GMA Journal (Autumn 2023)

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

MAJOR PARTNER of Golf Management Australia

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COVER PICTURE: Our first Australian Certified Club Managers (CCMs) at the 2023 CMAA World Conference - Back (l-r) Robert Vincekovic (Glenelg GC), Paul Vardy (GMA), Barry West (Mollymook GC). Front (l-r) Markus Eschmann (The Australian GC), Andrew Laplain (Cumberland GC). Absent: Sam Forsyth (Royal Melbourne GC).

From the Chair

AARON MUIRHEAD

Welcome to our Autumn GMA Journal

By all reports our weather across the nation seems to have been quite conducive to uninterrupted golf. This is quite a change from the past three years. As we know, if Covid lockdowns didn’t get you, the weather certainly did. A year ago, it was flooding and recovery in much of northern NSW and Queensland. Even now, a number of courses in Melbourne and surrounds are only getting back to 18 holes now, after months of recovery from rains in late 2022.

The GMA Board met in February and things are moving fast. The board agreed to press on with the next stage of the One GMA model. To date, GMA and member states have signed service agreements as we got used to a One GMA type operating model. With the growth and strength of GMA and the great relations between the parties we propose to enter a last oneyear agreement with states and work steadily towards a One GMA completion by June 2024.

I recently was fortunate to attend the Club Management Association of America World Conference in Orlando, along with seven others from GMA. It was the first visit for three years for any GMA members and it was great to be in amongst the international community of club management, hear their news and see presenters with fresh content.

GMA was proud to have our first graduates of the Certified Club Management (CCM) designation, after four years of BMIs. The graduates were presented on stage at the CMAA conference as part of 84 graduates worldwide.

Graduating were: Robert Vincekovic from Glenelg GC (SA), Andrew Laplain from Cumberland GC (NSW), Markus Eschmann from The Australian GC (NSW), Barry West from Mollymook GC (NSW), Sam Forsyth from Royal Melbourne GC (VIC) and our own Paul Vardy from GMA.

Golf Management Australia

Except for Sam who was head down in the finances of RM, all were present to receive their CCM. More details in this edition.

We are excited about the BMI program, benefits of learning, the new connections and the access to new speakers. In a club world that keeps evolving, there is a thirst for professional development amongst our members young an old, and we encourage all to participate. The 109 already in the BMI program will increase as we run BMI Leadership Principles in May and BMI GM/CEO in July. Bookings are open now and places are capped.

We congratulate Fiza Errington, GM of Gosnells GC in Perth, who recently had her second child Alina, on 11th January. Fiza is no stranger to story material in GMA journals, having appeared in our Autumn 2022 edition. A little over a year ago she was overcoming the bureaucratic challenges of entering WA, via NT’s Howard Springs quarantine facility, and of taking up her job at Gosnells during the tail end of Victoria’s Covid lockdowns. She appeared in the Winter 2022 edition, having won the Billie Friedlander Trophy at the GMA Conference in June.

In this edition it’s great to be able to deliver the fantastic GMA events around the country, including the WA State Conference. You will see we have lots more on the way in 2023, making for another big year. We thank our corporate partners for their ongoing support. We encourage all members to support our partners for the valuable support to us. Get in touch and have the phone calls, emails and coffees with their key representatives. I personally learn a lot from the exchanges.

I’m very pleased to announce the continuation of the wonderful support of our major partner Schweppes, who have signed a two-year deal to the end of 2024. Thanks Dan Christie and your team at Schweppes from all of us at GMA.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT

Golf Management Australia (GMA) is a national body representing the golf club management industry with a vision of developing professional leaders in golf and club management in Australia.

Golf Management Australia Ltd. PO Box 859

CROYDON VIC 3136

www.golfmanagement.com.au

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aaron Muirhead (Chair) Oxley GC, QLD

Kieran Semple (Deputy Chair) The Coast GC, NSW

Gavin Burt Lake Karrinyup CC, WA

Brenden Ellam Castle Hill CC, NSW

Barbara Kelly Chirnside Park CC, VIC

Mathew Loughnane Kew GC, VIC

Mark Tan Royal Adelaide GC, SA

GMA TEAM

Paul Vardy Chief Executive Officer

Courtney Flores NSW Ops. Manager, Nat. Programs

Mike Orloff QLD Ops. Manager

Rod Haines VIC Ops. Manager, Nat. Finance

Jodie Alaban WA Ops. Manager

David Brand SA Ops. Manager, Nat. Media & Comms.

CLICK HERE FOR MEMBER ONLY GMA RESOURCES & LINKS:

• GMA Connect

• Member Directory

• Event Calendar

• Industry News

• Member Assistance Program

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.

From the CEO

PAUL VARDY

If the numbers are getting a bit heavy, for a bit of balance, check out Gregg Patterson's article on page 40 on Social Net Worth and it’s KPI’s. Afterall, clubs are a business but a very human business, perhaps the ultimate human business. A GM has to build experience and competencies in all areas, a never-ending process.

RECENT INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS

Tilly Poulson has headed home to Kingston Heath GC after a few years in golf operations at Headland GC in QLD.

Andrew Webb has been appointed Assitant Manager at Toowoomba GC after 9 years at City GC.

St Michaels GC's Robert Travis has been appointed GM at Newcastle GC, replacing Christian Gillott who has taken up a 2IC role at Indooroopilly GC.

The CMAA conference is the mothership when it comes to club management professional development and this is no more obvious than with panels stacked with expert consultants such as Club Benchmarking, GGA Group, McMahon Group and Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace. These people have extraordinary experience in advising clubs across America. That the people from these consultancies know each other well means they are forever cross-pollinating ideas and results and producing new insights.

Ray Cronin from Club Benchmarking suggests that nine out of ten directors don’t understand the private golf club model. He’s got the data to improve this dramatically. It’s a fundamental issue. In this issue there’s a lot of great material on many aspects of running a club. Check out the article on page 28 from our own expert consultant Jeff Blunden on the positive impact that the Covid golf boom has had on member numbers, EBITDA and the ability to attend to much needed capital spending. Inflation is now very much an issue with 6% subscription increases being the average level following two years at 3%. What is appropriate? It more depends on your club's needs than what’s happening at similar clubs in the area. But for some reason we hitch ourselves to the nearby club comparisons.

An important document recently produced by a special taskforce put together by CMAA was the Universal Key Club Performance Indicators It’s a powerful set of metrics vital to understanding what makes a financially healthy club.

In speaking with people from the clubs and managers associations all over the world, it’s incredible how similar the impacts of Covid have been. If there were four common themes it would be, increased golf demand, shortages in staff, delays in supplies and a tilt in member behaviour for the worst.

That the last is particularly interesting as there’s a great deal of anecdotal evidence that behaviour in clubs is a major issue here. It’s no doubt stemming from societal pressures rather than it being isolated to clubs. We hear regular stories of people leaving professions such as teaching because of parent and student behaviour, vets putting signs up to prevent people abusing front line staff, airlines including messages about minding passenger behaviour on flights and the list goes on.

Clubs should be a bastion of good “club like” behaviour. By its very nature, club behaviour should show consideration to others and members should agree to fit in with the direction of the club and contribute to its reputation and culture. It raises many discussions about how poor behaviour is being best dealt with and the potential to take up enormous amounts of time, distracting the board and general managers from their primary responsibilities.

For the benefits of mental and physical health we encourage members to get along to GMA events and enjoy the fraternity of fellow members. Talking is a great de-stressor. This year is setup to be another bumper year of professional development, networking and golf events and we very much hope to see you at them.

CONGRATULATIONS FIZA!

Glenn Howard recently finished up as GM at Tamworth GC.

Hawks Nest GC has a new GM in Neil Goffet , replacing Greg Acret who retired in October.

Deep Creek GC CEO, Haydn Thompson has left to take up the Operations Manager role at Box Hill GC, with Darren Carroll appointed to the vacant CEO role at Deep Creek.

Andrea Watson leaves the GM role at Yarra Yarra GC in April after nearly 30 years in golf club management industry.

Danny McGrath has left Rosebud Country Club after six years as CEO.

NEW GMA MEMBERS

New South Wales

Neil Goffet (Hawks Nest GC);

Kirrilly Hopkinson* (Elanora CC);

Kate Shanks* (NSW GC);

Lauren Shiels* (Elanora CC);

Gillian Smith* (Bayview GC);

Corey Fletcher (Strathfield GC);

Katy Jarochowicz* (Federal GC);

Marc Eisenhauer (Cowra GC);

Tony Tranter (Cobram Barooga GC);

Melanie Pickett (Dubbo GC);

Danielle Trevena* (Carnarvon GC);

Queensland

Ellesha Michie* (Gunabul Homestead);

Paul Roper* (Carbrook GC);

Chris Duke* (Nudgee GC);

Teegan Negreira* (Redcliffe GC);

Wade Edwards* (City GC);

Michael Dash* (Keperra CGC);

Christian Gillott (Indooroopilly GC);

South Australia

Acacia Curtis* (North Adelaide GC);

Courtney Handford* (North Adelaide GC);

Peter Kennedy (The Stirling GC);

Victoria/Tasmania

Shaun Corry* (Sorrento GC);

Shaun Satterly (DLF G&CC);

Grace Thiry* (Huntingdale GC);

Alex Strauch* (Port Fairy GC);

Hannah Mead* (Ballarat GC);

Leigh Deagan (Yering Meadows GC);

Western Australia

Caroline Cassidy* (The Cut GC);

Jude Hood* (Busselton GC);

* Provisional members

One of the great aspects of attending the CMAA World Conference is hearing from expert consultants on the advancing knowledge of club management.

Congratulations to Fiza Errington, GM of Gosnells GC in Perth, who recently had her second child Alina, born in the early hours of 11th January weighing 3.1kg.

'Leadership Principles' & 'GM/CEO' programs scheduled for BMI in 2023

BMI 'Leadership Principles'

Dates

Monday, 15th May to Friday, 19th May 2023

Venue

Latrobe Golf Club, Melbourne

Cost

GMA Members - $2,250

Non-GMA Members* - $2,450

* conditions apply

Travel & Accommodation

Registrants shall be responsible for their own transport and accommodation.

GMA shall assist in coordinating group house sharing with AirBNB at nearby locations. Please contact Paul Vardy for assistance.

GMA, in partnership with Golf Australia and the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), is excited to offer two Business Management Institute (BMI) courses in 2023 – the 'Leadership Principles' and 'GM/CEO' courses.

The BMI ‘Leadership Principles’ Program is a 5-day intensive program being held at Latrobe Golf Club in Melbourne, from Monday, 15th to Friday, 19th May. The program covers core golf club leadership elements including:

• Finance/accounting

• The nature of leadership

• Executive presence

• Strategic leadership

• Governance

• Code of ethics

• Technology

• Creativity and innovation

• Lumina leader assessment

• The 20 rules of power politics in clubs

• Interactive case study

The BMI ‘GM/CEO’ Program is a 5-day intensive program being held at Elanora Country Club in Sydney, from Monday 17th to Friday, 21st July.

The program covers core golf club leadership elements including:

• Working with club boards and committees

• Retirement and benefits

• Marketing principles

• Member participation strategies

• Law and club operations

• Leading relationships

• Building the key leadership team

• Communication strategies for member engagement

• Facility maintenance

• Applying the language of finance

• Golf operations for managers

• Golf course maintenance for managers

• Club issues round table

• Tech trends

• Case study

• Negotiation techniques

• Business writing

• Giving effective feedback

• Crisis communication strategies

BMI 'Leadership Principles' and BMI 'GM/CEO' are two of the four core BMI programs that are essential to a Certified Club Manager designation. The other core BMIs are 'Club Management' and 'Food & Beverage Management'.

The BMI Program offers the ultimate club manager professional

GMA NEWS • BMI PROGRAM

BMI PROGRAM

BMI 'GM/CEO'

Dates

Monday, 17th July to Friday, 21st July 2023

Venue

Elanora Country Club, Sydney

Cost

GMA Members - $2,250

Non-GMA Members* - $2,450 * conditions apply

Travel & Accommodation

Registrants shall be responsible for their own transport and accommodation.

GMA shall assist in coordinating group house sharing with AirBNB at nearby locations. Please contact Paul Vardy for assistance.

development. It is delivered within an open learning environment, whereby shared experiences are explored within each workshop session. You don’t learn in theory, you learn in context with your club.

The BMI Program will be facilitated by a line-up of subject matter specialists. It provides outstanding industry wide networking opportunities capable of providing career long support to all BMI participants.

The BMI Program is delivered to an agreed international certification standard, with the program aligned with CMAA and over thirty years of program evolution.

SAVE THE DATE

This alignment with the CMAA will also provides Australian based BMI participants with complimentary education only registration at upcoming CMAA World Conferences for up to two years after the BMI is taken.

Last held in 2019 & 2020, places for BMI 'Leadership Principles' and 'GM/ CEO' are limited. We would encourage those interested to register early.

Click here for more information on the BMI Program.

Click here to register for BMI 'Leadership Principles'.

Click here to register for BMI 'GM/CEO'

VIC/SA MINI CONFERENCE

ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Sunday, 4th June to Wednesday, 7th June 2023

ACCOMMODATION

Stamford Grand - Glenelg 2 Jetty Road, Moseley Square, Glenelg PROGRAM

Sunday:

Shanx Mini Golf @ Regency Park (Dinner, Drinks & DJ)

Monday: Golf at Kooyonga Golf Club. Dinner to follow with guest speaker.

Tuesday:

Education Day at Glenelg Golf Club. Dinner to follow with guest speakers. Guest Presenter/Educator - Fran Berry (Alive & Kicking Solutions)

REGISTRATIONS OPENING SOON

Stay tuned for more details!

FORE!

INTRODUCING STRANGELOVE DOUBLE GINGER, A SPICY, REFRESHING GINGER BEER WITH HALF THE SUGAR AND TWICE THE HEAT. IT MAY NOT IMPROVE YOUR GOLF GAME, BUT WE GUARANTEE THE ONLY WEDGE THAT MATTERS NOW IS A LIME.

OFFICIAL DRINK OF THE 19TH HOLE

CMAA Conference in pictures

The CMAA World Conference was held at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando Florida.

Attending were over 3,000 club management professionals from golf clubs, country clubs, yacht, city and athletic clubs. Twenty-eight countries were in attendance, hearing from the 65 education sessions were on offer.

Paul Vardy with Richard Berry of Northstar and Chris Little of MiClub at the trade exhibition

Glenelg GC's Robert VIncekovic in front of his name in the CCM Hall of Honour.

Northstar dinner: Paul Sanders, Markus Eschmann, Cathy Neagle, Chris Little, Aaron Muirhead and Rob Vincekovic, Richard Berry, Paul Vardy, Andrew Laplain and Barry West

Panel with John Schultz, Frank Vain, Kurt Kuebler, Ray Cronin and Tom Wallace

Gregg Patterson in full flight

Dick Koplin, David Voorhees, Terra Waldron & George Carroll

CLASSIC AUSSIE Mayonnaise

SAVE THE DATE NSW STATE CONFERENCE

COOGEE, NEW SOUTH WALES

Sunday, 23rd July to Tuesday, 25th July 2023

ACCOMMODATION

Crowne Coogee

Arden Street, Coogee, New South Wales

PROGRAM

Sunday: Opening Cocktail Party

Monday: Education Day. Dinner to follow.

Tuesday: AM Education Day.

PM Golf Day at NSW Golf Club

REGISTRATIONS OPENING SOON Stay tuned for more details!

The All-New

Inspired by then. Supercharged for now.

GMA Membership

What you get when you join GMA?

INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Access to state based professional development and business meetings, national and state conferences, the world recognised Business Management Institute (BMI) training program in leadership and management skills. GMA provides a range of generous bursaries, discounts and rebates to professional development events in Australia and conferences abroad.

MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT

Access to member only tools and resources, member surveys and salary benchmarking, webinars and GMA Connect. GMA Connect is an amazing member only discussion thread allowing you to stay updated on issues and questions raised by managers for managers. Want to know from your peers about online voting, hole signage, refund policies, lifestyle memberships, house accounts, golf simulators, senior memberships and dozens of other topics? Become a member.

HEALTH, WELLBEING & BENEFITS

Connecting and networking with colleagues at golf days and social events is perhaps the biggest benefit of membership. GMA Member Directory allows you to know who’s running what clubs and how to connect with them. GMA’s Member Assistance Program offers free phone support for you, your immediate family and your staff. Members also have access to phone advice from GMA’s Honorary Solicitor on issues related to your personal circumstances such as employment issues.

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS & INDUSTRY ADVOCACY

GMA advocates for the betterment of golf club management across the broader industry and golfing landscape. GMA contributes to industry initiatives such as Vision 2025, MyGolf and sits on the Australian Golf Industry Council where research is developed for the industry. GMA maintains close relationships with peak golf bodies, and has a range of corporate partners who are integral to the funding of GMA services..

What Membership options are available?

GMANSW Opening Day at Mollymook GC

GMANSW held their opening event for 2023 on the hills of Mollymook, overlooking the bay and Mollymook beach.

The course was presented in fantastic condition and with everyone in motorised carts, the heat of the day went unnoticed.

It is always a big ask to get members to travel 3 hours, but to be able to reward our loyal members from the Shoalhaven area who always make it to Sydney events, it was great for GMA and even better for the 30 attendees, who had a relaxing couple of days away.

Mollymook GC has the benefit of two clubhouses, with Hillside and Beachside locations. Starting up at the Hillside clubhouse, our small band of players teed off and enjoyed the tree-lined fairways on what really is a “hillside” course. The challenging layout provided some entertaining golf for most groups, but the enjoyment of the day was clearly felt by all.

The course played with a slope rating of 137, so there were a few extra shots given out on the handicaps of the day, but all shots were well received, and needed.

The best score of the day went to Robby Stephenson who posted 40 points on his slightly inflated handicap of five. Taking out the guest trophy was Luke Grinham from Golf NSW with a

fine 38 points off his three handicap.

The 2BBB event went to Andrew Laplain (Cumberland GC) and John Holt (Mollymook) who blitzed the field by posting 47 points and winning by five shots.

The evening dinner was at the Beachside clubhouse and if the view across the bay wasn’t taking your breath away, then the taste sensation on offer for dinner did. The share plates of modern cuisine were a great way to settle into an enjoyable evening. GMANSW President, Brenden Ellam, addressed the attendees and welcomed the partners who had joined the group for dinner.

Mollymook's Barry West provided some history on the club and shared their success story from the recent Christmas period, post-Covid. The announcement of the best scores from the day rounded out the dinner proceedings before of the majority of attendees continued their evening in the upstairs bar which overlooks the tranquil bay of Mollymook.

Special thanks goes to Barry West and the board and staff of Mollymook GC for providing an excellent venue, which was well catered across the day. These days don’t happen without the continued support from our GMA partners, and our thanks go to Schweppes for keeping everyone refreshed, and to Callaway for the golf prizes.

COURTNEY FLORES • NSW Operations Manager

Pictured (top): Robby Stephenson (The Links Shell Cove) is presented with the winners prize by GMANSW chair, Brenden Ellam.

Pictured (middle): Golf NSW's Regional Manager Sth Coast & ACT, Luke Grinham, receiving his guest trophy prizes from Brenden Ellam.

Pictured (bottom): Cumberland GC's Andrew Laplain (right) and Mollymook's John Holt (left), who took out the 2BBB event, with Brenden Ellam.

A memorable state conference in Margaret River

GMAWA recently held their biennial state conference in the beautiful south-west region of Margaret River.

With 40 attendees, it was the biggest conference ever held by WA with many general managers and departmental managers, and corporate partner representatives from Schweppes, Lion and Club Car, in attendance. We thank them for providing some fantastic

products and entertainment. Simon Eissens from ADH Club Car conducting a group vocal rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody was a highlight. Also in attendance was Fellow members, Brad Dawson and Gary Thomas, as well as valued Life members, Billie Friedlander and Alex Monteith with wife Sandra. It is very important to GMAWA to continue to embrace their participation with current members, to learn from their experiences and of course, their

wonderful company, so we thank them in particular for joining us.

We were able to split our core education components to the mornings of both Sunday and Monday with a focus very much on personal development and support, rather than technical or operational matters. Keynote speakers included Fran Berry who focused on leadership communication and managing up, and Rebecca Hannan who provided some valuable information and tools on managing mental health.

JODIE ALABAN • WA Operations Manager

GMA Life member, Billie Friedlander (right) with GMAWA Fellow member, Gary Thomas (also Golf WA CEO)

Conferences provide fantastic networking away from our formal education sessions and it is not often we get so many like-minded people in the one room. Rarely do conversations sway too far from how we all deal with issues. Whether it was club to club, person to person, or group conversations, there were constant opportunities for members to learn and gain so much valuable feedback from each other.

The Billie Friedlander Cup was played on Sunday afternoon with 29 players at the beautiful Margaret River Golf Club, hosted by general manager, Brendan Evans. Thank you to their committee and club for the excellent hospitality. Thanks to our fantastic sponsor Schweppes for putting on a 14-seat box at Optus Stadium for the winner, as well as the prestigious trophy. Needless to say, the stakes were high. Fellow member and CEO of Golf WA, Gary Thomas, took the honours with a staggering 40 points, a score that does not usually get seen in our GMAWA circles and we hope never will be again! A very fitting winner of the Billie Friedlander Cup. A great social program was arranged with a Saturday bus tour through some of Margaret River’s beautiful venues as well as the important social evenings and lunches, all which encouraged and facilitated great networking.

Members get so much out of these conferences, including an important and often appreciated break away from their club, reminiscing and learning with valued past members, educational components, experience and learning from each other’s challenges and most importantly, the opportunity to talk to like-minded people who go through similar pressures in their workplace, with the opportunity to learn how others manage these and constant offers of ongoing and continuous support from each other. There has already been terrific follow up between members. Every attendee played an important part in the event and we thank them all for their contribution and making a memorable 2023 state conference.

Pictured:

(above): Sam Hodge (The Vines), Krystal Mosca (The Vines)

(left top): Dave Robinson (Kwinana GC), Nigel Cameron (WAGC), Dave Martin (Lakelands GC), Alistair Knight (Capel GC)

(left bottom): Gavin Burt (Lake Karrinyup CC), Jacob Harris (Royal Perth GC), Dan Northcott (Albany GC)

(below): Sam Hodge (The Vines), Krystal Mosca (The Vines), Alex Monteath (GMA Life Member), Troy O’Hern (Mt Lawley GC)

Pictured above: Matija Balic (Mt Lawley GC), Gary Thomas (GMA Fellow), Deb Hupje (Mt Lawley GC) , Brendan Evans (Margaret River GC), Jodie Alaban (GMA WA Ops Mgr), Troy O’Hern (Mt Lawley GC)

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The Tempo™ Walk is a smart way to build new relationships with golfers, improve the pace of play, and generate excitement across the course.

GMA NEWS • QUEENSLAND

Toowoomba GC takes out the coveted 2023 EC Coker Shield

What a difference a year makes. What a difference a day makes!

Last year at the time of this event, many south-east Queensland golf courses were still cleaning up from major flooding and torrential weather patterns that had swept across the country. Host course, Noosa Springs Resort, had reported 1.7 metres of rain in the weeks leading up to the event. This year, the SEQ region was hit with up to 60+mm the day before the event but, luckily not so much at the host venue - but wow, was it a steamy day!

The EC Coker Shield

The Club Car GMAQ Executive Day (EC Coker Shield) is the premiere event on the calendar each year and always sees the biggest player attendance. This year was no different.

Held on Monday, 13th March, a strong member field of 92 players was battling it out at beautiful Links Golf and Wellness - Hope Island on the Gold Coast.

The event format had each GMA member bring three executives, who were then shuffled and paired up in twos with other clubs. Team scores

were then totalled to identify the EC Coker Shield winner.

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

This year’s event was taken out by the team from Toowoomba GC on 85 points, receiving the coveted EC Coker Shield for 2023 - a commanding four shot win (pictured above with Club Car's Kevin Gates)!

Some of our corporate partners dominated the leaderboard too!

The top four teams in the main 4BBB event of the day were:

• 1st: Andrew Leventis (Golf Australia)/ David Mann (Schweppes) - 45 points

• 2nd: Frank Byrne/Rob Beaumont (Wolston Park) - 44 points

• 3rd: John Petrie/Brent Hamlin (Oxley GC) - 43 points

• 4th: Adam Downey (Schweppes)/ Joseph Choi (Chois Cleaning) – 42 points

Club Car kindly offered up a new golf cart as the hole-in-one prize on the new par 3 9th hole (150m all over water). Unfortunately, no one achieved the ultimate prize again this year and the brand-new golf cart continues to be just a dream prize!

Thank you!

A big thank you to Club Car’s Kevin Gates and Colin Sergis and his team Golf Cars Australia for their continued support, to Links Golf and Wellness Club Manager David Hogben and team, Callaway Golf for all the great prizes, and to all the other corporate partners and guests in attendance on the day.

See you all next year!

MIKE ORLOFF • QLD Operations Manager

Victorian Women’s Golf Management Scholarships

Congratulations to Dayle Marshall (Metropolitan GC) and Hannah Mead (Ballarat GC) on receiving the 2023 GMA Victorian Women’s Golf Management Scholarships.

Dayle Marshall, who holds the position of membership and communications manager at Metropolitan GC has 30+ years’ experience in the golf industry and is passionate about the sport, not only as an administrator, but also as a low marker at a near by club. Driven by

the joy the game brings so many people, Dayle has aspirations to broaden her knowledge to further her career in club management. We look forward to seeing Dayle at many more GMA events and hope time allows her to participate in the 2023 BMI program.

Hannah Mead is the assistant manager of Ballarat GC - starting there as a kitchen hand at the age of 15 and working through various roles to her current position. Ballarat GC is a vibrant community hub that has undergone extensive refurbishment

GMV MANAGERS & GUESTS GOLF DAY

Proudly supported by De Bortoli Wines

in recent years with changes to the golf course and upgrades to the clubhouse, assisted by a major housing redevelopment in the immediate area. Ballarat may be a regional location but the facilities of the club would be the envy of almost any regional golf club in Victoria. Hannah is looking forward to broadening her skills and experiences through the scholarship and can see herself progressing to a general manager role one day in the future.

Thursday, 9th February, 2023 at Devilbend Golf Club Winners

Andrea Watson, Darren Watson, Cecily Pezet & Sonia Kirkman (Yarra Yarra Golf Club) - 108 points (pictured left)

Runners Up

Brad Robb, Shaun Page, Shaun Taylor, Peter Manzie (Southern Golf Club) - 99 points c/bw

GMV MANAGERS & ASSISTANTS GOLF DAY

Proudly supported by Lion

Monday, 20th February, 2023 at Royal Melbourne Golf Club

Michael Frank Teams Trophy Winners

Mat Loughnane & Anthony Smith (Kew Golf Club) - 64 points

Runners Up

Chris Poulton & Byron Smith (Spring Valley Golf Club) - 62 points

Les Leunig & John Halliwell Trophy Winner

Mitchell Grant (Port Fairy Golf Club)39 points (pictured right)

Runner Up

Chris Poulton (Spring Valley Golf Club) - 38 points

ROD HAINES • VIC Operations Manager

Dayle Marshall Hannah Mead

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Andrew Gay elected unanimously as GMASA Life member

GMASA

held their Annual General Meeting on Friday, 24th February at The Grange Golf Club.

A strong attendance of 18 GMASA Life, Full and Provisional members were present at the meeting which saw the current SA executive - Mark Tan, Brett Lewis, Daniel Loveridge and Robert Vincekovic - re-elected for a further 12 months. Joining them was Westward Ho GC's Steven Freeling, who was elected for the first time to the SA executive.

Following a unanimous decision by the SA executive at their January meeting, Mark Tan tabled a resolution to nominate Mr Andrew Gay for Life membership of the Association.

Andrew was GM at Royal Adelaide GC from 2007 to 2021, and Interim GM at Mount Osmond GC for most of 2022.

He joined the GMASA executive in 2009 and was elected president in 2010. At the same time, Andrew was

appointed as SA’s representative on the national GMA board and after seven years on the board, was elected chair in 2017. He stood down in 2019, and subsequently retired from the GMASA executive in 2020 after a decade as president.

Andrew’s contribution to the golf management industry has been extensive. He was a strong supporter of a truly national association and as chair, was a big driver behind the One GMA national model.

In SA, Andrew almost single-handedly drove professional development for our members. He was a strong advocate of GMs and their staff attending, eventually leading to an increase in Provisional membership numbers and healthy attendance at events. Andrew also actively sought out corporate sponsors to assist with the funding of professional development and national conference subsidies for SA members.

Amongst his extensive contributions to the golf management industry,

Andrew also successfully managed the number one ranked golf course in South Australia, overseeing major projects, staging the 2017 & 2020 Women’s Australian Opens, and administering significant overhauls to the club’s rules and by-laws to create gender neutrality across playing and voting rights.

Andrew’s steadfast commitment to the GMA cause has been his greatest contribution, as is his generosity and willingness to help his industry peers at any time.

Whilst there was little doubt in anyone's mind, following a unanimous vote, it was with great pleasure that we were able to elect Andrew to Life membership of Golf Management Australia (SA).

Andrew spoke briefly following the decision and expressed his gratitude to his colleagues on the honour.

Tell us what you think about golf and the golf management issues that are on your mind.

GMA Connect was launched earlier this year and since then, we have seen new member threads appear every few days.

An ideal thread gives some context to a topic and then asks a question to get other’s perspectives or assistance. There’s so many topics that GMA members might like to raise and all members are invited to comment on threads with the normal decorum expected of a chat between managers.

With more contributions, the more valuable gold nuggets are shared, ideas are formed or problems solved. We may even start rewarding people with prizes soon for some of the great content.

And we regularly run polls on the site’s home page that we encourage you to contribute towards.

GMA members can go to connect.golfmanagement.com.au and use your GMA sign-in and password to join in the conversations.

DAVID BRAND • SA Operations Manager

Protecting your club, your committee, your members and yourselves

As a general rule, there are two basic strategies when dealing with risk; a transfer strategy and a mitigation strategy.

A transfer strategy seeks to take the risk from your club, committee, executive and members and transfer it to an insurance policy. A mitigation strategy seeks to take actions to eliminate or reduce a risk until it’s a risk you can live with.

A mixture of the two strategies is commonly used in most industries. It goes without saying, the more weighted your particular mix is on a transfer strategy, the more your club will rely on insurance. This can result in high claims, both in frequency and severity, which in turn leads to high premium.

The other avenue available is to increase the actions of a mitigation strategy. Taking action to reduce a risk reduces the reliance on insurance. This can result in a reduction in incident frequency and severity which in turn can lead to lower, sustainable premiums.

What’s an example?

Re-charging buggy lithium batteries is a high risk activity due to ignition caused by overheating. Storing all member’s equipment together in one room attached to the clubhouse with standard power points charging batteries of unknown quality is seeking to transfer 100% of this risk to insurance. In this case it’s not just the member’s equipment exposed to risk but millions of dollars in building assets. As such, insurance will be expensive. How can a club achieve a better balance of transfer & mitigation strategies? Potential actions are shown in the table below.

These types of actions can take the weight of reliance off an insurance policy. Such an approach is the foundation of a sustainable and stable club insurance program.

Victor Insurance, as the insurance agency powering Australian Golf Insurance, enjoys working with your club’s insurance broker when all parties are proactive in balancing a transfer strategy against a mitigation strategy.

Action Result

Use a storage facility not attached to the clubhouse

Use two or three storage facilities

Use purpose built electrical circuits, designed by an electrical engineer

Implement a policy where members are not allowed to store / re-charge batteries at the club and must disconnect and take their battery home

ABOUT VICTOR INSURANCE

Victor Insurance Pty Ltd (Victor Insurance) is an underwriting agency and an Authorised Representative (No. 403803) of Marsh Pty Ltd ABN 86 004 651 512 AFS Licence No. 238983. This publication contains general information, does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs and may not suit your personal circumstances. For full details of the terms, conditions and limitations of the covers and before making any decision about whether to acquire a product, refer to the specific policy wordings and/ or Product Disclosure Statements available from Victor Insurance on request. Victor Insurance makes no representation or warranty concerning the application of policy wordings or the financial condition or solvency of insurers or re-insurers. Victor Insurance makes no assurances regarding the availability, cost, or terms of insurance coverage.

Victor Insurance and Australian Golf Insurance are partnering with Golf Management Australia and Golf Australia to educate golf clubs on the need to consider insurance in a broader context.

© 2022 Victor Insurance Pty Ltd. All Rights reserved.

Reduces the risk exposure from $m building assets to $k members equipment

The total value of equipment is halved, so any total loss claim is half of what it otherwise may be

Reduces the risk of ignition from circuits overheating

Risk eliminated

PAUL MULLARVEY • Victor Insurance

Best practices to manage lithium-ion battery hazards

Lithium-ion batteries are classified as dangerous goods under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code. They require careful and diligent management and there have been a number of reported incidents of lithiumion battery fires across the country.

All lithium-ion batteries present significant risk to golf clubs. They require correct storage, vigilant maintenance, and importantly they must be used according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Failing to correctly store, maintain and/or use a battery correctly can have significant impact on its performance and life. This could lead to overheating causing fire or an explosion, resulting in burns, toxic chemical exposure, and pollution due to the battery rupturing.

Lithium-ion battery fire hazards are associated with the high energy densities coupled with the flammable organic electrolyte. This creates unique challenges for use, storage, and handling in all golf club areas.

Studies have shown that physical damage, electrical abuse such as short circuits and overcharging, and

exposures to elevated temperature can cause a "thermal runaway". This refers to rapid self-heating from an exothermic chemical reaction that can result in a chain reaction thermal runaway of adjacent cells.

Manufacturer’s defects such as imperfections and/or contaminants in the manufacturing process can also lead to thermal runaway. This is why epar’s Risk Reduction Specialist Liam Hall-Muir documented in his Battery Management Plan that one key risk reduction strategy is to, “Always purchase batteries from a reputable manufacturer or supplier. Cheap or counterfeit batteries may not undergo the same quality control processes and have a higher likelihood of failing.”

If (or when) a case fails, the flammable and toxic gases within the cell are released. The severity of a runaway battery reaction relates to the build-up and release of pressure from inside of the cell. And, in almost every significant battery reaction the same hazardous components are produced. They include - flammable by-products (eg. aerosols, vapours, and liquids), toxic gases and flying debris (some burning), and in most instances, sustained burning of the electrolyte and casing material.

During a venting reaction (ie. no ignition of the vented products),

the products consist primarily of electrolyte constituents. For most batteries, the products typically consist of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2) and hydrocarbons (CxHx). These gases are flammable and present fire and explosion risk.

Best practices for lithium-ion cell/battery use

The location of your lithium-ion battery storage and charging areas should be documented on a site map and it must have appropriate signage and protocols displayed. A risk register listing your risk controls should also be in place for each storage and charging location.

Your risk management strategy and risk controls for lithium-ion battery safety must address the following key issues:

• Battery Procurement

• Safety Data Sheets

• Storage Protocols

• Charger and Charging Practices

• Battery Handling and Use

• Disposal

• Lithium-Ion Battery Risk Register

• Emergency Response - Malfunction

• Emergency Response - Fire

• Fire Extinguishers – F-500 EA Extinguishers

GMA EDUCATION

• Signage:

• Lithium-ion Fire Extinguisher.

• Never Use or Charge a Damaged Lithium-ion Battery.

• Thermal Runaway.

• Battery Safety Tip - Charger not to be used as storage device.

• Battery Safety - Charge when battery cool.

• Warning - Follow manufacturer’s instructions when charging.

• Damaged battery indicatorsWhat to look for.

• Warning - Only use the charger that came with your device.

Some simple tips

• Implement the epar Lithium-Ion Battery Safety Management Plan;

• Implement the epar Risk Register for Lithium-Ion battery management;

• Always purchase batteries from a reputable manufacturer or supplier;

• Ensure batteries are stored within the temperature range recommended by the manufacturer and away from flammable materials;

• Ensure staff know what to do if a battery is overheating;

• Ensure staff know what to do if a battery starts to smoke or emit flames;

• Don’t expose the battery packs to heat or direct sunlight, or leave them in hot vehicles for extended periods;

• Do charge batteries using only a charger recommended by the manufacturer;

• Don’t charge batteries on flammable surfaces (such as wood, carpet, material, paper, plastics);

• Don’t leave batteries unattended when charging;

• Regularly check the condition of the battery looking for the following warning signs:

• Heat: It’s completely normal for batteries to generate some heat when charging or in use. But if your device’s lithium-ion battery feels extremely hot to the touch, there’s a good chance it’s defective and at risk of starting a fire.

• Swelling: When a lithium battery fails, another common sign is battery swelling. If the shape of your battery has changed, or it looks swollen, you should stop using it immediately. Similar signs include any type of lump or bulge, or leakage from the device.

• Noise: Failing lithium batteries have also been reported to make hissing or cracking sounds.

Climate Workshop Educating with the future in mind

"Every community that hosts a professional sports venue, a sports stadium or arena, is going to be affected by global climate disruption, by climate change, whether through storm surges, more precipitation, stronger hurricanes, wildfires, droughts,” Allen Hershkowitz, Environmental Science Advisor to the New York Yankees.

Experts predict that climate change will continue to negatively affect sports and sporting organisations. Join our 90-minute workshop as we unpack what climate change is and learn how low carbon transitioning will create demand for sustainable brands.

In the workshop, Terry commences with an overview of climate change –the science, the terminology, and the impact it is having on a global and local scale. In part 2, workshop participants will explore climate solutions such as energy efficiency, carbon pricing, fossil fuels, reducing deforestation, renewables, carbon dioxide removal

and many more. Terry then tests these approaches using the MIT Climate Simulator so that participants can see the impact a range of solutions can have on global temperature and other factors. Participants can see the impact a range of climate actions have on climate change that will help them to make informed carbon decisions.

Join in and experience what it’s like to help create your own climate future and see if you can help keep global warming under 1.50C. After all, can your golf course survive global average warming of 3˚C?

• Odour: If you notice a strong or unusual odour coming from the battery, this is also a bad sign.

• Smoke: This one’s a little more obvious. But if your device is smoking, a fire has already started.

• Do not use batteries that are damaged or swollen;

• Discontinue the charging process and immediately disconnect the battery if you witness a battery changing shape, starting to balloon, swell up, smoke, or become extremely hot;

• Do refer to the battery manufactures safe work practices and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) before use.

• F-500 (Lithium-Ion Battery fire) extinguishes are mainly used for Lithium-Ion Fires. They can also put out Class A,B and F fires.

Lithium-ion batteries are extremely sensitive to high temperatures, and they are inherently flammable. These battery packs are generally safe if managed appropriately however they do tend to degrade much faster than they normally would, due to heat and if a lithium-ion battery pack fails, it will burst into flames and can cause widespread damage. This calls for robust risk management measures and vigilant battery safety management.

WORKSHOP HOST: TERRY MUIR

EPAR FOUNDER AND CEO

• University of NSW - Master Science and Technology

• University of Newcastle – Bachelor

Environmental Management

• University of Cambridge – Climate Risk and Net Zero Course

• Harvard University - Golf Environmental

Considerations

• Govt Certified Carbon Neutral Consultant for Organisations

• Govt Certified Carbon Neutral Consultant for Events

• Climate Interactive and MIT - Climate

Ambassador

• Climate Reality Project - Climate Leader

• UNEP - Nature Based Climate Change

Solutions

• UN – PACCDA Delegate 2022

• Exemplar Global – Certified Principal EMS Auditor

Connect: 0412 294 514

terry@epar.com.au www.epar.com.au

The right people on board

I know good people, friends, golfing friends, who would be totally out of place on a golf club board, most likely any board. I’m probably not alone here.

They’re independent thinkers, intelligent and often with unique skills and experience. But, without training they would likely act with little clue, or possible care, as to the road rules of governance. They’d come on the board oblivious to the fiduciary responsibilities of directors, the need for strategic focus and for good process.

Not having been in such a formal group decision making environment, the ones who run successful small businesses, would likely have a natural proclivity to act like lone wolves. There’d be the potential for a game of whack-a-mole, with issues that come to their attention. They’d likely engage their interest or pre-formed agenda moreso than the strategic direction.

Low handicaps and board elections are strange bedfellows. Whilst I’ve known some low marker board members who can play the game better than most and enter the boardroom with open minds, as team players, to use their skills and knowledge built over time to be valuable contributors, this would be

the exception. Low markers have no special board suitability by way of their golf ability. I’ve known some, who can be described as walking chaos in every other aspect of their lives, make it onto the board. The only thing they have managed to control reasonably well is a golf ball.

In a contested board election, the low marker wins the day through golf respect and popularity over an ideal candidate off a 24 handicap. The low marker may have been at the club since juniors, have played years in the pennant team, may know all the local clubs, have trophy etchings and gold lettering of their name in all sorts of places in the clubhouse. They may be well known. What may be less well known may be their closed mind and set ways, their lack of a basic ability to work in a boardroom group amongst conflicting ideas, or their intention to represent their cohort, not the club. Even reading board papers and keeping internal issues confidential may be beyond them. In their own mind they are an authentic representation of the club. Their experience means they know how the club works. Because people listen to them, they are dangerous.

I suspect deep down we naturally assume we know more than we do. We’re inclined to want to find the quickest way from A to B to solve issues. There’s something hands-on

about managing, where you can see immediate results from your efforts. Perhaps there’s something restrictive and slightly unsatisfying about leading with strategy, listening and negotiating, developing policy and not seeing immediate results of our input. Watching as someone else drives the bus and controls all the buttons may be frustrating for some.

As a manager, I found it useful to see the other side, to sit on a board or committee. I've sat on tennis club committees, school advisory committees, parents and friends committees and in recent years the golf industry council. Most interactions have been great between participants and those tasked with operations. But on occasions, it has become glaringly obvious when lines are crossed and agendas pursued with laser sharp intent. I’ve intervened to save the polite principal having to tip toe around a parent’s ego. I can’t imagine being a principal at a private school, or come to think of it, a public one.

Parents have a natural inclination to think the world revolves around their little Johnny or Suzie – and to hell with the priorities of the school, resource limitations or all the other Johnnies and Suzies. Still, there is a level of familiarity between the political environment of working school principals and golf club managers.

We hear stories on a regular basis about the stress caused by friction in the club system. There’s the one about the President who opened up

PAUL VARDY • CEO, Golf Management Australia

his own board level enquiry about why the Christmas party tree wasn’t put out on the due date. Another wrote a lengthy please explain e-mail to the receptionist for leaving the screen on overnight, which was discovered after the board meeting. Or the board member who tabled the suggestion that the manager leave for 15 minutes at each and every board meeting for the board to conduct a performance appraisal. Then there was the new board member who wanted a complete review of the club’s meat supplies. This was closely followed by the suggestion that a contact of his, who just happens to be in the business of meat audits, should be given the job. All true, and all so 1970! But are we improving?

How do we have structures in place to avoid the natural chaos that may arise at any time? All these are required:

Board Charter – spelling our the duties and responsibilities of boards, accompanied by the Club Constitution. Board Annual Work Plan – outlining board activities to be attended to in which months.

Committee Charters – spelling out the advisory role they play.

Nominations Committee – this is sorely missing in most clubs and can solve many issues in finding a suitable candidate for the board.

Avoiding contested elections –this goes hand in hand with the nominations committee. Too many risks come with contested elections so they should be avoided.

Annual Governance training –training is available and the price is far less than the cost of poor governance. Board self-assessment – this allows the board to consider how well it did against what it wanted to do.

The cost of poor board selections can go into the tens and hundreds of thousands. For a start, the manager compromises their job time in attending to managing the board member’s needs at the expense of the club’s needs. Whilst time educating is part of the job, when the message is not wanted, it can lead to trench warfare. That this all impacts the culture of the club, the leadership of the staff and the family life of the GM, should not be ignored. Bullying and unfair dismissal claims, or expensive settlements covered by insurance is

money poorly spent and members should be entitled to ask questions. There’s the cost of losing great board people. I’ve watched with horror as the members unknowingly voted for the wrong candidate at a contested election, whilst a proven high performer up for re-election was asked to exit stage left with their huge skills and knowledge, never to appear again. When the rot sets in, good people leave. This can be obvious to staff and board colleagues who have sat in meetings with them, but members are typically oblivious as they are outside the tent so to speak.

One of the great costs is experienced general managers leaving the industry. The job affords a great deal of experience in business and managing people, but some have been worn down by the grind and in an environment where there are plenty of other options, now is a good time to take on something new.

As an industry, can we afford to keep seeing this happen?

Can recent history be a great guide to the future?

There was a recent article in the weekend Australian Financial Review that caught my eye. The article focused on the recent sale of Lindeman Island, the former home of Australia’s only Club Med operation.

This is one of many Australian resorts to sell in the last 18 months. Dunk Island, Lizard Island, Long Island and Hook Island all have new owners. What specifically caught my eye was the comment by the new owner that “guests are finally paying the right prices”. What this comment indicates is that when you strip away all of the add-ons in resorts - recreational activities and food and beverage (given the very high fixed overhead cost base being carried), they literally live or die by the combination of guest demand and room rate.

(Data from the recently released Horwath 2022 Australian Hotel Industry Survey of Operations confirms this reality, with on average, 80% of Total Available Cash (or Operating Profit before administration costs and building costs) coming from Rooms.

Referring to the “right prices”

comment, one normally only buys a resort if they believe it can make a profit on prices that they believe can/ will reasonably be paid for the product/ service offered. The comment made got me thinking about the current reality within our industry.

There is no doubt that Covid has been great for golf with growth in member numbers (if there was room) and growth in overall profitability, largely thanks to the level of Government support that was available. YTD

2022 data indicates that average EBITDA (aka Operating Profit before Depreciation and Entrance fees) is holding close to 2021 (14% in 2022 vs 15% in 2021) and is not far off the high-water mark of the 16% average achieved in 2020.

With these outcomes being significantly better than those being achieved pre-Covid, where EBITDA was averaging 9%, far more cash is now falling to the bottom line within club operations. Add to this an increase in entrance fee income, averaging $100k per club, and Net Available Capital – what clubs are creating to fund required/desired improvements – is at all-time highs.

This position has unlocked capital spending with median annual capital spend of $600,000, being 33% higher than the pre-Covid median. Two thirds of this spend has been directed towards the golf course, the key asset within all club businesses.

Whilst capital spending has increased, so too has growth in the Club cash assets (indicating that not all of the Covid cash upside has been spent). The median Club Cash assets for the last 2 years are now sitting at approx. $2.1 million, a 70% increase on the median level seen from 2018 to 2020.

JEFF BLUNDEN • Golf Business Advisory Services

So are we golf club members, now also finally paying the right prices?

Just under half of our database have reported new fee pricing for 2022/23. We can reveal that, on average, the full member subscription fee has been increased by 6%, this following two years of consecutive 3% average increases. So the answer to the question ‘are we paying the right prices’ is possibly yes, at least prices that are perhaps ‘more right’.

The right pricing is the first step in getting more from the membership lever. There are however several layers that clubs have built into membership structures that now need to be addressed for this revenue funnel to be better optimised. These include the number of membership categories on offer (22 average), the closing of certain legacy categories, the

percentage discounts offered to 5 or 6-day categories, or others with age or distance-based criteria.

All of these are picked up through one key benchmark metric, that being Full Member Equivalents (FMEs). For 2021 the national metric averaged 61%. We will be watching this metric with interest in the coming year.

Whilst our recent profit gains haven’t been driven by significant price growth or material adjustments to membership structures, members are enjoying the refreshed/upgraded/ improved amenity that can steadily flow from such decisions. This is the Club cycle working as it should. Profit making the world go around, assets being improved, heightening satisfaction and appeal, supporting value offered through member pricing - as illustrated in one of our much-

used planning graphics.

As we look back and learn from our most recent years, we thus hope that the increased delivery of capital programs gives club Boards the courage to now keep targeting heightened levels of profitability, keep planning, keep communicating and delivering desired improvements, and keep promoting their (new) vision. We believe those that do will develop great momentum and be on the path to proper, purposeful, long term financial sustainability.

Note: FME = total subscription revenue divided by full member annual fee. Source: clubbenchmarking.com.au

For more information on Club Benchmarking or the services provided by Golf Business Advisory Services, please visit the GBAS website

With a Design & Construct upgrade by Transform, 13th Beach Golf Links are leading the way in golf shop presentation & business maximisation

5 Must have leadership skills for department heads

The following article has been shared by industry education and training platform Golf Industry Guru (GIG) for inclusion in the GMA Journal and is an example of the type content that is available to its subscribers. The platform contains a wide breadth of resources that cover all areas of club operations, these including operations templates, educational webinars and podcasts, employee training courses and much more.

GOLF INDUSTRY GURU • www.golfindustryguru.com

Everyone has had the experience of working for a not-so-great boss. While it’s common for people to be promoted into management when they excel in nonleadership positions, the truth is that a lot of the people who get those promotions don’t have the skills they need to effectively manage their team.

In other words, they lack the musthave leadership skills that all great bosses have in common.

The good news is that they’re skills you can easily learn. In this article, we’ll explain the five essential leadership skills you need to successfully manage a team, and how to set yourself up for long-term success.

These critical steps include: communication, adaptability, team building, strategic thinking, and delegation.

Are you ready to learn what it takes to become an effective leader? Let’s get started!

SKILL 1: COMMUNICATION

Without proper, clear, and concise communication, you can’t hope to become an effective leader.

Communication is your best tool for explaining your ideas, setting expectations, and building your team. In this chapter, we’ll talk about why strong communication skills are essential for leaders and share some tips about how to communicate effectively both in writing and in person.

The Importance of Interpersonal Communication

Interpersonal communication is what builds relationships. If you listen to employees complain about their bosses and employers, one of the top issues they’re dealing with is usually lack of a direct and clear channel of communication.

Of course, communication goes both ways. But, as a leader, it’s your job to set the tone for interaction within your organization or team.

Effective communication:

• Minimizes misunderstandings and confusion;

• Ensures that team members know what you expect;

• Encourages communication among team members;

• Increases the chances that you’ll reach your goals.

Any time you touch base with your team or with a member/guest of your club, you’re using communication skills. That means every phone call, every meeting, every chat, and every email reflects your ability to communicate and keep a pulse on how projects are going.

Tips for Effective Communication in Writing and Off

the

Cuff

What makes for effective communication? The hallmarks of good communication are clarity, detail, and honesty.

Clarity means that you must be able

Learn the critical 5-steps to becoming an effective leader as a new department head at your club!

to articulate what you want in a way that the person you’re talking to can understand. You’re not communicating effectively if the listener or reader can’t understand what you need or expect from them.

Detail means that you are specific about what you want, expect, or need to know. If you delegate a task and the team member still has questions about what to do or how to do the job, your communication skills have fallen short.

Honesty means that you must be truthful when communicating with your team. That doesn’t mean you need to tell them everything you’re thinking all the time, but it does mean that you cannot mislead them or deliberately omit information that might help them achieve the goals you’ve laid out for the team.

Here are a few tips for communicating effectively:

• In writing, keep your sentences and paragraphs short;

• Think about what you say before you say it;

• Always keep your audience in mind. Don’t use jargon unless you’re sure they’ll understand it;

• Pay attention to how the listener reacts to what you say;

• Be available to answer questions and patient while you do it. These tips will help you be an effective communicator and enhance your ability to lead.

Coming up next, we’ll talk about why you must be adaptable if you want to become a great leader.

SKILL 2: ADAPTABILITY

You’ve heard about survival of the fittest. It’s the principle that tells us that only those who can handle change and cope with adversity survive. In other words, adaptability is necessary – and it can mean the difference between success and failure in your role as a leader at the club.

How Adaptability Can Help You Succeed

In our professional lives, things seldom go the way we want them to. There are too many variables for that to always be the case and often, the things that derail our career or our personal lives feels as though it’s out of our control.

There have been many times in my

life when I’ve had an expectation that hasn’t been met – and I’m willing to bet that’s true for you, too.

The bottom line is that what you do in the face of adversity is what’ll determine whether you’re able to quickly recover, reset and get back on the path to success.

If you have a setback, do you get up and keep going – or do you give up and move onto something else?

Great leaders learn to go with the flow. They understand that success doesn’t happen overnight. Their adaptability helps them get through failure and come out the other side a winner.

Tips for Increasing Adaptability and Going with the Flow

Some people have a high level of adaptability naturally. If that’s you, then you’re probably in good shape.

But what if it’s not? What if you’re easily discouraged or daunted by setbacks? Is there anything you can do to increase your adaptability?

Yes!

Here are some tips to help you increase your adaptability and go with the flow.

1. Make contingency plans. You should always have a Plan B. It doesn’t mean you’re planning for failure. Instead, it means that you’ve given thought to what you’ll do if Plan A doesn’t go as planned.

2. Practice resilience. If you’re like most people, you probably experience tons of small setbacks. When one happens, pay attention to how you react and think about how you can switch up your internal monologue to be more positive.

3. Come up with a daily affirmation to remind yourself that you can deal with disappointment. You might try something like, “Even if things don’t go my way today, I’m going to keep going and not get bogged down by it.”

4. When something goes wrong, don’t react immediately. Take a few deep breaths and let yourself feel the disappointment. A lot of times, we get wrapped up in disappointment because we’re trying to hard to overcome it. It’s okay to feel disappointed – but it’s not okay to let it get the best of you.

These tips can help you learn to be more resilient. Even a big disappointment or a disappointing failure doesn’t have to mean that your goals are out of reach.

Coming up next, we’ll talk about how to build a team – something that’s very important for every leader. Keep reading to learn more!

SKILL 3: TEAM BUILDING

We’ll always reach a higher level of success with a team. Even the selfmade millionaires and billionaires out there didn’t do it entirely on their own. Bill Gates is a great example.

Yes, he had a great idea when he created Windows – but he had a talented team of programmers, designers, writers, marketers, and administrators to help him launch it.

In this chapter, we’ll talk about why team-building is an essential leadership skill, and how you can recognize the areas where you need help so you can build a powerhouse team of your own within your department at the club.

The Benefits of Building a Strong Team

As hard as you may work and as determined as you may be, you can’t do everything on your own, nor should you. It’s not practical, and it’s not working smarter – it’s working harder.

Consider the phrase, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” You might be great at some things, but chances are there are areas in your department that would benefit from outside support.

You might be tempted to try to do everything yourself, telling yourself that you’ll save money. A lot of club managers make that mistake and it leads to failure. They undervalue their time and energy and underestimate how hard it will be to wear every hat, every day.

Building the right team around you means that you’ll have ongoing support within your department at the club. You can delegate tasks –something we’ll talk about later – and have time to do the things you do best. You’ll also be able to enjoy other aspects of life because, let’s face it, you’ll work better if you make time to play, too. The trick, of course, is building the right team.

Tips for Attracting Team Members and Knowing When You Need Help

You need to add to your team, but where you do you start?

The first step is identifying the key areas where you need help by looking at the things you do very well. Those may be things you can do on your own. Next, look at the things that aren’t in your wheelhouse. Maybe you have very little marketing experience or you’re not great at staff training.

The first new team members you hire should be the people who can help you with your weaknesses. You’ll have the best chance of success if you use this method.

The next thing you need to do is attract the right team members. To do that, you’ll need to:

• Write accurate and attractive job descriptions;

• Offer fair compensation;

• Place ads to help team members find you or look for them online;

• Interview people.

Make sure that you ask for samples of their work where it’s appropriate and check their references. These days, it’s easy to hire people to work remotely without ever meeting them. You should set up Zoom/Skype interviews with anyone you don’t plan to meet in person.

It’s also a good idea to impose a probation period on any new hires. That way, you’ll be able to make changes easily if you need to. Just make sure to put everything in writing. Next, we’ll talk about strategic thinking.

SKILL 4: STRATEGIC THINKING

Strategic thinking is an essential element of leadership. In this chapter, we’ll explain why and give you some tips for improving your strategic thinking and planning skills.

The Role of Strategy in Success

Strategy is simply long-term planning with a fancy name. You have a goal in mind and then you map out a step-bystep plan to achieve it. If you want it to work, your strategy must be logical and practical. Each step you take should build to the next step.

Without strategy, it’s very difficult – maybe even impossible – to achieve your biggest goals. You might have the goal to be the GM/COO of your country’s top private club.

Your strategy might include getting a CCM designation and a host of other steps that will put you in a position to achieve that goal.

The thing about strategy is that it’s not just for you. Having a strategy in place can also help you inspire your team.

Tips for Improving Your Strategic Thinking and Planning Ahead

Some people have a natural gift for strategic thinking. They’re the people who are great chess players and who naturally seem to see everything 10 steps ahead.

If you’re not one of them, don’t worry. Here are some tips to help you improve your strategic thinking.

• Before you make any decision, think about some possible outcomes and brainstorm what you’ll do next with each one. This is the kind of practical thinking that can help you become a better strategist.

• Think about your goals and work backwards to figure out what actions will help you achieve them. Think of this as reverse-engineering a strategy.

• Ask team members and trusted friends for suggestions to help you plan strategically.

• Try creating a timeline to plan each step on the way to your goal. The more you practice strategic thinking, the easier it will be. Coming up next, we’ll talk about the fifth and final must-have leadership skill in this article: delegation.

SKILL 5: DELEGATION

In some ways, delegation is the most important skill of them all. We’ve already touched on some reasons why it’s important not to try to do everything yourself. The key to making that happen is to learn how to delegate effectively.

In this chapter, we’ll talk about why delegation is important and provide some tips to help you delegate the right tasks to the right people.

Why You Shouldn’t Try to Do Everything Yourself

If you want to be a great leader, you need to know how to delegate tasks and – just as importantly – who to delegate them to.

You might have a ton of energy and the will to do everything yourself, but as we said before, it’s not always an effective strategy. Not only will you be shouldering the responsibility for tasks that aren’t in your wheelhouse, but you also run the risk of burning out.

We all need down time – and we all do our best work when we’re focused on what we’re good at and love to do. Delegation allows you to focus your time and energy on the things you’re best at and the things that only you can do.

That means you’ll have more time to lead because you won’t be burned out from trying to do everything.

Tips to Help You Decide What to Delegate to Others

The trick to great delegation is knowing two things:

1. Which tasks and jobs can be delegated; and

2. Who should handle those tasks.

So, let’s take each of these things in turn, starting with knowing which tasks to delegate. You should delegate:

• Things your team members excel at;

• Things they can be taught to do;

• Things that don’t require your personal input

It might be useful to start by identifying the things that only you can do. These may include making strategic decisions about your team or meeting with your club’s owners, GM or board members.

Then, make a list of the things you can delegate. Once you’ve got the list, it’s time to think about who the best people are for those jobs. Here are some questions to ask:

• Which team members already have skills that make them suitable for the task?

• Which team members have shown aptitude for core skills, like communication, teamwork, or logic?

• Which team members are eager to learn and willing to take on something new?

Any of these questions can help

you identify people who are ready to handle the tasks and responsibilities you’ve identified.

Once you’ve identified the people you need, you should spend some time thinking about the training and support they’ll need to succeed with their delegated tasks. You may need to spend some one-on-one time with them or pay someone else to train them. They may need an outside class or seminar.

Delegate the tasks, and make sure that you communicate clearly and in detail about what you expect from each team member.

Make yourself available to answer questions, and most importantly, keep in mind that they may not get it right on the first try.

There’s a chance that you may need to adapt along the way. You might not pick the best team member for every task on your first try. The key is to keep an open mind, listen, and be patient.

You’ll need all your leadership skills to decide what to delegate, choose the

best people for each job, and guide them along the way to success. That’s why we saved delegation for last –because it’s a skill that necessarily incorporates all the others we’ve discussed.

FINAL WORDS

Thank you for reading 5 Must-Have Leadership Skills For Department Heads!

We hope you’ve found the information in this article to be enlightening, useful, and inspiring. As a reminder, here are some core concepts to remember as you work to build your leadership skills:

1. Practice communication all the time and be willing to learn from your mistakes. Remember that all communication should be done with clarity, detail, and honesty.

2. Improve your adaptability by reminding yourself that you can handle disappointment and by learning to make contingency plans.

3. Build your team by recognizing the danger of trying to do everything

yourself and choosing team members who have the skills and experience you lack.

4. Learn how to think strategically by outlining your goals and identifying the practical steps you need to take to achieve them.

5. Delegate skills by assigning the tasks that don’t require your personal attention to the team members best suited to do them.

Some so-called experts treat leadership like it’s a riddle to be solved. We don’t think of it that way at all. It’s a skill – or rather a set of skills – that anybody can acquire if they’re willing to do the work.

The five core skills we’ve described in this article can be the basis of great leadership. We believe you can be a great leader – and you should too!

Good luck!

More information can be found at www.golfindustryguru.com or you can contact Jeff Blunden of GBAS who manage GIG subscriptions in Australia.

Clubs signing up to the R&A Women in Golf Charter

to Golf Australia's national programs - Get Into Golf and MyGolf.

The R&A Women in Golf Charter is a global initiative aimed at increasing women’s participation and representation in golf. Launched in May 2018 by the R&A, it has since been adopted by golf clubs, organisations, and business worldwide.

The charter outlines a set of principles that signatories commit to implementing to promote gender equality in golf. These include measures to encourage more women and girls to play golf, improve access to facilities and coaching, and create more opportunities for women to work in the golf industry, including leadership roles.

Golf Australia, the PGA of Australia and WPGA Tour are all signatories to the R&A Women in Golf Charter and have called for clubs to join them in committing to actions that support

increased participation and leadership opportunities for women and girls in golf.

170 expressions of interest have been received to date and from this we are working with 77 clubs to attain signatory status, 32 (listed next page) are now signatories and an additional 19 are close to signatory status, having completed action plans awaiting their club boards to endorse.

The charter has helped raise awareness of the need for greater gender equity in golf and sparked important conversations about how the sport can become more inclusive and welcoming for women.

Working with clubs, an action plan is developed to support the needs of each individual club and has seen the following key changes implemented:

• 39 clubs have changed women's club championships from a mid-week only offering to a multiday structure which allows working women and girls at school and university the opportunity to compete in this prestigious event.

• 20 clubs have aligned their programs

• Implementation of GA's terms of reference for a club’s women's committee which sees a structural change to include the attraction, retention and participation of women and girls in golf as a key function (more info here).

• Increased number of women on boards and succession planning strategies aimed at increasing leadership opportunities for women.

• New gender-neutral constitutions and by-laws.

• Equal prizes for men and women.

• Changing access on traditional men's day to ensure women can complete 18 holes of golf aligned to their membership offering.

• Increased number of women undertaking community instructor training to support and nurture women and girls into the game. A range of other initiatives and strategies are also being undertaken through the action plans which support the Australian Golf Strategy pillars of Tell our Story better, Attract New Golfers and Grow our Core.

MEGAN CARR • National Women & Girls Operations Manager, Golf Australia

INDUSTRY NEWS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING CLUBS ARE NOW SIGNATORIES TO THE R&A WOMEN IN GOLF CHARTER:

NSW- Rich River Golf Club

QLD -The Brisbane Golf Club

SA - Glenelg Golf Club

TAS - Bridport Golf Club, Claremont Golf Club, Devonport Country Club, Freycinet Golf Club Kingston Beach Golf Club, Mowbray Golf Club, Pittwater Golf Club, Riverside Golf Club, Royal Hobart Golf Club, Ulverstone Golf Club

VIC - Albert Park Women's Golf Club, Barwon Valley Golf Club, Curlewis Golf Club Huntingdale Golf Club, Keysborough Golf Club, Lonsdale Links, Leongatha Golf Club, Meeniyan Golf Club, Merbein Golf Club, Neangar Park Golf Club, Northern Golf Club, Shepparton Golf Club, The Metropolitan Golf Club, Thirteenth Beach Golf Links, Tocumwal Golf & Bowls Club, Torquay Golf Club, Warrnambool Golf Club, Yarra Yarra Golf Club WA - Gosnells Golf Club

Overall, the R&A Women in Golf Charter is a positive step forward for gender equity in golf and represents an important commitment by the sport’s governing bodies and stakeholders to make golf more accessible and welcoming for all.

Becoming a signatory to the R&A Women in Golf Charter can have several benefits including:

1. Increased participation: By signing the Women in Golf Charter, golf clubs and organisations commit to creating more opportunities for women and girls to play and engage with the sport. This can lead to increased participation and a more diverse membership base.

2. Improved retention: The charter also encourages signatories to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for women and girls. This can help improve retention rates, as women and girls who feel comfortable and supported in the golfing community are more likely to continue playing and participating.

3. Positive reputations: Signing the Women in Golf Charter can demonstrate a commitment to

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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).

gender equality and diversity, which can enhance the reputation of golf clubs and organisations. This can attract new members and sponsors who value these principles.

4. Access to resources and support: The R&A provides signatories with access to resources and support to help them implement the principles of the charter. This includes guidance on how to create more welcoming and inclusive environments, as well as examples of best practices from other signatories.

5. Contribution to a global movement: By becoming a signatory to the Women in Golf Charter, golf clubs and organisations in Australia can join a global movement towards gender equality and inclusivity in golf. This can help to create a sense of community and shared purpose among signatories.

To express your club’s interest to become a signatory to the R&A Women in Golf Charter please complete the expression of interest - or for further information please contact: Megan Carr on 0410 605 359 or megan .carr@golf.org.au

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 to our Media & Communications manager, David Branddavid.brand@golfmanagement.com.au .

Empower your staff and help your club thrive with the PGA Institute

The PGA Institute is Australian golf’s only Registered Training Organisation and is here to provide the training and qualifications required to help individuals and clubs to thrive in the golf industry.

The PGA Institute is one of a suite of golf education offerings available at the world-first PGA Golf Learning Hub at the Sandhurst Club in Melbourne’s South East. Operating alongside the Membership Pathway Program and the PGA Academy, each of the programs are designed to set students up for success in the golf industry.

PGA Institute RTO Manager, Suzanne Burns is passionate about helping people achieve their dreams in the sport, and is proud that the PGA Institute helps them get there.

“We know that our sport is booming at the moment, so to see students of varying ages embracing their passion for the game and looking to turn it into a career is a very special thing,” Burns said.

“Our range of flexible offerings – both on campus and online – means that we can reach students around the country and around the world, and that can only be a good thing for golf.”

Established in 2005, the PGA Institute initially offered education through its golf management program; combining business and golf training, along with practical golf skills to prepare graduates for their career.

Now, it has expanded to offer four courses to help students achieve their goals; The Diploma of Golf Management, Cert III in Sport Athlete and Golf Development, Advanced Diploma of Leadership and Management and a Diploma of Business.

Each of these courses have been designed in consultation with golf industry bodies to ensure they cover best practice principles and assist those looking to begin – or to enhance their careers in golf.

Moreover, throughout their time with the PGA Institute, students will be exposed to industry professionals, managers and consultants, ensuring the highest quality golf education available.

In addition, the PGA Golf Learning Hub has partnered with Holmesglen Institute to make a career in golf a reality for more people than ever before.

“The golf industry workforce is aligned to six primary pillars,” Burns explained. “Coaching, small business and management courses are delivered by the PGA Institute, while our partnership with Holmesglen sees them deliver qualifications in turfgrass management, tourism and event management.

“Together, we strive to deliver golf learning collaboratively, resulting in a stronger and more inclusive golf workforce.”

Burns herself joined the PGA Institute in November 2021. With extensive knowledge in training and education, she has worked in the industry in one way or another for more than twenty years.

“For me, with a well-established passion for golf and a wealth of experience in education, this role is perfect,” she smiled.

“Traditionally, I have worked to provide organisations with development plans based on current and future skills needs of their employees; giving a comprehensive strategy to upskill teams and see real business improvements.”

Now, Burns is pleased to bring the same thing to golf clubs and facilities in 2023, offering a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) service, on behalf of the PGA Institute.

“Golf is increasing in popularity and as a consequence, the industry is seeing a high demand for staff, so it is crucial that our places to play can retain

quality team members,” she explained. “Providing your staff with opportunities for professional development is one of the key motivators of retention and that is where the PGA Institute can help.”

Acting on behalf of the Institute, Suzanne will provide a complimentary TNA; meeting with you and your team to discuss the training needs identified within the organisation and provide a development strategy for your team.

“Part of this process will be identifying which qualifications can be delivered by the PGA Institute and providing a packaged solution that offers a discount on multiple enrolments,” she detailed.

“We know that making your staff feel valued and empowered is the key to retention, so ensuring they have the most up-to-date knowledge is a win for them, for your facilities and for the game more broadly.”

For more information on the Training Needs Analysis, or to speak with Suzanne Burns about the process, please feel free to get in contact at:

E: sburns@pga.org.au

P: 0499 990 951

Click here for more information on the PGA Institute and the courses available.

CEO Paul O'Neill and his views on compliance and safety

For those long-term customers of epar, many will be familiar with Alcoa CEO Paul O'Neill and his stance on compliance and safety way back in 1987.

We share this video regularly and following a recent spate of serious workplace injuries, we thought it timely to share this once more.

Paul O'Neill, was the 72nd United States Secretary of the Treasury, and after his political life, he was the Chairmen and CEO of Alcoa. His first speech as Acloa CEO at the shareholder meeting was where he declared his war against whatever was harming Alcoa employees. It sent the message to employees that shareholder returns weren’t his priority—employees were. Some of his biggest moments:

1. At his first shareholder's meeting - "If we bring our injury rates down, it won’t be because of cheerleading or the nonsense you sometimes hear from other CEOs. It will be because the individuals at this company have agreed to become part of something important. They’ve devoted themselves to creating a habit of excellence. Safety will be an indicator that we’re making progress in changing our habits across the entire institution. That’s how we should be judged.

2. "You can’t order people to change. So I decided I was going to start by focusing on one thing - safety. If I could start disrupting the habits around one thing, it would spread throughout the entire company."

3. After his first shareholder's meetingMany analysts called their clients and advised them to sell all their stock in

Alcoa immediately. One of them told a client, ‘The board put a crazy hippie in charge and he’s going to kill the company.’ The analyst would later say it was the worst financial advice he had given his clients.

4. Following a workplace death - By the end of the day, O’Neill had assembled a meeting with the executive and said - “We killed this man, I caused his death and it’s the failure of all of you in the chain of command. We killed him.” He then made the executive watch the video footage again and again and recreate the stages of the accident through diagrams. Eventually, they compiled a list of dozens of mistakes made by multiple parties. Two managers had seen the man jump the safety wall but didn’t stop him. That was a failure of management. As was the man’s lack of knowledge that he should find a manager before attempting a repair. That was a failure of training

and recruiting. The machine should have had an automatic shut-down procedure if it sensed a human was inside. That was a failure of our engineering team.

5. “Increasing efficiency isn’t a rallying cry that moves anyone. Safety— protecting each other from the threat of accidents will move nearly everyone.

O’Neill’s fight for safety didn’t just turn around accident rates. It made the whole company better. When O’Neill left Alcoa the company’s income was five times higher than when he’d started. And its market value had increased from $3 billion to over $27 billion. It was a nearly impossible turnaround. And it would have been impossible had O’Neill not chosen the right tactic to motivate senior executives, union representatives, and individual workers alike.

O’Neill picked the right fight. And that fight saved lives—and saved Alcoa.

View the Paul O'Neill video here.

TERRY MUIR • ePar

If I Knew Then, What I Know Now!

How many times in life have we heard someone say, “If I knew then, what I know now!”? What would our teenage years or our 20s be like if we had the experience and knowledge we have now? CMAA's Kevin Macdonald explains.

Part of the brilliance of growing up in our lives and our careers, comes from not knowing and learning in our own way. Having said that, wouldn’t it have been nice if we could have avoided a few of the pitfalls?

I was a club manager. In 2000 I shifted from club management to the profession of coaching. I am imagining that I have been given the chance to sit down with someone who loves the career of club management and simply wants to be their best in it. The person could be in the beginning stages of their career or a veteran that is ready to make it easier and enjoy it more.

I Would Have had a Coach

KEVIN MACDONALD THE COACHING DEPT.

Knowing what I know now, I see these things that could have been possible for me when I was a club manager. I recently had some young leaders come to Vancouver to spend some time with me. I am sharing this with them and with you.

In fairness, when I was a club manager the profession of coaching was in its infancy. We didn’t have much awareness that the same principle that existed for the best pros we watched on the PGA Tour was available to us. Instead of having someone who could help us work on our game, we had a more general support that we could apply to our game. If I had known that I could get the support of someone who would be beside me to observe, challenge, encourage, and develop me, I would have simply been better at my job and my life. In 2003, I was asked to develop and launch a coaching program for CMAA. It gave members the chance to experience coaching and learn from coaching concepts. It gave members the chance to be coached and enhance their coaching skills. What if you had a professional to work with you, on you?

I Would Have Been Less Defensive

I would sometimes get the feedback that I could be defensive. “I am not!” I would think defensively. It seemed hard to not be defensive when it seemed that people were attacking with their criticisms or feedback. I became too good at taking things personally. I often took feedback and tried to disprove or defend against it rather than learn from it. I realize now that a habit of being defensive and taking things personally can look pretty pathetic and take away from our effectiveness as a leader.

I Would Have Been Stronger and More Willing to Show Vulnerability

I think I used to believe that vulnerability was weakness. I now believe that vulnerability is one of

the most powerful demonstrations of strength. Admitting to yourself that you don’t know everything, that you need some help, that you have made a mistake, isn’t weakness, it is courage and a great example.

I Would Have Been More Willing to Ask for Help

I was under the illusion that I needed to know everything and be in control. Now there were many examples of asking for and receiving help on many parts of the business, but seldom with things that had to do with me personally. If it had to do with me, well I believed I should be an expert on those things. I now know that not only was I not an expert, but I hadn’t scratched the surface on what I could learn about me.

I Would Have Been More Aware of How to Access the Best of Me

I had never been given the operating manual on how to be my best. Quite frankly, if I had, I probably wouldn’t have read it. On some level I didn’t really want to know how I was deficient. It is not about being deficient or comparisons with others, it is about learning to be the best authentic me I can be. I now have a great understanding of what supports me in operating at my best and what kinds of things get in the way of that. I know why sometimes I would do things that worked against me. I am open to being successful versus being right. I am excited about working on developing me to be better in relationships and better in life.

I Would Have Been a Better Communicator

I now have a better understanding of how powerfully our ability to communicate shapes our lives. I have become more aware of communication, clear that I will never arrive, and will just keep working on getting better at it.

I Would Have Been a Better Leader

When you have found your operating manual and you can get out of the way,

you can focus on bringing the best out in others. In many ways I did this back in the day, but not even close to what I could give them today.

I Would Have Had a Mastermind Group

I now belong to three mastermind groups that I use to make me better, to let go of an attachment to think the way I have always thought.

I Would Have Been Less Willing to Accept Misery and Sadness from Others

To operate at our best, we need to protect our minds, our spirit, and our energy. I used to think it was my job and I had the ability to make miserable people happy. I now know that accountability is a key to success. People must take accountability for them. I must take accountability for me. I have decided to be happy, successful, and a person that makes the lives of others better. What have you decided?

In addition to deciding what I was going to do, I would have spent time deciding who I was going to be!

When you are young you spend a lot of time being who you have been told to be or worse yet what you think the world is telling you to be. If you are lucky when you age you will discover that you have the chance to define that for yourself. You can let go of the “well that is the way I have always been” concept and design the you that you will bring to your career and your life.

Kevin MacDonald is CMAA's coach, improving lives, plans, relationships and communications. Kevin and Shelley MacDougall have Clarity Success Coaching and do coaching online and in person. Visit their website for more information.

“Social Net Worth” and Its KPIs

Manager Sue’s Finance Committee at The High and Mighty Country Club is filled with Numbers Guys. They want measurable metrics. They want “the numbers” to work the way numbers work in The World of Widgets.

They’re bottom line thinkers says Gregg Patterson, Founder & President of "Tribal Magic".

Manager Sue knows business. She digs the numbers and she “does” the numbers. She understands The Machinery of clubs. She knows what’s needed to make the clubhouse, the pool, the tennis courts and the golf course HUMMM. But………

Manager Sue’s a hospitality guru, a CLUB MANAGER---touched by FIRE. She’s a builder of relationships and community and a preacher for and a teacher of The People Side of the club equation. She’s convinced the bottom line’s driven by The People Experience and that a club’s Social Net Worth is THE KEY to a club’s Financial Net Worth. And she’s willing to fight for her convictions.

Manager Sue has a vision. She wants to create a bocce ball complex. The best. Pro quality. In a prime “front of the porch” location. With seating. Decking. A portable bar. Fire pits. Filled with crushed sea shells. Laser leveled. An “in your face when you arrive at the club” goodwill generator, a focus for conversation, an excuse to gather and a permanent Buzz Builder. A DEAL at $127,867!!!

Manager Sue’s meeting with the Finance Committee to get their blessing for The Bocce Vision before going to the Board for The Big O.K.

She knows what Finance wants. Short term stuff. ROI. Profits. The P&L is their template for evaluating “club”. And that’s good---but not enough. Vision’s needed. A philosophy of CLUB.

She presents The Numbers. The Numbers Guys give The Numbers a look. They give each other The Look. They give Manager Sue The Look. They laugh. They chuckle. They snicker and they snort.

“Ain’t no way you’ll ever pay for this bocce thing from cocktail sales. It’d take you 39 years just to pay off the investment. And the operating costs---the maintenance, the referees, the free popcorn---are a sinkhole for cash. It’s obvious to any halfway clever MBA that this project’s a LOSER!!! A

DOG!!! Ain’t no way THIS Committee will endorse something that’ll make us look dumb to the bean counters of clubdom.”

Manager Sue stares at The Numbers Guys and shouts “you blubbering idiots, you pack of fools, you Philistines”---to herself. She takes a huge guzzle of High Octane “Free to Members” Fair Trade Caffeine from her official “I’m the G.M.” High and Mighty 22 ounce coffee mug, breathes deep and speaks.

“This Bocce Complex will supercharge our Social Net Worth--instantaneously!!! Members will gather, talk, linger, engage, socialize, do “Club” on the courts and around the courts. Our Social Bottom Line will be in the black, our Social Net Worth will be the envy of The Big Boys of Clubdom, the club’s reputation will flourish and we’ll attract and retain members who’ll use the club, linger longer and spend The Big Bucks when they visit. If The High and Mighty’s worried about its Financial Net Worth, we need to invest in projects that’ll boost our Social Net Worth. People are hungry for The Social Experience and The Bocce Complex will feed their hunger.”

They stare. Sue stares. Silence.

GMA EDUCATION

“Winning clubs--- Great Clubs!!!--focus on their Social KPIs first because they’ve learned from The School of Hard Knocks that their Bottom Line is fueled by The People Experience. The Bocce Complex will boost our Social KPIs, it’ll boost our Social Net Worth, it’ll “blacken” our bottom line and it’ll boost our Financial Net worth. And any investment that does all three is a WINNER. And this bocce complex at a modest $127,867 is a WINNER!!!”

They stare at Sue. They stare at each other. They chuckle. They snicker. The Big-Guy-In-Widgets then asks, “What are these Social KPIs---these “measurable metrics”---you’re talking about??? None of us MBA’ers have a clue what you mean with all this touchy-feely foolishness.”

Manager Sue simmers. She stews. She ponders. She mellows. She speaks. “Ladies and Gentlemen of Finance, let me explain.”

And she does……….

Social KPI’s

“Our Social Net Worth is front-andcenter whenever a member, guest or employee visits the club. Their social experience is quantifiable---and the numbers matter. Here are a few of the KPIs, The Measurable Metrics, people will use to evaluate The Club and our Bocce Investment.

Number of years members and staff stay.

Number of Member-Member, StaffStaff, Staff-Member Eye Contacts.

Number of member-member, memberstaff, staff-staff Hand Shakes, Fist Bumps and Hugs.

Number of Greetings and Goodbyes.

Number of times management greets guests in the lobby during private events.

Number of times management greets members in the lobby during club events.

Number of times management greets members and guests in the lobby during lunch and dinner.

Number of Pro / Member (Tennis, golf, gym) Encounters.

Number of Front Office visits by Children.

Number of impromptu member / staff / guest conversations with The Manager.

Number of impromptu member /staff / guest visits to the G.M.’s office.

Number of team building “social experiences” for the staff.

Number of member social and athletic events.

Number of recurring annual “all club” events.

Number of new member orientations by the G.M.

Number of new staff orientations by the G.M.

Number of times the G.M. acts as M.C. for staff and member events.

Number of members on committees.

Number of members on the wait list to serve on committees.

Number of member visits per month. Number of minutes members linger during each visit.

Number of Staff and Member Laughs per hour.

Number of Encounters during which members and staff use the names of the people they’re encountering.

Number of minutes members speak to members and staff when they visit. Manager Sue finishes. She stares. They stare.

“The Bocce Complex will boost our numbers and strengthen our KPIs. It’ll super-charge our Social Net Worth which will super-charge our Financial Net Worth. We’ll be in The Black--socially and financially. We’ll attract

members. We’ll keep members. They’ll visit often. They’ll linger longer. And they’ll spend The Big Bucks. And because of all that, you who are The Controllers of The Purse, need to ENTHUSIASTICALLY endorse this $127,867 social investment in The Bocce Ball Complex.”

Gasp. Breathe. Sip. Stare. Wait.

The Committee stands with a ROAR and, with a single voice, shouts out--“We agree!!! Time to buy!!! Let the bocce-ing begin!!!”

Boosting Social Net Worth

Manager Sue glows. She speaks. “Clubs are in the people business--and doing people right means delivering, month in and month out, measurable, “in the black” Social KPIs. And clubs that do people right have a high Social Net Worth and clubs with a high Social Net Worth will have a high Financial Net Worth---guaranteed.” Breathe. Drink. Speak.

“If we at The High and Mighty want a great P&L and a high octane balance sheet, we need to pay attention to our Social KPIs and our Social Net Worth. We need to invest in them, cultivate them and sing their praises.”

Sue drinks. Smiles. Speaks.

“And while we’re delivering, let’s enjoy the journey………………”

What to look for in an Online Voting Provider for Board of Directors Elections

Online voting provides plenty of advantages that ensure a seamless and efficient election process for both small and big businesses.

With the right voting system, your organisation can enjoy a more accessible, fair, transparent (and if required) anonymous voting experience, ensuring that your governance needs are correctly fulfilled.

Here are some features to look for when selecting an online voting system to run important processes such as your board of director elections:

1. Candidate nomination features

Your online voting service provider should have a nomination feature for a smoother and more efficient candidate selection process for board members. Organisation members can simply nominate their choice of candidate through an online form with options for uploading relevant information, such as the nominees’ work profiles, to determine their eligibility more easily.

2. Full assistance and service throughout the process

Your chosen online election system should provide a straightforward voting experience and support to ensure increased voter turnout. There should be a returning officer in charge of helping you set up and manage the

voting process, as well as dedicated support and assistance for whenever issues or irregularities arise. With help from the voting system provider, it will be much easier to oversee the election progress and get the results in real time.

A voting system that can handle your organisation needs, from the nomination process to the final tabulation and results announcement, will allow for a better, more convenient experience for individual members and the organisation as a whole. Looking for an online voting service provider that has successfully worked with organisations in a wide range of industries is a great first step in ensuring that you get the performance quality that you need.

3. Accommodates common voting methods for elections

The ballot software you choose for your elections should also be able to support a voting method that is compliant and inline with the company’s constitution requirements.

Plurality Voting vs. Majority Voting

The plurality voting system is the most basic voting system there is. In the plurality system, a candidate wins simply by garnering more votes than the other candidates.

The majority voting system, meanwhile, requires more to determine the outcome of the election. The winning candidate must have garnered more than 50% of the vote.

This majority criterion, however, is sometimes not satisfied especially if there are more than two candidates vying for the win.

Preferential Voting

In preferential voting, voters rank the candidates in order of their preference. This is an ideal election method in cases where multiple winners are expected. This system proves to be a more accurate indicator of which candidates the voters actually trust and how much trust there is.

In this voting system, the weakest candidate is eliminated if the firstpreference votes fail to achieve the majority. That candidate’s votes are then redistributed to the other candidates based on the second preference on the ballot. This elimination and redistribution process is repeated until the absolute majority has been secured by one candidate. For the ballot in a preferential voting system to be counted as valid, it should meet the following criteria:

• At least one candidate is ranked for each position;

• No two candidates can share the same rank and for the same position;

• All candidates shall be ranked.

Cumulative Voting

In the cumulative voting system, voters are given a specific number of votes that they can distribute to the candidates however they see fit. Like the preferential voting system, this gives a fairly accurate measure of candidate preference amongst voters.

Cumulative voting can either be complete cumulative or limited cumulative. Complete cumulative voting allows the voters to cast all their votes for a single candidate. Limited cumulative voting, on the other hand, places a limit on how many votes they can give a single candidate.

For instance, voters are given a total of 5 votes to cast. In a complete cumulative voting system, all these 5 votes can be assigned to just one candidate, though the voters can still choose to give some of the votes to other candidates. However, in a limited cumulative voting system, there are specific instructions that limit the number of votes that can be given to one candidate. For example, only 3 of the 5 votes can be assigned to a single candidate, with the remaining 2 given to others.

To calculate the results for a cumulative voting system, the online voting platform counts the total number of votes the candidates have amassed. The candidate with the most number of votes is declared the winner. In multi-winner elections, the candidate with the highest percentage of the votes wins the first seat, the second highest gets the second seat, and so on until all vacancies are filled. In this way the cumulative voting system is ideal for encouraging a more diverse elected body, as minority voters are given more chances of having their choices represented.

4. Automatic auditing and results tracking

Exhaustive online voting management should include access to tabulation and tracking features that allow for viewing of the results in real time. There should be no error-prone manual tracking as authorised bodies can instead monitor vote status and results live on an online platform. There should also be constant, regular updates as the voting goes on, including information on the total number of votes cast, percent voted, vote tallies and tabularised results. Options for additional analyses of results should also be provided, such as for when there are voting irregularities. However, voter anonymity should be kept.

5. Security

Security is a top priority in any election process. An online voting system should be able to provide the utmost security and protection to ensure fair and impartial results. Each voter should be allowed to cast their vote only once. All election methods should have access to twofactor authentication; this electronic verification method provides an extra layer of security and can be applied via email and SMS.

Voters should also be protected under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Company’s Data Protection policies, and the ballots should remain a secret and not associated with any organisation member. Any information collated during the election should also remain safe and would not be, in any case, shared with third-party entities.

In conclusion

With customisable ballots, an online voting system can offer a flexible way to meet the organisation’s needs. The ballot service provider should have options that include:

• A system that allows nominations to be taken before the election.

• Allows the candidate to upload their details, such as biographies and photos, to provide more information for the voters

• Set the number of openings that the voters can choose from.

• Recognise member’s voting power, accounting for voter weighting and other voter rights.

• Has conducted various elections successfully and highly secured

• Access to auditing and provides supporting documents for additional information, such as files of prior meeting minutes and agenda.

ADVANTAGES OF CHOOSING AN ONLINE VOTING SYSTEM PROVIDER

Online voting is an extremely versatile way to run any organisation’s democratic processes. The end-toend online support encourages voter participation, resulting in increased turnout and actual results that accurately reflect the voters’ choices.

SIMPLIFIED VOTING EXPERIENCE

With rigorously tested technology designed for a seamless and smooth election experience, voters will have an easier time navigating the process. There are multiple methods for casting their votes, including online and SMS. Also supported are methods such as AGM proxy voting and Single Transferable Vote (STV).

ACCESSIBILITY

Online voting removes the need to physically go to the office to cast votes. Regardless of where the voters are on the globe, they have the opportunity to cast their votes in a live online voting system via their own devices. With just a few clicks, voters are easily engaged and the entire process can be tracked and mapped out in the voting platform, offering transparency and accountability.

NEUTRALITY

An online voting system provider is a completely impartial party that is concerned only with ensuring the

election proceeds without a problem. Therefore, there are no risks of influencing the votes and total neutrality is assured.

ANONYMITY

An online voting platform ensures the anonymity and security of the voters. The secure tallying process also prevents votes from being matched with any particular voter, protecting the voters’ privacy even from election administrators.

COST EFFECTIVE

Online voting eliminates the need for paper-based resources. Moreover, with an online voting system provider, the organisation’s workforce wouldn’t have to halt their operations just to cast their votes. There is no need for a team to handle the manual election processes either. Online voting is not only efficient but is also environmentally friendly, saving paper and printing costs and time expense.

With the right online voting system provider, your organisation can conduct a fair and impartial electoral voting process.

To learn more about seamless voting services that help maintain ballot secrecy and ensure election efficiency, send your queries to info@verovoting.com.au

Influencing people’s lives – one chat at a time

General managers are in a unique position to make the lives of members and staff better in a club. In the case of older members, the interactions become more valuable.

Club surveys commonly show that members love their club more for what it is, the older they get.

Older members these days can be by-passed for the rush for all things youth. Proud announcements that the average age of members has just got younger may be met with a response from the older members of, “What am I? Chop Liver?” A GM can have a very positive impact on these people’s lives.

The Chats

I recall an elderly member at Kew GC with great fondness. His arrivals into the bar on two days a week, coincided with my time to make a mid-morning coffee. Rather than avoiding him, I embraced the opportunity to chat and brighten his day.

He’d arrived via taxi, all alone except for his gas bottle and tube to help him breath. He had a deep desire for human connection and Kew GC was the place to be.

He loved the club. Whether he had family generations before him, I can’t recall, but he had a son in the club and the grandkids were now enjoying a game. He was well passed his playing years, and had outlived all his golfing buddies. The bar was the place to chat with staff or whoever was arriving before lunch. A glass of Chardonnay from a bottle kept in the fridge, just for him. It was the first wine to be served for the day, against his doctor’s orders, to whom he would gleefully toast.

As the bridge ladies passed by to their tables, he had a witty word or three. His jokes were harmless enough but at times borderline appropriate. Still, there was not a bad bone in his body and the bones in his body were just glad to be upright.

For me it was a regular reminder of the value of clubs. If you can engage with a member and brighten someone’s day for a few minutes, it’s time well spent outside the demands of the office.

highlight of the year for many of them. A roaring success year after year and in the scheme of things, it cost the club very little but added a whole lot.

The final letter

Meeting with the family after the death of a member is part of the job and in many ways a privilege. It’s closure as you talk with them and assisting them to collect the member’s belongings from the locker room. It’s a truly golf club experience. I can’t expect many sports have this scenario.

Writing to the family after the death is an opportunity to help with their closure. A letter to the family acknowledging a member’s time at the club has to be personal. Information needs to be gleaned from their file and any other source around the club from members or staff. What did they win, did they serve on the board, a committee or volunteer in some way around the club? Did they have a favourite line or two, favourite drink or spot to sit; a routine that will be missed by all?

The events

The club’s Over 80’s Golf Day was another reminder of sorts. As tradition would have it, only playing member golfers would be invited to the day. Playing in the nine-hole event and staying for the free lunch was the domain of the rare Octogenarian. A badge of honour for the fit survivors. But numbers were never great. But why not have the lunch for any member over 80? That’s a novel idea. Pretty soon, the numbers swelled to fill most of the dining room.

Eighty percent of the attendees would not play golf and just arrive for lunch. They would arrive at 10:30am, sit around and talk for an hour before the small band of nine-hole golfers would appear. Lunch was not a moment after midday. It was the club

I know from experience that a letter from the club to the family, closing out the final chapter of a part of the member’s club life is quite likely to be important to the bereaved. It may well be circulated through the family and go into the family archives. The President may be satisfied with a standard letter but the GM should know better. A well worded personal letter, with details and a lot of care from the club as to how the member was cherished and will be missed, is the order of the day.

We can sometimes forget what really matters in clubs. A club's culture is built one conversation at a time. In the rush to attend to managing the club operations and meet budgets, let’s not forgo the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our members, particularly the older ones.

PAUL VARDY • CEO, Golf Management Australia

First Choice Services continues to expand its operations across Southeast QLD & Victoria

Leading facilities management provider, First Choice Services (FCS) has been steadily expanding its operations across the southeast Queensland region and is now positioned for further growth in Victoria.

With an unwavering commitment to exceptional service, FCS has established a reputation for reliability and expertise, making it the go to provider for many organisations seeking top tier facilities management services.

Since partnering with GMA in May of last year, FCS has taken full opportunity of its relationship to develop and foster partnerships with several Queensland clubs and provide cleaning and maintenance services. Their growing list of golf club clientele includes Pelican Waters GC, Oxley GC, Beerwah GC, and Maroochy River GC, among others.

FCS started with Maroochy River

in December last year, during the busy holiday season. According to general manager, Charlie McGill, "The changeover went smoothly, David was great, had all the relevant documentation drawn up in a timely manner. Any questions were answered quickly and three months down the track, his cleaners are doing a great job at a very reasonable price."

FCS is also excited to announce Headland GC as the latest addition to their expanding portfolio with services to commence early April.

While First Choice Services has been primarily focused on the Queensland market, they have begun expanding to golf clubs in Victoria. During a recent visit to Melbourne in February, national sales manager, David High, connected with various general managers to gain insight into their clubs’ specific requirements. Various clubs have expressed an interest in a multi program approach that includes cleaning, HVAC maintenance programs and consumable supplies. By providing an all-in-one solution, First Choice

Services are dedicated to making their clients’ operations as seamless and stress free as possible.

First Choice Services’ commitment to excellence remains at the forefront of its mission. With FCS, clients can be confident in their choice of a partner that will go above and beyond to meet their needs and exceed their expectations.

Contact First Choice Services to help you develop a strategy that meets your facility requirements.

For more information:

P: 1300 544 166

E: support@firstchoiceservices.com.au

W: www.firstchoiceservices.com.au

BARNBOUGLE JACKS POINT CAPE WICKHAM

Industry specialist managed IT services save your golf club $$$

Most clubs are using many data systems and services including gaming systems, till systems, booking systems, beverage control systems, paging systems and many laptops, desktops and mobile phones.

On top of this are many software overlays including firewalls, AV systems and office software all requiring constant protective updates.

The average golf club is seeing more and more complexity in their IT requirements.

What are “Managed IT Services”?

A “Managed IT Service” is designed to monitor your technology proactively to detect and fix potential IT issues before they cause a disaster. Using remote monitoring programs,

Secom Technology are an Australian hospitality systems specialist who understands that in the club business, downtime caused by IT problems involve financial loss, data loss and significant customer service issues.

What are the advantages to Secom Tech’s Managed IT Services?

• 100% Australian – local supply chains and support

• Experience counts - experienced and qualified technicians who understand your business = hospitality industry experts

• Prevention – constant monitoring of your system to prevent problems from turning into budget black holes.

• Technology Advice from Experts - strategic technology advice to combat the rapidly changing array of tech choices and options.

• Better network and data security –Secom Technology’s primary focus is

making sure that your IT assets are current on all security patches, updates and anti-virus software preventing hacking and spam issues.

• Disaster Planning and Protectionkeep your technology running if an unanticipated business interruption occurs.

Secom’s managed IT services are a scalable solution for any sized club business, with a fixed monthly cost.

Need to talk to a solutions expert to see what you could gain from managed IT services?

Call Jason Drew today for a free consultation!

Secom Technology

Phone: 1300 781 224

Enervest – an Australian leader in Renewable Energy

Entering our second year as a partner with GMA, we wanted to showcase the capability we bring to the golf industry by highlighting some of our proudest achievements.

Who we are

Enervest has been an Australian owned and operated leader in the Australian renewable energy industry

since 2008. We have navigated four ‘boom and bust’ cycles in the solar industry due to our ability to move ahead of technical, political and business sector trends and capitalise on opportunities.

Large-scale Solar

We’ve been at the forefront of largescale commercial systems for well-over a decade and we’re proud to highlight some of our delivered project work.

Enervest was engaged by the GWS Giants to install a 100kW system at their HQ in 2016. GWS were one of the first major Australian sporting clubs to embark on a renewable energy journey.

Engineering and electronics giant Bosch was the first global industrial enterprise to make all of their locations carbon neutral by the end of 2020. The design and installation of a 1MWp solar PV system for their Clayton manufacturing facility was awarded to Enervest at the end of 2019.

Fort Knox Self Storage Melbourne are leaders in self-storage solutions. Enervest was engaged for the design

and install of solar PV systems on seven different storage locations. 1,274 panels have been installed and the capacity of the system is 542 kWp.

Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)

VPPs enable organisations to harness the power of renewable energy by connecting and aggregating renewable energy systems. VPPs allow you to

GWS Giants Sydney HQ - 100kW system

1MWp solar PV system installed at the Bosch Clayton manufacturing facility

Solar PC systems installed at seven different Fort Knox Self Storage locations in Melbourne

PARTNER

OTHER ENERVEST PROJECTS

Brisbane Property Group –Virtual Power Plant – 6MWp PV & 12MWh Battery

An industrial 6MW solar:12MWh battery project is underway in Brisbane, which will be 100% operated by the Enervest Virtual Power Plant technology and asset platform.

Major Health Fund – Virtual Power Plant – 5MWp PV & 10MWh Battery

A project is underway to design, install, own and operate a VPP across 32 retirement and aged care villages in the Fund’s property portfolio.

generate, store and trade your own energy, reducing your reliance on traditional energy sources while earning income from the excess power. After a highly competitive tender process across 11-months, Enervest was appointed to deliver Phase 1 of the first Melbourne metropolitan council Virtual Power Plant (VPP) (also known as the Virtual Energy Network (VEN)) for Hobsons Bay City Council As part of its goals of attaining zero net greenhouse gas emissions for its own operations this year and for the community by 2030, the VPP project will involve close to 4MW of solar power systems across more than 40 Council owned and occupied buildings. This project is due for completion in March 2023 and Enervest is due to be awarded Phase 2 of the project mid2023.

Find out more information on this project.

Taking action on climate change and energy bills

Whether you’re considering getting solar for the first time, expanding your existing system, adding a battery, or being part of the Enervest VPP, speak to the experts who are trusted partners to the GMA and major organisations across Australia.

For further information please contact:

Jason Downes - 0499 198 320 Business Development Manager, Enervest

www.enervest.com.au

Bonville Golf Resort partners with SENPOS for a complete POS experience

In Australia’s evolving golf industry, a unified golf management system and point-of-sale system can be invaluable to engaging customers, maximising efficiencies, and business profitability.

Finding a reliable point of sale provider is key to achieving a seamless experience, which is where our team at SENPOS Point of Sale can help.

For over 30 years, SENPOS has pioneered point-of-sale technology in Australia, collaborating with our customers to develop software roadmaps and products that enhance front and back-of-house operations while keeping pace with industryrelevant software integrations – In particular, MiClub, who is our preferred golf management system. In addition, our customers also benefit from a local support team and dedicated account managers.

With a strong presence in the golf industry, we’re pleased to welcome

aboard Bonville Golf Resort (Bonville) as another golf venue benefitting from SENPOS Point of Sale. As a leading golf resort along the Coffs Coast, Bonville stands out as the ideal location for golf enthusiasts across all levels.

Regional NSW Account Manager Richard Worgan worked closely with Bonville GM Brad Draymond to introduce SENPOS throughout the venue and pro shop, creating a complete point-of-sale experience. Following positive customer referrals and the knowledge that SENPOS integrates with MiClub, transitioning to SENPOS was an “easy choice” according to Brad.

For Brad, the communication and professionalism leading to installation was excellent, and was equally impressed with Richard’s commitment to ensuring the “best possible outcomes” across the board.

Now up and running, Brad says the SENPOS ecosystem is “user-friendly and the reporting capabilities are endless. The support team is friendly and always available. We appreciate that we [can] suggest adjustments

and they are taken on board. Invoicing is [also] made a lot simpler… and it’s easier to trace transactions”.

Your golf venue could also benefit from a SENPOS Point of Sale ecosystem. From first demonstration through to installation, our team creates a seamless experience that makes transitioning to SENPOS simple. Our relationship with our customers doesn’t end after installation, it continues to grow alongside your business.

Talk to our team to create your complete point-of-sale experience today.

For more information, please visit www.senpos.com.au or contact:

David Potter - Director 0402 018 144

Brendan Driscoll – Account Manager 0422 603 115

Richard Worgan – Account Manager 0413 085 318

Bonville Golf Resort Pro Shop, Grant and Matt (Golf Operations Manager)