The Enderle Story
Mark Enderle’s professional strength and breadth of experience is in the development of private residential communities. He has a long and successful history across multiple classes of real estate – including development, sales and marketing, and private club operations.
From 2015-2018, Storied Development bought two additional communities, Boot Ranch and Talisker Club. Today both of these communities have been extraordinarily successful with the majority of the homesites sold and the Clubs on solid financial footing. Most recently, in 2024, Storied Development had the opportunity to acquire distressed properties disappearing and acquired 750 acres of beautiful raw land outside of Nashville, TN to develop Firefly – a community built around an Andrew Green golf course.
The Enderle Journey
My love for the game of golf began on my 12th birthday, when my mother dropped me and a collection of friends off to play at a local par 3. It seemed like an open venue to us as we navigated our way around the course with no idea what we were doing.
From that day forward, my sole purpose was to find a way to play more golf. While a decent overall athlete, my greatest passion and most satisfying success came on the golf course. It was a place where I could play with friends, but also a place that brought our family together. My siblings got so tired of hearing about golf that they just admonished me to just build golf courses for a living.
Never good enough to play in college, my passion remained. After school, going to work for a then Big 8 accounting firm, it became clear that golf was integral to my success. The relationships built on the golf course can lead to greater success in the business world. Ultimately, this passion led me to leave the accounting world to work for a community developer whose communities featured golf as one of its primary amenities.
It was here that I learned that two groups of people made money in this business – you either had to develop the project or be on the line selling real estate.
It was at this point that I transitioned from the financial side to being focused on selling the developer’s product. Everything from memberships to homesites and built product, it became clear that golf was a great qualifier for the customer’s financial ability to buy real estate. It was this realization that led me to be singularly focused on only the highest-end luxury communities. This focus has served me well and after the 2008 global financial crises, allowed me to develop relationships with private equity groups to partner with on the highest profile communities in their individual marketplaces.
Today, our success in each of the communities we have developed has revolved around creating lifestyles that our buyers want — nobody needs what we sell, they only have to want it for us to be successful.
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What was the genesis for Firefly?
Nashville is a severely under-served golf market with a vibrant growing population. Having developed another successful community in the area, we were very familiar with the opportunity and found the perfect piece of land for golf, homes and a collection of amenities for everyone in the family.
How was the name chosen for the property?
Everything we do revolves around the family. When we thought back about our childhoods, growing up in a relatively rural setting like Firefly, some of our best memories revolved around our time with family in the evening chasing fireflies. It just speaks to everything special about the site.
What was the tipping point in selecting Andrew Green for the project?
We have had a long history working with golf course architects and to be able to get someone on the verge of becoming one of the finest architects of his time and still get the personal attention Andrew offers was unprecedented. We also wanted to build a golf course that harkened back to the golden age of golf, so who better to deliver that vision.
What specific aspects of his design will differentiate itself at Firefly?
When Andrew visited the site he had the same initial impression we did. The golf course was just lying there waiting to be developed. Specifically, we wanted to be able to play the ball on the ground, and Andrew had the perfect answer. Two-inch drainage in native soils made for a firm and fast surface and protected the Bermuda grass from the very cold temperatures we are susceptible to in Middle Tennessee.
There are very few golf courses in this part of Tennessee that deliver this experience. Further, Andrew’s green shapes allow for very fast firm putting surfaces, which is a basic requirement for any golf course we develop.
What makes the immediate Nashville / Franklin area ripe for such a project?
As noted above, Nashville is a very desirable destination for people all over the country. The private club opportunities for communities of Firefly’s quality are very limited.
Who is your prospective member?
There are several buyer pools that we attract.
· The move-up buyer wanting something better than their current club or neighborhood
· The soon to move-in buyer looking for a place to land in the Nashville area.
· The recent Nashville area resident who has not been able to gain membership in similar quality clubs in the area.
A truly engaging club has a clear vibe. What kind of vibe are you looking to create at Firefly?
We are a family first community. We understand clearly the dichotomy between the old line traditional clubs and the newer more vibrant “make your own rules” clubs.
Our goal is to create a place where the level of service and quality of amenities line up with the newer clubs and recognizes the needs of the younger buyers while also respecting the traditions of the game and the values of the older members.
You’ve been personally involved in a number of past projects where golf and housing are joined together. What have you learned previously when golf and housing are joined together and what do you see happening that will ensure success for both elements at Firefly?
Recognizing that people who live in the community are far more invested in the success of the club and community than the traditional drive-in member.
We have to be good at every aspect of the club lifestyle so that the people living here understand and feel the tangible benefit of living where you play. It is particularly important today when so many of our owners and members work from home and life is truly centered around their community.
From a personal level – when you come to a property that provides golf and housing, what’s the first thing you notice?
There is an old saying in our world – “people make the party”.
If we are successful, our members and residents will find their lives enriched by the people they live and play with on a daily basis.
Clubs routinely talk about customer service. Define the term and the approach you will be implementing at Firefly?
I have heard the analogy that these communities are resorts where the guests never check out.
That is a blessing and a curse. We ask ourselves every day, how do we keep our residents’/members’ experience fresh and enjoyable?
What’s the most noticeable difference in your experience between those from the Baby Boomer generation and those now entering the scene who are looking to join a golf / housing project?
This difference in age comes with a corresponding difference is attitudes. I think the operative words we work hard on is understanding and respect.
Understanding the differences and revel in them while always respecting different people’s approach to how they live life.
If you could change one thing in golf unilaterally — what would it be and why?
I don’t think there is anything about the game that concerns me. To many of the points above, it is attitudinal. Golf is unique for the rules and traditions.
We need to preserve those, and I think they are being challenged on a variety of levels. LIV, No rules for golf etiquette, etc. is worrisome to me. Probably can’t change it, but my challenge is balancing it in a way that preserves the game’s integrity.
Biggest challenges facing Firefly – short and long term are what?
We touched on it earlier, but delivery of service is what keeps me awake at night.
Anticipating owner/member needs and meeting expectations. Anyone can build a great golf course or a great building, but creating culture both early on and for the long term is tough.
What specific game plan are you looking to implement that deals with each situation?
I have learned over the years, that service is people. We have a very detailed plan for who we hire, how we train our staff, and how we educate our members to understand the vision and goals of the community.
Best advice you ever received. What was it and who was it from?
“Do the right thing and the money will take care of itself”. This wasn’t from one person, but was gleaned from my parents, my spiritual leaders and from experience.
And in this advice “money” has many meanings, it’s more what I get from the decisions I make.
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For more info on Firefly – Premier Golf Course Community in Tennessee, click HERE
