Clubhouse Europe

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

Reaching out via Social Media? Time to shine – page 20

CMAE news – CMAE partners with Golf Saudi European Conference – hailed a virtual success HQ Building the Business – protecting the bottom line CCM Success – testimonials from across the globe

ISSUE 23

W NE

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WELCOME

Welcome

Contributors

Fellow Club Management Leaders “Time is what we want most, but what we use worst.” William Penn We find ourselves still facing a long road to travel in 2021 until levels of what we consider to be ‘normal’ return. Continuing with strong leadership and resilience will be required by us as Club Managers to our Board, members and staff while the vaccine roll out programmes in our countries develop, making another large step towards seeing us through the end of this pandemic.

Time has been become even more valuable to us all. Work, family and personal – finding an equal balance of quality in each of these areas is very important. We tend to never have enough time to do great work and while we bear the brunt of the current challenge and act as the glue that holds the club together, it is also an opportunity to learn and grow. Detailing what would you like to achieve on your self development, visualising how these will positively impact your role and taking action are the next steps.

Our mental health is important in these times and we will be sharing our plans on how we will support you in this regard in the very near future.

CMAE continues to deliver a full virtual programme to include our MDP1, MDP2 and MDP 3 with a wide range of workshops, soon to be announced ‘Summits’, Webinars and the CMAE Book Club. Members of our tribe enjoyed a successful and engaging European Conference with the opportunity to learn from industry experts and network with fellow Club Managers online through the ‘Gatherly’ platform. (And while we should be making final travel plans for World Conference in Tampa, there is still availability to participate virtually.)

In the pages of this magazine you’ll find details about our exciting new partnership with Golf Saudi and a review of our successful European Conference. Coverage of our MDPs in this issue include case studies of our most recent CCMs – what better testimonials could you have? – as well as industry insights, reports and some tongue-in-cheek yet entirely salient advice from David Roy and Greg Patterson on how to pick your fights and how to deal with ‘Rude’.

Finally, a big thank you to Toby and Debbie for driving us forward in 2021. It is also my pleasure to welcome Michael McCormack to the team who will support us in what is set to be a dynamic – if different! – year ahead.

Stay Safe.

James Burns CCM President, Club Managers Association of Europe

Rhys Beecher CCM

Miklós Breitner

James Burns CCM

Paddy Dean CCM

Ed Edwards CCM

Sean Ferris

David Foster

Debbie Goddard

Will Hewitt

Torbjörn Johansson

Franciso de Lancastre David CCM

Michael McCormack

Dean Nelson CCM

Frankie O’Donnell CCM

Gregg Patterson

David Roy CCM

Caroline Scoular

Jill Slingsby

Simon Wordsworth

Yassen Yankov CCM

CMAE Board of Directors David Balden CCM dcb@caledonianclub.com Michael Braidwood CCM mbraidwood@ecgolf.com James Burns CCM james.burns@cmaeurope.org Niall Carroll CMDip niall@cducestates.com Debbie Goddard debbie.goddard@cmaeurope.org Alberto Iglesias CCM aiglesias@fdlgolf.es Torbjorn Johansson Torbjorn.johansson@cmaeurope.org Michael Newland CCM michael@theberkshire.co.uk Silvia Serrano CCM serrano_silvia@yahoo.es Mary Lou Watkins CMDip office@luffnessnew.com Editor Caroline Scoular caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk Design David Foster Editorial Nick Sellens Sales and Marketing Manager Leigh-Ann Ogilvie Circulation Jonathan Hardy Association Manager Debbie Goddard Debbie.Goddard@cmaeurope.org Publishing Director Sean Ferris sean@alchemymedia.co.uk Clubhouse Europe is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing Ltd. ACP Gainsborough House, 59/60 Thames Street, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 1TX United Kingdom t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk

CMAE The Club Managers Association of Europe 1b Bagshaw Close Ryton on Dunsmore Warwickshire CV8 3EX United Kingdom t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers or the CMAE. Clubhouse Europe does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

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Contents 13

23

28 Data do nicely for 59club

5 News, views and industry insights Call for entries to the Hospitality Social Media, mental wellbeing and Golf Genius launches Club App.

20

30 Let’s talk about your members Retention of members paying annual fees is always an important part of golf club business. Arguably it’s now taken on a whole new dimension thanks to the pandemic.

6 MDP dates and updates Since online courses commenced during the pandemic, the CMAE has announced 18 online course dates. And so far the courses have hit a 93% delegate satisfaction rate.

33 How to pick your fights 10 New Club Secretary gains CCM status

7 Spotlight on CCM successes The CMAE is delighted to announce that eight more members have gained the coveted Certified Club Manager designation. Welcome to three of our latest success stories!

Frankie O’Donnell CCM is proud to have gained Certified Club Manager status. And the good news doesn’t stop there. He’s just been appointed as Club Secretary of Thorndon Park Golf Club.

11 CMAE’s CCM successes reach Hong Kong 8 CMAE welcomes Belfast GM as CCM Paddy Dean CCM, General Manager of Malone Golf Club in Belfast, is one of the most recent CMAE members to join the elite internationally recognised squad of CCMs.

9 Qatar Director of Golf joins CCM ranks From joining CMAE’s education pathway in 2016 through to sitting a ‘rather tough’ exam, Director of Golf at Education City Golf Club in Qatar, Rhys Beecher CCM, is proud to have achieved CCM certification.

11

Hong Kong Golf Club’s Dean Nelson CCM has achieved his status as a globally recognised Certified Club Manager after passing his exam recently.

13 CMAE links with Golf Saudi Golf Saudi and the CMAE are working together to roll out a series of multi-level, certified Arabic language educational programmes in a new partnership.

Club life often crackles with tension, muses former CMAE President David Roy CCM, as he examines the art of picking your fights.

34 The Reflective Experience – researching ‘Rude’ If you’re in the people business, you’ve encountered ‘Rude’. Every day. Gregg Patterson, Founder and President of ‘Tribal Magic!!!’ examines how to prepare for it and how to purge it.

36 HQ Building the Business – free UK reader service Is your club set to come out of the COVID-19 crisis in fighting fit shape? HQ Building the Business is here to help.

38 A word with Michael McCormack CMDip 17 Driving growth with employee experience development Everything you do and all the data you look at should be centred on knowing your workforce better. Mikló s Breitner, Founder of Golf Business Monitor, explains.

20 Hospitality Social Media Awards Social media is immediate, accessible and – literally – at everyone’s finger tips. So now’s the time to throw a spotlight on all that you do. Welcome to the Hospitality Social Media Awards.

23 European Conference 2020 – A ‘virtual’ success story CMAE Director of Education Torbjörn ‘Toby’ Johansson, reviews the first ever virtual CMAE European Conference.

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Heard of the old adage that there are three kinds of lies: ‘lies, damned lies, and statistics’? Well Simon Wordsworth, CEO of 59club, disagrees with the sentiment. Here’s why.

CMAE is delighted to welcome Michael McCormack CMDip as Project Manager, set to oversee an exciting range of projects being launched. Clubhouse Europe gets up close and personal.

For more information on any of these articles or to contribute to our next issue, contact Editor Caroline Scoular. e. caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk t. +44 (0)1753 272022 For more information on the CMAE, its events and/or courses contact Debbie Goddard. e. debbie.goddard@cmaeurope.org t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359

News from the frontline MDP marches on – courses sell out in 24 hours The CMAE’s Management Development Programme (MDP) continues to be the training programme of choice for many club industry professionals with demand soaring from those wanting to continue their professional development.

Following a swift sell out of two courses in just 24 hours, the CMAE has announced that further MDP online courses will take place in the first four months of 2021 with more to be added in May.

New research examines golf’s appeal during the pandemic When Coronavirus struck in 2020, golf experienced a noticeable resurgence as clubs and courses reopened following lockdown restrictions.

In Denmark, The Scandinavian in Copenhagen sold 37 new memberships in the five weeks after March 1, and in May alone, Google searches for golf club membership reached a five-year high across the UK, United States and Canada.

Data from the US’s National Golf Foundation confirmed there were 57 million more rounds played in 2020 compared to 2019.

From Belgravia to Brentwood

“The demand we have right now from people across Europe and the Middle East is amazing,” said Torbjörn ‘Toby’ Johansson, CMAE Director of Education.

“We are trying to do the best we can in these tough circumstances by offering MDP online and making sure people can either start or continue their path of training, networking and development within our Tribe.”

Jason Torpey, the Director of Tennis at

Hallamshire Academy of Tennis said: “Having just completed the MDP1 and gaining such a wealth of experience that I can now take into my club, I definitely feel part of the CMAE tribe!

“I want to say a big thank you to Toby and all the presenters for giving me such a wonderful and fulfilling week of learning.”

• For more MDP details and latest CCM news turn the page.

Golf Genius launches Club App Following news that the World Handicap System (WHS) and Golf Genius Software are now being fully integrated onto the platforms of all Home Unions, Golf Genius has announced its Golf Genius Club App. The app is designed to bridge the gap between members and events, allowing them to easily view event information/sign up, view tee sheets, enter tournament round scores, register general play scores, view live leader boards and view their event history.

“Bringing together all of our best App Technology from around the world we have sought to put the new WHS in the hands of our club customers and their members,” said the company’s Nick Stocking.

“This new WHS compliant Club App allows players to easily stay connected with their

clubs using their existing login details.

Members can manage every aspect of their golf event calendar, submitting scores from general play, browsing and registering for upcoming events, as well as helping golfers understand aspects of the new WHS system including Course Handicap calculation.”

The app also leverages communication tools, including alerts and text messaging, so that members can stay up-to-date with latest information on tee times and results, for example.

Content includes instructions and videos for players.

•Readers can book an online demo with Nick Stocking via this QR Code.

Call for entries – Social Media Awards 2021 The Hospitality Social Media Awards (HoSMA) celebrate golf clubs, golf resorts and clubs of all types and sizes who demonstrate exceptional use of social media to engage with members. Sound like you?

• Turn to page 20 to enter.

Outdoor activity and golf contributing to mental health

CMAE member and Certified Club Manager Frankie O’Donnell CCM has been appointed as the new Club Secretary of Thorndon Park Golf Club in Brentwood, Essex. Frankie first joined the Management Development Programme in 2013 when he attended the MDP 1 course in Bournemouth, and over the next six years he completed the full pathway by attending MDP part 2, MDP Food & Beverage Management and MDP 3 Strategy & Leadership.

•See page 10 for more details of Frankie’s CCM journey.

A new international study by academics from Anglia Ruskin University, the University of Health Sciences in Austria and Perdana University in Malaysia, may provide answers to a flurry or interest in golf. Viren Swami, Professor of Social Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “While lockdowns can help slow down the transmission of COVID-19, research has also shown that prolonged periods of lockdown take their toll on mental health.

“Our results are important in this context because they show that being able to spend time outdoors under conditions of lockdown has a beneficial impact on psychological wellbeing.

“Being outdoors provides opportunities to escape from the stresses of being confined at home, maintain social relationships with others, and engage in physical activity – all of which can improve mental health.”

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MDP COURSES

Management Development Programmes The CMAE’s Management Development Programme (MDP) was hosted online for the first time in November 2020. And we’ve never looked back. Onwards and upwards!

GET INVOLVED

MDP - PLANNED DATES

LOCATION

HOST

Interested in attending a course date? Then please do get in touch with us by email on office@cmaeurope.org and we will register your interest until a time when we have a decision if the course will go ahead and under what capacity. Online courses continue as advised.

MDP Part 1 8 - 12 February 2021 15 - 19 February 2021 22 - 26 March 2021 17 - 21 May 2021 16 - 20 August 2021 18 - 22 October 2021 22 - 26 November 2021 6 - 10 December 2021

Online Online Online Online Online Online Online Online

CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE

MDP Part 2 15 - 19 March 2021 19 - 23 April 2021 7 - 11 June 2021 1 - 5 November 2021

Online Online Online Online

CMAE CMAE CMAE CMAE

MDP Golf Management 29 November - 3 December 2021

St Andrews, Scotland

CMAE

MDP 3 Strategy & Leadership 1 - 5 March 2021 5 - 9 April 2021

Online Online

CMAE CMAE

MDP Sport & Recreation 1 - 5 August 2022

London, England

CMAE

MDP Taster Events 2021 (TBD) 2021 (TBD)

Online Online

AITG FGMA

Since the online courses commenced, the CMAE announced 18 online course dates, of which 13 are already fully booked as we go to press. So far, we have received a 93 % delegate satisfaction rate.

Mark Bierton, General Manager of Knebworth Golf Club attended the MDP 1 course in January and said: “Thank you so much for the seamless organisation of the week, I feel like a new cell of energy has been released within me. I have for many years craved a return to education and have finally found a pathway to continue on.”

After amazing feedback, more courses might be offered later this year.

Once the possibility of offering classroom training (in a safe environenment) arrives, MDP will go back to being residential.

The CMAE MDP is a series of courses and learning opportunities designed for those working as club general managers, club secretaries and in other senior positions at sports, city and business clubs today, as well as for those who aspire to these roles in the future.

To register your interest in attending any of the above courses please contact debbie.goddard@cmaeurope.org or use this QR code (see left).

COVID-19 – Many MDPs are taking place online while the pandemic continues. We continue to

• To book your place and/or to add your name to the waiting list please email office@cmaeurope.org

monitor the situation and will update members on any changes. The safety of delegates, presenters and staff is paramount, and courses will only be run when it is safe to do so.

Online CMAA World Conference – March 8-12 Following the success of CMAE’s European Conference, members are reminded to register for the CMAA World Conference, an online event this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Attendance at the World Conference is mandatory to any European manager who wishes to sit the Certified Club Manager Exam (CCM).

Registration is normally complimentary for anyone who has attended a CMAE MDP in the last two years but this is only for the physical conference. This will be extended to 2022 instead of 2021.

Anyone who has not attended an MDP course in the last two years but still wishes to go to the World Conference can do so at the regular rate. Certified Club Managers are entitled to one complimentary place at the World Conference every five years.

Details at https://www.cmaeurope.org/newsevents/world-conference

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CCM SUCCESS

Three CCMs and a baby as the new year starts The CMAE is delighted to announce that eight more members have gained the coveted Certified Club Manager designation. Welcome to three of our latest success stories!

T

he success of three candidates in sitting and passing their Certified Club Manager (CMM) exams has helped to raise the number of CCMs in Europe and the Middle East to 61.

The newly accredited triumvirate are made up of Ed Edwards, Chief Operating Officer at Golf Saudi, Francisco de Lancastre David, Cluster General Manager for Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links Abu Dhabi, and finally Yassen Yankov, General Manager at The In & Out (Naval and Military Club). All passed the sevenhour examination to gain their new designation.

Ed Edwards CCM Ed is the first person working in Saudi Arabia to gain the CCM, coming at a time when CMAE and Golf Saudi have announced a new partnership to create certified industry leaders amongst Saudi nationals.

“The CMAE journey has been greatly fulfilling on a personal level and I am delighted to have achieved CCM status,” said Ed. “The educational pathway has not only provided me with access to an industry leading educational programme with world class facilitators, but has also given me the opportunity to expand my peer network which combined, have furnished me with essential tools to become a more accomplished professional.”

The greatest reward throughout this journey, however, is not one of personal achievement, he said: “The greatest reward is encouraging colleagues at various facilities I have been fortunate to manage around the world to go through the same CMAE journey and to witness the results in personal development and performance on completion of each stage of the educational pathway.

“I am now greatly looking forward to working closely with the team at CMAE to develop a customised certification programme specifically for Saudi Nationals that will nurture and certify the future leaders of the game within Saudi Arabia and beyond.”

Yassen Yankov CCM Yassen was welcoming his second son into the world when he had the phone call to confirm he had become a CCM – a double whammy.

“I am very pleased to have obtained my CCM qualification! It has been a long journey which started back in 2016 with the first MDP1 in Dubai. What a great way to end a year which most people would like to forget!” he said.

Ed Edwards CCM

“

The greatest reward is encouraging colleagues around the world.

Francisco de Lancastre David CCM

”

“The CMAE has been a great source of knowledge and I would encourage everyone in this industry to join! Thank you to Mike Braidwood and Toby Johansson for organising the educational courses; your contribution to the association has been truly outstanding.”

Francisco de Lancastre David CCM Francisco is the first Portuguese national to gain the CCM and is proud to have joined the CCM tribe. “I am delighted to have achieved the CMAE CCM Certification – certainly a highlight in my continuous learning and development process of the past few years. It has been a great journey to attend all the MDPs and to experience the World Conference in Dallas last year. A special and personal thank you to Toby, Debbie and the entire team at CMAE for their support in this process.”

Francisco is pleased that so many Club Managers from Portugal have now enrolled in the MDP pathway and can soon apply to sit in the CCM Exam.

“I strongly recommend all members of our Industry take advantage of the CMAE network and their continuous personal development opportunities – it has certainly helped me along my professional journey!”

CONTACT DETAILS Ed Edwards, Chief Operating Officer, Golf Saudi • www.golfsaudi.com Francisco de Lancastre David, Cluster General Manager • www.troonabudhabi.com Yassen Yankov, General Manager, The In & Out • www.theinandout.co.uk Yassen Yankov CCM

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CCM SUCCESS

Belfast GM welcomed as CCM Paddy Dean CCM, General Manager of Malone Golf Club in Belfast, is one of the most recent CMAE members to join the elite internationally recognised squad of CCMs.

P

addy Dean CCM was appointed General Manager of Belfast’s Malone Golf Club in February 2014. Just a few weeks later he could be found sitting in Stirling University, attending his first MDP course. He was hooked.

“From that point on I was determined to follow the MDP pathway through to completion, attending MDP 2 in Bournemouth in 2015 and then MDP Golf at St Andrews in December 2016,” he said. “World Conference in San Francisco in 2018 was the next step before completing MDP 3 Strategy & Leadership in January 2019.”

By 2020 he had the six years of management experience required to enable him to sit the CCM exam. He planned to sit the exam in March, but then COVID-19 and lockdown hit. That didn’t prevent him or CMAE from following his ambitions, however.

“CMAE allowed me to sit the exam remotely under direct supervision, and I am thrilled to now be able to say that I am the first club manager from Northern Ireland to achieve CCM status,” said Paddy.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the MDP pathway at every stage, especially in respect of the wonderful people I have met along the way.

It is a great honour to now be among an elite group of club managers who hold the CCM designation in Europe.

“I am determined to continue in respect of developing my knowledge and continuing professional development through CMAE and look forward to attending future World and European conferences when the current pandemic is over.”

CMAE Director of Education Torbjörn Johansson said: “I have had the great pleasure of

Paddy Dean CCM

knowing Paddy for quite some time now and am delighted to see his progress. I have witnessed his devotion to his club in these tough times and being able to perform on an exam at the same time – a huge accomplishment. I am thrilled to have Paddy join the CCM Tribe.”

CONTACT DETAILS Paddy Dean General Manager Malone Golf Club 240 Upper Malone Road, Dunmurry, Belfast BT17 9LB e. manager@malonegolfclub.co.uk t. +44 (0) 28 9060 6754 www. malonegolfclub.co.uk Malone Golf Club, Belfast

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CCM SUCCESS

Qatar Director of Golf joins CCM ranks From joining CMAE’s education pathway in 2016 through to sitting a ‘rather tough’ exam, Director of Golf at Education City Golf Club in Qatar, Rhys Beecher, is proud to have achieved CCM status.

R

hys Beecher CCM has been enjoying his role at Education City Golf Club in Qatar for five years now, having been involved in its not insignificant journey from desert to grass.

He joined the club from Dubai’s prestigious ‘The Address Montgomerie’, progressing through a number of different positions over a 10 year period, from Assistant Golf Professional to Academy Director.

Rhys joined CMAE’s education pathway in 2016 and over the last four years attended four of the five Management Development Programmes (MDPs) as well as attending the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) World Conference, making him eligible to sit the CCM exam.

His success makes him the third Certified Club Manager to be based at the Education City Golf Club, joining colleagues General Manager Michael Braidwood CCM and Head Professional Anthony Caira CCM. Rhys said: “The MDP pathway has been an enlightening and rewarding journey, culminating in a rather tough exam! It is thought provoking at every stage and full of self-reflection. I am thrilled to have achieved the CCM accreditation. I have gained a greater depth and breadth of knowledge from the various MDP programmes, and critically a tribe of like-minded managers and industry professionals whom I would comfortably call on for support.”

Michael Braidwood CCM said: “As chair of the CMAE’s Education Policy committee I am delight-

Rhys Beecher CCM

CONTACT DETAILS

ed to see two new CCMs. On a personal level I am especially pleased for Rhys. He has been a work colleague for the last two and a half years and I have seen the amount of work he has put into his CMAE studies in order to achieve the CCM designation; thoroughly deserved.”

Rhys Beecher CCM Director of Golf, Education City Golf Club, Education City, Al Rayyan Road, PO Box 12182, Doha, Qatar e. info@ecgolf.com WhatsApp 97477737973 www.ecgolf.com

Education City Golf Club – the clue’s in the name!

In December 2020 Education City Golf Club and Commercial Bank teamed up to organise the year’s final Play to Par Tournament, tailored to take children from the practice area to the golf course. Around 50 children participated in the event.

“Golf and fitness education and development of the child are our priority,” said the club’s General Manager Michael Braidwood CCM. “Our Play to Par revamped classes are delivered in a memorable, safe and healthy environment as we encourage learning through a multitude of fun exercises.”

The club and Commercial Bank Education are now gearing up to host 2021’s annual Commercial Bank Qatar Masters.

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CCM SUCCESS

CCM becomes new Club Secretary Frankie O’Donnell is proud to have gained Certified Club Manager certification. And the good news doesn’t stop there. He’s just been appointed as Club Secretary of Thorndon Park Golf Club.

Frankie O’Donnell CCM

A

former special educational needs worker and casino croupier, Frankie O’Donnell CCM entered the hospitality industry in 2008 when he joined the Caledonian Club as Front Office Manager. There he ran the club’s busy reception desk and oversaw its accommodation offering before being promoted to House Manager in 2017.

Now, he’s enjoying his new role as club secretary of Thorndon Park Golf Club.

Thorndon Park celebrated its centenary in 2020

10 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

Frankie first joined the Management Development Programme in 2013 when he attended the MDP 1 course in Bournemouth, and over the next six years he completed the full pathway by attending MDP part 2, MDP Food & Beverage Management and MDP 3 Strategy & Leadership.

He now joins the elite band of CCM Club Industry professionals in Europe and the Middle East.

Frankie said: “Passing the CCM exam has given me a huge sense of both pride and achievement. It is the culmination of many years of learning, professional development and hard work and I look forward to using the skills and knowledge I have gained on the pathway to this designation throughout my career.”

CMAE’s Director of Education Torbjörn Johansson said: “I am very happy to see Frankie achieve CCM success. He has shown incredible commitment to his professional development on the MDP pathway over six years and now his hard work has been rewarded with the CCM certification.”

CONTACT DETAILS Frankie O’Donnell CCM Club Secretary Thorndon Park Golf Club, Ingrave, Brentwood CM13 3RH t. +44 1277 810345

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CCM SUCCESS

CMAE’s CCM successes reach Hong Kong CMAE is pleased to announce that Hong Kong Golf Club’s Dean Nelson has achieved his status as a globally recognised Certified Club Manager (CCM) after passing his exam in recent weeks.

D

ean Nelson CCM is Director of Golf and Deputy General Manager at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

Dean started his MDP journey in 2016 when he attended MDP 1 in Dubai and went on to complete the full MDP programme and attend the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) World Conference, making him eligible to sit the CCM exam.

Dean now joins the select group of 61 CCM club industry professionals making their presence felt across the globe.

Commenting on his success Dean said: “Gaining the CCM is a fantastic milestone to achieve, and I am very grateful to all the team at CMAE for all their support and help over the years. The pathway to achieving the CCM is a fantastic journey where I learned so much not only from the inspirational presenters at the MDP classes but my industry colleagues who attended these weeks. I believe all aspiring Club Managers must follow this path, and I can’t speak highly enough of the learning opportunities that the MDP provides.”

Dean’s golfing career began in Scotland as a PGA apprentice at Lanark Golf Club, the world’s 25th oldest golf club. Since then the Class AA PGA Professional has been Senior Golf Professional for the Duke of Roxburghe at his private resort, worked with Dubai Golf on growing Golf in the Middle East and then with PGA Golf Management where he was tasked with the challenge of opening the first grass golf course in Kuwait.

Directly before joining Hong Kong Golf Club, Dean could be found in Portugal’s Algarve region working with Starwood Hotels and Resorts as

Dean Nelson CCM Senior Director of Golf and Recreation in their European flagship resort, the 5-star Sheraton Algarve Hotel and Pine Cliffs Residence.

Michael Braidwood CCM said: “As chair of the

Education Policy committee I am delighted to see Dean pass his CCM exam. Dean has shown incredible commitment towards his education and professional development and despite having a long way to travel to our various education programmes, this has not stopped him achieving him dream of CCM.”

CONTACT DETAILS Dean Nelson CCM Hong Kong Golf Club P.O. Box No. 1, Shek Wu Hui Post Office, New Territories, Hong Kong e. enquiry@hkgolfclub.org t. (852) 2670 1211 www.hkgolfclub.org The Old Course, Hong Kong Golf Club

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CMAE PARTNERSHIP

CMAE links with Golf Saudi Following the ambitious new partnership signed between Golf Saudi and the Club Managers Association of Europe in late 2020, both organisations have been working hard in 2021 to roll out a series of multi-level, certified Arabic language education programmes.

T

hrough this first of its kind agreement, both CMAE and Golf Saudi are committed to encouraging Saudi nationals into a future career in golf. This year has already seen a series of training and education programmes implemented

to discover and create future national leaders for the Kingdom’s growing golf sector.

CMAE has already begun to define, develop, design and deliver a custom made education platform in Saudi Arabia, drawing on an industryrenowned approach to optimise national access to the most definitive education and qualification opportunities in the game. The strategy will feed into CMAE’s existing Management Development Programme and certification criteria, assisting Golf Saudi in delivering its core human resources targets of growing the domestic golf talent pool and ultimately creating new Saudi National Certified Club Managers.

Digging deeper, the current agreement has two specific elements to it. The first is the further development of those already working in club management going through the CMAE’s management development programme. The second and more important element is creating the pathway for Saudi Nationals to become equipped with the knowledge to embark on a role within the golf industry and then undergo the MDP programme. The priority

for Golf Saudi is to have 3,750 Saudi Nationals working in the Golf Industry by 2030. This education will be the starting point for this.

The team at Golf Saudi has been working with CMAE to develop the early stages of the programme, the essential introduction to successfully securing the legacy of golf education within the Kingdom to successfully secure the legacy of golf within the Kingdom. The first stage of the educational platform provides the student with a full understanding of the game of golf, its history, how the game is played, the current and future golf landscape in Saudi Arabia and the opportunities for careers in the industry. The introductory course will be used by Golf Saudi in their on-boarding process and be adapted into a child’s version to be used in schools.

In addition to this, the team leading the project in the Kingdom will engage with various government organisations such as the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development as these organisations are instrumental to the roll out and engagement of those who are

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CMAE PARTNERSHIP unemployed, university students as well as showcasing the opportunities available within Saudi Arabia’s new golf industry. They will also lead the testing and translation services element to ensure the project is perfect for the Saudi market.

On completion of the Golf Introduction course, students will progress to a programme targeting entry level golf club employees which will include five modules, including elements such as Business Ethics, Business Etiquette and Time Management and has been designed to give participants a basic understanding of golf club operations. Following this entry level training is the Supervisory Level stage, which will incorporate both the Pre-MDP programme learning, as well as a Train the Trainer element, which will identify key employees for selection to become the future educators of the programme. On the completion of both, Golf Saudi employees will be eligible to enter CMAE’s MDP programme.

Golf Saudi is also currently creating an image library showcasing learning in the target demographics that the programme will be rolled out to, including: Schools, Universities, Corporate Offices and Golf Facilities. This online platform will be a world first for golf education in that it is in Arabic with an Arabic feel and with workbooks including Saudi specific images.

The CMAE partnership is an important component in Golf Saudi’s mission to create the future certified Saudi National leaders of the country’s golf ecosystem. The future of the game lies with the young and if Golf Saudi is to succeed, the organisation through CMAE’s assistance will need to convince as many young men and women as possible to not only take up the game of golf, but also believe that a future career in golf is as viable as it is attractive. By providing access to the necessary skills, qualifications and training in Arabic, both parties are ensuring that jobs in the ever-growing golf industry are a perfect complement of qualified, expert Saudi Nationals and international specialists.

Golf Saudi is committed to delivering a dynamic programme that transforms the golfing land-

14 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

scape by embarking on a training and education pathway. Becoming one of the most innovative golf markets in the world will only be possible through upskilling the domestic work force. Golf is good for business and can provide a direct boost to the Kingdom’s GDP, as well as providing lucrative jobs and creating new enterprise. These are exciting times for the golf industry in Saudi Arabia and this agreement will be a meaningful step forward in meeting these targets by curating specific training programmes across a variety of fields. The work that is already underway in 2021 with CMAE helps to develop a world-class and modern training programme, which will support young Saudi adults in unlocking the full potential of their future career paths within the golf industry.

Since its formation in 2018, Golf Saudi has embarked on an ambitious national golf strategy, which has worked to support the Kingdom’s impressive Vision 2030. Both parties recognise the importance of training the next generation of Saudis to meet expected future demand, enhancing Saudi Arabia’s perception as a golfing destination for its citizens and international visitors alike.

• For more details on CMAE’s new partnership with Golf Saudi contact office@cmaeurope.org

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WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

How to drive growth with employee experience development To create a compelling employee experience, golf clubs must understand the influencing factors.

Miklós Breitner, Founder of Golf Business Monitor, explains.

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ne of the positive side-effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is the realization that golf club employees are not merely headcounts or workers, but human beings with needs, aspirations and goals.

The Edelman Trust Barometer 2020 study found that the biggest concerns of people at the beginning of the Coronavirus crisis were the huge number of fake news and the difficulty of finding reliable sources of information. The same study found that employer communication is considered to be the most reliable source of information.

The smart and progressive golf clubs and their leaders immediately understood that it is an excellent moment and the opportunity to demonstrate empathy and care of their employees. Believe me, these golf clubs’ employees will remember and appreciate this gesture since it is a defining moment in their lives.

These golf club managers acted rightly also because they understood if they want to provide an exceptional customer experience in the future they must invest in their most competitive advantage: their employees!

Our employees have got the biggest impact on customer experience as they have the most direct contact with our guests and golf club members.

The value is created by satisfied, loyal, and productive golf club employees.

Gallup’s study concluded that “the behaviours of highly engaged business units result in 21% greater profitability.” (Source: https://www.gallup.com/ workplace/236366/right-culture-not-employee-satisfaction.aspx) In 2017 Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report concluded that 87% do not feel engaged in their jobs. The low level of engagement is a threat but an opportunity for employers at the same time.

This tells me there is a new growth opportunity at our disposal that not necessarily requires capital investment. Don’t believe it? I will demonstrate it to you.

To understand the inherent opportunity in employee experience development in our golf clubs, I will first clarify the difference between employee engagement and employee experience.

Engagement is an emotional commitment an employee has to her organization and its goals.

Engagement requires loyalty.

The drivers of employee engagement are: • People.

• Nature of work.

• • • •

Advancement in career.

Recognition.

Quality of professional life.

Company practices.

At the same time, employee experience is the sum of all interactions between an employee and his/her employer as they are perceived, understood, and remembered by the employee.

Employee experience is not something new. It has been around with humans for a real long time.

What happened in the last five to seven years was that the organisations in general have started to move away from management-centric practices, to bring more of the human into the mix.

The quality of employee experience affects three areas of our golf club’s operation: • Recruitment.

• Workforce retention.

• Overall customer experience.

Employee experience is about designing organization where people want to show up by focusing on the cultural, technological, and physical environments. Many organisations today use employee engagement and employee experience interchangeably without any distinguishable difference.

This is incorrect. Employee engagement has been all about short-term cosmetic changes that organizations have been trying to make to improve how they work. If employee engagement is the short-term adrenaline shot, then employee experience is the long-term redesign of the organization (= golf club). Engagement efforts do not create trust or loyalty!

To create a compelling employee experience, golf clubs must understand the influencing factors and recognize the increasingly complex, independent system in which they exist. Individuals’ work experience is influenced by how they work, which in turn is dependent upon the organizational system

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 17

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WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT in which they work, but also by the business partners of the golf club/organization.

For the better understanding of our employees’ needs, goals, and desires, we can use the journey mapping technique (among others) that we are already using (I hope so!) in customer experience design and development.

Employee journey mapping will encourage you to ask yourself – and investigate – important questions: • What are the people working for you tell about your company/golf club to their friends?

• What are they saying (or not saying) on social media?

• What is your employer brand? What do you do to attract the right people?

• Who are the right people?

• What sort of recognition do you have as a workplace?

• How often do your employees introduce their friends to come and work for you?

Look towards your employees and consider: • How many major initiatives in the last 3 years were really providing value to employees?

• We need to have a deep belief in the power of people to contribute and they are integral to deliver business strategy.

“

The smart and progressive golf clubs and their leaders immediately understood that it is an excellent moment and the opportunity to demonstrate empathy and care of their employees. Believe me, these golf clubs’ employees will remember and appreciate this gesture since it is a defining moment in their lives.

18 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

• Employees work in days and hours, not quarters or years.

• Make managers part of the process of developing the employee experience strategy and enhancing it with golf club employees.

• One-size-fits all does not work for guests and it will not for employees either.

To succeed in employee experience development in your golf club, you must accept the five principles of employee experience: 1. Employees are not just workers/headcount/ manpower! (See Marriott’s TakeCare wellbeing programme.)

2. Employees are expecting mutually beneficial relationships with their employers. (Troon is using for instance Gallup’s StrengthsFinder assessment solution to find out what their employees naturally do best.)

3. Synchronize and evolve experience, brand and culture.

4. Provide ongoing reinforcement of the employer brand promise.

5. Put your employees first!

mood measurement and analysis of the employees/workforce. We should not forget to understand what causes engagement. The CAUSE is employee experience; the EFFECT is an engaged workforce.

Some great employee engagement software includes Beekeeper, Clarity Wave, Officevibe, Branch Messenger etc.

One of the best ways to create attractive employee experiences is by knowing your people and that starts with PEOPLE ANALYTICS. People analytics is still very much an emerging area of practice. It shows companies are becoming more and more people centric.

Everything you do and all the data you look at should be centered on knowing your workforce better: • “What questions”: What is the diversity of our workforce / What is the average tenure / etc.

• “Why questions”: Why is one group more successful than another? Or Why are the high-performing managers doing things differently?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR In my experience the half year or annual surveys are not sufficient to better understand our golf club employees needs and expectations. The reason behind this is that employees work in days and hours.

We should move away from the traditional onceper-year survey to continuous feedback approaches.

I must say that there is no right answer for how often you should measure employee engagement.

Anything related to people should be measured continuously.

One of the latest HR analytics trends is real-time

Miklós Breitner is the Founder of Golf Business Monitor, the world #1 B2B golf business blog with over 60,000 followers, and golf club marketing consultancy.

The Golf Business Monitor is an official media partner of IAGTO, World Golf Business Forum, CNIG, CPG, World Corporate Golf Challenge, and the Golf Course Association Europe. www.golfbusinessmonitor.com

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HOSPITALITY SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS 2021

Hospitality Social Media Awards Social Media – making it count. Are you engaging with your members? Reaching out with advice on COVID-19? Sharing ideas with your CMAE tribe? Social media is immediate, accessible and – literally – at everyone’s finger tips. So now’s the time to throw a spotlight on all that you do. Welcome to the Hospitality Social Media Awards.

he Hospitality Social Media Awards (HoSMA) are the only pan- industry awards designed to celebrate golf clubs, golf resorts and licensed outlets of all types and sizes who are using social media to help engage with their members.

Clubs of all shapes, types and sizes, along with colleagues from across the Hospitality spectrum, are invited to enter their good news stories on how social media is proving a valuable asset for both the business and members.

Want a sense of the event? Head over to www.facebook.com/ HSMAwards for a flavour of the last event, happily held at the

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House of Commons, London. To see the current title holders then it’s www.hsma.biz/news, and don’t forget the twitter handle – twitter.com/HSMAwards.

What are they again? Just to recap! The Hospitality Social Media Awards celebrate how social media is helping clubs and the hospitality sector as a whole to communicate and build their business.

Last year saw hundreds of entries from all forms of hospitality imaginable, from golf clubs and tennis clubs to hotels and spas.

So whether you’re a prolific tweeter or a facebook aficionado using social media to spread the word, we’re waiting for your entry.

See opposite page for how to enter. Good luck!

Current title holders

Club Insure’s Jason Cook (left) presents Leicestershire County Cricket Club with the Hospitality Social Media Awards Sports Club of the Year.

Golf Club of the Year goes to the impressive Formby Golf Club, presented by Bob Williams (centre), former Chief Executive of the Golf Club Managers Association.

BT Sport’s Ed Cracknell (centre) presents worthy winners South Shields FC with the Football Club of the Year trophy.

Canterbury Rugby Club’s Ian Lloyd (right) collects the Rugby Club of the Year trophy from Club Control’s Chris McNally.

HOW TO ENTER

Dransfields’ Trevor Roberts (left) congratulates Northern FC on becoming joint winner of the Community Club of the Year Award.

To enter online – visit www.hsma.biz/enter or use this QR code.

Alternatively – email info@hsma.biz with your details and we’ll send you a self-entry form.

Wortley Men’s Club celebrate their joint win of Community Club of the Year, collecting their trophy from Trevor Roberts, Dransfields (centre).

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 21

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2021 HOSPITALITY SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS

OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Enter the 2021 Awards

email info@hsma.biz

REGISTRATION HOTLINE 01753 272022

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE REVIEW

European Conference –A‘virtual’successstory When the decision was taken to go ahead with the European Conference, albeit in a virtual setting, it was immediately apparent that time was of the essence. CMAE Director of Education Torbjörn ‘Toby’ Johansson, reviews the first ever virtual CMAE European Conference.

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he world had come to a standstill in Spring 2020 and no one knew what would happen next, or what it would be possible to do in the Autumn the same year. The CMAE Board took immediate action by cancelling all face to face education and discussions started on the 2020 European Conference.

As it turned out, all the work we had already done with the Webinar Series called “PowerPlay” was really valuable when it came to running a bigger online event. So during the Summer we began to send out invitations and the marketing was started.

The initial reaction was very positive. Everyone understood that we were trying to do the best we

could with the very difficult COVID-19 situation at hand.

I was happy to hear about an online platform called Gatherly through one of our Corporate Partners in which you could use a virtual elevator to travel in between floors. From here you could have seminars, one-to-one or group discussions and presentations at the same time. I fell in love with the platform – although I did wonder whether it would be enough for the entire conference given the many different expectations that our members and partners have. With the final proposal outlined, however, The Board took the decision to move forward and we didn’t look back.

I was happy to secure the services of Vincent

Phipps early. He was someone I ‘d had on my hit list for quite a while after hosting him in Sweden many years ago and also having seen him at World Conference. I also connected with Andre Van Hall, a former GM and inspirational speaker with an amazing story of success through adversity. I knew that Andre, just like Vincent, could do a keynote session and a workshop. These two, together with one of our own managers/CCMs Arnaldo Cocuzza, Director of Athletics at Desert Mountain Club in Arizona, and Rob Hill, a Partner with Global Golf Advisors (GGA) made an exciting team of keynotes speakers. (GGA had sent out excellent white papers during the pandemic – worth a read if you missed them.)

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EUROPEAN CONFERENCE REVIEW

An online conference is the second best thing to meeting in person. Where we couldn’t meet in person, this became the best choice and it was run so professionally.

I got so much out of it and the discussions of a hybrid conference were very exciting as well. You can’t fault it in any way.

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I thought it was an outstanding conference, well planned, structured and executed. Toby did a brilliant job as the moderator, bringing pace and personality to events and continuity. The technology was a revelation. Overall the software gave an excellent digital experience, and the speed and effectiveness of Debbie following up and sorting out questions and issues was first class. I attended Kevin Fish’s session, which was excellent. I was hugely impressed all round.

Vincent Phipps (above) and Andre Van Hall (left) were amongst the first presenters to be signed up for the 2020 Conference. The Gatherley platform (above), replete with elevators, break out and session rooms, proved invaluable in bring the CMAE Tribe together. Opposite: R&A’s Martin Slumber (middle right) and 2012 Ryder Cup winning Captain José María Olazábal (bottom right) were welcome participants. Overleaf: Former CMAE President Arnold Cazzuza CCM ran an important, motivational session, while Vito di Bari examined what the future might look like.

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It was decided that the three day event would have three different aims and would use two different elements/platforms. It turned out to be a good decision according to the very positive feedback.

Day 1 Day 1 focused on information, having discussions on Zoom with presentations first. It felt good to be able to invite delegates to offer feedback on everything we were trying to accomplish, as well as giving them the ability to talk with each other about the difficulties experienced over this very tough year. We were really happy to be able to create an event that got so many people chatting during the three days.

For me, the highlight of Day 1 was to hear from so many of the Tribe Members about how they were doing during the pandemic; we had a lot of good discussions on what was happening at the time. We also had specific discussions with our Alliance Partners, CCMs, CMDips and more. The real highlights were the visits we had from Martin Slumbers, CEO at the R&A and CMAA President Mark Bado MCM CCE (General Manager Myers Park CC) who spoke about what they are doing during the pandemic.

Day 2 Day 2 saw four keynote speakers and 12 seminars on Gatherly, the online platform where all 160 delegates could use the four virtual floors to engage and chat with each other as well as watching the broadcasted education. In Gatherly, you decide who you want to speak to and which floor you needed to be on, which gave it a real conference feel.

For the 12 seminars, we decided to enlist the help of our CCMs and other CMAE members who had a story to tell. Thanks to the lack of possible communication during the seminar in Gatherly - you could only write direct messages to the presenters – we decided to have a minimum of two people doing each presentation to enable interaction. We ended up with 25 presenters that day, with many really memorable subjects and passionate individuals.

Having José Maria Olazabal sharing his story was a real coup for us. Then there was Fraser Jervis sharing his thoughts on being burned out, David Roy CCM and Chris May CCM on “burning down clubhouses” (just the previous week a clubhouse burned down in Scotland!). Howie Roberts shared how a tribal war influenced one of the most remote clubs in the world. I could continue mentioning every seminar for many different, positive, reasons, and the feedback from delegates was that each and every session had something notable they could take away with them.

Day 3 Finally, Day 3 had a very different twist to. Delegates had to choose one of six workshops that dug deeper into one specific subject. For this we were back on Zoom where presenters could use breakout rooms.

The closing session had a futurist spin, examining the future of clubs and other trends, plus CMAE talking with Ed Edwards from Golf Saudi about the exciting project we are engaged in in Saudi Arabia.

(See page 13 for details.)

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Fantastically organised; a really nice buzz from everyone attending. You’re all doing an incredible job developing the CMAE. I’m proud to be a part of it.

Gatherly was brilliant, seamless. And it was good to be able to interact with candidates I had previously not known.

I think the concept is very good, and I know many others found it valuable. Overall I thought your use of technology was very good and made the best of a challenging scenario.

Well done!

Excellently executed. Great planning and preparation from all who were involved. Nothing can actually replace being at an event but this virtual conference was as close as it gets. The Gatherly platform was fantastic.

Well done. I look forward to next year’s being bigger and even better.

Considering this was the first conference being online, it was exceptional. Toby and Debbie should be congratulated for their efforts and preparation to ensure it worked well. The technology was great, and they clearly did their research and chose a platform that would enable the conference to the next best thing to actually being there. For a first time conference attendee, it also made attending simpler and easier to convince the committee of the expenditure, so that future years should be easier to justify attending in person.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 25

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EUROPEAN CONFERENCE REVIEW

Perfectly organized, well done!

Excellent technical platforms and solutions, smooth running, and easy to use. The speakers and subjects were definitely touching the most important points, which interest us.

The networking element worked brilliantly well. Gatherly is a super platform. This is by far the best online conference setup and organisation that I’ve experienced. The combination of the platforms worked well and was well planned by CMAE.

Rob Hill as the opening Keynote Speaker was excellent probably the best I have heard him present. Very powerful.

Gatherly and Zoom worked exceptionally well, and are tools which I am sure can be used for forthcoming events.

A great online conference, in which we were able to share moments with our colleagues in the Gatherly Hall. It seemed like a fantastic idea.

Thank you all for all the work that was put in. After a really tough year, it was so great to re-connect with the tribe and to look forward.

CMAE has once again led the way in providing value for its members and corporate sponsors. Well done!

Workshops The six workshops hosted a maximum of 30 delegates in each of them. We limited numbers because we wanted the presenter to have full engagement with the people in the room. (It was on Day 3 that clubs in England opened after a lockdown which also made a difference for some of the delegates.)

The overall feedback from the workshops was superb. The only downside from a delegate perspective was that you could only attend one. The logic behind this was that if we open the workshop for more than 30, interaction would be tougher, and

26 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

we really wanted presenters to be able to use video and audio, giving delegates the ability to interact.

KAIZEN Since we work with the principles of KAIZEN, we always look for improvements for future references. In the end we worked with 42 presenters, which was great but perhaps a bit too many.

We also had sessions that could have lasted longer and could have allowed for more Q&As. With that said, the words associated to this event for me at the moment would be: Grateful, Tribe

(in action) and Professional. Little did we know how positive the testimonials were going to be and that we would have a record number of delegates at European Conference – plus the best presentation rating recorded. We are very grateful for your support and kind comments.

• If you have any ideas on who you would like to listen to at the next Conference, or a subject you want us to focus on, please email us on office@cmaeurope.org. We look forward hearing from you – as always!

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A WORD WITH 59CLUB

Data do nicely for 59club Heard of the old adage that there are three kinds of lies: ‘lies, damned lies, and statistics’?

Simon Wordsworth, CEO of benchmark analysis specialist and education provider 59club, certainly has. And he’d disagree with the sentiment. Here’s why.

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tatistics is the very bedrock of 59club, which has built its success over the past decade on statistics – or ‘data’ as we call it these days.

Starting with 2009 with mystery shopper experiences in golf clubs, 59club has built an enviable reputation and client list, and, 12 years on, it’s expanded beyond golf, and indeed the UK where it’s headquartered. Now, the company has six divisions – Asia, USA, Middle East & Africa (MEA), and two in Europe – and is established in golf, hotels, leisure, spa and, most recently, restaurants. And at time of writing, news came through that 59club MEA had secured a contract for a chain of well-known coffee shops in the UAE. This latest news symbolised the success Yorkshire-born Wordsworth has enjoyed since leaving his role as Director of Golf at five-time Ryder Cup venue The Belfry, in 2005, following an illness and a ‘life-defining moment’. He wanted, he said, ‘to take control of my own life’.

Using his substantial contacts book, from golf and beyond, Wordsworth set about creating an events company, the Aspiration Group, which was turning over around £5m when it was sold in 2019.

Before that, in 2009, Wordsworth decided to concentrate on what fascinated him most – business operations and the customer journey.

“During my last six months at The Belfry, I was starting to look at customer journeys and customer experiences in minute detail. I began to look around to see who could help me with that from an industry point of view,” he said.

“When I went out and looked at all the mystery shopping companies out there, they were all ‘tickbox stuff’ – and, 15 years on, many still are. That’s easy and cheap to gather.

“I couldn’t buy what I wanted to do the task. So, at the end of 2008, having set up the Aspiration Group, I was sat at home and started to look in more depth at the customer journey. I composed an Excel sheet and went to see the GM at The Belfry and the Director of Golf at Forest of Arden, showed them what I’d been working on and offered to work with them for a year, with no charge and with me doing all the work. And we’d revise the audit criteria every time we completed a test.”

By the summer of 2009, Wordsworth had a 90question test that covered a visiting golfer and a 60question product to analyse the group golf sales enquiry process.

“Frequently, those looking to sell – for example, a corporate golf package – were poorly trained, and, often, not managed by the departments their performance affected the most. So that product analysed

28 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

Simon Wordsworth

the phone call, which could be anywhere between three and 12 minutes long.”

The three interested parties spent the best part of nine months looking at the data and revising the product. It became clear to Wordsworth’s two ‘clients’ that there was an immediate direct improvement on both the levels and consistency of performance.

Staff remained more alert because of the possibility of a visiting tester and, consequently, became better at their job.

Initially, Wordsworth and one other member of staff analysed the data in Excel, copied it into a PowerPoint presentation and then provided it to clients on CDs – along with voice recordings – having splashed out on a CD-label printer.

A former pupil of Wordsworth’s from The Belfry, who ran his own IT company, then helped produce

back-end software that housed the data and allowed protected access to clients and, by 2011, 59club was an online product.

“Golf’s a very subjective business, but we’ve built our products in a very non-subjective way,” explained Wordsworth. “We don’t say ‘this is the only way to do it’, we just demonstrate what happened and it can be interpreted how the client wants.

That’s the advantage we have that allows us to work with the different management groups, venues and GMs who want it done in a particular manner.

“They can see the performance of their own facilities and compare it with the data from the industry as a whole. And, where 59club sits today just evolved from there.”

A tale of a successful business then, but it’s not quite the whole story. The success of the golf product led to enquiries to assist in a similar vein with on-

site leisure clubs, member surveys, the member-joining process and more.

The product was organic and had the ability to reflect the nuances of specific venues. Subsequently, 59club’s client base expanded across the UK, working largely with groups such as QHotels, De Vere and Marriott.

Wordsworth’s network of contacts then led to further expansion. On a golf trip to Dubai, he sat down with Dubai Golf’s Chris May and Andrew Whitelaw and demonstrated 59club. They were impressed and became the first overseas adopter.

Word spread among other golf groups in Europe and the Middle East.

The company recruited more staff and its networks produced further accounts as the organic growth of the company continued, picking up new clients in Spain, Portugal and Mallorca.

Wordsworth said: “As much as it’s great to pick up those new clients, they’re very difficult to service fully without feet on the ground. And our business model requires us to spend time with our clients and help them interpret the data. We don’t want to give them the information and leave it there.

“Measure; train; support – that remains our mantra to this day. So, around 2015 we started to look at how we could look after those Middle East clients properly, as it had grown to eight venues. We were flying across three or four times a year – which is a nice thing to do, but it’s not the same as being able to pop in and see our customers.

“So we looked at the possibility of opening businesses in various parts of the globe, and that’s how the current 59club group has emerged. The protection of our brand, what we’d built, and what it stands for, was a bigger priority than starting a business and getting somebody’s money for a ‘franchise’.”

So began a worldwide search for people who’d run businesses with the same philosophy as Wordsworth and his team. Certain individuals were targeted in the ‘resort’ sphere, as 59club’s forensic approach had been welcomed in other sectors, such as standalone hotels, spa, leisure and food, each of which focuses on different aspects and demands.

The first new division to open was 59club Asia, in November 2018, after a year of planning. Now, Wordsworth is proud that, under the auspices of former Asian Ladies Tour player Araya Singhsuwan, it is ahead of its business plan.

“The culture is very different in Asia. The sales process takes a lot longer, but they have picked up some impressive venues along the way. And the cultural differences encountered just reinforced our view that it’s vital to have somebody from that part of the world who is au fait with such things,” said Wordsworth.

For the other side of the map, 59club’s management recruitment partner Colt Mackenzie McNair (CMM), was asked to find suitable candidates in the USA. Research had already shown Wordsworth and his team that, in golf’s largest market, nobody was providing the same services offered by59club.

Indeed in one of the preliminary presentations in the US, one industry veteran was moved to say it was ‘like nothing we’d ever seen before – it’s like mystery shopping on steroids’.

“

We spend an inordinate amount of time training up the people leading our 59clubs on both the brand and customer service before they’re involved with any customers.

”

CMM USA’s Mike Kelly was tasked with identifying five experienced general managers – for the north, west, east, south and central regions. Before doing so, however, Kelly wanted to know how 59club worked and met with the team. As a result, rather than finding five individuals, the impressed Kelly brought together a number of investors and, in March 2019, took on the role of establishing 59club USA himself. And, despite the onset of COVID-19 one year later, Kelly has already secured more than 50 clients, including eight PGA Tour venues, such as Sawgrass, and a number of exclusive high-end private clubs.

Next came 59club MEA (Middle East & Africa), a division coveted by one of Wordsworth’s UK-based team, Mark Bull, who had been brought up in the Middle East and was looking to return to Dubai with his family. It was an easy decision.

“To give somebody the opportunity to own their own business is a great thing to do, so we created the right environment for Mark to take on the division and relocate. And he’s doing a brilliant job out there for us, as he did when he was based here in the UK,” said Wordsworth.

In early 2020, 59club Europe West (and North Africa) opened for business in Paris. Headed by Paul Armitage, COO of Open Golf Club France (and former GM of Ryder Cup venue Le Golf National) it was originally designed to be just for France and French-speaking countries. However, Armitage’s standing in the industry and his extensive European network allowed the division to also encompass the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, plus Morocco and Tunisia.

The division’s client base is burgeoning, and Wordsworth has the welcome headache of being forced to recruit further staff earlier than anticipated.

In October 2020, grouping together the Mediterranean countries – Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece and its islands – 59club Europe South became the latest addition to the portfolio of operations, led by James Beesley, Head of Golf at Finca Cortesin, Spain.

“It was bang in the middle of COVID,” recalled

Wordsworth. “We could have held off but we felt once we had the right person we could back it and, if it starts a little bit slower because of circumstances that’s fine. It can just have a quieter first year than normal.

“There’s no rush for us. There are no shareholders to please or venture capitalists we’re beholden to. It’s just about doing what’s right for the 59club brand.”

The UK business, where it all began, is under the expert direction of GM Will Hewitt whose team continues to transform the sales and service landscape - across golf, leisure, spa, food & beverage, and hotels - supporting progressively managed properties as it has since 2009, albeit with a much larger client-base and proposition of available products and services.

With the development team continuing to focus on what’s to come in terms of new products and offerings, 59club – in association with its long-term major partners Toro, Club Car, Golf genius, 3dIFS and CGI Insurance – have fast tracked ‘Succession’, 59club’s new managerial personal development programme.

It’s designed to continue supporting managers, their deputies and other rising stars within their businesses, and to help them reach their full potential within their current role, while expanding learning opportunities, career progression and personal growth.

Clearly not a man who rests on his laurels, the affable Wordsworth already has his sights set on Canada and Australia. After that? “There’s Korea, Japan and South America!”

The plan is for all those 59clubs to be in place by the end of 2023, meaning that in Wordsworth’s view there’ll no longer be any excuse for poor customer service anywhere – except perhaps at the North and South poles!

“Each will be delivering market-leading performance analytics to golf clubs, clubs and resorts in their region, while also feeding worldwide performance data into a central database,” said Wordsworth.

“We spend an inordinate amount of time training up the people leading our 59clubs on both the brand and customer service before they’re involved with any customers. We value our principles much more than making a quick buck.”

But while he might seem like a modern-day Alexander the Great, conquering the continents, Wordsworth still holds dear the principles upon which he created 59club. And as he points out, he’s killed far fewer people! He retains the same passion now for analysing the ins and outs of business operations as he did 12 years ago, with clubs around the world benefiting from that zeal.

“The thing I love, and have a massive interest in, is the operations of a business; the nitty-gritty of why a customer does that, why they make that decision, and why they buy product A instead of product B. And also, why a staff member behaves a certain way, what motivates them, and how you can harness that knowledge to drive a business forward? That kind of stuff has always driven me.”

What’s more, he’s now healthy and happy. Small wonder he loves his day job.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 29

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A WORD WITH 59CLUB

Let’s talk about your members Retention of members paying annual fees is always an important part of golf club business, and arguably, in 2021, it’s taken on a whole new dimension and is more important than ever, says 59club’s Will Hewitt.

M

any golf clubs enjoyed a significant boost to membership following the relaxation of lockdown rules in mid-2020, but the challenge now is to retain these members as life outside of golf returns to some form of normality during 2021 and beyond.

Will Hewitt, General Manager of benchmark analysis specialist and education provider 59club, fears that with the numerous pressures presented by the pandemic, some clubs may have simply breathed a sigh of relief at the income generation and failed to take the necessary actions to maximise the opportunity and future-proof their business.

Hewitt said: “At 59club, we believe the joining process and early stages of membership play a huge role in member satisfaction and ultimately how long they remain. Clubs need to acknowledge that the joining experience and club life has been far from the norm in the past 12 months, and the need to make appropriate adjustments to compensate for this.

“We always talk in great detail about the ‘needs analysis’ – understanding why people come to you in the first place. Let’s say a club has signed up 100 new members last year: do they know why those people have joined, fully understanding their ‘true’ motives for membership? Where they’ve come from? Do they usually purchase a membership or play nomadic golf?

“What are they looking to get out of their mem-

30 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

bership? Have they joined just because they weren’t able to play cricket or football? Maybe they want a typical golf club membership; or perhaps it was the only way they were able to play when clubs in their area weren’t open to visitors.

“With all the other challenges currently faced, it would be really easy to just take somebody’s cash, give them a bag tag and leave them to their own devices.”

Given how stretched the resources are at some clubs – at the time of writing the UK is in lockdown 3.0 and furloughing golf club staff is once again on the agenda – one has to have some sympathy with clubs who have adopted a short-term view. Hewitt accepts that may be the case, but he believes, just because it’s a sign of the times doesn’t mean as an industry we should regress or allow this to continue.

“It’s obviously been a really unprecedented time and, in a lot of my conversations with clubs, it’s apparent they haven’t had to ‘sell’ a golf membership to someone in a competitive environment. It’s very much been somebody coming to the club and saying ‘I’d like to join please’.

“So it’s very easy to be lulled into getting them started, without extracting information and providing advice that’s going to help a new joiner in the future to get the most from their membership.

Information that 59club benchmarks and train teams to deliver within their new member sales and

servicing process month in month out in its entirety.

Potentially, there are clubs out there now who have had members for almost 12 months, yet haven’t really taken the steps to acknowledge them or integrate them into the club community.

“Golf has benefited massively in the last year from the resurgence, but we don’t know how many of those people are going to be with us long term. I’m concerned that some people have taken a short-term bonus and will just take their chances moving forward, believing that having the subscriptions for a year is better than not having it at all. If clubs are really proactive, however, in terms of their member integration experience, it could be the difference between retaining 10% or 90% of the new intake.”

59club offer a range of services to their UK clients, but Hewitt says that the My59 Survey platform has been used with great success, both for effective member communication as well as measuring the new member journey.

He explained: “We’re working with people who are reaching out to those new members, with survey software, to understand their motivation, levels of satisfaction and their perception of value for money at various intervals over the first few months of membership. The process is simple to set up and provides really useful data.”

It’s one thing to create a ‘New Member Journey’ at a club, but there needs to be thoughtful measurement to ensure that this journey is actually delivered.

With so many people likely to be involved in the process, elements can easily fall through the gaps if they’re not monitored correctly. One of 59club’s adages; ‘what gets measured gets done’.

“Reaching out in the early stages of membership not only shows them that you value their views, it also creates an opportunity to get to know each other, to make suggestions that leads the member to become involved in a more rounded member experience and, ultimately to ensure they get the most from their membership. This may be more pertinent now than ever before when face to face communication is perhaps limited. In extreme cases, it might highlight issues or areas of dissatisfaction which you might wish to nip in the bud.

“There are numerous reasons to put in extra effort with your new members, not least of all to ensure their loyalty. You should never take their business for granted. Always remember the day they join, and those very early weeks of membership, is typically the time when they’re most excited, or conversely, dissatisfied with your club. That is when they’re most likely to talk to friends and family about their membership experience, which, done well, provides the club with further referral opportunities.”

59club is – in its simplest form – a company that provides data. But what happens with that data and

Will Hewitt

intelligence is where the real work starts.

“What you do with the data has a great bearing on how members communicate with you in the future.

In any walk of life, if you ask somebody a question, the very least you can do is listen to the answer, express an interest in understanding that answer and consider it as part of your future plans.”

So what of the key challenges ahead?

“New membership sales will become a really competitive area again in the next six to 12 months,” said Hewitt. “Being ahead of the curve and having people within the club who can perform a high-quality needs analysis, and introduce somebody to the club in the right way – which means they might stay with you that little bit longer – is of great value.

“Golf is full of great people who have the ability to do that. But a lot of the data we share with the market is about the process and ‘follow-up’, so we see evidence of good people performing high-quality show-

rounds and getting people really excited, but at the end of the journey, they don’t actually ask the prospect if they would like to join.

“What’s more, they might provide a quality marketing pack, into which the club has invested heavily, but then don’t pick up the phone to that prospect within two to three days to ask if they have any more thoughts and would they like to join.”

Across the industry, 59club’s data suggests only one in 10 sales meetings at a club culminates with the membership advisor – or whoever is conducting the appointment – actually asking the person to join.

Nor are the stats any better when it comes to chasing the sale, where just six per cent – almost one in 20 – pick up the phone to follow up the meeting within two to three days.

Those figures improve dramatically, however, when one looks at the data for 59club clients, where the percentages hover around 61 and 50, respective-

ly. Though Hewitt is at pains to point out there is still room for further improvement.

“A golf club membership is a relatively high-value investment, when you look at joining fees, annual subscriptions & incremental spend, over the length of time someone is a member. You can be looking at between £10,000 and £20,000. We should never be scared to be seen as professional salespeople following a structured sales process, as well as professional operators,” he said.

“Delivering perfection in any process is somewhat unrealistic, but there are some things I believe should be non-negotiable. If your club has invested money in your marketing or reputation that results in an enquiry, one should treat that enquiry in a professional manner and with respect to see it through from A to Z. That’s the very least we should expect.”

It’s fair to assume that the next few years will see golf membership sales become a much tougher market than it was in 2020. When ‘normality’ returns, people’s perspectives on their golf membership – and how to fund it – might well have changed.

“We have to face the reality that golf is considered by many to be a luxury item, which will, at some point over the next year, probably see a bit of decline in demand, as the effect of COVID-19 continues,” said Hewitt.

“Clubs will have to do a better job of making people see both the value and importance of membership, as they will be competing for the member’s pound. Competing against holidays, other activities, even household bills.

“That’s why we talk about understanding somebody’s needs, as people join golf clubs for different emotional factors: it may be where somebody goes to watch football on a Sunday afternoon, or to have Sunday lunch; maybe they’re now alone at home and that’s where their friendship group is; maybe it’s for physical and mental wellbeing – we’ve seen that a lot in 2020; or it may be simply to play a round of golf and catch up with their buddies. Clubs have to be seen to be giving members more reasons why they couldn’t possibly leave, making their membership an essential part of their life – This is the goal of any successful retention plan, “But it all comes back to the start of the process: understanding why someone is joining your club and what they want to get out of it. Then making the right introductions to the team, fellow members, club facilities and services, not only giving them the opportunity to participate, but also checking, at critical junctures within the first three months, that those things are happening as part of the process.

“So what gets measured, gets done. And, fortunately for clubs across the globe, that analysis can be done by 59club, and if there is need to upskill team members our virtual training platform contains the A to Z of member sales, new member integration, tactics to develop club life and a whole host of other training and development courses across golf and hospitality.”

CONTACT DETAILS For more details on 59club visit www.59club.com

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 31

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How to pick your fights It is worth reflecting that club life often crackles with tension and can be soaked with thinly disguised anger emanating from members harbouring a favoured conspiracy theory, or a strongly held belief of widespread incompetence. Former CMAE President David Roy CCM, Secretary Manager at Crail Golfing Society, examines the art of picking your fights.

D

espite members participating in a leisure activity of their choice that should be a calming and relaxing influence on their otherwise tortured psyches, it would appear that belligerence is an essential element of a club.

Much of this pugnacity is a natural dislike of change. The march of progress is unending and so immense that many see only the ebb of the advancing wave and are thus enraged.

They ache for the status quo but ironically rarely choose to discard the comforts that advances in society has brought them. Red-faced and dripping with fury, the reactionary rales against the imposition of change by jabbing his fingers at a keyboard only very recently he swore he would never learn to use.

Unsheathing his titanium driver, inelegantly swiping at his ProV, marching behind his lithium powered electric trolley, he fulminates at the state of the world for the many hours his playing partners are held captive.

His spleen duly vented, he removes his waterproof lightweight softspike shoes, and grips the wheel of his Tesla, racing home to find ever more imaginative ways to become offended.

The seemingly ever-present underlying friction can generate life-long feuds and fracture relationships between staff and members. The art of choosing which fights are worth picking is suffused with subtlety and guile and can be broken down into three key issues: 1. The GM is always the most unpopular member of staff It is the job of the Pro and the F&B Manager to be endlessly pleasant and curry favour with the members. The success of the Pro Shop, bar and catering is dependent on harmonious relations, which at times requires the odd favour to be plied and a judicious use of discounts. However, the job is not a popularity contest and even the most ardent critic of the GM can also respect integrity and professional competence.

The unpleasantness of a demeaning email, or cruel commentary at an AGM must never be a cue for revenge. In the vast majority of these situations, the member is lashing out at the situation, and

resorts to a casual personal slight, simply because there are no other alternatives. It may not be nice to be a punch bag but it is at times our role.

2. There is often a kernel of truth in even the most incoherent rant We all know the members who will be the first to point out mistakes, errors and omissions, but that doesn’t make them the enemy. A useful trick is to think of these members as the ‘early warning radar’; a flashing red beacon providing notice of the threat of any potential misstep. The constitutional Rottweilers will alert you to the potential damage an ill-considered AGM motion may cause. Be grateful to these pedants rather than resentful and it will avoid conflict.

3. Laughter is the best medicine Diminishing the opposition using humour is an ancient ploy and no less effective today. Mimicry and nicknames are the foundation of political satire, so effective at minimising the corrosive effect of a potentially destructive personality. But this is a dangerous tactic and can easily backfire, so this is best restricted to a chosen few in a family circle, rather than a wider group of staff members.

Ultimately, there are few provocations in club life that merit a full-scale battle of wits. There are certainly cases of club officials whose actions as employers have merited a grievance and there will undoubtedly be cancerous characters in every club

“

There are few provocations in club life that merit a full-scale battle of wits.

”

that deserve admonishment and in such cases, make use of the CMAE network to measure up the seriousness of the situation and counsel some advice.

Picking a fight with a member whose sole purpose in life is to argue is rarely satisfying and hardly ever productive.

CONTACT DETAILS

David Roy CCM Secretary Manager Crail Golfing Society Balcomie Clubhouse, Crail, Fife KY10 3XN t. +44(0)1333 450686 e. info@crailgolfingsociety.co.uk

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 33

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GREGG PATTERSON – ENCOUNTERING RUDE

The Reflective Experience – researching ‘Rude’ If you’re in hospitality, if you’re in the people business, you’ve encountered ‘Rude’. Every day. You’ve seen Rude, felt Rude, absorbed Rude and become fluent in Rude. Gregg Patterson, Founder and President of ‘Tribal Magic!!!’ examines how to prepare for it and how to purge it.

Every Day – ‘Rude’ The Rude irritate and annoy – and their barbs sting.

You grizzle. You bite your lip. You wake up at 3:00 a.m. in a sweat. Remember The Rude, relive their Rudeness and scream in frustration, knowing you’ve got to suck it up and shut up, because Rude is part of The Biz. Every club manager has experienced The Rude lots. In the parking lot The Rude will give you a dismissive look and chuckle at your choice of shoes and socks. In the lobby The Rude will snicker and laugh at your tight trousers and spreading waistline. In the Pro Shop The Rude will laugh at your east coast twang and imitate it with a chuckle. In the dining room The Rude will walk by you without a glance, eyes focused on napkin folds and salt shakers. In the card room the bridge players will twitter about your gray hair and suggest a beautician they know ‘who does hair colour RIGHT’. And in the locker room a

34 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

group of chuckling Not-So-Scratch-Golfers will go silent and give you the ‘You Ain’t One of Us’ look as you scoot by with a forced smile and strained hello.

Grrr…!

And finally, in a rage at their Rudeness, you say ‘to hell with the job’ and give each of these creatures a verbal smack in the mouth, laugh at their pretense, stomp on their egos and exit with an obscenity laced farewell and good-bye!

In your dreams…

Why The Rude are rude There are lots of reasons why The Rude are rude, but at the root of their rudeness is an anti-social something lurking deep in their psyches. Dealing with The Rude - and preventing our own rudeness from surfacing – requires an understanding of the ‘why’ behind the rudeness delivered.

There are different types of rude. Some people are consciously rude. Others are unconsciously rude.

Some people are often rude and others are seldom rude. Some people deliver rudeness that’s small and forgivable, while others deliver rudeness that’s big, evil and memorable.

Genes affect Rude. Some people are born Already Rude and spend their lives polishing the rude they’ve already got. Others are born Inclined-to-be-Rude and work hard on becoming Truly and Outrageously Rude. And others are born Rude Adverse and do what they can to constrain what rudeness they’ve got with values, manners and empathy.

Rudeness flourishes when: • The Rude One is a weak, sniveling pile of nothingness and failure, and they try to hide their ‘lowness’ by doing Rude.

• The Rude One has an ego that’s bigger than the

•

•

• •

•

goods they deliver, and they elevate themselves by diminishing others.

The Rude One feels ignored by the crowd, goes public with their rudeness and basks in the attention their rudeness delivers.

The Rude One has absorbed a lifetime of rudeness and has chosen to purge their pain by delivering rudeness to others.

The Rude One lacks empathy and fails to appreciate the sting that their rudeness delivers.

The Rude One’s ‘tribe’ celebrates The Rude One’s rudeness with a slap on the back and a hearty ‘haha’ for having given The Target a big slice of Rude.

And, rudeness flourishes when those who observe the rudeness say nothing to The Rude One who’s doing rude.

Hospitality people need to know why Rude People are Rude to avoid delivering rudeness themselves.

Tactics of The Rude Hospitality professionals know the tactics The Rude use to deliver true Rudeness.

Eye avoidance. Giving the dismissive, disdainful, ‘you are worthless’ look. Resting Bad Boy Face.

Talking too loudly. Talking too often. Giving the silent treatment. Active not-listening. Responding with eye rolls, sighs, giggles or chuckles. Interrupting.

Avoiding hand-shakes, fist bumps and physical contact. Crushing the hand during a handshake.

Nodding off during meetings. Texting while ‘listening’. Putting their cell phone on speaker. Not responding to emails, phone calls or notes.

Commenting on dress, grooming or behaviour.

Insincerity while agreeing, complimenting or remarking. AND never apologizing for the rudeness delivered.

Knowing the tactics The Rude use to be rude will prepare The Target for the rudeness they’ll experience - and will help in educating others on how NOT to be rude.

Categorizing The Rude Everyone categorizes The Rude Ones with names that are memorable, personal and funny. Because funny takes the sting out of Rude. Imagine a comedy skit with each of these Rude Ones as actors.

• The “I’m being rude and don’t even know I’m being rude” Rude.

• The “I know I’m being rude and relish the rudeness I’m delivering” Rude.

• The “Those rules are for The Little People and not ME” Rude.

• The “I tell it like it is and I don’t care what you think of what I’m saying or how I’m saying it” Rude.

• The “I want to be the centre of attention so I’m going to be loud and obnoxious” Rude.

• The “I’ll interrupt whenever I want” Rude.

• The “I’ll flaunt the rules, laugh in your face and dare you to say something” Rude.

• The “I’m going to give you my Just-Ate-A-Lemon look while listening to you speak” Rude.

• The “I’m going to look at my email, answer my phone and send text messages regardless of who I’m with or what we’re doing” Rude.

• The “I’ll never look you in the eye and speak when I walk by” Rude.

• The “I’m PROUD to be Rude and will tell all my friends how rude I was” Rude.

• The “I’m a Diva, special, elite, talented and exceptional and You’re a Nobody” Rude.

• The “We’re in The In Group and you ain’t” Rude.

• The “I’m going to embarrass you with my sarcastic comments” Rude.

Categorize The Rude, laugh at their rudeness and teach others to do different than The Rude Ones do.

The Don’ts of Rude Dealing with The Rude ain’t easy. You’ll want to bite—and can’t.

If you want to keep your job, keep the peace and keep your sanity, avoid doing The Don’ts.

Don’t hang around with rude people – because they’ll make you rude. Don’t hire rude people – because they’ll infect your team with rudeness.

Don’t be rude to The Rude – because it’ll provoke

more rudeness. Don’t avoid The Rude after experiencing their rudeness – because they’ll consider your avoidance a victory.

And the biggest of Don’ts – Don’t ‘do rude’ because it’ll inspire rudeness in others.

Purging Rude Rudeness is remembered and irritates long after the rudeness was delivered. The demons need purging.

• Exercise – to prevent brewing on the Rudeness experienced.

• Debrief – discuss and then document the Rudeness experienced in The Book of Rude.

• Ponder – discuss a single rude behavior previously documented in The Book of Rude.

• Teach – give others examples of and insights into rudeness.

• Publish – write a column in the newsletter on ‘rude encounters’ that are funny, upbeat, memorable and pithy.

• Legislate – generate House Rules that identify the principles of and the tactics for proper Rude-less behaviour.

• Confront – let The Rude know they’ve been rude and guide them toward ‘less rude’.

• Identify, discuss, digest, document, teach and purge Rude.

Prepare for The Rude If you’re in The People Business, you’ll experience Rude – lots. Best you prepare.

• Know Rude.

• Anticipate Rude.

• Avoid being Rude.

• Ponder Rude.

• Teach Rude.

• Purge Rude.

And enjoy the journey…!

• You can get in touch with Gregg via www.linkedin.com/in/gregg-patterson

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 35

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS – FREE SERVICE TO CLUBS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ Building the Business – free UK reader service Is your club set to come out of the COVID-19 crisis in fighting fit shape?

Now is the time to review that all-important bottom line. We’re here to help with all your purchasing queries. In this issue we focus on energy, and UK clubs can check out the new energy comparison site.

Free EV Car Charging Why should I install Free EV chargers at my organisation?

• Lower your club’s carbon footprint and improve your green credentials.

• Free or low-cost EV charging is an extremely affordable perk to offer as part of an attractive benefits package for staff.

• Run your club’s vehicles in the most cost-effective and environmental way.

• Clearly and obviously demonstrate your commitment to climate change.

• Create an additional revenue stream by charging for your EV charging services.

(T&C’s Apply.)

Tips for Savings There’s no denying that clubs are expensive to run.

The Carbon Trust estimates that the annual energy costs for the small businesses exceeded £1.3 billion as of 2018. So if you’re one of these feeling the pinch.

Here are a few ways that you can reduce your costs.

“David and the HQ team have been very successful in reducing costs for our members. They specialise in the field of energy management, however, within the company they also are able to reduce costs in other key areas as well. Find the time to have a conversation with David. It will pay dividends!”

Dave Edmundson, Chair, Spring North

Lower your heating costs Try to avoid overheating your corridors and offices. You should be aiming for a temperature between 19-21°C. Any higher and it can become uncomfortable for your staff and members.

Grants and funding schemes are still available subject to survey, credit and application process, please contact us for more details.

Get Smarter with lighting Cut the cost of lighting by installing occupancy and

daylight sensors. Smarter lighting will ensure that your lights are only on when they are required.

Take this tip to the next level by replacing your lights with energy-saving equivalents – such as T5 tubes or compact fluorescent or LED lamps. Doing so could reduce your electricity consumption by up to 80% as well as lower wasted heat.

How to contact Us For cost saving reviews for your business, please contact us via +44 (0)1753 272022 or email info@clubmirror.com. www.hqbuildingthebusiness.com

Our services include: Energy management & compliance• Office supplies • Telecoms • IT & digital support • Waste management • Fire equipment & maintenance • Boiler & air-conditioning replacement and maintenance • Renewable technologies • Health & Safety • HR • Transaction Handling • Food & Drink • Business insurance • ANPR/Parking facilities • Refurbishment • LED projects

36 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

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THE LAST WORD

Awordwith...

UP CLOSE Michael McCormack CMDip AND PERSONAL CMAE is delighted to welcome Michael McCormack CMDip as Project Manager, set to oversee an exciting range of projects being launched, including the new partnership with Golf Saudi (see pages 13-14 in this issue). Clubhouse Europe takes time out to get up close and personal with the new addition to the executive team.

So Michael, congratulations on your new role. Tell us a little about your background?

Of course. My first golf-related role was as Operations Supervisor with Milltown Golf Club.

I then spent four years at Bray Golf Club as Head of Operations and was then appointed as General Manager at The Island Golf Club. I do think that had I known how enjoyable and rewarding a career in golf could be I would have taken the steps to become part of the industry earlier in my life!

So what was your work focus before that?

How did you first come across the CMAE? I originally heard about CMAE from my brother John who is a CCM and an Ex-President of CMAE. My first knowledge of the MDP programme was working for a Wine Merchants and I sponsored the Irish Golf & Club Managers Association (IGCMA) Christmas Dinner. At this event James Burns spoke about the MDP programme and it intrigued me. So I signed up for MDP1 in Dublin and haven’t looked back.

All time favourite film?

So hard to choose! I love The Godfather trilogy, I am a Star Wars fan and I love comedy films! It’s really too hard to narrow it down.

What is the first record you ever bought?

Probably Definitely Maybe by Oasis.

Last film/concert/live event you attended?

That’d be Ed Sheeran.

Michael McCormack CMDip You’ve also been on the Education Policy Committee for some time now. How did that come about?

I was invited to become a part of the Education Policy Committee (EPC) about four years ago now.

It was initially to help out with reviewing small parts of the overall education platform but this developed into a full role as an EPC board member, which I really enjoy.

What would you say has been the biggest overall excitement of joining the CMAE Tribe?

CMAE is a fantastic organisation, which has been managed and run by great people who are very passionate about the industry. I am very pleased and proud to be a part of its current structure and to help develop and grow the association for the thousands of amazing members.

And what do you most look forward to on a typical CMAE-centric Monday morning?

I was self-employed for 12 years so I have developed a very strong work ethic. If I didn’t work hard I didn’t earn a living and couldn’t support my family.

I’m lucky I suppose that I’ve never had that Monday morning dread, apart from at one brief period in my career. So on a Monday morning it has always been – and always will be! – a case of get up and get at it!

38 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

What are you reading?

I am currently reading Leaders Eat Last

by Simon Sinek which is the next book up for review with the CMAE book club.

What gadgets couldn’t you live without?

I’m an Apple fan so my iPhone/iPad are essentials! Alexa has come in handy once or twice for home schooling too ;-) Favourite tipple for relaxing after a hard week?

Having worked as a wine merchant I am a fan of a good glass of red wine! But you can’t beat a perfectly poured pint of Guinness. I look forward to being able to welcome as many of the CMAE Tribe to Dublin as soon as is possible to enjoy one with me!

How do you unwind/relax?

I love to spend time with my family.

Going for a long walk has become a daily routine since lockdowns have been introduced. And in a normal world, playing golf and watching my kids play football.

CONTACT DETAILS You can contact Michael on michael.mccormack@cmaeurope.org

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ISSUE 23

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Reaching out via Social Media? Time to shine – page 20

CMAE news – CMAE partners with Golf Saudi European Conference – hailed a virtual success HQ Building the Business – protecting the bottom line CCM Success – testimonials from across the globe

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Alchemy Contract Publishing proudly presents Clubhouse Europe in association with the Club Managers Association of Europe

EUROPE

Reaching out via Social Media? Time to shine – page 20

ISSUE 23

CMAE news – CMAE partners with Golf Saudi European Conference – hailed a virtual success HQ Building the Business – protecting the bottom line CCM Success – testimonials from across the globe

To see what Alchemy Contract Publishing could do for you please call Sean Ferris on +44 (0) 1753 272022