FROM THE CHAIR
AARON MUIRHEAD
While many parts of the country have seen a typical summer-toautumn transition, Queensland has faced a series of severe weather events – first in the north, then the southeast, and now the outback.
The recent flooding across remote areas is the worst in decades, covering vast expanses. In stark contrast, much of the rest of the country remains bone dry.
Our thoughts are with those managing the significant challenges of recovery and clean-up.
Leadership summit – Perth
Our year began on a strong note with the leadership summit in Perth.
The program offered a series of thoughtful, inspiring presentations that encouraged us to reflect on our leadership roles and how we shape the future of the clubs and facilities we manage.
Thanks to all members and our speakers who attended, and to the GMA team, in particular Paul, Courtney and Jodie for organising a great event (see page 30 for a summary of the great content).
The event was brought to us by our major partner, Schweppes, and we thank Dan and his team for the wonderful support.
GMA board strategy meeting
While in Perth, the GMA board met to confirm our strategic direction for the next three years.
The strategy is built around three core pillars:
Professional Development:
Delivering best-in-class learning opportunities and career pathways.
Member Support & Wellbeing: Offering targeted support, resources and fostering connection among members.
Stakeholder Relations & Advocacy: Strengthening our influence and partnerships to support both our profession and the broader game.
Each pillar includes a set of clear actions and initiatives. We look forward to sharing the full strategy with members in the coming weeks.
New reporting timeframe
With GMA now operating on a calendar year basis, the upcoming annual report will cover the six months to December 2024. This aligns our reporting with financial and strategic planning cycles.
Notice of the Annual General Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, 13th May (online), will be issued in late April. We encourage all members to attend.
Governance program for clubs
This edition of the journal includes an update on the new online governance training for club directors and managers. At the Perth summit, Golf Australia’s Damien de Bohun shared the latest on this long-needed program, developed in partnership with the Australian Institute of Company Directors (see page 25 for more details).
A pilot version is now open for testing and will be released to the golf industry shortly.
We welcome our new members listed on page 5 and wish them well, along with those taking up new roles in the industry. Finally, please remember that, when making your purchasing decisions, we ask you to support our GMA corporate partners who contribute so much to making our association strong and vibrant. In closing, we wish all members a successful, and hopefully, more stable weather season ahead.
Golf Management Australia (GMA) is a national body representing the golf club management industry with a vision of developing and supporting leaders in the profession of 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
Damien Todorovic The Western Australian GC, WA Brenden Ellam Castle Hill CC, NSW
Barbara Kelly Chirnside Park CC, VIC
Mathew Loughnane Yarra Yarra GC, VIC
Mark Tan Royal Adelaide GC, SA
GMA TEAM
Paul Vardy Chief Executive Officer
Leigh Monti Commercial Manager
Courtney Flores NSW/ACT, National Programs
Mike Orloff QLD Manager
David Brand SA/NT Manager, National Media/Comms
Rod Haines VIC/TAS Manager, National Finance
Jodie Alaban WA Manager
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.
BRENDEN ELLAM
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT Golf Management Australia
BMI KICKS OFF A BIG YEAR IN 2025!
What a start to the year it’s been! With so much planned for 2025, it’s hard to know where to begin. Our first BMI of the year, BMI GM/CEO, has already come and gone and what a fantastic experience it was.
We were incredibly fortunate to host this BMI at the prestigious Royal Sydney GC. A huge thank you to Des, Karyn and the entire team for their exceptional hospitality throughout the week. The venue itself is nothing short of spectacular and we were treated to some truly unique behind-thescenes tours - exploring everything from roof cavities to floor spaces. You name it,
we saw it! It was an invaluable opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of such an iconic facility.
The week was an incredible week of learning and connection, with a perfect balance of education, networking and fun.
Day 1: Building Relationships and Communication
We kicked off the week with Geoff Dickson, who spoke about leading relationships and building the key leadership team. This was followed by sessions on communication strategies for membership engagement, member participation strategies and business writing.
We were also fortunate to hear from Claudia Marazita from Golf Australia about the governance training they are currently launching.
It wouldn’t be a BMI event without some fun, and we wrapped up the day by kicking off our shoes and heading to the bowling
green. It was the perfect way to relax, share a laugh and get to know each other better.
Day 2: Finance and Feedback
Day two brought some seriousness back (or did it?) with Richard Comerford delivering a session on finance and giving effective feedback. We also had the opportunity to tour the Royal Sydney clubhouse and learn about its fascinating operations - like how often the club flag gets changed each week!
We were also introduced to the infamous "weird and wonderful" case study - no prizes for guessing who came up with that
COURTNEY FLORES • National Programs Manager
2025 BMI GM/CEO participants (from l-r): Lee Bradsell, Courtney Flores, Nathan Sharrock, Duard Nel, Christopher Mandas, Thomas Punnett, Joseph Sinnott, Luke Bleumink, Jane Bell, Mitchell Allen, Jessica Tedesco, Bella Wood, Andres Michelsen, Karah Chapman, Teegan Negreira, Frank Byrne, Innoka Rasanjall Gamage
one! The evening finished with a group dinner, where a hearty schnitzel was the dish of choice and the relaxed atmosphere allowed for plenty of laughs.
Day 3: Golf Operations and Crisis Communication
No BMI would be complete without Barry West and it was fantastic to have the Mollymook legend lead the day. We dove into golf operations with his expert guidance and finished the morning feeling like pros. Barry then set the stage for crisis communication techniques, which were later covered by Mike Covey from Shield Training.
The afternoon saw further development of our case studies and we capped off the day with a marketing session from Perry Henderson at Missing Link.
Day 4: Course Management and Leadership Insights
We started the day with Paul Vardy, who took us through golf course management
before being taken on facility tour of Royal Sydney’s tennis, bowls, croquet, and gardens areas. It was fascinating to learn how they structure staffing, equipment and maintenance to keep such amazing facilities in top condition.
Later, Des Mulachy (GM, Royal Sydney) and Kieran Semple (GM, The Coast) joined Paul for a panel discussion about working with clubs, boards and committees, which sparked valuable insights and engaging conversations.
We wrapped up the day with Paul Vardy’s session on negotiation techniques and final case study preparations. The last group dinner of the week was held at a great Italian spot in Bondi, where the comedian of the week kept us laughing - thankfully, there were no phones at the table to capture the stories! (or were there!?)
Day 5: Case Study Presentations and Reflections
The final day was all about case study presentations, and it was impressive to see the depth of thought and research put into each one. Every group presented exceptionally well, demonstrating their dedication and passion for the content.
A huge thank you to everyone for their hard work and commitment throughout the week!
One of the consistent reflections from attendees is that while the learning is invaluable, it’s the friendships and connections formed throughout the week that make BMI truly special.
With the next BMI Food & Beverage scheduled for Adelaide from 19th to 23rd May, we still have a few places available. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to learn, connect and grow.
F&B involves coffee making, cocktail making and wine tasting! DON’T MISS IT!
GMA, in partnership with the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA), is excited to offer the Business Management Institute (BMI) 'Food & Beverage Management' course in May.
The BMI ‘Food & Beverage Management’ program is a 5-day intensive program covering core golf club F&B and leadership elements. Some of the highlights of the upcoming program will include:
• Cocktail making
• Coffee making
• Beer brewing masterclass
• F&B cost control & management, by Liz Perkins
The majority of the program will be based at the world renowned TAFE Regency campus' Regency International Centre, in Adelaide's inner northern suburbs. The centre is a world-class facility that delivers training in cookery, hospitality, bakery, butchery, fitness & tourism and food processing. In addition, it proudly boasts a state-of-the-art brewery, cheese-making facility, coffee academy and runs industrybased courses through these facilities.
Participants will also spend a day at the TAFE Barossa campus, where you will do practical wine tasting sessions and
GMA CHAPTER COMMITTEES
NSW/ACT CHAPTER
Brenden Ellam (Castle Hill CC)
Cameron Harvey (Muirfield GC)
Barry West (Mollymook GC)
David Lulham (Nelson Bay GC)
QLD CHAPTER
Aaron Muirhead (Oxley GC)
Geoff Kuehner (The Brisbane GC)
Gavin Lawrence (Keperra CGC)
go through the latest in food trends and beverage management.
And there will be lots of other fun along the way.
This is one of four core BMI programs that are essential to a Certified Club Manager designation. Core BMIs are GM/CEO, Leadership Principles, Food & Beverage Management and Club Management.
The BMI Program offers the ultimate club manager professional 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.
It provides outstanding industry wide networking opportunities capable of providing career long support to all BMI participants.
Alignment with the CMAA 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.
Visit the GMA website for more information on the BMI Program and to register for this event:
https://www.golfmanagement.com.au/ member-education/bmi-program/aboutbmi/
BMI 'FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGEMENT' DATES
Monday, 19th May to Friday, 23rd May 2025
VENUE
TAFE Regency Campus
Regency International Centre
Adelaide, South Australia TAFE Barossa Campus Nuriootpa, South Australia
COST
GMA Members - $2,300
Non-GMA Members* - $2,700
* conditions apply
The above cost includes tuition, daily morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, a group social event, a group dinner & drinks and a CMAA curriculum fee.
SA/NT CHAPTER
Mark Tan (Royal Adelaide GC)
Brett Lewis (Kooyonga GC)
Robert Vincekovic (Glenelg GC)
David Marr (Pacific Harbour G&CC)
Tim Gahan (Headland GC)
VIC/TAS CHAPTER
Michael Burgess (Metropolitan GC)
Barb Kelly (Chirnside Park CC)
Mat Loughnane (Yarra Yarra GC)
Chris Poulton (Spring Valley GC)
Christian Tanner (Riversdale GC)
WA CHAPTER
Damien Todorovic (The WA GC)
Des Shearer (Bunbury GC)
Craig Ridge (Royal Perth GC)
FUNDAMENTALS OF ACCOUNTING WEBINAR SERIES: A GREAT SUCCESS!
Our inaugural Fundamentals of Accounting webinar series recently wrapped up, and what an incredible journey it has been for the first eight participants!
Over four sessions, our participants gained invaluable insights into the core principles of accounting, guided by GMA’s finance guru, Richard Comerford.
The series was designed specifically for Provisional members, offering a supportive, small-group environment that fostered engagement and meaningful learning.
From mastering the fundamentals to exploring complex concepts like break-even analysis and accounting discipline, participants walked away with practical tools to enhance their financial acumen.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Richard Comerford for his dedication and expertise in delivering such a comprehensive and engaging series.
But what did our participants think? See the next page for their thoughts on the webinar series.
DO YOU KNOW A FORMER MEMBER WHO MAY LIKE TO JOIN GMA?
Former members are those who used to be members with five years of GMA membership.
A career in golf club management comes with great connections with colleagues in the industry.
A Former membership is a great way to keep in touch with old colleagues and stay in the loop of where the association is now and the issues of the day.
With their wealth of experience, former members bring a lot to the table and can help with mentoring younger managers at various levels within a club.
Former members are eligible to pay and play in chapter-based golf events and attend professional development days. These members are not working in the golf industry providing products and services. A nominal subscription fee applies.
If you are interested, or you know of someone who may be interested in rejoining GMA as a Former member, please get in touch with your local chapter operations manager or someone from your local chapter committee.
Contact details are available on the GMA website - www.golfmanagement.com.au
HERE IS A LIST OF OUR FORMER MEMBERS
• Stewart Fenton
• Allan Shorland
• Bob Taylor
• Bill Richardson
• Chris Anderson
• Andrew Cooper
• John Dellar
• John Elliott
• David Gazzoli
• Trevor Harrison
• Charles Potter
• Robert Stephenson
• Andrew Kirkman
• Michael Franck
• David Allen
We’d like to see more!
(NB: Life and Chapter Life members are separate to Former members)
WA MEMBERS SWAP CLUBS FOR BOWLS
JODIE ALABAN • Operations Manager (WA Chapter)
In late February, WA members and staff swapped golf clubs for lawn bowls at the South Perth Bowling Club for an enjoyable afternoon of networking and friendly competition.
With 45 attendees from clubs across WA, the event provided a relaxed environment for colleagues to step away from their usual routines and enjoy some light-hearted fun.
Whether seasoned bowlers or first-timers, all embraced the occasion with enthusiasm, laughter and a great sense of camaraderie.
The afternoon also provided a great opportunity to farewell Ross Davis, general manager of Busselton GC. A well-respected member of GMA, particularly within the south-west, Ross’s contribution to the golf industry has been greatly valued. It was a pleasure to acknowledge his service and celebrate his retirement among peers and friends.
A sincere thank you to all who attended, including our industry partners from Schweppes, Club Car, MiClub and De Bortoli, whose support helped make the afternoon so enjoyable.
OAK POINT CLEAN SWEEP AT CAPTAIN, PRESIDENT & GM GOLF DAY
The first captain, president & GM golf day of the year was a resounding success!
Held at the stunning Elanora CC on Monday, 3rd March, the event brought together over 80 players from across NSW & ACT for a day of friendly competition and networking. Despite the forecast, the rain held off for most of the day, allowing everyone to enjoy the course to its fullest.
A huge thank you to our event partners, Club Car and InGolf & Utility, whose support
made the day possible. We also extend our gratitude to all our corporate partners who continue to support GMA and make these events so enjoyable.
Special congratulations go to our individual winner, Robin Taylor from Oak Point GC (pictured below left), who claimed the Alex Marks Trophy.
The team winner of the day, taking home the John Allenson Perpetual Trophy, was also the team from Oak Point (pictured above). Well done to all the competitors!
At the presentation, we recognised Kieran Semple who was stepping down from state GMA duties after serving 10 years as a director of GMANSW. Kieran continues to serve as an independent on the GMA national board. The NSW chapter also recognised long-time member, outgoing GMANSW director and outgoing Kogarah GC general manager, Tony Rodgers. We thank them both for their tremendous contribution and service to GMANSW.
A very special thank you to Cathy Neagle and her team at Elanora for delivering an outstanding experience. The course was in impeccable condition, and the service, food and atmosphere were nothing short of exceptional.
We look forward to seeing everyone at our next event on Tuesday 20th May.
BRENDEN ELLAM • NSW & ACT Chapter Committee, Castle Hill CC GM
LOCALLY GROWN AND NURTURED CHICKEN
GMA Membership
Golf Management Australia membership is an invaluable investment. Part of our promise is to enhance your success by offering professional leadership development, ethical standards and responsive services.
What you get when you join GMA?
Benefits to members are delivered in four key areas:
INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Provide learning opportunities for members to assist them in their careers to become outstanding golf and club managers. These include: national conferences, national summits, the internationally recognised BMI program, online presentations, and local professional development.
MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT
Provide tools and resources, such as WHS & HR document templates, educational webinars and podcasts, and other professional development programs, aimed at supporting the development of members, as well as supporting golf management recruitment and post-management support.
HEALTH, WELLBEING & BENEFITS
Support the health and wellbeing of our members through regular golfing and networking opportunities to ensure members feel supported and connected. Initiatives such as the Member Assistance Program and access to GMA’s Honorary Solicitor provide a range of personal support.
STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS & INDUSTRY ADVOCACY
Actively advocate for the betterment of golf club management across the broader industry and golfing landscape, providing opportunities for members to further their personal and professional networks and connections, and ensuring our corporate partners are an integral part of the organisation.
What Membership options are available?
GMA offers a range of annual* membership options to suit the needs of the industry.
Visit www.golfmanagement.com.au for more information on GMA membership and the services we provide.
CHRIS BAILEY WINS NSW SALVER AT SA/ NT NETWORKING BRUNCH & GOLF DAY
South Lakes GC's general manager, Chris Bailey, has taken out the Club Managers Plate (NSW Salver) at the SA/NT chapter's first event of the year.
Hosted by Tea Tree Gully GC in late February, the day commenced with a casual brunch to give members the opportunity to catch up, network and enjoy each other's company, before heading out on to the golf course at 12:30pm to play for the hotly contested NSW Salver.
This event has traditionally been hosted by The Grange GC and incorporated the GMASA Annual General Meeting, however with the recent deregistration following the merger of state associations with GMA, and with the remnants of LIV Golf Adelaide still being bumped out across the Grange layout, an alternative venue was found.
Tea Tree Gully GM, Craig Sullivan-Brook, and his team, put on a splendid day for the 20 or so participants who attended, including an impressive brunch spread that even the Royal Family would be proud of! The golf course was presented in immaculate condition, despite most of SA currently suffering in drought conditions.
Bailey finished with an impressive 39 points to claim his first Salver by two points from SA/NT chapter Life member, Paul Sutcliffe. Home course advantage carried SullivanBrook to 3rd place with 36 points, on a countback from Schweppes' Athan Nikas.
Clearly, the weight of hosting the "World's Best Golf Event" didn't affect The Grange's GM, Craig Skimming, who came in at 5th, also on 36 points.
Schweppes' Darryn Conway, and former GMA chair and SA/NT chapter Life member, Andrew Gay, claimed 6th and 7th places respectively on 34 points, with Mount Osmond's GM, Damian Wrigley, rounding out the prize rundown in 8th place with 32 points.
Clearly, both of our Life members, Gay and
GMA CONNECT: Join the conversation
With more than 1,300 discussion threads and 118 uploaded items in the library, GMA members are engaging with GMA Connect to share questions, knowledge and resources. Join the conversation – share with your colleagues, or simply read the threads and stay informed. Thanks for your contribution..
GMA members can go to connect.golfmanagement.com.au and use your GMA sign-in and password to join in the conversations.
Sutcliffe, enjoyed the par 3s, claiming the NTP prizes on the 2nd and 8th respectively. Bailey's scoring prowess also included driving power, taking out the long drive on the 12th hole.
A special thanks to our corporate partners, Schweppes, including Darryn and Athan, for their continued support of our SA/NT chapter events, and to Craig and his team at Tea Tree Gully GC for hosting the event and delivering such an enjoyable opening event of the year for our SA/NT members.
FLINDERS GC HOSTS VIC/ TAS GUEST GOLF DAY
ROD HAINES • Operations Manager (VIC/TAS Chapter)
On 12th March, the Vic & Tas chapter Guest Golf Day took place at Flinders GC, and it was a great success.
The day kicked off with an entertaining moment when Flinders GC provided what Michael Burgess described as the world’s tallest lectern, setting the stage for an entertaining presentation. Michael shared the story of Patrick Carter, who is aiming to make the 2026 state golf team based on his strong form 18 months ahead of the next national conference. We wish Patrick all the best in his efforts.
We would like to extend our thanks to our naming partner, Toro, for their continued support, with Mark Johnson and Sheldon Simmons in attendance.
Our appreciation also goes to Callaway, our trophy partner, and Matt Merridith for their contribution to the event.
Thank you to Flinders GC for hosting the day, with special thanks to GM, Jon Gahan, for all his efforts in making this event run smoothly. The course was in excellent condition and we were fortunate to have mild weather, allowing for an enjoyable round on the coastal links course.
It was also great to have Niche's Mark Vowles join us for lunch while he continues his recovery after recent open-heart surgery.
Congratulations to the winning team from Eagle Ridge GC – Jason Glanz, Mel Hartley, Michael Nunan and Finn Swayn (pictured top) – for their excellent performance on the day.
Runners up on a countback were the team from Metropolitan GC – Michael Burgess, Hamish Buckingham, Thomas Lyon and John Mann.
Thank you to everyone who participated, and we look forward to future events.
A reminder about the FREE services included in your GMA membership
GMA MEMBER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The GMA Member Assistance Program (MAP) is provided to GMA members and their immediate family through our service provider, Acacia EAP. Acacia EAP are a national independent service provider specialising in supporting people in dealing with personal or work-related issues in a positive way.
GMA HONORARY SOLICITOR
Golf Management Australia offers its members the services of Michael Horton, from law firm RBHM Commercial Lawyers, in the role of Honorary Solicitor. The role is intended to enhance and assist general managers/GMA members in delivering a more valuable service to their golf clubs and boards. AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
The GMA Green Book:
The Essential Guide to Strategic Planning for Golf Clubs
The GMA Green Book is produced by GMA with corporate specialist Tony Sernack.
Copies of can be obtained for $29.95 each (or $250.00 for a pack of 10).
To order your copy, please contact GMA CEO, Paul Vardy: paul.vardy@golfmanagement.com.au $29.95
Toro's Mark Johnson welcomes everyone at lunch
FUN AT THE FURROWS
• Operations Manager (VIC/TAS Chapter)
The 2025 VIC & TAS chapter staff golf day at the renowned Furrows course at Kingston Heath GC was an event to remember.
Blessed with beautiful weather, outstanding hospitality and an unforgettable atmosphere, the day exceeded all expectations for a fun-filled golf experience.
With the event fully booked, the excitement was palpable from the start. The groups of six provided an ideal balance of friendly competition and camaraderie. As the day progressed, it became clear that this was more than just a golf day - it was a celebration of sport, teamwork and fostering new connections.
A special mention must go to our fantastic naming partner, Victor Insurance, whose support made this day possible. It was an absolute pleasure to have Paul Mullarvey join us as a representative of Victor Insurance.
The event was also elevated by the participation of Peter Shaw from Golf Genius, a new partner with GMA. Golf Genius showcased their cutting-edge scoring app that streamlined registration and result tracking, making it an excellent accompaniment to the event. The integration of this technology ensured that everything ran without a hitch, as always. The weather couldn’t have been better for a round of golf - a light breeze, overcast skies, and perfect temperatures made for an enjoyable experience. The Furrows course was in impeccable condition, offering a challenging yet fun layout for golfers of all skill levels. But the fun didn’t stop with the golf.
A moment that will be remembered for years to come occurred when Andrew Taylor, Kingston Heath’s general manager, achieved a hole-in-one on the very first hole! A remarkable feat, especially since it was his first-ever hole-in-one. Andrew shared that the shot was a cut punch 8-iron, a technique he’s perfected. Yet, in the spirit of golf’s unpredictability, Andrew didn’t win the NTP prize for the hole. Instead, the honour went to Damon Lonnie, the "newly minted Queenslander," who took home the prestigious prize during his farewell from Royal Melbourne.
After many years of exceptional service, Damon is heading to a new chapter in his career as general manager at Redcliffe Golf Club in Queensland. While we’ll miss him, we’re thrilled for his new journey. Damon has big goals, including representing the QLD chapter at the national conference in 2026, to compete in three different state teams.
The day wrapped up in a relaxed atmosphere, with participants enjoying the chance to mingle, reminisce and share stories of memorable moments on the course. Kingston Heath’s hospitality truly stood out, with their team providing outstanding service throughout. If you ever visit Kingston Heath, be sure to try the Southerly Buster - a unique drink that pairs perfectly with good conversation and tales of the day’s great shots.
As we bid farewell to Damon, we reflected on the importance of gatherings like thiswhere GMA members can come together, create lasting memories and strengthen the relationships that make the golfing community so special.
RESULTS
SCHWEPPES NTP
1st: Damon Lonnie (Redcliffe)
2nd: Peter Shaw (Golf Genius)
3rd: Lee Govan (Gisborne)
GOLF GENIUS NTP
4th: Brad Robb (Southern)
5th: Darryn Lowe (Golf Genius)
6th: Jason Glanz (Eagle Ridge)
CLUB CAR NTP
7th: Brad Robb (Southern)
8th: Adam Hayes (Patterson River)
9th: Mitch Ohlmus (Churchill Waverly)
INDIVIDUAL EVENT
Runner-up
Brad Robb (Southern) - 22 points on a count back from Cal McCarthy (Commonwealth)
Winner Jess McGrath (Drouin) - 23 points
Best Sponsor/Supporter
Brett Leskie (Bidfood) - 24 points
TEAMS EVENT
Runners-up
Jason Pritchard & Heath Jones (Warragul) - 25 points on a count back from Brad Robb and Mark Kennedy
Winners
Brett Leskie and Andrew Kenny (Cranbourne)
ROD HAINES
INTRODUCING THE GOLF AUSTRALIA CLUB GOVERNANCE PROGRAM
GMA is pleased to share details of an important new initiative by Golf Australia aimed at improving governance capability across the golf industry – the Golf Australia Club Governance Program, powered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
GMA CEO, Paul Vardy, highlighted in the 2023 GMA Spring Journal that ‘ It’s the greatest truism in club management that successfully meeting the challenges of the future is built on good governance ’. Governance continues to be a major topic of conversation across golf, and there is no doubt that if we see club leaders improve their governance knowledge and practices, there will be better for clubs and the people who manage them. In the 2023 GMA Member Insights Survey, 80% of manager responses supported the concept of mandatory director training for all board and committee members.
At last month’s GMA National Summit, Golf Australia General Manager – Clubs, Facilities and Places to Play, Damien de Bohun (pictured), presented an introduction to the program which aims to address one of the most pressing challenges facing Australian golf – the need for stronger board governance and leadership at club level.
In the 2024 Australian Golf Industry Paid Workforce Survey administered by Golf Australia in partnership with Deakin University, poor board governance and leadership was cited in the top three reasons why paid workers are considering leaving the golf industry. Similarly, results from the 2024 Golf Australia Golf Clubs and Facilities Survey uncovered board governance to be in the top three areas which club and facility administrators believe requires the greatest improvement in the workforce space.
With more than 11,000 volunteer Directors currently operating within golf clubs, facilities and places to play across Australia, the new program aims to uplift governance knowledge and provide club leaders with the tools and confidence to make effective, strategic decisions.
To create and deliver the program, Golf Australia has entered a strategic partnership with the AICD, Australia’s leading authority on governance education. The AICD brings decades of expertise in governance training, with more than 63,000 participants completing AICD courses in 2024 alone. The program content is fully contextualised for golf, ensuring that industry leaders gain practical, relevant insights that can be directly applied to their club environment. The program entails:
1. Digital Governance Essentials for Golf
A FREE online, Introductory Program developed specifically for golf. The program is self-paced, taking approximately 3 hours to complete, and is designed to build a foundational understanding of good governance principles in a golf context.
2. Extended Governance Education
A series of short courses and workshops at a cost per person, delivered by AICD for those looking to expand their governance knowledge and apply it more deeply within their clubs. These existing programs will also be contextualised for golf, and include Governance Foundations for Not-for-profit Directors , Foundations of Directorship, Working with the Board, Role of the Chair, Boardroom Financial Confidence and the full Company Directors Course
The program is suitable for anyone involved in governance activities within golf, which includes but is not limited to:
• Current and prospective voluntary Directors/Board and Committee Members
• General Managers/CEOs
• Roles that frequently engage with subcommittees (e.g. Directors of Golf, Finance Manager, Food & Beverage Manager, Superintendent etc.)
Over 50 clubs from across the country have already expressed interest in participating in the pilot phase, with the program being formally open for registration from May 2025.
Victorian clubs in regional areas have a unique opportunity for them to undertake the full program at no cost through support of the Department of Sport and Recreation as they continue to roll out their Sustainable Volunteer Workforce Program 2024-2027. Golf Australia are exploring similar grant opportunities in various states and territories to further support the national roll-out of the program.
The launch of this program represents an important step in building governance capability across golf, so clubs can strengthen their leadership, enhance decision-making, and better position themselves for long-term growth and sustainability.
GMA strongly encourages clubs and their leaders to explore the program and take advantage of this unique opportunity to improve governance practices within our industry.
For more information on the program, contact:
Claudia Marazita, Head of Workforce Engagement, Golf Australia E: claudia.marazita@golf.org.au
LIABILITY RISKS AT A GOLF CLUB
Victor Insurance holds the belief that there’s no benefit in an insurer knowing how to best mitigate risks if it’s not shared with the insured.
Insurers learn a lot about risks and how to eliminate or decrease their potential to cause harm or damage. Yet there’s really no point possessing that information if it’s not shared with those facing the risks.
Victor has made a point of our relationship with GMA to make available to golf clubs, the things we learn about the risks you face. We believe it helps the golf club industry.
To continue this endeavour, we are looking forward to our next initiative, our Liability risks at your golf club webinar.
The topic of golf club liability can be complex. Golf clubs face an extremely
diverse list of liability risks from golf course-based hazards to hospitality services, contractor management and many other exposures.
This webinar, hosted by leading liability risk engineer, Anthony Jeffrey from Chubb Insurance, supported by Chubb Liability Underwriting Manager Aust/NZ, Brodie Wright, will seek to clarify the common and not-so common exposures around golf clubs. Anthony will explore how these exposures should be identified and the preventions that may reduce or eliminate them.
This webinar is appropriate for general managers, hospitality managers, course superintendents and board members.
WEBINAR DETAILS
Date: Monday 14th April
Time: 2:00pm AEST
Invite: Look out for your invite from GMA
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Victor Insurance Pty Ltd (“Victor Insurance”) is an underwriting agency and an authorised representative (AR No. 403803) of Marsh Pty Ltd (ABN 86 004 651 512, AFSL 238983)(“Marsh”).
Victor Insurance are partnering with Golf Management Australia (“GMA”) and Golf Australia to educate golf clubs on the need to consider insurance in a broader context.
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teaching centre has been constructed and rounds played has grown from under 45,000 rounds to 72,000 rounds. In October last year, Mandurah hosted the 100th WA Open, won impressively by Elvis Smylie. It was the first time the club had hosted the event.
Sustainably, the club received Waterwise Golf Course status in 2015 by the WA Department of Water and a tree management plan is underway in conjunction with local council guidelines. Mandurah has also increased its women members participation ratio, now at 30%, well above the national average.
It’s an impressive list that has resulted in a number of accolades for the club. In the WA Golf Industry Awards, it has been named the Metropolitan Golf Facility of the Year in 2017, 2019 and 2022 and, very recently, in 2025.
“It was great for our members to be recognised for their efforts. And, importantly, recognition like this reinforces to our board that their structures and disciplines create the pathway to our own success. So although we enjoy the
recognition, it is another catalyst to encourage the club to stay on the pathway we are on, and keep improving what we do.”
Accomplishments, as any GM would attest, are not always as easily achieved as they look on paper. It can be a lonely place, being the intermediary between boards
and members and between golf club and government bodies or other organisations. In Shortland-Jones’ case, support has come from two main sources. (Three, if you count the dog.)
Mandurah is the home of GMA Life member, Billie Friedlander, who knew a
escorted club golf trip is a great way to nuture member engagement and keep members happy during annual course maintenance and throughout the year. The Golf Travel Agency takes all the stress out of the organising, including providing marketing material to help you easily promote the trip to your members!
US MASTERS
JACKS POINT
CAPE WICKHAM
Grant Shortland-Jones (centre), with his Mandurah CC team after winning the Metropolitan Golf Facility of the Year award at the 2025 WA Golf Industry Awards
ones growing the game at an arms and legs level and they don’t always have the money they need. GMA has a seat at the table to bring a club's perspective and to help ensure that the strategies of the Foundation flow back to them.”
On inclusion in golf:
“In 2024, Mandurah introduced an Indigenous kids golf program in association with our local Clontarf Foundation academy, the Coodanup Community College, and the WAGF supported that. Around 30 Indigenous kids got the opportunity to play golf here.
“This not only grows the game but is morally sound. We’ve got fantastic facilities that are at times not used. There’s people in the community that would never get the opportunity to play golf without help. The best thing about golf is that everybody stands on the tee and everybody’s equal. That program was probably one of the most satisfying things I’ve been involved with in the industry.”
On perspective:
“You come to a club like this and somebody says, we have a problem. And I say, no, a problem is when a bikie comes in threatening to kill you or a guy that is owed $3000 is on his way, saying he’s going to break your legs, and
you have to call the police, or you have to put $15,000 on your credit card to pay a bill or the doors will be shut and you just hope that money will come back. Yes, we have challenges but a toasted sandwich being cut the wrong way just isn’t an issue.”
MORE SPEED MORE CONTROL
In 1888, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” In the case of Grant Shortland-Jones, this could not be more apt.
Grant Shortland-Jones (left) with his fellow GMA WA chapter colleagues, after winning the Jack Merrick Perpetual Trophy at the 2024 GMA national conference
PERTH 2025 LEADING WITH INSIGHT
Perth 2025, our inaugural education summit entitled Leading with Insight, was a wonderful two days of highly thought-provoking content from speakers Jeffrey Kreafle, Jason Koenigsfeld, Patrick Hollingworth, Fiona Ryan and Sarab Singh, plus and an update from Golf Australia's Damien de Bohun on their important club governance tool coming out soon.
And, as he always does, our CEO, Paul Vardy, was busily scribbling down notes across the two days of education. Here, Paul shares some of his key takeaways from Perth.
This summit mixed insights with conventional wisdom, which we sometimes need to be reminded is true. We heard contrarian views that challenged our thinking. We also gained insights into systems thinking, supported by metaphors, paradoxes and analogies, to help us map out our club environments and understand and lead the people within them.
There was plenty of great discussion between delegates in the breaks and during the networking events as well.
Here are some takeaways from our keynote speakers, Fiona Ryan, Jeffrey Kreafle, Patrick Hollingworth and Sarab Singh. Fiona Ryan is known for her ability to uncover unique insights into behaviour and translate these practically, to create an environment where leaders can be more of themselves and optimise their strengths. Fiona, a consultant in culture and leadership, presented on Creating Culture on Purpose: A Leadership Imperative in Club Management.
At the heart of great clubs lies great culture - shaped not by accident, but by intention.
The presentation explored how leaders can deliberately cultivate culture to drive performance and cohesion.
Culture is built through symbols, systems and behaviours. It’s not about enforcing sameness but setting shared expectations. When culture is led with purpose, clubs can thrive.
Fiona's session outlined four key ways to create culture on purpose:
1. Make it Count
Start with a clear purpose - why your club exists and what it values. When purpose is authentic, it attracts staff, members and community support.
2. Make it Your Business
Culture should be embedded into strategic planning and reviewed as robustly as financial performance. If it's not part of business metrics, it won’t endure external pressures.
3. Make it Real
Cultural change requires trust. That
means leaders need to be open, honest, and consistent. Real input from staff and members ensures the culture reflects lived experience - not just leadership aspirations.
4. Make it Stick
Culture lives (or dies) in daily habitsmeeting norms, what gets celebrated and how decisions are made. Key behaviours must be integrated into business and people processes - recruitment, onboarding, performance management and, even exits.
The presentation also outlined traits of a strong cultural foundation - being Real, Resilient , Reliable, and Respectful . These guide how individuals interact and hold each other accountable.
Finally, achieving lasting cultural change relies on open conflict resolution, real commitment, clear accountability and a shared focus on team results over individual gain.
In an era of increasing complexity and change, clubs that actively shape their
culture will be better placed to navigate challenges and deliver stronger member and team outcomes.
Fiona has worked with countless organisations including Elanora CC. If you’d like to know more, speak with Cathy Neagle or Geoff Black on the impact it has had in their club.
Jeffrey Kreafle, over 10 years the CEO/ GM of Congressional CC gave us three insightful, challenging and contrarian presentations on club management. He started by revealing to us that we could all be presenting on what we’ve learned from managing clubs and gave us some insight into the challenges he had in the initial phase when transitioning to his new club from Bellerive CC.
Much of his message was through observation as to what really makes a difference in club management for him at Congressional. This is where we saw some of the home truths, which are time-tested and inherent in our consciousness, but which we often overlook.
Kreafle is a long-distance runner, having used practices in establishing habits to good effect in getting up early to run. In recent years, he’s gone from 100 yards to miles, to marathons and, late in 2024, running the Javelina Jundred, a 100 mile race through Arizona’s Sonoran Desert. He completed the race three hours under the 30 hour limit. Though the jumping cacti plants and 41°C temperatures didn’t beat him, it was discovered post-race he had a bacterial infection in his leg causing severe pain and swelling. This put him in hospital for a few days and required assisted walking for a while afterwards.
He opened with, “ You’ve worked your ass of to be in the position you’re in and have the exact set of problems you have.” It was time to listen up, and learn!
The following is a sample of a few of the thoughts he shared with delegates:
Change
Recognise that change in clubs is hard. You have long-term members and long-term employees. Changing a club is a bit like converting a TV from black & white to colour – and all done without turning off the TV.
Many boards, clubs and other forms are governed by fear. In a paradox, boards give a yes to improvements but a no to change. Managers get fired when they don’t comprehend the “pace of change” that is wanted at their club. The fly-fishing analogy is used. When the line goes tight, do you pull it in or let it out? You let it out! »
There are ways to get change. Having a trial period, say 90 days, removes the threat that this may be permanent but allows time for people to condition to the new. You need a lot of trust and goodwill for change to occur. Changing clubs and club culture realistically requires a lot of wellmanaged failure.
Of all the guiding documents, such as vision, mission, constitution and by-laws, realistically the most important document in the club for the manager is the budget. If the budget doesn’t support the mission statement, then you can’t deliver on the mission.
Teams
Your competitive advantage is your team. The club will never be what the team is not. Develop and connect the team and communicate the vision relentlessly. The best teams are player-led. When recruiting, Kreafle uses a “ No single judge system ” which means having more than one person involved in the recruiting. Single judgements have been found to be full of flaws. Equally, making decisions without the team is more likely to be flawed. “ I’ve never made a decision in 10 years .”
There are many talent assessment tools available to use in recruiting. When hired, he prefers integration rather than an orientation for new hires, and this is a system developed by the millennials in his team. Also, 70% of team development is through performance.
Success
But, 99% of success is doing the simple things best. Do the ordinary better than
the competition. You need standards. If you don’t have standards you don’t have problems.
In a plane cockpit analogy, you have hundreds of switches, dials and levers but you use 4 or 5 of them to fly the plane. The others have a role but you need the 4 or 5 to succeed. Do the basics right. Do boring. We’re geared for epic but epic is not sustainable. Consistency beats epic. It’s boring, but be disciplined. Good habits lead to happiness. On a personal level, if we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us. Success doesn't come from endless planning. The world is full of plans that are not executed. Success comes from doing the simple best, tracking and correcting.
Strategic planning is less valuable than strategic thinking.
Survival
One of the keys to a GM role is to survive. Leadership is 100% relational. The most common reason that GMs get fired by boards (or chairs) is they don’t like the GM. There’s some inherent truth to the Gladiator movie line, “ Win the crowd and you will win your freedom .” There will always be things you’re not doing. If they don’t like you there will be things that are all of a sudden important and not done. “ Show me the man and I’ll find you’re the crime,” said Stalin’s Lieutenant.
Don’t take your job description too literally. There are things we can and can’t control. We, as managers, don’t own the jukebox, we just play the music. If a member doesn’t put in the $1 for the music, then that’s an issue for the board. The new club president walks into the golf shop and drops a whole lot of shirts on the floor and says to the staff, “Burn them! ”? What do you do? (For the answer to this one, you’ll have to ask someone who attended the summit!).
Communicating
There’s a great analogy of regularly communicating.
The story starts with a call to the bank and you say I’ll be in next week to rob the bank. Later you remind them you will be there in a couple of days. The day before you remind them again you will be in tomorrow. On the day, you ring them just to remind them you’ll be there in a few hours to rob the bank. This goes on until it gets to ringing them to say you’re in the car park and reminding them you will be in to rob the bank in a few moments. You arrive to tell them you’re here to rob the bank. You’ve just got to communicate a lot more than you probably are.
Patrick Hollingworth is a complexity scientist who runs the heretical consulting business Think Garden . Patrick explained the hidden dynamics in social systems, providing insight into why systems behave in the ways that they do, and identifying how to use a more agile approach to management.
With more slides than the wet and wild theme park, Patrick gave us plenty to think about in terms of concepts and hidden systems that impact our every day and how we can prepare.
The world is becoming more busy, complex, paradoxical and contradictory. In a changing landscape, many of the traditional maps designed by experts no longer represent the territory. Science is exploration. Like scientists, we have to get out and become explorers to best understand the way to work in the changing landscape.
Complexity vs. Complication
• Complicated problems (like building a jet engine) can be solved with enough expertise and planning. These are linear problems to solve, typically in the physical world.
• Complex problems (like running a club or business in a volatile world) involve unknowns, unpredictability and constant change. These are non-linear problems.
• Traditional businesses treat complexity as if it's just more complicationHollingworth argues this is flawed in the
non-physical world and needs a different approach.
The VUCA Environment
• Stands for Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous.
• Organisations need to be designed to respond to these forces rather than resist or control them.
• We’re all subject to inattentional blindness, missing the really big gorillas that are right in our view.
• Recognising VUCA challenges us to get
out of our routines and mental maps to explore the changing landscape and avoid traditional approaches to day-to-day management and decision-making.
Alpine Style vs. Expedition Style
This is where Hollingworth introduced the themes of complexity reduction and two distinct ways of mountain climbingexpedition style and alpine style
• Expedition Style: Heavy, rigid, overresourced, hierarchical - like traditional businesses. We put in traffic lights to reduce risk of accidents when traffic
beliefs, roles, relationships or approaches to work. These are often challenges with no clear solution, require experimentation and learning, and cannot be solved by authority or expertise alone. People must change their behaviour or mindset and it takes time and involves discomfort or resistance.
To operate effectively with our adaptive problems we need social capital with trust, goodwill and networks. Importantly, we need to work on being warm and
competent, in that order. Warm and competent leads to admiration, whereas the alternatives lead to resentment (competent but not warm), contempt (neither competent or warm) or pity (not competent but warm).
We often spend a lot of time on increasing our competence and not enough considering how to increase our warmth, our self-awareness and self-regulation. The good news is that well-being and warm-
heartedness can be cultivated through meditation.
Working on empathy and self-awareness is important as is our ability to differentiate between behaviours in ourselves and others.
The " Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test " is a psychological assessment designed to measure a person’s ability to understand others' emotions and mental statesessentially, a component of empathy. Refer to the wagon wheel of emotions under emotional granularity. There’s quite a few emotions in there.
A useful tool in a leadership team environment is Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle. It is a model to help structure a reflective process around an experience, making it easier to draw out learnings and improve future practice.
Thanks to our major partner and naming rights sponsor, Schweppes. Thanks to our other attending partners, including Perth Business Events.
Thanks to the delegates who attended who make the event happen.
Thanks to the GMA team, in particular Courtney Flores and Jodie Alaban, for their seemless organisation, and to the team at our host venue, The Vines Resort.
LESSONS FROM THE CMAA WORLD CONFERENCE: LEADERSHIP, LEARNING, AND LASTING CONNECTIONS
ANTHONY DIGNAN • GM, Wyong Golf Club
I would like to thank GMA and Wyong GC for providing me the opportunity to attend the 2025 CMAA World Conference in Tampa, Florida.
I wanted to attend to discover treasures and wisdom to help with my own club management challenges and further develop my leadership skills. I also wanted to compare the GMA conferences to the World Conference.
I soon discovered on Day 1 the increased scale of the conference compared to our own national conference. Everything is bigger in the US, especially if you ask an American. I was able to understand, over the conference, why so many people attend and there are two main reasons.
They hold elections at the conference to join the CMAA Board. If your area is not represented at the conference, then you will not have any chance of getting your representative elected. Election on the board is highly regarded.
Additionally, attending the conference gains your credits towards becoming a Certified Club Manager or a Certified Chief Executive. Gaining this certification
is highly recommended in the US club management world.
To attempt to discover treasures and wisdom at the conference, I attended the following sessions:
• REAL Impact Sales: Stand Out, Sell Big, and Succeed as You!
• Find Your Triessence: A Three-Part Personal Growth Plan for Leaders or Individual Contributors
• Predictive Planning: Insights into the Financial Impact of Private Club Trends
• Leading with Insight: Financial Strategies and Data-Driven Roadmaps for Aging Infrastructure and Maintenance
• General Education featuring NFL Hall of Famer and Leader Brian Dawkins
• Building Strategy Around Talent
• Mastering Capital Projects: A Practical Guide to Using the Capital Improvements Handbook Cross-Pollination of Ideas: Learning from Non-Club Membership Models
• Leading with Insight: Harnessing SelfAwareness to Empower Your Team
• The Fixed Asset Register: A Mission Critical Aspect of Capital Planning
• Attending the Club Business Expo
• The Artificial Intelligence Revolution: Unlock the Power of AI for Your Organization
• What Do You Know About Your Golf Course?
• How Hire Right, Train Right, & Treat Right (Walt Disney's Secrets To Create a Winning Club Culture)
• Augusta National Golf Club- Jim James
• Uniting Distinctive Leaders: Embracing Diversity, Championing Inclusion, Shaping the Future of Clubs
• Closing Business Session featuring Celebrity Drummer Mark Schulman
Rather than go through each educational session, I am going to look at the wisdoms I will take back form the two main sessions I got the most out of. One of those sessions we were very fortunate to be a part of as it was only offered to international attendees.
Augusta National Golf Club - Jim James
All I can say is WOW.
This is a philosophy that guides Augusta: "Everything about Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters had to be the best. And if it was not the best then it would be improved every year until it was." - Clifford Roberts April, 1951.
But what do they see as the strength of their organisation? Employees and their collective efforts. You can educate good people.
Yes, they have the best facilities, and an endless supply of cash, but they still invest the most time and energy into their employees and ensuring they hire good people. A lesson I will take back to my club. Research shows that people who are happy and thrive at work:
• Have 32% better overall performance;
• Have 125% less burnout;
• Are 54% more committed to the organisation;
• Are 46% more satisfied with their job; and
• Have a 58% better chance of being a team player.
We were then lucky to be shown the introductory video for new employees. It was so empowering I reckon I would have walked through a brick wall on Day 1 after watching the video.
AN ENDURANCE MENTALITY
Attending the CMAA World Conference in Tampa, Florida, followed by a tour of clubs in Naples, two hours south of Florida, was a reminder to me of the need for clubs to play the long game to be highly successful.
Clubs with great cultures, updated and expanded facilities and sustainable business models that keep attracting
members back time and again, do this on the back of sound practices over a long period of time.
It reminded me of a presentation I saw in the late 90s by keynote speaker, Dr Rick Charlesworth, in which I heard something that has resonated with me ever since in my approach to managing and leading.
Rick was a silver medal Olympian, captain of the Australian men’s hockey team, Federal Member of Parliament, Australian women’s hockey team head coach, and had completed a medical degree. His presentation that day was very impressive, to say the least, but my biggest take out were two simple comments he made.
Not verbatim, but what I heard.
“It is essential that the leader has a very clear picture of what the end goal looks like.”
“You can’t take a team to a place that you are not clear on.”
Simple words, but to me it made perfect sense and still does.
I believe successful club management is the ability to stay on track with long term objectives and not get too bogged down in the daily distractions that come across our desks.
In my opinion an “endurance mentality” is required to be successful in our roles and making sure our direct reports understand and apply a similar mentality.
An endurance mentality is a mindset geared towards sustained effort, perseverance and resilience over long
DAVID WREN • GM, Rosanna Golf Club
periods - especially in the face of difficulty, discomfort, or delayed results. It’s about sticking with something even when it’s tough, boring or uncertain.
The endurance mentality appeals to me in other ways too.
For the past 20 years, my "away from the golf industry passion" is long distance solo bike packing/touring. This form of travel requires an endurance mentality and having a clear picture of the end goal. Staying focused on the end goal and having clear plans for each day on the road is essential to success. Tough days, obstacles, and things not going to plan, are part of all my journeys but problem solving and maintaining a clear picture of my goals gets me where I need to be.
My 12 year “Around the World” project
The journey has so far consisted of seven legs with the shortest leg consisting of two weeks on the road right up to three months on the pedals.
• Leg 1 – Athboy, Ireland to Trabzon, Turkey (3 Months)
• Leg 2 – Trabzon to Tehran, Iran (4 weeks)
• Leg 3 – Tehran to Mashhad, Iran (4 weeks)
• Leg 4 – Mashhad to Almaty, Kazakhstan (4 weeks)
• Leg 5 – Almaty to Shanghai, China (6 weeks)
• Leg 6 – Perth Australia to Melbourne (6 weeks).
• Leg 6 – Los Angeles, USA to Las Vegas (2 weeks)
• Leg 7 – Las Vegas to Tulsa, Oklahoma (3 weeks)
• Leg 8 – Tulsa to New York City (To be completed in July 2026).
From my perspective, once I complete my crossing of the USA, I have completed a circumnavigation of the globe, of roughly 28,000km.
In between the legs listed above, I have completed rides through Morocco, Western Sahara, Western China, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile, as well as a few domestic rides in outback Australia, including one of my favourite rides which was from Port Augusta up to Alice Springs via Uluru. A standard trip away is four to six weeks and, depending on the terrain, I will cover up to 2,500km. I carry all my own equipment including a bivy tent and sleeping bag for emergencies. I sleep rough
as a last resort if I don’t make my planned destination but, most of the time, I sleep in a hotel room or similar.
Spending so much time alone is certainly not for everyone, however the total isolation for me is a big part of why I love this form of travel.
“Getting off the grid” so to speak, is a great space to be in and, getting back to the basics of eating, sleeping and moving I find extremely empowering.
Having time away, I find, helps me get perspective, refresh and reset for my leadership in clubs.
Spending time at the CMAA conference, amongst managers from all over the world as they explore issues of improving their club management is also empowering. Clubs are here for the long term and I find an endurance mentality to stay on track for long term objectives really helps to stay in focus.
Thanks GMA for the opportunity to attend CMAA World Conference in Tampa 2025.
Dinner at The Club at Mediterra hosted by Carmen Mauceri, CCM was special
With EJ McDonnell, Golf Director, at Bonita Bay Club
Tour for internationals. Don Emery CCM CCE, GM/COO of Grey Oaks Country Club tours the vast facilities.
CASH FLOW DRIVEN PAYMENT PROGRAMS
FLEXIBLE OPTIONS AFTER END OF RENTAL PERIOD: RE-LEASE, PURCHASE OR RETURN
DRIVING EXCELLENCE: POSITIVE FEEDBACK FUELS GROWTH FOR FIRST CHOICE SERVICES
First Choice Services (FCS) continues its expansion within the golf club industry, partnering with some of Australia’s most respected golf facilities to provide reliable and tailored service solutions.
By focusing on exceptional service delivery and client satisfaction, FCS has built a strong reputation for delivering cleaning, maintenance and operational support that enhances club presentation and ensures facilities remain in excellent condition.
A prime example of this long-term commitment is Keperra GC , one of FCS’ earliest golf partnerships. Having worked together for two years, the relationship has been built on consistency, reliability and a deep understanding of the club’s needs. “FCS has been an invaluable partner in maintaining our facilities to the highest standard,” said Gavin Lawrence, General Manager of Keperra GC. “Their team understands the seasonal demands of a golf club and ensures our facilities remain in pristine condition throughout the year. Their responsiveness and attention to detail have made a significant impact on our operations.
We appreciate their ability to handle any issue that arises swiftly, allowing us to focus on delivering the best experience for our members .”
FCS’ ability to form strong partnerships is evident in its latest relationship with City GC, Toowoomba , where services recently commenced. The transition has been smooth, with the team quickly adapting to the club’s unique requirements. “ From the outset, FCS has demonstrated a strong understanding of our needs ,” said Neil Shaw, Group General Manager of City GC. “Their proactive approach and professionalism have made an immediate difference. It’s reassuring to have a facilities management team that takes initiative and consistently delivers quality service. We look forward to a long-term partnership where we can continue to rely on their expertise to keep our club in top condition .’
This commitment to high-quality service has also strengthened FCS’ relationship with Headland GC , where the team has been a trusted partner for over two years.
“ Working with FCS has allowed us to focus on providing the best possible experience for our members and guests ,” said Tim Garn, General Manager of Headland GC.
“Their team is reliable, professional, and
always willing to go the extra mile to ensure our facilities are presented at their best. The difference they’ve made in terms of cleanliness and efficiency has not gone unnoticed, and we truly value their ongoing support. Their ability to adapt to our growing and changing needs over the last two years has been appreciated .”
Earlier this month, FCS had the pleasure of attending the GMA golf day at Elanora CC on 3rd March. It was a fantastic day on the course with great company and plenty of networking opportunities. The event was followed by a wonderful dinner, where industry leaders came together to share insights and strengthen connections.
As FCS gained recognition as a trusted provider within the golf club sector, Sandringham GC saw the value in partnering with the company. As FCS first GMA member client in Victoria, the partnership marked a milestone in the company’s expansion. “ Since partnering with FCS, we’ve seen a noticeable improvement in both the efficiency and presentation of our facilities, ensuring our members and guests always enjoy the best possible experience,” said Philip Drew, General Manager of Sandringham GC.
As FCS continues to expand, its focus remains on delivering industry-leading facilities management services that support the success of golf clubs across Australia. By forming long-term, trustbased partnerships, the company ensures clubs receive the highest standards of care, allowing them to maintain exceptional facilities for the community.
For more information about how FCS can assist your facility, contact: support@firstchoiceservices.com.au, or david.high@firstchoiceservices.com.au.
FCS has been an invaluable partner in maintaining our facilities to the highest standard
Gavin Lawrence, GM, Keperra GC
SYSTEM SECURITY:
WE CAN’T DO IT ALONE ANYMORE
Instances of hackers gaining access to club data is becoming more and more common.
The hackers are after money, and the easiest way to gain that quickly is to hack a database with personal information, ransom it back to the club it was stolen from, and sell off the data list anyway.
Jason Drew, CEO of Secom Technology Group, confirmed that there are many areas in clubs that provide opportunities for hackers, and it is becoming so common that he has developed a new Cyber Security Division, Security Interactive, to help clubs proactively manage their system security and third-party integrations.
According to Jason, third-party hardware and software technologies, while often adding to business efficiencies, are a risk that hackers can expose. Everything from Gaming and POS Systems through to your comms and LDS systems can provide access to hackers if not correctly
integrated and monitored.
The new division, Security Interactive, is based in Australia with senior level Network and IT security engineers specialising in:
• Cyber Security incident response, remediation and reporting;
• Network Security vulnerability scanning and penetration testing;
• Third party vendor security management and infrastructure design;
• Implementation of ASIC recommended Cyber Security standards - Essential 8 Maturity Model; and
• Advanced Office 365 Security implementation and SOC monitoring. Golf club managers can’t be experts in everything. With the number of cybersecurity threats increasing, every club needs a technology partner they can seek independent advice from, as all technology realistically needs to be connected to the clubs’ IP Network.
Find out more about how a Security Interactive can protect your club. Talk to Secom Technology Group –Ph: 1300 781 224
Connellan Industries Australia are specialist commercial builders who have completed some of Australia’s most complex and exciting internal fit outs.
Our projects and client lists are based on our proven record of tight timelines, restrictive budgets and often difficult and complex access and finishing profiles. Contact us for your next commercial project: reception@connellan.com.au | 03 9329 4877
Latrobe GC Dining & Kitchen
Kingston Heath Maintenance Shed
Victoria GC Locker Room Upgrade
Kingston Heath Locker Room Upgrade
Royal Melbourne GC Bar/Dining/Terraces
Kingston Heath Pro Shop Refurbishment
more than the club can afford right now, especially if the new bridge is engineered to withstand the next flood or cyclone.
Just like Carbrook, the improvements made thanks to the 2022 funding meant Ashgrove could get golfers back on the course much more quickly than in the past, which had a significant impact far beyond the pro shop till.
"In 2022, it took us two-and-a-half weeks I think to reopen, this time it took us six days," said Thorne.
"One of the things that we would've noted in 2022, and during the closures in Covid, is the impacts of not being able to play golf on our members is linked strongly to their mental health.”
As shown in the Australian Golf Industry Council's Community Benefits of Golf in Australia report released in 2023, the physical exercise associated with golf “releases endorphins and serotonin that improve mood, and regular exercise has been evidenced to reduce stress, depression and anxiety”.
Golf is also often the facilitator of "social interaction between friends and community members, thereby reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation that may otherwise occur".
Thorne said: "Our golfers can find other things to do to be physically active, but having to disengage from that community in their normal fashion, we noticed that that was probably the biggest call out in 2022.
"The feedback we've had from members is 'thanks so much for reopening, we don't mind the re-routing, we're just happy to be here playing’.
"That just acknowledges how important golf and their golf club is to them."
Funding is available to golf clubs in the wake of recent natural disasters, and Golf Australia can assist with grant writing if needed.
If you would like to discuss your club’s situation, please reach out to Golf Australia's QLD/NT Clubs & Facilities Manager Andrew Leventis (andrew.leventis@golf.org.au / 0403 633 361) and our official grant delivery partners Red Tape Busters, namely Andrew Hamilton (andrewhamilton@redtapebusters. com.au / 0414557 612) should you require assistance with future grant applications.
QUEENSLAND: BEAUTIFUL ONE DAY, GUM BOOTS AND CHAINSAWS THE NEXT
PAUL VARDY • GMA Chief Executive Officer
For GMA members and their clubs in Queensland, 2025 has seen a memorable start to the year, for all the wrong reasons.
In early 2025, the state faced significant weather challenges, including severe flooding in Townsville. Between 28th January and 3rd February, the Townsville area experienced unprecedented rainfall, accumulating over 915mm in a week, leading to widespread flooding. The Ross River overflowed, inundating extensive areas, including the Townsville GC, where all but three holes were submerged, and four greens were covered by floodwaters. Then,in early March 2025, Tropical Cyclone Alfred, a Category 2 system, swept across South East Queensland, triggering widespread disruption across golf courses and turf facilities in the region.
Turf managers across the region took proactive steps ahead of the cyclone’s arrival, including relocating equipment to higher ground, aerating greens to improve drainage, applying fungicides to pre-empt disease pressures, and disconnecting power in flood-prone areas. Clubs and stadiums secured loose objects, moved machinery indoors, and protected key infrastructure in anticipation of high winds and heavy rainfall.
Unfortunately, despite the proactive steps taken, many golf courses were impacted
by falling trees, flooding and debris. Some facilities experienced complete submersion of fairways and bunkers, although elevated greens generally remained above water.
The clean-up burden has been significant, with damage to playing surfaces and infrastructure adding to operational challenges. A number of courses temporarily closed to undertake restoration work and ensure safety for staff and members.
The 2025 Australian WPGA Championship, scheduled to be held at Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club, was cancelled due to safety concerns, reflecting the broader disruption to sporting events across the area. Other club competitions and member play were also suspended until grounds could be assessed and cleared.
Following the cyclone, grounds teams, volunteers and members have all rallied to assist with clean-up and turf recovery. While Elon Musk was firing up his shiny chainsaw with his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), back in the real world, course crews and volunteers were cutting up huge trees that had been uprooted in the severe storms.
This cooperative effort helped many courses reopen within a week or two, although full recovery was expected to take longer due to turf stress and infrastructure repairs.
Flooding recovery works at Meadowbrook GC
Image provided by superintendent, Luke Helm via ASTMA
Flooding recovery works at Meadowbrook GC Image provided by superintendent, Luke Helm via ASTMA
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