Strategic Plan 2022-2026
January 2022
Message from the President – Laurens Gerlings
We have come along way in the last 20 years and the foundation from which we were built has resulted in a very strong Club. Our golf course and its beautiful surroundings remain our number one asset. We have also evolved as a Club with over 50% of our members having joined in the last 5 years. With this in mind your board embarked on an extensive review of Granite Golf Club’s Mission, Vision, Values and the Strategic Pillars guiding our future. The Board is pleased to present this Strategic Plan to the membership. It will inform the Board’s decision-making in the years ahead.
This work could not have been done without the dedication of Phil and his staff and the enthusiasm of the strategic planning committee which included Carolyn Everson-Irwin, Susan Guichon, Harry Ort, Carol Shaw, Phil Scully and me.
Message from the General Manager – Phil Scully
I have had the privilege of being part of the evolution of GGC for the last 21 seasons. Although things have changed from the days of a gravel parking lot and a makeshift mobile home clubhouse, the important things remain unchanged.
Granite Golf Club was born out of a dream to build, not just a golf course, but a community centered around lifelong friendships, beautiful surroundings and a mutual love of the game. The physical property has changed over the years as has the membership but the core of what makes Granite Golf Club great remains the same.
I am truly excited to be part of the next chapter at Granite Golf Club and this strategic plan demonstrates that the Club is heading in a positive and exciting direction. I am honored to be a small part of something so very special.
The Planning Process
• The planning process was launched in October 2020 by your Board.
• An open call to participate on the Committee was made and two members at large were selected to support this process.
• A variety of Club documents were reviewed to inform the development of an updated plan.
• A scan of the internal and external environment and circumstances in which the Club operates (i.e. a SWOT analysis) was prepared and reviewed by the Board to establish the context for our planning process.
• Focus Groups and a Member Survey provided opportunity for extensive stakeholder engagement:
• Focus groups engaged over 50 members and staff in detailed discussions and informed the questions asked in the member survey as approved by the Board for distribution.
• All Members were invited to complete a survey in March and April 2021. We were delighted with a 49% response rate or 275 completed surveys.
• From these surveys we also collected many comments from members whose views and suggestions have been a valuable contribution to the development of this plan.
• In June 2021, the Board and Strategic Planning Committee carefully reviewed and discussed the input received and began the process of identifying priorities for the Club through 2026.
• The Strategic Plan presented here is enthusiastically endorsed by your Board.
Celebrating Granite Golf Club
We celebrate Granite Golf Club
In 25 short years, Granite Golf Club has evolved from woodlots and pastures to a stunning and challenging golf course of which we are so proud. A core group of individuals came together with a common love for the game of golf and worked diligently to take their concept to reality. Granite Golf Club is often described as a “hidden gem” north-east of Toronto and our vistas and opportunities continue to inspire our present-day diverse membership.
Our Mission
Why we exist and what we do
Granite Golf Club is a private golf club nestled on a spectacular property on the Oak Ridges Moraine. A day at Granite Golf Club is an enjoyable escape with friends, family and colleagues that is the envy of all.
Or…
Granite Golf Club is a private golf club nestled on a spectacular property on the Oak Ridges Moraine. A day at Granite Golf Club is an enjoyable escape with friends, family and colleagues.
Our Values Behaviours that will help us achieve our Vision and Mission
All members and staff contribute to Granite Golf Club. We respect and support one another.
We value and respect our Club
We are a welcoming and inclusive community united in our love of golf.
We welcome and celebrate every member of our community and their guests.
We steward our magnificent property with care and commit to environmental sustainability.
We commit to an exceptional experience however you chose to use the Club
We inspire friendly competition. We welcome casual play.
We support one another and our love of the game and we have fun!
We listen
We are fair, open and responsive to concerns and suggestions.
We commit to transparent and accountable Management and Governance.
We are proud of Granite Golf Club
Our Vision Our aspiration for the future
To consistently deliver a high quality golf experience while celebrating a welcoming, friendly, and respectful community.
Input from the membership inspired three conversations
Together these will frame a strong future
The Golf Experience
Strategic Focus 1: The Golf Experience
Long-term priorities will inform shorter-term objectives
A commitment to the Golf Experience highlights our top priorities:
• Responsible Tee Time management including walk-ons.
• Review of events to balance participation and satisfaction while protecting course availability for all.
• Recognition that supporting an appropriate Pace of Play is crucial.
• Continue to develop and execute a responsible plan and a sustainable timeline for strategic enhancements to the course.
The ability to arrive at the Club during the week and “walk on” within 1 hour of arriving …
You said it best …
Fewer events please!
Access to the tee…
Access to the tee…
Access to the tee!!!
I am fully supportive of progressive strategies to improve the experience for a larger diversity of people and to make the game more welcoming and fun and less stuffy… Can there be an easy way for new members like me to meet and play with comparable golfers?
I am as comfortable golfing alone as I am with friends …
We have had way too much turnover of staff which is unsettling and unproductive – we need good stable leadership. Not enough events for the better golfers.
I can’t believe that music is allowed to be played on the course. I belong to ... other private clubs and play at many. None would consider this. Culture is a delicate thing, please don’t put it at risk.
Strategic Focus 1 : Golf Experience Key Insights
1. Opportunity to provide greater access to the tee and improve pace of play.
*Mean score based on 10-point scale
**Source: Club database
2. One third of members do not keep an “active” handicap.
Have active handicap** (entered at least one score in Golf Canada)
Strategic Focus 1 : Golf Experience Key
Insights (Cont’d)
3. Most members do not participate in organized club events.
Source: Club database
The Property
Strategic Focus 2: The Property Long-term priorities will inform shorter-term objectives
A commitment to our property highlights key priorities:
• Continue to follow the vision of the Board and direction of Senior Management while seeking support, when required, from external industry experts.
• Continued care and maintenance of our number one asset through sustainable environmental practices, responsible capital investment, and member support of course care.
• Prudent enhancements to the practice facilities.
Driving range needs to be improved.
I love the physical course – the beauty of nature, the friends I have met … and the experience outdoors on the patio!
You said it best …
The influx of members with less regard for the care of the golf course is clearly evident.
The golf course continues to be in incredible shape and is always fun and challenging to play. The practice facilities are incredible …
The beauty of the environment, the course layout and its “walkability” …
The course itself, offering multiple tees, a good variety of holes and great practice facilities.
We are lucky to have one of the best courses in Ontario!
Strategic Focus 2: The Property Key Insights
1. Members place very high importance on course conditions.
2. Some member dissatisfaction with driving range but most not interested in acquiring adjacent lands with likely member assessment to address.
indicating a decline in course condition
*Mean score based on 10-point scale **Question wording: In the past, some members have indicated that they would like to see the driving range lengthened. Given restrictions on all sides of our existing ranges, undertaking this initiative would likely involve purchasing an adjacent property and a significant assessment for each member.
Strategic Focus 2: The Property Key Insights (Cont’d)
3. Majority of members are in favour of maintaining focus as a golf club.
The GGC Community
Strategic Focus 3: The GGC Community
Long term priorities will inform shorter-term objectives
A commitment to the GGC community highlights key priorities.
• Foster a strong sense of community while respecting varied interests and priorities within the Club.
• Define a clear mandate that benefits from committee involvement and member feedback while respecting the Club’s governance model.
• A continued focus on clear and timely communication.
It is crucial that if we want to be a quality club that there is respect for fellow members, the staff and traditions of golf and club life… I feel this is at very real risk at GGC.
You said it best …
The ladies group does not feel welcoming or friendly. It’s awful how competitive it is … More social events would be great. Friday Nine and Dine?
I think there are a group of members … who ruin the culture of the Club because of their constant complaining.
We need to maintain or develop a culture where families feel welcome and comfortable to have their kids grow up at Granite Golf Club and learn to golf.
We need to get back to having fun! Culture is laidback compared to other highend courses. A unique characteristic.
Disappointing board inaction on some member infractions… Board needs to stay in close touch with membership.
Strategic Focus 3: The GGC Community Key Insights
1. Members feel there is a need for greater respect; member to member and member to staff.
2. Music on the course is a polarizing issue.
Members show respect to staff Members show respect to one another
3. The age profile is balanced and reflects Canadian golf community
Supporting success through strong and fiscally responsible Management and Governance
Granite Golf Club’s governance and management will be structured to optimize delivery of the Strategic Plan:
• Review and revise the Board’s committee structure to best support the implementation of our strategic priorities, and
• Support the GM to implement an optimal management structure and resource allocation to achieve our Vision consistent with our Mission and Values.
Annual operational planning and execution is the responsibility of the GM and the senior team. The GM’s role will be to ensure the Club’s operations align with the strategic vision of the Club and its annual priorities.
Considering a longer-term horizon…
While not identified as priorities in this plan, the following may be on the horizon for future consideration:
• Purchase of adjacent property, if available and when prudent.
• Year round access to the property and facilities.
• A mutually beneficial partnership with Granite Club.
We are proud of Granite Golf Club!
By no means is this the end of a journey, its only the beginning. What’s next? Management and staff will be developing specific annual objectives and plans under each pillar. Some plans will require little to no investment whereas others will be delayed until such time as they are affordable. The pace of implementation will balance ambition with attention to responsible financial planning. Your Board will review and approve each plan.
Everyone in the Granite Golf Club community should appreciate that:
• All members and staff contribute to Granite Golf Club.
• We respect and support one another.
• We value and respect our Club. We commit to an exceptional experience however you chose to use the Club.
• We listen.
These values are what will guide us "To consistently deliver a high-quality golf experience for all while celebrating a welcoming, friendly, and respectful community."