Landmark Land Company, also known as Landmark Golf, is an American real-estate development company specializing in the creation of golf courses and upscale communities.

History

The company was formed in 1971 when Gerald G. Barton took control of the Godchaux Sugar Company (also known as Godchaux-Henderson Sugar Company, Inc.), a bankrupt

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

corporation established in 1865 with land holdings between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. He changed the name to Landmark Land.

Ernie Vossler Ernest Orville Vossler (November 29, 1928 – February 16, 2013) was an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour; he later prospered in the fields of golf course design and construction, golf course management services and real est ...

and Joe Walser, Jr. formed their initial company, Unique Golf Concepts in 1971. Landmark Land Company, Inc., a publicly owned company, purchased Unique Golf Concepts in 1974; subsequently, Vossler and Walser oversaw the growth of Landmark Land Company. In 1976, Landmark opened the Oak Tree Golf Club in

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

, designed by

Pete Dye Paul Dye Jr. (December 29, 1925 – January 9, 2020), commonly referred to as Pete Dye, was an American golf course designer and a member of a family of course designers. He was married to fellow designer and amateur champion Alice Dye. Earl ...

. This was soon followed by Belle Terre Country Club in Louisiana, and the

La Quinta Resort and Club The La Quinta Resort & Club is a historic resort in present-day La Quinta, California. Designed by Gordon Kaufmann and built by Walter H. Morgan, the hotel opened in 1926 as a desert getaway. Originally built as a series of adobe bungalows on ...

and Carmel Valley Ranch, both in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

. During the next 30 years Landmark built 17 more courses with Dye. In April 1990, the company was the subject of a probe by the

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...

as a result of questionable accounting practices. In May 1990, the company agreed to sell a 6,700-acre Riverside County parcel for $275 million. In June 1990, the offer was withdrawn. In 1991, the company agreed to sell its assets for $739 million. The deal fell through that year and the company filed for bankruptcy protection. Its

savings and loan A savings and loan association (S&L), or thrift institution, is a financial institution that specializes in accepting savings deposits and making mortgage and other loans. While the terms "S&L" and "thrift" are mainly used in the United States, ...

was seized by regulators. Barton lost everything. Landmark moved to

Indian Wells, California Indian Wells is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, in the Coachella Valley. Incorporated in 1967, it lies in between the cities of Palm Desert and La Quinta, California, La Quinta. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 c ...

in 1992. In 2010, the company once again faced cash flow problems. As of August 2018, the company is known as Landmark Golf, and focuses on ownership and development of

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, tee box, a #Fairway and rough, fairway, the #Fairway and rough, rough and other hazard (golf), hazards, and ...

References

{{reflist Companies traded over-the-counter in the United States Real estate companies established in 1971 Real estate companies of the United States 1971 establishments in Louisiana Companies based in Riverside County, California Indian Wells, California