Local named Pelican Hill GM

Steve Friedlander has seen dirt transform into a beautiful golf course — a project risen from nothing to Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wis. Now he’s ready to see and oversee the same type of progression again. This time in Newport Coast.

The Irvine Company has named Friedlander the general manager of golf for Pelican Hill Golf Club, which is set to reopen in the fall. He previously served as general manager and group director of golf at Kohler Co., which included Whistling Straits, the course that opened in 1998. In 2004, it had its high point: hosting the PGA Championship. Last week, it had the U.S. Senior Open.

“It was a piece of dirt and became a pretty great piece of property,” Friedlander said. “It was fun to be there for the PGA Championship. I would look around and think, I remember putting that bunker there. It’s always fun to be there on the opening side.”

Bringing a major golf tournament to Pelican Hill isn’t necessarily the intent of the reopening, but a high standard has been prevalent. As one visits the Pelican Hill website, the initial view features a writing scrawled across the screen in cursive: The Possibility of Perfection.

That’s one of the reasons, Friedlander, 54, said he is excited to be a part of the reopening of Pelican Hill.

“I keep thinking this is fantastic, a slice of heaven,” Friedlander said. “I had a great job. And, this is a great job, one of the great places in the country. This is an opportunity for me to be here for the rest of my career. It’s exciting.”

Friedlander is also thrilled to be a part of the two new golf courses that have been designed by Tom Fazio. The new Pelican Hill general manager is familiar with Fazio. He worked with Fazio at Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club in Tucson.

Friedlander said it’s going to be fun work with the renowned golf designer again.

He’ll also take some delight in providing his insight on a new clubhouse that has already begun construction. That insight comes from more than three decades of experience as a golf pro. It also comes from his love for golf, which began when he was 10 and caddying at Town and Country Club in St. Paul, Minn., where he grew up.

“I caddied there and played golf there, and the next thing I know I’m at one of the greatest golf properties in the country,” he said, referring to Newport Coast.

Also throughout his time as a golf pro, Friedlander was named one of the 20 most admired operators in the country by Golf Inc. magazine. In 2005, he received the PGA Bill Strausbaugh Award for the Wisconsin region.

And, of course, there was the 2004 PGA Championship.

“It’s still the most successful PGA Championship from a financial and spectator standpoint. There were 320,000 there,” he sad. “That was a great achievement.”

Now he’s hoping to add the work on Pelican Hill to his list of accomplishments. The new Pelican Hill Golf Club will be a part of The Resort at Pelican Hill which will open in the fall of 2008. The resort features a 204-room hotel, 128 villas, restaurants, event center and spa.

“Our objective is to provide an extraordinary golf experience, so when they leave here they leave with a great memory,” said Friedlander.

Also included in Friedlander’s new position, is general manager of Oak Creek Golf Club in Irvine.

Friedlander and his wife, Marie, live in Newport Coast and their son, Nikko, will be a sophomore at Corona del Mar High in the fall.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or at [email protected].