‘New’ Blue Hill CC aims to broaden appeal

The clubhouse at Blue Hill Country Club is undergoing extensive renovations. (Blue Hill CC Facebook photo)

Blue Hill Country Club has been part of the Canton community since 1925. Hundreds of people pass by its golf courses and pool daily, perhaps not realizing that while the property was designed to be a members-only facility, the new owners, Concert Golf Partners, are hosting events that are open to the public while working to increase membership.

Bryan Elliott, the assistant general manager, was working for Concert Golf Partners in Orlando when the company acquired Blue Hill CC in early 2016. He moved to the Boston area with new chef Edwin Rolland, director of golf Wayne Leal, and food and beverage manager Tom Gibson.

Elliott joins Francisco Ventura, the general manager, who worked at Blue Hill several years ago and returned recently. “He has been a great part of it,” Elliott said. Kelsi Cole and Tricia Cummings are the catering sales managers.

Elliott was impressed with the property immediately. “I love it,” he said. “It’s beautiful.”

He added that he enjoys driving past the farms along Elm Street and appreciates the area’s quiet beauty.

“This is a phenomenal place,” he said of Blue Hill Country Club. “It’s so centrally located. Such a huge, beautiful facility.”

In the past year, the clubhouse has been updated and restored. The lobby was redecorated and modernized a few weeks ago and the members’ dining room has new carpeting and a new color scheme. The club’s ballroom has been updated as well. An adjoining function room will be redone by the end of January.

A number of events for the public took place this fall. In October, 150 adults and children attended the club’s fall festival, where they enjoyed face painting and the chance to practice putting into a plastic pumpkin. Three hundred people attended a presentation by Maureen Hancock, a local spirit medium, teacher and author. The large turnout prompted the scheduling of a second presentation by Hancock this month.

Last night, Blue Hill hosted a Ladies Night community holiday shopping event. Elliott and Cummings limited the number of vendors to 30, although many more wished to participate, they said. Most of the vendors represented local Canton businesses.

Another popular offering is the club’s “Thanksgiving to Go” service, a catering option for the holidays open to both members and the public. Those who placed orders by this week will be able to pick up a fully cooked and ready to serve turkey dinner on the morning of Thanksgiving.

In February, Blue Hill will host brides and their families at a wedding expo. An American Junior Golf Association national tournament will be played at the club from August 14-17, 2017. The club also holds summer camp programs for member families and junior golf camp programs that are open to members and the public. Elliott said that Leal has focused on introducing golf to as many young people as possible. “He really wants to grow the game,” he said.

Elliott and Cummings both stressed that the facilities at Blue Hill Country Club can be rented by both club members and non-members for gatherings. “You can have any function here,” Cummings said. “These spaces are so versatile.”

Blue Hill can accommodate bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, baby and wedding showers, graduation parties, class reunions, holiday parties, fundraising events, golf tournaments, corporate meetings, and bereavement luncheons. “We want to be part of the community,” Elliott said.

The physical plant is not the only aspect of Blue Hill Country Club that has gone through a transformation. The menu has also changed.

“I brought the chef with me,” Elliott said. “(Rolland) is the top chef in our company. He’s from Puerto Rico. He does Asian cuisine. He’s very worldly.”

For an upcoming wedding, Rolland is preparing curried goat at the request of the family.

Elliott said that the changes made to Blue Hill are designed to attract new members to the club. “Our membership has grown exponentially,” he said. “There are a lot of young people and a lot more families.” BHCC holds four events each month for its members and has plans for exciting events in 2017 after the renovation is completed.

Elliott reiterated the fact that the staff at Blue Hill is committed to becoming a part of the local Canton community and likened the perception of country clubs to a facility that is on its own island.

“Everyone automatically thinks of that,” he said. “I want to break that stigma.”

Blue Hill Country Club is located at 23 Pecunit Street. For more information on scheduling an event there, call 781-828-2000.

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Posted by Mary Ann Price on Nov 25 2016. Filed under Business. Both comments and pings are currently closed.