GMA Journal (Spring 2023)

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

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From the Chair

Welcome to the Spring edition of the GMA Journal.

event

It’s nice to see so many participating in GMA Connect and sharing their questions and knowledge with other members. One of the enduring topics of importance is good governance and we have included some must read articles on governance in this edition. If we can nudge the needle towards good club governance, there is no doubt there will be good outcomes for clubs and the people who manage them.

The GMA board met in Sydney in early August with the Associations Forum (strategic planning facilitators) to review our strategic plan and to map out the process of bringing One GMA into play by June 2024 when we hold our biennial national conference.

It was a terrific planning session which focussed our attention to develop GMA’s mission statement and the key member benefits and services that exist already under the GMA services agreements.

GMA’s mission: Developing and supporting leaders in the profession of golf and club management.

The key components identified in achieving this mission are:

• Continuity of valued services with the main focus on professional development;

• Corporate Partnership income streams;

• Assistance to states;

• Advocacy on GMA issues to external parties;

• Efficiency in operations.

Since the August meeting, we have written to the chairs of each state executive to outline the framework for One GMA into the future and to arrange a time to sit down and discuss aspects of amalgamating into a single body. This process involves GMA

developing a position paper for states to consider and put to members in their state. This paper will detail the additional services and activities open to GMA members. Ultimately, this sees individual members vote for their state body to agree to the proposed amalgamation.

We are well into the process now of meeting with state executives and we look forward to providing further updates as they become available.

From a GMA chair point of view, it has been very encouraging to receive strong support for completing One GMA, having operated since 2019 in a very similar model with services agreements. We believe that with the solid foundation of how GMA has worked in the past and the open communication about the process ahead and what GMA will look like in future, we will be in a good position to achieve agreement in the new year.

Awards nights are also rolling out across the country and I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate those being recognised with a nomination for an award. Whether you win the award or not, take pride in knowing that you are being nominated for your huge contribution to our wonderful industry.

To conclude, I’d like to thank our members who have been enthusiastic in participating in GMA events in recent months. I’d also like to thank our board for their commitment to their roles and the evolution of GMA, and our staff, led by Paul Vardy, who are small in number but high in expertise and output.

And finally, to our corporate partners, led by Schweppes, who financially underpin our activities to deliver on our mission.

With so much recent

activity and endless topics of importance to members, we're not short of content to bring to you.

The GMA Board met staff from Associations Forum at Royal Sydney GC on 7th August to update the GMA strategic plan and to plan the process to One GMA Pictured: Brenden Ellam, Aaron Muirhead, Mat Loughnane, Kieran Semple, Mark Tan, John Peacock AM (Associations Forum), Barb Kelly, Gavin Burt, Lara Garfinkel (Governology), Paul Vardy and Tony Gleeson (Associations Forum)

From the CEO

PAUL VARDY

The Australian Golf Strategy of more people playing more golf is certainly taking effect. There’s been an 8.6% increase in total members recording competition rounds in the year to June 2023, compared to the year before.

What do we predict for the future?

This and many other questions were answered in the GMA Member Insights Survey. Thanks to the majority of GMA general managers who took the

meeting the challenges of the future is built on good governance and over 80% of manager responses support the concept of mandatory director training as a contributor to good governance. Finally, it’s been a fantastic few months of GMA activity and I’d like to thank members for your participation, and our GMA state operations managers for their organisation with input from their state executives. It's also very pleasing to see the sharing of knowledge by members at BMIs, state conferences, business meetings and within our members only online community, GMA Connect

The five biggest issues expected in the next 12 months for managers are: 1) Price rises and inflation; 2) Improving amenities/facilities; 3) Managing member expectations; 4) Insurance coverage & costs; and 5) Strategy and direction.

recent survey. We’ll have more survey information in coming weeks.

The survey was also useful in gauging the speaker topics most important to members as we plan for an excellent GMA/ASTMA Conference from 16th to 20th June 2024 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The five biggest issues expected in the next 12 months for managers are:

1) Price rises and inflation; 2) Improving amenities/facilities; 3) Managing member expectations; 4) Insurance coverage & costs; and 5) Strategy and direction.

Governance, finding qualified staff and volunteers are close behind.

It’s the greatest truism in club management that successfully

Lots of the activity is recorded in this Journal. I thank all of our contributors for their articles, and to our media and communications guru, David Brand, for expertly putting it together. Each quarter we farewell managers who have been with the GMA community for many years. We hope we can keep in touch. We also welcome new members to GMA and those changing clubs. Please see the recent industry movements on page 13.

I’d like to thank Aaron Muirhead and the GMA board for their hard work as we work with state executives on the process of amalgamating into One GMA. And to our wonderful corporate partners, thanks for your ongoing support. Please support them as they support us.

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

Golf Management Australia Ltd. PO Box 859

CROYDON VIC 3136

www.golfmanagement.com.au

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Aaron Muirhead (Chair) Oxley GC, QLD

Kieran Semple (Deputy Chair) The Coast GC, NSW

Gavin Burt Lake Karrinyup CC, WA

Brenden Ellam Castle Hill CC, NSW

Barbara Kelly Chirnside Park CC, VIC

Mathew Loughnane Yarra Yarra GC, VIC

Mark Tan Royal Adelaide GC, SA

GMA TEAM

Paul Vardy Chief Executive Officer

Courtney Flores NSW Ops. Manager, Nat. Programs

Mike Orloff QLD Ops. Manager

Rod Haines VIC Ops. Manager, Nat. Finance

Jodie Alaban WA Ops. Manager

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

CLICK HERE FOR MEMBER ONLY GMA RESOURCES & LINKS:

• GMA Connect

• Member Directory

• Event Calendar

• Industry News

• Member Assistance Program

Contents may not be reproduced without written permission.

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

Golf Management Australia

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & MANAGEMENT

It’s probably no surprise to everyone that golf participation is trucking along at a rapid rate.

SWEAT. EMBRACE IT. REPLACE IT.

Golf has come a long way in the past 50 years, science has learned more, athletes have evolved. And Gatorade has been evolving right along with them, providing new hydration solutions to meet golfers needs across the full performance spectrum. From golfing legends sipping Gatorade to weekend warriors relying on it to get them through 18 holes, Gatorade has been fuelling the sporting landscape since introducing the world’s first advanced hydration solution back in 1965.

For the ultimate edge in performance on the course, hydration matters, and Gatorade is the trusted ally catering to all levels of golf with a portfolio of hydration solutions to match any occasion.

Golfers know endurance and focus is paramount for success on the course, and Gatorade Core has been synonymous with keeping golfers hydrated through all 18 holes. Scientifically formulated to help replace what you loose in sweat, with essential electrolytes, fluids and carbs, the reliable hydration solution golfers have trusted round after round, ensuring they stay at the top of their game from the first tee to the final putt.

But as golfers, how do we reduce our sugar intake, without compromising on performance. Enter Gatorade No Sugar. It’s no sugar hydration from the makers of Gatorade, backed by over 50 years of science, with no compromise on taste or efficacy, enabling golfers to rehydrate with every sip and stay hydrated with every stroke.

With golfing participation expanding, more fitness enthusiasts and recreational players are getting involved in our great sport, and the hydration demands

on the club house are growing too. Ensure hydration starts before tee time, with the enhanced hydration of G Active with electrolytes, plus B vitamins and none of the sugar. It’s smarter hydration, in great refreshing flavours.

From the drive to the course, to the drive off the 12th tee par 5 you’ve been waiting to crush, Gatorade is the perfect caddy companion, helping golfers to replace what they lose in sweat.

GREATEST SPORTS FUEL OF ALL TIME.

Vittoria Food & Beverage x Golf Management Australia

We’re excited to announce GMA has a new coffee partner in Vittoria Food and Beverage.

Australia’s number 1 pure coffee brand, Vittoria Coffee is the choice of cafe icons, award-winning restaurants, leading hotels, and now golf clubs.

Using state of the art facilities, the coffee is roasted, blended and packed locally in Australia to ensure freshness and the highest quality coffee.

GMA Chief Executive Officer, Paul Vardy, said “To have a partner in coffee that provides a national reach, expertise and a wide array of choice and is great for our members. Coffee is such a big part of service and for the clubs that GMA members run. We encourage our members to find out more.”

Brad Jones, Queensland Sales Manager, said “Vittoria is excited to support GMA and its development of leaders in golf and club management.

For me personally, it’s great to be back involved with GMA members with friendships formed over many years.

"Our range of coffees brands, blends and associated products have something to suit every golf club and facility and we back this up with our support team who provide equipment, training and advice.”

For more information on Vittoria Food & Beverage, visit their website. Feel free to reach out to the appropriate Vittoria contact to arrange a meeting. The team are looking forward to helping grow your clubs revenue, while delivering the highest quality coffee in Australia.

TALK TO THE TEAM:

Queensland : Brad Jones (QLD Sales Manager) 0450 949 518 bradj@vittoriacoffee.com

New South Wales: Jarrod Loats (NSW Sales Manager) 0420 325 608 jarrodl@vittoriacoffee.com

Victoria/Tasmania

Frank Filippone (VIC Sales Manager) 0406 255 573 frankf@vittoriacoffee.com

South Australia/Northern Territory Vince Papalia (SA New Business Development Manager) 0450 916 763 vincep@vittoriacoffee.com

Western Australia

Fredrick Pereira (Sales Supervisor WA) 0405 652 283 fredrickp@vittoriacoffee.com

BMI GM/CEO finds a home by the sea

As a country club, it’s go the lot; with lodge accommodation, a large impressive clubhouse and pavilion, tennis courts, lawn bowls, croquet and wonderful golf facilities.

For us, it was simply a privilege to be there. The facilities were more than matched with the staff service and culture on display at the club. More on that later. Golf really does take you to the most interesting places.

In local Garigal language, Elanora means ‘home by the sea' and we were very much made to feel at home by the sea in our BMI week at Elanora Country Club. On top of a hill, with sweeping ocean views, you can see past a dense tree canopy of eucalyptus to Manly, North Head and the point of Long Reef Golf Club. It really was the perfect location for BMI GM/CEO.

Perhaps most striking was to be in a club where high-quality service, and an importance placed on culture and the way things are done, is most important. We were most impressed.

With a buzz in the room, it was great to meet the 23 BMI participants - nine from New South Wales clubs, nine from Victorian clubs, three from Queensland and two from Golf Australia. In no time, all were mixing around and finding out where people worked and the diversity of management roles they perform.

Enthusiastic to learn and network, it’s an intense week with 8:15am daily starts and a lot to cover. Like BMI Leadership Principles two months earlier, the week culminated with

group presentations of case studies and an exam to close. For me, it was terrific to have the support of Courtney Flores for this event.

Topics covered included: club and membership marketing with Olena Lima from Member Boat; golf course management with Tim Fankhauser from ASTMA; the language of finance and giving effective feedback with

PAUL VARDY • CEO, Golf Management Australia

The BMI GM/CEO group from left: James King (Oxley GC), Paul Vardy (GMA), Mario van Zyl (Mollymook GC), Darren Carroll (Latrobe GC), Courtney Flores (GMA), Craig Skimming (13th Beach GC), Mark Lazenby (Cardinia Beacon Hills GC), Craig Stickling (Forster Tuncurry GC – now NSW GC), Oscar Morris (Neangar Park GC), Adam Hayes (Patterson River CC), Ian Cottle (Burley GC), Sam Kindlen (GA), Jake Cole-Sinclair (GA), Geoff Black (Elanora CC), Tracy Odgers (Beerwah GC), Hanna Mead (Ballarat GC), Mark Stamopoulos (Warringah GC), Lisa Kelly (Chirnside Park CC), Ben Hearsch (Manly GC), Jamie Brigden (Curlewis GC), Catherine Williams (Manly GC), Narelle Alford (Barwon Heads GC), Kate Sanders (Manly GC) and Josh Whitehouse (Killara GC). Absent from photo: Jason Atkins (Pymble GC)

Nametags awaiting the participant arrivals – a nice touch by Courtney Flores.

Richard Comerford; legislation with Ian Fullagar; tech trends with Richard Berry of Northstar; industry observations and fleet management with Kevin Gates of Club Car; and cyber security with SECOM's Jason Drew. We also had our own GMA expertise with golf operations for managers delivered by Barry West of Mollymook GC and two sessions with experienced GMs, in Rob Selley and Cathy Neagle, on governance and facilities management. Business writing, negotiation and a dive into the leadership learnings for the CCM exam were presented by Paul Vardy, and Jason Koenigsfeld zoomed in from CMAA headquarters in Virginia. The case study was of the infamous Gomorrah Golf Club, with a lot of really dire “issues” to deal with. In order to

give specific help in delivering quality presentations on Friday, we had the bonus training of Steve Herzberg from NRG Solutions.

BMI GM/CEO was a fantastic learning experience for the 23 registrants, providing the best golf and club management learning in Australia. We would like to thank all participants in BMI GM/CEO. We thank Courtney Flores for her help in organising her first BMI. We thank the registrants for their enthusiasm and commitment to professional development, to the clubs, and in many cases GMs, who provided the time and money for attendance. We thank the fantastic line up of speakers for their expertise and dedication to great presentation delivery. We thank CMAA and Jason

Koenigsfeld for this support and, finally, to Elanora Country Club for allowing us to utilise their beautiful club and it's fantastic leaders and staff. GMA will be running BMI Review week in Perth in November, as a group of five GMA members study to sit for the Certified Club Management qualification.

In March 2024, BMI Food & Beverage Management will be held in Sydney. In Spring 2024, BMI Club Management will be held.

BMI has 142 in the program. You are encouraged to commence your BMI journey at the next opportunity.

For more information, click here to visit the BMI page on the

website.

GMA

Left: Cathy Neagle, General Manager, and Geoff Black , Sports & Operations Manager, take us on a club tour and explain some of the club’s history and culture. Below: Rob Selley (NSW GC) and Cathy Neagle (Elanora GC) share their expertise and experience on governance and facility planning.

Far left top: Olena Lima from Member Boat talks Membership Marketing. Far left bottom: Richard Comerford shares some radical candour in training to give effective feedback. He’s much more than just an expert finance presenter! Left: Can’t remember what was said but it must have been funny. Warwick Brook takes us through a De Bortoli tasting in the pavilion.

MORE IMAGES OVER THE PAGE

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Theatre Style - it must be time for Dr Jason Koenigsfeld to zoom in from CMAA. Jason explains the elements behind the GM/CEO concept as developed by CMAA.

Two thumps up. Barry shares not only his vast experience in golf operations but some world standard Troon training as well. It’s the presentations that we reject that makes Barry West the best.

The Elanora CC experience was highlighted by Cathy

and

team’s fantastic hospitality. Their new chef knew how to impress as we enjoyed delicious food in the breaks and two wonderful nights of dinner.

Dinner at the Manly 16ft Skiff Club where Jason and Mark were members.

Narelle Alford, Mark Stamopoulos and Craig Stickling - a fantastic presentation to 'the board' on fixing up Gomorrah GC’s food and beverage department, and pro shop.

Steven Herzberg prepared the group for the skills of giving a great board presentation.

The very cool Collaroy Hotel night out.

Neagle, Geoff Black and Tina Rutzou

their

GMA Membership

Golf

What you get when you join GMA?

GMA’s

INDIVIDUAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

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

MEMBERSHIP SUPPORT & DEVELOPMENT

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

HEALTH, WELLBEING & BENEFITS

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

STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS & INDUSTRY ADVOCACY

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

What Membership options are available?

RECENT INDUSTRY MOVEMENTS

Hidden Valley's GM, Stephen Roberts, has moved to Kew GC, replacing the outgoing Mat Loughnane, who has taken up the GM role at Yarra Yarra (as reported in the Winter edition).

The Eastern's Assistant GM, Tegan Bennett , is moving to the Royal South Yarra Tennis Club after more than 14 years at the Yarra Valley based golf club. Federal's GM, Anthony Sinclair, has announced his departure from the role, set for November, with the Canberra club now actively recruiting for the position.

Rob Selley is heading back "over the ditch", moving on from the Executive GM role at New South Wales to take on the top job at The Hills on the South Island of NZ.

Shawn Mahoney is leaving the GM role at Terrey Hills after 22 years.

Killara's David Gazzoli is finishing up as GM after a lengthy contribution to the club.

GMA Turns 70!

On 23rd September 1953, 37 golf club managers met and formed the Golf Club Secretaries’ and Managers’ Association of Australia.

The meeting was held at Avondale Golf Club, gathered in Sydney at the time of the 6th National Conference.

The first Federal Council comprised three Member Divisions: New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland and included the following delegates:

• President: Mr. A.T Barton (The Lakes GC, NSW)

• Honorary Secretary/Treasurer: Mr J. Alderdice (Long Reef GC, NSW)

• Mr J.N Hill (Kingswood GC, VIC)

• Mr E.A Avery (Yarra Yarra GC, VIC

• Mr. J Armstrong (Indooroopilly GC, QLD).

At the first meeting, Mr K. Jones (Glenelg GC, SA) and Mr E. Staunton (Cottesloe GC, WA) were appointed delegates to represent South Australia and Western Australia.

Of the 37 managers meeting were 19 from NSW, 14 from Victoria, two from Queensland, and one each from SA and WA. The clubs they attended from were: The Lakes GC, Indooroopilly GC, Royal Queensland GC, Glenelg GC, Cottesloe GC, Kingswood GC, Yarra

Yarra GC, Heidelberg GC, Green Acres GC, Rossdale GC, Kew GC, Peninsula CC, Victoria GC, Amstel GC, Medway GC, Woodlands GC, Riversdale GC, Royal Park GC, Beacon Hills CC, Black Heath GC, Liverpool GC, Bexley GC, Cabramatta GC, Northbridge GC, Eastlake GC, Carnarvon GC, Cronulla GC, Roseville GC Avondale GC, Springwood GC, Castle Hill GC, Cumberland GC, Bankstown GC, Pennant Hills GC, Pymble GC and Long Reef GC, plus an Associate of NSW. The objects of the association were:

a. To establish and maintain interstate contact between members for the purpose of increasing the members’ knowledge of golf club management and administration.

b. To encourage close co-operation and understanding and mutual assistance by the communication of information to members.

c. To arrange for meetings of the members including Federal Conventions.

d. To formulate or co-operate with kindred organisations overseas.

The objectives set forth in 1953 remain just as relevant for GMA today!

Happy birthday to our association of golf managers!

Matthew Lang has departed Headland, taking up a new role at Beerwah, with Tim Gahan returning to fill the vacancy at Headland (as reported in the Winter edition).

Following his appointment as Assistant GM at Toowoomba earlier in the year, Andrew Webb has recently been promoted to the GM's chair, replacing David Marr who has moved to Pacific Harbour.

Forster Tuncurry's David Kleeman has retired from the GM role.

NEW GMA MEMBERS

New South Wales

Grant Haywood (Ryde-Parramatta); Matthew O'Donnell (C.ex Urunga); Mat Barnes* (Moore Park); Craig Jackes* (Wyong); Salvatore Barbera* (Terrey Hills); Alexander Hawley* (Moore Park); Joshua Hartley (Shortland Waters); Sean Honeywood (Springwood); Rob Blain (EastLake);

Stephen Steptoe (Hawks Nest); Scott MacLean (Tura Beach);

Queensland

Neil Harrington (Bulimba); James Cooper (Avid Sports);

Josh Dixon (Royal Port Moresby);

South Australia

Elysia Yap* (Royal Adelaide); Victoria/Tasmania

Adam Hayes (Patterson River); Brett Kerr (Devonport); Lachlan Kenny* (Commonwealth); Nicholas Hockaday* (Rosebud); Peter Mitchell (Club Mandalay); James Veitch* (GreenSpace Management);

Ben Hall* (The National); Brian Andora* (GreenSpace Management);

Western Australia

Peter McEvoy* (Royal Perth); Moka Edwards* (Gosnells); Carlee Reynolds* (Gosnells);

* Provisional members

A wave of success for New South Wales mini-conference

Nestled on the picturesque shores of Coogee Beach, the 2023 GMANSW Schweppes mini-conference made waves in the world of golf club management education this July.

Hosted against the backdrop of sun, sand, and sea, this biennial gathering left a lasting impression on attendees, offering a unique blend of education and networking.

NSW State Operations Manager, Courtney Flores, reports on a very successful mini-conference.

Nearly 100 GMA members from around New South Wales descended upon Coogee for this three day event, creating a dynamic and diverse community of golf club managers, 2ICs, operations managers and catering managers. The conference was a tremendous success, setting new standards for professional development in the golf management sector.

Education: The Heart of the Conference

The Schweppes mini-conference placed a strong emphasis on

education, providing attendees with a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the latest trends, technologies and strategies in golf club management. The conference program featured a wide range of workshops, seminars and presentations, addressing key topics such as:

1. Staff Retention and Recruitment Strategies:

The conference recognized that a club is only as good as its team. Steve Herzberg (NRG Solutions) and Valerie D’Angelo (Royal Sydney Golf Club) equipped attendees with innovative strategies to attract, nurture and

GMA NEWS • NEW SOUTH WALES

retain top talent in the industry. Sessions explored cutting-edge HR practices, fostering a sense of belonging and ensuring staff members become invaluable assets. Mike Orloff (Golf Industry Central) joined Steve and Valerie to close the session in a Q&A panel.

2. The LIVed Experience:

Barry Linke (General Manager, The Grange GC) had the opportunity to showcase The Grange Golf Club and the experience the club had during the inaugural LIV Golf tournament in April 2023. Attendees had the exclusive opportunity to understand The Grange Golf Club and the many elements that go into the creation of a professional golf event. Barry provided insights into the meticulous planning and execution of this world-class event, serving as an inspiration for golf club managers seeking to elevate their own clubs to the international stage.

3. Golf NSW – Stuart Fraser and Bernard Bratusa:

Golf NSW, a pivotal partner in the industry, shared valuable insights into funding opportunities and support for golf clubs. Attendees learned about grants, sponsorships and partnerships that can provide the financial impetus to enhance club facilities and services.

4. Q&A Risk Management Panel Session:

Golf club management isn't without its challenges. A dedicated risk management session ensured that managers were equipped to navigate potential pitfalls.

Golf club managers understand that even in the idyllic world of golf, challenges and crises can arise

unexpectedly. From natural disasters to operational mishaps, being prepared for the unexpected is essential for ensuring the safety of club members and the continued smooth operation of the club.

During this emotional panel session, a group of seasoned professionals who had navigated crises at their own clubs shared their experiences, insights and lessons learned. Their stories were heart-wrenching, underscoring the critical need for well-thought-out crisis management plans.

5. Golf Post-COVID with Jeff Blunden: The golf industry, like many others, faced unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff Blunden, a renowned expert, shared insights into how the industry adapted and thrived in the post-pandemic landscape, offering valuable lessons for sustainable growth.

Top: Steve Herzberg (NRG Solutions)

Above: Stuart Fraser (CEO, Golf NSW)

Below: Keynote speaker, Olly Bridge (Build a Bridge)

Opposite page bottom: The Grange GC's Barry Linke

Opposite page top: Sunset views from the conference venue at Coogee Beach

Above left: Q&A Risk Management Panel including Barry West (GM, Mollymook GC); Melissa Ellis (GM, Cromer GC); Michael Covey (Shield Training); Michael Horton (GMA Honorary Solicitor); Paul Mullarvey (Victor Insurance)

6. Keynote Speaker Olly Bridge: The 8 Keys to Sustainable Peak Performance:

The conference culminated with a captivating keynote address by Olly Bridge. Drawing upon the analogy of a three-legged stool, Olly elucidated the eight keys to sustainable peak performance. Attendees left inspired, armed with a blueprint for achieving excellence in their roles.

7. Innovation and the Future in Clubs:

The education component of the Schweppes mini-conference concluded with a joint session featuring John Tully and Tony Sernack, offering insights into the future of golf and the role of innovation. Dan Hampton (Young Henry’s) joined them on a Q&A panel which allowed members to consider product and brand placement and the importance of innovation and differentiation within the marketplace.

Networking and Recreation

Beyond the wealth of educational opportunities, the GMANSW Schweppes mini-conference offered ample networking opportunities, allowing participants to connect, collaborate and share ideas. Attendees enjoyed a cocktail party overlooking Coogee beach and a De Bortoli Wines dinner at the Coogee Bay Hotel where Henry Epstein had everyone intrigued and entertained.

The Grand Finale: New South Wales Golf Club

The mini-conference saved the best for last, offering attendees a grand finale that was nothing short of spectacular. On the conference's closing day, participants were treated to an exclusive visit to the New South Wales (NSW) Golf Club, a true gem in the world of golf.

Nestled along the dramatic coastline, the NSW Golf Club boasts an 18-hole golf course that combines natural beauty with an unparalleled challenge. As attendees arrived, they were greeted by breathtaking panoramic views and a course that was a masterpiece; meticulously designed to blend seamlessly with its coastal surroundings.

With its undulating fairways, strategically placed bunkers and fast greens, the NSW Golf Club presented an exhilarating challenge to players

of all skill levels. Every hole was a new adventure, demanding precise shots and strategic thinking. Congratulations to Stuart Macaskill (Belmont GC) for winning the day with an impressive 40 points, and to Kieran Semple (The Coast GC) for taking out the Ken Collins Perpetual Trophy.

A Bright Future for Golf Club Management

As the 2023 GMANSW Schweppes mini-conference drew to a close, it left attendees feeling energized and equipped with the knowledge and connections to enhance the golf club industry's future. The event's success promises a brighter and more innovative future for golf club management.

It was more than just a conference; it was a celebration of golf, education and community. As attendees returned to their respective clubs, they carried with them the spirit of GMA and a commitment to advancing the art of golf club management.

We look forward to the exciting developments and innovations that will undoubtedly emerge from this exceptional gathering of GMA members, and we eagerly await the national conference in Brisbane in June 2024.

Until then, may the fairways be ever in your favour!

Top: Delegates networking at the welcome cocktail party

Above: Ken Collins Perpetual Trophy winner, Kieran Semple (The Coast GC)

Below: Delegates relaxing after golf during presentations at New South Wales GC

2023 Schweppes GMA WA Management Challenge

In its 20th year, the 2023 Schweppes GMA WA Management Challenge once again brought together Club Managers, PGA Professionals and Board Members for a day of friendly competition, camaraderie, and spirited golfing.

Held at the picturesque Lakelands Country Club in the northern suburbs of Perth on Friday, 15th September, the event was a resounding success with representation from 17 golf clubs in the Perth metropolitan area and the south west region.

Thank you to Josh Olsen and Ben Evans from Schweppes for their attendance and for providing an array of refreshing beverages that kept players hydrated throughout their round.

Additionally, Lion and Club Car for their continued sponsorship of the novelties at the event.

The Management Challenge is a club teams event, with each team

comprising four members, including two board members, a PGA professional, and a club manager.

We extend our congratulations to Dave Robinson, a valued GMA member and General Manager of Kwinana Golf Club, and his team for securing victory once again.

The day also featured the prestigious Alex Monteath Trophy, an annual event ingrained in the WA golfing calendar since 1985. Named after GMA Life member, Alex Monteath, this coveted trophy is awarded to the winning club's PGA professional and club manager.

This year's winners of the Alex Monteath Trophy were PGA professional, Braden Becker, and general manager, Grant ShortlandJones, from Mandurah Country Club.

Congratulations!

A heartfelt thank you goes out to Lakelands Country Club for their warm hospitality. general manager, Murray Paul, club operations manager, Andrea Finneran, and the entire team ensured that the event ran smoothly, making it an unforgettable day for all participants.

GMA NEWS • WESTERN AUSTRALIA

JODIE ALABAN • WA State Operations Manager

SA members learn from Governance guru, Margot Foster AM

GMASA members recently got into the spirit of continuous improvement, learning from renowned governance expert, Margot Foster AM.

Presented by Bidfood, the 5-hour professional development workshop hosted at Royal Adelaide Golf Club was attended by 30 eager participants including GMs, club staff and a number of club board members.

The workshop covered an extensive array of governance topics such as leadership, the roles & responsibilities of directors & GMs, the GM/Board

relationship and better preparation and management of meetings.

Margot's extensive experience as a director on a range of boards from the local to the international, government and private, was on full display for those in attendance. Her presentation focussed on practical tips, tools, insights and solutions for GMs and their boards in managing the challenges of their roles.

Generous with her time, Margot enjoyed networking with attendees at lunch following the half-day workshop, eventually leaving to catch her flight home around 4:00pm!

Earlier in the day, Glenelg GC's GM, Robert Vincekovic CCM, gave a short presentation to attendees on his recent CMAA conference experience, the BMI program and his graduation as one of Australia's first Certified Club Managers (CCM).

Both presentations from the GMASA workshop can be downloaded using the following links:

Robert Vincekovic CCM (BMI & CMAA)

Margot Foster AM (Governance)

UPCOMING DATES

BMI Food & Beverage Management

Dates

Monday, 18th March to Friday, 22nd March 2024

Venue

TAFE Ultimo Campus, Sydney

BMI Club Management

Dates

Spring 2024 (dates TBC)

Venue

Venue TBC

Cost

To be confirmed for both BMI Food & Beverage Management and BMI Club Management.

For more information, click here to visit the BMI page on the GMA website.

SAVE THE DATE

GMA/ASTMA CONFERENCE & TRADE EXHIBITION

BRISBANE CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE

Sunday, 16th June to Thursday, 20th June 2024

MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

NEW GMAWA EXECUTIVE

Following the recent Annual General Meeting of GMAWA, we welcome the incoming state executive for the next 12 months:

President:

Damien Todorovic (WAGC)

Captain

Grant Shortland-Jones (Mandurah) Committee

Gavin Burt (LKCC)

Sam Hodge (The Vines)

Des Shearer (Bunbury)

On behalf of all members, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to outgoing president, Gavin Burt for his time and dedication during his tenure. Gavin will continue to serve on the National Board, where his knowledge and experience will undoubtedly continue to benefit our organization.

We would also like to express our appreciation to outgoing Committee member, Mick Smith, for his valuable contributions during his time on the executive.

The Davids have it!

Did you know that in 2022/23, GMA had more members than ever before and the most common name amongst our membership was David.

In fact, sixteen Davids are amongst us. Matthews are second with 15, followed by Andrews taking out third place with 12. It seems nine Anthonys won’t be left out. If they team up with the five Tonys it takes them to 14, taking them to third in the most common names. Word is that if they ever take out top spot they are going to refer to it as the Tony awards!

A spokesman for the winning team, David said, “To come out on top amongst a stellar line up of so many great names, well, I’m proud of the boys. It’s fair to say it’s been a David vs Goliath effort.”

But a peak at the age demographics suggests the rein of David may in fact be coming to an end. It may be only a matter of a year or two and Matthews will take top spot.

Top 10 names in 2023 in GMA: Davids 16, Matthews 15, Anthonys/Tonys 14, Andrews 12 with Marks, Bens and Peters on 10 and Michaels, Pauls and Roberts on nine.

Leading the charge in the GMA women’s names are the Jessicas. There are four of them and they have youth on their side. The Jessicas are followed by three Nicoles and two Andreas, Danielles, Lisas, Melanies and Narelles.

Oh, and if you want to know the most common surname, no prizes for guessing - it’s Smith. There are six Smiths, followed by four Edwards, Taylors and Wilsons.

So, there you have it. Vital facts to know about our GMA members.

Review of GMV Scholarships

• Have worked in the golf industry for at least two years;

• Are employed on a full-time basis and not on probation;

• Currently employed in a supervisor, or other leadership role, as a minimum;

• Have some interest in becoming a General Manager;

• May or may not be a current GMV member;

GMV 2024 CMAA CONFERENCE BURSARY

We are offering the CMAA Conference Bursary again for the 2024 year.

Please click here for the application information

The CMAA World Conference 2024 will be in Las VegasMarch 4th to 8th, 2024

Both have been successful and with the evolution of the education provided by Golf Management Australia, the GMV Executive has agreed to combine the initiatives to provide a greater opportunity for staff of GMV member clubs to further their golf management careers by either starting or continuing on the BMI program.

Up to five scholarships will be provided, with a gender mix ratio 2:3. The mix is not intended to be biased toward either gender, but will be determined at the GMV Executive's discretion.

GMV - BMI Scholarships 2024

We are pleased to announce that applications are now open for BMI Scholarships for 2024.

GMV are offering five scholarships. The program will provide applicants with a greater opportunity to build their club management skills, and networks, that will hopefully lead to taking on senior positions in golf management, particularly General Manager roles. The program will run in the 2024 calendar year.

The two BMI modules to be offered in 2024 will be (dates TBC):

• Food and Beverage Managementweek commencing 22 March 2024

• Club Management - Spring 2024

Eligibility

The Scholarship is aimed at providing both educational and networking opportunities for people that fit the following criteria:

• Their General Manager is a Full or Regional Member of Golf Management Australia. Previous winners of the Women’s Management Scholarship or Provisional's Mythical GM Role scholarship, will not be eligible to apply within 3 years of that scholarship.

Scholarship includes:

• The registration fee

• Not included - travel and accommodation costs

Expressions of Interest

We are now calling for expressions of interest for this program. Applicants should include the following:

• A one-page letter from the applicant detailing their current role, experiences, and career objectives;

• Letter of support from their General Manager;

• Letter of support from the Club Chairperson.

Interviews will be conducted at the earliest convenience by members of the GMV Executive, with the successful applicants announced shortly after that. We aim to announce in January 2024.

We hope that this support will clear the financial barriers that often exist, and create opportunities for some future leaders in our industry.

Submissions should be directed to:

Rod Haines - Victorian Operations Manager at Golf Management Australia.

rod.haines@golfmanagement.com.au

Due date - 31 October 2023

Would you like to improve your Barista skills?

Barista basics is a 2 hour practical coffee lesson, where you will learn practical coffee making that you can apply to your workplace skills.

Includes:

• Machine parts and functions.

• Grinder maintenance.

• How to get the perfect espresso.

• Milk - texture, temperature, how to heat, how to free pour milk.

• How to make all styles of coffee.

• Cleaning of the machine, hazards and cross contamination.

• The process of latte art

• Improving speed and teamwork participants

• Receive a certificate of completion at the end of the course to go towards resume

Cost: $90 pp

Dates:

Friday 13th October 2023

2 hour session:

• Group 1 - 9:00am

• Group 2  - 11:30am

Monday 16th October 2023

2 hour session

• Group 1 - 9.00am

• Group 2 - 11.30am

Location:

Upon registration, the exact location address will be provided in the confirmation email. Park Street, South Melbourne.

Over the past 8 years, GMV has offered scholarships to enhance educational and networking opportunities through the Provisional's Mythical GM Role Application and interview process, and the Women's Management Scholarship.

Hostplus is a top-performing super fund that puts members first. That’s why we’re proud to have been named the 2023 Fund of the Year by third-party ratings agency SuperRatings. Judged across three areas: strong performance, competitive fees, and an ongoing focus on members, we’re thrilled to receive this recognition.

HOSTPLUS. THE OFFICIAL SUPERANUATION PARTNER OF GOLF MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA.

The rating is issued by SuperRatings Pty Ltd ABN 95 100 192 283 AFSL 311880 (SuperRatings). Ratings are general advice only and have been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider your personal circumstances, read the product disclosure statement and seek independent financial advice before investing. The rating and awards are not recommendation to purchase, sell or hold any product and are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund. Past performance information is not indicative of future performance. Ratings are subject to change without notice and SuperRatings assumes no obligation to update. SuperRatings uses objective criteria and receives a fee for publishing awards. Visit www.lonsec.com.au/superfund/ratings-and-awards/ for ratings information and to access the full report. © 2022 SuperRatings. All rights reserved. General advice only. Consider the relevant Hostplus PDS and TMD at hostplus.com.au and your objectives, financial situation and needs, which have not been accounted for. Awards and ratings are only one factor to consider. Host-Plus Pty Limited ABN 79 008 634 704, AFSL 244392 trustee for Hostplus Superannuation Fund, ABN 68 657 495 890. HP2391

Developing and supporting leaders in the profession of golf and club management • www.golfmanagement.com.au

Sponsored by Schweppes, the 2023 GMAQ Leadership Summit took place at Brisbane Golf Club on 25th July, featuring 40 leaders from Queensland's golf industry.

The central theme of the summit was encapsulated by the phrase " Leadership is a journey, not a destination ”, and aimed to demonstrate how effective leadership is as an ongoing process of growth and adaptation, rather than reaching a fixed endpoint.

It also showed how leaders need to continuously evolve, learn and collaborate with others to become successful in their roles.

Two of the sessions were facilitated by Scott Draper, a well-credentialed leadership coach and organisational development expert specialising in leadership, high-performing teams, organisational resilience and wellbeing.

Scott has a high-performance sports background having had prestigious titles such as head national coach of Tennis Australia, Fox Sports commentator and is an Australian Davis Cup player and mixed doubles Grand Slam winner.

Topic 1: The Power of Purpose

First off, Scott led an engaging discussion illustrating how aligning actions with a profound purpose can drive exceptional accomplishments. He drew from his own experiences in sport to demonstrate how a strong sense of purpose aided him in overcoming challenges. This highlighted the significance of having a clear sense of purpose in leadership.

Topic 2: Sustainable Performance

The second topic centred on sustainable performance, advocating for consistent, balanced efforts over time to prevent burnout. Scott emphasised the importance of maintaining a steady pace and selfcare to foster long term success.

His philosophy prioritised well-being, learning and equilibrium, reframing achievement as a marathon rather than a sprint. This approach nurtures resilience, facilitates growth and fosters healthier work environments.

The participants responded positively to both topics, with Scott's insights merely scratching the surface of the discussions.

Dave Mason, superintendent of The Brisbane GC and formerly of Metropolitan GC, then presented on the subject of team building.

Topic 3: Team Building and Maximizing Staff Performance

Dave shared his approach to building strong teams through collaborative activities. He recounted challenges he faced, including a significant flood when he first assumed his role, underscoring the role of a leader in managing tough situations while keeping the team cohesive.

Before lunch, we had a chance to hear from some experienced people in the industry about their career journeys. This opportunity to learn from the veterans was particularly insightful.

Paul Vardy, current GMA CEO and former industry manager, led a discussion with Andrew Kirkman (former GM of The Lakes and Royal Queensland) and Tim Gahan (former GM of Avondale, Royal Queensland, and currently Headland). These industry experts shared their career journeys and learnings as they both return to Queensland to continue their careers.

A special thank you to Schweppes, and Geoff Kuehner and the Brisbane GC Team for their exceptional hospitality, providing an outstanding event, a delicious meal and unwavering support.

MIKE ORLOFF • QLD State Operations Manager

GMA NEWS • QUEENSLAND

Leadership is a journey, not a destination

Pacific Harbour takes the 2023 GMAQ Toro Cup

The 2023 GMAQ Toro Managers/Superintendents Development Day was held this year as part of the International “Thank a Superintendent Day” with the main aim to strengthen these important relationships, as well as to catch up with industry peers and, of course, have a fun day out.

Teamwork is always an important element of running any successful golf facility. The relationship between a general manager and course superintendent is an integral part of a club's survival.

Managers and superintendents were given a unique chance to spend some quality time together away from their usual club responsibilities.

Coolangatta Tweed Heads Education Day

During the Coolangatta Tweed Heads education day, attendees began with a networking coffee and muffin breakfast. Following this, Toro's

Ben Marshall provided an update on the company's progress toward electric and AI machinery, mentioning that it's still a few years away from implementation.

The event also featured keynote speakers:

Bruce Macphee: With over 35 years of experience in the golf and sports turf industry, Bruce currently serves as the senior agronomist for the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA). His career has encompassed various roles, including golf course superintendent at a large facility with multiple courses and serving as a senior TAFE sports turf lecturer for a decade. Bruce has worked on turf construction projects and consulted on golf courses globally, gaining valuable insights into course management in different climates. He now offers consultancy services to golf courses and sporting clubs across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia, in addition to serving as the agronomist for the AFL. His expertise highlights the importance of planning, teamwork, and communication in golf course operations.

Kate Torgersen: As the founder of Environmental Golf Solutions, Kate has been actively engaged in a range of ecological and sustainability projects, including habitat restoration, ecological burns, seed collection, propagation, EVC mapping, management plans, tree auditing, and sustainability initiatives. Her work emphasizes the significance of environmental considerations in golf course management and the broader sports turf industry.

9-hole Ambrose

A fun and relaxing afternoon awaited in the form of a two-person 9-hole Ambrose where we could see all the works being undertaken with new bunker improvements.

Teams were made up of managers and superintendents, some with skill and some with ... perhaps maybe not as much skill!

The 3rd edition of the Toro Cup was taken out by Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club's David Marr (GM) and Mathew Hartup (Superintendent)main picture above.

Thanks again to Toro for their ongoing support to assist us in upholding this much appreciated event.

MIKE ORLOFF • QLD State Operations Manager

DID YOU KNOW... 2023 GMA Member Insights Survey: Governance

BOARD/COMMITTEE COMPOSITION

The 2023 GMA Member Insights Survey found GMA members generally suggest its better having fewer directors on their board/committee than currently exist.

It is most common to have between 8-9 directors on the board/committee with 52.27% of clubs reporting this. The next most common were numbers either side with 6-7 directors at 26.52% of clubs, and 10-11 with 9.09%. Only three clubs reported having 12 or more directors, or 2.27%.

How many directors do GMA members believe are ideal for their board/committee? The answer overwhelmingly is 6-7 directors with 54.55% suggesting this, followed by 8-9 directors with 21.21% and 5 or less directors with 18.94%. In short, fewer directors would be preferred.

HOW MANY DIRECTORS ARE ON YOUR BOARD/COMMITTEE?

HOW MANY DIRECTORS DO YOU BELIEVE ARE IDEAL FOR YOUR BOARD/COMMITTEE?

STANDING COMMITTEES

There is a wide range of standing committees in clubs with some reporting no standing committees whilst others report five or more.

The number of standing committees will determine the time spent by management in attending meetings and preparing minutes and reports.

It’s interesting to see the large disparity between clubs in time spent on standing committees with the majority of clubs reporting less than 20 hours a month at 68%, whereas two clubs report there can be more than 70 management hours dedicated to standing committees.

HOW MANY MANAGEMENT HOURS (GM & SENIOR MANAGEMENT) ARE DEDICATED TO STANDING SUB-COMMITTEES (REPORTS, AGENDAS, MINUTES, PLANNING, ATTENDING MEETINGS, ETC.) IN TOTAL PER MONTH?

$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

HOW MANY STANDING SUB-COMMITTEE (COURSE, MATCH, FINANCE, ETC.) DOES YOUR CLUB/FACILITY HAVE?

MANDATORY DIRECTOR TRAINING

Mandatory director training exists in New South Wales and it has become a topic of conversation in recent times with Golf Australia. It’s fair to say that overwhelmingly GMA general managers support the idea of this mandatory training for all board members.

DO YOU BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE MANDATORY DIRECTOR TRAINING FOR ALL BOARD/COMMITTEE MEMBERS?

WE NEED YOUR INPUT!

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

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

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

Measuring the Cost of a Dysfunctional Board of Directors - Part 1

“The individuals on a dysfunctional board involve themselves in the departmental goals and operation when that’s the sole responsibility of the GM. Dysfunctional boards usually mean the chain

is not being followed and there is no accountability, which is very disruptive between the GM and their department heads.”

Tom Wallace, principal with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace

Boards of directors are the lifeblood of a private club... groups of people who, through their collective knowledge, skill and experience and positive decision-making, are intended to make good things happen at their private club.

Well-performing boards are critical to the success of a private club. So, what happens when a private club ends up with a dysfunctional board? It can be disastrous for the club’s member experience, employees, and successful operation.

Often there are warning signs...like a lack of

communication, personality clashes, personal or political agendas, lack of accountability and the inability to make positive decisions, and dissatisfied club members, to name a few.

So, where does it all begin? How do we know the dysfunction exists?

It often begins just where we expect it to surface...with gossip mongers in the club’s bar.

“Dysfunction first shows up in the conversations of board members at the bar or other social areas of the club.

For example, one board member with an agenda will start to drink and talk to other board members about their ideas and plans to change the club. Generally, these ideas are not part of the club’s current plan,” expressed Ron Banaszak, BoardRoom’s Distinguished Clubs’ director of international development.

“A dysfunctional board of directors quickly impacts every level of the club. These board members can make it unpleasant for members to visit their club and for employees to come to work and give quality service. In addition, the rumor mill starts up and all sorts of gossip that is unkind.

This affects all areas of the club, including membership attraction and retention,” he added.

“A dysfunctional board affects all areas of the club operations because decisions are not being made that are in line with the club’s mission or the best interests of the club’s membership or staff,” said Mark Bado, GM/ COO of the Houston Country Club.

“Employee turnover or dissatisfaction with their job is common in clubs with inadequate boards. Because there’s a lack of focus and/ or a lack of a definitive plan, money is often wasted on programs that prove ineffective or

do not align with the club’s strategic goals. With a lack of direction from a dysfunctional board, productivity and progress declines or is non-existent because decisions cannot be made, incorrect decisions are made and time must be spent putting out fires and correcting course rather than moving forward,” he stressed.

“Lack of decision making, or bad board decisions and its committees mark early signs of dysfunction; also, an unsatisfied membership can be a result of a board that’s not working towards improving and growing their club experiences.”

Tom Wallace believes a dysfunctional board affects a club in many ways. Wallace, principal with Kopplin Kuebler & Wallace, a leading industry executive search firm, suggests the dysfunction goes far beyond collaboration between the board, the general manager and senior staff, including micromanagement.

“The individuals on a dysfunctional board involve themselves in the departmental goals and operation when that’s the sole responsibility of the GM. Dysfunctional boards usually mean the chain of command is not being followed and there is no accountability, which is very disruptive between the GM and their department heads,” Wallace expressed.

Wallace also suggests it has far-reaching effects on other aspects of the club’s operation, including member experience, employees, finances, liability issues, strategic planning etc.

Member experience: Dysfunctional boards tend to be without a strategic plan, a clear vision and a mission for the future. Without these important elements, clubs

of command

JOHN G.

FORNARO BOARDROOM MAGAZINE

become somewhat rudderless, which leads to an inconsistent member experience.

Without a strategy, the club probably isn’t surveying members, and if they aren’t surveying members, the board probably doesn’t know how members really feel about the member experience. And if the club has no uniform way of knowing how the members feel, they can’t fix anything or manage member expectations appropriately.

Employees: Dysfunctional boards mean they aren’t focusing on the employee experience. Without a vision and strategic plan, there is likely no clear direction which can confuse employees. In addition, there probably is no strategy around human capital which means the club won’t be able to attract and retain the best and brightest staff.

Finances: This is probably the biggest risk for a club with a dysfunctional board. Without a cohesive board making decisions based on data, decisions are based on opinions and emotions. When there’s no uniform board, they tend to be afraid to make tough decisions that set the club up for a successful future.

Liability issues: One of the things that

always surprises me is how little members

“The board’s actions or lack of actions truly affect the member experience, ultimately resulting in disenchantment, ill will, bad karma and a financial loss of the club,” Harvey espoused.

So, to be more specific, how does a dysfunctional board affect a club’s member experience or employees? Jim Butler, CEO, Club Benchmarking, a premier industry consulting firm, breaks the dysfunction down into much greater detail.

Member experience: a dysfunctional board can impact member experience by focusing too much effort on trying to control costs. Similarly, boards that attempt to treat amenities (such as Food & Beverage) as profit centers also do so to the detriment of member experience. A primary obligation of a private club board is to maximize the member experience.

Employees: Especially in the current environment, retaining experienced employees is a critical tool in efforts to deliver a compelling member experience. Employees have plenty of options in or out of the club world. Dysfunctional boards do not focus

on training, fairly compensating employees, or ensuring that employees are valued and treated with respect. In these cases, turnover will be inevitable and unsustainable.

Finances: In their 2023 Club Governance Survey Report, authors Joe Abely and Dave Duval noted “knowledge gaps”, which were evident in responses from both board members and general managers. The gaps appear in the form of “Not Sure” or “I Don’t Know” responses to questions addressing critical areas of club operations, finances and general practices requisite for effective governance and management.

The survey also identified numerous instances of board member responses to important financial questions that were, upon further analysis, contradicted by the club’s actual financial data. This lack of knowledge can lead to dysfunction in the boardroom, most often because of poor capital planning and failure to invest appropriately in the facility. Over time, the result is deferred maintenance, which ultimately erodes the member experience and diminishes the club’s ability to attract new members.

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escorted club golf trip is a great way to nuture member engagement and keep members happy during annual course maintenance and throughout the year.

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Liability issues: One of the things that always surprises me is how little members know about what they are responsible for at a club. Indeed, if the board is dysfunctional, they are not paying attention to the three most important duties: duty of care, duty of loyalty and duty of obedience. I have never seen a dysfunctional board taking care of those duties. And poor decisions that are made which affect the member or employee experience tend to fall into one of those three categories.

Strategic planning: Dysfunctional boards don’t like to be fenced in by strategic plans. They tend to be haphazard about capital funds, and here capital dollars are spent because they don’t operate with a strategic plan or master goals. The number one thing a strategic plan does is drive accountability across the organization and dysfunctional boards don’t want accountability.

Productivity: A dysfunctional board means the committees are also dysfunctional. Instead of the committees doing work for the GM, they are likely creating more work for the GM. This impacts the productivity of all the layers of the organization. A great

board sets the goals for the committees with the GM. The GM sets the goals for the department heads and the board sets the goals for the GM. When there is dysfunction, everyone makes up whatever they think is most important and it is very frustrating and debilitating for the staff.

Philip Harvey, principal with Preferred Club Insurance Program, says, “After spending 33 years in the private club industry as a specialty insurance provider, I’m often amazed and taken back when this rhetorical question is posed: ‘Where is there risk in the club industry?’”

Harvey answered the question himself. “Exposures exist in all club areas, from property to third-party liability issues. However, the most complicated and overall damaging exposure to a club is because of boardroom dysfunction. In today’s day and age, it seems inappropriate and unacceptable to allow such dysfunction, especially in the modern club environment,” Harvey added.

“True signs of disenchantment with club boards normally involve the board members not carrying out their duties and promises as they were elected to perform. Some of the

responsibilities experiencing a breach in true governance include:

• Lack of confidentiality

• Conflicting agendas

• Lack of order

• Lack of respect

• Hostile environment

• Secret meetings

• Personal and political agendas

• Lack of trust

• Dominating members

“The board’s actions or lack of actions truly affect the member experience, ultimately resulting in disenchantment, ill will, bad karma and a financial loss of the club,” Harvey espoused.

So, to be more specific, how does a dysfunctional board affect a club’s member experience or employees? Jim Butler, CEO, Club Benchmarking, a premier industry consulting firm, breaks the dysfunction down into much greater detail.

Member experience: a dysfunctional board can impact member experience by focusing too much effort on trying to control costs. Similarly, boards that attempt to treat amenities (such as Food & Beverage) as

profit centers also do so to the detriment of member experience. A primary obligation of a private club board is to maximize the member experience.

Employees: Especially in the current environment, retaining experienced employees is a critical tool in efforts to deliver a compelling member experience. Employees have plenty of options in or out of the club world. Dysfunctional boards do not focus on training, fairly compensating employees, or ensuring that employees are valued and treated with respect. In these cases, turnover will be inevitable and unsustainable.

Finances: In their 2023 Club Governance Survey Report, authors Joe Abely and Dave Duval noted “knowledge gaps”, which were evident in responses from both board members and general managers. The gaps appear in the form of “Not Sure” or “I Don’t Know” responses to questions addressing critical areas of club operations, finances and general practices requisite for effective governance and management.

The survey also identified numerous instances of board member responses to important financial questions that were,

upon further analysis, contradicted by the club’s actual financial data. This lack of knowledge can lead to dysfunction in the boardroom, most often because of poor capital planning and failure to invest appropriately inthe facility. Over time, the result is deferred maintenance, which ultimately erodes the member experience and diminishes the club’s ability to attract new members.

Liability issues: Board members have a Duty of Care, which includes ensuring the club complies in areas such as HR, payroll and benefits or potential conflicts of interest. Non-compliance by a dysfunctional board exposes the club to liability risk with negative financial Implications for the club and possibly the directors individually and damage to the club’s reputation with current and future members.

Strategic planning: Healthy boards understand the importance of maintaining a strategic plan that is fully funded, clearly communicated to the membership and grounded in member input via surveys and focus groups. Dysfunctional boards operating outside those criteria

undermine the long-term viability of a club. Collaboration between the board, general manager and senior staff: Dysfunctional boards spend an inordinate amount of time delving into operational issues Instead of allowing the general manager and the staff to run day-to-day operations. This leads to confusion and dissatisfaction for the staff and contributes to increased employee turnover, negatively impacting the member experience. On the other hand, functional boards spend 65-70 percent of their time focused on forward-looking planning and strategy and allow management to manage club operations subject to budgets and goals.

In Part 2 of this series, we will look at the long-term effects of a dysfunctional board and then map out the road to success. At least, that’s the way I see it.

Reproduced with permission from BoardRoom magazine, March/April 2023.

John G. Fornaro is the publisher/CEO of BoardRoom magazine, co-founder/ CEO of Distinguished Clubs and the CEO of the Association of Private Club Directors (APCD).

Governance in Golf Clubs: What Really Matters

The success of any Golf Club has a direct correlation to the quality of its governance. Whilst playing such a key role, unfortunately many are missing the mark in fully understanding what governance really is.

The purpose of this paper is to provide clarity for General Managers (GMs) and Club Directors, on what governance really means in relation to Golf Club management. It identifies some of the reasons why governance is not where it should be at some clubs and prioritises what we have found to be the most important components as Clubs seek governance success.

Through our consulting work, we have observed that there is often significant disparity between defining governance and implementing governance. Whilst it is easy to find and study governance, it is the effective implementation that will determine the Club’s level of success.

Unlike profit-oriented businesses, Club structures rely heavily on a traditional volunteer-based model of committees, subcommittees and in some Clubs, coopted members onto these committees. This structure was created when Clubs were initially established, when money was often limited, a ‘not for profit’ mindset was common and volunteers made up most of the Club workforce.

Whilst the business of Golf has changed dramatically, today the same structure is often still used. However, Golf Clubs are now multi-faceted businesses. Hosting daily competitions, major events, running a restaurant, maintaining a vast property, owning significant capital assets, managing human resource issues, stakeholder relationships, and complying with government legislation are now all parts of the job. Some Clubs then add gaming, accommodation, other sports and often multiple locations. Add to this risk management, financial responsibility, corporate diligence, constant review of the member value proposition, the want for employee diversity and increasing environmental consciousness, the brief and

responsibility is now considerably different. Given the increasing financial scale, as we work with traditional structures in the new golf world, the need for effective governance has never been more important.

As some proof of the ineffectiveness evident, if we were getting it right, we must ask why, pre covid, were so many Golf Clubs under financial stress? And why is club management turnover so high and casual vacancies on Boards rising?

So, what is effective governance and why do we need it?

‘Governance’ is a model or structure that provides the rules, policies, procedures, risk and financial management guidelines for your Club, including the roles and responsibilities of your Board and management.

Governance is the ‘glue’ that consolidates strategic direction, financial stewardship, Board policy and behaviours with the management and staff, to deliver the best outcomes for the Club, its members and guests. Good governance will ensure a process by the Board of providing the GM with clear and agreed KPI’s to which his/her performance can be measured.

It also helps with minimising gaps in policy

GMA EDUCATION • GOVERNANCE SPECIAL

DAVID BURTON • GBAS Consultant

that may lead to decisions being made that are not in the best interest of the Club.

Why is it not working?

We’ve identified seven reasons why governance is not always as effective as it needs to be in Golf Clubs.

1) The Election Cycle and Process

The GBAS Club Benchmarking database indicates that near half of all Clubs still have annual elections. By design, such frequency works against good governance. Success often comes from consistent execution of a vision and a plan. When this is assessed annually by a vote, it can preclude the right decision, one that might deliver some shortterm pain but be for longer term gain.

Further, the volunteer mentality can lead to Board Directors being elected based on popularity vs capability. This process does not result in the most qualified Boards. Enthusiasm to be on a Board does not mean there is the right knowledge and skill to help it execute.

2) Lack of Director Training

Golf Clubs can be big, multi-faceted businesses with Club Directors responsible for turnover in the millions of dollars, sitting on land often worth tens of millions or more. Despite this scale, there is a lack

of Golf Club specific governance training or understanding of the Club business model. Our extrapolation of Club data would indicate that there are more than 8,000 Directors on Boards and committees across Australia yet there is only mandatory training in one state.

On the management side, GMs have Golf Management Australia as their guiding education body for all things ‘Golf Club management’. They also have access to resources on many fronts – Clubs (by state) training, the Club Managers Association of America training platforms, data driven insight by Club Benchmarking, the PGA IGI Institute and Golf Australia’s support, to name a few. Despite these sources of learning, they are less utilised than they should be, given the importance of governance to Club success. Focussed governance training or experience is often overlooked when Boards are recruiting their next GM.

3) Director Mindset

This originates from the election cycle. Commentary circulates such as ‘we don’t need that – that’s for the next Board. I might only be on the Board for one year so let’s not worry about a strategic plan and let’s get onto what I think needs to be done in the next 12 months!’

In addition, unfortunately the mindset of both GMs and Boards is often that policies are based more on traditions than on a forward-looking Vision. The objective should not only to be a ‘good Club’ but a ‘good business with a financially sustainable future’!

4) Adverse Director Behaviour

Unbridled egos, dominating personalities, factionalism, obsessions, doing and not governing, single item agendas, lack of Board room confidentiality, are all examples of adverse Director behaviour. These are difficult hurdles and can only be tempered by other good governance practices and strong leadership.

There is also the contingent of GMs and Directors who have the IKB syndrome (‘I know better’), even when faced with data driven analyses. Their default disposition is to provide a low cost of belonging to Clubs which may ultimately lead Clubs into financial stress. This makes decision making and progress a great hurdle.

5) Skillset of GMs

This, not just in terms of operational prowess but in terms of EQ and being able to read the room or understand how to handle difficult situations and human interaction.

Without this, developing and implementing good governance is insurmountable.

(6) Role ambiguity - CEO, GM or secretary?

Many Clubs do not know what position they are hiring for and there is a significant difference between the roles of a traditional Secretary, a General Manager or a Chief Executive Officer.

(7) The structure

GMs report to up to 12 Directors, all of which believe they have authority over the role of GM. The importance of the relationship between the President or Chairman of the Board and the GM is paramount. Whilst most GMs have a direct line of reporting to the President, the reality is that Presidents change on average, every few years at Clubs depending on their constitution. So, a GM of 15 years could have 5 direct bosses over his or her tenure. A GM’s only control over this situation is completing due diligence before moving to a new job. There is no control after that.

The components of good governance at Golf Clubs

Addressing the identified issues, good or better Governance can be split into three key areas: People, Resources and Focus

i. People

a) Complete a Board skills matrix and work out the gaps. The matrix would include core areas of skills needed for a Club Board including strategic planning, finance, marketing, catering, gaming (if applicable), hospitality, Golf, management and communication. More importantly, seek Directors who understand their role (duty to the Club, not specific members), their views on how the Board should operate, making data driven decisions and the importance of hiring professionals when needed.

b) Board succession planning – try to avoid contested elections. create a nomination committee or at a minimum, create Board awareness. Seek candidates with Board experience. Remember, ability first, personality second.

c) Consider diversity on your Board to reflect your membership composition. Look at your membership base in terms of age, gender, golf ability and culture.

ii. Resources

a) Provide a summary document (Board Policy Manual) outlining Board, Committee and management Roles and responsibilities.

b) Provide clarity around the role of the head of management. There is a difference between a Secretary Manager, a General Manager and a Chief Executive Officer. This will impact the hiring process, job specifications and roles and responsibilities outlined above.

c) Work to a strategic plan. Without one, Clubs are vulnerable to inconsistent thinking and haphazard actions.

d) Commit to long term financial sustainability. Short and long-term Capital Planning provide the boundaries for decision making. Capital is the primary driver and fuel for growth! (A recent study of over 1,200 Clubs by Club Benchmarking in the USA determined that only 34% of Clubs have a capital plan which identifies future capital needs and how these are to be resourced.)

e) Where possible, use facts and data insight for decision making. Avoid emotional based decisions. In addition to capital planning, benchmark yourself against cohorts to get a snapshot of where you stand.

f) Survey your members to get member feedback – don’t be highjacked by the vocal minority.

g) Seek to increase Board stability by lengthening Board terms beyond one year.

h) Optimise the efficiency of the current structure with a view to minimise subcommittees and the frequency of meetings while delegating operational responsibilities to management.

i) Once elected, provide a mandatory Board Orientation Induction Program. This includes sharing the skills matrix, the Club’s mission statement, Board objectives, fiduciary responsibilities, organisation structure, definitions of roles and responsibilities of the Board as well as providing governance documents such as policies manual, bylaws, constitution, financial reports, grievance flowchart, relevant articles, publications as well as general information about how the Club operates and makes decisions.

iii Focus (breed professional, respectful culture)

a) Ensure Board agendas cover strategic initiatives, Board policy, financial (including capital) management and risk assessment.

b) Ensure a comprehensive orientation for new members. This establishes an understanding of member expectations in terms of culture, etiquette and standards.

c) Create and review KPIs for GM and senior management.

d) Understand that for most Clubs, F&B is not a profit centre.

The Missing Link (for GMs)

Good governance documentation is the first step, but it is the execution or actions that matter most.

Robert Sereci, CCM, ECM, is one of the most well versed, well written contributors in today’s generation of experienced golf club GMs. While following his recent writing on the ‘Governance knowing-doing gap’, I thought his insight was intelligent and

PERFORMANCE IN EVERY FORM

EFFORTLESS SPEED. EXCEPTIONAL FEEL. PRECISE CONTROL.

insightful. I would like to share some of his thoughts which reinforce the EQ skills needed by GMs to convert Governance from literature to practice.

Robert quotes:

“I believe Club professionals know what they should do; however, they don’t know how to do it.

We might consider educating them on the tactics and strategies to get it done. Telling someone what they should do is not enough. Club managers often issue messaging like: “We need a strategic plan”, “we need fewer committees”, or “the Board needs to stop micromanaging me.” Hard directives aren’t particularly effective in driving sustained human behaviour change. However, if change is desired, Club managers can begin by taking the following action.

Take a deep breath

You’ll want to hit the ground running, as your excitement for change will drive you to get as much done as quickly as possible; however, slow change represents permanent change. Making slow changes allows you to prioritize your plans and identify the most critical issues to introduce first. The best way to start is for you to assess your political climate and capital honestly. Creating governance changes without trust from your Club President or Board is a non-starter. If you have none, establish trust by developing relationships and bank some easy operational wins first. However, if you believe you have the political capital to embark on this journey, create a list of what you want to accomplish and prioritize these based on how much energy and disruption the changes will cause you, your team, Board, and membership. A word of caution: any governance change will require more effort and take longer than you expect.

Start with the less controversial

Unless you have a well-oiled governance model, suggesting to your Board that you reduce your Board size from 13 to 9 or suggesting that you revamp your nominating process is unwise. Upon arriving at a new Club, introduce less controversial suggestions like using formal Board motions and consent agendas. Perhaps introduce the idea of creating a responsibility matrix to ensure that we identify everyone’s roles. Or start with conducting new Board member and new president orientations. Governance is a team sport!

Put it in writing

No matter how skilled you are as an orator, nothing is as effective in creating sustainable and permanent change as putting your request in writing. Writing down your governance plan accomplishes several objectives. First, by writing

down what you want your Board to do, you are documenting your talking points and ensuring what you are requesting is feasible as you have described it. Secondly, you can provide history and context, so the Board can better understand the issues both now and in the past.

Don’t push them hard

You just got back from the Managers conference, and you heard multiple speakers talk about how you should do things and what you should have in place. You want to share how the “great Clubs” do it right. But unfortunately, that is not an effective strategy. We assume that they’ll come around if we remind members again or give them more facts, figures, or reasons. Don’t push them hard. As Gregg Paterson, Founder and President of “Tribal Magic!!!” says, give them “the nudge” instead. Remember, slow change makes for permanent and purposeful change’.

Conclusions

Every well-functioning family has a minimum set of rules and expectations, respect for each other and a strong leader (parents). The Golf Club businesses requires the same.

We cannot change human behaviour, but we can try to create a good governance model for our Clubs that minimise the impact of adverse behaviour and optimise the effectiveness of our Boards and GMs - for the betterment of Clubs.

The most important things a Board can do is to develop the strategic plan for the Club, employ the right GM and incorporate good governance into the operation. It is also imperative that the Board utilises business intelligence and data analytics to make objective, sound financial and capital decisions for the future.

The most important things a GM can do is work with the Board on good governance, keep the Board well informed, report against agreed strategic and financial outcomes, take responsibility and ensure meetings are well prepared for. Wherever possible, good GMs take Boards out of the firing line, reducing politics in favour of focus on strategies and outcomes. Good GMs partner with their Boards in the pursuit of the Club’s vision.

As a starting point, let’s get governance onto your Board agendas and make working in Clubs as a GM or volunteering to be a director, a better experience.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David has been on the team of GBAS since 2021, engaging in projects to help clubs with strategic planning, operational reviews, special projects, training, benchmarking and mentoring. He is the author of several articles and publications pertaining to club management. David is also a Principal Advisor with EnvoyGolf, a leading recruitment firm in the golf industry.

David is the former general manager of the New South Wales Golf Club, a role he held from 1996 to 2020. He is a Life member and past president of Golf Management Australia and past director on the board of the Australian Golf Industry Council.

David holds an undergraduate degree in business, a Chartered Accountancy designation as well as a post-graduate Diploma in Professional Golf Management.

With a storied tenure at NSW GC, David’s experience is extensive, having been involved in the development of several strategic plans, multiple building developments including clubhouse and golf shop, works depot, state of the art practice and teaching facilities and has overseen the development of a new club constitution. He was also the General Manager when the club hosted several professional golf tournaments including the Australian Open.

Email: david@golfbas.com

Phone: +61 419 462 442

www.golfbas.com

Risk Management & Insurance

Victor Insurance recently attended the NSW GMA Conference to join a discussion panel on the subject of risk management. At the end of the discussion, a question from the floor enquired if insurance premiums would continue to rise.

As a commercial business, like golf clubs, insurance companies cannot afford for its expenses to exceed its revenue. In other words, for an insurance business, premium collected needs to be greater than claims paid. It makes sense therefore that the level of claims paid influences the level of premium collected. In one sense, that becomes the answer to the question posed from the floor.

As an example, we can look at two different policies required by golf clubs, a Volunteers Workers policy and a Property policy. In the past six years, the claims paid on Volunteer Workers policies have been stable and the premium has hardly moved. In the same period, claims for property damage have been extremely volatile meaning we have witnessed a fair degree of resulting movement in premium.

A healthy strategy to stabilise the cost of a golf club's insurance premium can be to reduce the frequency and quantum of the claims paid across the golf club industry. Two factors can achieve this outcome; the insurer can reduce the cover provided in a policy, which can effectively cap the claims that are paid, and/or the golf club can take mitigating action to reduce the frequency and severity of any damage. This brings us back to the subject of the panel discussion at the NSW GMA Conference, risk management. The stability and sustainability of quality insurance options at a reasonable cost is not the only reason to implement risk management, but it is a good one.

Combined with other reasons such as safety for members, guests and staff, it elevates the active management of risk to a vital pillar in the business of running a golf club. How to go about conducting risk management is something general managers and their boards need to consider as a best fit for their golf clubs. External assistance in the form of professional consultants are available but do not dismiss the value of simple models and frameworks available via an easy on-line search. The basic steps of risk identification, assessment, mitigating actions, monitoring and reporting can be tailored to a framework suiting any golf club.

The GMA network of members is a fantastic resource to tap into on this subject. Risk management is not a new, ground-breaking topic, there are plenty of great ideas, models and frameworks already in use. A greater collective effort to reduce risk across the industry will certainly have a positive effect on the stability of club insurances. The question from the floor at the NSW GMA Conference may not be a simple yes / no answer but nor does it have to be a complex matter to achieve a vital outcome.

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

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

© 2023 Victor Insurance Pty Ltd. All Rights reserved.

An Unexpected Surprise

And yet one more chef (chefbillyb) remarked, “I always walked my dining room; one day my hostess asked me, do I walk the dining room so I can get all the compliments? I told her no; I make sure there are no complaints. I can’t correct a problem unless my customer knows I am out for their best interests and approachable to correct their concerns.”

There’s a stereotype that says chefs have big egos. My son has told me that this is often true. And he ought to know. He’s a former country club chef.

And apparently, it’s not just a prevailing perception. It appears to be a fact. Any restaurateur will tell you the same. In fact, according to Restaurant Business, “A new ranking of jobs by the self-assessed skill level of the holder confirms what restaurateurs have known since the invention of fire: The biggest egos under their roof tend to be the ones in the kitchen.”

Why? As one chef posted in the Chef Talk online forum for professional chefs, “To be a chef, one must have a certain amount of ego or more appropriately, an unwavering confidence in one’s ability to lead while simultaneously being creative. This can sometimes be mistaken for ego.”

Another individual commented, “These (chefs) are people that work long hours in very hot environments with sharp knives … get to the point quickly.” How true, I thought.

What chefbillyb said reminds me of what my son used to tell me – that an important part of his job every day was to stroll through the dining room and talk with the club’s members.

In addition to being chef in chief, he was tasked with being schmoozer in chief; fortunately, he’s an excellent schmoozer.

So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see the executive chef, sous chef or other back-of-house staff member strolling through the dining room in their toque blanche. It’s become somewhat of an expectation – not only among club employees but also among members.

A close friend of mine told me that he’d recently arrived early for a 9 a.m. committee meeting at his private club and decided to bide his time in the club’s otherwise-deserted casual dining venue. (At 9 a.m. on a cold winter morning in Michigan, absolutely nothing is happening.)

While my friend was sitting – and gazing at the news broadcasts on the venue’s giant TV screens – the executive chef happened to stroll through the room.

Spotting my friend silently sitting there, he spun around and asked him, “Is there something I can get for you? Coffee? Something to eat?”

My friend thanked him profusely

and declined since his meeting would be starting shortly. But what was particularly memorable for him that morning was that with his simple question, the exec chef had done something totally unexpected – he’d expressed an awareness and interest in my friend’s well-being, beyond designated on-duty/regular dining room hours and the “requirements” of his job. In that simple exchange, he’d totally dispelled the myth of the egocentric chef.

He was going the extra mile. And when you think about it, isn’t that what delivering excellent customer service means? Delivering service that’s above and beyond what’s expected?

They say it’s the little things in life that matter. People appreciate it when others notice them and say or do something to make their life a little simpler or happier. In this case, it didn’t cost a single penny. And it usually doesn’t require moving heaven and earth. All you need to do is show that you care.

Reproduced with permission from BoardRoom magazine, May/June 2023. Nancy Levenburg, PhD, is professor emerita in management from the Seidman College of Business at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, MI. She has published hundreds of articles in business and professional journals, and has assisted over 200 organizations with strategic planning, marketing strategy and improving operations. She is the president of Edgewater Consulting and is a member of Spring Lake Country Club in Spring Lake, MI

“If you do build a great experience, customers tell each other about that word of mouth is very powerful.”

Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO of Amazon

NANCY LEVENBURG, PHD BOARDROOM MAGAZINE

An insight into building a winning club service culture

GMA’s recent BMI week spent at Elanora Country Club was a chance for participants to not only learn the BMI content and network on lived experiences, it was a chance to see the quality of a great staff service culture on display for members and guests.

GMA CEO, Paul Vardy, took a few minutes to talk with Geoff Black, Elanora CC’s Sports & Operations Manager, about what they do.

Geoff is also Chair of the Staff Cultural Champions Committee.

PV. Geoff, tell us about the club and your role.

GB. The club is a fully private club in Sydney’s northern beaches with just over 1200 members with country club facilities in addition to golf such as lodge accommodation, tennis, bowls and croquet.

As sports & operations manager, I report to Cathy Neagle, the general manager, one of the best club GMs in the country.

I started at Elanora CC in September of 2018 moving from a director of golf role over to a role focused more on operations. I’ve been a full vocational member of the PGA since 2010. At the start of my employment at the club, the director of golf moved on and there was some movement of staff. This provided an opportunity for me to change the structure of the sports department and work on setting up a new employment structure and new processes in this area of operations. Over the years we have turned this section of the club's operation into a fantastic members service hub where we offer unique services such as bag drop/collection for members. The sports team is now led by golf operations manager, Lauren Hibbert, also a PGA member.

Fortunately, I’m now able to devote a larger amount of time to learning about the operations of the club as a whole and continuing to learn more from Cathy.

PV. As a leader of staff and an appointment of the board, how would you describe Cathy's leadership style? GB. I do report to Cathy, and I would describe her leadership style as transformational in that Cathy is very open to listening and coaching us through situations. She focuses on clear communication, goal setting and employee motivation. She has been a great leader and I have been absolutely blessed to have been able to work with her for these past years.

PV. As a senior manager, how do you lead? What is your philosophy on leadership?

GB. For myself, I would like to think I am a coaching style of leader. I have led several teams in the golf operations sector and also have a history of coaching golf both here in Australia and spending two years teaching a junior academy in China. I feel very comfortable coaching people on how to achieve the most desirable outcomes for the business.

PV. Geoff, I was impressed with the high level of service at Elanora CC for members and guests.

Can you tell me about this?

GB. At Elanora, we pride ourselves in providing friendly professionalism in our service. Our staff are very valued by both the membership and management, and we try to ensure we engage in upskilling of our staff wherever possible and continually developing their skills.

PV. Culture is a big one. You can see it in the way your staff go about their business. How do you manage and enhance a healthy culture?

GB. When I arrived at Elanora, we decided at an executive level to try a different approach to reviewing our club culture amongst the staff. Instead of doing a program we had been undertaking successfully for many years, we changed and engaged a company with a focused culture program developed specifically for the club. Part of this process was exploring what Elanora meant to each of us at an executive level, at management level and at an all-employee level.

This took place over the course of a week. At each new session, the members of the previous sessions were instructed not to influence the decisions of the additional employees taking part in the workshop. After two days held off site nearby, we produced five phrases that summarised our culture and our deliverables which all staff wanted to achieve on behalf of the club - they were:

• We win together;

• We go above & beyond;

• We respect each other;

• We have a passion for excellence;

• We say YES before NO. These were the values and behaviours that the staff created.

PV. How did you find this process and how did your colleagues find it?

GB. Personally, I found the whole process so engaging and powerful as everyone was a part of it, and we were able to discuss freely what the club and our standards each meant to us on an individual level and how that may or may not align with everyone else involved.

To hear that an employee from one area may have higher standards than someone from another area and how they are somewhat relatable and representable of us all was quite a powerful message.

PV. What did you do next?

GB. Next, we refined the list above and created a set of values that worked alongside these statements which would be relevant club-wide for staff, board, and a member perspective. Our values are summarised by the acronym, C.A.R.E which stands for Camaraderie, Accountable, Respect and Excellence.

We have also since reworked the club's mission statement to “Elanora Country Club is our home by the sea, offering an exceptional golfing, sporting and social experience for our members and guests .” Elanora translates to “home by the sea” in the local aboriginal language.

PV. How do you then go about living the values and club’s mission?

GB. All these values and the mission statement only mean so much if you can’t find the people to deliver it and live by it.

So here at Elanora, we also developed a Cultural Champions Committee which we aim to meet twice a month and we discuss ways to enhance the culture within the club. This is including regular activities, communication and suggestions to the executive team on action that could be taken.

PV. I must say I saw the results on full display in the BMI week we spent at Elanora. Staff were great. When I had a hit of golf with Barry West after his presentation, we stopped to ask a course member which way to the next tee. I was amazed when he got out of the bunker he was raking and walked over to give us directions. It’s things like this that show the difference in standard.

GB. Great to hear this feedback. We also have a strong Rewards and Recognition program that we support. We are always looking at recommendations on ways we can further influence the culture at the club. We have highlighted at an executive level that some areas which could be improved upon are our

induction processes for new employees and we are reviewing this currently. The Cultural Champions Committee will make suggestions to the executive committee on ways we may improve. The management team will then work on what and how it will be adopted.

Cathy Neagle, Jake Gibbs (Head of Grounds), Tina Rutzou (Events Manager) and myself were fortunate enough to attend the 2022 GMA National Conference in Melbourne and I recall there was a lot of focus on staffing retention and attraction. After that conference, we came back to Elanora and really wanted to ensure we continued to focus on these areas through continued work on the culture at the club. This would at the very least make an employee really consider if it is worth a few extra dollars to move away to another role within our industry or not.

With the work we are doing on our induction process, we really feel this will engage with our newest employees on what type of organisation they are joining and how much we pride ourselves on our culture and work ethic at the club. This will make them feel welcomed and valued at the outset. There are many other areas which we will focus on over the coming years and continually review. Having a great culture at the club is a real positive and it takes work from all involved.

As the chair of the Cultural Champions Committee and a member of the executive team, we must be seen to always be in line with cultural values, and I have a another simple mantra that a former employee passed down to me which I try to live by at work every day - “If you walk passed it, then that’s your standard.”

PV. Geoff, this has been a fascinating insight into building a winning club service culture. Congratulations to you, Cathy and your team and thanks for sharing what you are doing.

For more information on Elanora Country Club, click here to visit their website.

The sweet spot: Finding the best scale of membership fee increases

Are you concerned that increasing your golf club's membership fees by too much will cause an uproar?

Fear not. With a focus on customer experience and great persuasive skills, you can actually increase fees by almost two digits without causing a massive churn.

Imagine finding yourself in a tricky situation where your current income is no longer enough to cover your expenses. Perhaps your main sponsor pulled out, or the electricity bill has tripled since last year.

In this situation, you may consider raising membership fees to cover the shortfall. But this can be a tough decision because you surely don't want to charge members too much and risk making them angry or losing them.

So, this leads to the million-dollar question: How much can you crank up the fee without stepping on your members' toes?

The average limit is not necessarily your golden limit

Our latest data uncovers the secret to striking the perfect balance when increasing membership fees. And spoiler alert:

"On average, a golf club can increase its membership fee by up to 8% without causing more members to either leave or downgrade their memberships, as compared to smaller price increases."

Players 1st

But wait a minute before you bump up the fee. Because we can't guarantee that your club will triumph with an 8% increase. After all, we are only talking about averages.

And not all clubs have the same potential for raising membership fees, as this is influenced by different key factors. One of them is how members feel about a possible fee increase based on characteristics like NPS or age

So, how can you make this fresh data about the scale of the fee increase work for your club?

Knowing the average point at which members start leaving due to an increase in fees is useful, but it's not the holy grail. The data shows that focusing solely on this limit isn't nearly as crucial as focusing on your effort to reach it.

Players 1st

Prioritize members to achieve the highest possible tipping point

Our data shows that members generally are willing to pay quite a lot extra before they find the increase too much and decide to leave the club. And this information is a keystone if you want to increase the fees as much as possible.Let's dive into the numbers and see why.

In contrast, an 8% increase might sound like a lot. And as the graph shows, more of your members agree. In this situation, fewer members will definitely stay.

But the more aggressive approach doesn't necessarily mean losing more golfers. And this is why.

If you increase your membership fee by 4%, it might not seem like a big deal. And in fact, nearly 70% of your members think the same. These members will stay despite the small price change.

When doubling the scale of the increase, we see a 10% difference in people who are in two minds about their decision. So, a slight increase of 4%? Fine. An increase of 8%? Give me a second. The doubt kicks in more heavily at the higher price change. But eventually, this doubt can be your key to success.

On average, if a club convinces all the members in doubt to stay, it can actually achieve a retention rate of 83% that'll be the same at 8% as it would be at 4%.

Players 1st

But this success is not easy to achieve. First of all, effective communication with your members is essential in this matter. But it's not just about telling them what's happeningyou also need to take the time to listen to their feedback and concerns.

And this leads over to the member experience. If your club doesn't offer a great atmosphere, fantastic service, and tasty food, why would members be willing to pay more to be there? By prioritizing both communication and member experience, you can maximize

your potential for a fee increase and see the returns you're looking for when going for a high fee hike.

Doing the increase wrong can lead to frightening results

By now, you've learned about your club's potential and whether your members are likely to stay or waver when you raise their membership fees by a certain scale. But let's face it. There's a less exciting aspect to this topic.

Because how many members will downgrade their membership or even leave if they have to pay more for their current memberships?

Some of your members are already considering leaving the club soon, regardless of any increase or none. Those members are a part of the natural churn that most golf clubs experience and a price rise will most likely trigger them to leave.

Players 1st

Also, some members or guests might not find the pricier membership worth it. If those members decide to stay anyway, they will most likely downgrade their membership, for example, from a full-time membership to a flexible membership with restricted playing rights.

Retaining flex members at the club is, of course, better than them quitting, but you still miss out on the potential to maintain them as standard members.

there's still a risk that more members will join them.

In the best-case scenario, a golf club can persuade all the doubting members to keep their existing membership, resulting in the same percentage (17%) of members downgrading or canceling their membership as with a lower increase. But in the worst-case scenario, all of them decide to either leave or go for a cheaper membership, causing this percentage to skyrocket to 43%.

CxM experts can aim for double-digit percentage increases

So, while a high rise of 8% on average may have the same output as a lower increase, it won't benefit you if you can't convince the members in doubt to stay.

But what does actually happen if you are knee-deep in utility bills and feel the urgency to raise the fee intensely?

On average, a 12% increase causes the number of golfers who either claim to leave or downgrade their membership to rise to 25%, which is much higher than when increasing the fee by a smaller amount.

Players 1st

In short, once you cross the 8% threshold, members might feel like the increase is too steep, and they may start looking elsewhere for their golfing needs. But of course, this all depends on your club's work with member experience before the increase and how well you can convince your members to stick around.

Let's say your club is a CxM powerhouse with great relationships with your members. In that case, you might be able to pull off a double-digit increase and actually benefit from it. And if you're excellent at damage control, you can minimize the fallout from cancellations.

DID YOU KNOW...

2023 GMA Member Insights Survey

Inflation and price rises the number one issue

Of all the issues that GMA general managers expect to face over the next twelve months, price rises and inflation was number one. Inflation had been low for well over a decade but in the past 18 months it has been very much back. For golf clubs, it has seen costs increase across many core areas of spending. Not surprisingly, most clubs have increased their subscriptions between 4% and 8%. The impact this has on each club will differ between each club, but with high demand for golf, the hope is that the vast majority of members will stay.

Research by Players 1st, regardless of results, prompts considerations around the impact of increasing fees.

WHAT HAS/ARE YOUR SUBSCRIPTIONS INCREASING IN 2023?

The interesting part is that the number of members who say they'll leave or downgrade their membership remains the same whether you increase the fee by 4% or 8%. But

Reproduced with permission from the Let's Talk Golf website.

Click here to read the original article, or to read other relevant content.

Golf demand keeps on coming

“We’re seeing 200 rounds a day. The course needs a rest.” That was the comment from Adam Hayes, GM at Patterson River Country Club at the end of September. Its not an uncommon tale.

And if you think you’re seeing more players than ever, you probably are. The main chart above shows an upward trendline over four years. As shown in the green bar, more than 250,000 players are now consistently recording competition rounds each month through GolfLink.

Table 1 (top right), shows a phenomenal 8.6% increase in the number of golfers who record competition rounds.

Table 2 (bottom right) shows that rounds recovered in 2022-23 with 6.2% growth on the previous fiscal year.

Somewhat ironically, the weather affected rounds recorded in 2021-22, at 10,706,276, was almost the same number of rounds in the full calendar year 2019, before Covid, which was 10,706,980.

In terms of rounds as recorded in GolfLink, there hasn’t been a period of time where all the moons have aligned and that was mostly due to wet weather.

First it was Covid restrictions that limited golf in 2020 and 2021 (largely Melbourne’s world record 262 days of lock down).

This followed the big wet with Queensland rounds impacted in a bunch of months throughout 2021 and 2022, NSW between February and July 2022, and Victoria between August and November 2022. So, between early 2020 and the end of 2022, demand for golf hasn’t been fully realised.

But like the aluminium man in Terminator 2 Judgement Day, it keeps coming back with a steely focus despite how many shots are fired at it.

In the GMA Member Insights Survey in July, we asked how managers rated the level of demand for golf over the past 12 months? The rating was high with a 4.1 out of 5, (5 being very high).

How would they estimate general demand for golf in the next 12 months? The answer was a 3.6, which is medium to high.

This may be managers hedging their bets that the current demand won’t necessarily be sustained. However, the dry and warm months of July and August 2023 already show rounds continuing to track up. The weather is heating up and just how this impacts rounds, only time will tell. We may just be on track to break new rounds records over 2023/24.

Of the 11,366,904 handicapped rounds nationally last financial year, 54.6% of them came in the second half. With impacts of Covid and wet weather behind us, golf is now really hitting records. Nationally, members are averaging over a million rounds each month in 2023.

Table 1: FYTD Players Both Genders - All Locations

Table 2: FYTD Rounds Both Genders - All Locations

PAUL VARDY • CEO, Golf Management Australia

Recycling Golf Balls: A Q&A with John Harrington

Golf Ball Recycling (GBR) is a company set up to reduce waste by recycling old golf balls. GBR is endorsed by GA, PGA and the Australian Golf Industry Council. Paul Vardy talks with its founder John Harrington

PV. John, tell me about Golf Ball Recycling?

JH. We established GBR in Melbourne in 2021 having identified the potential to reduce waste by recovering used golf balls at the end of their life and harvesting the material to turn them into other useable products. Waste is a big issue. In 2022, Australia generated around 76 million tonnes of waste, with approximately 27% of that going directly to landfill. That’s around 20.5 million tonnes (or mega-tonnes) of landfill material!

I’m an avid golfer and keen supporter of addressing climate change, so this is a way to help reduce waste and landfill.

PV. Who’s involved with golf ball recycling?

JH. We work with local councils, golf clubs and driving ranges across the country to help clean up after years of golf littering in public spaces, waterways, rivers and beaches.

PV. How does GBR get the golf balls and what do they become?.

JH. GBR provides a Click Fore Collect Service where collection bins are distributed to golf courses, driving ranges, and golf retail stores. We not only collect commercial golf ball waste but also provide the general public with an opportunity to dispose of unwanted golf balls.

The golf balls are collected and transported to processing plants across Australia and pelletised into useable resource material to be used in a variety of ways.

GBR recycles and re-purposes used golf ball material into products such as non-structural concrete, playground equipment, street furniture, and drainage infrastructure to name a few.

In addition to GBR's Click Fore Collect Service, GBR also provides businesses within the golfing industry an opportunity to partake in their new Waste Management Planning Program (WMP) . The WMP is implemented in conjunction with existing environmental management or waste management plans.

Currently more organisations are actively participating in the ‘Circular Economy' – the cycle of taking materials from the earth, manufacturing, using, and disposing of them as ‘waste’. By actively reducing the amount or type of materials

purchased, consumed, and sent to landfill, organisations are reducing their company costs as well as reducing their environmental impact.

Businesses that participate in GBR's WMP program are endorsed with an Ecotick Certification. All businesses participating in the program can display their official Ecotick symbol which identifies them as actively reducing waste across the golfing industry.

Golf businesses can take advantage of GBR's end-to-end (e2e) service when purchasing new golf balls from their suppliers.

GBR works with major manufacturers to provide a reverse logistic service. This means when companies purchase new golf balls, their old golf balls will be collected and taken away for recycling.

For every tonne of golf balls that are recycled, that's a tonne of golf balls that won't end up in landfill.

PV. How can golf clubs and golf facilities get involved?

JH. Clubs and golf facilities can register interest for any of the above services by calling 1300 427 329 or visiting www.golfballrecycling.com.au to get the ball rolling. Literally.

For more information about GBR's end-to-end (e2e) service, email sales@golfballrecycling.com.au

History made with first woman captain at Kooyonga

At venerable Kooyonga Golf Club in South Australia, history has been made with the appointment of Zoee Dolling as the first woman as club Captain in its 100-year life.

Dolling struck the first blow for Saturday competition with a hickory club from the first tee on the weekend, complete with the ringing out of a shotgun blast for the traditional ‘firing in ceremony’ for a new Captain.

An engineer and project manager who is already a committee member at Kooyonga and a past chair of Golf South Australia, she came to golf a few years ago after taking on the role as head of volunteers at the Women’s Australian Open. She is well and truly smitten with the game.

Her appointment - along with Imelda Lynch’s elevation to become Captain of nearby Glenelg, and Nicolle Rantanen Reynolds’ recent election as President of Grange – is being hailed as a massive cultural change for golf in South Australia if not the whole country.

Outgoing Captain Crawford Giles said: “We have moved past gender at Kooyonga. Committee and members agreed that Zoee Dolling was the

standout candidate with the suitable skill sets to lead our club.”

Dolling acknowledges the historical nature of her appointment although her agenda is for a gender-neutral future. She told members when elected at the Annual General Meeting last Thursday night: “We now move into the next century of Kooyonga’s history, and I have no doubt we will look back with pride at the transformation we have achieved.”

The response to her appointment, she says, has been overwhelming. “Members are embracing the change because I think they can all see that diversity strengthens our club and enriches the experiences of all our members.

“I highly encourage women to get involved in the management of their golf clubs. There are so many opportunities to help drive change, and it’s been such a rewarding

experience. There are really strong support networks out there, and we’re all here to help in any way we can.”

Giles added: “Whilst it is nice for Kooyonga to have its first female Captain, Zoee has the role because she is the best person to do the job at this point in time.

"She has outstanding commercial experience as an environmental engineer including considerable understanding of water tables, she has served at Golf SA including as Chair and understands the industry and has embedded herself with the membership at Kooyonga initially in the women’s golf and social program but more recently in the past three or four years choosing to upgrade to Category One membership and participating in the major club events and social programs.

“Her contributions on committee have been considered but also at times forthright, albeit at all times balanced and her delivery has always been very respectful. I am very confident that the club will move forward under Zoee’s leadership and look forward to supporting her and the full committee from the sidelines.”

MARTIN BLAKE • Golf Australia

Zoe Dolling strikes the ceremonial tee shot as captain of Kooyonga

New Chair appointed for Golf Australia

The Golf Australia (GA) Board has appointed experienced director and businessman Peter Margin as the Chair of Golf Australia, effective from today (September 28).

Margin succeeds Andrew Newbold who earlier this year announced he would be finishing his successful term as Chair after almost four years in the role and more than five years as a director.

The outgoing Newbold oversaw golf in a transformational period for the game, highlighted by the move of GA to the Australian Golf Centre and the delivery of the first industry strategy for the game between its peak bodies, along with guiding the organisation through Covid-19 and the transition of CEOs.

With the strategy now in full flight and golf continuing to experience a boom in participation and interest, Margin brings more than 40 years of business experience to the sport, most recently as Executive Chairman for beverage giant Asahi from 20162020 during the acquisition of Carlton United Breweries and currently as the Deputy Chairman of Bega Cheese among other director position of ASX listed companies.

A passionate golf fan and participant from a young age, Margin said he was honoured to serve the game.

“I am incredibly grateful and excited to be joining the Golf Australia Board as its Chair,” he said.

“I’d like to thank the Board for entrusting me with the important responsibility of this position and I look forward to the role in supporting the game and the sport’s extraordinary growth trajectory.

“Andrew Newbold has done an outstanding job as Chair during a transformational time for the sport, and I’m privileged to be handed the leadership baton in both a successful and critical time for golf.

“Golf is one of the world’s great sports and plays an important part in so many people’s lives. As custodians

of golf in Australia, our responsibility is to serve the game and its golfers, and to ensure golf presents as an inviting and inclusive sport for everyone in this country.”

Outgoing Chair Andrew Newbold said Golf Australia was in a strong position to continue to move the game forward.

“It’s been a privilege to serve as a member of the Golf Australia Board and a huge honour to be the Chair of an organisation which has such a positive influence on so many Australians,” Newbold said.

“The collaborative effort that now exists across Australian Golf is exceptional and is one of several reasons why the outlook for golf in this country is so positive.

“It’s been a thrill to work with such a great team of people across all areas of the game, including James Sutherland who’s an outstanding CEO and the broader executive team who work tirelessly for the sport.

“I wish Peter and the Golf Australia Board all the best, knowing Australian Golf has a clear strategic direction and a great group of people leading our sport.”

Golf Australia Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland paid tribute to Newbold and the impact he has had on the game.

“On behalf of the Golf Australia management team and the Golf Australia Board, I’d like to thank Andrew for his contribution to the

ABOUT THE PROCESS

The search for the Golf Australia (GA) Chair position has been an extensive six-month process undertaken by the Nominations Committee, headed by independent chair Kevin Chandler, leading to today’s announcement of Peter Margin as GA Chair.

This includes actively seeking expressions of interest for the role via external channels, extended interviews by the Committee with shortlisted candidates and final recommendation of a select number of individuals that were interviewed by the entire GA Board. At the completion of this process and in accordance with the GA Constitution, the Board has determined that Peter Margin be appointed as a director and elected as GA Chair.

game having led Golf Australia through an important transformational period.

“His guidance and direction throughout his tenure, including dealing with challenging external factors such as Covid and the cancelation of tournaments cannot be underrated.

“The strong working relationship with the PGA of Australia is a product of his tenure, and the strategic alignment with PGA, WPGA and other industry bodies sees a sport that is growing and working together like never before.

“We wish Andrew, his wife Sarah and his family all the best for the future.”

Younger generation leading the charge at Southport Golf Club

being a full-time board member, to still have their say.

Luke Newman's journey from a junior member to a director on the board of Southport Golf Club is a testament to the club's commitment to inclusiveness and the empowerment of younger members.

Newman (pictured) was initially hesitant when he first heard about the “next generation” initiative being put forward at Southport, his golf home of 14 years. But now that he is literally on board, he sees the value in what it brings to help his club.

The 30-year-old is the newest board member at the Gold Coast club, and is leading a group of young members looking to offer a fresh perspective on club governance.

Newman has played in pennant teams, been involved in interclub activities, but admitted that when Southport’s next generation committee initiative was first introduced, he took some convincing.

The committee was started in 2020 as a response to younger members wishing to be more involved in the club and has encouraged these younger members to have their say on club

governance and attract them to the board.

The next generation committee has since grown to 10-plus members aged 30-45. They hold monthly meetings hosted by Newman who then expresses the committee’s ideas and feelings to the board.

“I’ll take the same issues the board is discussing for the month to the nextgen committee and ask, ‘what would our perspective be on this’, you know that 25-45 age bracket,” he said.

The next generation committee have also taken the reigns on events and promotions of interest to younger members. They organised the “Balter Bolt”, a nine-hole team event on Friday afternoons, and club participation in The Longest Day charity event.

Newman outlined that having a younger voice had been beneficial across a wide variety of club activities. Celebrating its centenary next year, Southport has turned to the next-gen committee for advice on everything from event planning to specialised merchandise.

This sub-committee and their meetings, while encouraging young members to have an interest on being on the board, also allow members, who do not have the time to devote to

One of the main goals of Newman and the next-gen committee is to make their club and golf in general more inclusive. Newman is especially passionate about improving gender inclusivity, and says Southport is moving in the direction of genderless tees, and genderless memberships, a positive step forward for the historic club.

While Newman is likely to be an inspiration for future young members to step up, he credits current general manager (and GMA member) Bernadette Lance with encouraging him to join the board.

“[Lance] being quite a young general manager, and also working her way up through the golf club, she always encouraged me,” he said.

“The way she’s looking at adapting golf, especially as a woman, she’s got a different perspective than previous general managers.”

Newman’s positive experience and the success of the next-gen initiative at Southport Golf Club serve as a recommendation for other clubs to adopt a similar approach.

By involving younger members in decision-making processes and giving them a voice, clubs can foster a sense of unity, bridge generational gaps, and ensure a vibrant future for golf.

PATRICK TAYLOR • Golf Australia

Public golfers to benefit from Hamersley redevelopment

The multi-million dollar Hamersley Public Golf Course redevelopment is set to start in October.

The redevelopment was approved by City of Stirling Council in April this year, kicking off a competitive sixmonth tender process with the project completion date now earmarked for summer 2024.

The scope of work includes:

• Redevelopment of the golf pavilion with a modern, open and flexible design

• The new golf pavilion to include a new restaurant, multi-purpose

function room, café/kiosk, alfresco area, toilets, pro shop and golf simulator room

• Replace existing driving range with two-tier, 30-bay facility with balltracking technology

• Upgrading the existing car park, including additional bays and improved access/egress from Marmion Avenue

• Improving paths and wayfinding for better movement between the golf pavilion, car park, golf course and driving range

• Minor course improvements including additional bunkers at certain holes and upgrading practice greens

Preparations for the start of construction are underway, with the temporary relocation of the pro shop and golf course reception area now being installed.

The course, in Perth's northern suburbs, attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year and is managed by the City of Stirling.

However, there have been limited upgrades to the 50-year-old golf course and the current facilities are deemed to no longer meet contemporary golf course standards or community expectations.

City of Stirling Council has awarded the tender to local contractor Cooper and Oxley Group Pty Ltd.

Strategy FOR Australian Golf 2022 – 2025

Strategic Pillars

Strategic Enablers

#ThankASuper Day: Geraldine O'Callaghan at Sandy Links

GMA Provisional member and former GMV women's scholarship winner, Geraldine O’Callaghan, starts her day at Sandy Golf Links on the Melbourne Sandbelt before most of us are even awake.

The Superintendent at the public course across the road from Royal Melbourne Golf Club and home of the Australian Golf Centre is running meetings with her team from 6am before getting on the tools to maintain the popular, reimagined Sandringham Golf Course.

“A general day can be irrigation, drainage, could be trimming the bunkers, changing the holes, or even repairs to anything else on the course we need to chainsaw work,” O’Callaghan said.

One of a handful of women filling the role of Golf Course Superintendent in Australia, the hard work she knows happens every day on courses around the country, and her own experience as a passionate golfer, makes O’Callaghan a big believer in Thank A Super Day, now a worldwide initiative celebrated on September 12.

“I think it is a great initiative. We also say that we are the unsung heroes because everyone comes to the golf

course to play golf,” she said.

“We are out there early mornings and sometimes, in the summer, it is late at night.

“It is a great way to say thank you. At Sandy we have regulars, not members being a public course, they will come up and say ‘Thank, you are doing a great job’, so to hear that and the feedback from the people who are enjoying our golf course it certainly goes a long way.”

Being Thank A Super Day, it would be remiss of O’Callaghan to not thank a few who have helped shape her impressive rise in the industry, included among them the man in charge of next door neighbour Royal Melbourne.

The ‘big brother’ across the road is part of the Sandy Golf Links maintenance operation, including sending staff on two-week stints over to “The Northside”.

“Obviously, one of my biggest mentors is Richard Forsyth, who is here at Royal Melbourne, but I’ve had some great Supers along my time,” O’Callaghan said.

“Craig Anthony, who’s now at Spring Valley and doing a great job there, Jon Mann, he’s also on the Sandbelt at Metropolitan Golf Club. I’ve had a lot of people influence my career.

“So thank you to all the guys that do

such a great job on the golf courses and encourage the new generation of golfers and greenkeepers.”

As for the unique job of looking after Sandy Golf Links, including its Himalayas putting green that takes two-and-a-half-hours to mow, O’Callaghan has loved seeing the facility evolve and grow.

“It's been fantastic, she said. “It is really good because all the philosophy is the same as Royal Melbourne.

“It is a lot of fun, there are always the hard days and stuff like that, but when people do say ‘It’s a mini Royal Melbourne’, that’s such a feather in our cap.

“It now has the Australian Golf Centre, and there is so much happening with the driving range and all the High Performance facilities, it just really is fantastic.”

Like all the Superintendents around the country, O’Callaghan will enjoy all that comes with Thank A Super Day and has some simple advice for how golfers can continue in the same spirit during their regular golf.

“For us it all really ultimately comes down to respect the golf course,” she said.

“Fill your divots, don’t walk your buggy across the green if that’s what happens at your golf course, or rake the bunker … try and leave things better than you find it.”

JIMMY EMANUEL • Golf Australia

Club Car and Ryder CupAn Enduring Partnership

Staging this week’s Ryder Cup is the largest logistical challenge in golf, but for the team at Club Car, this is nothing new.

In addition to providing vehicles and support to every Presidents Cup held in Australia since 1998, Club Car has been centre stage at the Ryder Cup since 1997. This week there’ll be over 500 Club Car vehicles at Marco Simone in Italy and the full story of how it’s all come together for over 25 years makes for great reading.

Click on the link and come along for

First Choice Services: Strengthening Community Ties in Southeast Queensland

In recent months, leading facilities management provider, First Choice Services has been at the heart of the vibrant golfing community in south east Queensland.

Beyond its core business operations, FCS has become a passionate sponsor of various events, reflecting its commitment to the golfing industry and making a significant impact on the community.

During mid-August, FCS proudly sponsored the Bribie Island Pro Am, a two day event that brought together professional and amateur golfers from across south east Queensland. More than just a tournament, it was a celebration of camaraderie and sportsmanship, made even more special by the presence of Australian golfing legend, Peter Senior.

What began as a partnership in July between First Choice Services

and Bribie Island Golf Club, has since developed into a strong relationship. National Sales Manager, David High, shared, "We’ve built a fantastic rapport with the club, and it’s great to come together for memorable events such as the Bribie Island Pro Am."

An event particularly important to First Choice Services is the Destiny Rescue Sports Luncheon, which FCS has hosted and sponsored for the last few years. Destiny Rescue, a notfor-profit organisation committed to combating child trafficking and sexual exploitation, received unwavering support at this year’s luncheon, held on 8th September. With over 200 attendees, it was a powerful display of unity towards a vital cause. FCS is dedicated to promoting awareness and furthering it's support for Destiny Rescue and their invaluable work.

On 16th September, First Choice Services once again demonstrated its commitment to the golfing community by sponsoring the Beerwah Cup, a

tournament that saw a record number of participants over the course of two exciting days.

Adding to its achievements, FCS has been nominated for the QLD Golfing Industry Award in the category of Supplier of the Year. The award ceremony scheduled for 19th October is a moment of profound honour for the company. It’s a humbling testament to how FCS’s commitment to excellence is recognised and valued.

Amidst this busy season, National Sales Manager, David High, takes off to Melbourne soon, furthering the company’s mission of expanding it's client base. FCS’s journey is one marked by commitment, camaraderie and continuous improvement, and it’s a journey that the golfing community proudly rallies behind.

Contact First Choice Services at:

P: 1300 544 166

E: support@firstchoiceservices.com.au

W: www.firstchoiceservices.com.au

Are I.T. systems at your venue at risk?

Experts at an international threat analysis company have ranked Australia as one of the most targeted countries at risk from devastating ransomware attacks. Hotels, restaurants, and leisure services (such as Golf Clubs) are ranked among the top 10 targeted industries.

How do you even know if your club is at risk?

Using a Managed IT service in your club gives the best security against hackers as these companies constantly monitor and update software patches to ensure there are no loopholes to exploit. Managed IT Services, such

as hospitality specialists Secom Technology Group, can complete Vulnerability Assessments and Penetration Testing to give you an overview of where you have areas in your systems and software that make you vulnerable.

In an interview at the recent Australasian Gaming Expo, Jason Drew, CEO of Secom Technology Group, advised that there are many areas in clubs that provide opportunities for hackers.

“Hospitality venues hold large data sets of members personal information, and with members and guests logging on to local open access Wi-Fi, and staff often sharing passwords, protecting that data is critical”.

One of the best ways to ensure that your IT systems and applications

are secure and resilient against cyber threats is by conducting regular vulnerability assessment and penetration testing on IT systems and applications.

Find out if your club is at risk today! Secom Technology Group can complete a cybersecurity & vulnerability scan and penetration test (including an Executive Summary Report) to ensure your venue is secure.

Call Secom Technology – Phone: 1300 781 224 and refer to this article for a discount on a pentest at your club.

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

Solar Power vs El Niño and Rising Energy Costs

Solar is certainly not new to the golf community - at last count (mid 2022) nearly 40% of Australian golf clubs had some form of solar on their clubhouses, maintenance sheds or water storages!

For those clubs without solar, now is the time to consider reducing your electricity spend with this reliable, clean and affordable form of energy.

In a recent declaration by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) , Australia finds itself in the throes of an El Niño climate pattern. Linked to increased droughts, heatwaves, bushfires and coral bleaching, some of the driest winterspring periods across the east coast have coincided with El Niño events. This pattern will invariably lead to an increased energy demand for cooling,

as well as strain on grid infrastructure, potentially raising electricity prices further.

Enervest is one of Australia’s most experienced and trusted renewable energy companies. Operating for 15 years, we have seen the up and downs of this highly competitive industry and stand stronger than ever to service our customer base.

In addition to commercial solar systems, Enervest is leading Australia’s energy transition as a developer of utility battery storage and commercial/ industrial renewable energy projects.

For further information, please contact:

Jason Downes - 0499 198 320 Business Development Manager www.enervest.com.au

“The 100kW solar system Enervest installed for us earlier this year saves the club around $2000 per month.”

Barb Kelly, CEO Chirnside Park Golf Club and Board Member, GMA

If you’re considering a new or expanded solar system for 2023/2024, here’s a summary of your options:

ALREADY HAVE SOLAR

1. Increase your existing solar system

2. Install on a separate NMI (i.e. shed)

3. Install a battery

4. Increase your Feed in Tariff through an SGA (no upfront cost)

NO SOLAR

1. Capital Purchase – upfront payment

2. Payment plan – rental agreement – 10 years

3. Payment plan – chattel mortgage – 10 years

4. PPA – Power Purchase Agreement –7 to 30 years