Ledgemont Country Club sold

According to Ledgemont President Jeff Brier, the country club industry has been battered by the triple bogey of the dot com bubble burst in 2000-2001, the Great Recession of 2008 and demographic changes. Almost all area clubs have seen a significant decline in membership and, due to the weak economy, are not rebounding quickly. This has been a concern of the Ledgemont Board of Governors which, over the past four years, has been working to change the model to secure financial stability not only to survive, but also to thrive. The Board has actively explored options ranging from merging with another club to becoming part of a larger corporate group.

On Sept. 29. the membership of Ledgemont overwhelmingly approved the sale of their Seekonk, Mass., country club to Joseph and Paula Ruggiero of Barrington, former members of the club.

The Ruggieros are avid golfers, said Brier, and have a great appreciation for the traditions of the game and of private country clubs — they own two other golf courses in New England.  Their vision and the vision of the club’s Board of Governors and members are fully aligned and include running Ledgemont as the premier private country club in the Providence area.

Plans include replacing the swimming pool, upgrading the already magnificent clubhouse, improving the tennis courts and investing in the Alfred H. Tull-designed golf course. There will be a dues structure that Brier believes will have great appeal to the existing members and will also be very attractive to prospective members.  He anticipates the sale being completed in the next 30 to 60 days.