as the Maxwell’s Golf Retreat and Function Centre at Bombay just south of Auckland sit on some 7.64 hectares of land zoned rural countryside living under the Auckland Council plan.

Consisting of eight par-three holes, and one par-four challenge – complete with groomed bunkers and a water hazard - the Maxwells Golf Retreat is a par-28 park over a 1,388 metre distance. As a boutique accommodation provider, the centre also operates a 307-square metre five-bedroom lodge.

Additional building infrastructure on the property includes a 360-square metre function room and golf club house serviced by its own commercial-grade kitchen and bar, a 244-square metre indoor driving range and coaching facility which can also be used for functions and events, and a 76-square metres greenkeeper’s equipment and chemicals storage shed. A separate two-bedroom owner/manager’s residence adjoins the lodge building.

Now the tree-lined golf course land, supporting hospitality and sporting-activity buildings, and going concern Maxwells Golf Retreat and Function Centre business at 205B Ingram Road are being marketed for sale by tender through Bayleys Pukekohe, with tenders closing on March 11. Salespeople Shane Snijder and Stefni Baigent said the business’s multiple revenue streams ensured the venue is not solely reliant on one customer base for its turnover.

“Being located less than 60-minutes south of Auckland CBD, the Maxwells venue splits its revenue streams from both the corporate and private sectors – hosting events from company team building exercises and meetings through to weddings, anniversary celebration or stag parties,” Mr Snijder said.

“The venue is the perfect opportunity for an existing golf course greenkeeper or golf coaching professional to take their next step up the business ownership ladder. Golf courses this close to major cities rarely come up for sale.

“Alternatively, the Maxwells operation could appeal to a function centre manager looking to make the same moves up in their business ownership career – opting to contract out the greenkeeping services to a specialist landscaping company so they can instead focus on the food and beverage and accommodation activities.”

Nightly room rack rates at Maxwells Golf Retreat and Function Centre range from $130 to $159. The venue has a standard hirage fee of $1,500 for weddings, with on-site licensed catering additional depending on menu options.

Meanwhile, casual golfers can play Maxwells’ nine-holes for $25, or $40 for a round of 18. The venue also has full membership affiliation options available, while the venue’s indoor driving range can be hired for $10 per 30 minutes. The course greens and fairways are irrigated by water pumped from the venue’s natural water hazard - which catches balls from wayward strokes.

“The nine-hole format, while not long, makes Maxwells the perfect place for learner golfers to improve their swinging skills away from the pressures of Auckland’s busier courses. There’s also enough variety in the topography and hazards to make the course interesting for handicap-standard golfers looking for a quick hit-out,” Mr Snijder said.

“Surrounded by five 18-hole golf courses in the immediate vicinity – including Pukekohe, Waiuku and Clarks Beach, Onewhero and Maramarua – Maxwells has never pitched itself as being a purely golfing destination for the low handicapper. By the same token, none of the golf courses can compete on the ambience delivered by Maxwells for its functions which are sought after by a different clientele demographic.

“Maxwells’ food and beverage and accommodation revenue streams can however be combined to be totally complimentary under one umbrella – utilising the function room for a gathering, the golf course for socialising as an adjunct to the primary event, and the accommodation for housing guests on-site so they can of course enjoy the ambience of the proverbial 19th hole after a round.”

Ms Baigent said the positioning of Maxwells’ main lodge and clubhouse premises along the property’s perimeter meant there was ample potential for a new owner, subject to council consents, to add to the accommodation inventory through either the provision of another lodge type structure, terraced apartments, or standalone chalets.

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