Author: bennett

Dangers of Depersonalizing the Member Experience

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As new innovations continue to help streamline club operations, GGA Partner Henry DeLozier cautions against replacing staff with technology and removing what can be priceless interactions for members and guests alike.

Most clubs today are facing the dual challenges of rising labor costs along with ever-greater member expectations.

In our modern digital age, the obvious solution for many has been to systematize and automate services wherever possible across their operation.

But while this may be cost efficient, clubs must beware…the result is often the depersonalization of member services.

Remember, clubs share an emotional – not transactional – relationship with members. And both research and experience have shown us that the best member services are strictly personal.

For a club, to depersonalize is to chip away at the very foundation of your business.

Here are five tactics for personalizing services at your club:

1) Reserved or Reserved for…?

Recognize reserved tables with a reserved placard that displays the name of the member for whom the table is reserved. It’s a small touch which underscores that “we have been anticipating your arrival”. These little efforts add more to the member experience than you might think.

2) Monitor Club Communications for Engagement

Most clubs blindly issue email communications to members with little-or-no tracking to understand if the message was even received – let alone opened, read, or acted upon.

Follow up your club’s emails with calls to individual members who are not opening or engaging with club communications. Ask if the messages are being received (although your analytics will have revealed this already). This is a chance to learn what topics interest your members…and which topics don’t.

3) Personalize Your Club’s Communications

As suggested above, develop a personal communications profile for each member.
As with Facebook or LinkedIn, you can enable members to populate their own profiles (though some members who are not computer natives will need help with this).

This allows you to learn what topics interest each member, in what media they prefer to received messages, what days and times they want the messages to be delivered, and from whom at the club they wish to receive important information.

In essence, stop issuing “Dear Member” communications.

4) Meet with Members

Whether one-to-one or in small (fewer than four people at a time) member groups, meet to discuss the club and its various priorities. Ask members for their feedback, learn their priorities, and ensure that they know and understand the board’s strategic priorities too. This will make them feel included, valued and empowered.

5) Facilitate Member-to-Member Introductions

Most members are truly acquainted with very few of their fellow members, but clubs are more fun when people know more people.

There are several ways you can help this along, such as hosting multiple welcoming events for new members, enlisting your board, committees, and staff to become the “connectors” between members, and creating a digital (online) member directory to help members learn more about one another.

Using the member profiles described above, you can personalize the effort by connecting people with similar backgrounds – such as universities attended, hometowns, or places of employment.

Keep in mind that private clubs are a platform for socialization. An undeniable characteristic of successful clubs is the sense that “everyone knows one another”. Help your members get to know one another and, in so doing, make your club ever more relevant to the members.

Ultimately, the key is to treat your members as the valuable resource that they are. Keeping your services personalized will help them know that they are recognized, respected, and valued, and provide the strongest possible foundation for your club going forward.

Review of Hurdzan’s Golf and Law

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Michael J. Hurdzan, Golf and Law.  Golf Course Safety, Security and Risk Management.  Edited by Ron Whitten.  Hurdzan Golf Publications, Columbus, Ohio.  Hardcover, May 2018, available on Amazon, $65.00. Reviewed by John Strawn, Director, GGA Partners

Michael Hurdzan has designed some of the world’s best golf courses, among them Erin Hills, the US Open venue in Wisconsin, and two of Canada’s most acclaimed courses, The Devil’s Paintbrush and The Devil’s Pulpit.   His impressive portfolio of course designs nestles among a broader range of accomplishments.  Hurdzan has a PhD in environmental plant physiology; following active duty in the US Army, he served in a special forces reserve unit for thirty years, retiring as a Colonel.  Now a Fellow in the American Society of Golf Course Architects, he was ASGCA president in 1984-85.   In partnership with his son, Chris Hurdzan, he leads restorations and renovations of classic courses, such as The Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club, Scioto Country Club in his native Columbus, Ohio, and Vermont’s Burlington Country Club.

Hurdzan is outspoken advocate for sustainable golf development.  He’s delivered hundreds of speeches on best practices in golf operations, highlighting the impact course design has on maintenance.  He’s one of the world’s leading authorities on golf’s environmental impacts.  He’s written a series of books, including a comprehensive treatise entitled Golf Course Architecture, familiarly known as “the modern bible of golf course design.”

Now, with his seventh book, Hurdzan has turned his attention to the intersection of golf and the law, striding into a contentious arena where few non-lawyers have dared to tread.  “I have been shocked,” Hurdzan writes in the introduction to Golf and Law, “that the golf industry, in general, has been so slow or inactive in trying to educate golfers and course operators to make golf and golf courses less hazardous.”

Though not a lawyer, Hurdzan has testified in numerous lawsuits, acquiring knowledge of golf’s legal quandaries firsthand, often sitting in the hot seat as an expert witness subject to cross examination.  He’s testified on behalf of both defendants and plaintiffs.  Golf and Law examines some of those cases, drawing valuable lessons for course managers, superintendents, and private club boards on how to assess and ameliorate risk.

Golf and Law was edited by Ron Whitten, a writer and former prosecutor who abandoned the courtroom years ago to take on the role of golf course architectural editor at Golf Digest, where he established himself as an authoritative voice on design.  Whitten also collaborated with Hurdzan on the early stages of the design of Erin Hills.

But it’s Hurdzan’s voice we hear on the pages of Golf and Law, a clarion call reflecting the authority and presence that’s given his courthouse testimony such persuasive authenticity.  When you’ve learned to give orders that may have deadly consequences, you don’t take risk lightly.

Hurdzan’s book advises course managers and club members to forestall risk by undertaking a prudent, ongoing and realistic assessments of any potential hazards they can identify—and we’re not talking about bunkers here, but rather lake edges, aging trees, blind shots and steep slopes.  He makes a case for modest interventions, above all the use of simple warning signs, but makes it clear that the strongest protection against risk lies in good planning and design.

The number of pages Hurdzan devotes to golf car issues—and he prefers “car” to “cart” because the former implies greater operational risk, and the whole point of Golf and Law is to provide guidance on managing risk on golf courses—may not be surprising, given that more than 15,000 golf car accidents are reported every year.  Although he doesn’t state what proportion of golf-related lawsuits involve cars, from the cases he presents the impression is that cars are golf’s greatest danger.

As in his previous work, Hurdzan’s goal in writing Golf and Law is to make the golf industry better–a safer place for golfers and staff alike, where everyone is alert to the risks inherent in balls traveling at skull-cracking speeds and cars are driven with the risks of operating them clearly in mind.   This book belongs on every prudent club manager and superintendent’s shelf.

Measure Twice, Cut Once

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Experts in the fields of economics, demographics and climatology tell us that recessions, housing booms, population shifts and catastrophic hurricanes are coming. They just don’t know precisely when any of their predictions will come true, exactly where they will occur or who among us will be affected.

Closer to home, in the business of golf course and club management, it’s also likely we will see irrigation system breakdowns, fertilization miscalculations and budget shortfalls. That’s why it’s wise to plan for what may well be the inevitable as well as the unknown.

Warren Buffett once observed, “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” In other words, before the benefits come foresight, a plan and action. With the optimism of the new year now beginning to blend with reality, it’s time to make sure we have our most critical plans in place.

Irrigation plans are fundamental building blocks for every golf facility manager concerned about course conditions. Sound irrigation planning ties directly to the standards of excellence that are part of the overarching agronomic plan. Irrigation philosophy, methods and frequency must support and be consistent with the intended turf conditions for the course. Through attentive practices in most jurisdictions, golf has become an even more diligent user of water as many facilities now rely entirely on recycled water. A sound irrigation plan provides for three important factors: matching water consumption to expected results, measuring water consumption to ensure under-usage whenever possible, and seeking new options for further efficiency where sensible.

Rain Bird’s Bryan Stromme encourages managers to establish realistic expectations for what the superintendent wishes to accomplish. Stromme emphasizes that the system infrastructure and the intended outcomes – turf conditions – must be aligned. He adds that “having individual sprinkler control is critical. The faster you can water, the more efficient your system will be for energy and irrigation effectiveness.”

Fertility plans are mission critical for most golf courses considering the high standards of care and upkeep demanded, as well as the advancing requirements of sophisticated hybrid grasses. The first step in developing a fertility plan is to determine the desired level of course conditions and the corresponding turf standard. While there is no “perfect” fertility plan, the key to the planning process is nitrogen supported by phosphorous. The best plan for each facility also prioritizes environmental impacts to the site.

Nick Kearns, director of greens and grounds at The Oaks Club in Osprey, Florida, says he begins with a review of the prior year’s results and executes biannual soil and tissue sampling on each of his two courses. “Our two golf courses react differently,” he says. “The Heron, the Bermudagrass course, requires routine nitrogen applications. When applying we try to use the BMP rule of thumb of a 50 percent slow-release blend. With the Eagle, the paspalum course, we very rarely apply a granular nitrogen product because it can lead to an increase in disease pressure. The products that we apply to the entire course are 99 percent potassium based with minor elements blended in.”

Capital asset plans are a top priority for golf course and turf and facility managers because of life cycle demands and the time required to sequester and reserve needed funding. Craig Johnston, a partner at Global Golf Advisors in Toronto, says, “Clubs with golf courses and sports fields have an enormous appetite for capital.” He points to three key steps for asset replacement planning.

“First, planners must identify every asset that requires replacement, from the water fountain to the irrigation system,” he says. “One should have a depreciation schedule that lists all current fixed assets, the initial cost of the asset and the life of the asset. Start with this list to take a current inventory of your assets.  Make sure that all assets owned by the organization are included on the list and any assets the organization has sold or disposed of are removed from the list.

“Next, establish the replacement dates required for each asset. Use the depreciation schedule to set a target date for replacing each asset.  Finally, identify the financial resources that will pay for the assets that must be replaced. These days that’s often a hybrid of capital dues, capital reserves, short-term debt and capital calls on the membership.”

This article with authored by Henry DeLozier for Golf Course Industry magazine.

Global Golf Advisors Announces Exciting Brand Transformation

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– Trusted advisor to the golf, private club and leisure industries becomes GGA Partners™
– New brand identity supports firm’s progression into a new era, beyond golf
– GGA Partners™ targets further expansion across a changing private club, leisure and investment landscape

(Toronto, Canada – February 6) Global Golf Advisors, the international consulting firm working with many of the world’s most successful golf courses, private clubs, resorts and residential communities, today announces the start of a new era as it becomes GGA Partners™.

Established in 1992 as North America’s KPMG Golf Industry Practice and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, the company has provided industry-leading advisory services to more than 3,000 clients worldwide.

Its team of experienced professionals assist owners, asset managers, club and community leaders, investors and real estate developers tackle challenges, achieve objectives and maximize asset performance.

Its evolution from Global Golf Advisors perfectly links its rich business heritage with new and significant market opportunities, reflecting a changing private club, leisure and investment landscape, while continuing to emphasize its perennial values and its trusted position across the global golf industry.

Over the past decade, the firm has been increasingly engaged in a multitude of successful consulting projects in the club and leisure space where golf amenities have not been present – from private city clubs to business clubs, beach clubs, mountain clubs, yacht clubs, destination resorts and residential real estate developments.

Derek Johnston, Partner at GGA Partners™, commented: “Today is an important milestone in the continued advancement of our business. Our new brand proudly celebrates the heritage of Global Golf Advisors by continuing with the acronym by which the firm has become commonly known; but it also acknowledges the growth we have enjoyed and communicates our bright future, as a consulting firm that has evolved into a club and leisure powerhouse.”

Significantly, three ‘progression bars’ that form the visual icon within the new GGA Partners™  logo reverberate the firm’s process, ‘Insight, Strategy, Success’, leveraging in-depth business intelligence and proprietary global data to deliver impactful strategic solutions and lasting success for its clients.

The company’s new brand colors symbolize stability, professionalism, trust, health, virtue, and force, while dynamic typography accents the bold, modern, and striking approach to its work.

Johnston concluded: “Our new brand excellently positions us for continued growth, reflects our status as a leading international consulting firm, and underlines how we work in partnership with clients to tackle challenges, achieve business objectives and maximize asset performance.”

GGA Partners™ has offices in Toronto, Canada; Phoenix, USA, and Dublin, Ireland.

For further information about GGA Partners™ visit: www.ggapartners.com

 

— ENDS —

 

To access high resolution GGA Partners logo and image of Partner Derek Johnston, click here: https://we.tl/t-vblo2VJj79

Press release issued on behalf of GGA Partners™, by Landmark Golf Marketing & Communications.

 

GGA Partners™ contact:

Bennett DeLozier
Manager
t: +1-602-614-2100
e: bennett.delozier@ggapartners.com

Media contact:

Michael Roberts
Head of Digital Marketing
Landmark Golf Marketing & Communications
t: +44 (0)1780 752790
e: michael@landmark-media.com

 

About GGA Partners™

GGA Partners™ is an international consulting firm and trusted advisor to many of the world’s most successful golf courses, private clubs, resorts and residential communities.  We are dedicated to helping owners, asset managers, club and community leaders, investors and real estate developers tackle challenges, achieve objectives and maximize asset performance.

Established in 1992 as the KPMG Golf Industry Practice, our global team of experienced professionals leverage in-depth business intelligence and proprietary global data to deliver impactful strategic solutions and lasting success.

ggapartners.com

Millennials and the Value Proposition at Your Facility

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A First-Look at 2020 Millennial Golf Industry Research Findings

In ongoing research collaboration with Millennial golfer organization Nextgengolf, GGA recently updated its study of the habits, attitudes, and preferences of Millennial golfers.  The 2020 study brings forward survey findings from over 1,600 Millennial golfers and builds upon research conducted in 2017, 2018, and 2019.

A preview of this year’s research findings was unveiled in a presentation delivered at the 2020 PGA Merchandise Show by GGA Partner Henry DeLozier and Director, Nextgengolf Operations, Matt Weinberger.

Titled “Millennials and the Value Proposition at Your Facility”, the session introduced key insights and observations from the latest research and supplemented these findings using personal anecdotes shared by participating Millennial golfers.  The session explored what these findings mean for golf facilities and highlighted several tactics some facilities have implemented to enhance their value proposition to Millennial golfers.

Over the next few weeks, be on the lookout for a full, in-depth report of findings.

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Research Overview

In many clubs today, the long-held expectations and perceptions of existing, ageing members are at odds with the entirely different needs and expectations of a new wave of younger, more casual members.  The challenge for clubs?  To create an environment which not only appeals to the new wave, but where members of all types can coexist.

Research findings highlight how golf clubs can adapt and develop their offerings to meet the needs of the next generation of members and customers.  The goal is to provide valuable insights about Millennial golfers, the challenges they face, and the opportunities for clubs to help support the long-term sustainability of the game and the industry as a whole.

Background

As the leading entity for team-based golf in the United States, Nextgengolf connects Millennials to golf and supports the success of their game while GGA specializes in solution engineering and problem solving for golf-related businesses.  A fusion of GGA’s 28-year history of private club research and Nextgengolf’s connection to young golfers afforded the unique opportunity to study a highly valuable Millennial audience.

The survey sample focused exclusively on a sample audience of active, avid Millennial golfers with prior golf interest and experience in tournaments or golf events.  To date, more than 5,200 survey responses have been analyzed during the four-year research study.

Thank you to the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) for the support that makes this research possible.

Think Big Entering A New Decade

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Thinking of big changes in 2020?  Writing for Golf Course Industry Magazine, GGA Partner Henry DeLozier shares four macro changes to consider as the new decade begins.

Golf no longer exists in a vacuum, separate and distinct from market forces that shape other mainstream businesses. Gone are the days when golf club and facility managers could operate without a sensitive finger on the pulse of social, environmental and political changes affecting their business. As we enter the third decade of the 21st century, here are four macro changes to be aware of and to use to your advantage.

1. New solutions to labor shortages

Traditionally, labor costs for golf courses have ranged from 52 to 56 percent of golf course maintenance budgets. With increases in minimum wages and the ripple effect throughout organizational charts, labor costs continue to escalate. Derek Johnston, a partner at Global Golf Advisors, says labor costs have jumped as much as 6 percent.

Operators managed the first wave of escalating labor costs by reducing head counts and outsourcing certain activities to third-party contractors. Now, they are being forced to get more creative to deal with what is by far the facility’s single largest line item. Some have reacted by flattening their org charts, eliminating supervisory positions and restructuring responsibilities for some managers and staffers. As a result, staffing levels that ranged from 19 to 25 employees per 18-hole course are in significant decline.

Labor will remain a primary focus and concern for operators in 2020. Suggestions for managing rising costs are to re-evaluate all operational activities with an eye for possible benefits to be gained from outsourcing; take labor-intensive components of your operation and determine how the work could be accomplished more efficiently; and look at non-golf sectors for solutions being implemented in other fields such as hospitality and manufacturing.

2. Increased environmental awareness

Golf courses throughout North America have embraced opportunities to increase their environmental stewardship. Beekeeping, which sustains the bee population and ensures ongoing pollination; bat houses, which address mosquito infestations; and habitat restoration for butterflies, especially monarchs, whose habitat supports pheasant, quail, waterfowl and many other species; have been introduced at many locales.

Making golf courses and their surrounding grounds environmental sanctuaries is resonating with key market influencers, including millennials and women, who are also prime targets for increasing play and membership. Audubon International CEO Christine Kane reports that clubs as sanctuary communities are on the rise nationwide: “Audubon-recognized sanctuary communities have increased more than 20 percent over the past five years,” according to Kane.

Progressive superintendents and golf managers who expand the reach and impact of their environmental efforts will be viewed favorably by community leaders as well as current and prospective members and customers.

3. Expanded reach of social media

Superintendents and facility managers have become important sources of content relevant to club members and consumers. Photographic images of flora and fauna on club grounds are of interest to members who take pride in their clubs’ beauty and connection to the environment.

Instagram and Twitter can be used to show images sourced by staff members — golf course workers, cooks, janitors, golf professionals — who are alert to opportunities to snap butterfly habitats, wildflowers and all sorts of wildlife that call the club home. Such images are often posted to the club website and distributed to club members and visitors as a means for extending brand engagement.

Gone are the days of the cut-and-paste guidance for how to repair a ball mark. The increased relevance and timeliness of today’s news is attributed to the capability and proliferation of social media.

4. Comprehensive planning

The growth of strategic planning (supported by specialized plans for marketing, communications, finance and membership) is another example of general business’s influence on a more enlightened group of golf managers. Just as most any business relies on a strategic plan to guide its decision-making, golf is recognizing the importance of establishing a clear vision that serves to prioritize programming and investment. Top performers rely on data-based plans to distinguish their facilities not only in overcrowded markets, but also with consumers debating their leisure activities and spending. Those facilities that create market differentiation will prosper in 2020 and beyond.

Executive Search: General Manager at The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club

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GENERAL MANAGER

 

The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club:

The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club was formed in 1903, seventeen years after Vancouver was incorporated. Since the early days, the Club has developed into a year-round, full-service operation with seven offshore stations and three food & beverage outlets between the two home ports. A membership of 5,000+ embraces all forms of yachting and social activities. The Clubhouse and Jericho home port are in the beautiful Point Grey residential area and offer easy access to English Bay. Our Coal Harbour home port is nestled into the shores of Stanley Park, a stone’s throw from the cycling path, park trails and downtown Vancouver.

The Position:

Reporting to the Executive Committee (Board), the General Manager serves as Club’s Chief Operating Officer and implements the Club’s policies and strategy as defined by its Executive Committee. The General Manager is responsible for leading and directing all day-to-day and long-term activities associated with the Club.

Specific accountabilities include:

  • Work with the Executive Committee in the execution of the Strategic Plan, from the Strategic Plan, construct a Business Plan and a Marketing Plan that drives Club revenues and achieves the agreed upon financial results.
  • Effectively manage and oversee Club Operations. Senior Managers who report directly to the GM and are responsible for the day-to-day activities and processes. Although the GM will rely on the Senior Managers to operate the daily activities, the GM will be ultimately responsible for overall performance metrics and service.
  • Develop and implement an effective sales and marketing strategy to increase membership and awareness of The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club within the local community.
  • Design, implement and maintain operating policies and procedures that align and support the Club’s policies as defined by the Executive Committee.
  • Conduct an ongoing evaluation of Club programs and events to ensure the consistent provision of outstanding services to meet the needs and expectations of members, guests, and employees.
  • Represent the Club to members, employees and external agencies. The GM is engaged in new member recruitment and onboarding.
  • Manage the development, implementation and ongoing monitoring of the annual operating and capital budgets and the Club’s overall financial results.
  • Maintain effective communication with the Executive Committee on Club operations, financial reports, risk analysis, compliance, asset management, human resources, membership initiatives and capital projects.

Candidate Profile:

Given the leading role this individual will be expected to play in achieving the strategic objectives of the Club, it is essential that the successful candidate possess the following core competencies, experience and attributes:

  • A dynamic leader with the ability to build strong teams by motivation and lead by example. Has the ability to provide direction and expectations, performance feedback and recognition that leads to positive outcomes;
  • A post-secondary degree in business or a related discipline is preferred;
  • A minimum of 5+ years’ experience operating at a senior level in a private club or other similar athletic/social facility;
  • Strong professional deportment with a clear commitment to member service through an open and transparent member/customer approach;
  • A strategic thinker with strong business acumen with the ability to “grow the membership” through traditional and innovative sales and marketing techniques;
  • A definite business presence complemented with personal drive, resourcefulness, maturity and sound business judgment, with integrity and ethical conduct in words and deeds;
  • A self-starter approach, results oriented work style combined with excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
  • An innovative and decisive professional who possesses a positive demeanor;
  • Experience reporting to an Executive Committee that has adopted a club governance structure and processes to lead the Club and GM to collaborative success;
  • A strong boating background, preferably with an excellent profile in the club industry.

Note:
The current General Manager will tentatively retire on March 31, 2020.

Compensation:
The Club will offer an attractive compensation package, commensurate with experience, which will include a competitive base salary and benefits.

Inquiries:
IMPORTANT: Interested candidates should submit resumes along with a detailed cover letter which addresses the qualifications and describes your alignment/experience with the prescribed position by Friday, January 31, 2020. Those documents must be saved and emailed in Word or PDF format (save as “Last Name, First Name, RVYC Resume” and “Last Name, First Name, RVYC Cover Letter”) respectively to: execsearch@globalgolfadvisors.com.

George Pinches
Director
GGA

For more information on The Royal Vancouver Yacht Club:  www.royalvan.com

Does Your Club Have An Identity Crisis?

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“Today, brands are stories. (…) carefully developed and aimed at preidentified market segments whose wants, needs and expectations align with the intended benefits of the product.” – Henry DeLozier

But change can often bring about a mismatch between the story and the segments you want to attract. GGA’s Bennett DeLozier outlines how to determine whether your club’s visual identity is true to what it represents.

A lot of things have changed in the last decade. In politics, in society, in the environment we all share. This impacts how we feel, how we interact with each other, and what products and services we want to be a part of our everyday lives.

These changes are evident at the club level, too. Aspects of your club may be unrecognizable from what they were ten years ago, from membership categories, to club amenities, to the profile of your members, and even the culture of the club. Sometimes this change has come as a result of proactive planning, sometimes reactive necessity.

But while many clubs have changed dramatically, we often find the brand pillars and visual identity (logo, colors, mission, values, purpose, positioning, voice, tone, look-and-feel of the club) get left behind. In other words, the club is missing the opportunity to illustrate and communicate what makes it different, compelling, and worth someone’s interest.

Given the state of over-supply for clubs in most metropolitan markets, brand management which enables effective market differentiation is essential. But before embarking on a rebranding effort without professional guidance, clubs can and should seek to periodically assess the state of their brand identity and how compelling a proposition it is to target member or customer segments

Stick or twist

How do you go about assessing the current brand and the potential need for change?

First, club managers and leaders must understand the power of brand. This means knowing the market segments the club serves and those it aspires to serve in the future. It requires a grasp of buyer motivations and the reasons people are motivated to join the club.

Second, and in order to evaluate whether there is a need for change, you should engage your board in a strategic brand audit and follow a clear process, similar to the indicative one below:

1. Ask your members, past members, stakeholders, and staff for their thoughts via a bespoke survey.

It’s also valuable to solicit input on brand perceptions from those outside of your intraclub community, particularly from competitors and people with whom current and prospective members are likely to interact (such as realtors, local community groups, fitness centers, apartment complexes, senior living homes, or neighboring schools). This will (quickly) help you to gain a sense of how those most important to the club view it, and allow you to identify any potential mismatch between what the club is, and how it communicates that with the wider world.

2. Assess the costs and benefits of a brand change or an identity evolution.

For instance, how will repositioning the club’s brand help to open up new target customer segments? How might it affect your typical core customer base? What is the cost of any proposed change, both financial and perceptual?

This exercise need not be overly complicated, a good old-fashioned SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) will cover off most of the key points to consider. Outline the opportunities and threats in a rational, pragmatic way to determine the most suitable outcome.

3. Marry your findings with your strategic plan.

How strong is the desire for change and how does this synchronize with your club’s future plans? It’s crucially important not to get drawn into making a decision for the now and foregoing any sense of futureproofing.

For instance, if you are set to launch a multi-sport facility and fitness center next year, are planning to unveil some luxury lodges the year after, and have been considering enhanced family programming for months, all this needs to be factored into the new identity you create.

Charting the future

Change is never easy. It feels uncomfortable. And risky. But sometimes standing still will only serve to do your club an injustice, poorly reflecting its attributes, story and emotional value to those that engage with it.

In that case, the benefits are there to be seized: appealing to new customer segments, futureproofing the club (socially and fiscally), and uniting those closest to the club around a clear sense of what it is and what it represents.

Turning Insights Into Action

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GGA Insights exists to support you as a club leader, offering you solutions, tools, and tactics today that can help you improve your work life tomorrow.  But putting change into practice can be a challenging endeavor. GGA Director, George Pinches, offers a road map for translating genuine insights and data into meaningful boardroom action.

Most private clubs are like cruise ships; they do change direction, but very slowly. They are often steeped in tradition, and while this is a powerful asset, it can also hold clubs back.

In reality, clubs need agility if they are to respond and adapt to the fast-evolving demands of changing markets, new technology and generations of new members.

But don’t lose hope; with more data available to us than ever, there is reason for optimism.

Data can clarify the changes that need to be made, shape the direction of travel, and safeguard clubs from the obstacles and pitfalls they may otherwise run into.

But the truth is, before data can be put into such effective practice, many clubs and boards require a cultural shift to recognize the value of it.

Commitment first

When my GGA colleague, Fred Laughlin, first introduced the Club Governance Model, he stressed the importance of obtaining a board commitment before undertaking transition.

This is because research demonstrates it usually takes three administrations for significant changes to be fully adopted by a club board.

In order to move away from what we typically see – decisions based on anecdotal evidence rather than genuine insights and hard facts – this is the process to follow: commitment first, then change follows.

For you, obtaining commitment from your board and committees means convincing them that the use of data-driven decision making is mutually beneficial.

Once your board members start asking “What are the facts? Do you have comparable data or industry benchmarks to support this recommendation?”, then your club will be on track to a brighter future based on genuine insights.

Shifting the dial

It’s clear that clubs can no longer rely on decisions based on institutional memory and personal opinion. But how do you (in practical terms) achieve such long-lasting change?

When it comes to shifting the culture, timing is key.

One of the best opportunities to start a culture shift is at the beginning of a new tenure. This tends to be a ‘honeymoon period’ for the new GM or COO, when support and expectations are running high.

Take the opportunity to assess the culture and seek ways to introduce change: commitment first, change to follow. If your board has an annual board retreat, this can be an opportune time to take action.

Beyond that, I’d recommend focusing on these three key areas to encourage a sustainable culture shift towards a data-driven future:

  1. Board recruitment and development – The nominating committee can add “an aptitude or understanding of data-driven decision making” to the list of attributes when recruiting nominees for the board. The GM/COO can use the same criteria when filling senior management positions.
  2. Board policy – Alterations to the Board Policy Manual (BPM) can ensure that the decision-making policy stipulates the required data, back-up information, and consultation necessary to support a recommendation. Proponents, be they committee or management, soon learn what is expected by the board before considering an initiative or making a decision.
  3. Education – Club industry resources that extol the virtues of data-driven decision making can be shared during board and committee orientation to support the culture shift away from anecdotal to fact-based practices.

Finding ‘your’ way

Process and structure will help, but a true shift in culture can only be achieved through intelligent and thoughtful execution. In some cases, this means finding the unique tactics which work best for you and your Board.

‘Shifting culture’ will not appear in many job descriptions of club leaders. But, for a lot of clubs it should be at the very top. It holds the key to disrupting what can be a perennial cycle of decisions based on what those in power ‘think’ is right.

My advice: think long-term (beyond 5 years), actively gain the buy-in and commitment of board members, and put a structure and process in place to ensure data and intelligence are at the heart of how your Club operates.

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