Golf Management Australia would like to sincerely thank all our valued partners for their ongoing support of GMA and our members.
MAJOR PARTNER of Golf Management Australia
PREMIER PARTNERS
NETWORKING PARTNERS
NATIONAL BUSINESS PARTNERS
Welcome to the spring edition of the GMA Journal.
The recent months have been a whirlwind of activity with our members and their staff actively participating in various networking and professional development opportunities.
This year, we are excited to introduce scholarships and bursaries for 2025, available to all. These opportunities include scholarships for the CMAA World Conference in Tampa, Florida, scheduled for 5th to 9th February, and bursaries for various GMA events throughout 2025, such as the summits in March and June, and four BMI events between February and September. You can find more details on our website. Our awards nights are underway across the country and I want to extend my congratulations to all nominees. Being recognized for your significant contributions to our industry is an honour, regardless of who wins. Looking ahead, GMA's AGM is set for
Friday, 29th November 2024. This meeting will be notable as the first AGM since our associations merged. We invite members to join us either in person or online. The 2023/24 Annual Report and notice of meeting will be distributed shortly.
This past year has been notably successful, highlighted by the completion of our merger, a wellreceived conference, a profit of $55,772 and a membership increase of 9%. I would like to thank every member, our staff, and our partners, for their contributions to this significant year.
The election process for the 2024/25 board is complete and we are pleased to announce that Kieran Semple and Barbara Kelly will continue as appointed directors.
We trust you will enjoy this spring edition and the feature article on Jessica Wood from The Dunes Golf Links.
We look forward to your continued engagement at upcoming GMA events.
Did anyone mention Brisbane won a
Golf Management Australia (GMA) is a national body representing the golf club management industry with a vision of developing and supporting leaders in the profession of golf and club management in Australia.
Golf Management Australia Ltd. PO Box 859
CROYDON VIC 3136 www.golfmanagement.com.au
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Aaron Muirhead (Chair) Oxley GC, QLD
Kieran Semple (Deputy Chair) The Coast GC, NSW
Damien Todorovic The Western Australian GC, WA Brenden Ellam Castle Hill CC, NSW
Barbara Kelly Chirnside Park CC, VIC Mathew Loughnane Yarra Yarra GC, VIC Mark Tan Royal Adelaide GC, SA
GMA TEAM
Paul Vardy Chief Executive Officer
Leigh Monti Commercial Manager
Courtney Flores NSW/ACT, National Programs
Mike Orloff QLD Manager
David Brand SA/NT Manager, National Media/Comms
Rod Haines VIC/TAS Manager, National Finance
Jodie Alaban WA Manager
& LINKS:
• GMA Connect
• Member Directory
• Event Calendar
• Industry News
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.
PAUL VARDY
Spring is here and there’s a lot going on in golf.
Along with extra turf growth there’s plenty of wild weather and longer daylight hours. With the sun shining, it's easy to find time slips as you’re working and “Oh Lordy!” it's well past 6pm.
GMA members will be having more golf events and functions now, to improve those monthly trading figures from winter.
There’s a big change planned by Golf Australia as the transition from GolfLink to Golf Connect is rolled out, part of a broader digital strategy. This is occupying a lot of discussion at present with the many stakeholders.
The Golf Summit was held in Melbourne and the main golf tournaments for the year, the Australian Open and PGA Championship are just around the corner.
GMA Professional development continues at a steady pace. BMI Club Management was a huge success in August and we’re looking forward to BMI Leadership Principles in midOctober.
It’s been wonderful to see 190 GMA members and club staff join the Food & Beverage Success seminars in September with the highly talented Liz Perkins. In addition to the great content, the networking and on-going connections from participants is quite
brilliant. To coordinate events in five cities over two weeks is right up there with a Taylor Swift world tour in my view, so a big thanks to Courtney for doing a seamless job. A recording of the Sydney workshop will be available for viewing online soon for those who couldn’t attend a session.
Talking online, a lot happens in this space these days as it is an efficient way to keep members informed on important topics.
GMA Connect gives an insight into what is topical for members, whether it be issues around carts, F&B levies, coring, what Ai tool to use for meetings, or policies on a huge range of things such as seniors discounting.
These and other topics often form the basis of member surveys so we know what’s most important to you. With two summits planned in 2025, we’ll be asking for members' thoughts in a survey in a few weeks.
Thanks to our presenters for recent webinars. Members have seen two webinars on accounting and reporting with Richard Comerford and an informative webinar from Paul Mullarvey on managing lithium-ion batteries. Mark in your diary for a HR related webinar with Daniel Simons in November with more to come in the new year.
Enjoy Spring.
NATIONAL SUMMIT IN PERTH
16th to 18th March 2025
Proudly presented by Schweppes Special international speakers to be announced shortly.
NATIONAL SUMMIT IN SYDNEY
16th to 17th June 2025
Proudly presented by Schweppes
More details to come in the next edition of the Journal.
We do not become satisfied by leading a peaceful and prosperous existence. Rather, we become satisfied when reality matches our expectations. The bad news is that as conditions improve, expectations balloon.
Prof. Yuval Noah Harari
Danny McGrath , formerly at Rosebud CC, has returned to the industry, recently appointed GM at Neangar Park GC in Bendigo.
Former GMA chair, Damon Lonnie , has resigned from Royal Melbourne GC, with Peter Stackpole appointed as interim GM whilst the club undertakes its recruitment process.
Blackwood GC GM and SA Chapter Committee member, Daniel Loveridge, has resigned to take a break from the industry before deciding on his next career move.
NEW GMA MEMBERS
NSW/ACT Chapter
Jeffrey Tomlinson (Shelly Beach GC); Matt Hilder* (Strathfield GC); Thomas Punnett* (Bonville Resort); Scott Williams^ (Shortees Golf); Michelle Swanepoel* (Moore Park GC); Grant Lomas* (Oatlands GC); Hayley McNeill* (Royal Sydney GC); QLD Chapter
Chris Hawkins* (Ballina GC); VIC & TAS Chapter
Jamie Medved (Barwon Valley GC); Ben Preston* (Metropolitan GC); Luke Bleumink* (Rosanna GC); Gerard Hanks (Tasmania GC); Lyndsay Sharp^ (Curlewis GC); Michael Nguyen* (Sandy GL);
WA Chapter
Richard Teuchert (Rockingham GC); Kristy Gregg* (Rockingham GC);
^ Golf Facility members * Provisional members
COURTNEY FLORES • National Programs Manager
As 2024 comes to a close, it’s clear this year has been a good one for both professional development and events across the country.
A personal highlight for me was the national conference, where members not only caught up with familiar faces but also had the chance to enhance their education and further their careers.
Looking ahead, 2025 is shaping up to offer even more opportunities for education and networking. I’m pleased to announce that, due to popular demand, we’ll be offering four BMI programs next year.
These include:
• GM/CEO: 17-21 February
• Food & Beverage: 19-23 May
• Club Management: 21-25 July
• Leadership Principles: 8-12 September In addition to the BMI programs, we’ll also be introducing two national summits, each
focused on specific topics and featuring world-class speakers. Locations and subjects will be announced later this year. I encourage you to set aside time in your calendar for these programs and events and invest in your professional development. As we finalize locations and dates, more details will be shared on our website.
We’re also introducing free monthly webinars. These one-hour sessions will cover a range of relevant topics to help keep you informed and engaged. If you have ideas for speakers or topics you’d like covered, please let us know.
Thank you for being a part of the GMA community - we look forward to a productive 2025!
Visit our website to view the GMA Events Calendar and GMA webinars:
www.golfmanagement.com.au/ membership/event-calendar/ www.golfmanagement.com.au/membereducation/gma-webinars/
GMA CHAPTER COMMITTEES
NSW & ACT CHAPTER
• Brenden Ellam (Castle Hill CC)
• Cameron Harvey (Muirfield GC)
• Barry West (Mollymook GC)
• David Lulham (Nelson Bay GC)
QLD CHAPTER
• Aaron Muirhead (Oxley GC)
• Geoff Kuehner (The Brisbane GC)
• Gavin Lawrence (Keperra CGC)
• David Marr (Pacific Harbour G&CC)
• Tim Gahan (Headland GC)
SA & NT CHAPTER
• Mark Tan (Royal Adelaide GC)
• Brett Lewis (Kooyonga GC)
• Robert Vincekovic (Glenelg GC)
VIC & TAS CHAPTER
• Michael Burgess (Metropolitan GC)
• Barb Kelly (Chirnside Park CC)
• Mat Loughnane (Yarra Yarra GC)
• Chris Poulton (Spring Valley GC)
• Christian Tanner (Riversdale GC)
WA CHAPTER
• Damien Todorovic (The WA GC)
• Des Shearer (Bunbury GC)
• Fiza Errington (Gosnells GC)
• Murray Paul (Lakelands CC)
• Craig Ridge (Royal Perth GC)
CLOUD LIKE COMFORT
The F&B Success Seminar series, hosted across Australia, was an absolute hit! Liz Perkins came from New Zealand and brought her F&B expertise to our groups, keeping everyone entertained and thinking deeply.
Over two busy weeks, about 190 attendees - ranging from general managers and operations managers to bar managers and F&B staff - gathered to soak up some valuable insights for the golf club F&B industry. It was also great to see a number of non-members join in the professional development too.
Each seminar was divided into informative sessions:
Remember sitting in math class wondering when you'd ever use those formulas? Well, Liz brought the numbers back in style! We dove into best practices for F&B, learned how to calculate them properly and even the seasoned managers were nodding along, thinking about how they'd take these tips back to their teams.
Next up, Liz took us on a deep dive into mastering cost control with stock systems. There were lively discussions and plenty of "aha!" moments as she challenged us on timing and methods for trimming those costs.
The afternoon sessions kicked off with a marketing twist, starting with a fantastic
chat on the difference between service and true hospitality. The quote of the seriescourtesy of Maya Angelou - was, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." This one really hit home for everyone in the room.
To wrap things up, we got hands-on with group discussions, avatar creation and brainstorming ways to enhance the guest experience. Everyone left buzzing with ideas on how to level up their marketing game.
This seminar series focused not only on education but also on fostering collaboration and networking. Sessions provided valuable education, collaboration, and practical insights, as Liz shared her extensive expertise in food and beverage management, encouraging participants to adopt new strategies for their own clubs. Participants left with practical tools and innovative ideas they can immediately apply to elevate their clubs’ operations.
Some of the key takeaways from the seminar series included:
• Opportunities to buy
• Wow moments
• One size fits one
• Hospitality is about making people feel special
• Create raving fans
• Always be collecting the dots so you can connect the dots
• People buy from people they like
• Leaders are readers
A big thank you to all clubs that hosted us across the country. We couldn't have done it without you!
Jade Henderson, the hospitality manager from The Lakes GC in NSW, reflects on the experiences attending her first BMI course and the recent F&B Success Seminar series with Liz Perkins.
In March, I had the chance to attend my first BMI course with GMA. The five-day course featured a variety of speakers and industry professionals, covering a wide range of topics related to hospitality.
This course helped with enhancing my skills in various areas, including financial wages and planning, customer service, and improving services within the golf club industry.
One of the most valuable lessons I learned during the week was from Liz Perkins. Her focus on creating the UGX (Unique Guest Experience) and creating ‘Raving Fans’ left
me inspired and full of great ideas to bring back and implement with my team at The Lakes GC.
At our next staff meeting,
I introduced an activity to my team that I had participated in during Liz’s course.
The activity focused on identifying the hospitality moments (unexpected actions that make guests feel special) within our service moments (expected and necessary interactions). We put the steps onto a
whiteboard and discussed as a group the ways in which we could incorporate hospitality moments into each service step to enhance the experience for our members.
I found it a great way for our young team to visualise these steps and break down our standard operating procedures.
In September, Liz returned to Australia to conduct another F&B seminar series across the country. This time, it was wonderful to have the opportunity to bring more of our full-time team along.
Hearing Liz speak for the second time was just as inspiring as the first. My team and I left with even more ideas to bring back to The Lakes.
We are excited to continue developing our Hospitality vs Service board and improve it further as a group.
I am grateful to GMA and Liz Perkins for the opportunities to learn and grow my skills.
I believe it is crucial to share knowledge and create a networking environment for everyone working in both the golf and hospitality industry.
GMA captured video of the recent F&B Success Seminar series with Liz Perkins and will provide members with a link to watch the presentations in due course.
The 2024 BMI Club Management week was held from 19th to 23rd August at the prestigious Huntingdale Golf Club.
With 28 attendees, the program offered not only great learning opportunities but also created strong networking opportunities among participants.
The week kicked off with an engaging session by Geoff Dickson, who explored effective communication strategies and shared practical time management tips.
A standout was the introduction of the "Pomodoro Technique," a time management method that quickly became a crowd favourite, leaving many participants eager to implement it in their daily routines.
Claudia Maratiza from Golf Australia also presented the Golf Workforce survey results which stimulated much discussion across the group.
Perhaps the highlight of the week was the fun-filled evening at Holy Moley, where participants bonded over mini-golf. We tested the speed of the greens and pondered course maintenance costs, all while sharing plenty of laughs.
(above) BMI Club Management Attendees: (l-r) David Campion (Bonnie Doon GC), Damian Richards (Barwon Heads GC), Craig Stickling (NSW GC), John Griffiths (Box Hill GC), Nathan Cachina (Huntingdale GC), Lisa Kelly (Chirnside Park CC), Mark Lazenby (Cardinia Beaconhills GC), James Woite (Box Hill GC), Andrew Pryn (Devil Bend GC), Adam Hayes (Patterson River GC), Karah Chapman (Oatlands GC), Andres Michelsen (Eastlake GC), Sally McKenna (13th Beach GL), Bella Wood (Belmont Golf & Bowls), Inoka Rasanjali Gamage (Royal Melbourne GC), Rhys Opdecoul (Rosanna GC), Joshua McClean (Sanctuary Lakes GC), Oscar Morris, Christie Bell (Keysborough GC), Sylvia Bourne (Keysborough GC), Christopher Mandas (Kooringal GC), Scott Wagstaff (Carbrook GC), James McCleery (Riversdale GC), Luke Bleumink (Rosanna GC), Dan Carty (13th Beach GL), Mark Stamopoulos (Warringah GC), Mitchell Allen (Churchill-Waverley GC)
By Tuesday afternoon, we were delving deeper into the language of numbers, with Richard Comerford patiently guiding us through profit and loss statements and other financial reports. UK speaker, James Wilkinson, wrapped up the learning by bringing us a message on Marketing in Clubs which helped attendees consider their marketing plans and ways to reach potential new members. The day concluded with dinner and wine pairing at Huntingdale, where our host, Derren, truly showed Huntingdale hospitality.
Wednesday's program was packed with valuable content, led by David Shilbury and Daniel Simons. They covered topics including governance, career development and legal issues related to employment -
offering plenty of food for thought on how we could enhance processes within our own clubs.
Thursday, our final full day in the classroom, began with a session on membership management led by our CEO, Paul Vardy. He provided deep insights into this crucial aspect of club operations. The most selfreflective session of the week came from Markus Eschman, Club Operations Manager at The Australian, who guided us through the Lumina Spark personality profile. This three-tiered personality assessment challenged us to reflect on ourselves, and for many, it was both revealing and at times, confronting. Ian Fullagar concluded the day on the topic of Club legislation which delved into sports and law including types of laws, types of contracts and ethics.
That evening, we gathered for a hearty dinner at the Nottinghill Pub, where we were served some of the largest chicken schnitzels imaginable! It’s safe to say they hadn’t consulted Liz Perkins on portion control.
Liz concluded our week on Friday with a fantastic session on service management. One of her standout messages was that "one size fits one," a lesson that resonated deeply with many of us.
I’m happy to report that everyone passed the program with flying colours, leaving not only with newfound knowledge but also with a few more friends.
Thank you to Huntingdale GC for hosting us for the week.
We're all eagerly looking forward to the next BMI event, "Leadership Principles," to be held at Woodlands GC from the 21st to 25th October 2024.
Throughout the Engineering and Development process prior to the launch of the Club Car Vanguard Lithium ion Tempo we maintained a strong focus on safety The result is a unique and automotive grade solution.
The battery packs themselves have been extensively tested to be resilient to puncture and propagation (the spreading of an event from inside of a cell).
The cells inside the Club Car Lithium ion battery pack are fuse linked. An issue inside a cell during charging or discharging (during use) will cause a breakage in the fuse link and prevent the event spreading to other cells.
Club Car Lithium ion packs have redundant contactors in the battery posts. In the case of an event in a cell, a welded contactor would continue to supply electricity to the pack. The redundant contactor is designed to trigger in this circumstance and disconnect the battery pack from the charger or if in operation from the vehicle itself.
The Club Car Battery Management System constantly monitors charging and discharging by individual cell and cell balancing. The charger and our BMS are in constant communication and the system is designed to shut off in the event of a potential issue
You should have no concerns about the Club or Members storing and charging Club Car vehicles onsite that are fitted with our original batteries and controls.
The annual NSW & ACT Chapter Presidents, Captains & General Managers golf event was held at Castle Hill CC on 8th October.
The event is always proudly sponsored by Club Car and InGolf & Utility, and this year was no exception.
Joel Monahan and Andrew Bayliss, from InGolf & Utility, attended the day ensuring everyone was kept up-to-date with what is happening in the motorised cart and Club Car space.
The day started with speckled rain, but soon turned to just plain cold as the field moved around the pristine Castle Hill course. Everyone was playing in Club Car carts so it made the trek so much more enjoyable!
The course was in terrific condition and the greens were well-paced, but it was apparent that the greenkeepers had tried to stitch a few up with some tricky pin placements, which added a new challenge for some players.
The John Allenson Trophy was what the respective club teams were playing for, which is an aggregate of the three scores (president, captain and general manager). Some teams had their vice-president or vice-captain playing, which is accepted, but there had to be at least one from each in the group to be eligible for the trophy.
The weather and golf course kept the scoring down and it was the newly formed Oakpoint GC (recent amalgamation of Kogarah & Liverpool GCs), that took out the title (main picture above). The team of Tony Rodgers, Stephen Law and Sam Quagliata held out by just one point over the Castle Hill home team, consisting of Brenden Ellam, Charlie Behrens and Tony Cruise. It was great to see Oakpoint joining together on and off the golf course, and GM, Tony Rodgers, was quite complimentary of his new team in his acceptance speech.
The general managers also play for the Alex Marks Trophy through their individual Stableford score. This year, Andy Hugill (Mona Vale GC), who is quite used to having his name on GMA trophies, took out the title, from Ben Russell (Long Reef GC). Andy played of a handicap of 1 and came home with a strong 35 points in the conditions (pictured right).
Other winners for the day included Adam Groom (PAYG) winning the sponsors' trophy; Rob Cordaiy (Long Reef GC) taking out the captains' trophy, also having the best score of the day with 36 points; while Paul Dalton (Royal Sydney GC) took home the best president trophy.
Special thanks to Brenden Ellam and his Castle Hill CC team and board for hosting the event, and to all the sponsors who supported the day. Refreshments across the day and into the evening were supplied by Schweppes and De Bortoli Wines, and we thank them for their support.
The 2024 Schweppes QLD Manager/Pro 4BBB team event was held on 9th September at Pacific GC in Brisbane.
With a field of 44 players, including several of our GMA national partners in attendance, many players wore some element of yellow in their playing attire in support of the #DOINGITFORJARROD fundraiser.
Congratulations to Nudgee GC general manager, Darren Richards, and PGA head professional, Chris Duke, for taking out the 2024 GMA Manager/Pro award (main picture) with a solid showing of 50 points! Darren has some home course advantage living off the 6th!
The event provided an excellent opportunity for education, networking with industry peers and enjoying the game that we are all so passionate about, as well as supporting a very worthy cause by raising funds for the CHALLENGE foundation.
HostPlus gave us an update on superannuation and some changes expected in the coming months.
QLD/NT PGA state manager, Broc Greenhalgh, facilitated a discussion with the group on the importance of the “Customer Experience” at our venues to assist in improving the value to members and guests.
Pacific Golf Club general manager, Amber
Williams, provided an update on the new developments that have been underway at the golf club. New clubhouse, simulators, mini golf and new driving range coming soon. If you are in Brisbane, be sure to stop by for a look at the great outcomes they have achieved.
A big thanks to our corporate partners in attendance for their continued support, especially Schweppes for the ongoing support of events like this. Also, thanks to Phil Laurie and Michelle Thomsett from MiClub in assisting with scoring for the day, it helps make things run so much smoother.
The group supported the CHALLENGE campaign with $750 donated on the day via part of the entry fee and a raffle run on the day. Thank you to Schweppes for the branded esky and for all the players chipping in a few more dollars to this great cause.
MANAGER/PRO EVENT
Darren Richards/Chris Duke - 50 points Nudgee GC
Aaron Muirhead/Channon Ryan - 42 points Oxley GC
TEAM/PARTNERS EVENT
Phil Laurie/Michelle Thomsett - 44 points MiClub
Josh Leisemen/Frank Byrne - 35 points Schweppes/Wolston Park GC
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The 2024 QLD Toro Manager/ Superintendent Development Day was held in August with the aim to strengthen 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 integral to a club's survival.
Managers and superintendents were given a unique chance to spend some quality time together away from their usual club responsibilities.
During the Keperra Country GC Education Day, attendees began with a networking coffee and muffin breakfast.
The event featured keynote speakers Paul Vardy (GMA CEO) presenting on “Leading on Capital Planning – new thinking to take to the boardroom”, a very pertinent topic in the current industry. Facilities are needing funds to improve their facility and equipment, but many don’t have the reserve and have not planned for it.
Mark Unwin (ASTMA CEO) covered “Industry & Employee engagement”. Mark covered several challenges facing our industry with skills shortages, and how tough it is to attract and retain good staff.
It is a challenge that will get tougher over coming years.
A fun and relaxing afternoon awaited in the form of a two-person 9-hole Ambrose format.
Teams were made up of managers and superintendents, some with skill and some with ... well, perhaps maybe not as much skill!
The 4th edition of the Toro Cup was taken out by Caboolture Golf Club's Trent Scaysbrook (GM) and Colin Caulfield (superintendent).
Thanks again to Toro for their ongoing support to assist us in holding this much appreciated event.
The GMA Member Assistance Program (MAP) is provided to GMA members and their immediate family through our service provider, Acacia EAP. Acacia EAP are a national independent service provider specialising in supporting people in dealing with personal or work-related issues in a positive way.
Golf Management Australia offers its members the services of Michael Horton, from law firm RBHM Commercial Lawyers, in the role of Honorary Solicitor. The role is intended to enhance and assist general managers/GMA members in delivering a more valuable service to their golf clubs and boards.
AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
The GMA Green Book: The Essential Guide to Strategic Planning for Golf Clubs
The GMA Green Book is produced by GMA with corporate specialist Tony Sernack.
Copies of can be obtained for $29.95 each (or $250.00 for a pack of 10).
To order your copy, please contact GMA CEO, Paul Vardy: paul.vardy@golfmanagement.com.au $29.95
A field of 36 players teed it up in the SA & NT Chapter's GMs & Guests Golf Day held at the picturesque Victor Harbor GC in late August.
The golf course, which the great Gary Player once described as having one of the finest views of any opening hole in world golf, was presented immaculately, although the weather on the day chose not to play ball with gale force winds and a brief downpour putting a slight dampener on things. However, this didn't deter players with some fine golf played in tough conditions.
The GMs & Guests Golf Day is an opportunity for general managers to invite up to 3 guests to play and network with the other guests and our partners. Guests can be volunteers, board members, staff, or anyone who has made a contribution to their club, and as a result, the field covered a broad cross-section of the SA golfing community.
Victor Harbor's pro shop team of Ian Pritchard and son Oliver ran a tight ship managing the day on our behalf and the club's catering team, 4ORE, put on a spread of delicious food fit for kings and queens.
We welcomed a few of GMA's corporate partners, with Athan Nikas and Kosta Pifeas from Schweppes and Jason Launder of The Golf Travel Agency in attendance. Sadly, John Innes from Pariter was stuck on the
tarmac in Melbourne due to weather delays and couldn't make the trip over.
And it was the Schweppes crew, along with Westward Ho's GM, Colin Anderson, and local club member Bruce Davy (John Innes' last minute replacement) that took the cookies with an impressive 97 points. They finished 11 points clear of runnersup, Tea Tree Gully GC, comprising GM, Craig Sullivan-Brook, club president, Rob
Foreman and fellow board members, Frank Lupoi and Glenda Wilson.
It was Glenda Wilson who clinched the individual honours with 34 points, on a countback from Colin Anderson.
A special thank you to Ray Duncan and his team at Victor Harbor GC for their amazing hospitality. It certainly was a day enjoyed by all, despite the somewhat erratic weather.
Thanks also to Callaway for their support and impressive array of prizes.
GMA MEMBER PROFILE
If you were to only look at her LinkedIn profile, you could easily think that Jessica Wood has had a meteoric rise in management roles, climaxing with her appointment as General Manager at The Dunes Golf Links just two years ago.
But that would be a very narrow assessment, as regular GMA Journal contributor, Karen Harding, explains.
The Dunes general manager, Jessica Wood, has not only climbed the ladder from the bottom rung up, she has put together an admirable – and broad – skill set, drawing together a number of threads to create an impressive tapestry.
It all began in Japan, where Wood was employed to set up retail stores for an Australian company for a period of time before returning to Australia and considering her next move. That move, fortunately for golf, was a short stint with the PGA of Australia looking after the hospitality sector of the Australian PGA Championship at Hyatt Coolum.
This led to a gig at Moonah Links, looking after corporate events and weddings for two years before moving to Mercure Portsea Golf Club in 2014. In her seven years there, she worked in Conference and Events before her talent was recognised with her first managerial role, that of Accommodation and Events Manager before next being appointed Hotel Operations Manager.
More than what she accomplished in those roles, however, was her exposure to other aspects of golf operations – such as working in the pro shop and other areas during Victorian pandemic lockdowns – as well as also completing tertiary study.
Initially starting a Bachelor of Medical Science through Latrobe University, Wood
switched halfway through to complete a Bachelor of Science with a major in psychology through online study with the University of Southern Queensland …. and then went further.
“I had a bit of guidance from then Portsea GC General Manager Andrew Cooper,” said Wood. “I was looking to move my career forward and he said that completing my Master of Business Administration would be a good idea as it would give me an overall perspective on how business works.”
This she did through studies in marketing and social media as well as accounting, ever building her toolkit.
Hard work and talent paid off. In May 2021, Wood arrived at The Dunes as General Manager Hospitality. Just 12 months later, in May 2022, she became General Manager.
She hit the ground running, that’s for sure. In her first year, Links Lodge at The Dunes, an accommodation project conceived by The Dunes founder Duncan Andrews, opened. With 23 rooms – 11 single rooms and six two-bedroom apartments - Wood’s experience with accommodation at both Moonah Links and Mercure Portsea proved invaluable.
Also in that first year, The Dunes initiated its first women’s Get into Golf program, led by Women’s Captain Trish Stewart. Recognising that many women feel more
comfortable in the company of others, emphasis is not just on golf but on the social aspect.
“The women have their lesson and then have a morning tea together afterwards. After six weeks of range lessons, they are paired with another woman member for six weeks of on course mentoring. This not only helps with etiquette and rules, playing on course, but it also develops important social relationships.
“We’ve had 118 participants, of which 79 are still current members.”
Not only is this an excellent strike rate for membership, it also results in a favourable gender breakdown. Of around 900 members, 33% are female. For membership of the nine-hole Cups course specifically, that figure rises to 47%. Both are well above the national average of 19%.
In Wood’s second year, 2023, The Dunes continued its inclusive run, reinvigorating its junior program.
“Our junior program has been quite successful as well. We implemented a Junior Co-Ordinator when we had six junior members. Now we have 55 juniors” said Wood.
There are eight junior girls who are sponsored through the Australian Golf Foundation’s Junior Girls Scholarship Program.
All this contributes to a lower than average member age of 49 years. According to the 2023 Golf Club Participation Report produced by Golf Australia, the average age of member golfers is 55.6 years – men and boys with a mean of 53.9 years and women and girls at 63.8 years.
Also in 2023, The Dunes became a signatory to the R&A Women in Golf Charter and built on that commitment by running the 2024 women’s club championships as a multi-day championship for the first time.
“We had a fantastic event coincide with the final day of the championships, men’s and women’s on the same day, and I think everyone understood that we are trying to be more inclusive and have the women on a level playing field with the men,” said Wood. Unlike other clubs which answer to a Board, The Dunes is family-owned with Wood reporting to Duncan Andrews and, as he begins handing over the reins, to his son Cam Andrews and daughter Liz HallJohnston.
“It’s quite different working for the family than for other clubs reporting to a Board which can change every few years. It’s quite black and white; if they decide to proceed with a project, then that’s what we do and we work hard to deliver that project.
“I think, too, that the strategic model they have here shows a real balance between public play and membership. They’ve always kept a cap on membership numbers so we don’t have issues with our members not getting available tee times but also have that balance with public access, who we find are more likely to spend money in the pro shop or sit down and have a full meal, who want a great ‘experience’.
“It is a brilliant business strategy and it works very well.”
Evidence of its success is in over 100,000 rounds played across both courses in the last financial year.
Wood joined GMA in 2019.
As one of the few women in management roles at that time, she was encouraged by the example of then GMA Chair Cathy Neagle and Barb Kelly, now on the GMA board herself, to further pursue a senior management position.
broad range of things – you need to be flexible with staffing, you need to be more inclusive, you need to lead by example, you need to give the members a broader golf experience, you’re dealing with external as well as internal stakeholders.
“Modern management is taking the best of what used to be and bringing it forward. And I definitely think there will be more females who will grow their career and take up general manager roles if the opportunity comes up.”
Of all the directions in which the modern GM is pulled, Wood puts a high priority on staff.
a day to spend time doing whatever they want, it’s good for team bonding because many play golf together and it’s good for physical health because they are playing more golf with that time, and I think we’ve had fewer sick days as a result.”
Wood has also put focus on encouraging young staff that they, too, can have a career in golf. And it’s paid off.
“One of our young staff members, Max Oliver, won the Golf Management Victoria Employee of the Year Award at the 2023 Victorian Golf Industry Awards. Max works in Golf Operations and he’s studying for a Diploma of Golf Management through the PGA. That’s because I presented him with the opportunity to be able to work full time and study at the same time.”
I take great pride in being part of this growing community and do hope that I can continue to inspire other women to look for a successful career in golf.
“I think that people like Cathy and Barb are very inspiring and I wanted to move into a role where I could do a similar thing. And I’ve always been very career driven. I think that comes from my mother.”
There is encouraging scope to inspire other women within GMA. Of 455 members (plus life members), 263 are GMs. Of that number, approximately 7% are women.
More interestingly, 19% of the overall members are women, a 135% growth in just four years since 2020. Therefore that 7% is likely to rise due to the overall number of women waiting in the wings.
Longer term members are aware of how management has changed over the years and Wood is cognisant of it as well.
“I think being in a position of management is no longer just about the figures. You have to be more generalised. There is a whole
“I believe looking after my staff is probably the most important aspect of my job because without the team and their support, I wouldn’t be where I am today and The Dunes wouldn’t have the reputation it does.
“A number of our staff have been here for over 20 years and that’s not something that happens a lot within the golf industry. One of the big strategies here is the wellbeing of our staff which then flows on to how they handle customers.”
To that end, Wood moved her house staff to a four-day week, a decision which prompted a lot of curiosity from others. In exchange for 10-hour days on one of two shift schedules, staff have an extra day to themselves.
“It actually works better,” said Wood. “I’ve got better coverage with less casuals, it’s better for mental health because staff have
In her short time at The Dunes, Wood has certainly made her mark.
“Our golf numbers have grown, our membership numbers have grown, the accommodation’s doing well. We’ve introduced some great programs and inclusive initiatives, and the staff are happy.
“For myself, what I am most proud of is securing my current role as a general manager for the first time. I am truly grateful to have been entrusted with the responsibility of improving the procedures and policies at The Dunes, a highly respected and renowned golf club, and am privileged to be able to contribute to its continued success.
“Additionally, I hope I am in the process of developing a reputation within the industry as a young, up-and-coming female leader, which has been incredibly empowering. I take great pride in being part of this growing community and do hope that I can continue to inspire other women to look for a successful career in golf.”
When it comes to the renewal of golf club insurances, naturally general managers and boards want the best outcome for the club. How does a club achieve that?
The core service offered by an insurance broker is to represent their client (your golf club) in the insurance market to gain the insurance policies best suited to the club’s needs.
Brokers will gather what the insurance market is willing to offer and can dissect the pros and cons of each quote to present to the golf club. No two quotes are the same. Together, the broker and golf club work through the pros and cons of each policy quote to decide what is the best fit for the club.
and paramount to the club achieving the desired outcome.
The club should finalise the process of appointing a broker, by asking for service submissions if an alternate option is required, months prior to the renewal date of insurance policies.
When a house is being auctioned, the lawns are mowed to ensure it’s looking its best. The same strategy applies when it comes time to renew a golf clubs’ insurance. Clubs should be trying to present their club in the best light possible. Insurers look at the risk exposures presented by a golf club to determine the premium, terms and conditions of the insurance policy offer. The better the club presents its risk exposures, the better the premium, terms and conditions can be to meet the specific needs the club.
This process is designed to culminate in the club achieving an insurance outcome tailored to the club’s needs and objectives, balancing premium & coverage. This process cannot happen when a club asks two different brokers to present two different quotes. Each broker will naturally speak to the quote they are presenting as the best option for the club, otherwise they don’t win the business. It leaves the club to try and dissect the pros and cons of each option without the expertise of the paid professional. Such a strategy can negate the process that is core to a broker’s service
The objective of mitigating risk is to reduce frequency and severity of incidents. This helps to lower claims activity but also demonstrates a proactive approach. The clubs selected broker can assist.
Viewing the club’s insurance policies as a component of a broader risk and insurance program is likely to assist a club to achieve a more desirable insurance renewal outcome. The concept of a broader risk program is to take actions to minimise risk exposures throughout the year, with an insurance policy placed to address remaining exposures.
With around 1,100 discussions and 104 logged items in the library, GMA members are engaging with GMA Connect to share questions, knowledge and resources.
Join the conversation – share with your colleagues, or simply read the threads and stay informed. Thanks for your contribution..
GMA members can go to connect.golfmanagement.com.au and use your GMA sign-in and password to join in the conversations.
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.
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In today’s competitive business landscape, maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring reliable facilities management is crucial for long-term success.
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Operating across Australia, with a strong presence in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, First Choice Services combines national resources with local expertise to deliver consistent, highquality services. FCS’ comprehensive range of offerings helps businesses keep their operations running smoothly, ensuring a clean, comfortable and safe environment for all staff, customers and visitors.
First Choice Services provides an unrivalled customer experience to its select clientele, taking pride in the following key differentiators:
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First Choice Services is committed to helping businesses achieve a safe, efficient and cost-effective environment through a range of offerings, such as the core competencies below:
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First Choice Services is more than a facilities management provider - it is a partner in long-term success. By focusing on operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability, FCS help clients optimise their business processes. A hands-on management approach ensures that clients have direct access to the leadership team, providing high quality and efficient solutions. First Choice Services offers the expertise and reliability to keep your business running at its best.
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Stuart McPhee presents rules of golf and etiquette sessions designed for women golfers of different experiences.
GMA's CEO, Paul Vardy, sat down with Stuart to ask about his work.
PV: Firstly Stuart, who are you?
SM: I’m a USGA certified Rules expert. I work as a Tour Referee (Rules Official) on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, working at most events during the season. I travelled the world for 20 years and am now back in Australia.
What do you do?
I design custom golf events that entertain, educate and empower women golfers. It supports The R&A’s ‘Women in Golf’ Charter. I visit golf clubs and present 2-hour practical and theoretical sessions that are
customised to the specific preferences and requirements of the women members. These sessions empower the members with solid knowledge of the Rules of Golf and etiquette. The Rules have become a real passion of mine and I study every day, write a weekly Rules newsletter and of course, record our Rules podcast.
So, it’s not lessons?
No, I am not there to teach anyone how to play golf. That is not my role at all - there are plenty of well-trained people called PGA professionals who can look after that. My efforts are focussed on the Rules of Golf and etiquette (or the unwritten Rules).
In our 2023 Insights Survey, GMA members told us that 92% of their clubs plan to increase the number of women members from current numbers.
That’s great. I am seeing lots of good work done in this area at clubs. I see a clear focus from clubs dedicated to increasing women in their membership and embracing the newcomers despite their lack of experience and skill.
But what do you see as current barriers?
I am seeing too many women for my liking who are still intimidated at the thought of joining a well-established club with many well-established members and social circles. I often hear words like, “worried”, “scared”, “concerned” and of course, “intimidated”.
They are worried about getting in the way, not knowing what to do, where to stand
or walk when on course. It is very easy for us regular golfers, who feel at ease on a course, to assume that everyone will feel the same way. Brand new golfers, men and women, lack confidence and are often concerned about how to do the right thing. Golf is hard enough as it is, without them needing to worry about other stuff. That’s something for us to stay aware of. Recently, a woman shared with me that on the second hole of her second-ever round at her new club, she was in tears after the way one of the more established women members at her new club spoke to her. Yes, we’ve heard this can be an issue. Our survey suggested the biggest barrier for new women is the unfriendly club environment from existing women. Clubs have some work to do here but how does your work help?
My work on the Rules of Golf and etiquette (or the unwritten rules) gives a lot of confidence to new golfers and inform established ones.
There are two very distinct clinics, for your beginners into the game, and then a different presentation for your wellestablished and seasoned golfers.
For the beginners, the session includes an introduction to the game, various parts of the course, basic rules, course
maintenance, and etiquette. Ideally, most of this is done while on a course and typically walking a hole starting with the teeing area, stopping at a bunker on the way and finishing on the putting green. Apart from many rules and procedural matters, I even show them how to rake bunkers, fill in divots and repair pitch marks.
For the seasoned golfers, I assume a
reasonable level of rules knowledge. I stretch that knowledge and get into more complex areas such as how to tackle Rules disputes on the course, both in stroke play and match play and how to correct procedural mistakes on the course.
I also like my lists so I will run through the 5 most commonly broken rules, the 10 greatest rules myths, and the 5 most
common rules golfers need to know, among others.
This sounds highly relevant. What has the feedback from clubs been so far?
Very positive. Even from the seasoned golfers, they quickly realise how their rules knowledge has slipped over the years, and they haven’t kept abreast of the significant changes which are made every four years. Generally speaking, the vast majority of club golfers want to know the most common rules and do the right thing while they are playing.
The last thing I want to do is lecture people about the rules. I have made a very conscious effort to be very interactive, engaging and often allow the questions from the audience to dominate our time together. I think this is the main reason why the feedback has been so positive - it hasn’t been a boring presentation, it has been a very practical and interactive session. It is interesting but understandable that the beginner sessions elicit only a handful of questions. The sessions with seasoned
golfers on the other hand - well, once the first question comes, the rest quickly follow, which I love.
As long as we are roughly following my session outline, I am perfectly happy for the questions to dominate the proceedings as it results in happy members who walk away having learned lots.
Having been involved briefly with this program in the United States, I have also
me that they were pleased the session was run by someone from outside the club -someone whois independent and a professional rules person.
So what is your message to GMA members? I think the most important thing is to understand and appreciate how daunting it can be for a woman to start playing golf at a club, even just a social round with people they don’t know. As I said earlier, the game is hard enough as it is.
Also very important is to have a balance between acquisition and retention efforts. To respect that both are important. Tremendous effort and time and money can be expended in acquiring new members, however, if little effort is focussed on retaining those new members, a large number are not going to renew after their
The golf industry doesn’t want to be known as a ‘churn’ business (a term commonly used in financial services with broking accounts), where we are OK with constantly churning through new women members. There is tremendous value in having a session dedicated to the beginners to make them feel much more at ease on the course, to explain what is expected of them and the basics of where to walk and not walk, when to talk and not talk and how to care for the course. When a club invests a small amount of time in training new golfers, they are going to feel more comfortable at that club and that is when loyalty starts and ideally, strong social bonds that will keep them
I have borrowed this quote but it is very apt. “The vast majority of club golfers know a lot about the Rules. The problem is somewhere between 20 - 40% of what they know is incorrect.” There is also value in an occasional refresher Rules session, even for the more seasoned regular golfers.
The final message of course, is that I am helping clubs right now in this important stage of golf in Australia and I can help many more clubs.
Thanks for the interview.
Thank you very much for the opportunity to speak with you - it has been fun.
Stuart co-hosts the world's leading podcast dedicated solely to the Rules of Golf, listened to by Referees and rules enthusiasts all around the world. He supports Australia's #1 Golf podcast, ‘Talk Birdie to Me’, as their 'Rules Guy' regularly assisting them with Rules issues and questions and he regularly writes for the Australian Golf Digest.
Stuart can be contacted for rules presentations golfrulesnerd@gmail.com
Golf clubs and facilities across Australia face an undeniable challenge: how to increase women and girls’ participation and ensure the future growth of the game.
Women and girls’ currently make up only 19% of club members – representing a steady decline from 30% in 1980. The number of Australian women playing on the professional tour also declined from around 50 in the 1990s to now just 17. Many girls’ schools don’t offer golf as a sport, depriving girls of the opportunity to engage with the game from an early age.
This underrepresentation impacts not just our clubs and facilities, but also the broader Australian golf landscape. However, the Australian Golf Foundation (AGF) Junior Girls Scholarship Program presents an exciting opportunity to change this narrative.
The AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program is a powerful initiative designed to encourage young girls aged 9-16 to begin or continue their golfing journey. By providing scholarships that enable girls to learn and play in a nurturing, club-supported environment under the guidance of qualified PGA Professionals or Community Instructors, the program is helping grow girls’ long-term engagement with the sport. This also provides an incredible opportunity for golf clubs to rejuvenate
their memberships. Clubs have had an 88% retention rate from girls going through the program.
The Scholarship program has grown considerably over the past four years, from 37 funded clubs and 226 girls in the inaugural pilot year (2021) to having a record growth in 2024 with 153 clubs and 1,191 girls. From 2023 to 2024, the program has seen a remarkable 22% increase in participation. This surge reflects the growing interest and impact of the program in the junior golfing community. Since 2021, a total of 210 clubs across the country have participated in the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program, offering over 3,000 girls the opportunity to advance their golfing journey.
Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to grow and enrich your club. Apply for the 2025 AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program today and take the first step toward creating a more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant future for golf.
For more information on how to apply, visit the Australian Golf Foundation website: www.australiangolffoundation.org.au/ women-and-girls or email scholarship@golf.org.au
Bulimba Golf Club in Brisbane is the latest club to benefit and regenerate itself thanks to the Australian Golf Foundation Junior Girls’ scholarship program.
The program is driven by PGA Professional Ian Jones who has a passion for bringing new golfers to the game.
Recently Bulimba, which runs beside the Brisbane River, picked up 12 new members who graduated from the AGF program. There are another seven new players at the club who are not in the program but who are schoolmates of AGF scholars.
Jones says the AGF scholarships have been hugely successful.
“We’re told by parents that the girls eagerly await putting their yellow shirts and blue caps on and catching up during our group classes and on course games,” he said.
“We encourage them to tell their school friends about it and already have three new girls ready to sign up to start their golfing journey in Term 3, bringing our total of girls in our little club to 18.
“We have already had one social event after class one evening with the club helping with food and drinks and we also invited and encouraged the families to make it a family night out. We ended up with a lot coming and buying dinner and drinks, so it was a win for all.”
Bulimba is activating women members of the club to engage with the scholarship girls and graduates of the program, helping them with basic rules and etiquette.
Other activities to attract girls included:
Family Come and Try classes (Mums and daughters or daughters/ grandparents)
A hitting bay at the local shopping centre
Ensuring that local schools are aware of the program
School holiday programs combined with another activity, such as swimming, trampoline or cinema.
For more information on Bulimba Golf Club, visit their website: www.bulimbagolfclub.com.au
Instances of hackers gaining access to club data is becoming more common.
Hackers are after money, and the easiest way to gain that quickly is to hack a database with personal information, ransom it back to the club it was stolen from and sell off the data list anyway.
Jason Drew, CEO of Secom Technology Group, confirmed that there are many areas in clubs and hotels that provide opportunities for hackers, and it is becoming so common that he has developed a Cyber Security Division to help clubs proactively manage their system security and third-party integrations.
According to Jason, third-party hardware and software technologies, while often adding to business efficiencies, are a risk that hackers can expose. Here are some of the considerations, particularly when leasing new technology:
• How long is the lease agreement? Technology changes so quickly that long lease agreements are a risk. Shorter agreements with renewals are a better option.
• Does the technology you are considering integrate with all your current technologies, particularly Microsoft Office
365? Does it connect with other systems through secure API’s?
• Is there a cyber-security risk with the new technology you are considering? Can the provider supply documentation proving these risks have been assessed and mitigated?
• Have you discussed the new technology with your IT Systems Technology partner, who can evaluate integration and security requirements?
Golf Club Managers can’t be experts in everything. These days the number of cyber-security threats are increasing, and every club needs a Technology Partner they can seek independent advice from, as all technology realistically needs to be connected to the clubs’ IP Network.
Find out more about how a Technology Partner can protect your club
Talk to Secom Technology Group Ph: 1300 781 224
Member Mark stormed up to the first tee box, “Bob, you’re the president, what are you doing about these bunkers, they’re terrible? I had buried lies or hard pan: I couldn’t get out of any of them.”
President Bob called superintendent Jim, “Jim, what are you doing about these bunkers? I’ve got Mark and all the Members complaining about the conditions.”
Jim radioed assistant superintendent Robbie, “Robbie, I thought we had a good plan to keep these bunkers groomed. Did you follow up and see that Billy is following our procedures?”
And, Robbie spoke to section person Billy, “Billy, what the heck? I’ve got Jim all over me about these bunkers. What are you doing?”
President Bob was on the first tee getting ready to play when Mark, a weekend golfer who only knew Bob because of his presidency, shared his frustration about his bunker play. Bob immediately called Superintendent Jim (using his cell phone from the first tee, a clear cell phone violation) as his fellow players looked on, to share his frustration over Mark’s complaint. Jim radioed his assistant Robbie and shared his frustration over the bunkers, and Robbie went to the break room, where Billy was enjoying his lunch break, and shared his frustration. Quite a lot of frustration on this particular morning.
Manager Chris was walking through the Grill when a commotion was heard: one member in animated conversation with six others all grinning, laughing, and virtually in tears as the story unfolded. “Man, he chili dipped his first one and it rolled back into the divot. Then he topped it into the bunker face. He tried to hit it out to the side, fanned it, and jammed it further into the face. Then he just hacked at it and it rolled back into the original divot, which was now down to the liner because of the previous two hacks. He took a nine, with about an 18-footer. Boy he was mad!”
Chris seeing the joy in their eyes, smiled and asked “What’s this all about?”
“It was Mark, he had a great round going until 18 and then he bunkered. Oh, it was priceless, we’re not sure where he is now, but it can’t be good. Hey, Chris, maybe you should be on suicide watch. Boy, he was mad!”
At that point the group clapped and cheered as Mark walked in with a sheepish
grin on his face. “That was pretty rough! I’m sorry to say that I just gave it to the president. Poor guy was on the first tee. I need to apologize to him the next time I see him. Chris, maybe you could send out his favorite drink and tell him it is from me – better make it for the whole group, I feel awful!”
There was a good bit of activity at the course in the short span of five minutes with even more consequences. Each of the issues has a normal basis and, while most likely not happening daily, is quite common around clubs.
Mark was simply frustrated at his poor bunker play. There was nothing wrong with any of the bunkers, he was just venting his frustration and Bob was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bob, as president, has a more interesting side.
Members have preconceived ideas of what powers and capabilities the president has. Unfortunately, with the average club being over 400 Members, that means a lot of differing expectations. While Bob has his own ideas of his responsibilities and powers, Mark set the tone when he said “… you’re the president, what are you doing…” Under situations of uncertainty, such as being accosted on the first tee, the Uncertainty Reduction Theory suggests that people naturally tend towards conforming to their peers’ views. In this case Mark was looking for, and expecting action. Behavior Confirmation Theory suggests that Bob’s actions are natural in confirming Mark’s projection that Bob is in charge and should do something. Additionally, research tells us that a label is very influential in
the dynamics of social interaction. By specifically reminding Bob that his “label” is president, Mark influenced Bob’s response. In the time it took Mark to hiss out his statement to Bob, about seven seconds, all these natural influences overcame Bob, and he took action. He probably didn’t even realize why he was doing what he was doing, he just did it. To further promote the importance of the issue to superintendent Jim, Bob added “all the Members” confirming the Expansive Representation of One, a naturally occurring phenomenon in the club business whereby one person can make a statement to an official and it takes on extraordinary importance as if it represented “all” the Members. Sometimes the person is a friend whose opinion carries more weight or, in this case, a person who has hit the right buttons to naturally influence another person.
In order to combat these natural forces, one age old technique might be helpful: Thomas Jefferson was noted as saying, “When angry count ten, when very angry one hundred."
Being president carries a great deal of weight; peer pressure can be significant. Understanding those pressures, being prepared for our natural tendencies, and taking a moment before responding may help make the journey a smooth one, because it will surely be eventful!
MacDonald Niven, MA, CCM, CCE is with Niven Research and general manager of Almaden Golf and Country Club, San Jose, CA.
The efforts of controllers and CFOs are critical to maintaining the fiscal health of clubs. Here’s what financial officers want their managers to understand. Rebecca Larsen, from CMAA's Club Management magazine, explains.
Every successful club has one thing in common: a strong team working together to guide its financial health.
And it’s the chief financial officer or controller who is responsible for making sure that team functions smoothly.
Club financial officers from around the country have offered advice on what every general manager - as well as department heads and board members - should know to help keep their clubs fiscally strong.
Daily communication between the CFO and the department heads is essential to keeping the books adding up correctly. At most clubs the budget process begins with department managers submitting costs and expenses for review, first by the controller. The data then goes to the general manager and finally to a finance committee of club members.
CFOs encourage that all parties involved in the process be included in ongoing giveand-take about the budget.
“For me, one of the most important parts of the job is keeping up communication with our partners, the heads of the various departments,” said Kristin Charness, CFO of El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, Calif. “I want them to tell me their expectations and claim ownership of their departments.”
Charness touches base with the food & beverage department frequently about special events they’re planning because, she said, it’s easy for such activities to go over budget.
“But even though events are expensive, they can also be a major revenue builder for F&B,” she said. “They’re also a loss leader.”
Another person she likes to keep in close contact with is the golf course superintendent.
“You want that person to communicate right away when they need to replace all the sprinkler heads because of a watering crisis, for example,” Charness said.
Controllers and CFOs also need to monitor daily reports from all departments and be aware of what’s going on.
Derek Henson, controller at Crown Colony Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, Fla., said that at many clubs, the general managers and controllers tend to collaborate on decisions about finances, but department
managers also need to be part of the conversation.
“More information from department heads can bring more success,” Henson said. “People have to know that you’re approachable in a crisis. You want them to meet with you right away if they overspent their budget in September.
That way, they can figure out how to cut back in October to make the budget turn out right.”
“Getting new budgeting software has made a huge difference at our club,” said Jonathan Goodman, controller at Frenchman’s Creek Beach & Country Club in Palm Beach, Fla., which has 600 members and an operating budget of $42 million.
“There are lots of new products on the market. It used to be that only Fortune 500 clubs could afford these products, but now we can too,” said Goodman.
The new software is easier to use than “old school” Excel sheets, he added, “especially when you’re new to the club and are trying to catch up with the work of a previous controller.”
But some club personnel continue to rely on traditional software applications. One of those is Linda Cozzi, CCM. She is the CFO of Philadelphia Cricket Club and the general manager of one of its three branches.
“I use some (newer) software, but I prefer Excel during the budget process because it provides more historical data,” said Cozzi, who oversees the budgets of 20 departments, each with their own spreadsheets.
Patti Warren, controller of The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden, Colo., said leaders at many clubs are not aware of the latest available technology for tracking financial performance.
“They seem slow in adapting to technology,” she said. “They don’t understand the latest software; they don’t use Outlook; they have antiquated communication systems. That’s not good for dealing with members who are very tech oriented.”
Many clubs still do things manually while much of the world is entrenched in technology, Warren said.
Using new technology is appealing to more tech-savvy younger generations, she said.
“Young people are especially comfortable with it, and clubs want new and younger members, of course,” Warren said.
For example, a thirtysomething who prefers to reserve tee times on his mobile phone may not understand why the club won’t let him look at the tee sheet.
“One of the beneficial, up-to-date things about clubs, though, is that our industry has pretty much eliminated cash purchases,” she said, “and that’s a feature that appeals to younger people.”
With the current economic conditions, it’s becoming hard for clubs to maintain adequate staffing levels, so CFOs say managers should work to minimize costly employee turnover.
Many states and cities are increasing the minimum wage, which makes it more difficult to keep experienced people on the F&B staff at clubs, Charness said. “You might need $20 an hour to pay them ... in order to keep up with what they can make somewhere else where they can also get tips,” she said.
The labor market is especially tight in Florida. Because of this, Henson said maintaining good relationships with employees can do a lot to help retain them.
but don’t overdo it
Sometimes a board member at a club will raise an alarm when a department runs slightly over budget.
“Maybe you are 2% over what you’d planned to spend on alcohol,” Warren said.
“But if you’re going to try to find out how this is happening, you might have to take people off the floor where they’re serving guests to make a count. That can interfere with a great club experience for your members.”
To avoid such situations, she said, GMs should check the budget numbers every day to identify potential problems before they become big ones. Every manager
should receive daily revenue and labor reports, Warren said.
Paul Kornfeind III, MCM, CCE, general manager of North Shore Golf Club in Menasha, Wis., researched this topic as part of his Master Club Manager (MCM) monograph on how GMs can guard against fraud.
Among his key suggestions:
• Make sure all departments develop their own systems of internal controls.
• Create a whistleblower system that allows staff members to report possible wrongdoing by other staff members.
• Use electronic money transfers when possible. It’s best if checks are never touched by an employee.
• Limit the number of cash transactions.
Seek
It is not always best to go with the first person you call to fix a problem. One surefire way to minimize costs is to get multiple bids. When it’s necessary to call in an outside contractor, encourage managers to seek bids for the work.
Generally speaking, CFOs suggest obtaining three bids for a project or repair. This can help clubs avoid paying too much for outside services. Other factors may weigh into the final decision, but at least you have options to compare.
The roles of CFOs and controllers have changed dramatically over the years, and it’s important for them to have a broad range of knowledge about club operations.
For example, when a club is going through a transition, such as when a general manager leaves for another job, a controller often is called on to fill in for weeks or months. On occasion, that individual will be hired as the permanent GM.
And at small clubs, the top financial officer often wears many hats.
Janet Rodgers, controller of Desert Horizons Country Club in Indian Wells, Calif., said some controllers may be expected to provide safety instruction, explain company benefits, handle hiring and firing, and perform health care reporting functions required by the Affordable Care Act.
Following these helpful CFO and controller suggestions can go a long way toward improving a club’s bottom line, which can ultimately help create a club that functions better in every area.
Club Management magazine is published bi-monthly and is the official magazine of CMAA.
The magazine can be viewed online here: www.cmaa.org/news/publications/clubmanagement-magazine/
By embracing integrated management, leaders can create more effective teams to meet their clubs’ visions and goals.
For too long, private clubs held the outdated belief that each department operates autonomously with little interaction. But clubs now are finding success with integrated management, in which the general manager is perceived as a leader orchestrating the club’s mission and strategic plans.
With integrated management, members of a private club’s management team are recognized as the main decision makers. The team’s individual managers are responsible for the consistent quality of their staffs’ performance. In turn, the general manager acts as the catalyst, the conductor, the leader of the team, working to bring all the individual pieces together to form a coordinated blend of operations that function as a unified whole, which is working toward the success of the club. The general manager is the individual who unites the board, staff and membership toward a common vision.
When introducing integrated management in a private club, obstacles can arise. A key mental barrier to integration is a lack of self-confidence among management team members. It can make the process seem threatening to their individual career advancements. The threatened team members are reluctant to share information because they believe that if they do not get all the credit, their jobs will not seem as important to the club’s membership and board.
Ego can also be a hurdle to the implementation of integrated management. For this system to work, no team members can be out for themselves. Self-serving agendas must be left at the door. Everyone succeeds as a team and loses as a team. If implemented properly, integrated management can lead to improved bottom lines and increased member satisfaction, allowing team members to enhance their careers through these successes.
With integrated management, everyone must be willing to take the risk of trusting the team to do what’s necessary in line with the mission of the team and the club. As a catalyst for the team, the general manager must overcome a fear of putting himself or herself in the hands of the team and push for the programs and changes necessary to keep the club in alignment with its mission
statement. Without trust, the team cannot overcome low self-confidence or individual egos. Without trust, the team will not delegate or share responsibilities or commit to taking the risks necessary to move the club forward. Trust cannot be commanded. It must be earned. Trust is not a constant. It must be renewed.
After a team commits to integrating, its work will become more transparent to the members, who will see improved service and reap more satisfaction from their club experience. For the employees joining the integrated team, the rewards far outweigh the learning process they must go through to work as a team and trust their fellow managers.
Integration also allows team members to grow in their positions and better themselves professionally and personally. Each manager has a support group working toward the unified goal.
The tools of integrated managementteamwork, communication, accountability and visibility - are effective when used in conjunction with mission statements, personnel evaluations, staff meetings, staff incentives, and continuing to ensure high levels of member satisfaction and fiscal responsibility.
With minimal cost and a concerted effort, clubs can earn the rewards that come from integrated management. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easily, and integrated management is no different. Once it is in place, however, the club runs more smoothly because good communication and teamwork can help address issues before they become problems.
Every department is involved in a club’s success. Integrating departments is not always easy, nor do participants always agree. But successful teams agree to disagree for the club’s betterment and can look back with smiles at the hurdles they cleared to make the membership experience and the facility that much better.
The general manager of a private club wears many hats. One of the most important is that of a conductor. Acting as a catalyst, the GM can create a strong, vibrant and effective team that continually raises the bar when it comes to quality service and member satisfaction.
