Keeping Pace With the Times – Hillwood Country Club

Master-planning and capital-improvement projects for comprehensive facility upgrades will ensure that Hillwood Country Club stays in step with Nashville’s rapid growth for years to come.  

Nashville, Tenn. sits atop the list of American cities experiencing explosive growth that shows no sign of subsiding. The post-pandemic population expansion of Nashville’s metropolitan area from 2020 to 2024 measured 6.4%, more than double the rate for the U.S. overall. Projections for a 28% increase of Nashville’s current population by 2040, and of 56% by 2060, promise to continue the rapid ascent of “Music City” up the rankings of the country’s largest and most active municipalities.

Hillwood Country Club (HCC) has been an integral part of Nashville’s social and recreational fabric since its founding in 1953. Through the years, it has made its mark with progressive and proactive improvements to its facilities, which are spread over two distinctive campuses within the city, to provide appealing experiences for an evolving membership. 

From its earliest days, Hillwood has maintained a reputation for offering one of the largest private-club tennis programs in the South. Its golf course, originally designed by Dick Wilson, underwent two renovations by Bruce Hepner of Renaissance Golf in 2003 and 2011. A 22,000-sq. ft. Fitness Center was opened in 2011 to immediate acclaim as one of the largest and most impressive stand-alone private-club fitness facilities in the country. And a clubhouse renovation in 2018-19 upgraded the club’s primary dining spaces.

As its membership swelled after the pandemic, however, Hillwood’s leadership saw the need to take further steps to align all of its facilities so it could continue to provide the offerings that would keep it competitive in the fast-growing Nashville market. Survey input and other direct feedback had revealed how the lifestyles and demographics of its membership (which has now grown to 600 golfing members and 1,043 total across two campuses) were changing to shape a much wider variety of ways that members wanted to use the club. 

Full Team Effort

To ensure that Hillwood could continue to provide the proper opportunities and value for everyone in its more diversified member community, while also remaining good stewards of its assets, HCC’s Board of Directors, Finance and Planning Committees, and operational subcommittees for Golf, Tennis, Pool/Fitness and Social/ Dining worked in conjunction with outside consultants and contractors, including the McMahon Group, to plan capital-improvement projects that would touch a variety of operating areas and ensure continued relevance and satisfaction for both current and future generations. 

As those projects progressed through various stages of development, the club’s leadership then decided to blaze a bold path. “We recognized there could be great advantages and value from undertaking all of the projects together as a holistic bundle, rather than as a series of mini-projects,” says Todd Heifner, CCM, PGA, Hillwood’s General Manager/COO. 

The wheels were then set in motion to develop and present a comprehensive Capital Improvement Plan to the membership that encompassed proposed major improvements to HCC’s golf course, tennis facility, pool Canteen and bar, clubhouse and other parts of the property. McMahon Group assisted Hillwood with developing informational presentations and communication materials, and conducting member surveys, to help determine which projects the membership would most want to support for inclusion in the final iteration of the Plan. 

Through this process, eight potential projects with a projected cost of $45 million were refined into a $28 million Plan for improvements in five areas (see full details in “Projects Overview” box, pg. 6) that reflected the priorities members expressed through their survey responses and other feedback. In this way, Heifner says, a true members’ plan was created; for example, while the improvement of the property’s perimeter fencing and landscaping was not thought to be high on the membership’s radar, it emerged through survey responses as the highest-scoring priority.

Because such care was taken to engage members and prioritize their desires, when the final Plan, which would be financed in part by a member assessment and an increase in capital dues, was presented for approval, it passed with 87% affirmation. “The most exciting part of this project is that it truly impacted all areas that our membership cares about—there was something for everyone, which is part of why it got all of the support that was needed,” says Cameron Wells, Hillwood’s Club President in 2024 and one of three Presidents who helped lead the process seamlessly from development through implementation.

Immediate Results 

Once the various projects in the Capital Improvement Plan had been completed, it didn’t take very long to see further evidence of the Hillwood membership’s endorsement of all that had been done. Heifner cites these highlights in describing the impact that has already been seen in each area:

Food & Beverage—”The impact of our campus renovation is most visible in the F&B performance,” Heifner says, providing these details:

• 32,318 covers served in the All Seasons Restaurant & Bar’s first season.
• Corresponding F&B revenue rose by 88%.
• Through May 2025, total club-wide F&B covers increased 46% compared to the same period in 2024.

“These gains reflect the success of linking our amenity upgrades—from golf to racquets—with improved hospitality offerings,” Heifner notes.

Member Satisfaction & Dining Enhancements—Hillwood’s new All Seasons Restaurant & Bar officially opened on Memorial Day Weekend of 2024 and was met with great enthusiasm by the membership, Heifner reports. By the conclusion of the pool season (Labor Day), it achieved an impressive 4.5 out of 5 in overall member satisfaction, he adds.

“This new indoor/outdoor venue has provided a year-round, casual ‘al fresco’ dining destination and become a central social hub,” Heifner says. “Its presence has driven a notable increase in casual-dining usage, enhanced the overall member experience, and strengthened community engagement.”

Golf Activity—The fully renovated golf course has led to sustained increases in member play, Heifner reports, as reflected by a 7.7% increase in rounds through July, as compared to 2023, that has the club on pace to reach 30,000 total rounds in 2025. “The improved playability, aesthetics, and course conditions have directly influenced member participation and engagement,” Heifner says.

Racquets Center Success—The new Racquets Center celebrated its grand opening on March 28, 2025, with over 500 members in attendance at a festive, street fair-style event. Just a few months in, it had already delivered these impressive growth statistics:

Usage Growth (April–May):

• Tennis Court Hours: 4,746 in 2025 vs. 3,386 in 2024 (+140%)
• Pickleball Court Hours: 2,036 in 2025 vs. 630 in 2024 (+323%)

Programming & Retail Growth:

• Pickleball Clinics (June comparison): +366%
• Tennis Clinics Offered Per Week: +100%
• New Programs: 9 Pickleball Open Plays added weekly

Revenue Increases (2023 vs. 2025):

• Men’s Apparel: +898%
• Women’s Apparel: +681%
• Lessons/Clinics: +129%
• Equipment Sales: +346%

“These metrics demonstrate the extraordinary response to the new Racquets Center and its programming diversity,” Heifner says. 

Comfort Station Innovation & Self-Pour Beverage Revenue—In October 2024, Hillwood’s renovated golf course reopened with newly constructed Comfort Stations (see photo, pg. 5) equipped with Pour My Beer self-pour units.

The Racquets Center now features both Pour My Beer and Enomatic self-pour wine dispensers for post-play refreshments and spectating enjoyment.

Combined, these self-service technologies have generated over $30,000 in additional beer and wine revenue since their launch, Heifner reports, with no additional labor cost.

Technology & Member Experience Enhancements—To complement the physical improvements made through the Capital Improvement Plan, Hillwood also launched a new HCC Member Experience App in partnership with Pacesetter Technology. Key features of the app include:

• Targeted push notifications, chat feature, and geo-tracking
• Mobile keys for access control
• Beer & Wine Card integration for self-pour
• Mobile ordering and chairside service at the pool
• Real-time course and court conditions
• Event registration and survey capabilities
• Booking for courts, lessons, red-light therapy, massage, personal training and mahjong

“These tools have significantly elevated member convenience, personalization, and satisfaction,” says Heifner.

Still More to Come

Collectively, the results seen to date have already served to validate successful delivery of a renovation that “represents our commitment to offering world-class amenities to our members,” says Heifner. “We didn’t just renovate—we reimagined what Hillwood can be for the next generation, and we are proud to unveil a campus that combines tradition with forward-thinking design.”

Adds Mike Ryan, Hillwood’s current Club President: “This project has been years in the making, embodying the vision, insights, and dedication of countless individuals who are deeply invested in the future of Hillwood. Seeing it come to life is immensely rewarding. We take great pride in providing our members with an unparalleled experience here in Nashville.”

Tee McCarley, Hillwood’s President in 2023, graciously credits McMahon Group’s contribution to the club’s success through its role in “guiding our Board through the process of properly packaging and presenting the projects in a Town Hall setting, and then soliciting feedback and opinions from the entire membership.

“Using the survey data that McMahon collected gave us the assurance to refine our Capital Improvement Plan and financing into a package that we knew our members would support,” McCarley adds. “They helped us create confidence, buy-in and engagement among our entire membership.”

Even amid the euphoria Hillwood is currently enjoying as a result of its successful North Campus renovation, however, the club does not plan to rest on its most recent laurels. Consideration is now underway for surveying the membership for input and ideas in advance of the possible development of a Master Plan for Whitworth, Hillwood’s other campus in Nashville that also features an indoor tennis facility. Concepts have also been developed for a full clubhouse renovation in the future.