Nathaniel Crosby is a passionate, ground-floor entrepreneur specializing in the golf category, including golf equipment, golf-related residential memberships, and any other direct-response golf-related projects. After an impressive amateur golf career, and a 3-year professional stint on the European Tour, he, at the age of 26, organized a group to purchase the Toney Penna Golf Company, which evolved into the Jack Nicklaus Golf Equipment Company, where he recruited the partnership of Nelson Doubleday. Crosby joined the board with Jack Nicklaus, Doubleday, and Dick Cummins, among others to generate revenues of just under $25 million in 1997. Crosby established a strategy of limited distribution to gain the recommendation at the point of sale and was nicknamed “Mr. 45% Margin” from the retailer network, many of which became his lifelong friends. Crosby would use those friendships and zealous enthusiasm to drive a successful direct-response campaign for the Orlimar Golf Company; which became, and still is, the fastest growing company year-to-year in golf manufacturing history.
Crosby’s executive career began early. After his famous father Bing Crosby’s death in 1977, he became the host of the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am from 1978-1985 and was responsible 168 amateur invitations, the 25 professional exemptions, the pairings between pros and amateurs, was involved in the TV telecast, and hosted the annual Clambake party on the eve of the event. Crosby continued to serve on the Monterey Peninsula Golf Foundation until 2002, which was the continuation of The Bing Crosby Pro-AM.
Crosby was born and raised in Hillsborough, California, the third and youngest child between Bing Crosby and actress Kathryn Grant. Although his father was a showbiz celebrity he was,
in Nathaniel’s words, “determined that we didn’t grow up to be Hollywood brats.” Nathaniel took an interest in golf as a way to connect with his dad (who was a golf fanatic). Crosby states, “I learned golf so that I could spend more time with him.” Crosby won the club championship at the family’s country club, Burlingame Country Club, at the age of 15. His father stated after the victory, “Today is the happiest day of my life.”
Through his experiences working for ultra-high end fractional projects, Nathaniel is refining what was a highly successful category in the early 2000’s. His experience working with David Wasserman at St Andrews Grand (now Hamilton Grand) and launching the Chileno Bay Resort project with David Wilhelm allowed him to see the common sense of sharing residential
properties for the ultra-elite. His comment is that “Exclusivity is about Math” and earlier Residential Membership plans had significant attrition during the economic downturn due to never ending membership caps. His approach is forensic and has detailed strategies for the target market to enjoy networks of properties with a built-in concierge and personal reservation agents to take away the job, expense, and headaches of owning multiple properties.
Highlights
Crosby grew all three of the companies he was involved with in the Golf Manufacturing space as the lead executive who had made the network of retailers his lifelong friends. These networks allowed him to grow all the companies he was involved with at a substantial rate with significant profits. Crosby was the key executive in developing these companies with partners and board members such as Jack Nicklaus, Nelson Doubleday, Howard Lester, and others who have run Fortune 500 Companies.
’98-’02 Orlimar Golf & Direct Response Marketing
’92-’98 Jack Nicklaus Golf
Through his experiences working for ultra-high end fractional projects, Crosby has attempted to refine what was a highly successful category in the early 2000’s. His experience working with David Wasserman at St Andrews Grand (now Hamilton Grand) and launching the Chileno Bay Resort project with David Wilhelm allowed him to see the beauty of sharing residential properties for the ultra-elite. These small, invitation-only societies with finite membership caps, epitomize exclusivity .
Appletree Golf Societies
St Andrews Hamilton Grand
Chileno Bay Golf Resort
Private Quarters
Accomplishments
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Crosby has spoken at multitudes of private clubs across the country, including the Masters Amateur dinner at Augusta National, the U.S. Amateurs at Oakland Hills and Olympic Club, and has been the guest speaker at close to 50 well known private clubs. He has promoted his best-selling book, his experiences as a Walker Cup Captain, playing in major championships as an amateur, and growing up as the son of a famous father.
