Whatever the budget comes down to, be transparent with the membership and clearly define the reality of the club’s operating and capital needs. The news may not be welcome; however, it’s important to remind everyone that no one ever saved their way to prosperity. Here we go again. As the leaves move from turning colors to falling off the…
When an Incident is Not a Problem
In today’s combination of political correctness and virtue signaling , clubs can easily make policy decisions based on one complaint that do more to appease the complainer than address the real problems. I live in a downtown Chicago condo six months of the year. It’s a big building with a doorman and pretty good security.…
Transformation
With discerning members expecting more from their club experience on a constant basis, it will be interesting to observe the next wave of transformation that comes about as a result of smart clubs staying on the move. Will Rogers had it right when he opined, “Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get…
Pay Attention
A troubling new trend has newspapers and business journals combing through private clubs’ tax filings to find material for easy, hard-to-resist stories they can publish on clubs’ revenues—and on what individual club managers are paid. When online publications go fishing with “click bait” (which helps them reel in readers, and thus advertising), they’re no different…
Clubs in a Full-Employment Economy
First, the good news. The booming economy means that the demographic that would join a club will have more disposable income, and membership may actually grow. Every economic indicator says it will. Now, the challenges. First and foremost will be hiring and staffing. With an economy that has more jobs available than people to fill…
Mammoth Success
Mike Keiser and his family members are playing an increasingly influential role in the game of golf. And keeping their glass more than half-full in the process. Is golf’s glass half-full, or half-empty? Readers of the recently released Annual Golf Industry Report from the National Golf Foundation (NGF) will tell you that, despite the ongoing…
You Get What You Pay For
If you are paying a premium for seasonal help above the regional average, you become the place people want to work, as opposed to where people are willing to work. As the club season kicks into full gear, we are going to be faced with something we haven’t faced before: full employment. I cannot walk…
Seller Beware
The next club I hear of that solved its membership problem solely with a low cost of entry and reduced monthly fees will be the first one I hear of.
‘What If’ Is Not a Game
While many excellent club managers and their staffs have helped to pull the industry out of its biggest collective scare in history, it’s important to stay diligent against getting too complacent, and to remain prepared for all possible scenarios.
Closing the Great Divide
More and more public courses and facilities seem to be realizing they need to be more club- and resort-like to attract new business.
Moving to the Front
Any club can afford cash bonuses and other training incentives that can lead to better service, more professional and motivated staff, and higher-quality food.
Can’t We Have It All?
At every club I go to, all I hear about from GMs, golf pros and superintendents is how much success they’ve had in promoting that no one has to play a full round of golf, or use the full course, if they don’t want to. When Jack Nicklaus talks, we all should listen—especially those of…
On the Rise
With attracting new members at the top of every club’s strategic agenda, having an abundance of up-and-coming management talent will help to keep the industry relevant. We went to press with our March issue just before heading off to San Francisco and Seattle, for two events that have had remarkable growth over the past 10…
Are They Not Entertained?
The lists of “expert tips” I’ve found on making a facility “Millennial ready” sound a lot like what I find at just about every club I go to now.
My Last Editorial on F&B (Probably)
In the commercial foodservice arena, fear-based decisions rarely result in positive outcomes.