The Golf Club Manager: November 2017

THE GOLF CLUB

MANAGER ISSUE EIGHT | NOVEMBER 2017

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION

GCMA

FINAL FOCUS

PREVIEWING THE CLUB MANAGEMENT AWARDS NEWS

CONGU CHANGES

W H AT ’ S CO M I N G I N TO FORCE IN 2018?

EDUCATION

LEARNING CURVE

WE TALK TO THE STUDENTS TAKING THE DIPLOMA IN GOLF CLUB MANAGEMENT INTERVIEW

HEATHER MULLEY ENVILLE’S GENERAL MANAGER ON HER THRIVING CLUB

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E ‘

’

2017 CONFERENCE 12-14 November Don’t miss the social side of the conference The GCMA Conference is the main social event in the golf club management calendar, offering a chance to catch up with friends, and to grow your network.

On Sunday, we start with two great opportunities to catch up with fellow delegates and GCMA members.

First, the chance to explore Mercedes-Benz World, visit Brooklands museum, and to take part in a F1 simulator fastest lap competition, and claim bragging rights for the rest of the conference!

Later, after a buffet dinner join BBC golf correspondent Iain Carter to hear some tales from the tours, alongside Le Golf National’s Paul Armitage, who’ll give an insight into the preparations for the 2018 Ryder Cup. Monday evening is the focal point of the social programme, beginning with a complimentary drinks reception for all delegates, kindly supported by Material Matters.

it’s here!

The rest of the evening will include various entertainment, and a buffet dinner, before the GCMA Golf Club Management Awards ceremony begins.

Once the winners have been crowned, there will be further opportunities for networking, before you are transported back to your hotel, where, we’re sure, more informal networking will continue!

GCMA 2017 CONFERENCE Mercedes-Benz World 12-14 November 2017

BOOK NOW:

Book your last minute place: GCMA.ORG.UK/ Call 01275 391153

CONFERENCE

Programme Linda Moir | Customer Service Expert

Former Director of In Flight Services at Virgin Atlantic, Linda led the London 2012 Gamesmakers

Iain Carter BBC Sport

Tales from a golf correspondent

Martin Slumbers The R&A The state of the game

Paul Armitage Le Golf National

Adapting for change & Preparing for the Ryder Cup

Nick Pink England Golf Rob Maxfield The PGA

Industry vision: moving forward

David Rickman The R&A Developing golf

Jim Croxton BIGGA

Working closely with your greenkeepers

Andrew Cooke Golf Tourism England The potential of golf tourism

Andrew Minty Langland Bay GC

Promoting your club without devaluing your product

Paul Williams Topgolf Nick Solski Boomers & Swingers Being different

Dr Laurence Church Priory Group Identifying your stress levels

Jonathan Shorrock KBL Solicitors

Governance: Legislation & Managing risk

Alastair Higgs Rain Bird Intelligent use of water

Sue Tumelty The HR Dept Preventing people problems

James Wilkinson Albatross Digital Golf

Generating income through digital marketing

Martin Robinson Fairhaven GC

Modernising the governance of the club

Stuart Leech Formby GC

Delivering the best food and beverage experience

David Bancroft-Turner Matrix Training Leadership & Political intelligence

CONFERENCE SPONSOR

Mark Hunt Headland Amenity Sustainable turf management

CONTENTS ISSUE EIGHT | NOVEMBER 2017

GCMA

CAREERS

06 The latest from the chief executive

44 The latest jobs for GCMA members

18 The Club Management Awards finalists

INDUSTRY

EDUCATION

28 The latest news from the golf industry

46 Why you should consider enrolling on the Diploma

30 The CONGU changes for 2018

50 Which membership software is right for your club?

INTERVIEWS

REGIONAL

32 GCMA students take on A Matter of Opinion

58 Meet the manager: Alwoodley’s Julie Slater

38 Enville’s Heather Mulley

62 The latest from the GCMA regions

38

46

58

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THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION GCMA Bristol & Clifton Golf Club, Beggar Bush Lane, Failand, Bristol, BS8 3TH Tel: 01275 391153 | hq@gcma.org.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE Bob Williams - bob@gcma.org.uk COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Mike Hyde - mike@gcma.org.uk GOLF MANAGEMENT RESEARCHER Jim Cunning - jim@gcma.org.uk EDUCATION COORDINATOR Niki Hunter - niki@gcma.org.uk MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY Ann Jones - ann@gcma.org.uk EDUCATION AND MAGAZINE ADMINISTRATOR Debbie Mereweather - debbie@gcma.org.uk FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR Shirley Edmondson - shirley@gcma.org.uk BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Tash Johnson - tash@gcma.org.uk COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE Marie Taylor - marie@gcma.org.uk PRESIDENT JR (John) Jones 2017/18 CAPTAIN Howard Williams BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mike Hoare, Gary Steele, Phil Grice, Eddie Bullock THE GOLF CLUB MANAGER IS PUBLISHED BY: SPORTS PUBLICATIONS LTD 2 Arena Park, Tarn Lane, Scarcroft, West Yorkshire, LS17 9BF, UK Tel: 0113 289 3979 | info@sportspub.co.uk PUBLISHER Tom Irwin - t.irwin@sportspub.co.uk EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Dan Murphy - d.murphy@sportspub.co.uk OPS DIRECTOR Will Shucksmith - w.shucksmith@sportspub.co.uk EDITOR Steve Carroll - s.carroll@sportspub.co.uk CHIEF DESIGNER Andrew Kenworthy - a.kenworthy@sportspub.co.uk DESIGNERS Vicky Jones - v.jones@sportspub.co.uk Emmi Parry - e.parry@sportspub.co.uk Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved.The views expressed in The Golf Club Manager do not necessarily represent the views of the company or the editor. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in any offer, competition or advertising contained within The Golf Club Manager.

THE GOLF CLUB

MANAGER ISSUE EIGHT | NOVEMBER 2017

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION

GCMA

FINAL FOCUS

PREVIEWING THE CLUB MANAGEMENT AWARDS NEWS

CONGU CHANGES

W H AT ’ S CO M I N G I N TO FORCE IN 2018?

EDUCATION

LEARNING CURVE

WE TALK TO THE STUDENTS TAKING THE DIPLOMA IN GOLF CLUB MANAGEMENT INTERVIEW

HEATHER MULLEY ENVILLE’S GENERAL MANAGER ON HER THRIVING CLUB

ED U C AT E | I N FO RM | I N S P I RE ‘

001 GCMA November 17 Cover.indd 3

ON THE COVER: Enville’s Heather Mulley

31/10/2017 14:08

WELCOME

ISSUE EIGHT | NOVEMBER 2017

H

opefully you are casting your eye over this month’s issue either just before national conference or while in attendance at Mercedes-Benz World. If it’s just before, are you still deliberating on whether you are going to attend - maybe trying to justify the cost of the investment or juggling the pressures of the office with the benefits of attending?

When I was in that position, I would justify my attendance by ensuring I brought at least two ideas or thoughts that would improve my golf club.

If you go there with that ambition and intention you will reap the benefits.

Following the late withdrawal of one of our speakers, I am so pleased we have persuaded Emma Boggis, chief executive of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, to present on Tuesday morning. I have been lucky enough to hear Emma speak on more than one occasion, she truly is worth listening to.

On Monday evening, we will announce the winners of our Golf Club Management Awards, in the Manager, Newcomer and Team categories. This year, I have visited the finalists of the Team award: Pyle & Kenfig, in South Wales, and Norwood Park, in Nottinghamshire.

Having made these visits on consecutive days I can say it was a truly inspiring two days and I can only applaud the work these two clubs are doing. One is an established private members’ club just five years off its centenary

while the other is a proprietary golf centre that is yet to reach its 20th anniversary.

Yet both are working extremely hard to build golf communities that are not only fit for purpose but definitely going the extra mile.

Both clubs have already won awards for their work and both are worthy of winning the Team of the Year Award. If there any clubs or managers looking for inspiration these two are worth a call.

If you are at conference I will try and say hello to as many of you as I can, if you are unable to make it hopefully I will catch up with you at the regional meeting next Spring.

Bob Williams – chief executive

“When I was in that position, I would justify my attendance (at conference) by ensuring I brought at least two ideas or thoughts that would improve my golf club”

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What you

NEED TO KNOW Relevant news, opinion and expert insight from around the industry.

Plus what’s happening around the UK in the world of the GCMA

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

The month in

PICTURES

1

GCMA member Paul Armitage, general manager of Le Golf National, undertakes starting duties in the final round of the Paris Legends European Senior Tour tournament. Nine members of the

10 | GCMA.ORG.UK

GCMA’s Young Managers’ Group visited the Paris venue, which hosts next year’s Ryder Cup, to find out more about staging a tournament and to sneak a behind-the-scenes peek at preparations for the 2018 extravaganza.

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

2

There was a full house for the 92nd Introduction to Golf Club Management training course, which was held at The Henley in October.

Nineteen delegates successfully

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completed the course and you can read about the exploits of four of them - what they made of it and whether they would recommend it - by reading this month’s Matter of Opinion from page 32

3

Jeremy Duffy and Adrian Dibble congratulate newly appointed incoming Midland region vice captain Sue LeBeau during the most recent business meeting at Blackwell. A full run down of news from the regions starts on page 62.

GCMA.ORG.UK | 11

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

Meet the

GCMA Giving a voice to the people behind the scenes who help to run your Golf Club Managers’ Association

W

hat is your role?

Basically I’m the messenger. I find the words, request the words or share the words that inspire our members. My aim is to help cultivate that feeling of community between regions. To do this I speak to as many people as possible, and as a newcomer to the golfing world I’ve been attending meetings and events where I can meet the most members face to face.

I have to admit, I’ve been surprised by just how challenging some golf club manager’s roles are.

As a result, I’m passionate about sharing as many members’ wins, wows and stories of success so the rest of the GCMA can use them to their advantage.

How did you become involved with the GCMA? Before I joined HQ, I freelanced as a mindset coach for a military veterans charity and ran a small business networking business for women in Bristol.

My members were accomplished in their field but not necessarily skilled at all the other aspects of running a small business so

12 | GCMA.ORG.UK

I helped them connect with people who were. It was mostly about leadership, business development and creating a sense of community.

As my dad always used to say It’s not what you know its who you know, and, actually, it’s usually who knows the people you know that gets results.

A friend is married to a GCMA member and happened to see the job advert for this role.

“I’ve been surprised by how challenging some golf club manager’s roles are” It described almost exactly my skillset and experience. It was perfect timing too.

What do you enjoy most about it?

I’ve got to come clean, the thing I most enjoy is helping people get success more easily (and talking to people). I love hearing about success stories and ingenious strategies that have worked.

There is such a wealth of knowledge and experience across the membership that there’s

Marie Taylor - is the GCMA’s Communications Executive

plenty of untapped potential here.

Within this community, the scope to help members achieve and have fun doing it is the exciting part of it for me. My highest values are around freedom and fun and I enjoy facilitating that for as many people as possible.

What opportunities lie ahead for the GCMA? I’d like to see the development of the use of more online activity across the regions, helping members connect unhindered by location, because golf courses are beautiful places but they are so often a bit out of the way.

I also believe that there are opportunities for the GCMA to be a major player in the transformation of the gender diversity in the golfing industry.

How would you like to see the GCMA develop?

I’d like to see every golf club manager become a member of the GCMA, perhaps by establishing an incentive for each member to help to make that happen. This is pivotal to getting the GCMA regarded as the business version of the PGA. Widespread recognition as the proactive industry leader will be fantastic.

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Captain’s corner

HOWARD WILLIAMS

T

here was hardly a sound. The crowds had long since gone, the spectator infrastructure dismantled.

On a calm and beautiful afternoon last month I stood alone on the fairway remembering all that had happened here a few months ago.

I felt I was standing in the footsteps of giants.

This was Royal Birkdale, a course with a glorious history, where the Open Championship has been hosted on ten occasions.

Yet there was no evidence, on this still autumn afternoon, of the thrilling and dramatic event which took place recently.

Some of the greatest names in golf have played here.

They have felt the roller coaster of emotions, the highs and lows of birdies and bogeys.

They have entertained us with awesome drives and incredible putts.

And here was I, a mere mortal, standing where they had stood, walking down the same fairways, playing the same greens and even the same bunkers and rough! Such is the truly unique nature of this beloved game.

Where else could I walk in the footsteps of giants?

I would never be able to play a game of football in the Theatre of Dreams at Old Trafford, or enjoy a game of tennis on Centre Court at Wimbledon.

Playing off the white tees at 6,826

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What a way to mark the halfway point of my term than to walk in the footsteps of legends...

Howard Williams, centre, with Peter Bowen, left and Lancashire Union secretary Phil Harvey

yards was a real challenge for me.

My playing companions, Phil Harvey (Lancashire Union secretary and Royal Birkdale member) and Peter Bowen (manager at Ormskirk) with his son Steven, were all playing off single figures.

So no pressure on me, whose single figure days are long gone!

But having attended the Open and been swept up in the heady excitement of the event, I took this opportunity for a time of quiet reflection and appreciation.

Members from my home club, Ashton-in-Makerfield, always marshal when the Open Championship is at Royal Birkdale.

On the last two occasions we were allocated the 13th hole.

At this year’s event the spectators and those watching around

the world witnessed a most unforgettable piece of action at this hole. In the final round Jordan Spieth missed not only the fairway but also the bunkers – took a drop from the rough and played from the practice ground!

After making a very unlikely five, he became the Champion Golfer of the Year by a three stroke margin.

There is encouragement here for all of us…

This marked the halfway point of my memorable term as national captain.

It was a fitting and meaningful way to mark the occasion and my thanks go to Adam Moule, managing secretary at Royal Birkdale, for his generous hospitality.

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GCMA.ORG.UK | 15

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

This GCMA club is famous for…

BINGLEY ST IVES Don’t pass up on a visit to Billy’s Bar, at this course run by Adrian Weaver...

T

he snooker table’s nice enough and there’s a decent range of drinks but that’s not what pulls the punters in to Billy’s Bar at Bingley St Ives. The West Yorkshire course can arguably claim to host the best 19th hole in golf and it’s what is on the walls that makes a visit here a special experience.

It’s a collection to make the British Golf Museum green with envy – a cornucopia of artefacts gleaned from some of the biggest names in the game.

The clue, of course, is in the title.

Billy’s Bar is the preserve of caddie legend and club member Billy Foster.

No trip to Bingley can be complete without a scan.

Foster has spent years looping for golfing royalty – counting Seve Ballesteros, Sergio Garcia, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood among his employers.

He’s gathered quite a collection in three decades on tour and the fruits of that are for all to see in Billy’s Bar. You’ll find the bib Foster wore when he caddied for Tiger Woods in the 2005 Presidents Cup. There’s bags used on tour by

16 | GCMA.ORG.UK

Seve, Clarke and Garcia along with the bib he wore during the 1995 Ryder Cup at Oak Hill.

There’s an Augusta National flag signed by British winners of the Masters and signed flags from members of winning European Ryder Cup teams at Medinah and Gleneagles.

In fact, there’s flags from everywhere - Opens, US Opens - anywhere the well-travelled caddie has been during a career of globe-trotting. The pictures and photographs are equally as impressive – signed and dedicated to Bingley members from multiple major winners.

Exhibiting the priceless collection

was a labour of love for Foster – he even used hammer and nail himself to hang his memorabilia and ensure it was arranged just as he wanted it.

So when you’ve finished taking on the wood and moorland layout – a joy in itself – make a point of taking a leisurely stroll round Billy’s Bar. You won’t be disappointed.

What is it that makes your club special? Every club has something that makes it unique, that sets it apart from everywhere else. Why not let us know what it is?

Email s.carroll@sportspubs.co.uk

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

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GCMA.ORG.UK | 17

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

Who will be crowned the GCMA’s

MANAGER OFTHE YEAR?

Langland Bay’s Andrew Minty was named Manager of the Year in 2015

MANAGER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by intelligentgolf Alan Davey, Pyecombe Pyecombe’s managing secretary has helped not only to secure membership levels during a time of falling numbers but, under his stewardship, the average age has fallen as well.

The former PE teacher, who first joined the club 24 years ago and took over the reins in 2011, has innovated and brought in improvements across the board at the West Sussex club.

Whether working with the club professional to invest in junior development or the head

18 | GCMA.ORG.UK

greenkeeper to improve the ecology and course environment, Davey has helped Pyecombe receive numerous accolades from members and visitors.

“I am very proud. I don’t do it for awards,”he said of the nomination.

“I do it because I love the job and

love the golf club. The club has been a big part of my life and, when you get the opportunity, you want to be the best you can be. I have learned a lot along the way and the club is in quite a good place.

“I have a strong team around me – the office staff have been with me since the beginning.

I’ve a relatively new bar and catering manager, a fantastic head greenkeeper and the professional and his team have made a huge difference to the club.

“In all areas, we have got very good people I can rely on. They are a strong and dedicated team.”

Davey’s concern is helping Pyecombe to punch above its

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Recognising excellence in golf club management, the prestigious Golf Club Management Awards headline a glittering prize evening during our national conference. We profile all the nominees…

weight, as he puts it, and making sure it is the best it can be – and he appreciates the support he receives from the GCMA. He added:“If it’s catering, running a function or what the members get as far as course presentation is concerned, we try to give everyone a good experience.

“One of the things about being a member of the GCMA is the networking. It’s talking to people who have been there and done that. But we are very proud of the reputation of Pyecombe.”

Stuart Gillett, Golf at Goodwood Stuart Gillett has led a membership revolution at Golf at Goodwood – their credit scheme proving so popular the Sussex club had to

bring in a waiting list.

His leadership skills have helped transform the operations of the family-owned business into a first class golf experience.

Gillett empowers his team to find innovative solutions that please members and guests and is regarded as an inspiration by many

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

within the business, which forms part of the 11,500 acre Goodwood Estates.

“It’s great to be recognised,” he said.“I’m loath to use the old football analogy – but it is all about the team. There is no way we could have achieved what we have without the team we have got.

“This nomination celebrates the success of our approach to growing the game of golf and delivering golf in a slightly different way – that was successful and right.”

Gillett added that one of the things of which he was most proud was the GCMA’s recognition that golf and membership could be delivered in a different way.

And he believes that the industry will continue to change and evolve with the help of the GCMA – with customer service becoming ever more prominent.

“There are a number of clubs still operating on a business model from the 60s and 70s. No business is going to succeed like that.

“What the GCMA have done, along with various other bodies, is bringing golf into the 21st century and looking at it more as a servicebased industry.

“You look at the articles appearing in the magazine and a lot of them are about service – about the customer service experience. It is about giving people value for money. Time is short for people now and it’s about giving them value for money and something they can quantify as

being worthwhile for their support.

“We will continue to develop and deliver a great members’ experience. We want to do more and more with our members.”

Martin Robinson, Fairhaven

Joining the club as general manager just over a year ago, Martin Robinson has become a huge asset at the idyllic Lytham venue – a host of The Open regional qualifying.

While improving communication significantly between staff and members, seen most prominently in the ‘You Said, We Did’ initiative, he has also helped the board exploit commercial opportunities more efficiently.

That has resulted in a muchimproved financial performance and Robinson continues to relish the challenge of helping a long-standing traditional club modernise.

Fairhaven now have full gents membership, full 5-day membership and a full waiting list,

GCMA.ORG.UK | 19

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

“I like to communicate with our members no matter how big or small the issue is” – Martin Robinson while the junior and ladies section continue to provide new recruits.

Of his nomination, he said:“I am totally humbled and gobsmacked to think the board and the members think I’m doing such a good job that they would put pen to paper and nominate me. I can’t believe it.

“We’ve got the club in a position where we are absolutely thrilled to have a waiting list and to be a sought after club. We are seen as a traditional club that’s modern thinking and looking forward.”

Robinson added that he appreciated the board allowing him to run the club almost like a managing director, giving him the opportunity to use his near two-decades of experience in the industry to the benefit of all.

“We are investing in the right things and listening to the members. I like to communicate with our members no matter how big or small the issue is.”

Robinson, who will lead a breakout session on governance of a club at conference, added:“I run this (club) for our members, no one else. It is their club and I run it for them.

“Anything I can do, and we can invest, to enhance their overall experience can only be beneficial.”

Amy Yeates, Fairmont St Andrews At the forefront of golf evolution in

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Scotland, Amy Yeates has helped to drive through a new flexible membership scheme at Fairmont St Andrews, while providing inspirational leadership for her team.

She also drives all sales and marketing initiatives at the club and has taken on responsibility for running the spa and leisure departments this year.

“It has come at a really lovely time,”she said of the nomination.

“This will be my third full season and, when I first started in 2015, there were a lot of changes to be made.

“The team didn’t really have a vision or any sort of strategy. They didn’t know why they got up in the morning.

“The award is fantastic in terms of the nomination but it is a combination of team effort over the last three years.

“We got our heads together to say: What are we? What do we stand for? What are we trying to deliver? It’s trying to stay as true as possible to that message.”

On the way she uses delegation to keep her team engaged, involved and motivated, Yeates added:“One of my biggest strengths is delegation – delegation through engagement.

I make sure that everyone is empowered and everyone is engaged. My golf team, for example, are an exceptional team

but they all have different focus areas.

“That’s what I have to do or I can’t cope with the workload, so I basically make sure I am constantly meeting with them on a weekly basis to fire them up. It’s like the Duracell bunny.

“I wind them up and I let them go. If they look like they are slowing down, I wind them up again.

“I am fortunate that the team is exceptional. I think the biggest thing for me is that they all know where we are going.

“As long as they know where we are going, they can start making decisions by themselves.”

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Colt Mackenzie McNair

Gordon MacLeod, St Ives (Hunts) Sometimes, a familiar face is just what’s needed. Gordon MacLeod was a member at St Ives for five years before taking on the role of general manager in July 2016.

Once in the military, he admitted he’d considered the cliché of the “old fashioned wing commander being the golf club secretary”.

But, having always fancied a crack at the role, MacLeod’s love for St Ives – and his desire to provide a period of stability following a succession of previous managers – led him to take the plunge.

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His energy and attention to detail has brought huge results.

Membership rose 14 per cent between February and July, he has established regular contact with England Golf and developed partnerships with local media companies to spread the word about the club. With the club also the home of Titleist’s National Fitting Centre and a centenary on the horizon in 2023, St Ives are moving from strength to strength.

“For too long this golf club has been embarrassed to have raised its head above the parapet and say ‘come and have a look’,”he explained of the challenges he faced on his appointment.

“We (now) have key partnerships with local media companies. It’s not just putting advertising in there. It is an opportunity to build relationships with them.

“We are trying to get them to buy into the place – and they are providing advertorials for us.

“It is down to timing as well.

“We had a significant drop of money which enabled us to recognise the potential and employ changes to the course and talk postively about it” – Gordon MacLeod Everything is. I arrived at the golf club and we had been stemming the bailiffs from the door.

“From the sale of the old 9-hole course in the middle of town, we had a significant drop of money which enabled us to recognise the potential and employ changes to the course and talk positively about it.

“People are seeing we have put our money where our mouth is.”

John Reeder, Theydon Bois You couldn’t throw much more at John Reeder is his first year in the industry. After becoming assistant manager at Theydon Bois, Reeder found himself in the hot seat after only a week – his colleague dealing with a long-term illness.

He had to prepare for the AGM, deal with the resignation and election of a number of board members, help bring in a new

The picturesque St Ives, in Cambridgeshire

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club professional and shepherd the club through a burglary of the greenkeepers’ shed. Talk about a baptism of fire.

“One of our older members said ‘you’ve really had everything thrown at you so it will be easy from now on’,”he said.

“I don’t think it’s ever an easy job but I have got through a very difficult stage and I suppose it can only give me confidence as I go forward.

“I just looked at it as an exciting new challenge.

“Because I was new to the business, what got me through was thinking that I could only make things better and that I was on to a winner, really.

“I’d come at a difficult stage and what I could bring to things would just lead to positivity for the club.”

On the prospect of attending his first conference, Reeder added:“I think it will be a brilliant opportunity to meet with likeminded people and some major players in the industry and to share ideas, concerns, make lots of contacts and learn a lot.

“I have only been in the hot-seat just over a year and so I am a baby in that respect.

“There are plenty of people who can tell me stuff – despite all the things that have been thrown at me and I’ve somehow managed to navigate my way through in the last 12 months.

“Hopefully, there will be many, many years more of it.”

TEAM OF THE YEAR Sponsored by Golf HR Norwood Park Recognised by England Golf and The PGA for their efforts to grow the game, Norwood Park, based in Nottinghamshire, boast a waiting list and more than 750 members.

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The team, of general manager Paul Thornton, professional Rob Macey, course manager Grant Lee and golf development chief Jackie Macey run an egalitarian club, which was named Club of the Year in 2015 by Notts County Council.

Proprietary owned, there are no committees as such and the

“I think it will be a brilliant opportunity to meet with likeminded people and some major players” – John Reeder method of management has struck a chord – England Golf use Norwood as a ‘best practice club’.

“We are not like a normal members’ club and that’s how it was set up,”explained Macey.

“The club is still young and it’s only been going 18 years. But

it’s set on a country state that is hundreds of years old.

“Our membership is quite young in comparison with some other clubs and we use social media such a lot.

“With not having a committee, we can make a decision today and sort it out tomorrow.

“We are heavily involved with England Golf and Get Into Golf and Girls Golf Rocks and we also work closely with the county partnership – anything that goes along.

“We are doing a lot this year with disabled groups and special needs schools.

“We released the waiting list in April and we will close it again in November. We’ve 750 members.

“Our profile is quite high. We are forward thinking and quite a modern club.

“We don’t do a lot of advertising, other than social media but we have won quite a few awards over the last five years.

“We are looking forward to the awards.

“It’s nice to be recognised and to be highly thought of. Ultimately, it’s good for golf.”

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Pyle & Kenfig Nominations for awards are becoming a habit for Pyle & Kenfig.

The Welsh club won the prestigious Bonallack Award at Wentworth in May and, given their achievements, it’s no wonder they are high on everyone’s prize lists.

The team, made up of secretary Simon Hopkin, professional Dylan Williams and head greenkeeper Paul Johnson, have had a huge impact. Green fees increased yearon-year by 7.5 per cent. Some 65 new members arrived as a result of strong marketing techniques.

A new irrigation system has future proofed watering on the course for the next 40 years – and so on.

“The vision for the club is always to make sure the course is at championship standard throughout the year,”said Hopkin.

“With the inward investment, we put a new irrigation system in and

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that was a hefty investment and replaced a whole irrigation system from tee to green.

“We’ve worked very closely with Golf Wales. They have been very supportive and given us toolkits and methodologies in order to get out to schools and reach out.

“We’ve actually introduced a tri-golf course into West Park, which is the local primary – the first one in Wales. We’ve built a six hole course for the children there and that’s a breeding ground for our 9-hole academy course that we’ve just built. We’ve just put in a new category of membership – academy membership – to attract new junior golfers and, specifically, ladies as well.

“Almost every day of the week we have coaching sessions for juniors and ladies – there’s a lot of work Dylan does with that and the 9-hole course is part of that.

“We’ve also built a simulator at the back of the pro shop as well.

We took the pro shop, gutted it and split it into thirds – the first is the pro shop, the middle is the café area (with a bar and reception area) and the third is the GC2 simulator, so it is state of the art.”

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Your view...

LETTERS An alternative view...

The content of the recent “Club Member’s View” article triggered my thoughts regarding a perennial problem in many clubs – unrealistic requests for reduced fees. My own club has developed and continues to create membership options in response to lifestyles and the needs of young adults, non-competitive players and beginners.

We also offer discounts and five-day memberships, which are popular with the senior age group.

This is still not enough for a vociferous group, who demand to pay less. They appear to have an unrealistic view of the economics of running a golf club, while demanding something for nothing and pleading to be a ‘special case’.

They leave, threaten to leave, refuse to join or simply moan about the perceived excessive costs of membership.

Younger members of this group regularly spend substantial amounts on alcohol and enjoy expensive satellite television sports packages.

Senior members of this group regularly complain about eroded discounts and small increases in membership fees from the comfort of secure high-value pensions.

How people to choose to live their life is a matter of personal choice, but it is unreasonable to expect unrealistic discounts from small golf clubs operating on a tight budget.

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We want to hear from you!

Send your correspondence, on any subject, to letters@gcma.org.uk

Seniority complex? Our letter writer says some older players regularly complain about membership fees

I would encourage managers to stand firm against such arguments and threats while avoiding cutting deals. Often the person gaining a deal will not be discreet, but treats it as a virility symbol - bragging of their success to all and sundry.

If this letter sounds a little embittered, may I recount an incident from my experience as a manager at another club.

I received a letter from a member stating he may have to resign and give up golf due to his circumstances. It really pulled at the heartstrings – mortgage, children, local government cuts affecting his career, wife unable to find a job. Committee members became seriously involved.

Could he be given some discount? Would his father (a senior member) be able to help him out?

Could I produce some discounted and deferred payment plans for him? Well I did, taking substantial time, only for his plea to be shot down when I received a CDH email

request for his handicap from another local club, which he had joined on a cheaper deal.

He had saved very little really, but basically wanted me to offer a similar fee at my club. Beware and stand firm!

Roger Stamp GCMA member Mike Hyde replies: I am not a demographic quirk - I pretty much exactly fit the profile of a first time father in the UK - so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that my personal circumstances precluded me from forking out £1,200 every year. Rather than throwing my toys out the pram, I assumed the club would welcome the chance to discuss if there was any way I could stay. There wasn’t, so I didn’t - no hard feelings. But the old adage of it being cheaper to keep a customer than find a new one rings true - they’d done the hard work, why waste it by not having a product that the customer wants?

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Flexible memberships aren’t all gold The article (Club Member’s View) mainly served to show that in each locality, including yours, there is a plethora of choice. You went through the options and all bases were covered: Standard, flexible/ modern, traditional and expensive.

It’s all there, take your pick. You’ll get what you’re prepared to pay for. So what’s the problem?

Club managers, greenkeepers and maintaining facilities cost money. Someone has to pick up the tab. Those who came before you invested in purchasing the land, building clubhouses and so on. All they ask is you pay a fee commensurate with the standards they offer. Clubs should not be derided for not being all things, to all people.

It’s time someone highlighted that flexible memberships are not all gold and actually has led to many clubs joining the race to the bottom unless they get PPR (Price per round) correct.

In some instances, it also converts loyal full paying members into ‘customers’ who are little more than packaged green fee payers.

I’ve never seen a flexible member at a divot evening or helping to run competitions or junior sections.

Cold, clinical green fee factories

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may suit some.

Many would choose to be part of a club, with the benefits that entails.

I’m looking out of the window at a member popping out for four holes. How sad if he had to sign in and pay £8.75, or whatever.

Cheap golf without any commitment is plentiful. Look at various tee websites. Price of everything, value of nothing springs to mind.

It’s not what I want for my club or the sport in general. How does GCMA membership that charges me nothing but a small fee each time I log into the website or call the helpdesk sound?

You get the point.

Ryan Coles, club manager, Knowle GC Mike Hyde replies: We essentially agree on all fronts! I don’t expect clubs to be all things to all people, but if a club states that it’s looking to attract young people and takes steps to encourage them, like offering reduced subs at certain age points, then they need to make sure that the whole product fits with that strategy. For instance: stagger the discounted subs until the golfer hits 40/offer the option to drop to a flexible membership for a year/waive the joining fee if the subs are hefty.

Otherwise it’s just saying one thing, and doing another.

Hold clubs responsible for slow play Golf clubs should be held responsible for slow play on their course.

In my experience, it is clubs’ greed in starting players too frequently and having multiple starting points that causes most congestion on a course.

If courses were expected to compensate players for a slow round we would see better management of start times and more clubs with only one starting point.

Tony Burns, retired, Helston Clubs should start to listen I work for a national governing body and was interested to read your article in the recent GCMA magazine about younger members.

I went through a very similar experience myself at a club I had been a member of for over 20 years. I am in my mid 30s and have a young child at home, so your story really resonated with me. As a someone that has worked in the golf industry for a number of years, I constantly speak to clients about retaining younger members but I still think it’s a major issue in clubs across the country. Clubs should focus on retaining all members but there is no doubt that the younger generation are financially and time poor in comparison to other demographics so clubs need to ensure they find value in the cost of membership.All too often I still see an unwillingness to adapt, as well as clubs that would like to be progressive, but can’t due to constraints in the constitution.

Thank you for raising this issue and, hopefully, more clubs will start to listen.

Name and address supplied

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In the

LOOP 1. Follow these six rules if you want to keep smiles on the faces of your members...

What happened: England Golf’s Valuing Your Customers report saw the body team up with Manchester Metropolitan University, who reviewed lots of research on participation and retention of customers in the golf market.

What does it mean? The clever academics reckon they have hit on the secret of membership retention. Eureka!

They’ve discovered six key drivers: Fun and engagement, ethos and atmosphere, membership experience, club participation journey, the welcome and longterm involvement.

It may not surprise you to learn that keeping an existing member costs less than finding a new one, but the report has slapped the wrists of many clubs - saying too many focus their attentions on trying to bring in new faces rather than retaining their loyal customers.

To read the report, visit Visit www.englandgolf.org/ retention.

Four things you need to know from the last month in the golf industry…

pioneered in Hertfordshire and also ran in Durham and Cheshire will now also be extended into Northumberland, Worcestershire, Suffolk, Devon and Hampshire.

2. Here come the girls...

What’s happened: They’ve been busy people at Woodhall Spa this month. As well as putting the world to rights on membership, they’ve found a way to encourage women golfers to play more often.

What does it mean? England Golf have run Academy Away Days in three counties this year and they managed to attract more than 300 players, many of whom took out some form of membership. Why is this significant? Only 15 per cent of club members are female and only one per cent are girls.

That’s despite a plethora of research and reports from intelligent people claiming there’s a huge appetite to play the sport. The scheme, which was

3. Foremost team up with club59 What happened: Foremost, whose network of professionals place the company at the heart of retail in golf clubs, have announced a partnership with club59, Europe’s leading customer service analysts and training providers.

What does it mean? They will help club pros with training and measurement programmes to improve the customer service they deliver to golfers in-store.

They will also aim to put their talents to use in the club as well - wherever the business has customer contact.

As part of the partnership, members can utilise an approved collection of ‘excellence’ assurance tools.

They’ll include mystery test audits and pre-set customer satisfaction surveys.

The idea is to help clubs pinpoint areas of strengths and weaknesses.

@GCMAUK Course dinner tonight.

Met some great people and learnt so much, hopefully a future in Golf Club Management awaits @kebabbstermates

Excited to be chatting about current issues in #golf course #agronomy and #ecology @GCMA Conference next month! @striturf_sophie

@GCMAUK Superb hospitality by @GCMA Midlands @BroadwayGC. 3-3 draw meant we retained the cup #greatgolf #proudcaptain @RTgolfmanager

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We want to hear from you!

Send your correspondence, on any subject, to letters@gcma.org.uk

4. Blane Dodds resigns as CEO of Scottish Golf What happened: Blane Dodds, the chief executive of Scottish Golf, resigned from the governing body to take up the same position with Tennis Scotland. A little bit awkward, you might think.

Dodds had been chairman of the latter body and said the opportunity to lead the organisation was the “one job that I couldn’t turn down”.Eleanor Cannon, Scottish Golf chair, has assumed an executive position and a handover is ongoing.

What does it mean? Dodds’

departure has come at a tricky time for Scottish Golf.

He was driving through a controversial proposal to more than double the affiliation fees members at clubs pay to the organisation, which were to be discussed at a Special General Meeting on December 2.

The consultation has been extended until March and the December meeting is now an open forum to debate the “future direction for golf in Scotland”with golfers, clubs and stakeholders.

Proposals will then be discussed at the AGM in March.

Welcome to our newest GCMA members Paul Densham, director of golf at Essendon, in Chiltern & Home Counties region David Griffin, general manager at Sandy Lodge, in Chiltern & Home Counties region AndrewGibbins, manager at Maxstoke Park, in Midland region BillyMcGrory, manager at La Manzanilla Golf & CountryClub,in Mexico Kevin McAleer, general manager at Helensburgh, in Scotland region RubyConroy, manager at Hythe, in South East region Stephen Petrie, manager at Westonsuper-Mare, in South West region Keith Brooks, secretaryat Whitley, in Wessexregion Tim Kent, clubmanager at Halifax BradleyHall, in Yorkshire region Carole Davison, general manager of Rhuddlan, in Wales region, has rejoined the GCMA Members who have moved

Interesting update from @LETgolf at tonight’s @ParliamentGolf meeting - particularly exploring some of the barriers to female participation @GCMAUK

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A day with the @GCMAUK Young Manager Group @FoxhillsSurrey talking industry insights and career development @Coltmm

AndyRideout is the general manager of Bramshaw,in Southern region Tom Butler is the managing secretaryof Hickleton, in Yorkshire region PhilipWorthington has become the manager of Southport & Ainsdale, in North West region Neil Hallam-Jones is general manager of Wimbledon Parkin London & Home Counties region

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Changes 2018

CONGU

T

he Council of National Golf Unions (CONGU), the body that provides a golfer with a handicap, have announced a series of changes to the Unified Handicapping System.

The alterations, which will come into effect on January 1, 2018, have been kept to a minimum because of the proposed introduction of a world handicapping system in the near future.

The CONGU changes have tried to take into account some of the options likely to be adopted in that new system, and believe the principal point will aim to encourage players to submit more scores to their handicap record.

So what is about to come into force?

Retirement of club and disability handicaps: These have been removed – CONGU say for their low impact – and have been replaced with a new Category 5 for men and Category 6 for both men and women.

This will provide for a maximum handicap of 54 for all golfers.

Players will be able to maintain a competition handicap in all six categories. Upward adjustment for all categories will remain at 0.1. Downward adjustments for net differentials below buffer zones will be 0.5 for Category 5

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Changes to the handicap system are about to come into force. So what have CONGU got in mind?

and 0.6 for Category 6.

From January 1, committees will also be able to increase handicaps above the current limits of 28.0 and 36.0 and they will also increase above those limits automatically as a result of above Buffer Zone returns in Qualifying Competitions and Supplementary Score submissions.

Supplementary Scores: The rules will be relaxed to allow an unlimited number of score submissions per year and the removal of the restriction of one per week. However, the restriction on Category 1 players will remain in place.

Mixed Tee Competitions – reinforcement of the single CSS Adjustment Calculation: CONGU say having a single CSS adjustment for two or more competitions will provide a more equitable value when one of the competitions has a very low number of players.

To overcome the technical IT implementation issues, the approach agreed will be to enter all scores into a single competition (and so a single CSS Adjustment Factor is calculated) with a facility within the software to allow the results to be separated for each group of competitors.

Definitions: Confirmation that cards submitted for Initial Handicap Allocation are included in the definition of

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Qualifying Scores for handicap purposes. Accordingly, a player whose handicap is allocated on the basis of such submitted scores under clause 16 will automatically be allocated a Competition Handicap status.

9-hole competitions: The option will be introduced of 9-hole Medal and Open competitions. For handicap

“The rules will be relaxed to allow an unlimited number of score submissions per year and the removal of the restriction of one a week” purposes, the 9-Hole Medal scores will be converted to Stableford and will appear as such on the player’s handicap record.

Handicap Adjustments: Confirmation that the adherence to Appendix M (Guidelines for Handicap Reviews) is mandatory, not optional.

CONGU have also announced there will be no new hard copy of their manual, with an updated online version available on their website. A

full summary of the changes is posted there.

Other changes, largely for clarification purposes, can also be found online at congu.co.uk Who are CONGU? CONGU are a limited company that administers, monitors and makes any changes or additions needed to the Unified Handicapping System that is recognised throughout the world. The board comprises of two representatives – one male and female – from each of the Unions representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, together with representatives from The R&A. There’s also an appointed chairman and secretary. The board have overall responsibility for handicapping, but much of the work is carried out by committee – including technical, research and course rating committees.

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A Matter of Opinion

INTRODUCTIONS...

From left to right, Mark Wood, Alistair Adams, Jenny Andrews and Tracey McDowell

W

e all have to start somewhere, and on the Introduction to Golf Club Management course, newcomers to the industry, alongside those looking for a refresher, find their feet in a five-day intensive course that teaches them current management practices.

Usually held three times a year, at venues all over the country, it

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provides a thorough grounding in the necessary fundamentals of the job – how the office works, the challenges and the complexities of the role.

At the most recent course, held at Henley Golf and Country Club, we sat down with four participants – all serving at golf clubs.

We wanted to find out their motivations for taking the course, how it relates to their positions, and what they hope will come from completing it…

What were your reasons for taking the Introduction to Golf Club Management course?

Tracey McDowell: I don’t have a background in golf.

I had a management background in shopping centre retail for 25 years.

So joining a golf club – although management is relatively similar – the dynamic is totally different.

Moving profession also comes with its challenges and looking through the course material I felt

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The GCMA’s Introduction to Golf Club Management course is the first stop for many newcomers to the industry. Four members, who have all been through the most recent residential week at Henley, discuss its merits...

it was going to give me a very good foundation to take the new profession forward.

Jenny Andrews: I just felt it would massively improve my knowledge because, although I work in a golf club and have had to do a role that perhaps I wasn’t prepared for, this has actually given me so much more knowledge and information.

So I can put procedures into place, support my new general manager and the other stuff.

Alistair Adams: I’ve come from a totally different background - after a long career in the military.

For me, it was fundamental to get some formal training.

There’s large elements of the job I know a lot about – the golf side and the handicapping and that sort of thing.

But the food and beverage side, and greenkeeping, those sort of things I didn’t know much about.

The good thing about the course is it’s a pretty comprehensive package that covers all aspects of what you’d need to be a golf club manager or secretary and that’s what appealed to me.

Mark Wood: I was asked by the golf club to take over the role for a temporary three month period while the old secretary had left the

club. I looked at the role, looked at the content of the course and thought this was something I really needed to do to broaden my knowledge how golf clubs run from top to bottom. I can honestly say, it has most definitely been eye opening.

Would you recommend the course to somebody else?

JA: I would definitely recommend the course to anybody that is going to work in a golf club in the office – whether it be as a manager or an assistant manager – because of the knowledge and some of the course material that we didn’t know about, the items in it that we haven’t implemented within the club, or to keep you up to date with legislation.

It was so interesting, so informative and you want to be able to give your members and committee the best that you can.

AA: I would recommend it.

I’ve already recommended it on the phone to my assistant secretary.

What’s important is even if you have worked in a golf club for a long time in a busy office, you can have had a period where you’ve had no HR issues, for example, and

you have got a complete blind spot in certain areas.

This course does cover everything. Even if you have had a blind spot, and not thought about HR for a long time, this brings it back to the fore.

MW: I certainly have no doubt whatsoever that this course is beneficial to many people – one would certainly be a member of a committee.

TM: It would be useful for captains to come along and especially vice captains.

MW: Chairman of committees and greenkeepers would benefit from it as well.

TM: To help them understand our side of the job…

JA: Even the professional…

JA: Every head of department should attend.

MW: Definitely. They should come on a course.

TM: It may not even be the full five-day course. You have the condensed course.

It may not suit everybody to take out a full week. I know it’s probably been difficult for all of us to go ‘okay, we’ve taken a full week out’.

It is a lot to take in over five days.

I don’t know how the three-day course is set up but for those

MEET THE PANEL Tracey McDowell General manager at Kirkistown Castle, in Northern Ireland

Jenny Andrews Club administrator at Hunstanton

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Alistair Adams Secretary at West Sussex

Mark Wood Professional and interim manager at Shortlands, in Kent

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who don’t want the financial commitment of the five-day, the three days would be a nice snapshot.

MW: Certainly to cherry pick for a particular course that a person is dealing with on a daily basis would be ideal.

JA: Even the bar and catering department. If they came on the course they would have a better idea how to run their department and how to liaise.

MW: It’s creating enthusiasm.

TM: It’s also training and commitment.

We can go back and say ‘we have to do this, this, this, and this’ but if they are hearing it themselves, it is not just us trying to cascade it down.

AA: It’s creating best practice in the golf industry.

MW: Word of mouth, also, would go round the golf club – even to the members – to show them the governing body and the

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“I certainly have no doubt whatsoever that this course is beneficial to many people.”

– Mark Wood committees, are on top of things and responsible for things rather than doing nothing.

AA: It’s also important to have credibility.

Because I’ve not come from a golf background, there’s some commentary in the golf club – despite the rigorous process I was selected by – of ‘why have we selected this bloke from the military? Why does he have to go on a course? Doesn’t he know what he’s doing already?’

So there’s a certain credibility

aspect.

JA: I do all the management accounts so this is another side.

MW: I’m kind of laughing internally because when I go back and tell them ‘by the way, this is what needs to change’…

TM: It can be quite extensive.

There are colleagues of mine already, that I have spoken to before I left, who weren’t able to make this one but are thinking about the condensed one.

I will certainly be saying to them - because there have been a number of shifts and these are new people coming into the industry from hospitality – ‘certainly look at the three-day but there’s another five-day coming in early 2018, jump on board that’.

MW: I’ve already decided that I’m going to be taking the head greenkeeper to Harrogate to the trade show (BIGGA’s BTME).

He’s never been. I think, just from his development as well, he should

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be involved in these things and the club should be backing him to do it.

JA: It’s education, education, education – all the way through – because you are never too old, you are never too experienced, to learn new things.

What can you take back from this week and implement at your club?

AA: The main one, for me, is the governance aspect. It’s pretty good insight into the structures and how those committees should work.

The other bit is the policies that you should have in place.

Too much of what’s happening is there’s good practice in the various departments but it’s not all glued together properly and joined up to the board level.

I think there’s a real gap there.

MW: The scary thing is going back to the committee and notifying that they are actually responsible for some of these policies – that they are not aware of.

TM: Well, your constitution can be quite old, and hasn’t been amended, and your councils change so often that they don’t know what the next changes are.

For me, it was also food and beverage.

Suddenly, we were given this individual dish pricing scheme and all those little tweaks and things that make your food and beverage work effectively. So that might be a huge section.

So you might take back from Steven Brown that your chef can download an app and can work out the profitability of his dishes…

TM: I have them both on my phone already.

And the paper way of doing

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

”It’s education, education, education - all the way through - because you are never too old to learn new things” – Jenny Andrews

it so you can ensure he’s got profitability...

MW: I’m already starting to rein myself in from being a bull in a china shop when I get back to say ‘right, this is how it’s going to be from now on’.

JA: It’s bringing together all the departments as a team. Because that’s what we are – a team – and there to offer a customer service to our members.

AA: One thing has come out to me loud and clear.

I come from a fairly wealthy club that’s well-staffed.

We’ve got good people throughout the office.

We’ve got three, many of the offices I talk to have only got two.

It’s still a huge ask to go anywhere near implementing everything that’s been recommended on the course.

TM: A big thing that’s coming out is communication and how to cascade all of that information down to the right departments – and getting everyone to work together. We are an entity.

Every club is an entity so we need to communicate that down.

JA: Looking at the disability side of things was another great (aspect) – where you could so easily trip up and leave yourselves open.

Not having those things on your website to say about buggies.

MW: It’s not a great thing to go back to your club and say ‘by the way, we need to put a lift in’…

So what’s the one thing you really think you can get an easy win from?

TM: The food and beverage information I was given.

I think that’s going to be a very quick turnaround.

Is that the app or understanding the stock report?

TM: Understanding the stock report, understanding how the catering works – because they are a franchise – and helping them.

The golf is our asset but the clubhouse comes on the back of that and if you can’t get engagement and people coming

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

“I’ve already Googled my competitors and none of them are doing Google Ads. I think ‘Ok, that’s for me’. I’ve got lovely winter packages” – Tracey McDowell

in then you’ve got what you call ‘car park golfers’.

They come in, brush their shoes off and go back into the car.

You need to get those people in and the only way you can do that is to give them the service they require.

I think that’s an easy win but there are so many more golden nuggets that are going to come straight in behind us.

JA: It’s knowing what your member wants, for me, and knowing how to please your member.

It’s knowing how often they play golf.

Do they have anyone to play with? It’s membership retention.

MW: That one thing you do has a spin off to something else that needs doing.

The buzzwords for us, at the moment, are ‘how do we attract new members?’

Yes, I’ve got ideas for new members but, when you do attract them, what are you trying to sell them?

What is the package?

Maybe the golden nugget there then, from Jane Carter, is

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the point about member-getmember.

MW: And you need your members on your side – and what is the incentive to the member?

Well, okay, let’s throw in a financial inducement a bit more than we are at the moment.

Jane was saying your member could worth around £7,500 over a given period of time – five years she mentioned.

If your member is now more inclined because they are getting £300 to £500 inducements…

TM: But it’s even turning to social media and Google Ads. I’ve already Googled my competitors and none of them are doing Google Ads. I think ‘Ok, that’s for me’ because I’ve got lovely winter packages and my colleagues don’t put this on.

They’ve all turned into a quagmire and I want to be able to advertise with people and say ‘is your golf course in a winter state?

Come and play at Kirkistown Castle’.

Do you feel that we put appropriate industry experts in front of you?

AA: I’ve been impressed with

every speaker and I’ve done a lot of courses in my lifetime, with my military career.

It’s a good standard.

MW: It kept your attention.

AA: HR is a dull subject for two plus hours but the Power Points used were a much more interactive way of teaching it.

TM: Health and safety is never sexy and it was very engaging.

JA: But going out and doing the practical side of it, going into the greenkeeper’s sheds…

TM: Yeah, I’d never cut a new hole.

JA: It was just those things – you now know what goes on down there, what they are doing and what they are implementing.

MW: There is a downside to it, the amount of work that’s now being heaped on our shoulders.

AA: But your work will be more focused, because at least you will work in a more productive way.

Instead of grovelling about, finding who to speak to – who’s a good catering expert.

Now you’ll know one and you can speak straight to someone you’ve sat in front of for two hours.

JA: Everyone has made themselves accessible to us.

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Leading the way in Golf Business Golf Business & Industry Convention 24 January 2018 | Harrogate Convention Centre The industry’s leading networking and education event for golf club owners, operators and managers. Ensure your club succeeds by investing in yourself at GolfBIC Register now to book your place

btme.org.uk/golfbic

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

The interview

HEATHER MULLEY

H

ow long have you been involved with the GCMA? As soon as I became the admin manager at Enville, I was put forward and it was just a natural progression. My first secretary/manager had been a member and always found it useful. It was a natural thing to do. The support network is getting better all the time.

I think the GCMA is evolving and that’s nice to see. With the changes in the magazine and the changes in the golf industry, I think it’s a useful tool and it’s great to meet other managers and have a chat with them, find out what they’ve got to say and what they are doing to try and improve the situation at their clubs.

How is Enville structured in terms of committees and

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boards?

We’ve got a committee of ten at the moment, a captain, chairman, president, vicecaptain, treasurer and then board members as well. To have a supportive board makes all the difference – when things aren’t working so well.

But I have been lucky. I had a chairman at the beginning of my career who took a chance on me and I am eternally grateful to him. Now we’ve got a fantastic board who want to work really hard for the club, but don’t want to get involved with the day-to-day running. It is finding balance between the two, really. We’ve got over 900 members, so we’ve got quite a large membership but, with two courses, we can cope with that. We have a lot of visitors.

We have to have an emphasis on visitors, obviously, because that’s what helps us along.

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

With two courses and an enviable location, Enville have proven to be a huge success story during a time of economic uncertainty. General manager Heather Mulley tells Mike Hyde why they have thrived…

We’ve got a policy of continual improvement here. That’s what we try and work towards.

We’ve done lots of different projects in the last five or ten years to improve things. The Spike Bar was a great addition to the club.

You actively encourage visitors?

We get a lot of repeat business because people have such a great experience here. This year, we have been doing a lot of work with the RAF and a lot of work with the inter-club championships. We have had days with the Army, Navy and RAF this year.

With 36 holes, and so many members, what are the biggest challenges and opportunities?

Having 36 holes is only a bonus to me, as the manager,

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because I don’t have to be so commercially aware as perhaps some of my other colleagues. I can always keep the members happy, plus get in enough society work to keep our treasurer happy, which is great.

Trying to find the balance of membership happiness and commerciality is very difficult for an 18-hole golf course.

But we have the challenges of having to double everything we’ve got to pay and we need more greensstaff. We’ve got more costs because we’ve got 36 holes.

My policy is to try and make sure there’s always a course available for our members – that’s one of our biggest selling points – and that’s why, in these difficult times for golf, we are probably doing so well.

A new member joins from a local club and he says to me ‘I’m fed up of going down the club. I’ve got

four hours to play and there’s a society out, or a competition on, and I can’t get on the course’. I can say ‘You can come here and you can always get out on a course’.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s a very occasional time when both courses have something going on but that is probably two or three hours in the whole year.

Do you formally structure it and have one course designated just for members?

We just swap it round. I book Who is Heather Mulley?

Heather’s history with Enville goes back to her father, who served on the club committee for many years and for whom she used to caddie as a child. She began her career as a legal secretary and has served in various roles at the club before her position evolved into that of general manager.

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

The clubhouse at Enville

things in the diary but all the time I am conscious that I need to keep one course free for our members at all times, which they expect. For what they pay here, I think that’s what they should get.

These are beautiful surroundings but off the beaten track. How does that work in structuring deals with local organisations, courses and hotels?

We’ve relied really, for the last 20 years, on word of mouth. People have been so fond of saying to me ‘Enville’s a hidden gem’. In fact, one of the things I touched on in my first interview here was that Enville shouldn’t really be a hidden gem. It sounds lovely but I want everybody to know what we’ve got here. We have got a fantastic site, 36 holes, heathland and woodland and I want everyone to know about it. So with the events we have held in the last five years, it’s becoming more and more well known. We work with local hotels and businesses and that’s been really good. We find we have a lot of smaller groups who want to come and want to play the two courses over two days. We

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work with the local hotel in the village down the road and they provide the bed and the breakfast and we provide the golf. They are members here. That works really well.

Another local pub has just opened for luxury rooms and we will be working with them as well.

Generally, the events that we’ve held here have raised our profile.

Although we are remote, things like The Open qualifying really brought us to the attention of The R&A. We held the Reid Trophy four years ago and that brought us to the attention of England Golf.

We recently held the Girls British Amateur Championship in August, which saw 144 girls take part from 12 different countries.

Hosting an event like that is a big commitment from the club.

What was the thinking behind bringing that here?

It wasn’t a big decision. It was a decision we made straight away – as soon as it was offered to us. It was 12 months in the planning but we knew that we had been awarded it three years before. We knew it was going to be a big disruption

“We had 490 volunteer slots to fill and we had 120 of our members who volunteered to help” to our members, because it was a week-long tournament. We closed both courses for the week and, at the beginning, we thought ‘how are our members going to cope with this?’ But wow, they stepped up to the mark. It was brilliant. We had 490 volunteer slots to fill and I think we had 120 of our members who volunteered to help. The atmosphere it created was just wonderful. I would recommend it to any club. If you are offered an event like that, take it and embrace it and run with it.

It brought joy, excitement - the members were so proud of what we had here - and to sit on the final day at the prize presentation and listen to the universal praise from The R&A and the competitors and their families – it just filled

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Professional Development Opportunity in association with

Rain Bird Golf is offering an amazing professional development opportunity for one golf club management professional Aimed at ambitious, driven managers with an appreciation for the role progressive agronomy plays in a club’s success, the selected candidate will receive: ■ Fully funded place on the ASQ L5 Diploma in Golf Club Management ■ Consultation with business mentors from Rain Bird and the GCMA ■ Full irrigation system review at their golf club

Application deadline: 31 January 2018

For more information and to apply visit gcma.org.uk/bursary

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

A moody scene at glorious Enville

everyone with pride.

Going forward, I think we will ride on the wave of it for quite a few years – especially the members.

They had a whale of a time. We couldn’t have done it without their cooperation and without the brilliant management board, who supported the event all the way.

Lots of our board members took the whole week off work. It was just a great experience.

How did it come about? Did you have to apply?

It was before the LGU and The R&A merged. One of our members mentioned to me she had seen the LGU were advertising for courses that would be interested in holding events. I made some enquiries, made contact with Sue Simpson – who was with the LGU and is now assistant director of amateur events with The R&A. She came down one very misty November morning to take a look around and thought she could offer us some events. Then we had the offer for the British Girls.

By the time we actually came to run the event, it had merged with The R&A, which meant the funding was more extensive and, although

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it’s a very prestigious event, that makes everything easier.

The R&A roadshow arrives with their caravans and the communications and everything. It was just a brilliant week.

can go straight in there and see if their pals are waiting for them to have a drink, or a coffee.

It’s so social in there, it’s just changed the whole look of the club. It’s been a real success.

You mentioned the Spike Bar. Had that been in the pipeline for a little while?

We’d always talked about it and, because of the position the club has here, it doesn’t look out over the 18th green like some. Our course is over the road. Members would come off the course and they couldn’t really see who was in the clubhouse. Perhaps they’d think ‘I’ll just go home. I won’t go in for a drink’. That Spike Bar has made all the difference – because of its look and the feel, people come off the golf course and they don’t have to change their shoes. They

You touched on societies. How do you go about attracting and retaining them?

The quality of the course – I don’t want to blow my own trumpet – but it is a fantastic site and we are really lucky to have a really good course manager. We do get a lot of repeat business. We have a lot of captain’s away days. We do a lot of opens here as well.

People go on those and have an absolutely great day out. It’s reasonably priced and they think perhaps we’ll come back and bring a group here.

We don’t do any advertising. We really rely on word of mouth so we are doing something right.

We may have to review this in the future but, at the moment, it is working well and year on year we are achieving increased green fees and attracting a healthy number of new members.

“We don’t do any advertising. We really rely on word of mouth so we are doing something right”

How is membership holding

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Enville Golf Club A private members’ club in the Midlands, Enville was originally founded in 1935 with a 9-hole course. Now, the Highgate and Lodge courses are based in majestic woodland and heathland. For five years until 2011, the Highgate course was a regional Open qualifying venue and, in 2014, the Reid Trophy came to Enville. This summer, the club hosted the Girls British Amateur Championship.

Their practice facilities include three full sized chipping greens and a practice ground. up? What do you do in terms of retention and recruitment?

We’ve realised the demographic of the membership age is very important. Recently, we introduced a new membership category for 21 to 25-year-olds and 25 to 30-yearolds. Looking at our demographic, it was quite top heavy in the 60s to 80s area. We realised between 21 and 30 that you may be buying your first house, paying off your student loan, trying to get your foot on the property ladder or starting a new family.

So we introduced a reduced sub for that, which has been really successful. It has helped us attract new, younger members and retain the members we were losing from junior membership. That has been a great success.

One of the other areas that I am really looking at is ladies membership. We are hoping to build on the momentum of the British Girls, because seeing them out there was inspirational – even to me who isn’t a golfer.

We are hoping to attract ladies generally to golf, which is an uphill struggle. Our ladies’ membership is declining and that’s an age thing rather than a love of golf.

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Busy crowds at the Girl’s British Amateur prize presentation

We are looking at starting an academy and we are going to target more professional groups – young professional females. I feel that, speaking to other lady golfers here, that having the skills to be able to play golf and enjoy the game can be a real benefit out in the business world. Some big corporations will have golf days and they tend to be male orientated. If you can play golf as a female, you can go out there and you’ve got the world at your feet. There’s a lot of business that can be done on the course so we are going to target this academy to young solicitors groups, accountancy groups – that sort of area – and see where we go with that. We have also had a couple of open days and we’ve been picking up quite a few juniors from golf academies around the area – as their game improves – because we have got 36 holes and it’s quite a tough course.

It’s not always suitable for juniors and this is one of the problems we have with ladies as well. But we have introduced a blue tee to the course, which has helped.

What do you think are the

biggest challenges of club management?

My main challenge day-to-day is to provide an excellent membership experience that’s current and relevant, while maintaining the traditional values of golf. We have got a diverse range of members here to cater for and we have to develop opportunities to encourage new members as well.

What do you enjoy the most?

I’m a bit of a people person and I enjoy the day-to-day interaction with the members and visitors.

I like to pop down into the clubhouse had have a chat with the members. I have one old boy who is in his 90s, he’s past captain and past president, and we’ll have a little catch up. He’s so entertaining, he just makes me laugh and he tells me a few old stories. That’s what makes the job special, just little things like that.

No day is ever the same. One day I could be inspecting the drain system with the house chairman in the morning and, in the afternoon, attending a meeting of worried local residents and businesses about a new cycle race closing access roads around the club.

GCMA.ORG.UK | 43

GCMA RECRUITMENT

FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE VACANCIES BELOW, VISIT GCMA.ORG.UK/JOBS

HIGH POST GC ::: CLUB SECRETARY A classic Hawtree and Taylor-designed downland course, overlooking Salisbury Plain, High Post is renowned for its high-quality greens and stunning views.

The successful applicant will work closely with the professional and course manager to deliver a first class proposition to members and guests.

Apply with a CV and supporting statement, detailing suitability for the role, to manager@highpostgolfclub.co.uk

Region: Wessex | Salary: Attractive | Apply by: November 24

44 | GCMA.ORG.UK

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Good

PRACTICE Advice on golf club management issues – from finance to clubhouse rules and employment law to staff morale – from our panel of experts

GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

From the

DIPLOMA The Diploma in Golf Club Management covers all the skills needed to manage a club. We look at why you should consider taking it...

N

iki Hunter, the GCMA’s education co-ordinator, outlines why the flagship professional qualification should be considered as a vital career development opportunity for all golf club managers…

It’s the opportunity to gain a university level qualification This qualification is externally accredited by ASQ. With universities now offering full-time degrees in golf club management, the industry is demanding more relevant professional qualifications.

The Diploma is a collaborative process, working hand-in-hand

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with BIGGA and the PGA - with all three partner organisations offering valuable insight and input into the units.

Ongoing professional development allows one to keep pace with changes in industry practice and legislation A good example of this is the use of social media.

The traditional golf club manager, who is at the end of a previous career and starting in golf club management may or may not have the skills in Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and a plethora of other platforms.

This qualification embraces those changes – embraces and encourages students to look

ahead to understand innovation and social responsibility and how they can apply some of the theory to their golf club.

The units within the Diploma are constantly being assessed to ensure they are current.

The Diploma provides a framework to demonstrate your achievement in specific business areas We are never too old to learn.

We should always be looking to learn one thing a day and the Diploma can also be broken down into bite-sized chunks.

You can do a specific certificate in just two or three of the business areas.

You don’t have to do the whole Diploma. It is flexible enough to allow people to either get specific information, or update their current knowledge on topics such as finance and legislation and marketing.

The diploma has been designed to embrace the changing face of golf club management by including units such as innovation, social responsibility and change management.

It also includes a unit empowering managers to better understand and develop their own skills with the enterprise and personal development unit.

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Four Diploma students, in their own words, talk about why they have taken the qualification – and what they’ve learned from it...

Stephanie Middleton, assistant manager at King’s Lynn I have been at the club two years. I started as assistant to the general manager and was recently promoted to assistant manager.

It was the general manager and the chairman of the board who suggested the Diploma would be good. They came and said they’d been to a GCMA meeting together and thought it would be good for me in furthering my career – especially as I am new to golf.

I was in a very fortunate position as the club backed me.

The benefits have been getting

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the bigger picture and seeing just how much (knowledge) a general manager needs to have a grasp of across the board – legislation, HR, finance, agronomy.

The general manager does need to know about these things. Before, I might have thought I could leave things to the course manager.

I would 100 per cent recommend the diploma. I can’t really see there being any negatives. I have just completed the marketing module. It was really practical and I took that back to the club and said ‘let’s do the marketing plan’.

The professional got behind it – I couldn’t do it unless people got behind it – and it was to encourage girls to come into the club. We asked if we could relax the dress codes for one day to encourage new people to golf and not to put them off.

So the workshop had practical implications coming back to the club. It really worked because we had the highest number of ladies attend our ‘Get Into Golf’ day in Norfolk, according to England Golf.

We had the highest number of ladies who signed up for the

follow-on course.

Josh Moses, golf secretary at Rye I’ve been at Rye since May. I graduated from university in 2012 and went to the USA to set up a golf TPI in Florida – at a big country club where I did part of my internship for my degree.

I came back, got a sales role at Forest of Arden and then found a role at Sunningdale Ladies.

I was there for the change into Sunningdale Heath (before) I found my current role.

I didn’t do the Introduction to Golf Club Management course. I

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

felt I didn’t need an introduction.

I was going to go full tilt straight in – get in at the deep end. I already had relevant experience and could dive straight in.

With this type of thing, anything to do with different types of education, it is what you make of it.

You do it at your own speed. That’s the beauty of the Diploma being over three years.

But it all depends on you. You could do it in six months or a year.

I am about to start a family and so it is just time management – something you need in this industry anyway.

What I did enjoy was going up to the lectures and the workshops.

I felt that was great. I did them quickly.

That was just my preference but it is each to their own as to whether you spread them out.

I have thoroughly enjoyed it. It does open up your eyes to other points of view. That’s the beauty of the workshops.

I would definitely recommend the Diploma to people starting out – to the young managers.

It is definitely something that will allow them, if it’s a career they are looking at, to move into the golf management side. It will allow them to better understand what to expect.

Katie Fewster, assistant secretary at North Hants I have been at North Hants seven years and as assistant secretary the whole time.

I first heard about the Diploma through the GCMA and it looked an ideal opportunity for me to develop some of the key skills I felt I couldn’t really develop being the assistant secretary.

It was good that it was split into the various modules – so you

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“I first heard about it through the GCMA and it looked an ideal opportunity to develop some of the key skills I couldn’t really develop being the assistant secretary” could see there was going to be a module on finance, change, social responsibility and so on.

You could see quite detailed analysis of what you were actually going to be learning.

Ideally, I would like to be a general manager or secretary at some point and I just saw it as the next stage for me. From the first introduction, to completing the workshops, it has been a very informative and engaging course.

I’ve learned a lot, not just about the industry but about me as a person as well. It was nice that (side) came out of it.

The big one for me was the finance module, because I don’t really get involved at the moment too much in budgeting and analysis of profit and loss accounts at the club.

So I was quite nervous about that module.

But, actually, once I went on the Diploma, and we went through the module in the workshop, I gained in confidence and I’ve now passed that module.

I’ve just got much more confidence if I was to be asked questions or be shown some accounts. I’ve now got the knowledge to look at it and be able to pick out where there are

areas we need to work on.

I definitely would recommend it. If you want to be a secretary or general manager in the future, it’s something that gives you a good grounding and the knowledge to be able to succeed.

Jamie Cundy, director of golf and professional at Dudley, is the first person to complete the Diploma I’m a PGA Fellow golf professional.

My background has been as a general club pro – retail, coaching, bit of playing and a little bit of management. With the industry changing so quickly, becoming more professional, I have seen the management side grow over the past 10 years.

The PGA pro can become more involved in running the club.

Certainly at a lot of golf clubs now, it’s part of the role.

For me, I still don’t know whether I fully want to go down that route – to actually move away from my current role.

(But) A lot of it is having more knowledge across the industry and knowing how to run a business properly - for example all the health and safety implications.

Some of the units were very challenging. Of the nine units, I

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would probably say that half of them were recalling 25 years of knowledge and half of them I was reading the questions and thinking ‘what? I am going to have to really start to research things’.

So it forced me to do that research in different areas, particularly with legislation and health and safety and managing change.

It has been fantastic. It has really pushed me in a direction and I’ve really enjoyed it.

It has been very eye opening and quite time consuming. I’ve done it in just under a year and I’ve probably done three or four hours every night on it. I think this is the sort of thing that will definitely become more popular.

The whole course has been amazingly well organised.

The days we have gone on have been very informative and it was good to be in a room of people where you could just chat.

They’ve all got the same reason to be there.

It has been absolutely amazing from day one.

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“It has been very eye opening and quite time consuming. I’ve done it in just under a year and I’ve probably done three to four hours every night on it”

What is the Diploma in Golf Club Management?

Representing a fundamental shift to the approach to professional education in golf club management, the three partner organisations of the Golf Club Management Partnership – GCMA, PGA and BIGGA – combined forces to create the ASQ L5 Diploma in Golf Club Management.

It’s suitable for all levels of skills and experience and is suited for existing managers, and

those looking to move into the profession. Studied at your own pace, over a maximum of three years, it accommodates the varying schedules of working managers, or aspiring industry professionals, and is delivered through a combination of online and face-to-face workshops. The Diploma covers all the core skills required to manage a golf club and is an ASQ externally quality assured qualification, recognised at the level of an HND. To find out more, visit gcma.org.uk/diploma.

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

Making your club software

WORK FOR YOU...

Having the right software can transform how a golf club operates. We ask the leading companies how their products can make your work life easier…

Y

ou’re thinking about introducing a new software system into your club. Maybe you are after an upgrade.

But what’s on the market and, crucially, how can these products make your job – and your life – easier?

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We’ve asked some of the main providers to take us through the merits of their respective products and how they can help your club.

Club Systems International Flexibility and freedom – the power to work on anything no matter how big or small and on

any platform – that’s one of the chief benefits of Club V1, from Club Systems International.

“It contains our membership and subscription management hub, marketing and, of course, complete management of CONGU handicaps. Club V1 is one central hub to manage the golf club,”

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says Darren Wood, the company’s relationships manager.

“You are in control of your membership database, as well as administering handicaps and communications from the club to your members. Using one single database means you can put some really neat filters in there and send specific communications.

“Maybe you want to send an email only to the ladies side, or the seniors - using Club V1 as a start to do some profile filtering.

“It is much better to send out targeted communication than blanket emails to the whole membership. You can look at delivery rates, open rates as well as why it is rejected by customers.”

A fully hosted cloud based system, with access to members’ subscriptions, allowing financial controls, email marketing, competition management, user account control and much more, Club V1 is the result of 30 years of development and customer feedback. It has been described as allowing “effortless integration” with Club Systems International’s other products such as MerlinTouch, the UK’s leading EPoS systems, specifically designed from scratch for the golf industry.

“The right software will reduce duplication in day-to-day work.

Rather than have separate databases you just need the one: ClubV1,”adds Wood.“We can link into most door access system, using the ClubV1 database, again reducing duplication. If a new

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member comes, we can set them up with the one card – linked into ClubV1 – and the other peripherals at the club: the tills, putting scores into the computer, even accessing the building itself.”

That software is tied into every part of a golf business of which you could possibly think, and some others you might not.

“We work very strongly with certain other providers in the industry – based on best in breed – and so it is designed to do pretty much everything.

“We are looking at integrating accountancy into ClubV1 as well by exploring some links with providers like Sage. We are also looking at integration to existing pro shop software, again bringing the whole club together through true integration.”

An internet connection is all that’s required to access Club V1 – the company refer to it as “no strings”and they are also focusing strongly on developing smart phone applications that benefit both managers and members.

It’s here where the latter can make the most out of the software, potentially removing another layer of work from hard-pressed managers.

Wood explains:“Members have the ClubV1 Hub app, which they can use on iOS or Android. It’s one central hub, like ClubV1 is for the club administrators, to look at competition results, book into competitions, book into social golf, check their bar balance, order

handicap certificates.

“Golfers will go to the ClubV1 Hub to administer everything they would do at the golf club.

“You can update your account online and pay from a portal called HowDoiPay. Members can find out if they are short of cash to pay for their evening meal and they can top up walking down the 18th hole.

“One of the other key features is when a member of the club changes their details – be it a phone number or email address.

They can use the app to update their profile and it is automatically updated into ClubV1.

“Most golfers are now using it on some kind of mobile device and that’s not really age restricted. Even older golfers are using their phone or tablet to access results or book into competitions.

“Also we are finding more and more clubs are moving towards booking social rounds of golf. We have recently developed our own booking module for this and, of course, we have full integration with our friends at BRSGolf.

“We are pretty much mobile first on everything we develop.”

Using the highest levels of data encryption, clubs are also invited to Beta test developments to make sure new updates are in perfect working order when they go out to customers.

And all of that helps to save a very precious commodity of which every manager needs a little more – time.

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

intelligentgolf Jamie Abbott, founder of intelligentgolf, reveals ways you can get the most out of his company’s software Capture all your visitors’ data using igGuestBook A visiting fourball might only provide the name and email address of the lead golfer during the initial booking process, but your club can capture 100 per cent of your visitors’ data by gathering information on a tablet loaded with igGuestBook. When checking in a group, the professional - or whoever is responsible - can simply pass the tablet, linked directly to the tee sheet, around the other golfers to get their names and contact details.

Take payments online for open competitions You won’t require entrants to download a form, send a cheque and provide manual proof of handicaps. Your club can create open competitions that are administered online. Once the competition is set up, entry can be made through the website and payment taken online through SagePay or PayPal. As long as entrants provide a CDH number, they are set up in the competition with no further administration required. All golfers need to do is simply check in when they arrive to play – and enjoy the day.

Ensure members are always updated with the igMember app This recently launched app offers an excellent opportunity to keep all your members updated. It doesn’t require any additional updating - all information from the website gets pulled into the app - and members are able to check

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and top up their account balances.

They can receive push notifications, directly to their phone, of results that affect any relevant competitions and they have quick access to course condition updates.

Get creative with your communications You can schedule communications to both your members and visitors – ensuring marketing emails are delivered at the optimum time.

Visitors can be targeted with an automatic follow up email a set number of days after their visit, or membership updates can be scheduled even if you are out of the office at that time.

Find an easy way to deliver flexible membership schemes The intelligentgolf membership software is fully set up to run a credit based flexible membership

scheme. By setting a points schedule, which can be as detailed or as simple as required, your club can allow golfers to draw down their points balance whenever they choose to play, as well as allowing normal entry into competitions.

Recently launched functionality also allows you and your club to run regular roll-up competitions through the software - ensuring that flexible members are both integrated into the club social environment and tracked properly in terms of points used.

Take advantage of remote EPOS ordering Hospitality staff can take food and beverage orders remotely, using a 3G enabled tablet, from anywhere in the golf club or on the course.

It could be the halfway house, a roving buggy or even on the terrace – and it instantly debits a member’s account.

Take full control of your vouchers – and how they are used Utilising green fee vouchers is a valuable tool in ensuring your visitors book again.

By setting restrictions on when a voucher can be used, which is activated on the website using a dedicated promo code that’s entered at the final stage of the booking process, your club

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can creatively target marketing campaigns at segments of their customer base. For example, a golfer who hasn’t played for three months might be targeted with a ‘we’d love to see you again’ campaign, offering a heavy discount on an off-peak time.

Keep your noticeboard up to date Your club’s website can be streamlined by efficient use of the noticeboard facility, which is seen by all members when they login to the members’ area.

It can be treated just like a normal club noticeboard and content can be duplicated between the two.

Posters for upcoming events are just as appropriate online as in the clubhouse although, like its physical counterpart, ensure that it’s kept up to date and old promotional material is removed.

Allow members to book online If your club doesn’t have online booking for your members, you may not be making the most of the functionality your club software provides.

Even if booking is only opened up on particular days, it allows you to understand when your members are playing - a key metric in membership retention, especially when allied with bar spend in member usage reports.

The option for members to check tee time availability, rather than risking turning up and having a long wait on the first tee, could also be a driver for increased participation.

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OPEN SOLUTIONS

Open Solutions are using technology to transform golf club management and communications through the use of their fully integrated EPoS system.

That’s had some interesting results for clubs, such as Dublin’s Corrstown, that have used the features to generate income every year.

Corrstown are using an EPoSbased lottery system that is going to generate around 35,000 euros in its first year of operation.

It costs punters two euros to enter a line of numbers each week and, in March, one member scooped 12,500 euros.

Club lotteries have traditionally involved a number of members spending time managing the banking, the draw and co-ordinating with the club’s administrative teams.

But the EPoS systems works out all the winning lines of random numbers and all the organisers have to do is draw the victors.

Amajor challenge of club lotteries can be getting members involved.

Corrstown, though, have 40 per cent of their 740-strong membership playing their lottery. Members can pop in

weekly to pick numbers and pay at the bar but tickets can also be automated.

Michele Jeanes, Corrstown’s manager, said:“We’re comfortably heading towards a figure of 35,000 euros for the club this year, largely thanks to the way our lottery’s now been set up on our EPoS system. It’s eliminated the need for a large Lotto committee and, apart from doing the results email on Monday morning, with a standard reminder about joining, there’s nothing else we need to do.

“The additional income has meant we’ve redecorated the bar and dining room, installed electric gates and improved the flower beds around the clubhouse.”

She added:“Our new EPoS-based lottery’s not only saving a lot of people valuable time, it’s generating additional income for the club and giving our members a major extra service.

“Given that it’s just a matter of installing Open Solutions’ EPoS and membership system, and how easy it is to run, I think every golf club should be doing this.”

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

How to stand out from the

CROWD

T

he golf club market and its business has become increasingly competitive. There are a number of factors that contribute to this, including an imbalance between market supply and demand, commercial operators gaining an increased market share and the growth of ‘nomad’ golfers.

Changes in golf club committee and member attitudes, which reflect wider leisure trends, are demanding an increasingly professional approach to golf club management.

Education provision, along with perceived career opportunities, have seen the sport and leisure sectors becoming increasingly professional.

Golf clubs have changed and are refocusing as economic, rather than social, enterprises. That has seen members become customers and consumers.

Changes in legislation and legal rights are also having effects and impacts.

So the learning landscape has altered and, as sport and leisure markets and the environments around them have developed, so associated practices need to adapt to changing social needs as well as economic demand and patterns of consumption.

The effects of change on the sport and leisure markets have created new divisions of labour and new career opportunities and, subsequently, the requirements

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of learning and professional development.

Increasing demands on golf club managers have led the GCMA to develop their education and training courses, with the purpose of offering both initial professional education (IPE) and continuing professional development (CPD) to potential and practicing managers.

Many associations have professional codes of conduct that oblige members to engage in continuing professional education (CPE) and CPD after a formative period of Initial IPE - CPE generally refers to formal courses, educational events and conferences, while CPD is wider in scope also includes work-based learning.

The growing prominence of CPD has resulted in an ongoing discussion relating to the relevance of courses and their effectiveness for management practitioners and the learning of relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours.

There are four different types of qualifications: Academic awards Professional qualifications Specialist qualifications Short courses DEVELOPING PROFESSIONALLY Professional development pre-supposes a defined body of knowledge and skills exists that can be captured and communicated through a learning experience.

The idea of professional

development relates not only to the learning of a body of knowledge and skills but also their application through professional behaviours.

In established professions such as law, accounting and medicine, IPE is made up of academic and professional qualifications that run parallel and precede a final period of on the job training before professional independence is fully

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Andrew Rankin, course leader in sport and business management at Buckinghamshire New University, shows how you can separate yourself from the competition‌

granted.

Established professional development models have informed management education and training.

There is an acknowledgement that managers develop their proficiency beyond the initial qualification and that professional development be considered in the context of life long learning.

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This realisation deals with two problematic issues that limit professional development. Firstly, the frontloading of professional knowledge maximises the gap between theory and practice.

Secondly, it is likely that the early years are most influential in developing personal practice and forming underlying beliefs, which may or may not be appropriate.

Traditionally associations have linked with higher education (HE) to achieve joint goals of creating a subject base specific to the profession, while retaining grounding in established academic disciplines.

One of the proposed limitations of this approach has been the reorganising of knowledge has been influenced by HE needs at

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

the expense of professional needs.

This situation has given rise to an alternative approach that is based on the technical and practical knowledge of working professionals, as follows: Technical knowledge underpins and enables action Practical knowledge or ‘knowhow’ is inherent in the action itself and cannot be separated from it – the ‘knowing how’ is tacit knowledge gained from experience The issue here is aspects of professional competence and expertise cannot be represented in technical form and it is the tacit knowledge inherent in decisionmaking that we associate with professional competence and expertise.

MANAGEMENT STANDARDS The relationship between knowledge and skills has important implications for professional practice where ‘competence’ means the capability of achieving something with precision and certainty – a capacity to accomplish a task that is separate from an understanding of a substantive body of knowledge connected with a task.

Knowledge Reference to knowledge is an important starting point in framing an understanding of professional development.

Here, knowledge refers to the whole domain of existing knowledge be it theoretical, technical or practical. Knowledge may be perceived on a theorypractice continuum.

A broad definition enables the evaluation of relationships between types of knowledge and their

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significance for professional work.

This includes certain types of professional knowledge that have not been validated (proven to be true) but reflect the uncertainty of professional work when dealing with human behaviour amid a range of competing variables reflected in a strategic view of management.

The professional manager is most often judged by action, which is, of itself, a reflection of an individual’s ability to make effective judgements and decisions that are uniquely personal and non scientific.

There is skill involved in these decisions - where an individual’s practical knowledge, experience and ability results in actions that become routine and almost automatic. Much of what a competent/expert manager does is skilled behaviour.

Skill and Decision Making Skill is a kind of knowledge that is facilitative and is inherent in solving abstract problems over and above the basic command of a related body of knowledge.

To be skilful is to understand a body of knowledge and employ techniques creatively and flexibly in making effective decisions.

The emphasis on skill and decision-making rather than standardised action reflects the belief that effective management is a practical skill - not based on knowing a lot of facts and rules for relating them but how to find one’s way in the world.

Skill incorporates routines and the decisions to use them in an automatic rather than deliberative way.

Developing skill, and decisionmaking, is at the heart of CPD, where the emphasis is on learning from experience with occasional

reference to theoretical learning or standardised action.

The pathway from novicecompetent-expert manager is characterised by the ability to recognise features of practical situations, to discriminate between them while planning and carrying out routine actions under pressure.

Competence and Expertise Competence is the apex of a standardised ‘rule’ guided approach to learning; proficiency is the start of a different approach that leads ultimately to expertise.

While competence is characterised by routine ‘rule bound’ decision-making, proficiency is characterised by semi-automatic decision-making where situations are thought of more deeply and the unusual is spotted more quickly and given attention.

Progress beyond competence depends on an ability to take an increasingly holistic approach to situations and their understanding.

Expertise happens when the decision-making, and the situational understanding, becomes intuitive rather than analytical and occurs as a result of significantly more experience combined with developed decision-making processes that are fast and accurate.

The relationship between speed and accuracy of thought and the resulting effectiveness of action are of central importance in expertise.

The ability to analyse, decide and act in a timely, accurate and effective manner requires automatic responses and decisions.

Some believe this ability underpinned by an individual’s reflective capacity as defined by ‘the mode, operation or faculty by which the mind deals with ideas received from sensation and perception’.

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A Model of Skill Acquisition Level 1 / Novice: rigid adherence to taught rules/plans, little situation perception, no discretionary judgement.

Level 2 / Advanced Beginner: action based on attributes or aspects of situations recognised after some experience Level 3 / Competent: sees actions partially in terms of longerterm goals, conscious deliberate planning, standardised and routine procedures Level 4 / Proficient: sees situations holistically rather than aspects, sees what is most important in a situation, perceives deviations form the normal, decision-making less laboured, uses maxims for guidance whose meaning varies according to situation Level 5 / Expert: no longer relies on rules, guidelines or maxims, intuitive grasp of a situation based on deep tacit understanding, analytic approaches used in novel situations or when problems occur, vision of what is possible Source: Dreyfus, 1986 ISSUES IN CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Organisational culture In the service industries the knowledge, skills and behaviours of employees are a fundamental asset to organisations.

The best organisations provide CPD support while the worst limit or discourage attempts.

Even where CPD is strong the motive may be on preparing for organisational change or career development rather than improving the quality of current professional practice.

The issue here is a continual focus

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on new knowledge that comes from outside an organisation is potentially disruptive.

Rather than distilling and renewing personal experiences, it indirectly discourages learning from experience and related CPD activities that attempt to reorganise and share the accumulated experience of problems and cases.

Mid-career learning The potential of work related/ based mid-career CPD is underestimated and should help the professional to reformulate their theories of practice in the light of their case experiences and under the stimulus of collegial sharing and challenging.

The professional learns as a result of publications in various media, practical experience and people: Publications may be recommended readings for a course, and databases consulted for dealing with case studies People may be sources of knowledge and experience, as tutors and mentors supporters of learning by providing feedback Colleagues may also provide perspectives, support and motivation through group work Learning from experience depends on what is perceived, which is itself dependant on perceptual/cognitive frameworks and expectations, and on time devoted to reflection, making sense of and linking specific experiences with other personal knowledge The benefits Professional benefits occur when practices are grounded as economic and social enterprises engaged in the learning, advancing and practicing of a body of specialised knowledge

and skill.

These developments authenticate claims to being ‘professional’ and have positive benefits to associations and their members reflected in an increase in the status afforded to the professional practice.

In organising and advancing CPD opportunities, the GCMA are creating and refining knowledge and skills while protecting the integrity and standards of the practice of golf club management as a specialised body of knowledge that advances the practice in a manner that is both ‘inclusive and exclusive’ yet meritocratic.

The leadership provided by the GCMA should lead to members of the association becoming professional learners in that as people begin to understand more about the way they approach, manage and pursue their own learning, they will be better able to assess and meet their needs while creating common intellectual, social and economic interests with other members.

Facilitating CPD will need to optimise a range of factors such as: Appropriate combination of learning settings Time for study, consultation and reflection Availability of learning resources People to provide support The learner’s own capacity to learn and take advantage of opportunities available The benefits to the individual in engaging with professional development are both intrinsic and extrinsic - while economic imperatives may often prevail, most are pleasantly surprised by the inherently rewarding nature of education, learning and growing.

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

Meet the

MANAGER

Sponsor of the 2017 GCMA Manager of the Year award

Julie Slater, secretary/manager at Alwoodley, in Leeds, speaks to Marie Taylor...

What a scene awaits on the 18th tee at Alwoodley

H

ow did you get into golf club management?

Having left full time employment in personnel, with previous experience of accounting and administration, I was looking for a part-time position where I could utilise my skills but still have the flexibility to look after my very young children.

Sand Moor Golf Club were looking

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for someone to cover the assistant secretary role due to illness and I began there working mornings.

I loved the variety of the day and the friendliness of the staff and members.

After a few months, in conversation with Sand Moor, the Alwoodley secretary mentioned they were interviewing for a new position as assistant and it was suggested I apply.

Twenty two years later, I am still at

Alwoodley!

My start coincided with the building of the new clubhouse in 1995.

Prior to my arrival, tasks such as wages, typing and accounts had been done by members’ relatives or their business staff.

Gradually, I took over everything in-house and installed various systems to deal with the club’s affairs, learning the job on the go.

I became clubhouse manager

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as the role developed and my children went to high school, and with updated rules and a revised committee structure, the role of full time secretary/manager was offered to me over ten years ago, which I continue to enjoy.

What are the challenges?

Years ago, the main challenge would be the balancing of member times with visiting parties, but these days it is keeping all the balls in the air, keeping yourself ‘current’, keeping the members up to date, keeping the visitors and elite competitions coming, and so on.

What part of your role do you enjoy most?

Mainly the variety each day can bring and the people you meet, but I also love working with figures - preparing the accounts, budgets and five year plans to sales analysis and projections, I can lose myself in numbers and their meaning!

What’s the one thing you would change about the job?

That there be 36 hours in a day and nine days in a week – there is so much to do and you want to give your best all the time.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

You can only do your best – but ask others for help and you can do better.

How often do you play golf?

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Not a lot and to play Alwoodley you need to play regularly – I keep saying ‘next year I will get on top of my game’ but still have so little time to play.

What’s your favourite golfing memory?

“I am also known as Catwoman, having fostered over 150 kittens and cats over recent years for a charity - keeping four of them!”

Julie Slater

When our professional, John Green, qualified for the final stage on his home Alwoodley course at The Open regional qualifier in 2009 (his fourth time).

We are a small and close team of staff, and were all rooting for him alongside the supportive members – it felt like we had won through as a club!

Where do you see the role of the club manager in 20 years’ time?

With the educational development and support of the GCMA, those becoming club managers will have the tools to build and follow a solid career path.

I think there will be more interaction between the key training bodies, including the PGA, BIGGA and GCMA so that a fuller understanding of all areas in golf club management is easily accessible to all.

How do you feel about the state of the game?

With so many activities readily accessible, I think it is important to continue to encourage young golfers to play regularly and make them feel welcome at their local clubs – they are our members of the future.

Alwoodley also likes to support women’s golf, with many ladies’ championships being held here.

Tell us something we don’t know about you?

I am also known as Catwoman, having fostered over 150 kittens and cats over recent years for a local charity – and keeping four of them!

Get In Touch To contact Alwoodley, call 0113 268 1680 or visit alwoodley.co.uk

GCMA.ORG.UK | 59

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E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Marketing Services Sports Publications are, above all else, a company of golfers. The three directors, Will Shucksmith, Tom Irwin and Dan Murphy play off handicaps of +2, scratch and 3 respectively.

Will is a PwC trained chartered accountant with a decade of experience working with SME’s, Tom has a commercial background spanning 20 years in customer facing industries and Dan Murphy is steeped in golf with approaching 15 years at the helm of the UK’s highest circulating golf magazine.

Between us we have a century’s worth of golfing experience.

WE HAVE A PROVEN REPUTATION AS MEDIA PROFESSIONALS. In recent years, the company have worked closely with governing bodies, like the Ladies’ Golf Union and England Golf, tourist boards, such as Visit Scotland and Visit Wales, major equipment manufacturers, including TaylorMade, Callaway and Ping, and produced several course rankings lists.

Along with unparalleled knowledge of, and familiarity with, the golfing world comes a contacts books built up over several years.

From Cornwall to Cape Wrath, we understand golf clubs, their members, visitors and their communities.

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GCMA | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | EDUCATION | REGIONAL

From the

REGIONS NORTH WEST Thursday, October 5 Heysham The North West region visited the Lancashire coast for the last business/golf meeting of the year and regional manager, Neil Annandale, reported that member numbers had increased from 161 to 170 in the last five months.

Although that was welcomed, it was reported – following a few members that had recently left the industry – that further efforts would be needed to attract new, and retain existing, members.

Statistics, regarding attendance at meetings, had highlighted the reliance on a core nucleus of members and work would be undertaken to secure the attendance of additional members at regional meetings.

A survey is also to be issued to gain feedback on the presentations made during the previous year to assess quality and relevance.

The first presentation at this meeting came from Steve Pickering and Nigel Bennett, of String Systems. They gave an insight into public wi-fi, ransomware and general data protection regulations.

GDPR was the main focus of the presentation, highlighting the need for clubs to take immediate action to ensure they don’t fall foul of the penalties in the new legislation, which comes into effect

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next May. The basic advice was ‘ignore it at your peril’.

While the association has already included useful links to ICO pages in their weekly updates, members were urged to visit these pages and familiarise themselves with the new regulations.

Association CEO Bob Williams focused on the GCMA strategic review in his presentation, along with the national conference and The Golf Club Manager magazine.

Members were interested to hear how the association planned to consolidate and improve its offerings and looked forward to hearing the final proposals once the review had been completed.

SOUTHERN Thursday, October 5 Pyecombe

Captain Bob Ashton introduced two new members at the autumn meeting – Chris Purton, from Horsham Golf & Fitness and Littlehampton’s Stuart McConachie.

The business agenda had three presentations and an open forum.

The first was given by Circle Golf’s

Kevin Neal, who ran through several case studies. He explained Circle were the only company offering cover for internet fraud and hacking.

Matthew Armsby, of BCtechnologies, gave a presentation on the risks around cyber security.

He demonstrated how easy it was to hack into phones and explained the many areas clubs need to manage to avoid an attack.

He also touched on the subject of GDPR and this will be on the region’s agenda at their next meeting in January.

The host club, who won the STRI Environmental Club of the Year award last year, presented on the work they had done to achieve the accolade.

They explained the importance of club management and members’ buy-in so the course policy and long term plan can be implemented. The trio of manager Alan Davey, head greenkeeper Simon Wells and greenkeeper Stephen Milner certainly impressed.

The open forum session covered: neighbour complaints arbitration processes, club licenses, green fee trends and The Golf Voucher Shop.

Members then saw the fruits of Pyecombe’s greens staff as Julie Brine won the Autumn Trophy.

Katie Fewster won the aggregate of the Spring and Autumn Meeting.

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MIDLAND Friday, October 13 Blackwell

Regional captain Tom Duke began the meeting with the warmly received news that Sue LeBeau, of South Staffs, had been proposed as the region’s vice captain in 2018 – a role she was delighted to accept.

Sue will be the region’s first female captain when she takes over in 2019.

Tom also announced that the 2018 Midland Bowl will take place at Little Aston on September 17, stating that he hoped that it would prove the networking success it had been this year, despite East Midlands victory.

In his 14th regional visit, national captain Howard Williams reiterated the frustrations of head office that, despite members stating that a letters page was a key element of any new magazine, no one was actually sending them in.

GCMA communications manager Mike Hyde discussed the recent member survey, and revealed that The Golf Club Manager had been well received by the members, with average satisfaction of 88%.

Kicking off by hacking the mobile phones of everyone in the room, Matthew Armsby, of technology security company BC Technologies, presented a number of ways to keep yourself, and your golf club, safe online. From not being one of the 40% who use 123456 as a password for a particular email provider, to making sure you

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regain the consent of your golfers to use their data in line with incoming GDPR laws, Matthew highlighted how vulnerable society is when it comes to IT. Smart Energy openly pinned their colours to the mast – MD Phil Towndrow promised to reduce the energy consumption of clubs.

A number of clubs were saving money already by monitoring their cellar cooling more closely. Often coolers are running 24/7, even in winter, when cold air from outside can be cheaply diverted – saving clubs thousands almost overnight.

There was particular interest in the assertion that automatic line cleaning is rarely wise in a club environment, as the customers often prioritise the quality of beer over the price and that the associated drop in quality with automation isn’t worth the cost saving.

According to Junier Brown, around 50% of clubs in GB&I are reliant on mains water, which is risky as the government sees golf course usage as low priority, and therefore would happily restrict water usage in times of drought.

Of those 50%, Junier questioned how many had a water security plan or a water efficiency strategy?

Clubs should check government and local authority drought plans that will specify who is likely to get cut off and when should demand outstrip supply.

During his presentation, regional manager Rob Wormstone discussed the initial success of the regional Facebook group, and urged members to use it as a forum for open discussion and to post questions that colleagues in the region could help with.

On the course, Gareth Anthony, from Druid’s Heath, came out top, carding four birdies on his way to 38 points off a six handicap.

GCMA Regional Managers Full contact details can be found at gcma.org.uk/regions Chiltern & Home Counties

Martin Bennet East Anglia

Gary Smith East Midlands

Rod Savage London & Home Counties

Maureen Brooker Midland

Rob Wormstone Norfolk

John Barnard North West

Neil Annandale Northern

Terry Minett Northern Ireland

Jim Cullen Scotland

Bernard Flockhart South East

John Edgington South West

Karen Drake Southern

Joan Raffety Wales

Mike Rees Wessex

Alex Taylor Yorkshire

Cameron Dawson

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A week in the life of...

NICK PERCY We meet the secretary of Aintree Golf Centre

A

T the unique setting of Aintree, in Liverpool, home of the world famous Randox Grand National, there is a 9-hole golf course, driving range, footgolf course and bar.

Set inside the old Grand Prix circuit at the renowned venue, the golf course provides those who play it with an insight into the journey the horses take when competing in the world’s greatest

Monday The first staff are on duty at 6.30am to start to get the site ready for our first groups of members and customers. I normally arrive at 8am as the morning is always quite busy.

My main duty is balancing the income from the weekend and completing the accounts to submit to our finance department at Cheltenham Racecourse (part of the The Jockey Club, which also run Aintree). The rest of the morning is spent talking to members and checking all the staff are aware of any activities that are taking place during the week.

1pm: I have a weekly catch up meeting with the head groundsman of the racecourse, who is also responsible for the golf course. We have a conversation about any issues that have arisen from the weekend

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steeplechase every April.

It is a varied role at the golf centre and Nick Percy’s working week is dictated by any meetings he may have regarding the golf course as well as activities to do with the racecourse - such as the Grand National planning meetings, which start in July for the following year.

During the golfing season the golf centre is open from 7am to 9.30pm so Percy’s hours are loosely based around these times.

and discuss any future maintenance programmes.

2pm: The Annual Primary Schools TriGolf Festival takes place on Thursday so my assistant and I spend an hour or so checking everything is in place and ready for the event. We have over 100 under 11s taking part in two sessions and, for a lot of them, it will be their first visit to Aintree.

The rest of the afternoon is spent catching up on emails and paperwork.

Tuesday 11am: I have a monthly accounts review with the management accountant from the racecourse.

We have a discussion about how the year is progressing, any future expenditure that may be needed and any amendments to the budget. We also discuss my plans for 2018 as I will

need to submit my first draft budget by the end of the first week in August.

2pm: When the rest of the team arrive we all get together and have a meeting to discuss our Community Day which will be taking place. This is a free event we hold for the local community to come along and see the facilities we have on offer and to help us raise money for local causes. There are a lot of activities taking place, including free golf lessons, a fun run, live music, small fairground rides.

Wednesday I have no meetings today so it is a chance for me to catch up on what is happening around the site. I have a walk around to ensure everything is as it should be and pick up on any improvements that can be made.

There are times when I have to force

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myself to leave my office and get away from the paperwork and actually get out to see what the site is like and talk to both members and customers and get any feedback from them.

Thursday Today is the Tri-Golf Festival so I arrive at 7am to make sure everything is in place and the staff are aware of their responsibilities.

I also have a Grand National planning meeting at 10am so get I some of my paperwork done, and prepare for the meeting. This is the first meeting in preparation for 2018 so there is not too much for me to do.

I organise the transport department for the Grand National so it doesn’t really get too busy until the January before the race meeting. Today is mainly about the managing director

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updating everyone and discussing any new items they are looking at introducing.

The meeting finishes at half 12 so it is back over to the golf centre for a bit of lunch before the afternoon staff arrive for their shifts. I will provide an update on the meeting with my assistant and we will discuss any outstanding tasks that need to be completed, ready for the weekend.

Friday I arrive for work at 7am to have a quick walk around the golf and footgolf courses to ensure they are ready for the weekend.

Everything is in place and looking good so I will phone the head groundsman and check which greenkeepers are on duty at the weekend.

I have a conference call at 10.30am for The Jockey Club’s charity committee, which was set up in 2015 to help raise the profile of the charity work that The Jockey Club and their staff carry out.

The meeting involves a quick update on any fundraising that has taken place and the future events we have coming up. I leave the golf centre at approximately half two as I will be attending the race meeting at Aintree later on.

The racecourse always names one of the races after the golf centre so I will be presenting the prize to the winning owners.

Weekend I am off this weekend and I take this chance to relax before a really busy week with the build up to the community day the following Sunday.

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GolfingUnionofIreland

THE YEAR IN NUMBERS

19,988

Total competitions recorded

by HowDidIDo in the Golfing Union of Ireland region.

859,844

GENTS:

Rounds of golf recorded and published at HowDidiDo.com

5,836

eagles or better

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LADIES:

LOWEST EXACT HANDICAP

GENTS LADIES

-5.7 -5.3 (plus) (plus)

12,303 7,685

290,687 birdies

2,774,537

Stats provided by HowdidIdo.com

pars

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