Today we’d like to introduce you to Casey Jones.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My career started as a combination of my parents’ career paths. My mother was a golf course maintenance assistant superintendent while my father was in the heavy earthwork construction industry. I spent a couple years in my late teens working at a golf course which I loved then found interest in the construction industry and began operating heavy equipment in our family owned construction business.
Fate should have it shortly thereafter our company was hired to do construction work on a golf course in Newport Beach California that was being constructed. Soon after I became very interested in golf course construction and began watching how the shapers did their work closely. Fortunately the golf course contractor was kind enough to hire me after we had completed our obligations and gave me the opportunity to learn how to shape.
I then began the journey that led me to where I am today. I was fortunate to be very naturally talented operating equipment and quickly honed my skill as a shaper while traveling throughout the United States, West Coast to East Coast and many stops in between, while working for industry leading golf course construction companies throughout the United States.
In 1998 I was invited by a golf course designer that I had worked for to break off and start free lancing internationally, which led me to Indonesia on my first venture outside the United States. A very eye opening experience to the world outside of the United States. I formed my first company, Jones Shaping Enterprises and my career quickly escalated and I began traveling the globe for a period of 12 years between 2000-2012. My talents led me to destinations including Germany, Italy, Tunisia, Portugal, China, Singapore, Bulgaria and Costa Rica.
During this time, I would assemble teams that would travel with me and we would work for private owners supplying the vital key personal that specialized in building golf courses. As we went project to project the need for qualified people grew and we started running multiple projects in multiple locations which led to the forming of Fusion Golf.
In 2012 we relocated to Texas due to the resurgence of golf course work within the United Stated as the economy began to recover from the economic crisis. Glad to be back working steadily once again coast to coast in the USA.
Has it been a smooth road?
Construction is never a smooth road. In this industry it is often feast or famine. Our industry is a strictly recreational industry so it relies heavily on the economy. When the economy broke in the 2000’s the golf construction industry hit a brick wall in the United States. At this time, if you were not well connected internationally you did not work. I know a lot of extremely talented professional that dropped the profession in lieu of “normal jobs” and lives.
We are also faced with trends in construction, in the 90’s developers used golf courses to sell houses. In today’s market, developers are buying old golf courses and building homes in their place. New construction is now more of a niche market targeting destination locations, high end tournament and private courses.
Fortunately the market for golf course renovations has sky rocketed in the last several years and the golf construction industry in once again thriving, not to the extent it once was, those days are long gone.
Having a family life is a struggle in this industry. Spending months on the road in remote locations, limited communications, no internet and poor living conditions. While the money is great, it takes its toll and often leads to the demise of relationships more often than not. This industry looks it toll on my first wife, and I know several other industry professionals that have succumb to the same results over the years.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Fusion Golf story. Tell us more about the business.
We are a construction company that specializes in the building and renovation of golf courses. We also construct and renovate sports fields such as football, baseball/softball fields, polo field, soccer etc.
My background and was shaping and project management. I was fortunate to learn from several well-known golf course architects the fundamentals of golf course design and strategy. I had a knack for being able to pick up design traits of designers which would make their jobs much easier as I could often predict what they would be looking for in the shaping of the golf course.
I am very proud that we have been able to keep focused and work within our means. Companies often grow faster than they can maintain their company focus and mission. We feel we are a “boutique” builder, we know how much work we can take on a yearly basis and perform to the high level of standards that we set for ourselves. Quality work and client satisfaction is what is expected from our team on a daily basis.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I see the industry continuing to be focused on renovation work and upgrades that include modernizing golf facilities to meet the demands of the today’s golfers and technology advancements.
There is also a great need for modern and family friendly practice facilities that can help continue to get people interested in learning and playing golf. Many courses are now beginning to build “family” tees on existing golf courses to allow less skilled players of all ages to be able to enjoy the game of golf.
Contact Info:
- Address: Mailing Adress
19901 Southwest Freeway
Sugarland, TX 77479 - Website: www.fusiongcm.com
- Phone: 832-995-0203
- Email: casey@fusiongcm.com
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