‘Up and Down’ the Iowa Golf Scene – Wizard of Fun
Allison George is pictured with her children Sophia and Carson shortly after receiving the Don Rossi Award in 2022, recognizing her work to promote and advance the game.
George on a Mission to Make the Game More Enjoyable While Breaking Through Barriers
Allison George is on a dual crusade – a crusade to make the game fun for players of all levels and to elevate the status of women in a game that historically has been dominated by the proverbial “good ‘ole boys.” The owner and general manager of Toad Valley Golf Course in Pleasant Hill, George has achieved significant strides on both fronts.
A multi-generational family-owned business, Toad Valley was once a 200-acre farm plot used by Allison’s grandfather Dale Brady to test his farm implement equipment. More than 50 years later, it has emerged as a well-diversified golf complex featuring an 18-hole championship layout, the “Field of Greens” miniature golf course, two indoor golf simulators and the 6,000 square foot “Flight Zone” top-tracer driving range that features ten heated bays, lounging area, restrooms, snack bar and covered porch. The Topgolf-like facility was added in 2023 as the course celebrated its 50th anniversary.
“I’m a big believer that golf is meant to be fun,” George told Up and Down the Iowa Golf Scene during a recent interview at Toad Valley. “Our philosophy here is to create an environment that produces and sells family memories. When a family looks back to recall its best experiences, we want them to remember Toad Valley.”
A view from the early 1970’s and today illustrates the vast changes at Toad Valley. The bustling golf complex features golf simulators, miniature golf, top-tracer driving range and 18-hole course that produces nearly 50,000 rounds annually.
George has developed a series of golf programs and initiatives to enhance those goals. A super twilight program encourages families to come out and play a few holes after dinner and is priced where participants don’t need to worry about getting nine holes in. Promotions such as “Bald and be Free” offers free golf to those with follicle challenges, “Tax Relief Day” promotes a special discount on April 15, among others, all designed to encourage interest in the game. She is especially proud of the “Ladies Night” initiative started over 20 years ago. The program averages about 100 participants annually and has drawn more than 2,000 attendees over its history. In addition to teaching golf fundamentals and etiquette, women are also taught other tips and customs designed to navigate their way around the golf course smoothly and efficiently.
“We are on a mission to change the culture on how women are perceived and received in the game,” George said. “If I come to your golf course and don’t feel comfortable, there’s a problem. We want to eliminate the barriers and intimidation factors women once faced. Golf is such a powerful, interactive force beyond just playing the game. We want everyone to be able to take advantage of its networking opportunities, including women.”
George has been recognized on a national level as being a force for change in advancing the stature of women in the game. In 2023, she was honored by Golf Inc., magazine with a Hilda Allen Award, presented to the 10 most influential women who are leaders in helping women prosper and grow the golf industry. Hilda Allen was a leader in the golf course real estate brokerage business, a historically male dominated profession. Golf Inc. magazine is the world’s only publication designated for golf course developers, owners and management executives. In 2022, George received the Don Rossi Award by the National Golf Course Owners Association, presented to individuals who have made significant contributions to the game of golf and its growth while inspiring others. Rossi, a founding general manager of the Dallas Texans football team went on to become president of the National Golf Foundation and executive director of the National Association of Public Golf Courses. She has been a member of the NGCOA since 2007.
Over the past two decades, George has been a frequent presenter at golf conferences and shared ideas to help courses grow the number of rounds, players and revenue. She has also spoken at events designed to grow the number of women with leadership roles in the game, often being the only female in the room. In one instance, she recalled with irony at a panel discussion on the subject where she was the only female of eight panelists.
“I am proud of the progress being achieved,” she noted. “The industry is changing, and more women are assuming key roles and more women playing the game.”
George was predestined to be part of the golf industry. At age two, she tagged along with her father Tom to move the tee markers and change hole locations. By age 11, she was working full-time at Toad Valley, washing carts, emptying garbage containers and doing landscaping work. Later, she mowed fairways, greens, rough and tee boxes and then started working the counter in the pro shop.
“Toad Valley always felt like my second home and a fun place to be,” she noted. “It wasn’t until I started working inside when I realized this is a business as well.”
Toad Valley Golf Course, once a 200 acre agriculture equipment testing plot, has been transformed into a multi-faced golf complex.
George started her college career at the University of Iowa then returned to Des Moines to complete her degree at Grand View University. While she once had a desire to become an English teacher, the strong family roots produced a stronger sway. She took time off to get married and start a family. Then, in 2004 and at age 27, she was part of a small group of family investors Toad Valley from her uncle Steve and began a golf odyssey that now includes a multi-faced operation that averages 250 rounds per day and nearly 50,000 during the season. The ride has not been without potholes as the 2008-09 economic recession produced numerous challenges for all business, including golf courses.
“Much of which I get praised for came out of desperation in order to make payroll and pay property taxes,” she quipped.
Propelled by a strong work ethic formed at a young age, George would routinely put in 70-80 hours per week during the golf season. A serious accident on the course during the 2020 season readjusted her perspective. During one of the many fundraisers staged at the course, George approached a tee box in the beverage cart while a player unwittingly teed off, striking her just below the right eye from a distance of just 20 yards. Doctors told George the velocity was akin to that of a rifle shot. She endured multiple surgeries, a fractured orbital and other serious injury to the eye socket. George feels thankful that the injury could have been much worse, although she still has nerve damage and some vision issues. After a six-month absence from work, she returned to the job with a new outlook, having learned some valuable lessons. Her staff and team are capable and will rise to the occasion. The golf course doesn’t stop operating when she’s not there and people continue to enjoy the experience. After that realization, she now enjoys a better work/life balance which is often lacking in the golf industry.
When asked to reflect on her most significant achievements, George returns to her deep family heritage.
“I’m so proud that my children want to be part of a multi-generation family business,” she stated. “And I would love to be able to take my grandpa on a tour of Toad Valley and show him how his vision for this land has been transformed into a comprehensive golf complex.”
“Up and Down” the Iowa Golf Scene
A regular feature column written by IGA Foundation board member Mark Gambaiana, Up and Down the Iowa Golf Scene is designed to take the reader beyond the headlines and scoreboards to share stories of those who help make Iowa golf so rich and rewarding. Profiles will spotlight those who advance the game through volunteerism, service, extraordinary achievement, competition, human interest and the many other dimensions of golf in Iowa.
Click the links below to read previous Up and Down features
– IGA Rules Official Sean Flanders
– R&A, USGA Champion Gene Elliott
– Nervig Reflects on Decades of Service to The Iowa Masters
– Arseneault Finds Fulfillment in Life’s Next Chapter After Competitive Golf
– Ivan Miller remembers the days of the Minnows
– Kinney adjusts to life on tour
– Standard Golf’s roots run deep
– Pettersen sets sights high
– McCoy, Norton Put Iowa Stamp on Florida Senior Golf
– Moreland Reflects on his Extraordinary Club Pro, Playing Career
– From Sibley to the LPGA Tour – Barb Thomas Whitehead Fulfills Her Dream
– At 88 Years Young, Cleo Brown Remains a Fixture at the Principal Charity Classic, IGA Events
– Love of the Game, Service to Others Propel Charlie Taylor to IGA’s 2023 George Turner Award
– The Calling Card for Ottumwa’s Matthew Walker in Quest to Reach Golf’s Highest Level
– Following the Rules Leads Katelynn Hogenson Down a Path Through Magnolia Lane
– State Golf Champions Gather, Reminisce, 50 Years after Surprise Title
– High-Level Competition, Boatwright Internship Preps Hoffman for Career in Golf
– Globetrotting Knutzon Comes by Nomadic Golf Lifestyle Naturally
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