by Michele Gillis
Staff Writer
Big-name golfers want big-time accommodations and often that preference doesn’t run to a fancy hotel.
Thus, renting homes during The Players is a big business in the Ponte Vedra Beach area. And two companies here have a near lock on the business: Suncastle Properties and Stockton Realty in Ponte Vedra Beach.
Frank Sausedo, the general manger of Suncastle Properties, said the PGA Tour contacted them about 10 years ago. At the time, they were lining up rentals to a few golfers.
“The PGA Tour said they wanted to interview a few companies to be the preferred Realtors,” said Sausedo, sitting in his office under a photo of golfing great Arnold Palmer. “We gave our pitch and they liked what they heard, so we went out and did it.
“We didn’t have a Web site or anything. I actually went out on the street and wrote down addresses of homes I thought would be suitable for the golfers in all different price ranges. I brought them back, researched them and sent letters to the homeowners and we started getting properties.”
Rentals during tournament week are a big business at every stop on the PGA Tour. Way back when, golfers stayed in hotels, but rentals became popular when some of the bigger names, needing more privacy, started renting homes at The Masters tournament in Augusta, Ga.
When a player calls the tournament office to find a rental for The Players, which is from May 1-8 this year, they are referred to Suncastle or Stockton. Sometimes the golfer or his agent calls the companies direct.
“We refer them to the Web site and they pick their own property, or they tell us what they are looking for and we recommend a house to them,” said Sausedo.
Suncastle has an inventory of about 125 homes for rent year round for short-term rentals and usually rent from 40-60 during The Players.
In the first week of January, they send out letters to all the homeowners in the area asking for their homes.
“Over the years, we have gotten a whole inventory of houses that we use, but every year the requirements are different, the players are different and some players made a lot more money and they want to upgrade,” said Sausedo. “So, we are constantly sending letters out to get more inventory.”
Rentals range from a one-bedroom condominium all the way up to six-bedroom house.
Why would a golfer need six bedrooms?
“The better known players bring their entourage,” said Sausedo. “Besides their family, they have their nanny, cook and personal trainer, The better-known players might also bring their own security.”
Stockton Realty has an inventory of about 200 homes and condominiums to rent and usually rent about 100 during The Players, says broker associate Mary Minchew.
It isn’t just a move-out, move-in deal and homeowners need to be told what to expect before they decide to rent their home.
“What you need to do is clear out space in each closet so the players, wives, children, nannies, cooks and trainers has some place to hang their clothes,” said Sue Ann Ogden, the Suncastle broker. “Also, clear out a few drawers in a dresser for them. Leave instructions around in case you have electronics or systems that are difficult to operate.
“We always tell people to remove any valuables they are worried about. The players know that they are staying as a guest in someone’s home, so they treat it very well. Many homeowners leave a gift basket for the players.”
• Homes usually are rented from Sunday to the following Monday. Even if a player missed the “cut,” where the field is trimmed by about half after the first two rounds on Friday, the renter has the home whether he’s there or not.
• Most homes rented by players are close to the golf course; almost all are in Sawgrass Country Club, Marsh Landing, Plantation Country Club and around TPC Sawgrass. “The players don’t want to be more than a mile from the course,” said Ogden. “They can’t risk missing their tee time or a traffic problem.”
• Rentals range from $1,500 to $6,500 a week, and are priced comparable to other rentals in the area at that general time of year. “We aren’t gouging the players or other renters,” said Sausedo.
• Both companies accept referrals from other Realtors and will pay a commission. Stockton’s Minchew said Realtors can help by referring their corporate/player connections to them or by referring listings that are vacant during the time of the tournament. “We pay a referral fee of 10 percent of the rent on the property or 5 percent of the rent for the guest,” said Minchew.
• The companies also act as concierges. “We’ve pretty much started this thing from scratch and have developed relationships with the golfers over the years, so we pretty much know what they want and what their needs are,” said Sausedo. “We take care of them.”
• Suncastle’s Web site is www.suncastleproperties.com and Stockton Realty’s Web site is www.stocktonrealestate.com.
• A homeowner won’t have the chance to get chummy with their renter. “We don’t tell the homeowners who is staying at their house until after they leave,” said Ogden. “We had to make that promise because a few years ago people found out where players were staying and people were waiting outside the home to catch a glimpse of the player or to get autographs.”
• A tip for homeowners: leave items they wish to have autographed such as a cap, ball or program. And they might get a surprise, too - one South Ponte Vedra Beach homeowner found a gift of two dozen balls, two caps and a shirt from the golfer that had used his home.
• Don’t expect to come home and find that Tiger Woods has been your renter. He stays on his yacht at a St. Augustine marina.