John Daly has accumulated a lot of wealth in his glittering golf career. Among other purchases, Daly is a proud owner of the Lion’s Den Golf Club in his home state. But why did ‘The Lion’ buy the golf course, which was set on a downward trajectory under a heavy debt? Daly once answered the query, with home roots playing an advantage.

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Why did Daly buy the Lion’s Den Golf Club?

Originally called the Bay Ridge Country Club, Daly bought the course in the fall of 2005. Before buying the nine-hole track, the club was in dire need of investment, as revealed by Daly “The members were struggling, they had bent greens and they didn’t have the money to spend on it.”

Read more: John Daly Elevated His Notoriety to New Levels With Highly Condemmed Act, Inducing a Stern Response From the PGA Tour Commissioner in 2008

The course management was also under pressure to pay off a hefty loan. “They had a little eighty thousand dollar note over there on the back side they needed to pay off,” he said. The 2-time major championship winner took matters into his own hands and kept it afloat. The course was Daly’s earliest playing tracks; he used to play on the same course during his Dardanelle days.

Once he assumed ownership of the course, Daly made fleeting changes to it. Apart from the structural overhaul on the pitch, the 56-year-old got rid of membership charges for the course.

What changes did John Daly make in his course?

Daly added nine more holes and refurbished the course to world-class facilities. It now extends to more than 6,000 yards in distance, with a rating of 70 according to GolfPass. But he also changed the status of the course, opening it to the general public. “It was a membership golf course. I kept it going that way for about 13 years and I decided to, you know…. I get so many out-of-town players that come in that, I just made it public,” he said,

Daly was still conscious of past members who wanted a round at their old course. “Anybody that still kind of, once that old members are giving them a huge discount and they try to play because you know, I want them here,” he said.

Furthermore, Daly also stated that his course was open to university practices and accessible to everyone. With the course now standing on exceptional standards, it is a great opportunity for golf enthusiasts of Arkansas to have a round at their neighborhood Lion’s Den.

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