Ideas

Football players in grades seven through 12 who originally had their seasons cancelled by the pandemic (some have since been resumed) have been allowed to play for free at the club on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula whenever there’s an open tee time. Nearly 250 players have taken advantage of the offer, with about 70% sticking with it and many…

“Seltzerland” vendors set up stations on several holes at the Chicagoland club to serve 2-ounce samples of a variety of flavors of the popular new beverage. Cog Hill, which has four golf courses, was paid by organizers for cart and greens fees it would have collected on the courses used for the event, and still managed…

The size of the field and the amount of money raised for charity has grown each year in the five-year history of Hamburg, N.Y. club’s 100-hole, walking golf marathon. This year’s participants included a 13-year-old.

The Newton, N.J. club has been the home course for two high schools’ golf teams in its area, but after the pandemic shut down this year’s spring season, it opened its course so players from nine area schools could play at no charge throughout July and August. 

When responding medical personnel had trouble accessing the 27-hole Rossmoor Walnut Creek (Calif.) property, the club erected permanent signs at 10 locations for emergency vehicles to access the golf courses. “When you’re in an emergency, you don’t always think straight, [so] it helps to have emergency information right in front of you,” says Director of…

The Richmond, Va. club bypassed the typical soft opening for a few days of practical training designed to prepare the staff for real-world situations. Also, the Owners Association of Bella Vista (Ark.) Country Club offers impactful employee-assistance programs and benefits to boost employee retention.

The Charlotte, N.C. club’s initiative encouraged employees to submit creative illustrations of safe practices at work and at home. An “Abbey Road” takeoff reminded people to walk in pairs and look both ways before crossing a street. Also, Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. presents a baby bib with the Congressional logo, and a handwritten…

The Arizona club took employee appreciation to the next level with a pep rally, featuring a food truck, putting competition, danceoffs and trivia to help launch the new season. Also, The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Va. welcomes dogs once each month during the summer and even prepares house-made K-9 treats made from kitchen scrap…

Lindsay Pizarro, General Manager of the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey, Calif., has literally written the book on how women can start—and expand—their families while maintaining leadership positions within the club industry.

Both Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. and Champions Run in Omaha, Neb. have experienced a boom in the popularity of pickleball, leading the clubs to expand offerings for their members. Also, The Country Club of Virginia in Richmond, Va. celebrated the one-year anniversary of its new Fitness/Racquet Sports Complex with a three-day event, showcasing…

The Sioux City, Iowa facility opened its five ponds to local fishermen at a time of year—mid-October—when very few rounds of golf are played in the morning hours due to near-freezing temperatures. The registration fee was split between the course and the top three finishers, based on weight of catch.

The Charlottesville, Va. club partners with the local 4H Club for a Wildlife Discovery Day—giving kids an up-close and hands-on introduction to a variety of reptiles and other creatures—and also sponsors a Family Birdhouse Building event. Also, Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. provides a Father-Son Football Frenzy event that includes live-streamed National Football League games…

The Glenview, Ill. club began its Junior Sports Club nearly 50 years ago. Today, the program offers everything from golf and pickleball to sailing and stand-up paddleboard, and involves between 300 and 400 kids. Also, Champions Run in Omaha, Neb. sold rubber ducks and hosted a series of duck-racing meets during scheduled pool breaks, with…

The Morristown, N.J. club rearranges holes so they are not played in the usual order or direction and adds unique rules to add a fun twist—like hitting a drive while seated in a chair or swinging from the opposite side (righties swing lefty or vice-versa). Also, Farmington Country Club in Charlottesville, Va., created a 9-hole…

The Sioux City, Iowa property was seeing damage done to its course by waterfowl. After Director of Golf Scott Harmelink realized the birds’ flight pattern took them dangerously close to Sioux City’s airport, he worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to address the issue. Also, Champions Run in Omaha, Neb. hosted a First Green…