GMA Journal (Autumn 2021)

Golf Management Australia

JOURNAL AUTUMN 2021

Official Journal for Golf Management Australia Ltd.

JAMES SUTHERLAND

“Let’s see more Australians playing golf” Page 8

ALSO INSIDE THIS EDITION

32 GOLF RETAIL

Plan ahead for success

35 GOLF RETAIL

Have a think about your identity?

12 SUPPORTING OUR INDUSTRY

Finding our voice to protect our public courses

Designated driver?

Now you can.

Great taste.

Alcohol free.

Contains less than 0.04% Alc/Vol.

Golf Management Australia

JOURNAL AUTUMN 2021

Official Journal for Golf Management Australia Ltd.

CONTENTS 4

FROM THE CHAIR

5

FROM THE CEO

7 14 17

Cathy Neagle

Paul Vardy

INDUSTRY NEWS

Schweppes renews agreement; James Sutherland; End of an Era: Kevin Kerin; Finding our voice to protect public courses

8

Raising a glass in COVID times; GMA Partners’ Gathering

PAUL VARDY

STATE NEWS

Learning from the long arm of the law; GMV Women’s Scholarship announcements; Resilience and perseverance at Bulimba

GMA EDUCATION

32

INDUSTRY ADVICE

45

Let’s See More Aussies Playing Golf

GMA NEWS

24

38

JAMES SUTHERLAND

12

Finding our voice to protect our public courses

Strategic awareness; The magic elixir; Motivations and capabilities

Golf retail: Plan ahead for success; Think about your brand; Cyber attacks

GOLF AUSTRALIA NEWS

Golf ’s summer boom; Beginner program hits sweet spot; How golf can make its mark; New parents: does golf do enough?

INDUSTRY NEWS

GREGG PATTERSON

The Magic Elixir

26

GMA partner news - Vero Voting and epar; Surf ’s up at Parkwood; 60 years for Nelson Bay

COVER PICTURE: Mini golf courses, like City Golf Gordon, NSW, are great for children and families and an ideal way to introduce new players to the game of golf.

INDUSTRY NEWS

60 Years at Nelson Bay

52

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

3

From the Chair CATHY NEAGLE / Chair, Golf Management Australia

A warm welcome to the Autumn edition of the GMA Journal. Thankfully since our last edition, when there was greater immediate uncertainty with Melbourne in lockdown and various outbreaks occurring nationally, we are now in a more largely stable period.

The incredible rainfall in NSW and QLD has resulted in damaging floods to many member clubs. Our thoughts are with these clubs as they go through what is often a major clean-up effort. We hope some drier weather will support a quick recovery.

Golf continues to thrive overall and the industry is, as a whole, considering how to maintain and leverage this renewed enthusiasm for the game. Many clubs have looked at ways to reset, maintaining some of the changes made during the pandemic.

‘One GMA’ Services Agreements were reviewed in late 2020 and signed by each State to provide a six-month extension. This brings timing into alignment with the 1 July financial year and will allow state GMA executives and the national board to further streamline administration processes and review deliverables. This will ensure all parties are satisfied with the final agreements to deliver success in a unified model. Our aim is to have the new agreements signed off for the year commencing 1 July 2021.

Whilst the past year has resulted in an interrupted program, things are returning to a more ‘normal’ outlook. It is wonderful that our events in all states are now face to face, giving members a more personal experience.

GMA in NSW is shortly hosting a two-day mini-conference with Michael McQueen and Ben Crowe two of the keynote speakers. We are also grateful that James Sutherland, CEO of Golf Australia, will present and join in a panel discussion.

Recently, the GMA National Board met for a facilitated strategy day to work on the next three-year strategic plan. The process

took into account feedback from various stakeholders within GMA as well as the Members Insights Survey from 2020. In the process, the board reflected on GMA’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks. It assisted in providing greater clarity in our purpose and strategic intent with a new vision. Our plans aligned to three key pillars, all of which will be announced in coming months.

Despite the challenges and uncertainty we all faced in 2020, the inherent value of GMA has continued to shine through. Dan Christie, from our major partner, Schweppes, observes that GMA is different from other industries and associations he deals with in terms of the level of collegiality and fraternity he witnesses amongst our members. We want to preserve this and, at the same time, make it our vision to develop professional leaders of the future to meet the breadth of complex demands of golf and clubs. ‘One GMA’ will underpin all we do.

Looking to our conference in 2022, we hope to make an announcement on details shortly.

Planning is well underway and we are excited about the details to date.

I want to thank GMA CEO, Paul Vardy, and congratulate him on his contribution to date. He has worked hard in what has been a very unusual period since he commenced in late 2019. He did an outstanding job of coordinating the delivery of our hybrid BMI program and is planning the next BMI to be delivered online in May. I’d also like to thank you, our members, who are central to all we do and we now hope you are enjoying events across the board with fewer restrictions. I’d like to thank our corporate partners who, without their ongoing support, we wouldn’t be able to deliver the personal development and well-being programs that we do. Please support our partners as they support us. We’re excited about the GMA journey we’re all on together.

Golf Management Australia (GMA) represents a membership of more than 400 golf club managers across Australia.

GMA, through its state associations, provides a platform of professional and personal development and networking opportunities for General Managers and Assistant Managers/COOs of golf clubs.

GMA also has a focus on member support, club development, and member health and well-being.

Golf Management Australia Ltd. PO Box 859 CROYDON VIC 3136 www.golfmanagement.com.au BOARD OF DIRECTORS Cathy Neagle (Chair) Elanora CC, NSW Peter Busch Green Acres GC, VIC Anthony Masters Barwon Heads GC, VIC Aaron Muirhead Oxley GC, QLD Troy O’Hern Mount Lawley GC, WA Kieran Semple The Coast GC, NSW Mark Tan Mount Osmond GC, SA GMA TEAM Paul Vardy Chief Executive Officer Frances Cordaro NSW Operations Manager Mike Orloff QLD Operations Manager Rod Haines VIC Operations Manager & Finance Jodie Alaban WA Operations Manager David Brand SA Operations Manager, Media & Comms.

Contents may not be reproduced without written permission.

Views expressed in editorial contributions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this publication and it’s management.

Golf Management Australia

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT

4

CATHY NEAGLE Chair

PETER BUSCH

Director www.golfmanagement.com.au

ANTHONY MASTERS Director

AARON MUIRHEAD Director

KIERAN SEMPLE Director

TROY O’HERN Director

MARK TAN Director

PAUL VARDY CEO

From the CEO PAUL VARDY / CEO, Golf Management Australia

Another huge flood event in NSW and conference, mini-conferences, professional QLD and it’s starting to look like if one development events and BMI program are thing doesn’t get you, another thing will. key aspects of developing leadership skills A year ago, vast parts of Australia were and there is more to come. incredibly dry as massive bushfires burnt Talking BMI, a great opportunity awaits through eastern Australia and areas of SA those who have yet to join the BMI program and WA. As often happens, droughts and by registering for BMI Club Management fires are followed by floods. But now another commencing 17th May - see details on page big flood event - this is feeling like the new 25 of the high calibre speakers and content normal. And we have a global pandemic including the Lumina Spark Psychometric that’s changed the way the world operates.

Assessment improving the self-awareness of For those who haven’t experienced floods, each participant. It’s amazing value. after the clean-up there often remains weak GMA members have a role to play in turf and the risk of disease. Clubs this year leading sustainable clubs, in establishing have the added pressure of high levels of good governance systems, in developing foot traffic, pitch marks and divots from the employees, in promoting the game and unprecedented demand for golf. There’s a encouraging a greater diversity of people lot to manage for these clubs as all head into to enjoy the many benefits of golf. Check shorter days and out the feature cooler months. article from Golf The demand Australia’s CEO, Taking time out for professional for golf raises a James Sutherland. development, networking, and fascinating set We are all in a health and wellbeing events of issues both on position to have with peers, is sometimes not the course and an influence on in the clubhouse. the progress of easy but it’s important in Whether it be golf. keeping the fire lit .... shortages in tee Enjoy Gregg times, shortages of Patterson’s unique qualified service and course staff, or delays take on golf ’s good health on page 26 when in replacement golf supplies, there are more he says, “... it makes me droopy and poopy demands than ever on managers to hold the knowing that we who BELIEVE aren’t whole thing together. Taking time out for standing on our soap boxes and preaching some professional development, networking, to the cynical ... .” He’s right. In Australia, and health and wellbeing events with peers, there are loud voices of the cynical radical is sometimes not easy but it’s important in far-left that label golf elitist and who want keeping the fire lit for the enthusiasm and to close our public courses - see article energy to continue. on page 12. That’s why we should all stay If things are in a grind, there is support. vigilant and defend our public courses from In addition to the camaraderie from GMA campaigns for closure of these courses. members, there’s support from the services Hopefully, the diversity of articles in this of GMA’s Member Assistance Program as GMA Journal stimulate enthusiasm for well as GMA’s honorary legal solicitor in your leadership at your club with ideas to Michael Horton, which are there to be used. share with your staff, boards and members.

More and more, we’re seeing our corporate Thanks to the various contributors and if partners being great advisers and supporters there is one overriding theme, golf is a sport in our work too. Not only do they financially with a lot to celebrate and with positive underpin our programs, they provide expert things to work on too. advice and friendship.

The best of golf is no better shown than As Cathy has outlined opposite, the GMA in the story on Wantima Country Club’s board has developed an exciting new vision raising money for their “Mexican friends” in for which GMA will focus most keenly our Victoria during COVID lock-downs and the efforts on developing professional leaders story from Kevin Kerin’s last round at The in golf and club management. The national Grange Golf Club. What a gem!

RECENT INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS Royal Melbourne’s GM, Warwick Hill-Rennie, has announced his resignation, and will be returning to NZ as CEO of Royal Auckland & Grange.

Nicole Martino has moved from Lakelands to The Western Australia as Golf Manager, replacing Mat Bowra who has left to concentrate on his studies.

Glenn Phillips has moved from Concord to the GM role at Belmont, replacing Glenn Howard, with Lee Bradsell taking over the GM role at Concord.

After nearly two years in the role, Paul Hinton has resigned as GM at Royal Queensland, with a replacement yet to be announced.

NEW GMA MEMBERS Queensland • Frank Byrne - Wolston Park • Ian Hepburn - Mt Coolum • Tracy Odgers - Beerwah • Andrew Porter - Casino South Australia • Sudeera Botejue - Regency Park • Peter Vlahandreas - Greenspace Victoria/Tasmania • Shaun Bakker - Sanctuary Lakes • Tim Gledhill - Sandhurst • Yvette Barnes - Patterson River • Jasmine Hobbs - Yarra Yarra • Carly Jehu - Lonsdale • Jessica Licen - Patterson River • Geraldine O’Callaghan - Royal Melbourne • Damian Richards - Barwon Heads • Greg Webb - Patterson River Western Australia • Justin Rapley - Royal Perth • Brendan Evans - Margaret River To update us on any movements within the industry, please advise your local GMA State Operations Manager.

CLICK HERE FOR MEMBER ONLY GMA RESOURCES & LINKS: • Industry News • GMA Podcasts • Member Assistance Program • Member Discussion Forum • Member Resource Library • Industry Webinars

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

5

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Industry News

Schweppes renews Major Partnership with GMA GMA is thrilled to announce the continuation of our major partnership with Asahi Lifestyle Beverages and the Schweppes range of products.

National Business Manager of Asahi Lifestyle Beverages, Daniel Christie, said “We have maintained and enhanced a rewarding relationship with GMA over many years, something we value very highly. Through this partnership we continue to support and complement each other with the main aim of developing the management skills needed to help grow this great game.

“This new agreement with GMA aligns to our ongoing commitment to golf in Australia and to broaden our overall presence in the market. We’re excited to continue our strong presence at GMA’s state-based professional development and well-being activities, as well as the wonderful GMA national conference,” said Mr Christie.

GMA CEO, Paul Vardy, said “Schweppes and Asahi Lifestyle Beverages' relationship with GMA continues to be of great benefit to GMA members and their clubs.

We’re deeply grateful for the ongoing support. In a year where we all dealt with the impacts of a global pandemic, it’s a testament to the quality of the relationship

Daniel Christie and his team have with GMA that Asahi Lifestyle Beverages are so willing to continue its support for another two years as Major Partner. This really sets up GMA’s quality program of activities and continues our evolution as a successful national member association.”

To find out more about the Schweppes range of products for your club, please contact: Tim Colling National Account Manager Asahi Lifestyle Beverages – The home of Schweppes Email: tim.colling@asahi.com.au Mobile: 0429 573 326 Visit the Schweppes website

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H&R WORKPLACE STRATEGIES

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

7

Industry News

Let’s see more Australians playing golf...

James Sutherland took the reins as CEO of Golf Australia in late 2020. In this article, he tells the GMA Journal his plans for the sport he not only enjoys playing, but is now leading.

Golf was never my first sport, I am bound A quick point needs to be made, here, away with overemphasis on stuffy rules or to say. But it was always there, from my about joining Royal Melbourne. Right back protocols. Of course, we have to respect the teenage years when I was pursuing a career at the start, I found it intimidating. I can history of the game. But there’s a balance to in cricket. remember that clearly. Perhaps it was me? be found and it has to lean toward the people I’ve always been a golfer and I always will I don’t really know. But I do recall being who are new to the game. be. daunted by the environment and being That’s key for golf, in my view. It’s the big Back in the days when I was trying to continually told off for not adhering to the picture for us. We have to inspire the next keep the seam upright for University and club rules or etiquette nuances. generation of golfer. Our sport depends on occasionally for Victoria, I spent a it. lot of my spare time knocking golf As a game, we need to be balls around the public nine-holer contemporary and we need to be “... there’s a balance to be found and it at ‘Royal’ Burnley, and at Elcho inclusive. We need to be working to has to lean toward the people who are Park in Lara, close to where I create an environment that allows new to the game.” boarded at school. new people to feel comfortable Cricketers tended to love golf as rather than intimidated. well, I found, and the passion for We just can’t afford that golf grew stronger in my university years, Fortunately, I think it’s changed for the anymore. and I’m forever grateful to the fathers of better. I feel like my club is much more My wife and three children all play golf. a couple of friends who nominated me for welcoming now. But it’s important to That is something that is almost unique membership of Royal Melbourne. note that we absolutely have to be more to golf … to actually get out and play and Clearly golf ’s become a significant part of welcoming, more inclusive; we need to wrap maybe even compete with your partner my life; a way to foster old friendships and our arms around people who poke their and your children on an even playing field. create new ones not least enjoy the outdoors heads into our clubs.

Because golf ’s a sport for everyone, and a and fulfill the need to compete.

Golf can’t afford to be pushing people game for life.

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www.golfmanagement.com.au

Industry News It’s quite special, that feeling.

Coming to the job as chief executive of Golf Australia, I’ve taken it as an honor. I had 17 years as CEO of Cricket Australia, and I always felt the responsibility of trying to serve the game and its many players and fans.

Cricket has such a phenomenal reach in this country and around the world and while there are many rewarding moments (I’m thinking of that 86,000 strong crowd at the women’s World Cup final in 2020, or the success of the Big Bash League), there are inevitably tough times for an administrator as well.

Losing big series or high profile behavioural issues like the ball tampering incident in South Africa in 2018 illustrate the challenges of a sport that is issues-rich and attracts public passion.

So for me, golf is a completely different “We need to embrace different ways of playing tournaments and new ways prospect right now. to get the game on to television as an entry point for new people in the game.“ Golf in Australia is not a wealthy game, it’s (Photo: Blitz Golf, Glenelg Golf Club, January 2021) not in the big three. Some people, I think, look at the riches of the US Tour or even the European Tour, they see the prizemoney on environment. We need to embrace different I went through this at cricket and I can offer to players, and they put golf in the top ways of playing tournaments and new ways say that it’s a male mindset that’s the biggest category. to get the game on to television as an entry obstacle.

We’re not. We don’t have the revenue from point for new people in the game.

At cricket, most of the people in charge of television that the big boys have.

We need to provide content that engages the game were male and it basically hadn’t And we’re not reaching our potential. a younger audience. Holey Moley, the crossed their mind. Even I hadn’t thought That’s what I’m about as CEO. television show, is an example. It put golf on about it until my daughter started playing It’s been a different start for me if you prime time television and that can’t be bad, cricket. compare it to my beginnings at Cricket no matter what traditionalists might think But cricket has done a good job since then Australia. Back then I was 34, I’d been about it. as has Australian football more recently and working in footy, I was trained as an We need to get our main tournaments soccer as well. Golf has to be in that space accountant, I came into the administration back, of course, because they provide and fighting. It has to be a sport for all. The reasonably mindset has to inexperienced. In shift. Because the fact, 20 years there sports competitive “We need to engage more women and girls. It’s something was an incredible landscape is golf has not been good at but that is irrelevant now; it’s journey and I am incredibly about what we do from here on.” no longer quite competitive. as wet behind the I would ask ears. you how many The challenges for golf are right in front inspiration for potential golfers and young of you have daughters and whether you’ve of us. players and we have only a few opportunities encouraged them to play; taken them out to First of all, how do we get more people over summer to draw upon. the driving range? It’s our responsibility to playing golf?

COVID-19 and the border and quarantine grow the sport that we love.

It’s something that we need to explore, and issues made it impossible to have the bigger And here’s the thing: if we can get them, I don’t pretend to have all the answers. events over the most recent summer and it’s we will likely have them forever. Because you But I know this … and I come back to my not even clear when they can come back. can play golf for as long as you like. earlier point … we can’t afford to be turning Hopefully later this year.

I am fixed on grabbing players when they people away. What’s more, we can’t afford But what is clear is that we need them to are young, because it’s proven that if you can to waste money with duplication of services get golf back on the radar in a public sense. inspire them early, they learn the game, get a and ideas.

We need to engage more women and girls. taste that remains. They might go away for The game needs to be more aligned and It’s something golf has not been good at but a while, with family issues and full-time jobs. less fragmented than it currently is. that is irrelevant now; it’s about what we do But they will come back. And we just It also needs to be daring in this from here on. should not miss them first time around.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Industry News Mini golf courses, like this one at City Golf Gordon, NSW, are great for children and families and an ideal way to introduce new players to the game of golf.

We need to be aggregating our assets and leveraging them together, finding efficiencies that we didn’t have before. And we need to be bold, I think, prepared to try something new, daring enough to make a few mistakes, too.

Together with other leaders across Australian golf, I should be judged on results. That judgement on results and the fuller picture shouldn’t and won’t come immediately. Whilst we all need to be focused on the present to deliver better outcomes for the sport and its community, we must also invest in our youth for the longer term. We all have a responsibility as I am adamant that clubs need to help So golf numbers are booming right now custodians of the sport we love – and this is us with this. Traditionally, I think golf because of COVID-19 and the travel the only way to ensure the next generation of clubs tend to focus primarily on their own restrictions; it’s the same all over the world.

Australians give golf, and our golf clubs, the existence, which is understandable. But I We expect club membership for 2020 to rise sustainable future that we so desire. do think we all need to see beyond the short five percent and that’s in context of a steady It’s about the kid at primary school or early term and invest for the future. fall since the Greg Norman era, and a tiny secondary school right now who tried out Because golf is fighting for relevance in the increase in 2019. the game of golf. And it’s about whether he modern context in this country, and that’s a All of you will know that tee times are or she is still playing in 15 years’ time. fact. We need to start collaborating better clogged up around Australia, which is If not, that’s a fail. We are going nowhere if -- and looking at how to bring new people to wonderful. we don’t grow the game. the game.

That is what we The average age of have to be about at golfers in Australia is Golf Australia and in “The public courses and public facilities, driving going the wrong way: fact, across the whole ranges, putt-putt courses and the like are our oxygen 54.7 years for men, and industry. as a sport. They are where nearly everyone starts.”

63.9 for women.

Driving the passion for That’s one of the the game. Fostering the reasons I’ve spoken interest in young people. up about the need to protect our public Our job … all of us … is to hang on to that Making sure that they know exactly how facilities. We’ve seen local councils in ground made. It’s really crucial that we don’t good golf can be. Lighting the fire in them.

Queensland, New South Wales and let it slip back over time.

We all know the truth already. We know Victoria recently either threatening or In the broader scheme of things, how beautiful golf can be; how frustrating carrying out threats to take back land from Australian golf has to speak with one voice. it can be and how rewarding it is when it’s golf, either for expanded parkland or for That’s why as part of my push for a done well. residential. national strategy for the game, I want it to We know how great it is to play with This is understandable, but it’s potentially come from the whole industry … not just friends and spend time with them, and as a disaster for golf if we don’t push back. from Golf Australia. It will start this year I mentioned before, with family, too. We The public courses and public facilities, with some kind of national conference of know that if you’re a golfer, you can be a driving ranges, putt-putt courses and the like stakeholders … COVID-19 willing. I’m golfer forever. are our oxygen as a sport. They are where already talking to the PGA and others There aren’t too many games like that, nearly everyone starts. about this and we want it to be a strategic quite frankly.

Take them away and you are stepping on plan with shared ownership, something that What a great game it is. A game for life! our lifeline. everyone feels a sense of responsibility for.

Let’s see more Australians playing golf…

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Industry News

End of an Era: Kevin Kerin hangs up the clubs If you’ve seen the wonderful video “End of an Era – Kevin Kerin hangs up the clubs” at The Grange Golf Club, it’s likely to stir up thoughts about your own experience witnessing members passing through the journey of club life.

Who better to ask about this video than Barry Linke, the GM with more than 30 years’ experience at the club where 95 year old Kevin has played his golf.

Barry, tell us about how this video came about and what reaction it has had at the club?

Kevin came to the club and mentioned he would be retiring from golf. He felt it was the right time to step away from playing but still wanted to remain involved in the club to see his mates. This prompted us to engage Stuart Kerr, a videographer who has been at the club since 2020, to do a short piece on Kevin and his incredible story.

Tell us a little about Kevin?

As shown in the video, Kevin is 95 years old, has been a member at The Grange for 50+ years, and he has always ridden his bike to the club, and continues to do so! Kevin is a fantastic member; he is extremely humble,

kind and loves to impart his wisdom. Kevin is a familiar face to all staff and members at the club and since giving away playing golf, he has regularly visited the club on his bike to have a coffee with his playing partners or read a book in the members bar. Despite his age, Kevin will tell you you’re never too old to learn and enjoys reading books about feats others have achieved and history.

Kevin’s message seems at odds with a pent up society today full of angst where it seems everyone else is to blame for things?

Kevin has an old soul. He sums up the changes in generations. Generations think a lot differently these days - we are used to getting everything instantly and not having to wait, but I also feel there is a higher level of expectations on people these days. I think COVID has actually been a good thing as it has brought people back down to earth to make them appreciate the small things and be more present.

GMs play an important role in nurturing club culture at every opportunity. What’s your advice to managers when writing to reply to a long term member who’s resigning from the club?

When a member with 30+ years’ service resigns from Grange, we offer them Honorary Social membership. We write them a very nice personal letter offering them this membership FOC. This allows them to retain their membership number, access the club website and most importantly, still feel part of the club when they come for lunch or to catch up with their friends. When the members receive this

letter, it gives them a real sense of pride in their club and they truly feel like they still belong. Whilst Kevin has played his last game of golf, he remains a member of the club and still attends regularly to have lunch or a coffee with his former playing partners and friends. Kevin still attends regularly, as do many other Honorary Social members, as they still feel part of the club. I think without this membership (which costs the club nothing) these older members (former playing members) would just drift away from the club.

We’re wired to take great interest in personal stories. Would you recommend to other clubs to take this approach as an alternative to promoting the physical attributes of the club?

There is no better way to get the message across than through personal experience and stories. It is subtle marketing where the audience falls in love with the character and the idea of the lifestyle. Kevin is unique though and there wouldn’t be too many people out there with the same story and message. It also comes down to the quality of the production. Stuart Kerr has a touch of delivering the story in a movie like way and this is another reason why it has received so many views.

Click here to view the video “End of an Era Kevin Kerin hangs up the clubs”

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Finding our voice to protect our public courses In recent times, far-left vigilantes have been propagating irrelevant facts and flawed arguments around the use of public land for golf. GMA’s Paul Vardy explains why now is the time for the golf industry to get behind and support public golf courses.

I don’t know if you have noticed, but there getting major exposure in newspapers and golf ’s elitism, yet we’re talking $29 for 18 holes seems to be a growing amount of anti-golf radio to demonise golf and push their nonand $14 junior rates, the cheapest golf around. articles in newspapers of late centred on closing collaborative ideas.

The arguments also assume that public golf public golf courses that are taking up valuable In an article in the Weekend Australian, does not pay for itself and seems to assume city land. The COVID year brought out called “Reclaim the Fairways,” Nikki Gemmell that public space somehow does. I cannot see more debate even though the arguments seem did what most of the articles do - picked-up a council charging people to walk around its thinner on the ground than ever. on where one floored argument left off and highly maintained park.

In my time at Golf Australia, I was involved re-propagate a bunch of irrelevant facts and The Gemmel article was well rebutted by in preparing submissions to governments conclusions. A typical one is to roll out the GA’s CEO, James Sutherland, in February in and agencies to push golf ’s case for a column in the same paper, “Chip retaining its public course footprint shots at golf, the ‘game of life’ are and for collaborating with councils way off course.” It contained some We have 400,000 members and to arrive at the shared interest of compelling facts and some important 800,000 social golfers who can be good community outcomes for context about the greater good of golf engaged. Imagine the power of such a all. Golf ’s measurable benefits to - most of which this audience will the community were provided as coalition in protecting public courses? already know. were ideas exploring new ways to But these media ‘columnists’ keep improve the recreation areas for local coming and they get a lot of exposure. residents. headline data on golf participation and its In her December article “Give golf the boot: These submissions and meetings with decline over 20 years and link it to the public there’s no place for a sport that offers so little government, along with those of Golf NSW, course in question that sits on public space to so few,” Jenna Price in The Sydney Morning have had an impact in stemming the tide. in a capital city. The fact that the course in Herald opens her piece with “Shut them down.

Grassroots efforts from the various golf clubs question is generating extremely high numbers Shut them all down,” before supporting the themselves have stimulated passions and of rounds is of no consequence - shut it down campaign of Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover brought golfing people into the debate - a they say.

Moore, to decrease the number of holes to formidable bunch.

Other flawed arguments are golf ’s nine. Price goes on to say, “I’d argue that But what worries me is the far-left vigilantes exclusivity, yet we’re talking public access, and reducing the number of holes might actually

12

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Image: Moore Park Golf, NSW (www.mooreparkgolf.com.au)

Industry News

Industry News increase participation and therefore increase revenue.” Jenna Price has a PhD in Political Sociology (as opposed to Economics) from the University of Sydney. Sutherland responded to this one in December with, “Golf takes up precious space, but the sport has earned it.”

In Melbourne’s longest lockdown when courses were shut and people were permitted one hour of exercise within 5km of home, the nine-hole Northcote golf course kept being entered by locals who cut holes in the fences.

Feeling a bit caged and not having access to their superb array of cafés and bars, residents sat on the fairways and enjoyed the space empty of golfers wanting to use the space too.

An ABC Radio National episode, “Lost and Found” covers the story along with one on the Elsternwick public course (now closed) and Marrickville Golf Club (open to the thanks of Anthony Albanese).

With Northcote, local resident and regular columnist in The Age, Catherine Deveney, said, “I’d gone past it a million times and not even thought about it.” Deveney refers to her first visit to the space when she said people were as intoxicated as they were furious. After her first wander to the empty golf course, she set up “Reclaim Northcote golf course for Public Open Space” saying, “I’m not interested in sharing this with the golfers,” and, “it’s about fairness.”

What all this says to me is that public courses, a nursery for new golfers of all ages and a start on the journey to club membership and a lifetime of health and economic benefits elsewhere, is under threat from some radicals who simply want a take-over.

They are well versed in activism, have a disdain for golf and take a high moral position that things are owed to them. They are looking to generate a crisis, and create the solution without any thought to the impacts.

I think now is a good time for the golf industry to increase its support for public golf courses.

As the most informed agents in golf working at the coalface of the sport every day, GMA members are well placed to understand the issues and have an influence in pushing back with support for saving public courses.

There’s also the roughly 400,000 members nationally and another 800,000 social golfers who can be engaged.

Imagine the power of such a coalition in protecting public courses?

Listen to the ABC Radio National episode here.

Golf Carts in short supply in 2021 With high industry demand, Club Car’s Kevin Gates recommends clubs start talking to suppliers now regarding their fleet requirements.

Clubs looking to take delivery of golf cart fleets in 2021 need to be talking to suppliers now according to Club Car Regional VP Kevin Gates. “Supply chain constraints are impacting all manufacturers right now.

At Club Car we currently have the largest production backlog that the company has seen in nearly 65 years of existence.” As with many other automotive style industries right now, golf cart manufacturers are dealing with a combination of very strong demand and limited component supply.

“As we draw nearer to the northern spring and the increased demands of the warmer weather, I’d expect the situation to become more challenging before it improves. In

addition to growing product constraints, securing space on vessels sailing from the US to Australia is a real pain point at this time. I urge all Clubs who have requirements for this year and early 2022 to start the process earlier than you would under normal circumstances - for 2021 fleets in particular the time to talk to suppliers is right now,” he continued.

Club Car is the Official Golf Car Partner of GMA and an Elite Partner of the Association.

To speak with your local Club Car Distributor call 1800 CLUBCAR or visit www.clubcar.com

$

29.95

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE The GMA Green Book: The Essential Guide to Strategic Planning for Golf Clubs The GMA Green Book is produced by GMA with corporate specialist Tony Sernack.

Copies of can be obtained for $29.95 each (or $250.00 for a pack of 10).

To order your copy, please contact GMA CEO, Paul Vardy: paul.vardy@golfmanagement.com.au

WE NEED YOUR INPUT! To assist us in better informing and educating our members, we need your assistance to continue providing relevant, interesting and unique stories from within the golf management industry that we can share in this journal.

If you would like to write a piece for the GMA Journal – we’d certainly love to hear from you.

Please send your material through to our Media & Communications manager, David Brand, at david.brand@golfmanagement.com.au.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

13

GMA News

Raising a Glass in COVID times In the COVID chaos of 2020, some clubs were dealing with bigger issues than others. By August, Melbourne was entering an extended Stage 4 lock-down, considered at the time to be one of the harshest in the world.

So when Marcus Sullivan, GM of Wantima Country Club in Brisbane, rang and raised the concept of his club running a fundraiser for struggling Victorian clubs, GMA was in full support and would provide guidance and support however we could.

Marcus already had the concept all sorted; $1 for each beverage purchased would go to struggling clubs called “Raise a glass for our Vic mates.” The club announced to its members, “Yep, it’s time to lend a hand to our Mexican friends, the best way we know how!”

The question was always going to be, who’ll get the money. Having gained the backing of GMA, Golf Australia and the PGA, Marcus got on with the fundraising and left that decision to the coordination of the golf bodies.

It’s fair to say John Stamp and Mark Bamford from Golf Australia, by their roles, had their ears closest to the ground in Victorian club support matters. Many small to mid-sized clubs were considered;

the types of resourceful clubs where extra money makes a difference and it’s all hands-on deck from management, staff and volunteers. Also looked for were clubs particularly hard hit by the combined weeks of closures (19 in total) and the loss of revenue from green fee visitors.

Back at Wantima CC, a five to six week campaign raised a fantastic $9,097.

It was ultimately decided that $4,548.50 each would go to Devil Bend Golf Club and Cheltenham Golf Club, two clubs that know the value of every dollar. The respective managers, Tim O’Sullivan and David Stein, were most grateful for the assistance.

From Devil Bend’s Secretary, Mr Max Anderson, “once the initial shock subsided (regarding your offer), all members of the Committee were absolutely delighted and unanimously in favour of accepting this kind and generous offer from your club - your Call to Arms was fantastic.”

From Cheltenham Golf Club’s General Manager Mr David Stein, “we are extremely

grateful to you and everyone involved in the great initiative - ‘Raise a glass for our Vic Mates’. The club is extremely excited to continue to develop the relationship…”

On behalf of GMA, well done to Marcus Sullivan and the Wantima Country Club for a wonderful community gesture of support at the height of the lock-down period.

It’s gestures like these that build connections between clubs and demonstrate the wonderful community spirit that golf clubs can harness.

Flooding causing havoc across the country SOME OF THE FLOODS IN NEW SOUTH WALES AND QUEENSLAND HAVE BEEN EXTRAORDINARY. Spare a thought for GMA member, Johnathon Zirkler, Secretary Manager of Nabucca Heads Island golf club and his course team.

The course, located on an island in the Nambucca River, received an insane 1080mm of rain over an eight day period and was covered in up to six inches of silt as the floods receded.

View the Facebook video of the flooded Nambucca Heads Island golf course here.

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GMA News

GMA Partners’ Gathering A cocktail party in the heart of Melbourne was just the ticket for a gathering of GMA members and corporate partners on Tuesday, 2nd March.

After a year of lock-downs and a city that is still eerily quiet, it was nice to at least generate a pulse in the heart of Melbourne.

And climbing the stairs to the Roof Top Bar of the Transport Hotel at Federation Square was a great way to build a thirst.

To find the right venue, we threw the challenge to none other than Peter Ferrari, GMA’s Victorian contact for De Bortoli wines...

“Find us a venue would you Peter, that services your wines, Lion’s beers - including Heineken - and most importantly, Schweppes drinks. Oh, and ideally food supplied by our friends at Bidfood.”

In a scene reminiscent of Russell Crow in a Beautiful Mind, we suspect Peter ended up with a room of papers pinned all over the walls with chaotic scribbles covering them. After exiting the bunker, he had the Transport Hotel, with bonus views.

It was great to have GMA members join with GMA partners and just hang out and chat. Joining with members, it was great to have GMA Chair, Cathy Neagle, GMV President, Peter Busch, and members of the executive, as well as representatives from various partners who were able to make it on the night; Schweppes, Bidfood, De Bortoli, Club Car - InGolf & Utility, Golf Australia, epar, TaylorMade, Inside Golf and MiClub.

The event was a great success and we hope to have gatherings such as this when the opportunities arise.

Click here to view a full list of GMA Partners.

(l-r) Matthew Loughnane (Kew GC), Alex McGillivray (Huntingdale GC), Dan Christie (Asahi Lifestyle Beverages)

(l-r) John Thermos & Brett Campbell (Bidfood), Pietre Ferraro (De Bortoli Wines)

(l-r) Golf Australia’s David Gallicio & John Stamp

(l-r) Marc Wilson (Inside Golf), TaylorMade’s Andrew Bayliss & Aaron O’Meara

(l-r) Phil Drew (Sandringham GL), Marc Wilson (Inside Golf), Chris Little (MiClub), Darren Eckhardt (Keysborough GC)

epar’s Terry Muir

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

15

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State News WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Jodie Alaban, State Operations Manager

WA Members learn from the long arm of the law WA’s GMA members, and guests, headed to the Wembley Golf Complex this month to be treated to a very informative and entertaining presentation on “Cultural Change” by former Western Australian Police Commissioner, Karl O’Callaghan.

Karl oversaw significant reform and cultural change within the Western Australian Police Service, having been appointed by Government to oversee the implementation of reforms recommended by the Kennedy Royal Commission into Corruption and Misconduct by Police in 2004.

In addition, he was at the forefront of significant business, innovation and technology change across the policing sector, bringing operations into the 21st century with his Frontline First and Frontline 2020 initiatives. He is credited with being one of the only police commissioners in Australia to regularly work on the street with frontline officers.

During his presentation, Karl spoke about his time in the top job and how he introduced cultural change to the police force.

The professional development session was well supported by members, with Grant Shortland-Jones, GM at Mandurah Country Club, summing up the session well afterwards, “To hear Karl with such in depth experience in cultural change, in particular across such diverse groups of people, was not only extremely engaging, but he offered so many takeaways to apply to our clubs.”

WA Golf Club’s Damien Todorovic

went further, saying “I suppose one of the key points that resonated with me was whatever you are seeking to achieve, you need the culture to accept it. It has certainly been evident during my journey with golf clubs and reinforces this thinking. When embarking on change, it is also important to understand what traits you want to retain and ensure this doesn’t get lost in the process.”

Damien used the opportunity to invite his club’s President, Colin Wootton, to the session, noting he appreciated the opportunity offered by GMA to invite guests free of charge, given the “critical link between management and members.”

Colin echoed those thoughts, saying he believed “it is important that, whilst board members’ principal function is policy, it is vital that there is an appreciation of the operational issues and challenges confronting general managers and their operational teams when policies are adopted for implementation.

“The organisation (Karl) controlled has similar issues in terms of the difficulty progressing change, as do private member golf clubs. His address was very practical and delivered with clarity.”

Some interesting advice that Karl gave, which general managers could take on board, was to model the behaviour that you

want in your organisation - allow people to be able to come to you knowing that they will be listened to, valued, and have no retribution. Think of yourself as an “outsider” - what do they see, what would they think?

Interestingly, since retiring from the police force, Karl, amongst other things, is a DJ for a local radio station and has a passion for album music, so it was highly entertaining to have him refer to the Beatles throughout his talk, in particular the Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

We’re not sure if any of those present will actually go back and sing to their board, as they will more than likely sing back!

Thank you to Bidfood for their support of this event.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

17

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State News VICTORIA / Rod Haines, State Operations Manager

Women’s Golf Management Scholarship announcements Congratulations to Tegan Bennett (Eastern Golf Club) and Geraldine (Gerri) O'Callaghan (Royal Melbourne Golf Club) for being awarded the 2021 Women's Golf Management Scholarship.

Tegan and Gerri will join with the 2020 scholarship winners (Stephanie Wearne and Narelle Alford) to participate in the 2021 BMI program on offer this year, along with a special site visit to Elanora Country Club (NSW) to spend time with GMA chair, Cathy Neagle. The scholarship also offers several other wonderful educational and networking opportunities.

Tegan has worked at the Eastern Golf Club for 12 years in various roles, gaining valuable experience which now stands her in good stead as Operations Manager.

A significant milestone in her career was to be involved in the club relocation from Doncaster to Yering. Tegan said, "Throughout these years, I have learnt a great deal about myself and the golfing

industry and have the ambition to continue learning and further improve my skills through education."

Gerri has worked at Royal Melbourne Golf Club for over seven years on the course team and is currently the Foreman and heavily involved in the Sandringham golf course redevelopment project. Gerri said, "My passion as a golfer assists me at all levels both personally and professionally, enabling me to see how a successful course should work and has allowed me to network and liaise with other golfers and managers at varying levels."

Once again, congratulations to both Tegan and Gerri. We look forward to seeing you at some of our events throughout the year and getting to know you both a little more.

NEW SOUTH WALES

Frances Cordaro, State Operations Manager

Wet weather spoils the return to golf Despite a strong field of over 60 registered players, forecasted rain forced the cancellation of the golf component of the Members Guest Day at Killara Golf Club on Friday, 19th March 2021.

It was another disappointing end to what should have been a fun and enjoyable first golf event of 2021, following the cancellation of the opening event in early February.

Most players, however, still showed up and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with industry colleagues and hear from Harley Kruse, talking about the golf course renovation, whilst enjoying lunch.

Many thanks to David Gazzolli and the team at Killara for hosting the day and quickly adapting to the new event format.

Also thanks to GMA NSW event partner Lion, as well as event suppliers Schweppes, De Bortoli and TaylorMade.

VICTORIA / Rod Haines, State Operations Manager

Barwon Heads team take out GMV Guest Day honours It was great to be back with members and guests and what better venue than the host of recent Victorian Opens - 13th Beach Golf Links!

Our host, Craig Skimming (General Manager), left no stones unturned to ensure we had a great day. And that we had.

In perfect conditions and good company, we ventured out to enjoy the links. Bad shots did not matter as it's all part of the fun and banter.

Besides, De Bortoli wines were with us to ensure only good memories were left at the end of the day.

Thank you Craig Skimming for hosting a wonderful day!

RESULTS 1ST PLACE (pictured left) Anthony Masters, Narelle Alford, Adam Lamb and Callum McKenzie (Barwon Heads) - 112 points 2ND PLACE Stewart Fenton, Jonathan Roberts, Tony Joubert and George Colman (RSYTC) - 106 points 3RD PLACE Angela Chen, Joel Monahan, Lyn and Craig (Yearing Meadows) - 105 points LONGEST DRIVE - 11TH HOLE Women: Jade Shellback Men: Brett Scothern NEAREST THE PINS - 7TH HOLE Women: Stephanie Wearne Men: Tim McLardy NEAREST THE PINS - 12TH HOLE Women: Stephanie Wearne Men: Tom Healey

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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State News

QUEENSLAND / Mike Orloff, State Operations Manager

Headland Golf Club takes out EC Coker Shield in Club Car opening event This year’s opening event in Queensland, the Club Car GMAQ Executive Day (EC Coker Shield), saw the biggest player attendance in years, with a maxed out field at 88 on the beautiful RACV Royal Pines course.

We had two-time MotoGP World Champion, Casey Stoner, in the field playing along with Broc Greenhalgh from the PGA and Inside Golf ’s David Ross.

GMA members brought three executives and played in pairs with team scores then totalled to identify the winner.

Winners are grinners The event was a close race with Team Oxley on 81 points and Team Dalby on 80 points, however it was the team from Headland Golf Club, with recent Victorian transplant General Manager, Matt Lang, and executives Serg Nogarotto, Gavin Rooney and Tony Kelleher, who managed a team score of 82 points to receive the coveted EC Coker Shield.

The top three teams in the main event of the day were: • 1st: Ricky Close/Peter Nuttal (Oxley GC) - 46 points

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• 2nd: Ian Cottle/Robert Teece (Burleigh GC) - 44 points • 3rd: Luke Bates (Golf Australia)/Patrick Bardon (Hostplus) - 43 points As always, Club Car kindly donated a new golf cart as the Hole In One prize unfortunately, no one achieved the ultimate prize on the day, and the hole-in-one prize continues to be only a dream!

Ted Coker Testimonial Unfortunately, Life Member Ted Coker couldn’t make this event but sent through a Club Car testimonial to be shared with players in attendance.

“Would you please make my apologies and express my thanks to the Board for continuing to use my name for the trophy. It is a privilege for me. With luck, I will be able to attend some future events.

Some time ago, I ran into a bloke at RQ called Simon George, quite a nice fellow considering,

you see, I really ran into him, “T Barred” his Merc with my buggy in the car park. Merc $20,000 repairs, my buggy “write off ”.

So I rang Club Car, told them I was a mate of Kevin. They sold me a Demo Club Car which is terrific and at the right price. Go Club Car.”

Thank you!

Queensland has been blessed with great weather and limited COVID restrictions.

We have been very fortunate to provide our members and corporate partners with a full schedule of events since August last year, but our thoughts have been with our industry peers that have not been able to run events or network at all.

Thank you to Kevin Gates from Club Car for the continued support, to RACV Royal Pines Venue Manager David Hogben, Tom Caroll from TaylorMade, and to all the other corporate partners and guest in attendance on the day.

State News

QUEENSLAND / Mike Orloff, State Operations Manager

Resilience and perseverance were the talk of the day at Bulimba Almost a year to the day that COVID-19 shut down the nation, GMAQ members held their first 2021 Professional Development Day at Bulimba Golf Club in Brisbane.

The topic of "Resilience and Perseverance" was covered by our main speakers, Barry West from Mollymook GC, and Jahral Yow Yeh, formerly with the Brisbane Broncos.

Kerry Hingston, GM for the past eight years at Bulimba GC, a small par-3 course in inner-Brisbane, led the presentations providing a historical journey on 60 years as a club, and the challenges and changes they have come through, and where they are heading. They run some regular events attracting 5,000 visitors on a day, which really props up their little club.

Kerry joined GMAQ for the first-time last August after attending a professional development day. She loved it and has been supporting our events ever since.

Barry West, Golf Manager at Mollymook on the south coast of NSW, has worked with Troon Golf for 13 years and has been a member of the Australian PGA for 30 years. He has spent the last 24 years in golf management at clubs and resorts locally and overseas.

Barry returned to Australia in 2012 and started working at Mollymook, a unique golf property with two clubhouses and courses located a few kilometres apart at Mollymook Beach. The club has 1,300 golf members, 10,000 social members and generates $15million a year in revenue. It is a busy golf club with 70,000 rounds annually and 100,000 visitors per year to the Beachside Clubhouse, which can cater for up to 1,000 people at any one time.

The area around Mollymook was devastated by the 2020 bushfires and the

club became an evacuation centre for thousands of locals who couldn’t get away as the fires hit, providing food and shelter over a couple days.

And only a few months ago, a club member, and good mate of Barry’s, was tragically killed by a falling tree branch while on the course.

So, it’s been a rough year for Barry - but the learnings were about having a written plan available to fall back on to assist through these times and to regularly communicate with people.

Jharal Yow Yeh is a former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos. An Australian international and QLD State of Origin representative, he also played for the Indigenous All Stars. He spent his entire club career with the Broncos - a career cut short due to a bad leg break and subsequent complications.

Yow Yeh shared his journey from a young teen, to the time when his career was cut short, unaware that contesting a cross-field kick would fracture his ankle and end his rugby league career.

The sudden and brutal nature of his premature retirement rocked the NRL and sent Yow Yeh down a dark path.

If not for a neighbour and pastor, Jharal said he would not be alive to share his story.

But he persevered, recently becoming a father, and has found new purpose in his life. A very inspiring story from a very nice young man.

To close out the morning, Aaron Muirhead, GM of Oxley GC and GMAQ President, spoke about the challenges faced as he took over his new role last year, walking into an environmental disaster caused by a local business disposing of poisons into a waterway upstream from the course. It took a while to determine what was happening, ensuring staff were safe and to seek compensation to fix damage caused to the golf course. A very tough six-month period in a new role.

Scott Wagstaff talked about handling the 2011 floods at Carbrook GC, rallying members to assist in the clean up, and how that experience strengthened the entire club to handle any challenge moving forward.

The experience really spoke about the true heart of the members and what “club” is all about.

After some heavy topics, it was onto the social nine-hole par-3 course (longest hole 102m) for a little friendly competition! Even though Bulimba is a short course, it’s very challenging with small greens. Wantima Golf Club GM, Marcus Sullivan, was the winner on 29 shots.

Overall, a very fun and educational day, thanks to our corporate partner, Bidfood.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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500+

150,000+

Registered Venues

App Downloads

MiScore app uptake

Furthermore, this has been accompanied by

Since release in late 2019, there has been a large surge in the uptake of digital scoring with the MiScore app.

In the last 12-months (March 2020 - 2021) there have been over 3-million scores submitted digitally and 265 new registered venues. This year the average

extremely positive feedback from golfers.

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percentage of digital submissions (54.74%) has

you have a brilliant product helping so many Golfers

overtaken paper at registered venues that offer the MiScore app. At many venues offering MiScore, the rate of golfers submitting scores digitally in competitions is over 90%. We have seen phenomenal rates of usage across Australia as more clubs and courses register.

making a sometimes difficult day a whole lot better.

Cheers, keep up the good work.”

- Mark Dyer, Belmont Golf Club

Contact enquiry@miclub.com.au for more info.

Top digital scoring venues in each state: Percentage of members submitting scores with the MiScore app (For the month February, 2021)

92%

95%

90%

81%

86%

86%

77% 49%

WA

VIC

NSW

SA

QLD

ACT

NT

TAS

Gosnells Golf Club

The National Golf Club

Manly Golf Club

Kooyonga Golf Club

Nudgee Golf Club

Gungahlin Lakes Golf Club

Alice Springs Golf Club

Riverside Golf Club

State News SOUTH AUSTRALIA / David Brand, State Operations Manager

Vincekovic claims Salver in SA championships Glenelg Golf Club GM, Rob Vincekovic, has claimed the NSW Salver played in February at The Grange following the 2021 Annual General Meeting.

In warm, windy conditions, Vincekovic played solid golf to take out his first Salver win with a score of 35 points around the beautifully presented East Course.

Royal Adelaide’s Andrew Gay, himself a 3-time Salver champion, claimed 2nd place with a respectable 33 points in the windy conditions, with Golf Australia’s Matt Chesterman, also a 3-time winner, rounding out 3rd place on 31 points.

Earlier in the day, the GMASA Annual General Meeting was held, with all existing executive members re-elected to the board

for the 2021/22 year - Mark Tan (Mount Osmond GC), Brett Lewis (Kooyonga GC), Robert Vincekovic (Glenelg GC), Joel Cross (Flagstaff Hill GC) and Daniel Loveridge (Blackwood GC). The chair will be appointed at the first executive meeting in coming months.

A special gift was presented to Andrew Gay, thanking him for his contribution to the golf management industry, both at a state and national level, over the last decade or so. Andrew stood down from the SA executive board at the 2020 AGM.

MORE THAN JUST A POS SYSTEM SENPOS is at the forefront of POS technology. More than just a POS system, we offer the ultimate in patron engagement.

With full integration to MiClub systems, SENPOS is geared towards engaging and retaining the customer base and simplifying the user experience.

Find out more: www.senpos.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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GMA Education

What is strategic awareness?

Strategic awareness rarely features in modern textbooks on management, yet is something that can fundamentally change conversations and decision-making at the Board level.

Steven Bowman, of Conscious Governance, offers up 8 ways you can begin to use it in business and in life.

In essence, strategic awareness is the fusion of strategic thinking and personal awareness. Strategic opportunities exist all around us, often through the information people carry with them.

Capitalizing on these opportunities requires you to be more alert and attentive to what is happening in the world around you. In doing this you are more prepared to gather and evaluate the information you are receiving.

Sometimes this can involve looking at external trends in the global marketplace, (political, economic, social or other) and analyzing its potential impact on your organization and its internal decisionmaking.

How can strategic awareness create new opportunities?

With strategic awareness, leaders operate beyond the rules of competition, allowing previously unseen opportunities to be recognized in a timely manner. This thinking process extends your awareness beyond the doors of your organization, beyond the confines of your industry or service sector, beyond your current, day-today reality.

Strategic awareness and leadership Leaders who utilize strategic awareness are unaffected by limiting belief systems.

They establish the point of view that there is no short supply of clients, funding, resources or ideas. They are aware that an industry’s structure and rules are not concrete or inevitable. Instead, distinctive market positions and sustainable advantages are rooted out and explored.

If you become attached to a fixed outcome or strategic direction your ability to react to advantageous information is nullified.

24

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Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos, distinguishes the two kinds of decision-making which keeps his company agile.

• Type 1 decisions are not reversible.

Consideration must be given before making these decisions.

• Type 2 are like walking through a door - if you don’t like the decision, you can always go back.

In a recent annual shareholder letter, Bezos wrote: “As organizations get larger, there seems to be a tendency to use the heavy-weight Type 1 decision-making process on most decisions, including many Type 2 decisions. The end result of this is slowness, unthoughtful risk aversion, failure to experiment sufficiently, and consequently diminished invention.

We’ll have to figure out how to fight that tendency. And one-size-fits-all thinking will turn out to be only one of the pitfalls. We’ll work hard to avoid it… and any other large organization maladies we can identify.”

Awareness without strategy Strategy and awareness are each essential to superior performance, however, each works in very different ways. Awareness without strategy often results in leaders becoming mesmerized by what they could do.

Ideas are bounced around without any plan of action for carrying these ideas through into physical reality. Awareness is important but it’s not enough when used in isolation.

The greatest idea is worthless if it cannot be brought into the world—strategy allows you to do this.

Strategy without awareness Being strategic without awareness means focusing on how to improve or enhance the organization’s current capacity or situation while skipping the question “What else is possible?”

Without awareness, organizations easily become blind to changes and developments that the existing strategy has not taken into account. Leaders are not aware of the changes that are occurring in the world around them.

As a result, other advantageous business moves are not recognized: the existing strategy becomes the “right” way to do things. Being strategic without awareness results in a cognitive bias that is prone to confirm evidence that is believed to be true.

How can you become more strategically aware?

1. Take notice of changing conditions around you, especially anomalies 2. Be the question: be curious about your customers, partners, stakeholders and generally what is happening in the world 3. Consider what is occurring in the national or global environment and look for implications for your sector or organization 4. Understand what is happening in related industries 5. Monitor interesting trends or reoccurring data (even in unrelated to you), and always ask "What, if anything, does this mean to us?"

6. Ask yourself: "what's not working here, and what do we need to do about it?"

7. Evaluate the intelligence you gather with an open mind and without preconceived judgments 8. Be prepared to take risks, manage these risks exceptionally well, and don't let opportunities pass you by.

So, neither awareness nor strategy alone is sufficient. But when awareness meets strategy, it has the potential to change the world.

The Conscious Governance website has more information and resources for leaders and executives.

GMA Education

BMI Club Management It’s back!

GMA, in partnership with Golf Australia and the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), is excited to offer Business Management Institute (BMI) – Club Management.

Focussing on the core disciplines needed to successfully lead clubs, BMI Club Management specifically covers: • Membership Marketing • Employment, Legalities and Issues • Communications • Management, Governance and Delegation • Career Development • Service in Clubs • Financial Management and Cost Control • Personal Branding • Golf Operations You will get the latest insights on these topics and group discussions facilitated by experts.

DR JASON KOENIGSFELD Senior Vice President of Professional Development at CMAA

Prior to the course you will complete the Lumina Spark - Psychometric Assessment and your self-awareness will increase as you find out how you see yourself, how you react under pressure, your strengths and weaknesses and underlying qualities, your communication preferences, how to work with your opposite and much more.

Dates: Monday, 17th May 2021 to Thursday, 20th May 2021 Registrations will open on the GMA website in early April GMA members: Non-GMA members:

CLUB MANAGEMENT BMI PRESENTERS/ FACILITATORS

$1,200 + GST per person $1,400 + GST per person

PROF. GEOFFREY DICKSON Associate Professor of Sport Management at Latrobe University

DR DAVID SHILBURY Professor of Sport Management at Deakin University

BMI - FROM YOUR DESK As Dave Graney and the Coral Snakes song goes, “You wanna be there, but you don’t wanna travel.”

We’re getting more confidence with interstate travel, but we’re not quite there yet, so this BMI will most likely be the last one that will be virtual and live via Zoom.

So, if you are: • a GM or senior golf or club manager looking to develop your knowledge for your career – This is for you!

• already in the BMI program and haven’t undertaken BMI Club Management – This is for you!

You will logon and join it from home or your desk – but you must be in attendance and the content will lead to an exam.

• yet to commence a BMI program – This is for you!

This successful program was first offered in 2018 and saw 40 participants enter Australia’s first BMI program.

Each module is broken into sessions adapted to Australian conditions.

If you missed it the first time, here’s your chance.

• on a tight budget and you want to avoid travel costs – This is for you!

Sessions are delivered by people with expertise and we’ll be utilising the Zoom tools such as of break-out rooms.

RICHARD COMERFORD To deliver Financial Management and Cost Control

DANIEL SIMONS Manager of People and Culture, Golf Australia, to guide us through Employment Legalities and Issues

More presenter/facilitator announcements to come

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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GMA Education

The Magic Elixir Fellow Preachers, prime yourselves with ... The Message!

By GREGG PATTERSON

People here in Southern California are devotees of “good health.” They wax poetic about hot yoga, Zen retreats and vile tasting, gluten free, macro biotic, “certified organic,” kale based, “ugly as sin but guaranteed to purge your toxins” uber-fashionable blended libations.

Yet these Good Health Enthusiasts NEVER mention the good health virtues of GOLF and the “Magic Elixir” delivered with every swing on every hole at every club on every day. Fact is, these characters snicker, smile and chuckle at the very mention of golf as The Deliverer of long term, big picture, broad spectrum GOOD HEALTH and happiness.

And it makes me droopy and poopy knowing that we who BELIEVE aren’t standing on our soap boxes and preaching to the cynical and the dismissive about “The Healthy Why” of Golf, don’t upend their bowl of macro biotic gooey goop and smack ‘em in the noggin with The Truth about The Big Picture Health benefits of the golfing experience!!!

It goes without saying that I’m a BELIEVER in golf as a deliverer of physical, mental and emotional “good health.” I’m convinced - golf delivers “more vitamins per dollar” than the competition. I’m convinced - golf is the Magic Elixir we need to defeat The Maladies of Modernity.

We who believe need talking points to smack down the unbelievers, to bring The Good Health Message to the masses.

Fellow Preachers, prime yourselves with . .

The Message!

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www.golfmanagement.com.au

Golf Delivers - “What a Howl” Good Health People who laugh are healthier than people who don’t. Most players play golf laughably, and if they see their shortcomings as a hoot, with laughter as a “bonding opportunity” (as psychologists tell us it is!!!), they’ll be ingesting a huge dollop of “What a Howl” good health whenever they play.

Golf Delivers - “I Escaped the Madness” Good Health

Golf Delivers - “Back to Nature” Good Health There’s no air conditioned, de-humidified, designer certified gym anywhere that can re-create a “re-creational” experience one seventieth as glorious as that delivered by the great outdoors. Golf serves up “Back to Nature” good health, the sort of joyous, uplifting, transcendent experience that comes from breathing fresh air, smelling cut grass, soaking up the rain or wrastlin’ with gators.

Golf Delivers - “My Body Just Got a Workout” Good Health It’s a fact - walking eighteen holes is as good for Physical Good Health as running a five “K” race, rowing two miles or climbing El Capitan (almost!). Count the calories burned during a golf workout - yoga stretch at the starter’s desk, four hour bag carry, multi-mile walk, bunker crawls, stream crossings, yoga stretch when it’s over, “elbow workout” in the bar, hundred yard dash to the car (hmmm). Talk about a work out!

Talk about good health!

The world is filled with chaos. Traffic jams. Email. Voicemail. Snail mail. Bitches.

Moans. Break-downs. Golf is an escape - exiting the traffic, into the clubhouse, meet with friends, onto the fairway - “the world” evaporates. You’ve escaped and have discovered - golf is the antidote for the madness of modernity.

Golf Delivers - “I Love Spending Time with My Family” Good Health A healthy family plays together and stays together. Golf delivers Family Good Health when the kids walk the course with Mamma and Pappa, carry their clubs and eat their burgers and dogs - together! - in the clubhouse. Golf becomes the “common experience” shared by the entire family - and “shared experience” is the foundation of Family Good Health.

Golf Delivers - “Talk Time” Good Health Healthy people need relationships and community. Relationships and community are built on “talk time” with those relationships and that community. Golf delivers “talk time” opportunities and the social good health that talk time delivers “talk time” in the locker room, “talk time” on the first tee, “talk time” while playing,

“talk time” in the “debrief lounge”, “talk time” on the ride home, and “talk time” post-play over the phone, on the net, around the dinner table and near the water cooler at work. People who have good people to meet with and talk to, who have a “community of talkers” to engage with, are lots healthier than the “verbally challenged” but “digitally connected” of the world.

Golf Delivers - “Bump Into Others You Know” Good Health Loneliness is corrosive, a demon that infects and corrupts and turns good health into bad. People need people, people who they know and people who know them. Golf delivers “Bump into Others You Know” Good Health opportunities. Golf delivers serendipitous “meetings” with dozens of people - with the gardener who talks to you about weeds; with Front Desk Sue who gives you the “hello” and “what have you been up to”; with the retirees who sit around and moan about “the way it was”; with the pro in the pro shop; with members on the first tee; with the greens keeper who waves, the marshal who shouts and the waitress who serves you the burger. Lots of unplanned “bump into others” opportunities that deliver gobs of “Bump Into Others You Know” good health buzz.

Golf Delivers - “Connect and Reflect” Good Health People who reflect on what they’re

doing, did do or want to do are healthier than those who let the demons grow and fester, infecting their psyches, corrupting their good health. A round of golf delivers four hours of “reflective opportunity” with friends and family, with mentors and followers, with the educated and the successful. Connecting and reflecting with interesting people helps purge the detritus that litters our lives and infects our spirits.

Golf Delivers - “I’m In Control and Done Good” Good Health People who have “psychic good health” get things done - they start and finish projects, have control throughout, appreciate the complexity of what needs doing and find satisfaction in knowing that some of what was done was “done good.” Golf is hugely satisfying - and healthy - because the golfer’s entirely responsible for what gets done, for choosing the club, gripping the weapon and whacking the ball. They make “golf happen.”

And being “in control” in an “out of control” world is hugely healthy.

Golf Delivers - “We Teamed Up and Defeated the Enemy” Good Health In the face of a “common enemy,” people pull together and get healthier, win or lose, because they’re a TEAM, a tribe, out to spank the competition. Golf provides a foursome the opportunity to team up to defeat the golf course - and, win or lose, they FEEL GOOD, healthier, a band of brothers.

Golf Delivers - “I Just Love Doing This” Good Health For many who visit the gym, good health is WORK. Weights - ugh. Treadmill - ugh.

Push-ups - ugh. Healthy, yes - but there’s no “I just love doing this” expressed by the pushers and the pullers, the spinners and the grunters. Golf, by contrast, delivers The Whole Package - physical, mental and emotional - and the people who play, SMILE!!! They laugh. They glow. They feel The Buzz. And whenever you do something you LOVE, good health happens.

Get Thee to the Golf Course Good health is the foundation of The Good Life. Without Good Health you’ll be an underperforming boobie, fated to make less, enjoy less, absorb less, enlarge less and enrich less than the character who’s got The Goods.

Modernity gives us lots of ways of climbing the good health mountain. The gym. Ugh. The macro-biotic juice bar. Ugh. The grapefruit diet. Ugh. Golf delivers Broad Spectrum Good Health - efficiently. Golf is “The Drug of Choice,” the “Magic Elixir” for curing what ails us.

So, if you know someone who’s looking for a single “Good Health Investment,” whack ‘em in the side of the head and deliver The Message about the virtues of GOLF. Go golfing. Get healthy. Feel the glow.

Spread the word.

And enjoy the journey - - - - –

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Sarah Fagan Working alongside Steve is Gourmet Traveller Young Winemaker of the Year award winner Sarah Fagan. Sarah’s been a winemaker at De Bortoli Wines since 2005.

Growing up on a farm in New South Wales with a growing attraction to vineyards and winemaking Sarah enrolled in a Wine Science degree at Charles Sturt University.

While completing her degree she applied for a three-month job at De Bortoli.

She never left.

Chief Winemaker Steve Webber saw in Sarah someone who was “imaginative with great attention to detail and a very good palate” and had her join the winemaking team. Sarah’s proudest winemaking moment was when the 2010 PHI Pinot Noir won the Len Evans Memorial Trophy for Champion Wine of Show at the National Wine Show of Australia.

From humble beginnings to world class Pinot Noir The De Bortoli Wines story began in 1928 when Vittorio De Bortoli purchased a fruit farm in Bilbul NSW. Today De Bortoli Wines have grown to become one of the leaders in Australian Wine...

R

emaining family owned and operated to this day, De Bortoli Wines believe wine should have varietal detail and be a reflection of site and season. It is this belief that has led the De Bortoli family to become a leading Pinot Noir producer in Australia and acquiring a number of vineyards in Australia’s top Pinot Noir region; the Yarra Valley.

The Yarra Valley is one of Australia's premier cool climate wine regions.

Located approximately 50 km north-east of Melbourne near the towns of Yarra Glen and Healesville, the Yarra Valley is recognised for producing some of the finest Pinot Noir in Australia.

The De Bortoli family cultivate three unique vineyard estates in parts of the Yarra Valley region. The Winery Vineyard at Dixons Creek, which is home to the winery, Cellar Door and Locale Restaurant, is in the Northern section of the Yarra Valley. The Abbey Vineyard at Tarrawarra is in the centre of the region and Lusatia Park Vineyard at Woori Yallock in the upper reaches of the Yarra River, each vineyard brings unique qualities to the wines produced.

Steve Webber Quality Winemakers and Viticulturists are essential to the De Bortoli philosophy.

Steve Webber is Chief Winemaker at De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley Estate.

Steve instantly fell for the region, loving “the beauty, the climate, the seasons, the proximity to Melbourne”. Always a straight talker he says “great wine is rare, it is textural, charming, tastes of place, has poise and elegance.”

Steve has won several major awards including Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year in 2007 and the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 1997. Over the last 25 years, he has been a Wine-show judge and was instrumental in some of the recent changes to the Melbourne Wine Show.

Rob Sutherland What good are great Winemakers without great grapes? This is where Viticulturist and Vineyard Manager Rob Sutherland comes in. Rob was like a lucky inheritance.

When De Bortoli Wines purchased the Yarra Valley vineyard in 2005, Rob had been managing the property for a year and he agreed when the family asked him to stay on as Manager, to this day he continues to manage the 240 hectare estate. If there’s a downside for Rob about his job, it’s that the timing of vintage each year prevents him from getting to Augusta, Georgia, to watch the Masters Golf Major in the first week of April. He’s something of a golf fanatic, playing a couple of times a week and naming a hole-in-one at the famed Escena Golf Club in Palm Springs as one of his life’s great achievements.

It is the combination of great grapes, great winemaking and great passion which allows De Bortoli Wines to produce a number of highly regarded and award winning Pinot Noirs from the Yarra Valley.

De Bortoli’s Riorret Lusatia Park Pinot Noir boasts the highest scoring Australian wine at the UK’s prestigious Global Pinot Noir Masters in addition to a number of awards including the coveted National Wine Show Of Australia, Pinot Noir Trophy.

With the Pinot Noir category growing year on year, there is sure to be a Pinot out there to suit every palate.

Words by Gemma Bouwmeester, De Bortoli Wines

AS AUTUMN APPROACHES,

De Bortoli has a Pinot Noir

FOR EVERY WINE LIST...

Riorret

The Estate Viney ard

Regional Reserve

Lusatia

Vinoque

e

La Boheme Interlud

Phi

PINO T NO IR Pinot Noir is the #3 biggest selling red wine varietal, accounting for 12.3% of total red wine sold in the Australian liquor market.

Pinot Noir priced between $10-$15 is driving the segment growth, experiencing 28% vs LY, however we are also seeing strong growth across +$15 Pinot’s.

The $20-$25 segment actually accounts for the largest volume of Pinot sold, making up 25% of the entire bottled Pinot market.

Source: IRi Australia Liquor Weighted MAT to 31/05/20

GMA Education

How is it best to develop the motivations and capabilities of employees in your club?

As a world leading authority on motivational leadership, Mark Oliver explains how to use different approaches for developing motivations (which can be thought of to do with the “heart”) and developing capabilities (which can be thought of to do with the “head”).

Developing Capabilities.

If we take the second area first.

Capabilities can be split into knowledge (such as learning how to use Excel spreadsheeting) and behavioural (such as developing leadership skills). Behavioural capabilities are usually more difficult to develop than knowledge based ones, and it is generally best to use both formal interventions (such as courses) and informal ones (such as learning on the job or work projects) to get the greatest development in either case. If seeking outside assistance it is important to go to training such as GMA’s BMI or consultancy organisations that have a very good understanding on human nature and learning, and that use instruments and processes which are validated.

important time to look at this is when selecting individuals and it is wise to use good psychometric instruments to help increase the accuracy of your decisions, such as The Universal Hierarchy of Motivation Professional Report, especially as they are so cost effective.

External Factors.

A key external factor is the systems and structure of the organisation. But to understand how human motivation is affected by these is often hard to predict.

Consider the real-life example of a day-care centre that encountered tardy parents at closing time each day. This situation led to anxious children and frustrated carers. A solution put in place by ten day-care centres in Haifa, Israel, was to fine parents three Developing Motivation. dollars for those who were more The discussion on developing than ten minutes late. Rather If you do not have the motivation motivations is necessarily more surprisingly, this solution had the then your capability becomes largely involved than the one on capability. opposite effect because the number This may be surprising, as at of late parents more than doubled irrelevant. first sight capability seems after the fine was introduced. more important to success than It turned out that the guilt the motivation! But look more deeply and nothing, and no one else, can motivate parents felt in being late was motivating you realise that motivation is much more anyone. The performance coach, Denis them to be on time, but now the payment of important than capability in the wider Waitley, highlighted; a small fine assuaged these feelings and they context of both professional and personal “Everything an individual does, whether were less motivated to be punctual. Can you life. In short this is because: positive or negative, intentional or identify any scenarios in your golf club that 1. Motivation determines what you do, in unintentional, is the result of motivation. could be having a similar effect? many ways it determines the path you take at Everyone is self-motivated. For too long…it A good model on human motivation is work (and in life). has been wrongly assumed that motivation is so helpful because it helps you to better 2. If you do not have the motivation then extraneous (externally driven).” predict what the actual outcomes will be. your capability becomes largely irrelevant.

But things can help someone be motivated The Universal Hierarchy of Motivation Not surprisingly then, motivation precedes and we can divide these into internal and (UHM) provides the basis for a complete capability and often underlies capability. external factors. understanding of human motivation so that Given this, another question becomes you can accurately predict what behaviours very important: what can we do to increase Internal Factors. will result from system or structural motivation? To answer this it is important The internal factors include a person’s changes. to realise that, perhaps surprisingly again personality (values and beliefs etc.) An The model is shown following.

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GMA Education UHM LEVEL

UHM DRIVE

7

Meaning

6

Wisdom

5

Courage

4

Compassion

3

Power

2

Pleasure

1

Survival

FOCUS

Focus on Others

Focus on Self

In this motivational model the higher the motivation the more impactful the drive.

Superficially this model appears similar to needs based models such as Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs but it is fundamentally different in the way it works. Also it is better to deal at the level of motivation in the psyche rather than needs because needs are too deep to do much about and further away from actual behaviour. So let’s apply it to the day-centre example above. The reason they got this “surprising” behaviour from parents is that money is typically a Level one motivator whereas guilt is usually Level two or three. So the guilt was a stronger motivator to be on time and payment of a fine assuaged the guilt so only the lower motivation of money was driving parents to be punctual.

Intrinsic Motivation.

Edward Deci, an American psychologist1, observed that tangible rewards inevitably reduce the intrinsic motivation of individuals. He stated, “The facts are absolutely clear, there is no question that in virtually all circumstances in which people are doing things in order to get rewards, external tangible rewards undermine intrinsic motivation.”2 This includes the “bonus myth”. There is a lot of research that external rewards in the form of bonuses often do not improve productivity or results, and can lead to an individual focussing on trying to get a bonus even when it is at odds with what is best for the organisation.3 The UHM helps you to understand human motivation comprehensively and so make the most accurate predictions on what people’s motivation (and hence resulting behaviour) will be given a set of system or structural changes. Remembering that the higher UHM level we are at then the more impact we have on our own and others’ lives.

The UHM levels are shown in the table below correlated with the relevant intrinsic motivator and extrinsic behaviour.

How much an employee is “engaged” (feels an emotional bond) to the organisation has been shown in many studies across industries to have a direct correlation with productivity. International studies have found that employees who were fully engaged in their work, were almost fifty per cent more productive in terms of revenue generation and three hundred per cent better at delivering value than their disengaged (disaffected) colleagues. The “extrinsic behaviours” in the table below correspond to increasing levels of positive engagement, going up the table and starting with the lowest one: satisfaction at work.

in your organisation which achieves this, only then is it worth investing time and money in training your employees. If you do it the other way around the risk is that not only will the employees not use the new skills they acquired from their training but also they are more likely to leave the organisation, which means someone else is likely to get all the investment you have made in them!

Notes: 1 Psychologist at the University of Rochester in New York State.

2 See Psychological Bulletin, Vol 125, pg 627.

3 SeeThe Bonus Myth, New Scientist 9 April 2011: pp 40-43.

Conclusion.

So to get the best performance (or combination of people’s motivation and capability) from those employees you currently have in your club, it is critical that you provide the structures and systems which will help to motivate them at the higher levels. To be able to understand and predict what this is you have to have a very good model or framework describing human motivation.

Once you have set up the environment

UHM LEVEL

Mark presented on Emotional Intelligence at BMI GM/CEO in November 2020.

MARK OLIVER Managing Director and CEO of MarkTwo Consulting BA (Hons), M.Eng MA (Cantab) FAHRI ILPF www.MarkTwoConsulting.com

UHM DRIVE

INTRINSIC MOTIVATOR

EXTRINSIC BEHAVIOUR

7

Meaning

Optimism

Grace (courteous good will)

6

Wisdom

Listening (for understanding)

Feedback (not criticism)

5

Courage

Empathy

Accountability

4

Compassion

Sympathy

Cooperation

3

Power

Praise (genuine)

Commitment

2

Pleasure

Humour

Involvement

1

Survival

Belief

Satisfaction

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Golf Retail: Plan Ahead for Success Golf retail has changed dramatically over the past 12 months, with a significant increase in golfer numbers, leading to an increased demand for golf product.

The global supply chain has also changed significantly over this period which has presented challenges for both wholesalers and retailers.

One person who has lived and breathed this over the last 12 months is Dan Harrap, the general manager of Australia’s largest golf distribution company, Walkinshaw Sports.

In this exclusive interview, Dan speaks to GMA about the resulting trends and the advice he has to help your retail business.

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How long have you been at Walkinshaw, and where were you previous to this role?

Under Armour seems to have grown hugely in the golf retail space in recent years. What led to that growth?

I have been with Walkinshaw Sports for five years and, prior to that, I was the managing director at a creative product agency called Upstairs Yellow for nine years.

I have held other varied management roles across 20 years in brand management and product distribution.

We launched the Under Armour golf brand into the Australian market very successfully in 2018, with a commitment to our four pillars - produce and promote great products, deliver what we say, build a great team, and deliver great service.

Since the launch of the brand, we have grown quickly and now hold a strong presence at golf courses (300+ accounts) by using good range architecture and a product mix suitable for our market conditions, strong in-store support and great commercial returns.

By having a trade focus and working specifically, account by account, to offer a set of commercials that helped get immediate retail brand awareness in the golf space, ensured we set the brand up to succeed for our retail partners.

With brand awareness growing year on year and a commitment to golf authenticity in everything we do, the industry and golf consumers have embraced the strength of the products and the reasons that they engage with the brand - ‘UA makes you better.’

Under Armour golf is a significant player and market leader in the Australian market and we are only just getting started.

What was it about Walkinshaw Sports that appealed to you?

The company I previously co-owned was a supplier to the Walkinshaw Group, so I had an insight into the organisation and values, with one major appeal being the scale the group brings and the growth potential of the Sports division.

What changes have you made to the business since you began at Walkinshaw Sports?

I re-focussed the team to concentrate on efficiency of product delivery to improve our relationship with our retail partners, coupled with the basic principles of distribution and overall detailed customer service - ‘Deliver what we say we will.’ With that new structure in place, I then set about targeting new brands to the portfolio that would drive growth and stability in the marketplace and take the business forward.

Under Armour, Clicgear and Motocaddy are examples of new brands that we have recently added to our business.

Industry Advice How has the industry and business changed since COVID-19 hit last March?

The impact of the pandemic, as the playing numbers have shown globally, suggests it has been a positive for the game across all associated sectors and in Australia.

Specifically, to our business, it has presented us with a significant growth opportunity to meet demand across our brand portfolio.

We have a leading pushcart and package set business and these two categories alone have seen significant gains as more people are walking and entering the game.

To meet demand, we have taken a forward plan mindset with our retail partners to capitalise on the new market demands by securing product - purchase now for later, or you will miss out. This has worked well for both sides.

The growth globally has put large pressure on the ability to get production space and supply on time, as the golf manufacturing sector had not planned for such increases across the board. Some might say there has never been a time quite like this in golf product distribution.

What has been the direct impact on Walkinshaw Sports and how you do business?

One clear definable impact has been, quite simply, that we had to change the way we communicate and sell to our distribution network and then, how we move boxes into the country and then out to the trade.

The entire process had to change quickly, because of the level of forward orders and, more specifically, the continued shipping disruptions, finance modelling to meet purchasing demand, and then realigning the business resource to cope and execute – you might say it’s a good problem to have!

What trends are you seeing in the wholesale golf market?

With new player demand at an all time high, we are seeing golf club entry level package sets having a genuine resurgence in demand, along with our #1 market leading pushcart brand, Clicgear, and our leading electric cart brand, Motocaddy.

These areas have taken off in recent times as players are either starting back playing again or re-entering the game, and in general, need new equipment, so these categories have benefited enormously.

Practice accessories have also been strong

and continue to trend that way, and as previously mentioned in wholesale golf distribution, just about every category is finding a home and the appetite is strong.

Have golf clubs and golf retailers adapted to the new market conditions?

Some have adapted very well while others are still reluctant to plan too far ahead. Traditionally, pro shops have been able to order what they need when they need, but the current global supply chain issues and market demand dictates that retailers need to forward plan to have stock available to sell.

Those that have done this have a clear advantage over those that haven’t as they can capture the sales rather than the consumer needing to shop elsewhere.

You see the really good retail operators at the club level. What can a GM learn from these operators about bringing out the retail potential of their golf facility?

It starts with the right skill set or coaching the skill set, and with clear commercial P/L return goals set by the GM against historical performance to see where it can be taken.

Good retail operators focus on realising what a difference it can make to use sales data and to really understand what is driving the return from your retail space.

Good retailers in the golf space also promote the advantages of buying directly from the club and, rather than just a display section in the store, it becomes a place members and players will happily engage with and buy if the product mix is right.

It is about asking and listening to the members and players, looking at what they are wearing and what equipment they are using and asking for, and chasing a one-stop shop in these product categories where you can do more with less with an efficient and reliable service and supply.

We have seen repeatedly that it is a steep learning curve when taking the pro shop in-house, so as a market leading wholesaler,

we would like to see more of a role in talking with GMs to plan for success and to help them realise what a good retail space can do for the club and the P/L. Having more direct meetings with GMs and sales representatives to explore the options and potential of their retail space and how we can help them with supply is one way, and to encourage them to push and ask for what works and what doesn’t - we service all channels so we have this knowledge.

To take advantage of the current opportunity, what advice do you have for golf clubs and Managers?

Strong retailers have invested in product, planned ahead and therefore have been able to turn demand into increased retail revenue and profit. Take the time to forecast and invest in your retail offering and do so with confidence.

If demand drops, there will always be avenues to sell your stock, so the risk is minimal.

You can’t make 40-50% return from the bank, but you can from your retail space by working closely with good wholesale partners and promoting to your members and the playing public.

For more information on Walkinshaw Sports’ product and service range, visit their website: www.wsports.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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RECENT PROJECTS INCLUDE: NSW Golf Club Cronulla Golf Club Lake Karrinyup Country Club Terry Hills Golf & Country Club Royal Sydney Golf Club

Elanora Country Club Commonwealth Golf Club The Lakes Golf Club Strathfield Golf Club

Find out more: www.transform.com.au 34

www.golfmanagement.com.au

Industry Advice

Whether you’re a contracted or staff pro club, have a think about your identity?

Given the area of the industry that we service, this piece is based on our experiences in meeting with clubs and general managers and undertaking multiple successful golf shop refreshes and new fitouts over the past 5 years.

With most clubs benefiting from the COVID forced member influx, clubs are experiencing huge round volumes and are looking more critically at how they operate their golf shop services. They are also considering how they might provide a better offer to their members through a golf shop refit or refresh.

With the greatest opposition to golf clubs being the golf retailers like Power Golf and Drummond, many clubs need to review their identity.

If your club has had a contracted pro for a period of time, then it’s likely that your golf shop has slowly but surely become big brand dominated with logos, graphics and visuals on most walls of the shop. This is natural given the contracted pro spends as little as possible on fitout as his/her tenure may not be long term. That’s where the big brands get a look in by offering fitout with branded stands. Whilst this is free and creates theatre, it does become more about the brand and less about the club.

In this environment, the shop resembles the very competition the club is trying to avoid, the Golf Retailer. The shop loses its club identity.

It’s not always the case, but if the club stands clear, the contractor controls the environment.

On the other hand, if your golf shop is run by club staff, the club can quieten the big brand influence by allocating areas to the brands and managing the brand ID in order to manage and maintain the club’s own identity.

Whilst these two models dominate

the golf club scene nationally, there is a growing trend towards the club run model. We know of one Sydney club that has challenged the norm and has created a hybrid version. How different is that?

When two businesses come together with a common goal they can work wonders with outside the box thinking. Imagine the club, always with a bigger budget than the contracted pro, striking a deal whereby they assist the pro by providing the entire fitout. This enables the club to control the branding process with specific parameters around maintaining the club’s identity yet sharing the spoils of good trade within the shop.

Contracts all have expiry dates and a number of practical considerations.

However, rather than restricting investment in one of the biggest income centres of the club, the club could provide a turn-key fitout, suitably but carefully partnering with the pro and the brands but importantly, maintaining its own identity. The entire fitout is owned by the club and in a way, leased to the contracted pro for a specific period with wear and tear acknowledgments.

There are many nuts and bolts in a contracted deal and these components can be resolved with prudent negotiations. The modern golf and retail world we live in now is so different to the one that existed when many of the old contracted pro contracts were signed.

Looking good is not everything. You must have the right stock lines, an efficient layout and well trained staff, but if your shop is tired and showing signs of laziness, then the merchandise will also look tired whether you have the latest golf merchandise or not, and this will be evident in lower trade.

So, whether you have a contracted pro or a club run golf shop, have a think about your identity. There has to be something in it for everyone or the big guns will take over and your pro shop will be compared to the big retailers rather than an entity aligned to the club. The latter will connect the members and thereby potentially reduce the instances of price comparison.

Don’t let your members miss out. Inspire their loyalty and make it a shopping experience by ensuring the club’s identity is maintained in your golf shop.

Ross Haron (Golf Shop Design Specialist) and Sonia Kirkman (Golf Retail Specialist) operate Transform Golf Shop Specialists - dedicated to strategic improvement projects in golf retail.

Ross: Sonya:

rh@transform.com.au sk@transform.com.au

For more information, visit their website: www.transform.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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CONTACT: NSW/ACT SALES QLD/NT SALES VIC SALES WA SALES SA SALES

36

David Andrews David Ross Marc Wilson Gary Powell Brett Crosby

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p: 0404 871 479 p: 0439 612 458 p: 0419 107 143 p: 0439 350 363 p: 0403 323 198

e: david.andrews@insidegolf.com.au e: david.ross@insidegolf.com.au e: marc@insidegolf.com.au e: gary@insidegolf.com.au e: brett@insidegolf.com.au

Industry Advice

Cyber-Attacks: Are you prepared?

In the past, Cyber insurance had not been an issue that was widely discussed and in some cases, not even considered. With cyber incidents increasing rapidly worldwide, it is imperative that Golf Clubs are prepared in case of an attack.

What is a cyber-attack?

A cyber-attack is an assault launched by cybercriminals using one or more computers against a single or multiple computers or networks. A cyber-attack can maliciously disable computers, steal data or use a breached computer as a launch point for other attacks.

Professor Craig Valli (Professor of Digital Forensics at Edith Cowan University) says, "what we are experiencing is the three Ds of cyber-crime. Cyber criminals are attempting to Disrupt, Deny and Destroy our systems.

"As Australians we have to wake up to the fact that this is happening every day and it's like manure. Sometimes the only thing that varies is the depth and the stench."

(Reported online as supplied by ECU)

Who is at risk?

We all are. Cyber risk is one of the leading risks for Australian small to mid-sized

businesses. Companies employing between 1-250 people are the most at risk.

The average cost of a cyber incident in Australia is in excess of $250,000, so it is imperative you protect your business from these emerging risks. Australian golf clubs have already been affected.

What is covered?

• Loss or damage to your IT system, data and records; • Business Interruption, Social Engineering, Computer Fraud; • Brand or Reputation damage; • Claims against the club for a privacy breach and cost of fines and penalties incurred; • Claims against the club for loss of personal or employee records; • Costs of mediating and negotiating in the case of an extortion attempt; • Defence and investigation costs, and more.

24/7 Response Most policies include a 24/7 response once notified of an incident.

Once notified, the Insurer moves quickly to assist the club as every minute counts.

This could include forensic investigators, lawyers, public relation experts and credit monitoring specialists.

Does your club have cyber?

It is recommended that clubs place Cyber high on the agenda for discussion as the incidents of Cyber will only grow over time.

Protect yourself now!

For a Cyber quote, please contact Nexus Golf Insurance, proud partner of Golf Management Australia.

For mor information, visit their website: www.nexusgolfinsurance.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Golf Australia News

Golf's summer boom

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Image: Seven Network (7plus.com

Figures recently released by Golf Australia show that handicap rounds of golf played leapt by 12 percent in the 2020-21 summer months compared to the previous summer’s figures.

The figures are tracked by GA using data from its national computerised GOLF Link handicap service over December 2020 and January-February 2021. They do not include casual, non-handicapped golf, which also has seen big rises in playing numbers.

There were 2.89 million rounds played in summer 2020-21 compared to 2.58 million rounds in the previous summer.

Encouragingly for golf, the biggest advances came in lower age groups.

The 10-14 years age bracket jumped 30.2 percent, the 20-24 years group leapt by 54.5 percent and the 25-29 years group rose by 49.8 percent over the summer months.

Of the states, New South Wales recorded the highest increase at 22.6 percent over the three-month period. Queensland was next with a 20.8 percent increase.

New South Wales and Queensland recorded the biggest jumps in rounds played by women at a whopping 25 percent higher than last summer.

Handicap rounds of golf were up by three percent in calendar year 2020, despite golf courses being closed in one of the most popular golf states, Victoria, for much of the winter.

Nationally there were 11.06 million competition rounds played compared to 10.73 million in 2019.

The numbers are at levels never previously experienced in the 10 years the GOLF Link service has delivered comprehensive reach across Australia’s affiliated clubs.

Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland said that while the past 12 months had seen a clear surge in golf participation, the game had been presented with a significant opportunity for further growth.

Club membership figures for 2020 have not been released but to the end of October

.au)

Australian golf is riding a new wave of popularity with huge participation rises recorded over the summer.

“

Holey Moley has inspired huge num bers of kids and younger adults to get a club in the ir hands and to give golf a go. That’s really excitin g for anyone who loves our game.”

2020, more than 42,000 new members had joined clubs around Australia, indicating a strong increase in the annual figure is on the cards.

Website traffic at golf.org.au has risen, too.

During the seven main weeks of summer (15 December to 31 January), the website saw an 11 percent lift in users compared with the same period in 2019-20, and a 16 percent increase in new users.

Channel Seven’s mini-golf reality show, Holey Moley, won the ratings battle with 983,000 viewers on its opening night last month, and was a spectacular success in an environment where golf is looking for new entry points for players.

“We expected families and kids to embrace Holey Moley, but the public reaction went well beyond our expectations,” said Sutherland. “From the feedback I’ve seen come out of many mini golf facilities around Australia, Holey Moley has inspired huge numbers of kids and younger adults to get a club in their hands and to give golf a go.

That’s really exciting for anyone who loves our game.”

Overseas, the situation is similar, with golf experiencing a worldwide boom.

In the United States, total rounds of golf played in 2020 were up 13.9 percent over 2019, according to Golf Datatech, which

describes this as a record increase.

The previous-best number was a 5.7 percent surge in rounds in 2012, with Golf Datatech providing the figures since 1998.

In New Zealand, huge rises have been reported in rounds played through the latter part of 2020, as high as 39 percent up in September.

“Golf is being seen for exactly what it is: a safe, outdoor, healthy and sociable way to spend time,” said Sutherland.

“Every bit of data that we’ve collected since the beginning of last year has reinforced what we’ve seen and heard anecdotally – that golf clubs and facilities were thriving again.

“Our job is to ensure these increases are a part of a long-term trend, and are not just a temporary spike. We are about continuing to build on the ground that has been made.”

Sutherland said participation programs such as Get Into Golf, the MyGolf junior clinics and Vision 2025, the women’s participation strategy, had all made an impact at grass roots level.

“Golf delivers significant physical and mental health benefits to its participants, which has been particularly valuable over the past 12 months. It’s the perfect game for social distancing.

“It’s a game for everyone, and it’s a game for life.”

Golf Australia News

Beginner program hits sweet spot As positivity spreads through the golf industry in light of the recent membership boom, it’s important that we don’t forget some of the other entry points to our game.

While increased membership levels are great news for all clubs and facilities, we must also remember the need - and desire - for an offering a few steps below membership level to ensure a pathway for all.

For a new participant to the game, a golf membership is not something they are going to rush into immediately. Their driver excuse the pun - is likely to be simply to get out and learn how to navigate the golf course, or an experience that will teach them how to play.

The appetite for this experience is large - and we only need look at the numbers coming through the introductory Get Into Golf program as clear evidence.

In an opportune time in July 2020, the Get Into Golf program was launched to help connect new participants with their local golf facility and its introductory adult program offering.

It’s the bridge for anyone who has ever

expressed interest in starting golf but found a pathway to that goal a little unclear.

The response from golf clubs and facilities across the country to this new program has been extremely positive.

Golf Australia has had 236 facilities register to deliver this program so far with more than 584 programs already delivered and more than 2,770 participants involved.

We have also seen an overwhelming response in the take-up of the Get Into Golf women’s program, with the majority of new registrations coming through these programs.

“With around 85 per cent of Get Into Golf participants being women, it’s reassuring that the Get Into Golf environment of small groups with other women is providing participants with a comfortable and attractive first step into our game,” GA products manager Jayden Zeinstra said.

“The Get Into Golf program is the

platform we need to help spread all the great work that is happening throughout our facilities. It is this connection we need to make to ensure anyone - and everyone - has access to our great game.

“By giving everyone greater access, we have an opportunity to shape how they engage with the sport for many years.

“So while we can all hope for this current golf boom to continue, we must also look to the future to ensure constant growth.”

Visit the GET INTO GOLF homepage if you are interested to learn more or get involved.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Golf Australia News

How golf can make its mark How do we get more people playing (and enjoying) the game of golf?

Respected journalist, and Golf Australia’s Media Senior Manager, Mark Hayes, shares some of his thoughts on ways of attracting and retaining beginners in golf.

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There’s a streak of fatalist in me, for sure.

But I also believe there are plenty of often simple things we can do better that are in our control, so I can’t commit to being a fully fledged member of the Fate Party.

And one of those is golf, particularly for newcomers.

I was contemplating writing a story based loosely on all the good things that are happening around golf at the moment, but was unsure what path to take.

And that’s when fate intervened.

I’d recently been to the Sandy Golf Links to check out the newly remodelled layout that I’ve heard people raving about.

One of the things that struck me when I walked towards the first tee was the two sets of markers - and neither of them red, white or blue.

Orange and purple were the order of the day, which initially conjured a perception of gimmickry - but only until I went back inside the shed masquerading as a pro shop and picked up the course cards.

I’d heard co-designer Geoff Ogilvy speak about how the course had been shaped to give all players a taste of “Sandbelt golf ”, but not in a challenging way that would deter patronage enjoyment.

That it would - generally - be “wide off the tee”, reward good shots around the green and promote fun. The course guidelines even encourage players to throw the ball from bunkers if they’re too daunting!

So back to the markers …

The purple and orange do not represent a gender, as has been the historical case around the golfing world. They represent a starting point on each hole for those who hit the ball different distances. The shorter orange ones give handy head starts and create a course that plays at approximately 4200m, a solid 2.5km shorter than Royal Melbourne - in men’s tournament mode just over the fence.

Flash forward to this week and, as I’d been contemplating precisely why I kept those cards, I read Adam Scott’s transcript

Golf Australia News

of the challenges involved in setting up the Bonnie Doon course in Sydney for the recent TPS event run jointly by her tour and the PGA of Australia.

This, admittedly, remains a relatively new area for an events team that is arguably the world’s best, particularly given the forward-thinking nature of many “co-ed” tournaments in Australia. But it was, Lunn said, an area that needed ongoing thought to ensure true, skills-based equity at future TPS tournaments.

Nicholls’ well-researched article went on to speak not only of the elite end of the women’s golfing pool, but all the way to shallow end where beginners routinely play needlessly long, arduous and discouraging rounds because they’d been hamstrung by the dreaded “red markers” of yesteryear.

And if you think back to the last time you tried to introduce a newcomer to the game, you’ll know this is true.

want to come back and play again? And why haven’t we thought of all this long, long ago?

Steve Brodie, the outstanding PGA professional at my home club Curlewis, has spoken with me of his ideal scenario several times.

He thinks we should have a series of tees from the back plates (the “Tiger tees”) right through to those for beginners. Tee markers are enough; you don’t need elaborately mown “boxes” at each point.

Brodie’s belief applies as much to improving juniors as it does to raw beginners. The principle, he says, is to get all players used to scoring how the world’s best do it, with paand birdies.

As players graduate from the front, let’s say pink, markers, they move back to yellow and so on, all the way back to blue and black - without actually feeling black and blue to start with.

Aside from the obvious benefits of

As players graduate from the front, let’s say pink, markers, they move back to yellow and so on, all the way back to blue and black – without actually feeling black and blue to start with.

from his press conference before the Honda Classic on the PGA Tour.

He spoke of “fun” repeatedly as a mechanism for him to withstand the doubtless wicked challenge that the waterriddled PGA National would throw at the world’s best players.

“It is a different kind of fun, but it's that fun challenge, so I might try and think about that the next 24, 48 hours and have some fun come Thursday,” Scott mused.

And then fate hit top gear.

I immediately stumbled on to a tweet proferred by WPGA Tour boss Karen Lunn, a champion player in her own right and staunch campaigner for equality in golf.

She gave her support for the theory espoused by Beth Ann Nicholls in her article on the Golfweek website that essentially said women’s golf was being badly held back by course set-ups that were, fundamentally, too long.

Just one week earlier, Lunn appeared on our Inside The Ropes podcast and spoke

Many can make meaningful connections with frying-pan faced drivers, some can relatively quickly use the loft of wedges to ensure they get that exhilarating feeling of watching that little ball sail towards the horizon, even if only 25m at a time.

But can you even vaguely recall watching a newcomer reach for a 4-iron and have it soar majestically at that magical 25-degree launch angle in a couple of blows?

No, I’m pretty sure you can’t. Almost certain, in fact.

Yet, remarkably, when these newcomers somehow gain the inner confidence required to break down the barriers and go to a course for their first “real hit”, they’re the shots traditional set-ups ask them to play.

Instead of making par-4s 150m for a beginner who can hit a driver and then a 9-iron somewhere near the green, we send them 350m back and then watch them cringe as they run out of lead in their scoring pencil after five holes.

Ask yourself: Where’s the fun in that?

What’s more likely to make that person

encouraging fun through better scores, guess what else it would do, immediately and without any doubt? Make play faster! Which means more groups on course, which means more money for clubs and more players in clubhouses where more ripping yarns about great scores will be told.

And what’s more, provided those various tee markers have been formally “rated” as part of the World Handicapping System, they’ll actually enable all players on the course to be in the same competition on that given day.

But competitions are the least of our concerns.

As has been the thrust of recent developments, it’s far more imperative that we continue to find ways to open up our sport to the next generation - regardless of their age, gender or ability.

Ahhh, fate.

I knew I picked up those cards for a reason.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Golf Australia News

New parents: does golf do enough?

Does golf do enough to retain young, time-poor parents as club members? Golf Australia’s Martin Blake asks and investigates that very question.

It’s a question that has been asked for many years. To this point, there’s no clear evidence of an answer.

But after the recent International Women’s Week, it’s worth asking again.

Chyloe Kurdas, Golf Australia’s female engagement senior manager, certainly is posing that question. She knows that golf loses players in the 25-40 age group for family reasons, and in a familiar pattern.

It goes like this. A young woman or man enjoys golf, joins a club, meets a partner, has children and the time she/he had to play shrinks. The children go to school, then begin their own sports and activities, with parents reverting to a quasi-Uber service at weekends.

Golf suddenly seems time-consuming and expensive. Many of them never come back to golf. This is one of the reasons that the average age of the club member in Australia is so high - 54.7 for men and 63.9 for women.

But Kurdas, who drives GA’s Vision 2025 female engagement strategy, refuses to accept this as inevitable bleeding. She insists that golf needs to change to cater for young families and stop the problem.

“The question is, do we have to lose them at all?” she said this week. “Retention is much easier and cheaper than developing new members. In fact, we know that. If you’ve got members already, do we have to lose them simply because they are creating a family?

“The other question is: if we do lose them, why - culturally - are we okay with this? Some of them will come back, some won’t get back. For me, it’s a business case.

What figure do you put on the years of membership revenue lost by not tailoring our golf offerings to suit the evolving needs of new families?

“Who would those lost people have brought to the game as new members had they stayed engaged. What’s the missed opportunity of clubs looking to convert their children into golfers? Do those

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children become footballers or cricketers or netballers or basketballers because golf ’s not in their lives and golf didn’t make a place for their parents when they became parents?”

Out in club land, they have been watching this phenomenon for decades. Paul Vardy, who’s worked at several big clubs and now is chief executive of Golf Management Australia, says clubs come to expect the drop-off. “Ultimately, it’s about time,” he said.

But Vardy admits that clubs should not accept defeat on this point. He says that they should be amenable to change. “Where do those people go? They loved golf 10 years ago. They still love golf. But golf doesn’t offer them a product that they can fit in their lives,” he said.

“It’s a good discussion. In the end, it goes to our efforts to diversify our sport and to make it more appealing to women. We’ve got women who leave the sport around that age.

Maybe we aren’t doing enough.”

As for Stacey Peters, she’s about to enter the phase of her life where golf becomes less of a priority. She’s one of the people we’re talking about; along with her husband Darren Peters, who’s also a fine golfer.

Peters, 34, former touring professional, two-time Ladies European Tour winner and currently Golf Australia’s female engagement manager, is pregnant and having her first child in May. She’s already applied to her club, Victoria, to transfer her status to ‘non-playing member’, as many people do when they have children. It’s the most common way of dealing with the problem, and it comes with a significant reduction in fees, although it’s imperfect. At some clubs, for instance, you can only do it once.

In Peters’ case, Victoria has granted her wish and she can return later. But it did make her think about the question.

“We’re probably a good example of this, because we are both going to be wanting to get back to golf,” she said. “My husband and

I spend a lot of time at the golf club, whether it’s playing nine holes, playing a full round, just practising or hanging out or I might go down and walk with ‘Daz’.

“I think that golf clubs should look at having a creche, like the gyms do. As a game we don’t necessarily do it that well.

And then we wonder why we lose the 25 to 40-year-old women from the game! It’s not rocket science. I think that would be a great option.”

A creche? Now there’s an idea. To Golf Australia’s knowledge, the only golf club in Australia that boasts any sort of childminding facility is Royal Sydney, and that’s part of a broader entertainment complex that includes a gym, a pool, tennis, bowls, squash and croquet - akin to a country club.

Serrin Bertino thinks that would be great, and she is another case in point. Also a Golf Australia employee - she’s a female participation coordinator -- and a mother of two infant boys - Bertino is a lifelong golf devotee who scarcely gets on the course anymore because she is time poor.

When she does play, she often takes her sons Archie 2, and Monty, 1, who already have the golf bug.

“My grandparents got my parents into golf, and my parents got me into golf,” said Bertino. “It’s vital that we keep new parents

engaged with our game so they are more likely to introduce their kids too.”

She would like to see change and innovation. “I think it would be great for the clubs to think what they do about this,” she said. “Don’t expect the customer to fit with what we do. Have a think about who our customers are, and what actually suits them.”

Bertino’s not the only mother who’s pushed her kids in prams around a golf course.

Megan Carr, GA’s female engagement manager, saw one at Shepparton Golf Club recently. “That woman had done modifications to her pram - she added a piece of PVC pipe - so that she could carry her clubs and push the pram around the golf course with her child because she didn’t have anyone to look after the child.”

Carr is adamant that change is needed.

“There’s an opportunity for clubs to be flexible and look closely at ways to retain golfers from this cohort. Vision 2025 has started these conversations, and this is just another piece of the puzzle.”

Matt Chesterman, who runs club support for Golf Australia, says communication is key.

“I’d like the clubs to take themselves on the journey of saying ‘who are the people in that group?’ he said. “And then brainstorming

that and by all means asking the people who are in that group, say the 25 to 35-year-old young parent category ‘what’s important to you in membership?’. That’s a way of building and offering something that works for them.”

Kurdas just wants to have the discussion, and soon, pointing out the theme of International Women’s Week this year was ‘Choose to Challenge’. It’s something she would love to see golf clubs take on.

“We’re scratching the surface. It’s a much bigger conversation,” she said.

“If all it (the discussion) does is plant a seed in the minds of people involved in golf clubs around considering the diverse needs of our emerging families, then great.

“We don’t have a definitive answer. The clubs will decide and define how they will retain new parents. That’s certainly up to them. What we at Golf Australia would like to consider are those diverse needs and how particularly challenging it is for women to stay in the game as they experience motherhood.

“That in itself is what Vision 2025 is about. It’s about recognising that the needs of women - and those of men - evolve through our lifespan and that golf has a responsibility to ensure that it’s relevant for both women and men through that time.

“It’s not naming and shaming and presenting everything that’s wrong. It’s an opportunity for the whole golf industry to craft and address a potential threat or vulnerability in the retention of members.

And to do it in a way that’s really proactive.

“The messaging it sends to our members and potential golfers is: ‘We never want to lose you. You’ve always got a place in our game. We will tailor what we do so that socially, culturally, physically you can remain engaged in the game in a way that works around your evolving family needs’.’’

Golf Australia continues to explore opportunities for clubs to ultimately see more people playing golf and to enact retention strategies that would foster lasting relationships with their members.

Golf Australia, in conjunction with key partners, the PGA of Australia and Golf Management Australia recently released the Golfer Retention Plan. The plan and associated resources can be accessed through Golf Australia’s Club Support Portal.

More information can be found here or by emailing clubsupport@golf.org.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Industry News

Introducing Vero Voting, GMA’s newest partner GMA is thrilled to announce Vero Voting as a National Business Partner.

Greg Mitchell and the team at Vero Voting are already known to a number of GMA members. When the world changed in 2020, Vero Voting was there to guide clubs through the transition to online director elections as well as AGMs, SGMs and EGMs. GMA CEO Paul Vardy said, “The more we asked members, the more we heard impressive accounts from those who’d used Vero Voting to run their whole online AGM.” Whilst clubs may return to face-to-face AGMs, the days of mail-outs and scrutineers opening envelopes and ballot papers is over for most - and that’s a significant step forward.

Vero Voting not only provides independent, secure and trusted voting solutions, they also guide GMs with the step-by-step process to navigate constitutional and legal requirements to hold club elections and online meetings with ease.

Because you can’t afford for it to go wrong, the task of transitioning your club to electronic voting can be a little daunting. But this need not be the case.

“We’re there to help GMs with our cutting-edge technology and process that do all the hard work for you. The convenience of electronic voting for members brings better engagement, cost savings for the club, as well as real-time monitoring that’s transparent and secure. Your results are instantaneous,” said Greg Mitchell.

Vero Voting can act as the returning officer for clubs, managing: • Director Nominations; • Elections & Voting; • AGM & meeting; • Electronic proxy’s voting; • Virtual & Hybrid events; • Online Inductions plus well-presented and secure Member Surveys.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR ELECTIONS IN 2021?

Get in touch with Greg and the team at Vero Voting at: greg@verovoting.com.au or info@verovoting.com.au Or call: (08) 6500 0810 For more information on Vero Voting products and services, visit their website: www.verovoting.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Industry News

Epar becomes a GMA Premier Partner GMA is delighted to announce that environment, health, safety, and sustainability experts, epar are now a Premier Partner of GMA. GMA CEO Paul Vardy said, “We have a wonderful long-term relationship with epar and we’re always looking at ways to enhance the partnership. We’re so excited that epar are now one of our Premier Partners.

Every time I speak with Terry there is an incredible energy and passion about what he does and how epar can help GMA and its members.”

Managing Director of epar, Terry Muir, said “We’re thrilled to step-up our partnership with GMA. We are committed to helping GMA members and Australian golf clubs meet their environmental, safety, and sustainability goals.”

“We have laid out a sustainability agenda for general managers that focuses on three efforts: Accelerating digital transformation in response to evolving customer and regulator needs; Using EHS risk and hazard data to map and improve business risk; and increasing the club’s agility to deliver and

report on sustainability more quickly. We outline a practical 90-day plan to make it happen.”

Vardy said, “Golf club managers are busy people with lots of competing demands. Regardless of these demands, GMs are responsible for ensuring a safe and sustainable workplace for staff and contractors without leaving gaps. epar’s service, expertise, and its Connect 2.0 EHS management system is just brilliant for GMs.” “The rapid migration to digital sustainability technologies will continue and epar can accelerate every club’s digital capabilities to keep pace. General managers will need to ensure their sustainability programs are on par to succeed in the new regulatory, sustainability, and climate change space. That’s where we help.” Muir said.

EPAR NOW OFFERS AN EHS AND SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY SERVICE TO ALL GMA MEMBERS AT NO CHARGE. Call the Hotline anytime 1300 471 175 For enquiries about epar support offerings, visit their website and speak to the team: Email terry@epar.com.au or info@epar.com.au Use the epar Help Desk on your Connect 2.0 program Visit the epar website

3 Best-in-Class EHS Solutions Developed for golf by golf industry experts

BEST - Connect 2.0 System BETTER - Connect 2.0 Lite GOOD - EHS Starter Kit Everything you need and nothing you don’t – www.epar.com.au 46

www.golfmanagement.com.au

Dead trees and working solo remotely are a dangerous mix epar’s Terry Muir provides some industry advice for golf clubs around solo working conditions following a recent Worksafe Queensland investigation into a serious incident where a worker sustained fatal injuries from a falling tree branch whilst working alone in a remote part of a rural property.

Worksafe Queensland reports that it appears the worker parked his quad bike under a dead tree when a branch broke and struck him across the legs.

Alone, and with no communication equipment, the 61 year old attempted to treat himself but was later found dead at the scene. The investigation is continuing.

When working remotely or in isolation, it is best not to do it alone. If you are flying solo, then communication equipment and a communication and welfare check protocol is a must.

Workers who work alone have generally been grouped into five broad categories: (we've added a 6th that is influenced by COVID and working from home): 1. Workers who handle cash.

2. Workers who travel away from base office to meet clients.

3. Workers who do hazardous work but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This could include lab staff, cellar staff, sports turf maintenance staff.

4. Workers who travel alone but have no routine interaction with customers or the public. This includes truck drivers and business people in transit.

5. Workers who are at risk of violent attack because their workplace is isolated from public view.

6. With many workers now based from home offices, they too can be classed in some instances as working alone or in isolation.

Can people legally work alone?

There is no specific legal prohibition on working alone, but the general legal duties of employers under the legislations still apply:"An employer shall provide and maintain so far as is reasonably practicable for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health.”

Establishing safe working conditions for lone workers is no different from organising the safety of other employees.

Lone workers should not be exposed to significantly more risks than employees who work with other people. Precautions should take account of normal working conditions and foreseeable emergency situations, for example, bushfire, heat, equipment failure, snakes and insects, illness and accidents, assault, hold-up and robbery.

Some simple steps include: • Ensure staff, particularly new members, are provided with information on high risk geographical areas or jobs.

• Avoid having a lone worker whenever possible, especially for jobs with a recognised risk.

• Ensure that when staff are working solo, there is a system in place which records their whereabouts.

• Ensure that there is a system in place whereby safe completion of jobs is reported.

• Consider proposing the following additional measures: • A Buddy system: A second person is assigned to work with the first, because the

job cannot be done safely alone.

• Communications: Telephones, mobile telephones, two way radios or walkietalkies can be a lifeline in some cases.

• Alarms: Many counter, service and care workers also have access to panic buttons.

A range of other emergency, personal distress and violent attack alarms are available.

• Conduct regular check-ins or welfare checks with solo or isolated workers and ensure you can account for their location at all times.

Remember, workers also have a role to play in keeping themselves and others safe. Workers can stay safe by adhering to the appropriate measures initiated by the workplace and reporting any unsafe conditions to their supervisor.

Recommendations: • Consult with your teams and identify isolated or solo work. Talk to them about their work. Get their input about the work they do and possible solutions.

• Conduct the epar Working in Isolation Check using our checklist.

• Conduct the epar Working From Home checklist.

For any advice or support on solo work and other related issues, please contact your epar representative or our Hotline on 1300 471 175

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Industry News

Story courtesy of Golf Industry Central

Surf ’s Up at Parkwood!

Queensland’s Parkwood is set to become home to a world-class integrated golf and surf resort with the proposed development of the Gold Coast’s first surf park, the ‘Endless Surf Wave Lagoon’, to sit alongside the existing 18-hole golf course.

Endless surf waves The proposed plans will complement the Community Hub & High-Performance Centre at Parkwood Village, with the addition of beach-like lagoon offering quality waves to suit all abilities.

Parkwood Village CEO and GMAQ member, Luke Altschwager, said they will spend the next few months working with the community and local council reconfiguring the current approval to accommodate the Endless Surf Wave Lagoon and upgrades to the golf course.

“There is nothing more quintessentially Australian than surfing. We want to make sure Parkwood becomes the heart of sport here on the Gold Coast,” Mr Altschwager said.

“A world-class surf break is a perfect fit for our active community as it anchors a whole new level of economic investment into the area.

“Couple this with a multi-millon dollar make-over to the 18-hole golf course and a beautiful family resort, it will be a gamechanger!

“The hope is that by 2023, Parkwood Village will be an exciting sports and family

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venue, which will be renowned across Australia, and training the next generation of world golf, rugby league and surfing champions.

WhiteWater “Endless Surf will be manufactured by WhiteWater, a world-famous Canadianbased wave pool and water park attraction developer.

WhiteWater have also announced surf park projects in La Vague Paris, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Vietnam and more.

“The Endless Surf technology is on the cutting edge of wave pool technologies.

The variety and Quality of the waves is going to truly revolutionise the sport,” Mr Altschwager said.

“A big attraction for us was that WhiteWater is a family run company with an approach to business much like ours, driven by a sense of community and purpose to provide the very best experiences that enhance lives.”

Waves up to 2.4 meters “Offering safe, predictable and quality

waves up to 2.4 meters in size in a controlled environment, the Endless Surf Pool is a natural shape that provides a large ‘beachfront’ for a genuine surf feel.

Paul Chutter, President of Endless Surf, said, “There are those projects which epitomize what we are trying to do, with great clients who contribute to our collaborative approach – Luke and the Parkwood team are a perfect example of this.

“They share our passion for pushing technological boundaries, putting Endless Surf as the heart and soul of their development in order to build a vibrant community hub.

“The venue’s existing high-performance sports focus will lend itself to this worldclass surf showcase and help develop the talents of a whole new generation of local surfers.”

The pool will be complemented by the existing golf course, approved future resort hotel and food and beverage facilities.

The Club at Parkwood Village is a wellestablished leisure destination located in the centre of the Gold Coast, only 10 minutes from Surfers Paradise.

Story courtesy of Golf Industry Central

Industry News

Nudgee Golf Club extends course redevelopment

SHANX @ Regency Park has broken ground

All 36 holes on the popular Nudgee course located north of Brisbane will be redeveloped after the club was able to stabilise its financial position over the past few years and now has sufficient funds available for a total overhaul.

GreenSpace Management is proud to announce that after a long journey, in partnership with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, SHANX @ Regency Park has broken ground at Regency Park Community Golf Course.

The news of the extended redevelopment (previously only including 28 holes) was delivered in a notice to members in recent weeks.

The notice also stated that the course will be one of the first, if not the first golf course in Brisbane, with a double green.

To this end, Nudgee Golf Club has engaged Course Architect, James Wilcher Nudgee GM, Darren Richards, with touring PGA Life from Golf By Design, Member Paul King (right), PGA Immortal Charlie Earp to develop concept designs for and PGA State Manager, Broc Greenhalgh (left). consideration by the board ahead of moving to detailed designs and costings. These costs will be tested against Strong Membership Growth the current contract before making a final General manager and GMAQ member, assessment of the club’s cash position and Darren Richards, said that the club has awarding of the extended contract. demonstrated strong membership numbers This final stage when approved will then of late, which have increased by just under be undertaken through the remainder of 400 during the past 12 months. The total 2021 with a targeted completion date of the membership across all categories now stands first quarter of 2022. at 1,452.

During the past four months, members’ The Gateway Motorway competition rounds totalled 25,294 upgrade compared to 15,550 for the same fourThe club lodged an application to redesign month period in 2019/20. This is a the golf course in October 2017 after the remarkable increase, no doubt fuelled jointly club lost four of its 36 holes when the federal by the surge in membership along with government resumed 8.84 hectares for the the opportunity to enjoy playing different Gateway Motorway upgrade a few years course configurations as additional holes earlier. come into play.

During the two year redevelopment and As a result of the increased membership construction works, the club has been able number, the club has now decided to cease to operate with 27 golf holes in play and the the acceptance of any new 7 day male clubhouse, function rooms, driving range members from March for the foreseeable and facilities still open as usual. future.

Wilcher has been overseeing the project Any persons seeking this membership along with a club appointed team of category after 1st March will be placed on specialists and professionals. a waiting list and the board will review the situation on a monthly basis.

SHANX Mini Golf has been created by GreenSpace Management to provide Regency Park Community Golf Course and the broader community with a genuine family based amenity.

WHAT IS SHANX? SHANX Mini Golf was born from creating a need within the facilities that GreenSpace manages and providing these facilities with a sustainable revenue stream whilst diversifying their demographic catchment.

The SHANX concept is unique to the Australian market whereby their mini golf courses are not ‘amusement based’ with clown heads, windmills and rocks in the middle of putting surfaces, but rather golf as we know it, miniaturised. A concept that caters for the scratch golfer to the ‘never played before’ and everyone in between.

Their focus is on golf and there is no mini golf product like SHANX in the Southern Hemisphere.

Claire Boan, Mayor of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield said, “The City is thrilled to be working alongside Greenspace Management to bring something new and exciting to Regency Park Community Golf Course, that both the golfing community and the local community will love.”

Greenspace managing director, Peter Vlahandreas said, “We couldn’t be prouder of our partnership with the local council and the incredible benefits that SHANX will bring to the community of the City of Port Adelaide Enfield.”

In addition to the new mini golf facility, GreenSpace are further investing into the facility by way of a new practice putting green to enhance the facilities for golfers.

SHANX will be an incredible family based amenity to the already outstanding Regency Park Community Golf Course, just 10 minutes from the Adelaide CBD. SHANX @ Regency Park will cater for children’s parties, corporate events and product launches when it opens in July 2021.

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Speak to a member of The Golf Travel Agency and realise the potential of golf travel for your club and members.

Call us on (02) 9555 5311 or email us at: info@thegolftravelagency.com.au

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Industry News

Toro announces exciting new equipment line-up New Toro Greensmaster® e1021 All-Electric Mower, and Greensmaster® eFLEX™1021 Walk Greens Mower Joining the lithium-ion lineup designed to meet noise and sustainability requirements is the all-electric fixed-head Greensmaster® e1021 mower. Brian Goodridge, Toro’s Equipment product marketing manager said this mower will take electrical efficiency to a new level: “Operators are able to mow 3,000 square meters of turf on a single charge.

As the e1021 is so quiet it is just right for mowing near homes, resorts and anywhere where noise restrictions or regulations are in place.

“All electric Greensmaster mowers are also ideal for mowing in environmentally sensitive areas or locations with fuel storage limitations.

“With no engine exhaust emissions it will help golf courses meet environmental and sustainability goals, “ said Goodridge.

Designed for minimal maintenance and a long service life, the e1021 helps courses get the after-cut appearance they want while saving labour and operational costs.

Another new release is the Greensmaster eFLEX 1021. “The cutting heads on the Greensmaster eFLEX1021 follow contours on the greens, even on greens with extreme undulations. This means users can deliver the precise cut superintendents are looking for, “ said Goodridge.

“The innovative telescoping loop handle helps to deliver a more consistent cut, as it adjusts easily to operators of different heights. It also reduces operator fatigue.

Handle isolation mounts give the cutting unit consistent contact with the ground throughout the mowing process. This takes away the variability in height-of-cut that can sometimes occur because of variations in handle pressure or differing operator strides, “ he said.

All of the Greensmaster FLEX models deliver plenty of power and control. The eFLEX1021 utilises a Samsung® battery for quiet, long-term operation on a single charge. The bail design combines safety and operational control.

From a modular design for easy repair

and replacement of key components to the elimination of all grease points, the entire maintenance process is streamlined to maximize uptime without sacrificing performance. It all contributes to a lower overall cost of ownership.

New Toro TransPro® 200 Trailer The new TransPro® 200 walk greensmower trailer will safely and securely transport up to two walk greens mowers at once. The trailer gives mowers a very secure ride so that precision settings don’t change during transport. Operators will be able to quickly unload their greens mowers and get right to work.

“Everything about the TransPro 200 trailer is designed to help make it easier for operators to do their job,” said Goodridge.

“They can easily transport up to two greens mowers to the mowing area, and because the TransPro 200 keeps the mowers secure, superintendents can have peace of mind that mower adjustments remain intact.”

The TransPro 200 secures mowers by combining a front roller pocket, rubber mats and wheel/donut retainers. Once the ramp or rails are raised, the mowers are locked in place so they retain their height-of-cut adjustments during transport.

Adjustable roller pockets make it easy to configure the TransPro 200 to ensure a perfect fit for fixed units and flex units, with

or without groomers.

Another big timesaver is the rail ramp module. It takes away the need to use mower transport wheels, reducing loading and unloading time by up to 50%. The trailer can be configured for 18" (45.7 cm) and 21" (53.3 cm) mowers without the need for additional kits. Still more time is saved through the open design, which allows for an easy washdown of the mowers without unloading.

“If you take a quick look at the TransPro 200, all you’ll see is a trailer,” adds Goodridge. “But if you look closely at all the ways it helps our customers, what you’ll really see is a time-saving, highly productive piece of equipment.”

For more information on Toro services and equipment, call 1300 356 372, contact your Toro Golf Area Sales Manager or visit www. toro.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal / Autumn 2021

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Industry News

60 years for Nelson Bay Inside Golf ’s Michael Court catches up with long-term GMA member and Nelson Bay general manager, Trevor Harrison, on the eve of the club’s 60th birthday celebrations, to discuss the storied history of the Port Stephens course.

Perhaps the only thing missing from Nelson Bay Golf Club’s storied history is recognition outside of one of the most popular holiday spots in our country, Port Stephens.

Just about everything else has been squeezed into its 60 years.

There’s been fires, floods, name changes, birthdays, anniversaries…you name it, and it has probably happened in this club’s incredible story.

The bottom line, so to speak is that it seems anyone lucky enough to play there leaves with a smile on their face and a personal rating that far exceeds any ranking that some of our ‘armchair’ experts have ever conjured up.

What began as a nine-hole layout named Tomaree Golf Club in 1961 has blossomed into one of the few 27-hole layouts in country New South Wales, and is one of the busiest golf clubs in the state as well.

Now, as the clubs gears up for some 60th birthday celebrations, it seems as good a time as any to reflect on the path the club

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has taken to become one of the success stories in Australian golf.

“It’s been an amazing period here since about October,” said Nelson Bay’s livewire general manager, and long term GMA member, Trevor Harrison.

“Every club seems to be doing well through the pandemic. We have been waiting for the next Greg Norman to come along and revitalise golf, not a worldwide pandemic,” said Harrison.

“We are planning some things later in the year to celebrate our 60th.

“Certainly, there have been many major milestones, as you can see from the timeline.

“To go from a $1m debt to go to more than a $2m profit is a place this club has never been in before.

“Golf here is booming…I think there was one spot left in our competition field today.

And then there are a lot of social players heading out there as well.

“After the bushfires of last year, we needed plenty of rain, we’ve since got that and the boys have been striping the fairways and the

course looks pristine at the moment.

“We had a new members’ night the other night and we all sat out on the balcony to welcome them here and it was just sensational.

“Since we re-opened after losing the clubhouse due to the 2015 fire we now have 1,200 golfing members and over 5,000 social members. Things could not be better.”

Harrison recalled the old clubhouse was like a little church on the top of the hill with some additions added onto the side.

“All we missed in the original clubhouse was a steeple,” he said.

“An electrical fire in one of the old parts of the clubhouse burned the place down in 2015.”

The club has several members who were there when the club started 60 years ago – and they are justifiably proud of that.

“One of them had a scrapbook and was able to set us straight on a few things when we weren’t sure of exact dates,” said Harrison.

Famous for its kangaroos, the club is proud

of the fact they attract so many tourists to the course and despite the fact they have a couple of really big ones, the roos are mostly passive, give you not much more than a sideways glance and just prefer not to be disturbed.

“This place was built by the gentleman who owned the Country Club at Shoal Bay, Len Randall, who saw the need for a golf course here to keep the tourists happy,” said Harrison.

“It went on to become 18 holes and then, in 1998, to 27 holes.

“The mantra for us has always to be open for social play and we’ll continue to carry that banner with some pride.

“We have a marvellous playing group here too and always have had phenomenal numbers.

“Covid-19 has made it different and difficult and at times we were only allowing play in twos, but we’ve dealt with those problems – and there weren’t too many complaints.”

President Peter Fagan said he was proud of the progression the club had made over the 60 years.

“We now have a beautiful clubhouse, money in the bank so we are looking to improve our course and are doing capital works, as we speak,” he said.

“Our biggest issue at the moment is the carpark as there’s only 195 spaces but we are looking at making room for more car spaces and in April we hope to start on the new irrigation system for the whole 27 holes.

Head professional, Maurie Moses, began at the club on January 17, 1994 after spending three years as the professional at the Sheraton Mirage in Port Douglas.

Maurie was the assistant under Brian Ramsay at Nelson Bay, before moving to north Qld. Maurie’s brother Warren began his PGA apprenticeship under Brian Ramsay and completed his training under Maurie in 1995 when he returned and has stayed on ever since.

The Moses brothers are still the current PGA certified professionals running the pro shop, running clinics and tuition for an extensive juniors’ program and beginners clinics.

Nelson Bay’s Holden Scramble was the largest

competition as far as competitors go on the annual calendar.

And the club almost always has one or two teams go the Regional Finals each year.

They had their first winning team in 1998 with Brian Burgess, Brad McKay, Danny Petith, Maurie Moses and Mick Ellis.

“With first-class accommodation on both sides of the club and a short walk to the centre of the town, it’s all about the experience when you visit Nelson Bay,” said Harrison.

“We are happy to do deals for players to play the other courses nearby,” said Harrison.

“It’s all about getting people to the area and showing them there are so many things to do, places to play and stay.

“Overseas travel is still pretty much on the backburner and we are an easy two-and-ahalf-hour drive from Sydney.

“So, there really are no excuses not to come here at the moment.”

Harrison says he sometimes feels that Nelson Bay Golf Club is not accorded the recognition it deserves.

Of course, there may be a touch of bias there, but a visit there makes it hard to disagree.

“Just for the amount of golf we do – it’s not like we need the publicity, but we are the second biggest regional club in the state for playing numbers and maybe only Moore Park beats us for rounds played,” he said.

“Sure, this is not a course for the bombers…it’s a course where you have to think your way around.

“We feel like we have the whole product here and we urge anyone who hasn’t been here, come on up and have a look and see for yourself what we have to offer.

“You won’t be sorry…and we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Industry News

TaylorMade continues partnership with GMA GMA is delighted to announce that the TaylorMade Golf Company has signed on to continue its amazing support of GMA for another two years.

GMA Chief Executive Officer Paul Vardy said, “In addition to financial support, at GMA events around the country, our members have been the beneficiaries of a high-class range of TaylorMade golf products, balls, bags, clubs and apparel. In the process, GMA members have established valuable connections with TaylorMade team members, tapping into their expertise in golf retail.

Through the next two-year agreement, we’re keen to enhance the relationships already built through golf days and the biennial National Conference.”

Andrew Bayliss, General Manager / Director of TaylorMade in Australia and New Zealand said, “TaylorMade is delighted to again partner with GMA. It’s been a year of adapting for all of us and in signing another two-year agreement, we wanted to show our commitment to the relationship we have with GMA. TalylorMade is in for the long haul. We are passionate about supporting authentic golf channels such as GMA to create value-add partnerships for its members, their club’s golf shops and golfers in turn. We’re aiming to spend more time talking with GMA members to understand the numbers around their golf shop retail and how we can work together to enhance these”.

Since its founding in 1979, TaylorMade has cemented its position as one of the world most iconic golf performance brands. “Our focus on being the number one performance golf brand is unrelenting. This transcends all facets of our business from product, marketing, sales, operations and, most importantly, service. The synergy and brand alignment between GMA and TaylorMade provides some exciting opportunities moving forward, as does our wider role in the golf industry with our partnership with the PGA of Australia. We are very excited to enter another two-year GMA agreement and look forward to meeting with all GMA members as soon as we can,” said Mr. Bayliss.

To find out more about TaylorMade products for your club, please contact: Andrew Bayliss General Manager / Director Australia & New Zealand Email: Andrew.bayliss@taylormadegolf.com Mobile: 0419 826 476 Visit the TaylorMade website

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Golf Management Australia would like to sincerely thank all our valued partners for their ongoing support of GMA and our members.

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