GOLF + FITNESS TECHNOLOGY
FITNESS CAN RIDE THE GOLF BOOM By Keke Lyles
AS 2021 COMES TO AN END, we can look back and see the tremendous growth that the game of golf has enjoyed. As clubs across the globe have seen participation numbers and memberships boom, the focus in 2022 will be to retain and even build off of that energy. Along with golf, the health and wellness industry has seen massive gains come out of the pandemic. And in both areas, there is a unique opportunity for clubs to position themselves as the best solution for how and where to pursue all of these activities. Over the past year, we’ve provided information in this space that has been aimed at helping clubs build health programs that can revolutionize what’s offered to their members. At the end of the day, your club should be striving to create a second-to-none experience for your members and their guests. In the January issue, we brought to your attention what a golf performance center is and how to maximize the space. Not only is it a great place for high-level golf learning, it can also be a place where members receive instruction and collaboration from fitness instructors. If you are going to make this kind of a financial investment at your club, consider how multiple departments can utilize the space and technology to maximize the experience. Allow members to feel like they have a team of people who are committed to their success. In February, we explored the right type of gym equipment upgrades that can help your members achieve their goals. Many clubs have lost members because they haven’t upgraded their equipment in years. There are many pieces of equipment that can be used to directly improve how players swing the golf club, as well as make them 16
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stronger or more flexible. Having equipment that your golf instructors can also use during a lesson adds to the overall experience. In March, we explored the types of programs a club can offer to create a unique, value-added culture. Many clubs will talk about culture and how to create it, but they often overlook how to integrate different departments to create a holistic and inclusive environment. Any club that has provided stretch therapists or massage therapists during club tournaments knows the impact it can have on the membership. In April and May, we started to get into the weeds, exploring what physical assessments of members can look like and how to understand what all the numbers mean. The “Cliff Notes” version is to take the time to build out a system that will then create efficiency in the way you work with members and track their results over time. You want to be able to quickly digest the numbers and make decisions based on the trends you are seeing. In June, we took another deep dive, to highlight tools that help to show how our bodies move, and how we can use that information to help train clients to hit the golf ball farther. This technology makes it very simple to see how the body is moving. or not moving, in the golf swing. Once those areas are identified, working with a fitness professional to improve them will change how the player’s body moves and feels. The end result may not always be greater distance, but at the very least you will be helping members play healthier and longer. In July and September, we reflected on the current challenges coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic—specifically, how
facilities are now being forced to operate to keep members feeling safe and confident, and the major hurdle most clubs still face in hiring employees. It’s time for clubs to think outside of the box on what type of culture they want and how it can be created, and then use that as a guide for hiring new employees and creating new programs. In October and November, we focused on how to engage and provide programming for both older and younger members. To sustain success in the coming years, it will be critical for each club to appeal to all segments of its membership. And this doesn’t have to require separate approaches. Some clubs are now holding small tournaments that pair older members with youth members. This is a great way to continue growing the game, while also providing a chance for older members to take some of the children under their wings to teach and mentor them. You can also do the same in fitness, by having some of the more mature members teach younger members different movements, or about proper eating and what recovery techniques they have found helpful. The opportunities that are in front of clubs today remind me of the changes that have been seen in professional sports. In the 1990s, pro teams had little to help their players get strong and stay healthy. You might only find an athletic trainer, and then maybe a strength-and-conditioning coach. Let 2022 be the year that your club starts to make the changes to be part of this new wave of creating a unique culture and providing a world-class experience. Keke Lyles is recognized as a leader in human performance, with experience with professional athletes and Navy Special Warfare operators.
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