Given both empirical and anecdotal evidence, it’s safe to say that many more people— including many teens and 20-somethings —believe golf is cool. This shift in perception has a lot of positive ramifications for the game, as well as the club and resort industry.

Have you ever teed it up under the lights? I played nighttime golf once with a group of friends many years ago and enjoyed it, but heading out to the fairways after the sun goes down has always struck me as a niche endeavor. Maybe it’s for a bachelor party or some other type of…

Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon has a 12-hole putting course that was opened in 2020. Shawn McCance, the ranch’s CEO, told C+RB Senior Editor Phil Keren the course gives newcomers a chance to try out an important component of the game.

Many of those ideas shared at the Idea Fair in the winter are now showcased here in the 17th Annual Club + Resort Business Ideas Issue. “If you’re a club general manager, I hope you find some inspiration in your peers’ accomplishments, and I hope you enjoy reading the stories as much as I enjoyed…

Mike Cornell, Director of Instruction at Champions Run in Omaha, Neb., Scott Reilly, Head Golf Professional at Philadelphia Country Club, and Al Peterson III, Director of Golf at Field Club of Omaha in Omaha, Neb., tell Senior Editor Phil Keren that they see plenty of new golfers interested in learning the game when a new…

Since exercise has physical and mental health benefits, Senior Editor Phil Keren says it’s great to see the offerings of equipment and programs at the clubs appearing in Club + Resort Business’s listings of Top Ranked Fitness and Wellness Centers.

The good news is Phil Keren’s position here at Club + Resort Business is opening the door for him to be “on the air” again, albeit in a more 21st century style.

The start of a new year is a great time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past and to look forward to the opportunities that the future offers.

Associate Editor Phil Keren invited country club general managers to share what their organizations were doing in response to the rising interest in pickleball.

Club+Resort Business Associate Editor Phil Keren visited Champions Run and Field Club of Omaha in Omaha, Neb. in October. In this column, Keren shares his experience visiting with leaders of both sites.

Membership in USA Pickleball—the national governing body for the sport—increased by 43% from 2020 to 2021. That’s the largest one-year increase in the organization’s history, per usapickleball.org. Associate Editor Phil Keren is interested in hearing from club GMs about pickleball at their facilities.

A study called, “Beyond Millennials: New Generations and the Influence of Family,” helps give some insight into golfers’ preferences and interests. The goal of the study is to help “facility operators … identify approaches to adapt and develop their offerings to meet the needs of the next generation of members and customers.”

Associate Editor Phil Keren thinks more clubs should embrace the idea of offering events and lessons geared toward this young adult cohort who are golf novices. 

There are many creative and fun opportunities available to golfing newbies who want to give the game a dry run in a shorter period of time.

The pandemic, as well as the changing demographics of members, have prompted club leaders to re-examine, reassess and revise the programs and activities they offer.