Club + Resort Business Editor Rob Thomas wants to know what makes your pro shop stand out. Do you stock anything that might be considered unusual? Have specific promotions proved to be especially successful?

The impetus for the trip was the Island Resort & Casino’s $33 million expansion that included 138 additional hotel rooms, a steakhouse, and a pool area with water park features.

Can there be a greater dichotomy between two experiences for fans of professional golf? The Waste Management Phoenix Open is golf’s greatest party, while The Masters is arguably the most revered.

It’s July, which marks the six-month period of my role as Editor of Club + Resort Business. Thankfully, working closely with Joe Barks from the time I joined the magazine, we were able to make a fairly smooth transition. 

I want to know what innovative ideas you are introducing at your club. Shoot me an e-mail and we can work together on sharing your creative solutions with colleagues.

Today’s clubs are truly a third base for members—joining home and work. They can include not only your favorite spa or gym, but also your family’s go-to restaurant and vacation destination. 

We just wrapped up the most successful Chef to Chef Conference in history. A record number of club chefs and sponsors converged on Nashville, Tenn. for three days of presentations, networking and camaraderie.

Laid back or buttoned up, there’s room for both types of clubs in today’s world. How would you describe the atmosphere at your club and what are you doing to either foster that reputation or change the perception?

Pessimists feared 2021 would see a return to pre-2020 rounds-played numbers. Thankfully, they were wrong. ASGCA members have also never been more optimistic about expected renovation work. Nearly 90 percent expect their work volume to maintain current levels or grow in the next two years, with more than 50 percent anticipating a significant increase.

Being an avid golfer for most of my life, I always look forward to learning about the latest and greatest equipment and apparel that’s hitting the market. My role as Editor of Club + Resort Business, however, has broadened my view of industry shows. 

The Green Start Academy has become an integral part of training the best and the brightest on how to approach everything that goes into success as they enter the next phase of their careers. 

Golf is still extremely affordable compared to similar activities. And it’s not just comparative affordability—grow-the-game initiatives like First Tee and Youth on Course make golf accessible and affordable for the most important demographic, kids. Children are the future dues-paying members, after all. 

It has become increasingly rare to see a person in the same place for decades, but there are still a handful of people in the industry who have laid down roots that have become rather impressive. For those of you just starting your journey, can you imagine being at the same property for 50 years?…

The timing of current equipment delays and availability is terrible, because the global pandemic has made the sport I love as popular as it has been in many years, and more golfers has led to additional sales.

Stay-and-Play has come to the private Akron, Ohio club that has tested the world’s top golf professionals for decades. While the “member for a day” notion isn’t new, it’s certainly a welcome addition for those of us who’ve admired such a storied property from outside the ropes.