Tag: GGA Partners

A Club Leader’s Perspective [2022]

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A Club Leader’s Perspective: Emerging Trends & Challenges 

Latest research produced in collaboration with the Club Management Association of America examines the perspectives of private clubs and what trends are motivating their decisions.

In brief:

  • Industry survey of over 200 club leaders across North America highlights the perspective of club leaders on the current challenges facing the industry.
  • A Club Leader’s Perspective explores the state of the industry from the perspective of those in club leadership roles, and what influences their decisions.
  • Club leaders weighed-in on emerging trends and challenges across five primary areas:
    • Industry outlook within the post-Covid-19 ecosystem
    • Human resources and workforce demands
    • Membership experience and programming
    • Capital planning and long-range improvement strategies, and budgeting and forecasting
    • Inflationary impacts on service

We’ve taken the pulse of club leaders regularly since the start of the pandemic, including in-depth looks at challenges and sentiments in 2021. Over the past two years, many clubs were forced to adapt to evolving public health regulations, supply chain shortages, labor challenges and sky-rocketing membership levels. Despite these challenges, club leaders are largely positive about 2022. 

Access the full report for further insights.

Read now

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. GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Ontario; Phoenix, Arizona; Bluffton, South Carolina; and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit ggapartners.com.

GGA Partners is proud to be a long-standing CMAA Business Partner.

About CMAA

Founded in 1927, the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) is the largest professional association for managers of membership clubs with 6,800 members throughout the US and internationally. Our members contribute to the success of more than 2,500 country, golf, athletic, city, faculty, military, town, and yacht clubs. The objectives of the Association are to promote relationships between club management professionals and other similar professions; to encourage the education and advancement of members; and to provide the resources needed for efficient and successful club operations. Under the covenants of professionalism, education, leadership, and community, CMAA continues to extend its reach as the leader in the club management practice. CMAA is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, with 42 professional chapters and more than 40 student chapters and colonies. Learn more at cmaa.org.

For further information, contact:

Dr. Eric Brey, Ph.D.
Director, GGA Institute
t: 715.505.7716
e: eric.brey@ggapartners.com

Opportunities to Reinvent Club Service Standards

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The club industry is facing one of the most challenging labour markets in years. In addition to labour issues, most clubs have had to adjust their service levels to protect the health of their employees, members, and guests, as well as adhere to constantly changing public health guidelines within their regions. Added to this is the reduction in revenue associated with a decline in event business. The net result presents a challenging environment for clubs, but with challenge also comes opportunity. Clubs are provided with the opportunity to refine their service standards to meet the expectations of todays’ world and avoid allocating resources based on standards that are no longer relevant.

Changing Service Expectations

Over the last two years, service expectations have shifted. Some clubs have taken advantage of this transitionary period to redefine their future service models , with the goal of increasing operational efficiency while delivering a level of service expected by their members and guests. Utilizing member/guest focus groups and listening sessions, as well as well-constructed surveys, clubs have learned that service expectations have changed over the past two years. Some services that were once considered standard are no longer priorities for members. Valet parking, staffing a bag drop and driving range attendants are just a few examples of services that some clubs are moving away from. These clubs have also learned that the use of technology is far more accepted than it was two years ago and represents an opportunity to reduce labour costs. Moving all tee time booking online or to the club app rather than having a staff member answer phone calls is a common example.

Defining Service Standards

“Service Standards are clearly defined descriptions of the service experience that customers can expect to receive consistently with every interaction they have with your club”

On the surface, the above description is straight forward, but when it is applied to defining these standards, it can become a bit challenging. In particular, the four words, “…consistently with every interaction…” is what sets well-defined service standards apart from aspirational service delivery. For something to become a standard, it must be something that your team has the talent, training, and resources necessary to achieve the standard every time. If one of those factors is missing, it cannot be a standard. For example, it might be a service goal to answer the phone within two rings with a live individual. If you do not have the resources to achieve this every time, even during busy periods, it cannot be viewed as a service standard.

Written from the Customers Perspective

Our organization has assisted both small teams and large organizations in the hospitality industry to develop service standards. One common theme that we encounter with service organizations is a lack of clarity between operating standards and service standards. To put it simply, service standards is the service that a customer can expect to receive every time they have an encounter with your business. Operating standards are the internal processes that are in place to ensure that your organization achieves the service standards. For example, a service standard in a restaurant might be that all customers will be greeted at the host desk immediately upon entering the restaurant. The operating standard that would support this might be that during restaurant hours, the host desk will always be staffed. The difference is minor but important.

Train and Support

Once you have clearly defined your service standards across every touch point with customers, the challenge becomes ensuring that your team is consistently delivering. This requires that all employees clearly understand what is expected of them and that they have the necessary training and resources. Employees also require ongoing support and coaching from their supervisors.

Measure, Coach and Reward

The final step in a successful service standards program is measuring success. A consistent measurement process involves the creation of a scorecard and utilizing mystery shoppers who can objectively measure your team’s delivery of service standards. The scorecards help to identify areas where standards are not being met, and help management understand where additional training and resources might be needed. Scorecards also provide a benchmark score that provides a snapshot of how you are doing overall and a measurement that can be considered in your senior team’s annual goals and objectives.

Clearly defined and measured service standards have become a standard in the hospitality and club industry. If your club does not yet have a service standards program in place, we encourage you to develop one. If you already have a service standards program in place, it may be time to review it and determine if it is right for today’s service environment and evolving customer expectations.

Contact a GGA Partners professional today for more information.

Putting your data to work: 3 strategies to optimize your private club data

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In the ever-changing private club industry, organizations must continually ask themselves, “Are we managing operations to the best of our ability?” Peter Drucker, widely recognized as the founder of modern management said, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” Drucker’s words hold true today as the field of data science evolves at an increasingly fast pace. While the club industry has generally adopted data-driven approaches, our experience at GGA Partners highlights three common metrics that, when utilized effectively, are powerful contributors to success:

Revisiting member resignations

Clubs should aim to take an integrated view of their membership and while many have made great efforts to better track active membership profiles, there are significant opportunities in evaluating thorough data on resigned members. Clubs interested in reducing membership attrition are well-served to obtain a clear picture of resigned members. Collecting information on resigned members actually begins with appropriately tracking the members’ joining date and demographic information. With this, clubs are not only able to analyze what the typical lifecycle of membership is, but also how this lifecycle may differ across a variety of demographics. With this method, a club will obtain more insightful findings than a general resignation metric. For example, a club could determine when female members resign and whether this differs to male members, the conversion rates of intermediate category members to full, or whether members within certain geographic areas showcase distinct resignation patterns. Utilizing this lifecycle analysis, clubs can subsequently evaluate current active memberships and analyze who may be nearing the historical “end of membership” timeline. Digging deeper, if a club tracks the historical spend and usage habits of members leading up to their resignation, there comes an opportunity to utilize analytics to observe active members who display similar spend and usage patterns exhibited by resigned members (i.e., reductions in spend and usage).

Diving into usage details

Another area of opportunity is increased tracking of detailed amenity utilization statistics, such as rounds played, fitness check-ins, tennis court bookings, and food and beverage covers. As an effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, many clubs adapted their booking technology to meet both safety regulations (where necessary) and membership demand.

Numerous clubs currently track this information on an aggregate basis (which is a great start) but incredible value comes from tracking the data on a per-member and time-associated basis. For example, for a private golf club, knowing how many rounds of golf your club saw in a year is valuable, but being able to assess which groups of membership played more than others during certain time frames offers a much more focused and actionable scope (particularly if utilization concerns continue to impact membership dissatisfaction across private clubs globally). The same impact could be had for a private multi-sport facility with tennis or fitness bookings. To generate this level of insight, clubs must track any sort of booking to the given member and attach a time with said booking. For example, if a specific member is playing a tennis match at 9:30am on a Saturday, this would be tracked within the club’s internal systems. At the end of the month, the club could export all match data and run various analyses, such as which members played the most, what are the busiest days and times, were there days of the week that would benefit from having additional programming to reduce higher-capacity times, and so on.

Managing membership movements

At a basic level, clubs should be confident in their knowledge of year-end membership category counts. With this information, assessments can be made on how certain categories have changed within a year, and then further investigated. Delving beyond the basics are those who have accurately tracked new sales, resignations and transfers within each category. Clubs should consider collecting and reporting data according to membership categories. Looking at the table below, including the previous year-end count to act as the baseline moving forward and the most recent year-end count provides context on increases and decreases. New sales, resignations, and transfers in and out for each membership category are also included, and updated throughout the year for easy input.

This comprehensive analysis allows clubs a detailed look at how membership is truly moving throughout any given year. For example, a category may appear steady from a year-over-year perspective, but upon further analysis, the reality showcases an incredible amount of pressure on new membership sales due to increased member transfers or resignations. With this level of insight, the club can then investigate why there are so many members moving out of this category and take actionable steps to stabilize its membership.

Improving and sustaining business performance is always top of mind for club leaders. A deeper approach to data and analytics plays a critical role in maximizing performance across club operations. Increased awareness into trends emerging from resigned members, the usage patterns of specific membership groups, and how members are migrating will lead to better understanding of the membership, and more effective actions taken by the club.

How our research & analytics professionals can help

Research and analytics are fundamental to GGA Partners’ proven approach to analyzing club performance and to continually improving the tools and solutions we offer our clients. With a team of professionals that carry over 28 years of experience in the golf, private club, and leisure industries, we can show your club how to leverage data and analytics to drive success.

Contact a GGA Partners professional today for more information.

 

Building the Membership Models of the Future

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Pandemic-driven changes to member usage has thrown off the balance of membership numbers and access privileges at private clubs around the world. What trends are being observed, and more importantly, what does the new normal look like for re-balancing membership capacities and usage patterns?

The impact that the pandemic era has had on private club member usage has not been subtle. Usage rates across private clubs for golf and racquet sports observed double digit usage growth. Among GGA clients, a 25-30% increase in total rounds played from 2019 to 2020 was not uncommon. On a per member basis, the average private club member increased their annual number of rounds played by 5-9 rounds. And while we predict there will likely be a slow regression in the years to come as other leisure alternatives become available, we still expect that the new ‘norm’ for private club member usage levels will be elevated from pre-pandemic experiences.

Why is that?

The flexible work-from-home trend brought on by public health measures brings with it two key benefits. Firstly, the saved time from commuting can now be dedicated to leisure pursuits and more time spent at the Club. The second is the flexibility of leisure usage. Traditional tee-sheet compaction on weekends is partly a function of this being the only time that many members can play, for those with rigid weekly work schedules and/or long commutes from the office. Flexible work hours offer members the option to use the Club at unconventional times, especially on weekday afternoons/evenings. If we think of the end result in terms of ‘occupancy rates’ for amenities at the Club, we expect higher levels as a function of more balanced demand.

As you plan for the upcoming season and work to identify the optimal structure for balancing members and access, consider the following practices that we have observed to be successful for managing a changing membership model:

Ensure member capacities are based on current usage patterns – This may seem obvious at first glance, but we continue to observe clubs focusing on their existing by-law capacity for members, a capacity that may have been calculated decades ago. Usage patterns may not always change as drastically as they have in the past two years, but there will never be a time where they are not evolving in one way or another. Member capacities should be calculated based on an ongoing monitoring of utilization levels, even if that means adjusting internal capacities annually.

Waitlists with Flexible Usage – As more and more clubs approach waitlists as a result of the demand increase over the past two seasons, consider a ‘soft’ waitlist category that still provides limited usage of the Club, at the discretion of the Board of Directors. This typically involves a deposit that can be applied to the entrance fee, and dues/access that likely resembles a sports/social category. The goal would be to steer all access towards non-peak times while still allowing new members to experience the Club and keep them ‘hooked’ until room opens up for a full membership.

Avoid the temptation to restrict the young member pipeline – Five years ago, many clubs were clamoring for members under the age of 40 and rolling out incentive programs to capture the new millennial generation of private club members. Naturally, when a club approaches capacity, it makes sense, in the short-term view, to cap the number of young members joining the club because they often receive discounted dues and/or joining fees. However, it is important to remember that the demand surge from this audience is likely to dry up again in the future, and the long-term value of a strong pipeline of millennial members (with the potential to pay dues at the Club for the next 40+ years) should be a higher strategic priority than the small incremental gain in dues revenue in the short-term. Due to the flexible nature of working from home, under 40’s have been playing considerably more golf, on average, and as a result, there may be an opportunity to reduce the intermediate discount (rather than turn them away) to match usage and their improved perception of value received.

Looking ahead, clubs must get comfortable with ‘change’, and the ability to monitor and react on a continuous basis. Do not assume that members will revert to the same patterns and preferences as they exhibited pre-Covid. Those who can react and adapt to the ever-evolving member trends will be positioned for success

How our Membership Strategy and Planning professionals can help

GGA Partners specializes in developing the most appropriate membership, lifestyle and amenity solutions that will position a club or project for long-term success in the context of its financial circumstances and competitive landscape. We invest heavily in tracking and understanding global trends and best practices specific to club membership.

Contact a GGA Partners professional today for more information.

 

3 Reminders for Every Leader

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Now, More Than Ever

Three reminders for every leader, every day – from a coaching perspective

Over the past 18 months after speaking with managers and their teams, I have found myself frequently saying “Now More Than Ever”. I rarely leave a coaching session or conversation without being reminded that there are some principles of leadership that can’t been forgotten or taken for granted, especially now.

Sometimes managers think they are displaying these “leadership musts” more than they really are. The truth is that managers are tired, their teams feel exhausted and overworked, and the challenges keep arriving.

In the midst of fighting the fires of urgencies like the labor shortage and the pandemic’s next crisis, it is so important to remember to lead. That’s the secret – to remember that along with managing the business, they have the opportunity to make a huge impact on their most valuable resource, their people.  The challenge is on to find good people to fill the available positions. Even more important is creating the culture to retain them.   Here are three simple, yet powerful reminders for everyday leadership.

LEADERS ARE ALWAYS AFFECTING CULTURE

When it comes to your people, everything matters. Managers often underestimate the importance of their presence. As they tackle the big picture issues, it is easy to leave it up to supervisors to keep teams engaged and deliver the best member experience possible. While managers surely have a lot on their plates right now, it is crucial and critical to stay connected with every employee at every level.  Model what you want to see. Your visibility is surely important to your members. It’s even more important to your staff members. As the late motivational speaker Zig Ziglar often said:

“People don’t care how much you know,
until they know how much you care – about them.”

Years ago a Sous Chef proudly showed me a thank you note he received from his GM. It was a simple hand written note on a white piece of paper.  He carried it with him every day in his wallet for over 10 years and I bet he still has it.

Connect with as many staff and managers as possible every day. Call them. Text them. Stop for a few minutes and talk with them. Ask them how they are doing, how their family is doing, what they need to do their job more effectively, and thank them genuinely for specific contributions they are making. Giving bonuses, gift cards and extras can be meaningful. However, nothing replaces a sincere thank you on a regular basis. Nothing. Keep connecting. Keep acknowledging.  Keep encouraging.

SET PEOPLE UP FOR SUCCESS

Are you an Employer of Choice? The labor shortage has brought a new set of challenges – finding qualified people.  The selection process is important, yet even more critical is retention. Here are some insights about how you can keep these new valuable recruits as well as your current invaluable team members:

  • Revisit your onboarding process to determine if it is working. Does each new team member get what they need. Do they feel welcome and part of a team, or do they just receive the basics and head out onto the floor? Get as many team members involved as possible during this most important phase.
  • Make sure the General Manager is part of the orientation process. As the GM, be sure to welcome every single new hire, get to know them, and then challenge them to add value that will make your club better. If you give employees something to live up to, they can make a difference.
  • Every manager and supervisor should keep asking – Does everyone have the tools they need to do their job? Do they have the daily information and updates they need? Are they trained properly? Do they know how to answer the latest pandemic questions and club policies? When staff aren’t equipped for success, they will surely get frustrated and leave. They may say they are leaving because of the money. They aren’t.

ASK QUESTIONS VERSUS GIVING ANSWERS

Most managers are in their role because of their technical competence and proficient operational skills. The tendency when engaging with staff is to give all of the answers. There is certainly a time and place for telling people what to do, however, leading others and engaging your team is the perfect opportunity not to give all of the answers. Every manager I have spoken with during the pandemic has said that one of the big lessons they have learned is that we don’t always have all of the answers. Exactly. So let’s apply that to our teams.

Dr. Peter Hawkins, author and Professor of Leadership at the Henley Business School, states that “The 21st century leader realizes that they can’t solve problems on their own, and they need the skills to orchestrate the team to come up with the best answers.”  Most team members are engaged in the culture when they can contribute, learn, and grow. They want to give their ideas and be a part of the solution.

Before you give the answers, think about what powerful questions you can ask to engage your team, then watch what happens.

Now more than ever is the time to lead.

Shelley MacDougall is a Director, Leadership Development at GGA Partners specializing in leadership coaching and training. She is passionate about developing leaders who want to make meaningful change where it counts: within themselves, with their teams, and in their organizations. To view Shelley’s profile, click here.

A Club Leader’s Perspective: Emerging Trends & Challenges

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GGA Partners Releases A Club Leader’s Perspective on Emerging Trends & Challenges Research Report

More than 500 club leaders weigh-in on trends, challenges, and pressing needs in club management emerging in the wake of the global health crisis. Now available for download.

TORONTO, Ontario (June 15, 2021) – GGA Partners, an international consulting firm and trusted advisor to many of the world’s most successful golf courses, private clubs, resorts, and residential communities, has released the results of an industry-wide research survey of more than 500 club leaders.  

The 2021 A Club Leader’s Perspective: Emerging Trends & Challenges report is a collaboration between GGA Partners and the Club Management Association of America. Researchers and analysts from both firms partnered in the development and analysis of the findings.

The research, which serves as a contemporary update on pressing needs in club management, takes a look at emerging trends and challenges from the perspective of those in club leadership roles, capturing insight from 515 club leaders, the majority of whom serve as general managers, COOs, and CEOs of private clubs in North America.

A Club Leader's Perspective: Emerging Trends & Challenges

Club leaders weighed-in on emerging trends and challenges across five primary areas: 1) industry outlooks and the ripple effects of COVID-19, 2) human resources and workforce demands, 3) the membership experience, value proposition, and programming, 4) capital planning and long-range improvement strategies, and 5) financial position, budgeting, and forecasting.

“Even before the pandemic, significant change was underway across the private club landscape,” explained Derek Johnston, a partner in the firm. “The crisis has not only accelerated these nascent changes but also introduced new obstacles and challenges for clubs to overcome. The findings of this report will be a useful reference tool for club leaders as they navigate an uncharted path forward and reset for growth beyond the coronavirus pandemic.”

This latest report is a continuation of the GGA Partners Perspective research initiative, a series of surveys the firm deployed in the spring of 2020 which dive into the attitudes, preferences, and industry outlooks of distinct club industry cohorts. The prior installment, A Member’s Perspective: The Shifting Private Club Landscape, featured findings from a global survey of more than 6,300 private club members on their attitudes toward the club industry during the pandemic and how they expect clubs to respond.

To view the research results and key insights found in A Club Leader’s Perspective: Emerging Trends & Challenges, click on the link below.

Download the report here

 

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. GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Ontario; Phoenix, Arizona; Bluffton, South Carolina; and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit ggapartners.com.

About CMAA

Founded in 1927, the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) is the largest professional association for managers of membership clubs with 6,800 members throughout the US and internationally. Our members contribute to the success of more than 2,500 country, golf, athletic, city, faculty, military, town, and yacht clubs. The objectives of the Association are to promote relationships between club management professionals and other similar professions; to encourage the education and advancement of members; and to provide the resources needed for efficient and successful club operations. Under the covenants of professionalism, education, leadership, and community, CMAA continues to extend its reach as the leader in the club management practice. CMAA is headquartered in Alexandria, VA, with 42 professional chapters and more than 40 student chapters and colonies. Learn more at cmaa.org.

GGA Partners is proud to be a long-standing CMAA Business Partner.

 

Media Contact

Bennett DeLozier
Manager, GGA Partners
602-614-2100
bennett.delozier@ggapartners.com

GGA Partners Renews Legacy Alliance Partnership with the National Club Association

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Top corporate partnership demonstrates GGA’s commitment to supporting the advancement of clubs nationwide.

(Washington, D.C., May 17, 2021) – The National Club Association (NCA) announced that GGA Partners Inc. (GGA) has renewed its corporate partnership with NCA at our top corporate partnership level, Legacy Alliance Partner, for three years. As a Legacy Alliance Partner, GGA will continue to provide industry-leading resources to NCA members in an effort to strengthen and advance clubs nationwide.

GGA is an international consulting firm and trusted advisor to many of the world’s most successful private clubs. Its global reach and wide-ranging experience allow its professionals to deliver proven best practices and innovative concepts to clubs of all types.

For NCA members, GGA will continue to be the source of data-driven strategic solutions that consider the unique market, financial, operational and governance circumstances of their clubs.

“We’re thrilled to continue to better serve the club community with industry leading education resources through this powerful partnership,” said NCA President & CEO Henry Wallmeyer. “GGA’s expertise in critical areas like market analysis, financial and operational analysis, governance, and strategic planning provides clubs of all kinds the framework they need for sustained success.”

“NCA serving as the foremost club authority on COVID-19 is emblematic of their visionary leadership throughout our partnership,” said GGA Partner Henry DeLozier. “We are pleased to continue our long-standing partnership and eager to provide more value for the club community.”

As a Legacy Alliance Partner and lead sponsor of the NCA Board Leadership Institute, GGA will benefit NCA club members through numerous sponsorships, research and educational initiatives, including:

 

  • Hosting the Club Governance Symposium during NCA’s annual National Club Conference.
  • Sponsorship of NCA’s Board Leadership Institute, a leading resource for club board members.
  • Co-publishing a new joint periodical, Club Governance, to provide club leaders with industry data, case studies and best practices to improve club leadership, strategy and governance.
  • Sponsorship of NCA’s Club Governance Standards, a collection of whitepapers designed to educate and guide club boards on specific issues.
  • Presenting the Club Leadership and Governance Webinar Series focusing on improving the function of club boards.

 

About the National Club Association

The National Club Association (NCA) has been the advocate for the private club industry in Washington, D.C. for 60 years. As the voice of private clubs on Capitol Hill, NCA ensures that club concerns are at the forefront when legislative and regulatory issues affecting the industry are being decided. In addition, NCA provides club leaders an outstanding array of resources on club industry trends, governance best practices, legal and operational matters, and ways to strengthen club leadership. For more information, please visit nationalclub.org.

 

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. The firm is 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. GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Ontario; Phoenix, Arizona; Bluffton, South Carolina; and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit ggapartners.com.

Webinar 5/5: The Most Underrated Club Metrics

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Jonas Club Software & GGA Partners to Co-host a Webinar Revealing the Most Underrated Club Metrics

Markham, ON Canada – Join Jonas Club Software and GGA Partners, the trusted advisors to the golf, private club, and leisure industries, in a special webinar event, discussing the most underrated club metrics that clubs should be paying attention to in 2021. With private clubs undergoing so much transformation in the last 12 months, many clubs are experiencing trends of rapid change and, as a result, require a plan to monitor membership like never before.

Focusing on metrics to help club management make more informed decisions, the session will cover metrics focusing on membership demographics, risk, spending and utilization. The session will be co-presented by Trevor Coughlan, VP of Marketing and Mark Darling, Product Manager – MetricsFirst, of Jonas Club Software, and Derek Johnston, Partner and Martin Tzankov, Senior Manager of GGA Partners.

The session will take place on Wednesday, May 5th, 2021 at 1:00 P.M. ET.

If you would like to attend this 45-minute session, registration is available for free by visiting: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6315081732484665869.

Register for free →

 

About Jonas Club Software

Jonas Club Software helps clubs thrive by focusing on the creation of exceptional experiences. These experiences are delivered through industry-leading services, integrated applications, innovative technology, and long-term partnerships with the clubs we serve.

Over 2,300 clubs in more than 20 countries, with memberships ranging from 20 to 20,000, utilize Jonas Club Software technology. With applications ranging from Accounting to Retail Point of Sale, Tee Time Management, Court & Class Booking, Dining Reservations, websites and Mobile Apps, Jonas Club Software is the standout choice for clubs driven to offer exceptional member experiences. For more details visit www.jonasclub.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. GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Ontario, Phoenix, Arizona, Bluffton, South Carolina, and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit ggapartners.com.

 

Media Contact:
Trevor Coughlan
Vice President, Marketing
Jonas Club Software
Trevor.Coughlan@jonasclub.com
1-888-789-9073

GGA Partners and USGA to Collaborate on Golf Course Superintendent Executive Search and Placement Services

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New offering combines organizations’ expertise to improve golf facilities’ ability to deliver better playing conditions and enhanced golfer experience

BLUFFTON, S.C., and LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (April 14, 2021) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) will join with GGA Partners (GGA), an international consulting firm, to launch a new service to place top-notch golf course superintendent candidates at facilities across North America.

As part of its suite of advisory services, GGA has long provided executive search services for facility clients. The collaboration will expand the company’s offerings, with the USGA Green Section’s agronomic and maintenance expertise serving as key factors in targeting the unique needs of each golf course and identifying superintendents with matching skills who can help facilities elevate playing conditions, improve course presentation and foster sustainable practices.

“For any golf facility, the ability to hire the right talent is crucial for long-term success, and we believe in creating and maintaining partnerships with facilities,” said Patrick DeLozier, GGA’s managing director of executive search. “The stakes are higher than ever for facilities looking to hire superintendents, and they are looking for candidates with a wide variety of skills.”

Added Craig Johnston, a GGA partner: “The ability to complement our services in strategy, facility governance, finance and operations with the USGA’s agronomic strength will ensure that we can continue to support our clients with the gold standard in best practices, education, innovative products and research.”

The collaboration will allow the USGA to expand its reach and enhance its ability to inform best management practices for golf course maintenance, including resource prioritization. As part of its mission to champion and advance the game, the USGA is helping to ensure a sustainable game in which course managers are empowered to create a positive experience for their golfers.

“GGA’s values and business areas are strategically aligned with our mission,” said Matt Pringle, managing director of the USGA Green Section. “With this new joint service, we can find the best match between the needs of the golf course and the skill set of their next superintendent, while providing ongoing support to deliver outstanding playing conditions and improved golfer satisfaction.”

The joint service will utilize the USGA’s nationwide network of agronomists, whose extensive knowledge of the facilities and superintendents in their regions will be pivotal to the program’s success. They will work closely with DeLozier, who heads up the firm’s executive search practice.

To learn more, contact Patrick DeLozier at patrick.delozier@ggapartners.com or Elliott Dowling at edowling@usga.org.

 

About the USGA

The USGA is a nonprofit organization that celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via global set of playing, equipment, handicapping and amateur status rules. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Associations, Research and Test center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.

 

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. GGA Partners has offices in Toronto, Ontario, Phoenix, Arizona, Bluffton, South Carolina, and Dublin, Ireland. For more information, please visit ggapartners.com.

Taking Club Elections Digital

Date:

The pandemic has accelerated the need to move the ballot box for club elections from paper to the computer and this trend will continue in the coming years. GGA Partners online voting specialists Michael Gregory and Martin Tzankov explain the challenges and opportunities to consider when moving your elections to an electronic voting platform.

Private golf, business, and leisure clubs spend a great deal of time and money planning, executing and delivering the results of club elections, often with discouraging voter turnout.

Over the past two years, GGA Partners, in partnership with secure platform provider Simply Voting, has worked with many clients to move the ballot box for club elections from paper to the computer. As this trend grows in the coming years, our team of skilled specialists shares the challenges and opportunities available as your club considers moving to an online voting platform.

Simply Voting logo
A web-based online voting system that will help you manage your club’s elections easily and securely.

The Challenges

According to GGA manager Martin Tzankov, the biggest challenge is trying to retrofit new technology and process to existing bylaws. “Most bylaws were written before the introduction of online voting,” commented Tzankov. “Outdated bylaws cause complexities in the process, particularly regarding proxies. It is important to understand what you can and cannot do to ensure the election conforms to your club’s rules.”

Another challenge is the organization of member data including current contact information and eligibility.

“The ability for clubs to segment member data is complex and critical,” stated Michael Gregory, a partner at GGA. “Whether it is a current member whose dues are in arrears, or a new member who became eligible while the vote is taking place, clubs must ensure that only eligible votes are tallied in the final results.”

It’s a simple fact that humans make errors and there are times members who were against an issue will question the integrity of any vote. Online voting eliminates that challenge by providing the ability to audit the process from start to finish.

Mobile smartphone screen depicting digital survey with quote "The biggest opportunity for clubs that choose online voting is increased member participation in the process" - Martin Tzankov, GGA Manager

The Opportunities

“The biggest opportunity for clubs that choose online voting is increased member participation in the process,” said Tzankov. “Members use technology every day so casting their vote on their computer or mobile device, which often takes less than 5 minutes, is simple and easy. And while there will be some members who prefer paper, in our experience, the majority of members prefer the online option.”

Along with increasing the experience, participation, and satisfaction of members, online voting is a powerful tool to segment the results by age, membership category and other data sets. Data segmentation allows your club to identify and track trends across a wide spectrum of subjects, providing valuable insight for future planning.

The capability to deliver a consistent schedule of communications is another opportunity provided through the online voting platform. Rather than incur the expenses of printing and mailing information, your team can prepare and schedule a series of email communications to inform and remind electors of the voting period and then deliver the results in a timely fashion.

“Environmental sustainability is increasing as a factor to choose one club versus another,” added Gregory. “Clubs who implement online voting have the opportunity to send a clear message that they are taking steps to minimize their impact on the planet.”

Eliminate The Risk

Warren Buffet has been quoted as saying, “Risk comes from not knowing what you are doing.” There is great truth in that statement.

To understand the risks and rewards of online voting, we encourage you to have a conversation with specialists Michael Gregory or Martin Tzankov to gain the knowledge you need to ensure successful elections at your club.

Michael Gregory
Partner, GGA Partners
michael.gregory@ggapartners.com
416-524-0083

Martin Tzankov
Senior Manager, GGA Partners
martin.tzankov@ggapartners.com
905-475-4012

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