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Photos by Diane Poole.
The Trussville Country Club is under new ownership, and introducing a new name: The Silos Golf Club. The new owners are: Mark Dillard (general manager, director of golf), Mark Nix, Mike Gunter, Dr. Matthew Bennett, Johnny Brunson and Scott Barnett.
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Photos by Diane Poole.
The Silos Golf Club
In just a few short months, The Silos Golf Club has gone from a struggling course with barely 50 members to a revitalized community hub boasting more than 230.
General Manager and Director of Golf Mark Dillard says the turnaround has been fast-paced, challenging and deeply rewarding. “When people pull into the parking lot, I want them to think, ‘Wow, something’s different,’” he says. “From the golf shop to the first tee, every step should show improvement.”
A TEAM OF PARTNERS
Dillard leads a six-partner ownership group: builder and renovator Mark Nix, strategic counsel and golf insight from Dr. Matthew Bennett, business operations and food-and-beverage expertise from Mike Gunter, and longtime friends and attorneys Johnny Brunson and Scott Barnett. Each brings a unique skill set, and Dillard says their ability to work in “lockstep” without ego has been key to the club’s rapid progress.
The group’s purchase of the course — formerly known as Trussville Country Club — was delayed for months due to a legacy lawsuit involving the property. “It felt like we were always two weeks from closing,” Dillard recalls. When Barnett and Brunson joined the team late in the process, the deal closed in just six weeks.
Photos by Diane Poole.
The Silos Golf Club
IMMEDIATE UPGRADES
From there, the work began immediately. Renovations to the golf shop, equipment upgrades and course improvements moved to the top of the list. “We wanted a ‘presentation-first’ approach,” Dillard says. “The moment someone turns into the parking lot, they should see something worth getting excited about.”
The club’s longtime superintendent, Tim Isbell, has been a constant since the late 1970s, when Dillard himself earned one of UAB’s first golf scholarships and practiced at the course. “Tim has kept this place running with equipment that should have been in a dumpster five years ago,” Dillard says. One of the ownership group’s early moves was to give Isbell a raise and add more crew members.
Major work has been done to the practice range, which was reoriented for safety and playability. More than 100 truckloads of dirt were hauled in, new grass hitting areas were created, and 2,500 new range balls were ordered. A weekly closure allows for mowing and ball collection, reducing losses and improving the experience.
COMMUNITY FOCUS
Clearing overgrowth — within Cahaba River Society guidelines — has opened new vistas along the course, including views of the river itself. Cart path rules and wet-condition restrictions are strictly enforced to protect the turf, and new GPS-enabled carts arriving September 15 will include geofencing to keep them out of sensitive areas.
Inside the clubhouse, the golf shop is being refreshed and stocked ahead of a planned August 27 grand opening. A new seven-camera security system is being installed to monitor the facility and cart usage.
The grill is undergoing a $20,000-plus renovation to meet health department codes. The club is partnering with Chef Ryan Zargo of The Farmhouse to offer a two-sided concept: quick-turn service for golfers making the turn between holes and a sit-down dining experience for members and the public. The target opening is mid- to late November.
Upstairs, a banquet room will be available for events once cleanup is complete, with wedding inquiries already coming in. Dillard says the team is also exploring the idea of a small wedding pavilion near the former pool site, which offers scenic views. The existing pool, in disrepair, will remain closed, though a larger family-friendly pool could be considered in the future if demand supports it.
The Silos’ growth has been dramatic — from about 52 members at purchase to more than 230 today, most of them young families from Trussville, Moody and Leeds. Membership is designed to be simple and affordable.
- Junior (≤18) – $100/month
- Single – $125/month
- Senior (65+) – $125/month
- Family – $155/month
Members commit to a year, with dues billed automatically each month. Public play is welcome, with guest fees set at $45 weekdays (Monday through Thursday) and $50 weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), including cart.
LOOKING AHEAD
“We’re not trying to be the most exclusive club,” Dillard says. “We want to be the best value for a well-maintained, family-friendly golf course. But we also have to protect the course and our members’ experience.”
That means enforcing policies, raising guest fees over time and honoring those who joined early. An initiation-free window ended July 15; the fee is now $500 and will probably rise again by year’s end. “The people who believed in us from the start deserve to be rewarded,” Dillard says.
Dillard and his partners see The Silos as more than a golf course — they want it to be an asset to the community. Twelve local school golf teams (boys and girls across high and middle schools) will use the course for practice, and the club is working to balance access with member tee times.
The team is in talks with a Master Professional to lead junior programs, school visits and clinics. “Golf is the only sport without its own home field,” Dillard says. “We want to make sure kids here have a place to learn, practice and play.” Plans include a dedicated junior section in the golf shop and seasonal youth camps.
The club’s new identity comes from a set of three khaki-colored silos visible from hole 13. “They’re across the road on the other side of the course,” Dillard explains. “I didn’t even know they were there when I played here in the late ’70s and early ’80s, but once we talked about it, the name stuck.” The ownership group operates as Three Silos Group, LLC, with the course branded as The Silos Golf Club.
In the next 18 to 24 months, the club plans to replace all its greens, an investment of $1.2 to $1.5 million. When complete, Dillard believes the course will be hard to compete with within a 30-minute drive.
For now, the focus is on completing this first wave of improvements — and enjoying the momentum. “We’ve been blessed with unbelievable support,” Dillard says. “We’re in the perfect spot, at the perfect time, with the perfect team. This is just the beginning for The Silos Golf Club.”
By the numbers
- 6: Owners: Mark Dillard, Mark Nix, Dr. Matthew Bennett, Mike Gunter, Johnny Brunson and Scott Barnett
- 230+: Current members (up from about 52 at purchase)
- 100+: Truckloads of dirt brought in for practice facility improvements
- 2,500: New range balls ordered for upgraded practice area
- $20,000+: Investment in grill renovation for health code compliance
- $500: Current initiation fee
- $1.2M-$1.5M: Estimated cost to replace all greens (planned within 18–24 months)
- 12: Local school golf teams using the course for practice
- Sept. 15: Expected delivery date for new GPS-enabled golf carts with geofencing
