Melanie Pfeffer has been with the Pine Lake Country Club (Orchard Lake, Mich.) since 1999 but only stepped into her current role as Director of Membership and Marketing this past January. 
Since stepping into her new role, she’s noticed many new member inquiries come from the club’s social media platforms.
“Since the prospect might not know a member just yet, my goal is to help build those meaningful connections so they feel at home and want to be engaged,” she says.
This sparked the idea of creating a veteran ambassador program for new members. Or as Pfeffer likes to call it based on the club’s penguin mascot, Ice Breakers.
“At the end of every new member tour, we offer a complimentary cocktail and appetizer on our lakefront patio, so that the prospect can get the whole feel of the club,” she explains.
During this time, Pfeffer sets up an ice breaker with an existing member who has similar interests, is a similar age or is in a similar stage of life as the prospective member, to connect them and allow the existing member to offer insight from a member’s perspective.
Breaking the ice
The Ice Breakers were formally rolled out at the club this August.
Pfeffer sent out a letter to the membership and board to not only notify everyone of the program, but to also create a pipeline of people to use during the Ice Breakers.
Before the formal introduction, Pfeffer was doing this in a more casual format of just having members bump into prospects.
“Before officially launching, I identified our most supportive members to help pave the way,” she says. “For instance, when an oncology doctor and an engineer joined without any prior connections and were deciding between a social or golfing membership, having that welcoming network made all the difference.”
Pfeffer invited them to play the course before they made a decision and found some existing members who were similar ages and set them up to golf together.
“It worked out beautifully,” she says. “They ended up joining as golfing members and they love it. They’re here all the time and they’ve connected with the couple I initially set them up to play golf with.”
Pfeffer says this program gives prospective members insights that maybe she and her team couldn’t provide and builds instant trust with prospects as they go through the process.
“Existing members are wonderful at sharing their firsthand experiences—whether it’s how effortless it is to grab a tee time or secure a dining reservation, As an employee I can share the facts, but hearing directly from a member brings the community to life for prospective guests.” she says.
When Pfeffer formally sent the letter to members, she received 25 responses from members interested in becoming ambassadors for the program.
She gathers their interests and careers and keeps it all in a spreadsheet that she can pull from when a prospective member reaches out.
Active members are happy members
Pfeffer highlights why most people join country clubs—for community.
After new members have joined, Pfeffer says she can reach out and touch base with them but being a part of Pine Lake Country Club is about connecting with the community here.
“Active members are happy members, so when we help them build strong connections within our community, they naturally want to stay and be part of the Pine Lake family for years to come,” she says.
And the connection doesn’t end between the two groups once the prospective members become new members.
Pfeffer says the ambassador members commit to extending three personal invitations within the new member’s first 90 days.
“After the initial meeting after the tour, the ambassador member will reach out within the first two weeks for coffee or cocktails,” she says. “After 60 days, I ask that they either connect with them for a round of golf or at one of the club social events. Then after 90 days, I ask them to envelope them into their broader group of friends here so they can feel connected.”
Pfeffer explains that making connections in the first two weeks of new membership is crucial.
“By helping the new family get connected right away, I want to show them just how much we appreciate their investment in our community,” she explains. “I want the new member to feel completely confident and overjoyed about joining us!”
Tracking the program’s impact
Pfeffer measures the program’s success by how active members are.
“Even after the first 90 days, when I’m walking through the patio and see a new member laughing and enjoying time with the ambassador I paired them with, I know our community is truly thriving,” she says.
She also relies on member feedback to get an understanding of the success, which has been very positive.
As the club and Pfeffer get more comfortable with the program, she hopes to hold meetings throughout the year to go over the program and what it entails.
“By empowering everyone with clear, transparent information and bringing our whole community onto the same page, we ensure that every single person feels informed, included, and ready to thrive together,” she says.
These gatherings can also be a way for the club to celebrate new membership and the growing community at Pine Lake.
The community at the club is what Pfeffer credits as the driving factor behind the success of the program.
“If other clubs want to spark a similar program, the secret is reaching out to wonderfully active members across different demographics to help bring it to life, I was so blessed by the incredible response and the sheer number of people eager to jump in and share their warmth—it’s been truly heartwarming,” she says.
