The Summit Country Club opened in June 1993 with the American Red Cross Golf Classic, marking the beginning of a new era for golf in Owensboro. But few could have predicted the rollercoaster journey the course would take over the next three decades — or the perseverance it would require to become what it is today.
Now known as The Pearl Club, the course underwent a transformation under the ownership of Terry and Melody Delk, who purchased it in 2014. It has become a thriving destination once again, drawing more than 20,000 rounds of golf annually and serving as a cornerstone for the surrounding Summit neighborhood.
But Delk will tell you, the journey was anything but easy.
“When we bought it, we didn’t know our fairways were dead from winter kill,” Delk said. “My very first meeting with the members was telling them, ‘We have no fairways.’”
Rather than backing down, Delk leaned on his faith, the encouragement of friends, and the resilience of the club’s members. Membership donations helped bridge the gap to upgrade to zoysia grass, a better but slower-maturing surface.
“It was a two-year growing process,” Delk said. “We went from 20,000 rounds before the shutdown to 8,000 the first year we reopened, and then only 12,000 the next year. It took time.”
At several points, Delk admitted he questioned the decision. By 2019, he was on the verge of closing the doors.
“I put my life savings into it and still was losing money,” he said. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Then, the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.
With most recreational activities canceled, golf surged nationwide by 40%. Families rediscovered the sport, and The Pearl Club rode the wave. Memberships stabilized, rounds returned, and today, Delk said, the club is no longer “hemorrhaging money.”
Still, it took more than timing to get the course to where it is now, with Delk crediting a loyal and hardworking team, including Superintendent Nolan White and Head Professional Dylan Hardesty, for helping rebuild the course’s reputation.
“Now we have the best fairways around,” Delk said. “Our course conditions are better than ever, and a lot of our growth is coming from players across southern Indiana who are looking for affordable, high-quality golf.”
Beyond the course, The Pearl Club offers members access to a pool, six pickleball courts, and a full-service restaurant open to the public Tuesday through Saturday.
The club’s connection to the Summit neighborhood remains strong. Delk said it’s no exaggeration to say the survival of the course helped preserve the community’s property values.
“When golf courses close, nationwide data shows property values can drop by up to 35%,” Delk said. “Since we stabilized the club, home values have risen, and nearly every lot has been built out.”
The name The Pearl Club carries personal meaning for Delk as well. It was chosen during a family car ride home from his father’s funeral, with inspiration striking when his wife suggested “The Pearl” — a nod to Delk’s mother’s middle name, even though she famously disliked both golf and her middle name.
“At first, I laughed,” Delk said. “But it stuck. And it fits. It reminds me that even through the struggles, there’s something beautiful at the core.”
Today, Delk is proud of what the club has become — not just for himself, but for everyone who supported the vision through the toughest times.
“I tell people all the time, nobody really understands how much blood, sweat, tears — and money — go into something like this,” he said. “But seeing families out here, seeing kids playing golf with their parents, seeing the community thrive again — that’s what makes it all worth it.”
