Palo Alto Hills G&CC’s “Golf Infusion” initiative incorporates golf into every other area of the club.
Like many clubs that have sought to stay ahead of how the changing times are affecting the makeup of their memberships and the interest those members now have in new services and amenities, Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club (PAHGCC), in Palo Alto, Calif., has responded proactively with new facilities and programming that reflect these new realities.
Recent initiatives and improvements at PAHGCC have included a sparkling new fitness center and spa (“Active Duty at Palo Alto Hills G&CC,” C&RB, September 2011) as well as leadership in youth activities (“Here’s Lookin’ at You, Kids,” C&RB, June 2012).
The Goal: Acknowledge how golf is still at the core of country club life by finding ways to integrate the game with newer elements such as fitness, spa treatments and youth activities.
The Plan: Promote “Golf Infusion” programs that create a cohesive, integrated golf experience through all areas of the club. |
Also like many other clubs, however, PAHGCC has never lost sight of how golf has remained an important constant in its offerings, and firmly at the core of its reason for being. And in the midst of emphasizing new areas, it did not want to forsake what is still, and will always be, a primary sport, and reason for belonging, for many of its members.
So after all of the expansion into new areas, the next step for PAHGCC was to make a conscious effort to bring together all parts of the club’s expanded profile in a cohesive fashion, to create an integrated golf experience that infuses the game into every other area of the club.
“[Clubs] may not be just golf anymore, but everything can still be golf-related,” says Dirk Zander, CCM, Palo Alto Hills’ General Manager. “When we tie everything back to golf, we engage members whose primary focus is golf.”
PAHGCC’s “Golf Infusion” initiative now includes these components:
Fitness Series—The new fitness facility now offers TRX for golfers, as well as golf-specific training that includes Dynamic Balance System Swing Analysis and Golf Conditioning Boot Camp. The latter entails small group training series with intensive sessions to improve power, posture, swing speed and mechanics through dynamic, golf-specific exercises that are designed to help players achieve greater distance, control and consistency on the course.
Group Fitness Classes—Classes such as Yoga for Golfers and Gentle Stretch for Golfers are now offered, to help with flexibility, mental focus, balance and core strength.
Spa Treatments—The menu at PAHGCC’s Acqua Spa now includes a post-round massage to prevent soreness and facilitate a quick recovery, and a Gentleman’s Rescue Facial, to soothe irritate skin from sun exposure.
Youth and Family Events—For members with young kids, activities such as the Parent Junior Golf Tournament and Family Golf Night (described as “golf with a twist that includes glow-in-the-dark putting, a golf obstacle course, and other silly golf challenges”) simultaneously bring families together and to the club.
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