Golf, Recreation & Fitness

New court-sport programs, including bocce and pickleball, are increasing member satisfaction, boosting retention, and keeping more members more active.

A thoughtfully planned schedule, charismatic trainers, and on-trend classes can help club and resort properties make group fitness a priority.

Family-oriented club properties are building robust youth programs that go well beyond just keeping kids entertained.

Offering players a chance to discover and enjoy the game with less difficulty, cost and time can provide more choices, fun—and play.

New approaches to tennis that adjust both facilities and programming are ensuring that players stay in the game for life.

Golf instruction has moved well beyond just watching students bang buckets of balls on the range; modern technology now makes it possible to do a better job of analyzing, and fixing, swings—sometimes without even being at the same site.

Club and resort properties are encouraging year-round use of facilities by offering winter-focused recreational options.

Combined golf-and-fishing competitions, “deck putting,” and tournaments with twists and attractions geared to charitable causes and special tributes are just some of the ways clubs and courses now seek to avoid having too much of the “same old, same old” on their annual calendars.

As the numbers show growth in women’s participation in golf, courses and clubs are adding heavier doses of instructional programming to complement the traditional low-key, more casual outreach efforts.

Wellness programming that steps outside the bounds of the standard yoga class is growing in popularity and reaching a new audience.

Offering a wide variety of group fitness classes in a chock-full schedule has become the norm for many club properties, as they strive to make the fitness center a place for every member.

Upgrading aquatic facilities and broadening the scope of programming helps clubs appeal to both the youngest and oldest members.

Junior golf programs are growing up, as more targeted and relevant approaches are helping to overcome the next generations’ initial aversions to the game.

With a variety of public and private summer camp offerings available throughout the country, clubs are tasked with building an engaging program that stands out.

Cutting-edge retailing at today’s clubs has gone far beyond hoping for quick sales as golfers check in for tee times. Today’s top shops offer a shopping experience that may not even involve golf.