Golf, Recreation & Fitness

Parents often miss the bigger picture when introducing their children to a sport at their club, which is to help develop athletic qualities that the kids can use and that can translate not just to golf or tennis, but any sport.

Matt Kilgariff, Director of Player Development at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.), says we all learn better and faster when learning is made fun. “The best way to break the ice with children and their parents is to set an expectation and assure them that your program “guarantees fun…and results!” He says clubs should…

If a golfer is clearly showing poor behavior, don’t follow them into the same trap, as this makes you wrong as well, advises Anthony T. Holder, PGA, Director of Golf at The Club at Horseshoe Bay (Texas) Resort. “I love a quote I once read that said, ‘Ships don’t sink because of the water AROUND them. Ships…

“If it’s clear that spending time and effort at the gym will get the results that most of us want—a healthier body and a happier life—why do many still have a difficult time making that a priority?” asks Keke Lyles. “And how can we create programs and other incentives that will bring more members into…

The times have changed from having an open position and filling that role, to first taking a step back and looking at the people you have, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and then finding new employees with complementing strengths.

Play-based golf lessons are much better than standing on the practice tee all day. Your students will gain a great appreciation of the course, your vision for them, and the game.

“Understanding each member and what motivates them, and then developing relationships to help them connect the dots of fitness, lifestyle and sport, will create a unique experience and move your program from general provisions to specific, personalized interventions,” says Keke Lyles, Director of Fitness and Recreation, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.).

There are countless ‘golfer personality types’ an instructor will encounter. The goal is to know and understand the needs of individuals and to gear teaching accordingly, says Matt Kilgariff, Director of Player Development at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.).

New trends and users’ behaviors are becoming evident. Recognizing these trends, and adapting your facility to them, will better serve your members and guests, says Keke Lyles, Director of Fitness and Recreation, The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.).

Developing an understanding of how to make better movements will decrease risk of injury while increasing longevity of performance at a higher level, says Keke Lyles, Director of Fitness and Recreation at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.).

Weymouth Country Club in Medina, Ohio brought in a fleet of scooters that members could take for a test drive on Opening Day Weekend. “Golf is a traditional sport, so offering something like this was exciting, not only for the members, but for the staff to share with guests when they walked in the door,”…

Keke Lyles, Director of Fitness and Recreation at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.), says it helps to begin with the edge of the puzzle, by using easily captured data metrics that provide a basic snapshot of how a fitness operation is doing. Metrics such as daily participation and the demographics of those participants…

Matt Kilgariff, PGA, Director of Player Development at The Bridges at Rancho Santa Fe in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., says games where scores are kept will provide real data to help quantify students’ practices and help them know when and how it’s paying off.

For this group from C+RB’s Top 50 list, the fitness and wellness facilities and programs are profiled for Philadelphia Country Club in Gladwyne, Pa.; River Crest Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas; Topeka Country Club in Topeka, Kan.; Delaire Country Club in Delray Beach, Fla.; and Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Each student is an individual and should be treated as such. Teaching approaches should not be cookie-cutter and each student’s needs and goals must be the priority, to guarantee a successful outcome.