Did You Know?

By Larry Stephenson, MD & Carol Stephenson

Most GPYC members are likely aware of the Platinum Club designation awarded to our Club several years ago, but not as many may be familiar with the Iconic Distinguished Club designation we recently received. What is not well known at all is who is doing these rankings.

Club Leaders Forum is a professional group for private club managers representing these five categories: Golf Clubs, City Clubs, Country Clubs, Athletic Clubs and Yacht Clubs. Back in 1997, for the first time, members were asked to vote for the ten clubs in each category they considered to be the finest in North America. That year, the top vote getter in the Yacht Club category was none other than our very own Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.

Two years later a second vote was taken, and subsequently this has become a regular biennial vote. Clubs voted into the top ten in each category are officially designated as Platinum Clubs.

From 1997 to 2012, the GPYC retained its first place ranking; then dropped to number three, where it remains today. Other prominent yacht clubs consistently receiving top rankings are: St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club and Annapolis Yacht Club. While these yacht clubs frequently move up and down this list, the GPYC has never been ranked less than number three.

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In 2010 the Platinum Club concept was expanded to include Platinum Clubs of the World. This list includes three club categories: Golf and Country Clubs, City Clubs and Yacht Clubs. There are 100 clubs in each of the first two categories and 50 yacht clubs. Unlike the North American list, clubs are not rated, just listed in alphabetical order. The GPYC is one of the 25 U.S. yacht clubs on this list.

In 2020, BoardRoom magazine, which serves the private club industry, published its own nonranked Distinguished Clubs list. Basing their awards on a formulaic assessment rather than on a peer-based vote from within the industry, they explained, “To be a Distinguished Club is to be one of only a few, highly select private clubs that are recognized as providing a member experience at a level attained by only the finest clubs in the world.” Clubs from all over the world have been honored as Distinguished Clubs, the GPYC being one of just eight yacht clubs from the US to be included. Then, from this already exclusive list, about a dozen clubs from all categories have quietly been singled out and honored with the designation of iconic. One of those honorees is the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club.

*Thanks to GPYC Manager Aaron Wagner and former Manager Jack Sullivan for reviewing this article.