GMA Journal (Spring 2020)

Golf Management Australia

JOURNAL SPRING 2020

Official Journal for Golf Management Australia Ltd.

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BMI - GM/CEO PROGRAM Page 6 ALSO INSIDE THIS EDITION

10 DAVID BURTON

THE LIFE OF A GENERAL MANAGER

18 COVID-19

MEMBER & STAFF CHALLENGES

31 AGIC

GOLF: BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT

$45M INVESTED

By Asahi/PACT/Cleanaway recycling plant joint venture .

Plant Expected Opening, Dec 2021.

NEW FORMAT We are investing in new packaging solutions and consumption formats to reduce our plastic usage.

100% RPET* All Still Cool Ridge PET Products 100% RPET *excluding Cap and Label.

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Golf Management Australia

JOURNAL SPRING 2020

Official Journal for Golf Management Australia Ltd.

CONTENTS 4

FROM THE CHAIR

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FROM THE CEO

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GMA NEWS

Welcome new members, One GMA service agreements, AGM and financials

Unpredictable year, GM tenure, BMI program and spring optimism

Vision 2025, engaging and motivating staff, GMA events, member & staff challenges

DAVID BURTON

THE LIFE OF A GENERAL MANAGER

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Schweppes recycling plan, the future golf club board, survive & thrive, environment benefits

COVID-19

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GOLF AUSTRALIA NEWS

MEMBER & STAFF CHALLENGES AMID A PANDEMIC

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GMA EDUCATION

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Golf club membership growth, Sutherland new CEO, golf rounds boom, club support

Essentials of group psychology, time for a change, this place is going to explode!

Lonsdale Links in final stages of redevelopment, Links Shell Cove refurbishments near complete

18 AGIC

GOLF: BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT

31 GOLF AUSTRALIA

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TEE YOUR MIND SLOW TV CAMPAIGN

GMA EDUCATION

ESSENTIALS OF GROUP PSYCHOLOGY

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COVER PICTURE: Lonsdale Links is entering the final stages of their major redevelopment. Read more on page 52.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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FROM THE CHAIR CATHY NEAGLE | Chair, Golf Management Australia

Welcome to the Spring edition of the GMA Journal. It’s amazing to think that 12 months ago we were gathering at the MCG for the biennial GMA National Conference without any consideration to physical distancing and social gathering limits. It’s fond memories of a different time and who could possibly have considered we would be living in a pandemic.

A warm hello too to our new GMA members.

We look forward to welcoming you to GMA events around the country and helping you get to know the wonderful network of GMA members, corporate partners and golf industry representatives.

We acknowledge the GMA members who have moved on from their clubs to other pursuits. A special mention needs to go to former GMA board member and former President of GMAWA, Brad Dawson, who’s leaving Royal Perth GC to go to Hillary’s Yacht Club.

We’ve been very much thinking of the Victorian managers who have been experiencing months of course and clubhouse restrictions in many areas, whilst the rest of the country continues to experience record demand for golf. It appears that signs are good for the easing of restrictions shortly.

In the meantime, we’re seeing a lot of online activity where members can partake in opportunities to learn and network. As well, we’re seeing more GMA events scheduled and more gatherings of members and partners to play golf and to do face to face professional development.

The GMA Board is working with State Executives on the extension to the services agreement for the One GMA management model that will expire at the end of the year. We’re looking to extend two more years and, in that time, further streamline the GMA processes with a view to agreeing on a One GMA fully unified model. Whilst we’re confident that the process will proceed on the back of the work undertaken by former boards and executives, there will be ongoing consultation to see that all parties are happy with the details.

Whilst we’ve had a much interrupted year, GMA

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

remains focussed on its four key pillars: individual professional development, member health and wellbeing, member support and development and stakeholder relationships and industry advocacy.

Our CEO, Paul Vardy, has been working hard on bringing the new format of the BMI program together and we encourage members, young and old, to register for the event. GMA is focussed on expanding its membership and we thank each state executive for the work being undertaken to attract and welcome new members as well as providing advice in running events.

GMA’s AGM will be held in November. In the 2019/20 year, GMA recorded a loss of $52,131, which is significantly better than budget and accounts for the cost of the biennial conference. This maintains a good financial position for GMA to manage through the unpredictable COVID times.

The impacts of the broader economy are yet to be fully understood.

Important in the coming period will be GMA’s ability to re-sign our valued corporate partners.

We are working collaboratively and through publications such as the GMA Journal, events in each state, professional development events, mini conferences, and podcasts and, through EDM messages and branding, we are raising awareness.

We hope that the many clubs who are benefiting at this time due to JobKeeper, grants and subsidies, and the increased demand in golf, see the value in investing and using the services of our partners where possible.

Lastly, on behalf of the GMA board, thank you to our members for their continued support. It has been a challenging year adapting to the many unknowns, ensuring safe and compliant operations and for some, managing the human impact - staff, family and individual stress levels. We are hoping the rest of spring and summer will be a safe, busy and positive time for golf clubs and facilities. Stay well and enjoy the warmer weather, continue to network and share experiences and learnings with colleagues.

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

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

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

Contents may not be reproduced without written permission.

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

Golf Management Australia

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT

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CATHY NEAGLE Chair

PETER BUSCH

Director www.golfmanagement.com.au

ANTHONY MASTERS Director

AARON MUIRHEAD Director

KIERAN SEMPLE Director

TROY O’HERN Director

MARK TAN Director

PAUL VARDY CEO

FROM THE CEO PAUL VARDY | CEO, Golf Management Australia

Unpredictable Year

GM Tenure

When writing in the Winter GMA Journal in June, life in golf clubs had settled somewhat and rounds were booming across Australia – up 28% as it happened.

The impact of JobKeeper and other grants and concessions were taking the edge off the economic uncertainty and pressures on businesses to operate in a Covid safe environment. People had more time for golf, were saving money and less options to spend it on travel and other discretionary items.

Good times.

But if there’s one constant in 2020 it’s that it’s unpredictable.

The outbreaks and ensuing lock-downs to stop the spread in Victoria from early August showed how quickly things can change. Soon Melbournians were getting used to stay at home orders, 5 km travel limits, curfews, masks, return to home schooling and other requirements mandated by the Victorian government for Greater Melbourne.

So, we soon had great extremes at golf clubs around the country, from total shut-down to booming tee times and fairly normal club operations at other parts of the country.

Regardless of where you are, interpreting what’s going on has been a constant. Hearing from members on the GMA podcast, webinars, Zoom meetings, or phone calls, there’s a great GMA community sharing what they know. I’ve been impressed by the wisdom of our members as they adjust to Covid safe operations, look after their members, make the most of opportunities and provide support for their staff. Check out the recent GMAQ interviews with Matt Loughnane (Kew GC) and Phil Drew (Sandringham Golf) in this edition.

And this community includes GMA’s corporate partners and golf industry bodies who often have a highly valuable interpretation of what’s going on in our industry. They are also subject matter experts on areas that can help your club so please make the most of this.

The average GM tenure is currently averaging just under 7 years with the median at 5 years. As noted in the GMA Member Insights Survey report, this is perhaps better than expected. GMA has six current members in their role for over 20 years. At any one time we have GMs range from a few weeks in a job up to 35 years (Dean Stanton at Tee Tree Gully in SA).

It’s often a question in the minds of managers as to how the long termers do it and what have they learned. If you haven’t seen Mike Orloff ’s interview with David Burton, Barry Linke, Gregg Patterson and Mike Leemhuis, please do.

In this journal there’s also quite a personal article from Gregg Patterson when he was wrestling with the issue of change and whether to stay or move on.

The working relationship with one’s board is one of the keys to a manager’s success and tenure. We regularly see GMs decide to move on for this very reason when otherwise they are good at their job, they love their club, its staff and members. When you know of a GM moving on, give them a call. I’m sure the support from an industry colleague who understands the nature of the job, means a lot.

Everyone wants a trusting working relationship with the board. The GMA podcast Episodes 12 and 13 with Mac Niven, CEO of Lakewood CC in Maryland USA is a must listen and will get you thinking in new ways. Niven has a lot of experience and researched the issue and written a lengthy paper on it. With the average tenure of a GM in the US just three years, his “epiphany” may surprise you.

Check out the industry webinars on the GMA and Golf Australia websites covering a whole range of topics.

You’ll have to listen to hear what it is.

on board working relationships and the CMAA’s GM/CEO concept which will be fascinating.

BMI – from 19 October and live from hubs on 4- 6 November A line up of both American and Australian presenters will be available to BMI participants in Australia for the first time.

Many of the Americans are well known seasoned presenters.

Go to the BMI Program on the GMA website to find out more – it’s exceptional value.

Spring optimism So, here we are in early October with more daylight for all and daylight saving for some.

With the re-opening of Melbourne courses soon, golf around the country could be on the brink of an almighty bull run. Let’s hope we can make the most of it and engage as many people as possible into the game at varying levels.

In the meantime, make the most of GMA live and online events in coming weeks and months and stay in touch with your fellow members. Thanks to GMs who have made their clubs available to GMA to host events.

GMA is there to support all members so please be in touch with your GMA State Operations Manager, members of your Executive, the GMA board members or myself if we can be of any assistance.

Don’t forget too that we have the GMA Member Assistance Program as well a legal support if you need it.

CLICK HERE FOR MEMBER ONLY GMA RESOURCES & LINKS: Industry News

One’s emotional intelligence is a vital element of a good working relationship with a club board.

In the upcoming BMI, we’ll hear from expert Mark Oliver on increasing all four human intelligences. You can hear more on our next GMA podcast, episode 14 too.

The BMI will also cover a discussion with David Burton and Jason Koenigsfeld

GMA Podcasts Member Assistance Program Member Discussion Forum Member Resource Library Industry Webinars

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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EDUCATION

THE MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP Learn how to debunk myths of leadership and create conscious leaders, by Mark Oliver, a world authority on motivational leadership, and upcoming presenter for GMA’s 2020 BMI Program.

It would be a shame if good leadership meant we had to be charismatic, as charisma is not very trainable.

If charisma was a significant component of leadership, much of the money put to leadership training would be wasted (and basically leaders would be born).

That said, it is an easy myth to fall for. You can be highly charismatic and a good leader or highly charismatic and a bad leader. You can have no charisma and be a good leader or have no charisma and be a bad leader.

Leadership is independent of charisma.

There may still be some doubt in your mind, and according to the management expert, Peter Drucker, John F. Kennedy was one of the most charismatic presidents in recent history, but he failed to accomplish much.

Drucker stated that Dwight Eisenhower had the charisma of a dead mackerel but was an extremely effective leader. He knew how to take responsibility and get things done.

As one example, Eisenhower was the Supreme Allied Commander in charge of operations in Europe during World War II. He sat down the day before the D-Day landings in 1944 and wrote a short message to be aired publicly should the landings have failed: “Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold, and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to their attempt, it is mine alone.”

Yet this may seem to be rather irrelevant or exceptional to the business world.

Jim Collins wrote a best-selling business book called Built to Last, which compared visionary companies that had massively outperformed other companies in their field.

He then identified what these visionary

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companies all had in common.

The book sold millions and, as the story goes, a colleague came up to Collins at one of his sales promotions and congratulated him on his book, then said it was “absolutely useless” because all these visionary companies had been great for many decades in the past. The colleague argued that the book did not show companies how to become great.

This got Collins pondering and he gathered a research team to look at what took a company from good to great. Too often, the assumptions made initially determined the answer. So, he used one simple measure: Companies had to have had average or below-average stock returns for at least 15 years, followed by returns of at least three times the stock market over the next 15 years.

The Characteristics Of The Best CEOs The results were published in 2004 in Collins’ next book, Good To Great. Out of the 1,435 companies that appeared in the Fortune 500 over the 30 years looked at, only 11 fitted the bill.

Each of them had CEOs who had two common characteristics, great determination and extreme humility. None were “charismatic” individuals.

Conversely, charismatic CEOs such as Jack Welch, who were being lauded by the top business schools at the time (and still are by many), did not have nearly as good financial performance, let alone other success markers.

It’s as if we have taken 2,000 years to learn from the example of the great spiritual leaders including Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Moses, Buddha, Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Confucius, etc. They all shared two characteristics, great determination and extreme humility.

Do Extroverts Make Better Leaders Than Introverts?

Highly charismatic people tend to be more extroverted. However, the 11 CEOs identified by Collins’ research were largely introverted, which breaks another myth about extroverts being better leaders than introverts. On the world stage, many iconic leaders were introverted, like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Let’s take one example of a highly charismatic leader, Adolf Hitler.

He led his population, but was he a leader?

Any meaningful definition of “leader” must be about taking followers to a better place. On this measure alone, Hitler failed miserably as a leader as he led Germany to utter annihilation. He is rightfully considered as “bad” universally.

So, charismatic “leaders” are more able to lead people to catastrophe!

In many ways, it is harder to be an effective leader if charismatic, or to be precise, it is harder to be naturally charismatic and still be an effective leader.

The same could be said about extroversion because leadership is about listening. Telling is more about management.

Recent research has shown that very charismatic people are able to turn off listeners’ logical thinking and so make them more susceptible to suggestions in the same way as a hypnotist does.

Lao-Tzu’s comment on leadership seems to predict the findings of Collins, 2,500 years prior: “When a good leader leads, the people respect and praise him. When an average leader leads, the people ignore him. When a poor leader leads, the people despise him. But when a great leader leads, the people say, ‘we did that ourselves’.’’

BMI - GM/CEO PROGRAM Almost the best one ever is coming your way!

ONLINE LEARNING - 19TH OCTOBER TO 1ST NOVEMBER STATE HUBS OR ONLINE (VIC ONLY) - 4TH TO 6TH NOVEMBER The BMI program is back. It will involve the equivalent of two days online learning through late October and three days in hubs and live on-line from 4th to 6th November.

As anyone who’s been part of the past BMI courses will tell you, they are a week of learning, confirming what you may have suspected all along, recalibrating thoughts on what you thought you knew and, of course, getting to know golf club people and their experiences.

For the first time, we’ll have access to a combination of established American presenters along with our own presenters with local specific context.

Part of the BMI will involve breaking into groups to solve an aspect of a case study that will get presented back to the group.

Yes – this is the perfect chance to continue your BMI journey and for a new BMI person to join the program.

The commitment of three days in a row brings with it a convenience along with less travel and accommodation costs across the board. The price has dropped accordingly.

Running across five time zones - Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, East Coast Daylight Savings and East Coast USA - and with the joys of mute buttons, screen positions and internet, it’s going to be one hell of a ride.

And for those in hubs, there will be a De Bortoli wine tasting session on the Thursday afternoon.

The hub venues are Lakelands (WA), Glenelg (SA), Launceston (Tas), Concord (NSW - TBC), and Oxley (Qld).

When registering, we expect all participants to book in a hub.

At this stage, we can’t plan a hub in Melbourne, so Victorians will need to be online for the three hub days in addition to the two days worth of online content.

Registrations for the BMI - GM/CEO program are now open, and if you have any questions regarding the event, feel free to contact GMA CEO, Paul Vardy, to discuss.

Click here to register for the 2020 BMI GM/CEO program.

PRESENTERS JASON KOENIGSFELD Senior Vice President of Professional Development at CMAA

MARK OLIVER

M.ENG MA (CANTAB) FCIPD FAHRI ILPF

CEO, MarkTwo Consulting

IAN FULLAGAR Sports Lawyer, BRB Law

DAVID BURTON GMA Life Member, Former GM - NSW Golf Club

RAY CRONIN Co-Founder & CEO, Club Benchmarking

BONNIE KNUTSON Professor, Michigan State University, Broad College of Business

KURT KUEBLER Partner, Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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CONTENT COURTESY OF ACACIA CONNECTION

MENTAL HEALTH MONTH The mental health of Australians has been significantly impacted by COVID-19, so, this month we look at common mental health issues, how to get involved in Mental Health Month, and how to help yourself and others' mental health.

• Mental health is still stigmatised in Australia, where 1 in 5 Australians experience symptoms of mental illness every year; however, 54% of Australians with mental illnesses do not seek help or access treatment.

• Almost half (45%) Australians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime.

The theme for Mental Health Month this year is Tune In. Tuning in refers to being aware of your internal experiences, your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, as well as being fully present in the world around you.

This year, Mental Health Month encourages us to: • Tune in to your Senses – e.g. what do you feel right now?

• Tune in to your Community – e.g. what’s happening in your community that you can be involved in?

• Tune in to Stigma – e.g. how do attitudes and understandings of mental health impact our ability to live our lives freely and without shame?

Why tune in?

How to focus on your mental health this mental health month

Tuning in has been shown to help build self-awareness, insight and to help us make effective choices, reduce the impact of stress and worry, and build positive, fulfilling connections with others.

When we tune into others, not only can we feel more connected but we can also provide safe spaces for people to talk about their experiences and reduce the impact of mental health stigma.

1. Tune in to your mental health: Ask yourself, how is my mental health at the moment?

The Black Dog Institute has set up an Online Clinic that takes you through a range of clinical assessments for common mental health conditions so that you can receive a personalised report on how your mental health is right now. You can then download this and take to your GP or psychologist.

What can I do this Mental Health Month to make a difference?

1: Plan an event or project Plan an event or project for Mental Health Month. Mental Health Month has plenty of resources and a starter kit with ideas on how to promote and build awareness around mental health this month including online events, wellbeing hours and creative spaces.

Get their starter pack here.

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2: Spread the word Tell as many people as you can that this month is mental health month. Promote the importance of educating ourselves and talking about mental health to save lives in Australia.

3: Talk to people about mental health Talk to others about how you look after your mental health, about the importance of mental health and be careful about how you speak about mental health. If you notice stigma, stand up and challenge it.

4: Check-in with your loved ones Social connection is essential in good mental health. Ask your loved ones how they are, and how their mental health is this month. Be willing to listen without judging or trying to fix.

4: Encourage help-seeking One of the biggest challenges in tackling mental health is that people don’t seek help quickly enough. If someone says they are struggling, encourage them to seek help through their GP or EAP.

www.golfmanagement.com.au

Visit the online clinic here.

2. Educate yourself about mental health: Mental health difficulties often go undiagnosed because people don’t know enough about mental health to spot the signs in ourselves or others.

3. Do something every day for your mental health: Just like we try to look after our physical health every day through our diet, exercise or going to the GP, we need to do acts of self-care every day to improve and protect our mental health.

Self-care activities like exercising every day, yoga, meditation, art or creative projects,

OCTOBER IS MENTAL HEALTH MONTH This month is Mental Health Month, with World Mental Health Day held on 10th October.

Every year, Mental Health Month seeks to encourage us to think about our mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether we have suffered from a mental illness or not.

Mental Health Month acts as a reminder to understand the importance of looking after our mental health in our everyday lives and to remind us to seek help if we are struggling.

socialising with friends and getting out into nature can look after you and your mental health.

4. Carry out a Weekly Mental Health Check-In: Every week, check in with your: • feelings (how stressed, anxious or down are your feeling on a scale of 0-10) • body (do you have any physical discomfort that might be a sign of mental health difficulties e.g. racing hear, tight shoulders, difficulty breathing) • sleep (are you struggling to fall or stay asleep? This can be a sign that your mind is struggling to switch off) • thoughts (are your thoughts racing? Are you worrying more than usual? Are you seeing things negatively or being self-critical?)

• and reactions/behaviours (are you being irritable at work or home? Are you procrastinating? Eating unhealthy food?

Drinking more alcohol than usual?).

5. Seek help from a mental health professional: 45% of Australians with mental health illnesses do not seek help from professionals and suffer in silence for years. Speak to your GP or call Acacia Connection on 1300 364 273. Mental health support does work and helps people who are struggling live fulfilled and happy lives.

Final Words 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for many of us, and has impacted on people’s mental health. Now, more than ever, it is essential to promote Mental Health Month to encourage ourselves and others to prioritise and look after our mental health.

Click here for more information on GMA’s Member Assistance Program

GMA NEWS

VISION 2025 WOMEN AND GIRLS IN GOLF

FIVE WAYS THAT GMA IS ENGAGING WOMEN: • Advocacy for the Vision 2025 strategy – including GMA attending all Advisory Group meetings and undertaking gender equity training.

• Development of women in leadership.

There are many aspects to the golf industry’s Vision 2025 strategy to encourage more women and girls into the great game of golf.

All golf industry bodies and clubs have a role to play in seeing that clubs are inviting places for women and girls. At a minimum, clubs should be free from discriminatory and outdated practices. But perhaps even more importantly, clubs should be actively paying attention to ways to facilitate greater involvement by females in learning golf, playing golf, teaching golf and playing a larger role in the leadership of clubs through the board governance and management of clubs.

From the GMA Insights Survey June 2020 • 64.7% - GMA member clubs/facilities that have a specific strategy in place to target women and girls to join the club • 31.6% - GMA member clubs/facilities that have a Vision 2025 committee, subcommittee or working group • 55.6% - GMA member clubs/facilities have initiatives in place to encourage female staff to participate in golf

These numbers and the initiatives behind them are a great start and contributing to the outcomes of Vision 2025.

Within the GMA membership, amongst the categories of full and regional members, 7.7% are female.

Amongst GMA’s provisional members, 21.4% are female.

Amongst the three categories combined, 12% are female.

Considering clubs are a ‘people’ business, we’d perhaps expect the female numbers to be higher in golf management.

The demands on fulfilling a GM role are something that we’d need to understand better from a female point of view.

We know the job is challenging on many levels, both in time demands and politically in the club’s governance structure. These issues are not unique to female managers but perhaps they are more acute? For a female, getting a balance between work and home life may be hard and navigating an often male board structure may also be hard. It’s

• Encourage GMs to implement a female staff wellbeing program where clubs invest in golf lessons for female staff members to learn the game and enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of golf.

• Engaging a diversity of women presenters at GMA National Conferences and in other forms of professional development.

• Encouraging our clubs to engage with national programs such as Women’s Get Into Golf and MyGolf Girls.

our intention to try and better understand these and other issues. We’re planning a discussion through a network of women managers.

Afterall, with greater opportunities for provisional members in training, it makes good sense to learn from the experienced female GMs about what to expect for a GM role. We also may be able to identify issues that can make the transition easier and for greater balance to exist in the future so we can not only attract more females to the GM roles but retain them.

We’ll be in touch with our female GMs and provisional members in coming weeks.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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FEATURE STORY

BURTON: THE LIFE OF A GENERAL MANAGER

Having recently stepped away from golf club management, David Burton took some time out to chat with NSW State Operations Manager, Frances Cordaro, sharing some of his personal experiences and insights into what it takes to be a successful General Manager.

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For almost a quarter of a century, David Burton forged an impressive career in the golf industry, to become the longest serving General Manager at the renowned NSW Golf Club. During his tenure he oversaw the hosting of many professional and amateur events, managed numerous facility upgrades, improvements and redevelopments while cementing the club’s position as a world class golfing venue.

luxury of meeting and making friendships with people from all over the world.

“But there is a reality behind being scrutinised 50 hours per week. A thousand members who are willing to give you constant feedback, long hours and volunteer boards.”

Burton explains the role of a General Manager is to congruently manage multiple small businesses, such as a restaurant,

Golf is a great industry, a great game and the people are great ... but there is a reality behind being scrutinised 50 hours per week.

Having recently stepped away from golf club management , Burton took time out to share some of his personal experiences and provide an insight into what it takes to be a successful General Manager.

“Golf is a great industry, a great game and the people are great. It’s made a nice life for my family and I in Sydney and I’ve had the

teaching academy and retail outlet, events, government relations and HR apartment and more.

“It’s obvious you need business acumen, but to survive you need a certain level of EQ (emotional intelligence),” he said.

“The GM is the glue to the directors above you, 50 staff below you and over

1000 members around you who are happy to give you their constant feedback about how things should and shouldn’t be. EQ is the hardest part of the role as you need the ability to understand and communicate effectively with different groups of people.”

Burton would know as he has survived as a General Manager more than nine times the average tenure. He attributes much of his longevity to his ability to work with volunteer boards.

“I’ve always had a basic philosophy that if you are brutally honest, yet diplomatic, if you work really hard and you have some empathy you are going to be ok in any industry.

“Golf Clubs can be tricky as you are dealing with volunteer boards. I have had six presidents, been involved in over 300 board meetings and there have been over 100 directors. Once you work out how to handle yourself in that environment, you have a good chance of being a great GM.” Burton suggests it’s the structural issue of Boards that creates a certain level of stress.

“When you don’t know who you’re

reporting to from one year to the next, that brings a level of difficulty. It doesn’t always work this way but can. Golf clubs should look at their board template, look at the needs, assess amongst your membership who would be best to fill those positions and make the approach. It would also help to have longer tenures, an option now available under the registered clubs act.”

Another challenge has been the ability to find a harmonious work life balance. The average General Manager works 50-60 hours per week with most participating in late week night meetings and having some presence on a Saturday.

“It’s a double edge sword – you like the environment, like the job but it has an

I liked working on the big projects to make an improvement to the course and the club.

Witnessing members being proud of their club is very rewarding.

“And I really liked the golf tournaments.

They’re a big beast, however when they are on the buzz for members, staff and patrons is phenomenal, especially when you get great players in the field.

The Club hosted some major international tournaments and Burton enjoyed seeing members watch some of the best players in the world playing on their course and saying – that’s how I’m going to play next week.

The long serving GM has seen what the game does not just at the elite level but for the health of the community.

People should be very proud about what golf does for society. I see it with my members – I see how well they are while they are playing golf... impact on your home time. It’s a great balancing act and men in general are not great at doing this.

“I think it prudent for Boards and Managers to realise that being there every Saturday is not necessarily a tenable option.

This is a cultural shift for the membership but one needs to understand that a General Manager working 70 hours per week will burn out.”

Burton thoroughly enjoyed his time at NSW Golf Club and highlights rewarding moments such as working on big projects and delivering golf tournaments.

“NSW is an exciting place to be a part of - a great golf course and great institution.

“People should be very proud about what golf does for society. I see it with my members – I see how well they are while they are playing golf, the brain is so engaged when playing golf, not just because of playing but everything you do around the game – organising the tee times, scoring, the bets, the social aspect.”

It’s been 33 years since university and the Canadian turned Aussie is now desperately keen for a break before working on the next opportunity.

“A good break to freshen up and then watch this space. Who knows what’s next.

I’ll always work on something I believe in.

I’m very excited.”

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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Designated driver?

Now you can.

Great taste.

Alcohol free.

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Contains less than 0.04% Alc/Vol.

GMA NEWS

VICTORIA

ENGAGING AND MOTIVATING STAFF With Victoria in stage 4 lockdown in metropolitan and surrounding areas, clubs were all but closed. With limited opportunities to engage with fellow GMs, the Melbourne Sandbelt made available a series of webinars for Victorian clubs to motivate, educate and inspire through difficult times.

With courses and clubhouses closed, most of us were working from home. MidSeptember had been hinted as a chance for restrictions to be eased……but, sadly, they were not.

During times like these, it is a huge challenge to engage and motivate staff, even ourselves, when an outing from the house is limited to a 5km radius and wearing a mask.

During this lockdown period, the Melbourne Sandbelt delivered a four week series of webinars with speakers engaged to motivate, educate and inspire us.

Session1: Samantha Gash Intro: Samantha Gash is an Australian professional endurance athlete, social entrepreneur and motivational speaker. As an endurance athlete, Samantha focuses on long distance expedition runs and adventure races.

Feedback: Such an inspirational story. Sam is a great speaker and has an extraordinary story to tell. She spoke about her physical and mental preparation & how she prepared for the unknown and there were many messages and takeaway tips for our people.

Session 2: Chris Helder Intro: Chris Helder is a business communication expert and master story teller whose presentations have radically transformed how thousands of people worldwide communicate with clients, customers, colleagues, staff and teams.

He has been a professional speaker for 18 years and has done over 2,450 presentations around the world. He is the bestselling author of three books “The Ultimate Book of Influence” which has been published in five languages, “Useful Belief ”, which is one of the highest selling Australian business books of all time and "Cut The Noise" about achieving better results with greater focus.

Feedback: Chris Helder combined an energetic and entertaining session delivering relevant content in a unique way. Titled “Useful Beliefs” his presentation included very useful and highly practical tools that can be applied immediately, both in private and business situations, to influence people. The presentation was very well received.

Session 3: Mark Wales Intro: Mark Wales grew up in the red dirt of Western Australian mining towns in the Pilbara. After deciding he wanted to join the SAS in high school, Mark embarked on a career in the Australian military that would eventually lead him to the battlefields of Afghanistan. As a Troop Commander in charge of 30 elite soldiers, Mark’s role was to lead combat missions against senior enemy commanders, deep behind enemy lines. Through this unique and harsh environment, Mark developed his skills in leadership, teamwork and high performance. Like many in his situation, Mark battled depression and stress disorders after warfighting in Afghanistan. He tackled recovery with the same intensity he applied to Special Ops training. He rigorously researched the fundamentals of neurobiological science and the benefit of skill development. This approach underpinned a strong recovery, and drove personal growth far beyond his previous abilities.

Feedback: Mark delivered a thoughtprovoking and insightful presentation. He displayed a level of vulnerability which was refreshing and enabled the audience to connect with him and his story. Mark also provided some very practical tips and hopefully was able to inspire others to make positive changes both to improve mental health and perform better in the workplace. Having small goals as a focus that are repeatable can be achievable.

It can take 20+ days to create a new routine and retrain the brain - to assist in sticking with this, it sometimes helps to make the task as easy as possible and at the same time/day until engrained. Mark commented at length about the importance of three things for him to be at his best both physically and mentally sleep, food and exercise. Recovery is critically important and having the self-awareness to either allow yourself time to recover, or ask for support from either friends, family or professionally to manage difficult times is essential to overall wellbeing.

Session 4: Sebastian Terry Intro: After the loss of a close friend in his early twenties, Sebastian had a moment of reflection which led him to asking himself a question that would go on to change his life; “Am I happy?" The answer was NO, and so he penned down a list of 100 things that he hoped would bring him closer to a sense of happiness. Now 10 years on and counting, Seb has ticked off 74 items from his list, has raised almost half a million dollars for charities and has found a sense of purpose that he could never have dreamed of. His story, turned into books, TV shows and documentaries, has most impressively inspired a global community of individuals and organizations who have identified, pursued and achieved their own goals, too.

Feedback: A fantastic presentation to round out the Sandbelt series. The feedback that we received from many of our staff who attended the online session has been excellent. The presentation was informative, entertaining and most of all, inspiring, and I know many people throughout the remainder of the Covid lockdown period will keep his amazing journey in their minds and will hopefully take the time to achieve some of their own goals.

Article supplied by Rod Haines (GMA State Operations Manager, VIC)

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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GMA NEWS

QUEENSLAND

CLUB CAR GMAQ MEMBER/ PRO DAY HELD SUPPORTING CHALLENGE

RESULTS MANAGER/PRO EVENT Gavin Lawrence/Peter Zealley (Keperra Country GC) c/b 42 points

Keperra Country Golf Club Manager Gavin Lawrence and resident PGA pro Peter Zealley have taken out the 2020 Club Car Manager/Pro day on a countback!

The format was a 4BBB and Individual Stableford, held at Redcliffe Golf Club on a beautiful mid-20-degree day, albeit with a bit of tricky wind.

Club Car had a great Hole in One offer up for grabs- a new golf buggy. No luck for anyone on the day unfortunately.

Raising Funds for CHALLENGE The day started out with some coffee and catch up with old friends. A moment of silence for Jarrod Lyle #doingitforjarrod then started the official proceedings. The group supported the CHALLENGE campaign with $650 being raised on the day (besting last year’s total of $500), via direct donation and raffle tickets. The players all had some element of yellow in their attire.

GMA National partner De Bortoli Wines donated a 3ltr bottle of red wine from a limited range to help increase the excitement on the raffle. The bottle was won by Mt Coolum General Manager, Sharon Purnell.

We are told that the bottle is the kind that needs to all be drunk once its open so we hope Sharon will find many friends who are willing to help her out!

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Upcoming Event QLD PGA Manager Broc Greenhalgh gave an update on upcoming PGA events, new strategic focus and career pathway programs and promotions this year.

With a field of approximately 40 players, including several of our GMA national partners in attendance, you could not have asked for a better day. It provided an excellent opportunity for networking with industry peers and enjoying the game that we are all so passionate about, as well supporting a very worthy cause.

We are very fortunate to be able to hold these events (first golf day in 10 months) in Queensland and our thoughts go out to our colleagues in Victoria and elsewhere.

Thank you!

Thanks to Paul Jones and Kevin Gates from Club Car for their continued support.

Also thanks to Phil Laurie from MiClub in assisting with online scoring for the day, utilising their ever popular MiScore app. It made organising things so much easier.

Many of the partners in attendance on the day were new to our members, so it was great opportunity to meet the new faces and we look forward to working with them in coming years.

Bernadette Lance/Phil Wolvaardt (Southport GC) 42 points David Marr/Brenton Fowler (Toowoomba GC) 41 points Scott Wagstaff/Tony Di Tommaso (Carbrook GC) c/b 40 points Aaron Muirhead/Channon Ryan (Oxley GC) 40 points

TEAM/PARTNERS EVENT Cameron Adams (MPower MSL) & Mike Orloff (GMAQ) - 45 points Phil Laurie (MiClub) & Brad Jones (Schweppes) - 44 points Vaughan Clarke (Walkinshaw Sports) & Paul Jones (Club Car) 38 points Stephen Hutchinson (Twin Waters) & Shahaad Suleman (Golf Now) 37 points Nick Thornton (MPower MSL) 34 points

INDIVIDUAL STABLEFORD Vaughan Clarke (Walkinshaw Sport) - c/b 38 points Bernadette Lance (Southport GC) - 38 points Phil Wolvaardt (Southport GC) c/b 37 points Mike Orloff (GMAQ) - 37 points Cameron Adams (Mpower MSL) 36 points Peter Zealley (Keperra Country GC) - 35 points

GMA NEWS NEW SOUTH WALES

BURTON: COVID PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GOLF As we all grapple with the impact of COVID-19, the industry of golf is one business which has boomed during the pandemic.

NSW State Operations Manager, Frances Cordaro, sat down with GMA Life member, David Burton, to discuss.

“It’s ironic because COVID has been the best thing that has happened to golf since Greg Norman,” respected industry professional David Burton said.

“And what I love about this story is, it is actually people’s desire to play golf.”

Burton, who was General Manager at the NSW Golf Club for 24 years and served on the national and state boards of Golf Management Australia (GMA) said it’s been a brilliant time for the game of golf.

“During COVID, every golf club at every level has been bombarded with demand for people wanting to play the game of golf.

They want to be outside, take on the game, beat their handicap, maybe try and beat their mates, play in a comp.

“You can’t buy a set of beginners golf clubs in Sydney. They are all gone. It’s beautiful!

And Burton is quick to point out it’s not because of the facilities or hospitality available at the Club.

“We would all love to say it’s because we’ve got a great club, but it’s not because of your cold beer or lovely coffee or nice furniture.

Because the club wasn’t available and they were still coming in droves.”

Burton encourages those in the golf business to seize the opportunity, adapt

to the change and continue with the momentum of the sports resurgence.

“In GMA for the last 10 years we have all been slogging the game – saying how do we get more people to play, how do we get people to become members?” he said.

“Leverage off this momentum because the golf courses are full. They are playing the game. Now it’s about how we can get people to understand the enjoyment of being a member of a Club.”

The GMA Life Member urges club managers to assess and understand the different needs of the different groups of people playing golf at their club so as to entice them to be members.

“Do your homework on who has visited your course. Assess what the differences are between what a 40-year-old woman and 40-year-old man looks like when they come to your course.

“Take advantage now and consider what lifestyle things you can offer them – can they bring their wife to the Club, their families, is there a juniors program?” he said.

“This has been a blessing in disguise for golf and now its about how you manage the opportunity for the future.”

UPCOMING NSW EVENT

CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND LEVERAGING MOMENTUM GMA NSW is thrilled to announce Four Pillars co-founder, Matt Stone, will deliver the keynote address at the Professional Development session taking place 22 October at the Pennant Hills Golf Club.

‘The crisis of COVID is the best thing that’s happened to golf since Greg Norman.’

Don’t miss Four Pillars co-founder Matt Jones, along with General Managers David Burton, Derryn Weigand, Barry West and Nigel Gibson share their professional experiences of the last six months and how this has shaped business.

As this is a COVID safe event, numbers are strictly limited.

Bookings now open via the GMA website.

RECENT INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS Current GMA Board member, Brad Dawson (GM, Royal Perth) is changing industries, taking up the GM post at Hillary’s Yacht Club in Perth’s northern suburbs.

After 16 years at QLD’s Headland GC, including 12 as GM, Ben Dobson is moving to the Noosa Hills Par 3 Golf Course as the facility’s new GM. Barwon Valley’s GM, Ben Casanelia has decided to pursue other opportunities, with Steve Power moving from Torquay Sands to the vacant Barwon Valley role.

Other movements within Victoria include the departure of Chris Poulton from Flinders GC, Julian Murray, who has left Sandhurst, and the upcoming retirement of Ron Stockdale from Portarlington GC. Also leaving their roles are Rod Archer, who has departed Dubbo GC, Brendon Kop from Twin Creeks CC.

NEW GMA MEMBERS Queensland • James King - Oxley GC • Mark Harrison - Dalby GC • Frank McCarthy - Gailes GC • Greg Ferry - Half Moon Bay GC • Angus Porter - Carbrook GC • Nicky Kruger - Goodiwindi GC • Phillip Wolvaardt - Southport GC • Kerry Hingston - Bulimba GC • Dan Chandler - Noosa Springs New South Wales/ACT • Adam Dransfield - Royal Sydney GC • Luke Goodier - The Coast GC • Mark McLennan - Moore Park GC • Geoff Black - Elanora GC • Dave Mitchell - Club Bega • Andrew Terry - Eden Fishermans RC • Robert Beuzeville - Bermagui CC • Scott Ranse - Riverside Oaks GC • Steve Price - Bondi Golf & Diggers • Claire Murray-Fulton - Springwood CC • Adrian Boyle - Wakehurst GC • Paul Netting - Magpies Belconnen GC • Jeremy Hopkins - RMC GC Victoria/Tasmania • Lauren Truscott - Medway GC • Cecily Pezet - Yarra Yarra GC Western Australia • Peter Maidment - Mount Lawley GC • Andrea Finneran - Lakelands CC • Troy Murphy - Capel GC • Nicole Martino - Lakelands CC To update us on any movements within the industry, please advise your local GMA State Operations Manager.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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GMA NEWS

QUEENSLAND

1. PRACTICE MINDFULNESS – THE ABILITY TO BE FULLY PRESENT IN THE MOMENT. Mindfulness can improve cognitive function and focus, and assists with adrenaline and cortisol regulation (fight, flight or freeze response) on demand when practiced. Slow Abdominal Breathing is an easy way to use strategy to activate the ‘relaxation response’ to reduce anger and anxiety.

Queensland GMA Members were able to attend their first organised event in 9 months on 18th August, held at Nudgee Golf Club in Brisbane.

2. PRACTICE GROUNDING – A STRATEGY DESIGNED TO “GROUND” YOU IN, OR IMMEDIATELY CONNECT YOU WITH, THE PRESENT MOMENT.

QLD State Operations Manager, Mike Orloff, offers up this summary of the presentations from the day.

These techniques can help to pull away from negative or challenging emotions, unwanted memories or flashbacks, or create space from distressing feelings and refocus on the present moment.

It orients the brain and body to the present moment and activates the parasympathetic nervous system which works to reduce the stress response.

With what has been some of the most challenging months hopefully behind us, this Professional Development Day on the topic ‘Health and Wellbeing’, brought to us by national GMA partner Toro Australia, was timed perfectly and very much needed for those in attendance.

Members were invited to bring their superintendent along as part of the discussion as a chance to spend time together and review what they all have been going through the day in and day out.

Toro had a new electric mower to show off at the break and we trialed a Zoom “Livestream” of the event to Regional members in Far North Qld. Whilst it didn't work out perfectly, future Livestream will be improved for a better engagement at future events bu members.

24-hour counseling service by qualified, registered psychologists and counselors across Australia. The service is highly confidential with no disclosure of any individual information to GMA relating to your sessions. The MAP includes short term counseling of up to 3 hours per member per year and can provide assistance for a range of issues The introduction of the MAP recognises the need for GMA members to have access to immediate help, should issue within a members’ personal or professional life become difficult.

Jodie Perkins, a Social counselor with Acacia EAP, talked about a few main points and tips to follow to make sure we are managing stress correctly and keeping an eye out with team members.

GMA Member Assistance Program

A second topic was presented by Patrick Bardon from corporate partner Hostplus and focused more on the financial wellbeing aspects. Patrick discussed some key insights from Metlife research which showed close to half of all Australians are suffering from some form of mental ill health at present due to COVID-19 issues: • 32% claim the uncertainty of Covid-19 has damaged their mental health • 42% feel isolated

Techniques you can try: • Deep Breathing • Describing Your Surroundings • Meditation • Practicing Self-Care • Moving Your Body • Positive Visualisation • Listening to Music • Walk barefoot on the grass How do I do it? Look around – Notice the following: • 5 things you can see • 4 things you can hear • 3 things you can feel • 2 things you can smell What should I look for in myself, members and staff?

• Concentration difficulties • Fatigue • Social isolation or withdrawal • Irritable and argumentative behaviour • Increased alcohol or drug use • Indifference and reduced work performance • Increased absenteeism • Sadness, depression or anxiety • Change in sleeping patterns

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QLD GMA MEMBERS TAKE TIME TO 'SHARPEN THEIR SAWS'

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The main presentation of the day was from Acacia EAP, a national independent service provider specialising in supporting people in dealing with personal or work-related issues in a positive way. Acacia EAP also provides GMA members and their immediate family with the GMA Member Assistance Program (MAP).

The MAP involves the provision of a

Financial & Mental Wellbeing

GMA NEWS

• 44% say their mental health is worse now compared to pre Covid-19 The research proved a strong relationship between one’s overall health and wellbeing, financial health, mental health and the response of their employer to COVID-19.

It also showed that over 3 in 10 Australians have actively sought help due to feeling mentally unhealthy as a direct result of Covid-19.

According to the research, half of Australians claim Covid-19 has impacted their finances, with 30 percent of those over 50 expect to postpone their retirement.

Employees working at small-medium enterprises were also more likely than those working at large enterprises to experience financial hardship and were more likely to have sought support due to feeling mentally unhealthy.

For more insight, visit Metlife Australia - Metlife Australia Covid-19 Research Insights - 02 July 2020.

How to get stronger – a Covid-19 response To round out the half-day seminar, a group discussion was held on the topic “COVID 19: What have we learned and how do we get stronger?”

Luke Bates, State Manager for Golf Australia, showed the recent competition rounds update and how most clubs are experiencing much busier tee sheets. Several clubs have pivoted their business models to bring in a new revenue stream such as a takeaway food business. The courses are busier than ever in most cases, which leads to more stress at work.

A few recurring messages were agreed during the group discussion.

1. Strong communication is needed to be in place between all stakeholders - staff, management board and members 2. A united consistent approach to everyone is needed 3. Adapting to change on a regular basis 4. Expect the unexpected!

The Professional Development Day also had two invited guests that now have become new GMA members!

Stay safe everyone and give an industry mate a call when you have time or schedule a virtual coffee or beer to check on each other.

#wewillbestronger

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WEMBLEY WINS GCSWA MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE TROPHY On Monday, 14th September, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of WA and Golf Management Australia WA came together for the first time to deliver the GCSAWA Management Challenge Trophy.

Proudly supported by Heineken 3, the event was held at Mount Lawley.

Taking out the trophy was the team from Wembley Golf Complex, comprising Joshua Madden (GM), Darren Wilson (Superintendent), Mike Lomas and Justin Roach (all pictured above).

Madden said after their win, “we all enjoyed ourselves immensely at Mount Lawley. Huge thanks to the team out there for hosting the day. We’re already looking forward to defending our title next year!”

Damon Lonnie, president of GMAWA, thanked Troy O’Hern, GM of Mount Lawley, and his board for allowing the golf day to go ahead given the increased pressure on course access post COVID. In its 30th year, the GCSAWA Management Challenge Trophy is a team event comprised of a club’s GM, superintendent and board members.

Shane Baker, president of GCSAWA, was pleased to see such a great response from the clubs saying, “the increase in participation can be attributed to the success of the two associations coming together to deliver the one event.”

Individual honours went to Busselton GM, Ross Davis, with an impressive 42 points. Davis commented, “We really enjoyed the opportunity to play at one of the best courses in WA, but more importantly, it was a great opportunity for the course superintendent and general

manager to spend time together along with our president and course director to discuss a number of issues in an informal setting outside the normal formal meeting processes.”

Davis also highlighted the importance of these days, saying “networking with other managers and course supers is a bonus for us smaller regional clubs…we can see that the same issues arise in all clubs concerning course maintenance, membership, etc. … albeit on a much different scale and being able to meet with people from other clubs is a really worthwhile exercise.”

Thank you to Heineken 3, and supporting sponsors of the day, Schweppes and TaylorMade.

RESULTS GCSAWA MANAGEMENT CHALLENGE 1st - Wembley Golf Complex Joshua Madden, Darren Wilson, Mike Lomas & Justin Roach 2nd - Royal Perth Golf Club Brad Dawson, Michael Dennis, Duncan Cameron & Peter Anderson 3rd - Nedlands Golf Club Melissa Castaldi, Tony McFadyean, Peter Boyne & Stewart Wharton

INDIVIDUAL EVENT 1st - Ross Davis (Busselton GC) - 42 pts

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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GMA NEWS

MEMBER & STAFF CHALLENGES AMID A PANDEMIC: INSIGHTS FROM VIC MANAGERS In August, a GMAQ Zoom webinar was conducted covering “The Victorian Golf Club Management Perspective” to give members a chance to hear updates from a national and local perspective.

The webinar featured two leading golf club managers in Melbourne: Philip Drew - Sandringham Golf Club and Mathew Loughnane – Kew Golf Club. The two managers discussed the challenges they’ve been facing in Victoria during the previous and current lockdown restrictions.

The conversation gave insight to what they have learned and what changes have been made to operations, to best assist looking after their members.

What is the biggest challenge or hurdle you have faced in the last five months?

Mathew said the biggest issue over the past five months has been managing member expectations. He said the swift and everchanging restrictions and what they mean for the members have posed new challenges for the management.

“Things are moving so quickly and we only find out about new restrictions and what they mean when the members do, which only gives us two or three days to react to those restrictions and put them in place,” he said.

The Kew Golf Club is normally as busy club with approximately 1200 playing members (1500 in total). “During winter the club relies on a portion of those member going overseas or play elsewhere to free up

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some tee times. With travel and boarder restrictions in place, and with golf being one of the very few activities allowed to get you out of the house, there has been a lot of pressure on us as a club to accommodate that need and meet those expectations”, Mathew said.

“You would think that members would understand that these are different circumstance and unusual circumstance that we don’t face every year. But members are creatures of habit that want to play at their 8:30am time on a Saturday morning, which they have been doing for the past 30 years.”

“So, I’ve found…that a big challenge has been the reaction of members and trying to make them understand that this is different.”

Mathew also said his board made the decision after the first lockdown to refund members one month of subscriptions for this coming year. It was as a gesture saying the club understood times are tough for members as well. The boards haven’t made a decision this time around.

He also says there has not been a clear model on how to handle subscriptions and member expectations. Some clubs have been refunding members for a period, other have not been able to do so. “Some clubs are not in that position and wouldn’t make it through if they gave money back to

members,” explained Mathew.

He also said the club’s membership forecast originally suspected 250 members to drop off compared to the usual 80. That number ha since been lowered to around 150. “We have seen that there is a big interest out there as golf is deemed a safe sport and we are not as worries or think we’ll be as impacted as we originally thought we might be.”

--Sandringham Golf Club (pictured) is a public facility which is currently undergoing a $20-million-dollar refurbishment. Similar to Mathew, Phil said one of the greatest challenges over the past few months has been managing people’s expectations.

“In the beginning when Covid first took hold, we had to capture the data of all the people on site. Unlike a club we didn’t already have a list of people and now we had to create an online presence where people could book online. This gave us a perfect excuse to change the way people interacted with our facility, which is the biggest change we’ve had.”

In terms of struggles for the club, the financial bit has been the toughest says Phil.

“We get revenue from green fees, not annual sub and we still have to pay rent, we still pay rates and all the other things. If Jobkeeper wasn’t here I would not be sitting here with

a smile today. It has been a god sent to our business,” “We’ve had a total of nearly three months of nearly no revenue at all – that hurts.”

What has the impact on the staff been and how are they travelling mentally?

“The staff has been great, although challenging. We paid all staff full rates for a month for the first lockdown, and after that we reduced full-timers back to three days a week,” says Mathew.

“Jobkeeper has allowed us to keep our casual staff as well and we’ve been trying to give consistent work in and around the club like painting, gardening and cleaning - a whole range of things to keep them engage and active.”

“Luckily everyone understood the circumstances during the second lockdown.

This second time Jobkeeper has been a savior.”

With all staff now working from home, Mathew explains how they have implemented weekly catch-ups on Thursdays on Zoom to stay in contact.

“Some of our staff member are living alone, which can be a little bit tougher than if you have a family and we just catch up and make sure they are going ok.”

On the Sandbelt, Phil has recommended his staff to take the extra time at home to jump on various online courses to upskill, and he has explained what those skills would mean for the business going forward.

He says you also must be mindful of what your staff individuals require and provide

UPCOMING WEBINARS GMA is hosting a series of live webinars for members over coming weeks, designed to inspire, engage and motivate, and offer some insights into building an amazing culture and competitive advantage.

All live webinars are available free of charge to GMA members via the Zoom platform, and recordings will be available on GMA’s website at a later date.

Details for live webinars are being emailed out to members with a link to registrations.

them with some good partial care for them to “come out the other end.”

“We’ve been going through this for a long time and people are growing tired and are not always looking after themselves. We are just keeping an eye on everybody and make phone contact every other day or send texts.”

And yourselves, how are you coping?

“Jobkeeper has been a god sent in term of the financial impact on the club,” reiterates Mathew. “The financial stress is not there from my point of view which takes a lot of the burden off,” “I was personally pretty comfortable with the second lockdown. Having supportive staff and more importantly, a supportive board that understands the reality of the situation of what we’ve dealing with, I think it’s really important.”

Phil said he’s lucky to have good support people in his life and to have the course being built as a distraction. “My days are half-full and some people’s days are empty,” he said.

How do you go about planning for the future when you don’t know what the future looks like?

“There is a renewed interest in golf,” said Phil. “People first choice of sport is not available, so golf is the default sport. Which is fantastic and couldn’t have come at a better time to be honest.”

He said the clubs’ tee sheets would be fully booked for days after the first lockdown.

“We’ve noticed that people are not talking about golf, they’re talking about getting some

fresh air, getting some exercise and meeting up with some friends for a couple of hours… they are using our facility without talking about golf.

“The members are enjoying social golf more than competition golf and we’ve made a difference in the way we engage with our customers and the questions we ask them.

We’re no longer talking about golf, but have they had a good time?

What are some important lessons learnt during this period?

“Communicating with the other managers,” says Mathew. “Not to try and come up with all the answers yourself. It’s good to get a different perspective. Talk to someone else otherwise it can feel too daunting.”

Phil concurred and said the bond between managers on the Sandbelt has always been strong. “Your greatest resource is your fellow managers.”

Mathew says some of the managers of Victorian clubs he has been speaking to are actually doing quite alright, due to help from Jobkeeper.

“Some of the clubs who were struggling financially, due to Jobkeeper they might be in a better position now than they were before.

All in all, it hasn’t been too bad.”

GMAQ holds monthly webinars to give members a chance to hear updates from a national and local perspective.

For more educational videos, subscribe to GMA’s YouTube channel.

JACQUI COOPER Engage & Motivate

BEN CROWE High Performance

Thursday, 8th October at 3:00pm AEDT

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Proudly presented by Toro

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She has competed in 139 World Cup Events, 9 World Championships and has been selected to 5 Winter Olympic teams, the first Australian Woman in history to have enjoyed this honour. And with a record 5 world titles, 39 World Cup medals, 25 World Cup wins and 3 major World Championship medals, Jacqui Cooper is indisputably the greatest aerial skier of all time.

Jacqui’s story is one of self-belief, passion, triumph, tragedy and the ability to overcome adversity against the odds.

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Now as a leadership mentor, life coach and adviser, Ben works closely with business leaders, coaches & athletes explaining how authenticity, vulnerability and storytelling can create an amazing culture and competitive advantage.

Using story to highlight the principles of “Connection” mindset, Ben explains how to embrace vulnerability, imperfection and self-worth.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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EDITORIAL

IMPRESSIVE NEW TORO FLEET FOR THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOLF CLUB Superintendent Idris Evans and his team of nine at the Western Australian Golf Club are over the moon with their new Toro fleet which they recently received as part of their renewed lease agreement.

The equipment includes 18 new pieces, consisting of 2 Greensmaster eTriflex 3360 and 2 Greensmaster 3150 greens mowers, 2 Reelmaster 7000 fairway mowers, a Reelmaster 3575 mower, a Toro Outcross, a Groundsmaster 3200 mower and a Groundsmaster 4700 mower, 4 Workman MDX vehicles, 2 Sand Pro 5040 groomers and last but not least 2 Multi Pro 5800 sprayers.

The Western Australian Golf Club was established in 1928 and is an 18-hole championship course that has hosted various International and National professional tournaments. The course is located just 8 kilometres from the Perth CBD and is nestled among the rolling hills of Yokine. A beautiful old Tudor Clubhouse overlooks the fairways, greens and a lake, and also boasts views to the city and Darling Ranges.

This is the third lease for the club. Older equipment brings with it a decline in productivity as well as an increase in maintenance costs. Through leasing equipment, the club can keep up with market leading technology now.

Evans commented: “I am grateful our club sees the need for modern equipment.

Leasing equipment allows us to purchase machines we normally wouldn’t be able to afford. By leasing we can stay up to date with the latest quality and productivity improvements in equipment.”

“We have a longstanding relationship with Toro. I believe they have superior equipment and they offer me fantastic backup and service.”

“Some of our favourite pieces of equipment sofar are the new hybrid eTriflex Greensmaster and the Outcross. The

Outcross is a beast,” he said.

Brad Anderson, Toro Area Sales Manager Golf Equipment (WA) added that it is always a pleasure to work with Evans and the WA Golf Club.

“It is magnificent to be able to provide some of the latest technologies that Toro has to offer. We are proud of our strong longstanding relationship with the club and we look forward to growing our working relationship through outstanding support and backup of their new fleet. We will stride forward together”, he said.

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

YOU CAN COUNT ON US www.toro.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SCHWEPPES JOINS FORCES TO IMPROVE PLASTIC RECYCLING IN AUSTRALIA Asahi Beverages (Schweppes’ parent company) has signed and officially launched a joint venture, paving the way for construction of a new recycling facility to begin.

This is a major milestone in the company's plastics recycling capabilities, and an important step forward in their commitment to minimise impact on the environment.

Construction will start towards the end of the year, pending approval from Albury Council, and is expected to be fully operational by December 2021.

Pact is a leading provider of packaging solutions, and they will provide technical and packaging expertise in operating the plant. Cleanaway, an established waste collection business, will supply available PET feedstock through its collection and sorting network.

Most of the recycled PET from the new facility will be used in Asahi Beverages

and Pact’s products. It has been estimated that up to one billion 600ml PET plastic bottles each year will be processed at the site. Sustainability Victoria estimates that producing plastics from recycled materials saves approximately 88% of the energy required to make plastic from the raw materials of oil and gas.

By building the plastic recycling plant, Asahi Beverages are increasing Australia’s PET recycling capacity by 50%. They’ve also made a commitment to power part of the facility with solar energy.

Asahi Beverages say they are looking forward to creating a new future for their plastic recycling capabilities and making a real difference.

GMA PODCAST EPISODES 12 & 13: MAC NIVEN “The most important part of the job is the relationship between the board and GM.” This is not your normal interview with a club manager. Mac, from upstate New York, is a straight shooter and could be described as something like the John McEnroe of clubs.

There’s an intelligence that is sharpened by lots of experience – a close listen and you will find out about his “epiphany”.

With Rod Morri and Paul Vardy ask questions that delve into his experience and some of his findings from his research paper “Fostering Strong Working Relationships Between the GM/COO and Club Directors”.

His thoughts on director influence and “the expansive representation of one” are important leanings for managers young and old who want to understand what’s really going on in the minds of board members.

You may not agree with everything you hear in this interview but it will make you think!

Listen now on the MiClub app.

In 2019, the inaugural #DoingItForJarrod campaign was launched in honour of Jarrod Lyle, who sadly passed away in August 2018.

Challenge, the PGA of Australia and Golf Australia united to create a special fundraising campaign which could be enjoyed by the entire golfing community.

Golf clubs around Australia dedicate a members’ day, or two (mens’ and ladies’ days) in memory of Jarrod, throughout October and November, with members encouraged to dress in yellow and make a gold coin donation.

We need your help to continue Jarrod’s legacy of supporting children and families living with cancer.

To register, visit https://www.challenge.org.au/event/doingitforjarrod/

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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IT’S NOT A

IT’S A

“NICE TO HAVE”

MUST HAVE.

www.golfmanagement.com.au

17 TREES PINOT GRIGIO

As a result of the 2019/2020 bush fires in Australia, more than 11 million hectares (110,000 sq km or 27.2 million acres) of land across Australia have burned (Source: BBC.com).

17 TREES is a solid collaboration with our suppliers, distributors, customers and consumers to plant trees to rebuild the Australian bushland.

De Bortoli 17 TREES has partnered with not-for-profit organisation Trillion Trees to plant native trees for a sustainable future.

Trillion Trees has been planting trees since 1979, with the vision to plant 1 trillion trees.

PLANT-A-TREE

RECY

TRILLION TREES

This ongoing journey in sustainability is recognising our responsibility to the environment to ensure a lasting future for generations to come.

E FR AD O

CL

Just scan the QR code on the back label of 17 TREES for a live tracker of tree planting.

A dedicated microsite can be found at: debortoli.com.au/17Trees

PLANT-A-TREE Every 6 bottles purchased will go towards planting 1 tree.

Every 6 bottles of 17 TREES purchased will go towards planting 1 tree in Australia.

M

M

17 TREES is a solid collaboration with our suppliers, distributors, customers and consumers to plant trees to rebuild the Australian bushland.

IA L

Today 17 TREES is a brand that has a purpose.

17 TREES SHIRAZ Deep and bright crimson red appearance.

An abundance of plum, dark cherry and chocolate. The palate is rich with ripe dark fruits and mocha oak. Full and generous with refined tannins and a lengthy finish.

ER

One of De Bortoli’s first sustainability projects in 2008 was to plant 17 trees for each company vehicle to offset the carbon effects of our fleet.

Light straw, lifted aromas of jasmine and citrus. Lively palate, soft acidity, fresh, finishing with tropical flavours.

E D M AT

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING ✔ Lightweight bottle and recycled glass ✔ Recycled paper created from natural fibre-based pulp derived from sugar cane waste ✔ Inks made with the best practices for low environmental impact ✔ Recycled cardboard ✔ Recyclable screw cap

Please contact your local De Bortoli Area Manager to organise samples and discuss listing 17 TREES on your next club wine list.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

WHAT DOES THE GOLF CLUB “BOARD OF THE FUTURE” LOOK LIKE? It is a pressing question among club General Managers as the rules for success in the golf sector are constantly being rewritten. epar’s Terry Muir looks at what the future holds for golf clubs and their boards in the ever evolving pressure of increased regulatory scrutiny.

The rise of RegTech (the use of new technology to facilitate the delivery of regulatory requirements), evolving customer and member expectations, the pressure of increased regulatory scrutiny, and new requirements that focus on enhanced governance, are challenging the role and nature of traditional Boards.

Club Boards must be prompted of the importance of taking a critical look in the mirror to seriously consider what their “Board of the future” should look like.

As David Gonski said, “The clever Board doesn’t increase risk, it takes a calculated look at risk.”

It is not unreasonable that every club manager should have high and specific expectations of their Board. Ideally, every Board should have a statement that articulates their governance and risk appetite and confirmation that each Board member knows, “what lane to swim in.”

The Board’s swimming lane is setting strategic direction and governing. The General Manager’s lane is interpreting and helping execute the Board’s strategic direction. The last thing a club manager wants is to find a Board swimming in his or her lane and being, “over-engaged,” or even “under-engaged.”

An over-engaged Board micromanages staff, it gets involved in operational issues rather than governing. The Future Board will possess the skills to explore and gain insights into “knowing what they don’t know,” on risk and governance with an understanding of what “staying in their own lane” really means.

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As technological and economic forces combine to exert new pressures on the industry, clubs must modernise their Boards and their operations for the new economy.

Clubs should waste little time implementing real change in their board rooms to meet emerging challenges in the fast-evolving and increasingly complex global environment.

For a club Board to deliver future success, some key capabilities include: • Being informed and highly proactive with a clear understanding of emerging risks and issues; • Equipped to consistently address and review risk; • Having the acumen to understand the golf business challenges and listen to the experts and their advice; • Diversity in relation to gender, age, skill set and digital acumen; • Engage with regulatory technology and lift their technology and digital literacy; • Making risk-based decisions on the proposals put forward by the executive; • Non-industry experience that can bring valuable new insights; • Creating and sustaining modern cultures and values for their club; • Promoting a healthy ‘decision culture’ that provides opportunities to challenge risk decisions from diverse management perspectives.

Without doubt, club managers are doing the heavy lifting when it comes to environment, health, and safety risk (EHS).

And, I have seen a massive shift in the way they manage their extraordinarily large EHS risk inventory.

I have witnessed clubs embark on EHS risk reduction campaigns with outstanding success. Working with one club, epar identified 212 EHS risks on the site. Within 12 months, the risk profile had changed to just 28 risks of concern, AND, risk activities classed as Extreme Risk had been eliminated!

Of the remaining 28 EHS risks: • Activities assessed as High Risk had almost halved and are now assessed as Medium Risk; • Activities now assessed as Low risk has increased fivefold; This shows that risk management is taking a much more prominent role with many club managers. They are dedicated to thinking about their management practices and the intersection between their activities, risk management, and compliance. Their clubs are stronger as a result. How? They got their Board/Staff relationship in order by working to create the right kind of Board engagement. This is key to a healthy Board/ staff working relationships.

As regulators shift their focus towards ensuring that golf clubs have the capabilities to identify and manage risks as they emerge, they are taking a closer look at Boards and senior officers. Especially now that under recent changes to the Work Health & Safety Act 2011 (NSW) (WHS Act), directors

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

BEST - Connect 2.0 System BETTER - Connect 2.0 Lite GOOD - EHS Starter Kit Everything you need and nothing you don’t – www.epar.com.au and officers can no longer be insured or indemnified for penalties for WorkSafe breaches. These new legislative changes have created a significant uninsurable/ indemnifiable risk for club directors and officers.

Officers, directors and board members who fail to take preventative action to ensure the health and safety of their workers, and the protection of the environment, can be held personally liable for any acts or omissions by the company, its employees and contractors.

Board members are a powerful resource.

They can propel everything the business does. A Board that can accept the role of the club manager as a partner in risk management can push their club to fulfil every bit of its potential.

Looking ahead, we’re anticipating some extraordinary Board and business innovation across the golf sector. Removing confusion and misunderstanding about who should be doing each of the key tasks in the club can be achieved by having everyone stay in their own lane. The future Board member will focus on his or her job, secure in the knowledge that someone else is competently handling all the other responsibilities that need to be done.

It is relatively simple. Reminding people to stay in their lane helps them focus on what is important. Show them that even the boss has a lane. After all, identification is a powerful tool.

$

29.95

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

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

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

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

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

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

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SURVIVE & THRIVE: INSIGHTS AND TACTICS FROM THE ‘LONGTIMERS’ Club Marketing Specialist Mike Orloff recently hosted a live panel discussion with four long term managers in the golf industry. The format for the day was an open live Q/A between the panelists as well as taking questions and comments from the viewing audience.

During the 75-minute session, the managers compared notes on some of the “secrets” they have followed over the years that have kept them in the same roles for 15, 20, and 30+ years!

The Panelists • Gregg Patterson – General Manager – The Beach Club (California) (34 years) • Barry Linke – General Manager – The Grange GC (South Aus) (31 years and counting) • David Burton – General Manager – New South Wales GC (24 years) • Michael Leemhuis – CEO/GM Congressional Country Club (Washington DC) (16 years)

The Conversation Mike Orloff opened up the conversation by asking each of the panelists about the thoughts and feelings around their club tenure, and how to ensure longevity in the golf industry.

First out was Michael Leemhuis who talked about the importance of a Cultural Fit between a manager and the club.

“If your aspiration is to drive a Mercedes Benz and the club is a club where predominately most of the members drive Fords, then that is probably not going to be a good fit,” he said.

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“Do you feel comfortable driving through the gate? Do you feel comfortable in your own skin driving to work? What are the emotions you feel? Even if it’s a materialistic way of putting it, it’s the easiest way to explain it”.

The second thing Michael talked about was the need for having to reinvent oneself.

“You can’t stay stagnant in your role. You got to keep up to speed with what’s going on and you have the be the expert in club managements. Otherwise you just become a piece of the furniture and no one is looking to you for guidance or advice,” he explained.

“If you’re not the expert they will go and find an expert.”

Michael finished up by touching upon the importance of staying up to date with the industry and how much time he has spent teaching or on the road learning to keep relevant. “When going to different countries and clubs I always get new ideas that I can incorporate in my own club.” he said.

Next up was current Grange Golf Club General Manager Barry Linke, who said you have to enjoy the club life, enjoy golf and you have to see opportunity within the club.

He believes the secret to staying around at the same club is to surround yourself with good people and loyal staff. “If you have a good group of senior staff that are moving in the same direction that you are, then he

MIKE ORLOFF

Club Marketing Specialist Golf Industry Central Mike Orloff is a US and Australian PGA Member with more than 25 years of industry-wide experience, including 18 years working for two of the biggest international golf management companies in Australia and the USA – American Golf Corporation and Clubcorp.

Now based on the Gold Coast, Australia, Mike consults to clients directly as well as via workshops and conferences in New Zealand, Australia and South East Asia.

Visit the Golf Industry Central website for more news & advice

believes it can be a good tenure.”

“I agree [with Michael] that you have to keep reinventing yourself. If you stay in one place for a long time the same sort of issues tends to come up and you have to learn to look at them differently at different times.”

“I also agree with keeping up with the industry, things change quickly and you have to stay on top of the current trends.”

Gregg Patterson joined the conversation by giving some background to his many years at The Beach Club in California. “I realised around my third year at the club that being happy at the club and a willingness to staying loyal has more to do with the inner values you have and if they are being satisfied in that environment,” he explained.

“I realised I didn’t need another badge, but my deeply embedded life interests were being satisfied.”

Gregg ultimately said that the culture of the club and the values it stands by must be a perfect with with your own life values. If the two don’t match, you wont stay long at that club.

How do you keep the trust factor when the board changes every 2 or 3 years?

“Trust is fundamental” said Gregg. “Trust is anticipating that you’ll do what you say you’ll do and you’ll say what you do.”

From his experience, he believes trust is easy as long as you communicate. “It’s important to communicate before you make a decision, when you make a decision and after you made a decision. Communication is absolutely key,“ he added.

David Burton, who just finished up his 24 year-long tenure at New South Wales Golf Club, said it is very scary when you have trust issues with either your staff or your Directors. “Everyone must feel like someone has their back in this relationship.

The minute the trust gets distorted between either you and the staff, director or member, you have a big problem.”

Michael Leemhuis said he earned the trust of the board by always making the decision that was best for the club. “I believe that’s what built my trust at the club. That people know if they would come to me with a questions, I would always handle the issue in the best way possible for the club.”

What advice would you give your younger self at the start of your tenure?

“Listen a lot! If you listen a lot, you quickly learn what’s important,” David advised. “You have to understand what the directors want, instead of what you think they want.”

David also talked a lot about choosing your battles, or avoiding the battles with directors and members, that you won’t win. “Not everyone is going to like you when you’re new at a club so you have to have thick skin.”

He also touched upon the important of work-life balance, which was expanded upon later on in the conversation.

Barry gave the advice of not taking everything so seriously. “There’s always a bit of chitter-chatter around a club and I think it’s easy to take that personally even though It might not be directed towards you.”

“You need to listen and to decipher what’s important and what’s not.”

He also said he thinks it’s important to always be positive around staff and directors even though you might be having a bad day. You need to work out who are the key players and not trying to satisfy too many people. “You can’t please everybody all the time – that’s the advice I’d give myself.”

Gregg referred to the analytical element of club management and how your analytical skillset is critical. “You need to know if you’re in alignment with the club culture and how you might need to change. You need to figure out what the governance structure is and who makes decisions,” he said.

“I wish someone would have giving me a templet on how to analyse a culture. It took

me five years to learn what should have taken me five months.”

Michael picked up where David left off in the conversation about work-life balance. “I spent ridiculously long hours in my young days, and I do believe my dedication and the time I put in played a big part in my success, he said.

“But, as Gregg mentioned, as I stayed longer with the club I learnt when and how and why to be in certain places. You don’t have to spend 80 hours at the club, you just need to learn when you need to be there!”

What were some challenges in your early days as a manager ?

“One of the biggest changes throughout the years has been memberships,” said Barry. “When I first came to the club we had a 10 year waiting list for membership and then a few years later we had no waiting list at all and we were out there trying to market memberships. I believe the expectation on memberships and course maintenance from members are higher now and we need to keep the course presented to a higher standard any day of the week now.”

Michael explained that the technology and way of communicating had been one of the biggest changes. The use of Human Resource staff was also something that was introduced later on in his career, and that now is a staple at any bigger club.

David summed up the conversation by saying: The game hasn’t really changed, but everything else has.”

When did you know it was time to go?

“When I felt like I didn’t really want the club to change, I knew it was time to go. I still have a buzz but the buzz was about reflecting rather than managing,” said Gregg. He explained how he is in his “third stage” of his life and how he wants so spend it reflecting on what he has done previously.

Michael similarly said he was happy with what he had done and now needed time to himself and time to spend with family, while also

seeking more personal growth than the club could offer him. “The gut. In your gut you know when its time to move and when its time to stay. Listen to your gut, do your research and analytics but at the end of the day you know,” he said.

“You have a feeling at the pit of your stomach,” further explained David, who only left his position a few days prior. “I wanted to do something different. Have a crack at something else, get fresh and do something else. Which is never easy.”

“If you have difficult decisions, you have a great life,” he concluded.

“Try to have some fun and a positive outlook,” said Barry. “Clubs can be unforgiving and can be hardest to them who does the most for them. Don’t take thing so serious and try and have fun and you’ll survive and thrive for a long long time.”

Gregg finished up the question by mentioning the “perfect match” again. “You have to define success for yourself; what are your life interest and do the club satisfy those? You have to understand club culture and if you want to be in alignment with that culture,” he said.

He ended with a questions that all managers should be asked and posed for some further thinking after the live stream: “If you were giving a membership at this club, would you use it and how frequently?

The conversation brought up more questions and more valuable insights to the managers’ time at their clubs.

If you want the full scope you can still register to download it in podcast format or via video.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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FEATURE STORY

GOLF: BENEFITS TO THE ENVIRONMENT The golf industry has long known the benefits to the environment of well maintained golf course land. Yet, because of the nature of private golf clubs, we’ve tended to underplay the many benefits to members, to neighbours and to local government.

Perhaps it’s time raise it and to sing it from the hilltops!

Australian golfers have always known the courses they play on offer more than just a round of golf.

They know that playing the game can not only benefit the wellbeing and social connectivity of its participants, but also the significant role that Australian golf courses play in the protection of our environment.

Golf: Benefits to the Environment – a document recently released by the Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC), solidifies that knowledge, highlighting the range of unique ways that Australia’s golf courses contribute to the conservation and management of our natural resources.

AGIC chair Gavin Kirkman said the document was designed to highlight the environmental benefits of well-designed golf courses and promotes golf as a leader in sustainable sport and business.

“Golf has a significant role to play in the important endeavour of conservation and land management, offering a range of benefits to the environment and the overall wellbeing of its participants,” he said.

“Australian golfers and the people employed at Australia’s golf courses already know the vital role that courses play in conservation.

“It’s now time for the rest of the community to discover the significant contribution our golf courses make in preserving open space and protecting and

enhancing flora and fauna within both rural and urban environments.”

The document outlines eight benefits – with case studies – that golf courses in Australia provide to the community, including: • Preserving open space and remnant vegetation in rural and urban environments • Promoting indigenous flora and fauna and the Australian landscape experience • Protecting and acting as wildlife sanctuaries • Utilising, treating and enhancing water resources • Rehabilitating degraded landscapes • Improving air quality and moderate heat • Protecting topsoil from degradation • Beautifying the environment and enhancing community education “The purpose of this document is to inform the community of the broad range of benefits that golf courses offer to land usage, environmental management, vegetation and acting as a haven for native flora and fauna,” Kirkman said.

“We want to build community awareness around the land used by golf. Golf courses are more than just an asset for community sport and recreation; they are an integral component of effective town planning and design, offering significant environmental benefits, especially in urban areas.

“They provide an opportunity to enrich the environment by housing a diverse and

rich ecology and serve as a valuable resource for education in schools, community interest groups, and the community as a whole.”

GMA, as part of the AGIC, encourages members to engage with their boards in conversations about this document as well as with club members.

Clubs can help spread the word of the positive role that golf courses play by including stories from Golf: Benefits to the Environment on club websites and on social media.

“Opening up the golf course to facilitate nature walks, such as in spring, is a great way to share the natural environment with neighbours, environmental enthusiasts and local councils,” said GMA CEO, Paul Vardy. “Who knows, this sort of community engagement may come in handy!”

Vardy continued, “It is a great opportunity to let them know that playing the game can not only benefit the wellbeing and social connectivity of its participants, but also the significant role that Australian golf courses play in the protection of our environment.”

The ASTMA, which is part of the AGIC, also encourages members to download the document and to circulate it within their club to help spread the word of the positive role that golf courses play.

Click here to download the document Golf: Benefits to the Environment.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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Š 2020 Taylor Made Golf Company, Inc.

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GOLF AUSTRALIA NEWS

AUSTRALIAN GOLF CLUB MEMBERSHIP ROSE IN 2019 For the first time in 21 years, Australian golf club membership has risen in the past year. The 2019 Golf Australia Participation Report has revealed a 0.05 per cent increase, the first of its kind since 1998.

Golf Australia chairman Andrew Newbold acknowledged the “fantastic result”, just one of several promising numbers in the report, compiled annually by Golf Business Advisory Services.

“We continue to see a rise in social club membership, but we couldn’t be more pleased that clubs in Queensland (0.9 per cent rise) and South Australia (0.8 per cent rise) really helped drive us to a membership number we haven’t seen this century,” Newbold said.

“Obviously there’s a churn factor we’d love to address for those who are no longer members, but we were very enthused to see almost 30,000 new members around the country.

“Importantly for club health broadly, more than half (52 per cent) of those new members were aged under 50, a figure that compares well to the 28 per cent in that category overall.”

Among other key positives, there has been a 33 per cent surge in the number of 9-hole competition rounds through “Play 9”, a combined initiative of Golf Australia and the R&A. There was also a 2.7 per cent increase in junior club membership, the first increase in junior membership for more than 10 years.

“The increase in junior club membership is also very positive and it is pleasing to see GA’s investment in the MyGolf program bearing fruit at grass-roots level,” Golf Australia’s golf development general manager David Gallichio said.

Another pleasing result also came with a timely reminder to those in the golf industry. Competition rounds spiked by two per cent to 10.534 million and the overall participation rate rose 2.5 per cent.

But Gallichio said these results were tempered by a 14 per cent drop in the number of total golf participants.

2019

GOLF CLUB PARTICIPATION REPORT OF AUSTRALIA Published by Golf Australia / July 2020 2019 GOLF CLUB PARTICIPATION REPORT

|

1

“This reflects a broader trend seen in the majority of organised sport around the country,” he said.

“But it’s important data to consider when we’re helping clubs shape their offerings, particularly around attracting women to golf.

“Female golf participation market share has increased three points to 21 per cent in the past three years, which is a start, but not nearly enough to meet our goals and what’s best for the long-term health of the sport.

“These factors really stress the importance of understanding the needs of our potential and future customers in retaining them within the sport, and also demonstrate that our Vision 2025 plans are starting to bear fruit.”

Click here to download the 2019 Golf Australia Participation Report.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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www.golfmanagement.com.au

GOLF ROUNDS BOOM, REPORT REVEALS

GOLF AUSTRALIA NEWS

Golf is experiencing a pandemic-inspired boom, a new report has confirmed.

In its Australian Golf Rounds – Trends and Impacts of Covid-19 report, Golf Australia confirms that despite parts of Victorian golf being closed down for extended periods of 2020, year-to-date rounds played nationally are down only 1 per cent by the end of August.

If Victoria is removed from the data, that figure has actually surged to a four per cent gain.

JAMES SUTHERLAND APPOINTED CEO OF GOLF AUSTRALIA

Importantly for the industry and its future, rounds played by people in the 20-49 age range have skyrocketed in the past four months.

Golf Australia has appointed James Sutherland its new chief executive.

Golf Australia’s general manager of golf development David Gallichio was cautiously optimistic about the findings, compiled by Golf Business Advisory Services.

Sutherland, 55, will begin his role from 1 October after an exhaustive recruitment process had yielded several quality candidates for the position.

Golf Australia chairman Andrew Newbold said it was “exciting” for golf to have attracted a candidate with vast experience in sport, with Sutherland having been chief executive at Cricket Australia for 17 years.

“James has a resume that is long and distinguished and I’m delighted that golf will be able to tap into his vast knowledge and resources as we push into a new era,” Newbold said.

“He did so much in cricket at so many levels from playing to financial and corporate to stakeholder relations.

“But one of the things that stands out to me was when I saw the MCG filled with almost 100,000 people to watch the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup this year, then contemplated the switch and modernising of goals and attitudes to have achieved that objective. I see that as a tremendous achievement by James and his team.

“He knows what excellent and elite look like and I can’t wait for him to impart his vision on the broader golf industry.”

Sutherland, a former first-class cricketer with an accounting, coaching and management background, guided and

oversaw a time of great change in Australian cricket, including a tenfold increase in revenue, a 500 per cent lift in corporate sponsorship and a 250 per cent spike in participation, including a tenfold boost in the female game and development of a gender pay equity plan.

He played a key role in the development of the BBL and WBBL, which reinvigorated cricket’s fan base and built new and valuable commercial assets for the sport.

Most recently, Sutherland has been working as chairman of the Live Entertainment Industry Forum as it seeks to find a path through the current pandemic for sports and entertainment businesses around the country.

“I’m genuinely excited to have the opportunity to work in golf, obviously for Golf Australia, but more importantly for the sport around the nation,” said Sutherland, himself a keen golfer.

“These are challenging times for us all, but I know that Andrew and his board have positioned us well to cope now and thrive later.

“I’m really looking forward to advancing that work and helping unify, modernise and grow golf to be a sport that welcomes people of all backgrounds and grows to achieve its enormous potential.”

Since the “first wave” of Covid-19 restrictions in April, demand in that cohort has climbed by 44 per cent, meaning a total 22 per cent lift on 2019.

“Obviously 2020 has been full of extraordinary challenges that we wish nobody had to confront,” he said.

“But given the problems we’ve all faced, it’s very pleasing for so many clubs around Australia to see some positive news.

“More importantly, it gives us data and an opportunity as an industry to reset our focus towards ensuring we capitalise when things `normalise’.

“It’s no secret that clubs around Australia have sought younger members for years now, so if we can convert this surge in interest into meaningful long-term numbers for our clubs and facilities, then that’s a blessing, albeit in a heavy disguise.

"While there are some positives across the country, our clubs/facilities in Victoria will need significant assistance moving forward to ensure that the good results we have seen elsewhere can be replicated and built upon in Victoria.”

Among the report’s findings, the monthto-month figures had been slightly down to start 2020 than in 2019. That figure then compounded when the initial wave of closures was experienced nationally in April, dropping rounds played by an alarming 16 per cent.

But since the first Covid-19 wave, all markets have enjoyed a material bounce with both male and female demand up by 21 per cent since.

Metropolitan markets are 27 per cent up, while regional numbers are up 17 per cent in comparison to 2019.

Download the report here

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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GOLF AUSTRALIA NEWS

CLUB & FACILITY SUPPORT IN FULL SWING In a time of uncertainty, Golf Australia’s Club & Facility Support team has been busier than ever, and with good reason.

“The range of tools and services on offer through the Club & Facility Support Program have never had more relevance to clubs that what the do now” reported Matt Chesterman, Club & Facility Support Senior Manager with Golf Australia.

“Whether you’re a club that is challenged

by Victoria’s extended lockdowns, looking to capitalise on a local tourism boom as travellers try to stay closer to home or want to review aspects of your business as JobKeeper transitions into JobKeeper 2.0, we have a stack of tools and services that can help you do that.”

The team of David Webber & John Stamp, Club & Facility Support Managers in Queensland & Victoria respectively have a wealth of industry knowledge and a passion for helping clubs become healthier.

David has managed the Queensland program through its establishment with Golf Queensland and has continued the programs successes, assisting literally hundreds of clubs throughout the sunshine state every year. Arguably the most

successful program is the Grant Writing Assistance Program where clubs are consistently assisted in receiving over $1m each year from government grants. The program’s success has inspired a national rollout where clubs are now assisted with contracted professionals, to ensure their grant applications have the best possible chance of success.

John’s wealth of knowledge is something that well recognised by the Victorian Golf Industry. Inducted into the Victorian Golf Hall of Fame in 2019, John’s passion for assisting clubs is second to none. With his combination of Management, Financial & Agronomy skills, his advice is valuable for any club, weather a small operational matter, or a full scale business review.

“While many clubs are finding 2020 to be unexpectedly positive in many ways, there are many clubs who continue to face challenges, particularly those effected by extended restrictions in Victoria” said Matt.

“If a club needs immediate assistance due to growing pressures, or simply wants to

bounce some new ideas off and experienced team, I would absolutely encourage them to reach out to their Club & Facility Support Manager to discuss.”

“Additionally, if it’s a template or a written resource a club is after, the Club Support Portal has a breadth of tools available, get online at www.golf.org.au/clubsupport and have a look or, if you are after something specific, don’t hesitate to get in touch.”

Visit Golf Australia’s Club Support Portal: www.golf.org.au/clubsupport

CONTACTS Matt Chesterman (mattch@golf.org.au) Club & Facilities Support Senior Manager National & SA David Webber (davidw@golf.org.au) Club & Facilities Support Manager Queensland John Stamp (johnst@golf.org.au) Club & Facilities Support Manager Victoria & Tasmania

GET INTO GOLF FACILITY MARKETING FUND Increasing participation at all levels is not just important for the health of the game but is the starting point in ensuring that our clubs and facilities are vibrant, healthy and reflective of our broader community.

The growth of the Get Into Golf program will help ensure that as many people as possible are introduced to the game and continue as future members of our clubs and facilities.

The Get Into Golf brand forms part of the participation program offering from Golf Australia, and looks to help centralise the entry point for beginner golfers. By utilising the Get Into Golf platform you will have benefit from a range of ongoing initiatives, one that includes the leverage of a funded national marketing strategy.

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We run year-round national marketing campaigns, we give exposure on a website that generates high levels of traffic (40,000 people per day, everyday), we have the ability to cross promote between our adult and junior programs, and we give clubs and facilities access to local marketing grants to increase exposure to participants in their communities.

$250 MARKETING GRANTS The 2020/21 Get Into Golf facility marketing fund is designed to assist facilities across Australia in the promotion of their Get Into Golf programs with access to a $250 marketing grant. As Golf Australia (GA)

rollout the national Get Into Golf marketing strategy, the facility marketing fund was created to sit alongside, supporting at a more localised level.

GA acknowledges that golf clubs and facilities will have existing channels or platforms that have had success in reaching their intended target audience, and GA would like to support these to continue.

AGIC RELEASES SLOW TV FEATURE FILM THAT PROMOTES MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF GOLF The Australian Golf Industry Council (AGIC) has released a first-of-its-kind three-hour-long slow TV production that promotes the mental health benefits of golf.

The feature film, titled Tee Your Mind, is a golf mindfulness experience that packages some of Australia’s most breathtaking courses into an 18-hole experience that accentuates the natural ambiences encountered on the fairway.

Tee Your Mind follows the rounds of men and women golfers at Collaroy’s Long Reef Golf Club and St Michael’s Golf Club in Little Bay and brings to life the calming and meditative sensations of the game, such as the trees bending by the coastal breeze and native birds singing.

“Golf is the perfect sport for creating the conditions for true happiness,” said Performance Psychologist Jonah Oliver.

“Happiness comes from finding the sweet spot between challenge and skill.

Combine this with doing exercise in nature and you have the perfect recipe for lifelong mindfulness and psychological health.”

Golf has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic with many lapsed and disengaged golfers returning to the game.

To seize on this participation boom, the

AGIC has created Tee Your Mind to mimic the true golf experience in a digital format to engage more people to the game by highlighting the sport’s mental and physical health capabilities.

“Golf has been an antidote to an incredibly stressful year brought on by the once-in-ageneration challenges of COVID-19,” said Gavin Kirkman, AGIC Chairman and PGA of Australia chief executive.

“Given golf can be played in a safe, socially distant environment, many new and returning participants have used the sport to reconnect with friends and nature. Our game is one of the best whole body and mind experiences and many have used golf as a valuable mental health outlet during this difficult period.”

Golf Australia Chairman Andrew Newbold said golf is a powerful respite to help people overcome their anxieties.

“The benefits of golf are diverse and extend beyond the physicalities of the sport,” Newbold said.

“During COVID-19 we have seen more Australians turn to golf and we think our

sport, with its unique blend of open space and nature, can offer a solution for people exploring new ways to take a break from the day-to-day.”

The University of Southern Queensland is also exploring the role sport, including golf, plays in creating a strong sense of connectedness and belonging, by embarking on a research study investigating the relationship between sport participation and mental health issues.

“We know that our exposure to green spaces can have a positive impact on our overall well-being, we often feel happier, more relaxed and more positive. Alongside our research, this suggests our response to experiencing nature is emotional and essential to our mental health,” said Andrea Lamont-Mills, Professor of Psychology, University of Southern Queensland.

Over the course of the film, Tee Your Mind provides a peaceful escape for viewers to unwind and immerse in the calming elements of golf.

View the feature film here

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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Hygiene guard

Info panel

Customize logo

Interchangeable staff names

Info Panel - Covers back of POSS aff names - Interchangeable staff and competitions ge + club logo - Customizable image mD x 450mmH - 575mmW x 180mmD

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Promo Panel - Covers back of POSS - A4 promotional panel nel - Customizable image ge + club logo - 575mmW W x 180mmD x 450mmH

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Black

Hygiene e Guard ylic guard has frosted - Clear acrylic trip to hide clutter bottom strip - Enables staff to feel safer behind a barrier - 775mW x 700mmH

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Bulk accessories bin Black

21-23 Elizabeth Street Wetherill Park NSW 2164 P | 02 9725 1800 F | 02 9725 1755 E | sales@transform.com.au W | www.transform.com.au 38 www.golfmanagement.com.au

Tees, pencils & markers holder

EDITORIAL

TRANSFORMING YOUR GOLF SHOP AS A RESULT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Transform Golf Shop Specialsts’ Sonia Kirkman, provides some great observations and advice on golf shop retail, including the operation and layout of your golf shop.

Where has the six months gone since March when all our lives changed. As we move through the second half of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to have an impact on retail.

Golf in particular has seen some positives come out of this as we are a sport that is outdoors and has seen player numbers increase, and other than Victoria, most clubs and facilities have continued trading and thriving.

Whilst golf courses have been experiencing a high volume of rounds and player numbers, the golf retail landscape had to change and be adaptive right from the beginning of the pandemic. In fact, retail on the whole is experiencing major changes – store closures, an online shopping explosion, limits on numbers of customers allowed in your shop, limits on number of items you can buy such as toilet paper (glad we don’t sell this in our golf shops), what customers can and cannot touch and, most importantly, looking at the safety of your staff and your customers who are in your shops.

This has been a time to reassess your golf shop retail business: • how to protect your staff, customers and members; • review your shop floor layout; • general housekeeping standards; • staff training and product knowledge; and • your buying plan and stock holding.

Your shop floor needs to be more open and less cluttered to ensure social distancing and making it easier for your customers to make a purchase in a fast and efficient manner.

A good example of this is JB HiFi. Before the pandemic you could hardly get into these stores as they were cluttered and, although tidy, very hard to manoeuvre around due to all the dump bins, bulk stacks and promos, and signage cluttered everywhere. They had to change and now you can easily walk in, get what you want and walk out without running into other people, fixtures and mountains of stock.

Have you decluttered your shop floor?

Is it easy to get around? Are your key categories merchandised well?

With the high usage of MiScore and similar app mobile scoring systems, this has had an impact on customer and member foot traffic into your golf shop.

This brings about numerous issues – does the Member have to enter the shop to register for the competition and do you still need a large Scorecard Kiosk in your shop or elsewhere in the Clubhouse?

There has been some downtime at the beginning of this pandemic, so it was an opportune time, and as part of your retail best practice, to ensure your shop was totally cleaned and remains that way as part of your daily routine, including back of house and office areas.

Golf retail sales have showed some very interesting trends during the pandemic.

One of the factors that hit hard with on course retailers is the accessibility to their golf shops. Whilst some were completely closed at the beginning, we still have the restrictions that make it difficult for browsing in our golf shops – customers feel like they need to go in and out very quickly and therefore have focussed mainly on consumables like balls, tees and gloves.

The apparel category has suffered but conversely golf equipment such as new sets of clubs, has seen considerable increase in sales.

Do you have a buying plan in place?

Have you planned for the next 6 months and have contingencies in place for your buying to ensure you can capitalise on sales but keep your stock holding at a reasonable level in line with your projected turnover?

Re-evaluate your financial goals and performance metrics by focussing on week to week improvement in overall sales and customer traffic.

Going hand in hand with this is your marketing and promotions – website presence and online sales, social media engagement, demo days etc. Insights into new shopping trends and buying habits must be taken in consideration to help you manage your business, inventory and staff scheduling. Build on your communication with your Members as now is also a good time to launch a member survey as most have time to give you feedback.

With this pandemic, new ideas emerge and we at Transform Golf Shop Specialists have developed a Hygiene Guard to protect your staff and customers from close contact, which also acts as an Info Panel to tidy up the appearance and functionality of your POS counter area.

The customisable Info Panel is available in various configurations and can include space for interchangeable shop staff on duty signage or your own A4 Marketing sheet, along with accessory compartments or scorecard and essentials compartments to tidy up your counter and help you sell.

We also offer a Sanitiser Station to suit your golf shops needs.

As a reminder, your golf shop should been practicing Covid-19 hygiene protocols and social distancing for the safety of your customers and staff: • Social distancing • Maintain 1.5m distance at all times • Have floor markings set out in your store to assist queuing points • Limiting the number of people in your shop depending on the sqm (with signage at the door) • Avoid personal greetings (touching shaking hands, hugging) in your shop • Customer traffic flow – having a clear entrance and exit to your shop (you may need floor markings to assist) • Hygiene • Hand washing, where possible • Alcohol based hand sanitiser for staff and customers • Wearing masks • Cashless and contactless payments • Cleaning procedures There is no better time than right now to review your golf shop operation and layout.

Transform Golf Shop Specialists are here to help, whether it be a golf shop health check and business analysis, a refresh of your existing golf shop, or a new design and build - just contact Ross and Sonia.

For more information, visit Transform Golf Shop Specialists website: www.transform.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

39

All-in-one Scoring Solution *This app is only available for use at registered clubs and courses using MiClub Golf software.

Find out if your club is registered at miclub.com.au/cms/miscore-app/#registered-clubs Please contact support@miclub.com.au should you require any assistance with the app.

Range Finder Scorecard Round Timer Calculator Leaderboard Player Statstics

3

“It is simple to use, adds your score after every hole, gives you the distances and overall it’s just like having someone with you doing it all and letting you play golf.”

Graham, Ipswich Golf Club

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www.golfmanagement.com.au

EDITORIAL

OUTSOURCING COURSE MAINTENANCE IS SMART BUSINESS SAYS GOLF COURSE SOLUTIONS An explosion in golf playing rounds has been the unlikely benefit of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

More Australian men and women are enjoying playing golf as a means of exercising and enjoying the physical and mental benefits the sport provides while observing the safe social distancing regulations.

Many public courses, such as Warringah Golf Club on Sydney’s northern beaches, are enjoying a boom period.

Warringah saw member, social club and public golf rounds soar by 31% to almost 6000 rounds per month, or nearly 200 rounds per day, between March and June, despite early periods when all golf was suspended or playing in pairs was regulated.

With the warmer spring and summer months ahead, combined with the longer daylight hours, the current golf boom is predicted to continue, particularly when restrictions are lifted in Victoria.

And with increased high course traffic, the condition of fairways and greens have come under pressure, particularly during the colder winter months where grass growth is slow and thin.

Course maintenance is a golf club’s highest area of expenditure, yet many clubs lack the machinery, staff, knowledge and materials to keep fairways, greens, bunkers and gardens in pristine condition.

Leading privately-owned Australian company, Landscape Solutions, believes golf clubs can transform their courses and their financial bottom lines by outsourcing course maintenance.

Operated and managed by a team of industry professionals with extensive experience in golf course management, renovation and reconstruction, Landscape Solutions’ Golf Course Solutions division provides flexible offerings which are specifically tailored to suit club budgets.

Currently, the company now successfully manages seven golf courses in Sydney and Melbourne including maintaining the

high traffic Moore Park Golf Course on the fringe of the Sydney CBD, plus the Belgravia Leisure managed Yarrambat Park Golf Course and Spring Park Golf Course, north and east of Melbourne.

“We believe outsourcing course maintenance is not only economically smart, but more efficient and effective,” says Peter Schumacher, General Manager of Golf Course Solutions “Currently, there are significant inefficiencies associated with machinery, materials, labour and the administration of course maintenance.

“There is expensive machinery, such as green corers and turf aerators, which are used seasonally and sit idle in works sheds for most months of the year,” he said.

“By outsourcing course maintenance, clubs have a fixed annual budget and we accept full responsibility for all grounds staff including wages, superannuation, workers’ compensation, insurances, training and annual leave,” he added.

Schumacher said there are also savings for clubs with the purchasing of products.

“Because we are a large scale business, we can buy materials at prices better than what individual clubs can secure. This can either improve a club’s bottom line, or the club can use these savings and allow it to invest in other course materials or projects,” he said.

Under the outsourcing model, clubs will no longer have to be concerned with costs associated with capital equipment.

“If a green or fairway mower breaks down and requires repairs, we can immediately call in a replacement mower to ensure the quality of the playing surfaces are not compromised,” said Schumacher.

“When equipment breaks down, this can severely impact a club’s budget, particularly if a piece of machinery, such as a $35,000 ride-on fairway mower, requires

replacing. But these costs are solely borne by us, and not the club, so their cashflow and budgets are unaffected,” he added.

Schumacher says the Golf Course Solutions model also allows club managements to concentrate on clubhouse operations.

“Once we come on board, a club can focus on the main income generating aspects of their club such as membership, events, bar and dining services rather than the major income expenditure area which is the course itself,” said Schumacher.

Under Golf Course Solutions outsourced model, Schumacher said the company is fully accountable for all agreed course maintenance and presentation programs and works at a pace which aligns with club budgets.

“We work closely with the clubs to develop an annual works program that reflects their desired outcomes whether they are financial, related to turf quality or course enhancements to areas such as greens, tees, fairways and hard infrastructure,” he said.

“Under our model, we believe we can change the game by meeting and exceeding the expectations of club management, members and players and ensure that their course stands out from the competition,” added Schumacher.

For more information, visit Landscape Solutions website: www.landscapesolutions.com.au

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

41

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Profits go to members, not shareholders and that means more money for your future.

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Hostplus. We go with you.

Issued by Host-Plus Pty Limited ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL 244392 as trustee for the Hostplus Superannuation Fund (the Fund) ABN 68 657 495 890, MySuper No 68 657 495 890 198. This information is general advice only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider if this information is appropriate for you in light of your circumstances before acting on it. Please read the relevant Hostplus Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), available at www.hostplus.com.au before making a decision about Hostplus. INH1216 0620

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www.golfmanagement.com.au

EDITORIAL

WALKINSHAW SPORTS CELEBRATE 10 YEARS The Walkinshaw name has long been associated with automotive, but it is now also a household name in golf through Walkinshaw Sports, one of Australia’s largest golf product distributors.

Walkinshaw Group was established in 1987 when founder and racing car driver Tom Walkinshaw established Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), which is now Australia’s largest car manufacturer.

Walkinshaw Group have close to 500 staff and a group of companies who all operate independently. The Walkinshaw Group of companies include GMSV (formerly HSV), Walkinshaw Andretti Racing, Fusion Automotive, RAM, New Age Caravans and Walkinshaw Sports.

Walkinshaw Sports was established in October 2010 and is now celebrating 10 years in operation. Whilst the company was successful in establishing a strong footprint across the golf industry, through its first five years, there has been a significant shift in the business, after the recruitment of its current General Manager Dan Harrap in 2016. At this time, The Walkinshaw Group board commissioned a project to capture information and data, to support a business plan that would develop and transform its golf/sports business into a company that would be best described as a ‘house of brands’ for the Golf sector.

Under Harrap’s leadership, Walkinshaw Sports has now established one of the most impressive brand portfolios in golf, by targeting specific brands for growth in this region, utilising their scale and position of strength in the marketplace and through their turn key sales and distribution infrastructure.

Significantly, in late 2017, Walkinshaw Sports became the golf distributor for global powerhouse Under Armour. Harrap describes securing Under Armour as a “game changer for the company.” Under

Armour is fast becoming one of the largest global sports brand in the world and specifically to the golf sector it is growing very quickly. It is now one of, if not the most popular, golf brands in Australia with the brand available at over 330 golf clubs and at all major golf retailers.

In 2018, Walkinshaw Sports also secured the distribution rights for leading buggy brands Clicgear and Motocaddy. Clicgear is the number one selling push buggy at golf courses across Australia and Motocaddy was awarded the Most Wanted Electric Cart for 2020 by the global website MyGolfSpy. In addition to Under Armour, Clicgear and Motocaddy, Walkinshaw Sports also hosts an impressive portfolio which includes AFL & NRL Golf, Rovic, Cross Sportswear, Jofit, Nancy Lopez, Ray Cook and Daphne’s Headcovers.

A cornerstone to the success of the business is also their vertically owned golf brands under the Optima, PGF and Walkinshaw names where they hold a strong presence in the mass market sector in Australia and New Zealand with the likes of Rebel Sport and Big W. In early 2019, the company also acquired a golf distribution company in New Zealand and therefore have an office and distribution centre in Auckland. The Australian office is based in Clayton at Walkinshaw Park, an impressive 28,500 square state of the art property where GMSV (HSV), along with RAM also convert vehicles onsite.

It is has definitely been a time of growth for Walkinshaw Sports, which Harrap credits to the Walkinshaw Group’s growth mindset and vision, and by his team living

by the company’s ‘four pillars’: make great products, deliver what we say, build a great team and provide great service.

“By delivering on our four pillars, we have established strong and trusted relationships with suppliers and retail partners, which is key to having a successful and sustainable business,” said Harrap.

Congratulations to the team at Walkinshaw Sports for what they have achieved over their first 10 years in business. It will be exciting to watch the company continue to grow and service the golf industry as a true one-stop shop.

For more information on Walkinshaw Sports, don’t forget to visit their website: www.wsports.com.au

FLAGSTAFF HILL GOLF CLUB WIN UNDER ARMOUR GMA COMPETITION Congratulations to Joel Cross from Flagstaff Hill Golf Club who won the GMA Under Armour competition. Joel won $1500 of staff uniforms for his team who are now dressed to impress in their stylish Under Armour outfits!

Thanks to Walkinshaw Sports for the prize and to all GMA members who entered the competition.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

43

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Melbourne Golf Academy Mildura Golf Club Resort Moonah Links Mandalay Golf Club Mornington Golf Club Morack Golf Course Mount Martha Public Golf Course Northern Golf Club Numurkah Golf Club Patterson River Golf Club PGA of Australia Phillip Island Golf Club Port Fairy Golf Club Portarlington Golf Club Portsea Golf Club RACV Goldfields Resort RACV Healesville Country Club RACV Torquary Golf Club Ranfurlie Golf Club Red Cliffs Golf Club Riversdale Golf Club Rosebud Country Club Sanctuary Lakes Golf Club Sandhurst Golf Club Settlers Run Golf & Country Club Shepparton Golf Club Southern Golf Club Spring Valley Golf Club St Andrews Beach Golf Course The Dunes Golf Links The Flinders Golf Club The House of Golf Bayside The Kew Golf Club Trentham Golf Club Warragul Country Club Warrnambool Golf Club Werribee Park Golf Club Woodlands Golf Club Yarra Yarra Golf Club Yering Meadows Golf Club WESTERN AUSTRALIA GOLF CLUBS Bunbury Golf Club Capel Golf Club Carramar Golf Course Collier Park Golf Course Cottesloe Golf Club Gosnells Golf Club Joondalup Resort Kalgoorlie Golf Course Lake Karrinyup Country Club Lakelands Country Club Marangaroo Golf Course Margaret River Golf Club Meadow Springs Golf and Country Club Mandurah Country Club Melville Glades Golf Club Mount Lawley Golf Club Pinjarra Golf Club Royal Fremantle Golf Club Royal Perth Golf Club Sun City Country Club The Cut Golf Course The Links Kennedy Bay The Vines Resort & Country Club The Western Australian Golf Club Wanneroo Golf Club Wembley Golf Complex

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Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

45

EDUCATION

ESSENTIALS OF GROUP PSYCHOLOGY Ever wondered why members form groups and why some groups behave the way they do? Psychologist, Jeremy Dean PhD explains.

How groups form, conform, then warp our decision-making, productivity and creativity.

When we’re in a group other people have an incredibly powerful effect on us.

Groups can kill our creativity, inspire us to work harder, allow us to slack off, skew our decision-making and make us clam up.

Formation, influence and leadership The seeds of group behaviour are sown even before its members meet. Just knowing that some people are on ‘our side’ and others are not begins to shape our social identity.

Group affiliation soon grows even stronger, though, bending our behaviour further, if we undergo an initiation rite. A rite as simple as reading rude words out loud can produce a measurable effect.

Once we are in a group it starts to shape us through conformity, pulling our attitudes and behaviour in line with others, threatening us with ostracism if we dare to rebel and, when facing rival groups, firing our competitive spirit.

We try to shape the group as well, perhaps by repeating our opinions. This helps to convince others we are voicing the majority view. Still, people are notoriously resistant to change. One way newcomers can influence groups is by displaying loyalty, toeing the line and by creating psychological distance from previous group affiliations.

A group takes its cue from a leader, but where do leaders come from? When leaders are allowed to emerge naturally from a

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group, they do so first by being the ultimate conformers, then later starting to lead in new directions. Whether conforming or not, a sure sign of a leader is someone who talks first, and more often.

By the time groups are well-established chatter flows easily up and down the grapevine. This is not just rumour and suspicion, though, as research has found that grapevines are surprisingly accurate with up to 80% being true.

Productivity The amount and quality of the work we do (or don’t do) is regulated by the group.

Sometimes groups have a social facilitation effect on performance, spurring us on to greater achievements. This is most likely to happen when our own contribution is obvious and when we are judged in comparison to others.

At other times groups encourage social loafing, resulting in a drop in our productivity—sometimes by as much as 50%, perhaps more. This is likely to happen when it’s easier to hide in the group, when we think the task isn’t important and when our individual performance isn’t being judged separately.

Psychologists have found that social loafing can be decreased by boosting group and task importance as well as decreasing the ‘sucker effect': the feeling that others are slacking off.

Decision-making One of the most important functions of modern groups is decision-making. The fates of our families, our corporations, even our nations, hang on our collective ability to make good decisions.

Unfortunately psychologists have found that groups suffer all kinds of biases and glitches that lead to poor choices. Happily, though, experiments have revealed some straightforward remedies for these failings.

Because group members are often very similar in background and values they are quick to adopt majority decisions.

Psychologist call this groupthink. We can combat groupthink by nurturing authentic dissent. This is no mean feat as dissenters are often shunned because of the challenge they present. Support for dissenters needs to come from leaders.

It seems only natural that groups will average out the preferences of its members, but psychologists have shown this often isn’t true. In fact, people are likely to display group polarization when together: initial preferences actually become exaggerated by group discussions. We can reduce this by avoiding homogeneity in group composition.

Finally, the most baffling of our behaviours in groups is our inability to share information effectively. Instead of revealing vital information known only to ourselves, time and again research has shown that we talk about things everyone already knows.

EDITORIAL

We can reduce this counter-productive behaviour by recalling relevant information before meetings and ensuring each is aware of others’ expertise.

“I’m here to help GMA members reduce their club’s gas and electricity costs.

Now is an opportune time, so give me a call and I’ll review your costs – with no obligations.”

Mark Vowles 0403 093 400 mark@nichecorporate.com www.nichecorporate.com

Creativity Creativity fosters economic growth, artistic innovation and technical breakthroughs, on all of which our society thrives. Groups, though, if badly organised, can stifle lofty ambitions.

Psychologists have long known that the practice of ‘brainstorming’ is a sure road to fewer new ideas and less innovation than that produced when we work individually.

In groups we loaf, feel anxious and our own ideas are soon forgotten while we listen to others.

It turns out that groups are better at evaluating ideas than they are at their generation. Despite its longevity, brainstorming is best avoided for its original purpose.

Even when we are physically distant from our groups they can still impede creativity through the unconscious standards they impose on their members.

What psychologists call group norms can kill creativity by redefining it as mere conformity. It’s no accident that some of the greatest breakthroughs in science and the arts have come from those working outside the orthodoxy. Sometimes it really is better to go it alone.

The power of groups Groups may impose unwritten norms on us, warp or exaggerate our decisions, even dull our creativity, but these effects are often the flip side of forces that make groups strong. Despite the modern trend towards fractured neighbourhoods, families and workplaces, humanity cannot survive without banding together. We draw our psychological identity and strength from belonging, and groups provide us support when times are hard.

We just need to be careful that leaders are chosen for the right reasons, that conformity doesn’t trump reason, strangle creativity or limit our options. We must try to understand and respect the power that groups hold over us so that we can benefit from them rather than becoming their victims.

NICHE CORPORATE SOLUTIONS EXPANDS ITS SUPPORT FOR GMA We announce with great pleasure that Niche Corporate Solutions is the newest National Business Partner of GMA. Niche Corporate Solutions are national electricity and gas procurement specialists with 20 years’ experience. They have been helping golf clubs get the best energy contracts in the market for over 15 years.

A state partner for many years, Niche Corporate Solutions decided now is the perfect time to expand its support as a national partner of GMA. “We’re thrilled to expand our involvement through the one GMA national model,” said company director, Mark Vowles. “We are looking forward to assisting GMA members by providing them the right advice so they can make informed decisions for their club's energy costs. We are constantly monitoring the energy markets on a daily basis which enables us to provide advice on when to go to market. We provide detailed analysis and fact based recommendations to club managers to assist them when making important decisions with their energy contracts.

factor correction, assistance in resolving disputes with energy bills, payment plans through difficult times and so much more.

"Once managers receive the advice we bring to the table in what can be a confusing market place, they stay for the journey. With the One GMA national model becoming established, we’re excited to help more clubs into the future with their important energy decisions.”

Niche Corporate Solutions has partnered with dozens of golf clubs to reduce their electricity and gas costs. Clubs include Commonwealth, Eastern, Heidelberg, Huntingdale, National, Kew, Metropolitan and Royal Melbourne to name a few.

"We are a one stop shop for procuring electricity, natural gas and LPG contracts.

We are a trusted, reliable, experienced partner just a phone call away to assist managers wherever we can whether it be general industry questions to ways of reducing their energy costs.

GMA Chief Executive Officer, Paul Vardy indicated, “Having met with Mark on a number of occasions and in speaking with general managers who use Niche services, I know Mark will be a welcome voice on the inside when it comes to finding the best energy deals. In challenging economic times, it’s not only fantastic that Mark wants to expand his support to GMA, but even more importantly, it’s great for our members to have access to a person with such a knowledge of the energy markets when signing contracts worth a lot of money."

"We offer a wide range of services and advice on not only the energy retail contract, but network tariff reviews, power

GMA members can ring Mark to talk about energy deals and quotes can be arranged with no obligation on the clubs.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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EDUCATION

TIME FOR A CHANGE Just when is it “time for a change” and what are the signs to look out for as a General Manager? Our regular US columnist, Gregg Patterson, provides an insight into the “maybes” of why.

The Wake Up Call I’m a fifty five year old General Manager, twenty-four years at a single club and midway through The Great Journey. The Club has a waiting list. The Club has money in the bank. The Club has members who visit in droves and when they visit they “glow.” By anyone’s definition, the Club and I are on a roll.

It’s only natural that I should be feeling a little smug, self satisfied, at peace with the world, secure in my victories, confident in the future. And I was.

Until the other day.

It happened in a flash. I was taking a break from “preaching, teaching and facilitating” at an all day BMI-V seminar at UNLV, yapping over caffeine with a bunch of long time, high octane, take charge, card carrying CMAA Certified Club Managers, talking about clubs and the characters who manage them.

Then the bomb went off.

“Do you know Manager X??? He’s a great guy, a truly Big Cheese manager in the Association, the general who led The Full of Class Country Club from insolvency to prominence, and a “Mega Bucks” manager who’s in the upper one percentile of pay and benefits. He was closing in on sixty, at peace with the world, looking forward to a cash filled retirement five years in the future.

And then, “Wham”---the board said it’s time for a change and he’s gone, erased, exited, out. Just like that.”

The coffee chilled in our mugs as we stood there, motionless, numbed by the news.

How could this be!?!? How could our hero be told that it was time for a change? Tell us it ain’t so!!!

But it was so. And we needed to talk about The Fall. We needed to understand the reasons, needed to bulk up our defenses, needed to arm ourselves for combat.

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We stumbled back into class. I threw out the lecture notes and asked these BMIFive’ers the ultimate question---“Why?”

Something Changed All of us agreed that this wasn’t the first time that a long tenured, highly successful, “happy in his or her job,” middle aged club manager had been told that it’s time for a change. So why would a board want to disrupt the apple cart, toss out a winner and go foraging in the “unknown” for a replacement? Why indeed?

Obviously something had changed in the culture, in the man or in both and “the alignment” between manager and club had evaporated. Dozens of “Maybes” were thrown on the table. Here are a few.

Maybe He Forgot that Love ain’t enough: Was he lulled into believing that “the warm embrace” would compensate for his operational shortcomings?

Maybe He Lost The Buzz: Did Manager X lose his enthusiasm for the business?

Did thirty years on the job make his daily routine a “ho hum” experience?

Maybe He Stopped Pursuing the Next New Thing: Did Manager X lose his curiosity for uncovering the new “stuff ” emerging near the Cutting Edge of clubdom?

Did “what is” become “good enough” for both him and the club?

Maybe He Became a No Mamma: Did Manager X begin saying no more than he said yes to new ideas from the staff, the committees and the board? Did he amplify the negatives and downplay the positives?

Did he become more No Mamma than Yes Mamma?

Maybe He Was Too Aligned with the Old Politics: Did the new generation of club leadership resent Manager X’s open and obvious alignment with The Old Politics and The Ancient Regime? Did they resent

his equally open and obvious condescension toward the New Generation and their vision of The Good?

Maybe He Lost the Inspirational Edge: Did Manager X lose the “divine spark” that all leaders need to get things bubbling, to get the sedentary moving and to make the comfortable itchy? Did he lose his ability to inspire the club and its people to The Next Plateau of Performance?

Maybe He Lost Focus: Did our manager friend forget that operational performance needs focus, that operational focus is diluted by “peripheral interests” and that members resent a manager’s “other enthusiasms” when operational performance begins to slide?

Maybe He Became Blind to the Signals: Did Manager X lose his ability to “read the signals” and to hear “the unspoken?” Did he become blissfully self absorbed and oblivious to the subtleties conveyed by the big sigh, the rolling eyes, the upturned eye brow? Did he become all talk and “no listen?”

Maybe the Board Wanted to Drive the Club Bus: Did the board and committees tire of having the manager tell them what should be done, who should do it, when it should be done, and how much it should cost? Did they resent his driving The Bus and reaping the glory?

Maybe The Club Wanted to Save the Big Bucks: Did the board decide that they could replace Manager X with an enthusiastic upwardly mobile neophyte who would give them three good years and be gone, someone hungry, young and cheap?

Maybe the Lieutenants Were Enough: Did the board decide that they didn’t need a Major League Manager because they had Major League Lieutenants who could lick boots, kick butt and do what they were told when told what to do directly by the board

and its committees? Maybe they felt that they didn’t need a high priced intermediary to muck up their message?

Moaning and Groaning: Did Manager X become a whiner, always moaning and groaning about aberrant members, unproductive staff, club politics, the weather, the cost of college, and the state of the universe? Did he become a negative, hard edged bore, a sucker of energy, a whiner who made the happy sad and the sad depressed?

Maybe He Lost His Protector Director: Did Manager X lose his Board Room Defender, the director who was there to protect him against the accelerating downward spiral of negative comments and commentary? Was there no-one left to sing his praises, list his virtues, recall his glory days and dramatize the good he was still capable of doing?

Interesting maybes.

Who was at fault? What could be done?

Time for a change?

Time for a Change Members explore these “maybes” every day---behind closed doors, on the seventeenth fairway, in the card room at 11:00 p.m. Managers can’t respond because they’re elsewhere, out of the loop and blissfully unaware. Unchecked, these yammerings can turn negative and ugly as they spiral downward into cynicism and anger, out of control, until all who are listening leave convinced that “it’s time for a change.”

If the wait list is long, the financials are good, the turnover is low, the dining room is booming, and the buzz is on---these manager “maybes” are interesting asides that should cause no-one alarm. But if the opposite is true and the staff are grumbling, the members are leaving, the losses are mounting and the dining room is empty, these “maybes” can become a whirlwind of dissent and the grumbling will spread and the board will agree that “it’s time for a change.”

Listen for the whispers. Read the signals.

Feel the fear. Avoid The Fall by anticipating The Fall.

And enjoy the journey----------------------

SEVEN GREAT GOLF CLUB SAYINGS A recent read of a Dollar Shave advert made me ask, “What are some of the great golf club sayings?”

“

1. The success of any manager is to keep the members who don’t like you away from the ones who haven’t made up their mind.

Norm Spitzig – experienced US Club Manager gave this little gem. I can’t imagine Norm being disliked by too many so it’s a bit tongue-in-cheek. Still, in a political club world, all GM’s can relate to this from time to time.

“

2. If they don’t see you you’re not there, they don’t think you’re doing anything and they think you’re scared of them.

POW! Not sure who said this at a CMAA conference in 2008 but it stuck in my memory. It has some hard truths about having presence with your members.

“ “

3. That (membership) is coming across my desk.

Suzy Whaley –US PGA. In reference to the major role women play in household purchasing decisions and how clubs should factor this in.

4. People are weird and stuff happens.

Gregg Patterson – Former GM of The Beach Club, Santa Monica lifts the lid on the psychology of club people, club culture and the buzz of connectedness. He’s got a hundred entertaining terms and here’s just a few; tribal magic, filling the big empty, the brew and stew, the BUZZ, dumb as a rock, (MBAWOS) MBA’s without soul, vision of the good, giving the nudge, director

protector, the dancing monkey, feeling the love, geekly little club, constapated country clubs….

“

5. You can’t cook your way out of a bad dues engine.

Ray Cronin and Russ Conde from Club Benchmarking – These guys know better than anyone that the dues (subscription) engine of any club is the key to its financial success. As food and beverage revenue is so saddled with cost, it’s no replacement for dues.

The dues engine has two cylinders; one cylinder represents the number of members paying dues while the other represents how much members pay to be a member. One or two of the cylinders being out of balance means insufficient revenue for the club’s needs.

“ “

6. In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king.

Gregg Patterson again as the ultimate preacher/teacher. His comment refers to the advantage that education and insight provide a club leader.

7. They should be making courses for married couples, not Freddy Couples.

I’m not sure who came up with this one but it goes to the heard to the issue of a product meeting a need. The average golfer is off around a handicap of around 20 so, while a course must be designed to allow challenge, it must allow higher handicappers to enjoy the game.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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EDUCATION

“THIS PLACE IS GOING TO EXPLODE!” My informant looked me in the eye and foretold of an impending member uprising. I listened intently as this was revealed to me. “This place is going to explode!” he said.

Paul Vardy explains...

Indeed the greens were in very poor shape.

An insecticide had made the greens patchy at best and it was clear that members had reason to want answers. But “explode”? I had no idea the members were this upset.

A few days later, as members took their seats at an information night, to hear about the greens, I watched with interest for signs of pent up anger that was ready to be unleashed. My informant was sitting in the front row with his closest mates, a group who spent a lot of time together.

The meeting got underway and the Captain outlined the investigation into what had happened with the greens and the plans to get them back as soon as possible.

Members asked sensible questions, gave suggestions and sought assurances. The mood was calm. My informant hardly made a peep. How had he been so wrong? How had he believed the members were going to explode?

The answer probably lies in what psychologists call the ‘false consensus effect’.

We have the tendency to overestimate how much other people share our beliefs and behaviours. People show a number of predictable biases when estimating other people’s behaviour and its causes.

In studies at Stanford University (Ross, Greene & House, 1977) , social psychologists asked participants to read

about situations in which a conflict occurred and were told of two alternative ways of responding.

They were asked to: 1) guess which option other people would choose; 2) say which option they would choose; and 3) describe the attributes of the person who would choose each of the two options.

The results clearly showed that regardless of which response they chose themselves, more people thought others would do the same as them.

When describing the attributes of the person who made the opposite choice to their own, people made more extreme predictions about their personalities.

In the false consensus effect, people tend to think that those who don’t make the same choices as them have something wrong with them.

Applying this to the club environment, one can see the potential for the false consensus effect to play out. Whilst my informant was clearly misguided by his own biases, the fact that people by and large want to avoid conflict, meant that people he came in contact with appeared to him on face value to agree with him.

The false consensus effect was most likely enhanced by the existence of a strong desire

by members in a club environment to fit in and be included. By being agreeable or at least by not disagreeing, a person simply avoids the risk of being viewed as having something wrong with them.

I must admit, I too chose to not disagree with my informant for wanting to avoid elevating his frustration and to leave the possibility open that he may in fact be on to something.

What does this mean for club leaders?

Here’s a few thoughts: 1) it’s important to not be drawn in by the false consensus effect and assume the members agree with the club’s position and decisions on various matters.

2) it’s best to seek a wide sample of opinions and, at times, a survey of the entire membership, to gauge a more reliable understanding of what members are thinking, and not be drawn in by individuals on either the board or from the membership claiming they know what the members want. As my informant proved, there’s every chance that they don’t.

3) often a member forum whereby all members are invited to attend and hear the club’s position and answer member questions, has the effect of releasing the pressure out of a club issue.

Sport Governance Principles Implementing and maintaining a robust system of governance

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FIND OUT MORE

EDITORIAL

PAY AS YOU GOLF A BOOM FOR GROOM Inside Golf’s Michael Court, sat down with Pay As You Golf’s Relationship Manager, Adam Groom, to discuss his time as a professional golfer and why he gave it away to focus on a new direction.

It takes a brave golfer to venture into the professional game. And the decision to step off that merry-go-round is probably an even tougher one to make.

Yet Northern Beaches, Sydney professional Adam Groom felt the time was right to settle down … and Pay As You Golf appeared the perfect opportunity and challenge to do just that.

“Basically, we provide flexible payment plans for members to pay off their annual golf subscriptions.

“But the club receives the full amount upfront. “[It’s] great for cash flow for clubs as our product significantly reduces administration.

Not to mention the lure of getting married and having a family.

“In our experience, clubs view our product as a mechanism for saving costs around office overheads.

Groom has been one of Sydney’s most successful professional golfers of recent years and was making a comfortable living playing mostly in Asia.

“My job is to speak with club representatives and educate them on our payment option … and hopefully they agree to offering us.”

Yet when a little bit of that fire in the belly began to flicker, which he admits equated to some poorer results, it helped him make that decision to turn his back on full-time touring.

Groom says clubs they have partnered with have been more than happy with how Pay As You Golf is working at their club.

“With golf you really have to be all in … and 14 years out there with non-stop travel does take it out of you,” Groom told Inside Golf.

“I always thought I would play until I was about 40; Well, I made it to 37!”

Plus Groom had also watched many of his golfing friends in the pro ranks attempt to stay on tour with their family in tow and he decided that looked too hard.

Groom had already spent the majority of his life on the golf course.

He joined Mona Vale Golf Club when he was just 13 and looks back with fondness on those formative years: “It was a great place to grow up playing,” he says.

He moved up to Monash Country Club when he was 17 and he’s been there ever since.

“They made me club touring professional when I turned pro at 23 and I’ve always enjoyed coming home and working on my game at the club.

“These days I try and play with the members on a Wednesday maybe twice a month and I also teach at the club on Fridays.”

Enter his new direction in golf, taking on a role with Pay As You Golf as their Relationship Manager.

“New owners took over a business that had already been around for 13 years and I guess with my golfing background I was a good fit for the position,” he said.

“We now have more than 100 clubs Australia-wide offering our payment option,” he said.

“I think something like this is a great choice for clubs and members … especially in the current market.

“Potentially, after the Covid-19 Pandemic, clubs are coming back lighter in staff, so out-sourcing internal finance can heavily reduce their costs.”

Naturally that is a massive change in lifestyle for Groom.

“Yes, I get out there and have meetings with clubs – it’s very different from tour life, that’s for sure,” he said.

“I do enjoy the interaction with other people in the golfing industry.

“Pay As You Golf is also a networking partner of the GMA (Golf Management Australia), which allows us to promote our business throughout the year and compete in a few golf days around the country.

“So, I still dust off the clubs and try to shoot under par.”

There’s probably not much time left for actually playing the game.

“Our 18-month-old daughter Lucinda keeps us busy on the weekends,” he said.

“And when I retired from tournament play, I decided to complete the PGA Bridging Program.

“That allows me to teach and be a PGA member for life.

golf professional is kind of your identity.”

Groom does miss some aspects of tour life, of course.

“I’ve always loved competing and playing in some of the biggest events in Europe and Asia, it really was a great part of my life,” he says.

“I miss playing money games on a Tuesday against fellow Australian tour pals like Marcus Fraser, Wade Ormsby or Kieran Pratt.

“Playing pre-dominantly in Asia I became good friends with a range of great people.

Friends that I will remain in touch with for life.”

Groom has been around for most of the Tiger Woods boom but says probably the best round of golf he witnessed, firsthand was being paired with American Hunter Mahan in the 2007 Open Championship at Carnoustie, or “Carnastie”, as Groom calls it.

“In the second round he barely missed a shot under tough conditions, and I’ll always remember that,” he said.

“I think he shot 65 that day.”

And Groom’s own most memorable round?

“I had a few low ones on tour but I think 62 in the Monash Masters when I was about 20 years old,” he grins.

“I still look back and wonder how I got it that far under par with the greens so fast!”

So what’s next for Pay As You Golf?

“Well, we have partnered with quite a few more clubs recently which has been great,” he said.

“Potentially we will now look at promotions for our high-user clubs.

“Maybe we’ll look at golf days, and really just keeping up the good service for our clubs.”

For more information on services offered

by Pay As You Golf, visit their website: www.payasyougolf.com.au

“I think playing on tour for 14 years being a

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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INDUSTRY NEWS

LONSDALE LINKS ENTERS FINAL STAGES OF MAJOR REDEVELOPMENT Lonsdale Golf Club is approaching the finishing line of their $25 million reinvention. General Manager, Josh Hall, has been extremely busy and shares this update.

The course, previously named Point Lonsdale Golf Links, has now been relaunched as Lonsdale Links as part of the facility’s evolution.

Course Architects and Construction team, Ogilvy Cocking Mead, are putting the finishing touches to the second 9 holes, practice facility and Par 3 course.

The entire public-access 18 hole links course, located in the coastal dunes of Point Lonsdale and bordering the beautiful Lake Victoria, will be ready for play in December 2020. The redesigned course is being completely transformed to take advantage of the sweeping vistas across both new and old holes.

The first 9 holes has been open for nine months and has received rave reviews.

Using trailblazer Charles Blair Macdonald and his colleagues Seth Raynor and Charles Banks as inspiration, course architects OCM Golf have featured some template holes and designed our course as a deliberate throwback to an earlier age and a unique look for an Australian course. Examples on the existing course include the Thumbprint and Road Holes.

Membership since re-opening in May has exploded, with over 150 new playing members signing up.

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A new clubhouse, also due for completion in December 2020, has been designed by renowned firm, Wood Marsh, and will sit at the highest point on the course overlooking Lake Victoria. The facility will be welcoming to the public too, with a separate restaurant, outdoor kiosk and children’s playground.

The finished project at Lonsdale promises to be a magnificent golfing experience and one to add to your list of must play courses.

For more information on Lonsdale Links, click here to visit their website.

LINKS SHELL COVE REFURBISHMENTS NEARING COMPLETION The $2.7 million upgrade at The Links Shell Cove and The Tavern at Shell Cove are well on their way towards completion.

The Tavern will receive a complete internal refurbishment and a new social and function patron space called ‘The Shed’, as well as a new outdoor entertainment area that includes a built in barbeque and outdoor family play space.

Also included in the upgrade is a dedicated area for Shellharbour golfers, an updated and extended players’ lounge, an updated boutique retail liquor outlet and a refurbished retail space for golf operations.

Design and construction company, Warrane, delivered the project design and began construction early February 2020.

Their work draws upon iconic Australian design elements and has been constructed to capture the view of the lush green golf course and surrounds.

Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said that the project reflected Council’s vision to turn The Links Shell Cove and The Tavern at Shell Cove into a thriving community hub.

“The expansion and refurbishment will help further build on the establishment’s success, as well as provide the community with an enhanced, fresh space to connect, eat and play,” Cr Saliba said.

“Members, visitors and the overall broader

community can come along for a game of golf, a delicious meal, or a special event. The upgrade has been highly anticipated by the community and I can’t wait to come for a visit to see it all in action.

“The success of the business creates a revenue source for Council which helps ease pressure on rates and creates funds for projects that benefit the whole city,” Cr Saliba said.

Visit the Links Shell Cove website for more information.

Mini-golf course A premium 18-hole mini-golf course (pictured above) will also be included in the upgrade and is expected to be completed by January 2021.

The Shed is expected to open on Wednesday 2nd September, pending licensing approval, and occupation certificate. Functions will not be held in The Shed until Covid-19 restrictions are eased.

Golf Management Australia Journal | Spring 2020

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