Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Neidus.
Hi Lindsey, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Gates Mills, graduated from Mayfield High School, and earned a degree from Kent State University. My dream was to always move to New York City, so after graduation, I packed my bags for the Big Apple. I started my career in NYC, where I immersed myself in the dynamic world of fashion at Conde Nast. There, I worked in styling on photo shoots, allowing me to travel the world and work with the top photographers, creative directors, and talent in the fashion and magazine world. I worked at publications such as Self and Seventeen Magazines and freelance on advertising and commercial work from Macy’s to Anthropologie. After a number of years in fashion, I switched gears and joined the marketing team at Dow Jones/The Wall Street Journal. I worked on both the B2B side, with Dow Jones, and the consumer-facing side with The Wall Street Journal. I worked primarily on the experiential component of events and experiences, as well as working closing with the creative team on marketing and design. Events ranged from small C-suite level political dinners to designing the booth and experience at CES, to the WSJ’s party at the Washington Hilton for Obama’s last White House Correspondence dinner.
After 10 years in New York City and some of the greatest work and personal experiences of my life, I didn’t hesitate when I was asked to come back home to team up with my sisters at StoneWater Golf Course.
My sisters and I viewed it as an opportunity to create something different and special in the golf club/event/restaurant space. Our vision with StoneWater was and is to elevate the overall experience, infusing modern concepts into the traditional setting. Through innovative event planning and offerings, enhancing the golf course, and refining culinary offerings, we aim to create an inclusive and inviting destination that captivates and exceeds expectations, appealing to a broader audience while maintaining the charm that makes it unique.
My sisters had embarked on career adventures of their own while I was in New York. Whitney had earned a reputation as one of Cleveland’s premier event and party planners, and Kathryn was emerging as one of the area’s foremost chefs.
With no prior plan for us to someday work together, it felt a bit like fate and was a chance for us to really build and expand something that no one else had done in the golf space.
We invested in StoneWater in the fall of 2015 and shut down the operation for extensive renovations. When we reopened in June 2016 and have been growing and expanding since.
Now, less than a decade later, StoneWater has become widely known as a premier destination for golf, dining, events, and more. Our restaurant, offering seasonal menus, crafted cocktails, and local breweries, serves not only golfers during the season but also the neighborhood locals and visitors, and families from surrounding areas all year long. With Trivia Nights, our own smoker, holiday brunches, and specials, there is always something exciting going on in the restaurant. Whitney and her team’s ability to plan memorable and experiential onsite and offsite events has allowed us to host and cater hundreds of events, from weddings to mitzvahs, to corporate events, showers, and more. We also host a number of “happenings” throughout the year for the public to enjoy. Brunch with Santa, wine tastings, kids’ movie nights, vendor markets- the gamut runs far and wide and offers something for everyone. Substantial money and resources have been and continues to be put in the golf course, facilities and offerings. We built a new indoor/outdoor, year-round facility called the Linksman Golf Academy that offers lessons, club fittings, and simulators with the top teaching professionals and golf instructors in the area and beyond.
Outside of traditional improvements, we have also created new spaces and offerings. In 2021, we built a new outdoor bar, aptly named “The Yard,” which sits on the 10th tee. It’s open Memorial Day weekend through the fall on Friday and Saturday nights. We have live music each night, a food truck or stand, and welcomes thousands of visitors all summer long. Kids, dogs, golfers, all are welcome, and on any given weekend night, it is full of great fun and truly a space that feels like your own backyard.
We have even created our own “StoneWater Kitchen” retail business that offers everything from signature drinks to our popular sauces, rubs, and more. –One we’re most proud of is our Cleveland Glogg, a mulled wine that we created and bottled several years ago and sells out annually around the holidays.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The challenge, or opportunity, was how to mindfully update the entire StoneWater experience while still offering some of the traditional elements that people love from a golf course or country club. We wanted to make StoneWater a place where everyone is welcome– with experiential offerings to make all the facets of our business; the restaurant, events, the golf course, etc., an innovative, multi-dimensional, modern place for golfers and non-golfers alike.
Our offerings evolve and truly offer something for everyone – our focus is on the experience and removing the idea that we’re “just a golf club.” We’ve taken a more holistic and broader approach and have really tried to shake things up and go outside the box. We also have an incredible team of people working here. From the dishwashers, to the course superintendent, to our waitstaff, to our golf pros-we have such a great group of hardworking, dedicated people.
I think we’re extremely proud of the relationships we’ve built with the people that visit here, eat with us, host their events here, and choose to spend their summers golfing here. So many of those people have become friends, and it’s special to be a part of their lives and memories in some small way.
I’m also proud of how we’ve been able to continue to evolve and grow. We ebb and flow, and we’re always trying new things and refuse to stay complacent or get comfortable, and I think that’s really important. Sometimes we hit the mark, sometimes we miss, but it’s exciting to keep continue to progressive forward.
My sisters and I have a really good time – each of us kind of has a different area of expertise, and we work together almost every day, leading different parts of the operation and enjoying life together, from working to traveling to spending time with the entire family, including our parents, Stu and Sally, as well as Kathryn and Whitney’s young children. It’s a business success that has become a family affair, and I think we’re all very proud and grateful for that.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
About StoneWater (One Club Drive, Highland Heights, Ohio)
Designed by award-winning Hurzdan & Fry architects, StoneWater is recognized as one of Northeast Ohio’s premier golf courses with one of the best practice facilities, including the new state-of-the-art Linksman Golf Academy. Built on over 180 acres, the grounds showcase lush greenery and wildlife. Sandstone and water accents, including wetlands, lakes, streams, and running waterfalls, adorn the landscape, adding to the serene ambiance. The course is semi-private, offering a range of membership opportunities as well as open times for public play.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I was recently married to Charles Indriolo in Austin, Texas, with all of our family and close friends. Charles and I love to travel, try new restaurants, and experience other towns, cities, and countries. It’s a great way to get inspiration to bring back to Cleveland & StoneWater.
I always like to have a side hustle and a project. My best friend Mia Sakai and I have worked on a number of side projects together and created, designed, built, and ran the Holiday Pop-up bar Lake Effects in downtown Cleveland. We also created, designed and did the concept for Bett’s restaurant in the Kimpton Hotel downtown as well. My husband and I also run a food stand from time to time, that pops up at different venues and events throughout the summer, called Nonnie’s-featuring his grandma’s classic Italian dishes with a modern twist.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stonewatergolf.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stonewatergc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=stonewater%20golf%20club
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/stonewater-golf-club/about/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/StoneWaterGC
Image Credits
StoneWater
