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…
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…
Farmington CC’s Formula for Ever-Forward Thinking
The management and operations team at the Charlottesville, Va. property has found innovative ways to keep an eye to the future while preserving their club’s unique ties to history. With many clubs now reaching historic milestones that coincide with the arrival and spread of golf and country clubs throughout the U.S. from the late 1800s…
Fine Lines
Expanded and redesigned kitchens are cooking up good business, as clubs increase their F&B margins while bringing new efficiencies to their food-preparation processes. Outfitting a club or resort kitchen is a tall order, and one that calls for an approach to laying out the space with an eye toward efficiency for both chefs and servers.…
A Course of Action
Golf course superintendents can rely on their experience and expertise, coupled with the know-how of others in the industry, to lead successful implementation of renovation and restoration projects. Second in a two-part series It’s one thing to make plans. It’s another to implement them. Just ask any superintendent who is overseeing a major golf course…
Handier Than Ever
After seeing how members of St. Clair Country Club in Upper St. Clair, Pa., liked to grab trail-mix bars to get a boost of energy on the golf course, Executive Chef Shawn Culp felt that he could make a more nutritious and better-tasting bar to help curb their hunger pangs. Since its introduction in June,…
Taking It to the Street
In June, The Union League Club of Chicago opened its new first-floor lounge, which was quickly dubbed “ONE” by members, as in “Meet me on One.” The opening of the lounge, designed to appeal to the concept of providing a “third place” for members outside of home and work, marked the completion of the fourth…
RenoSys—Softside Slide Landing Pads
Features: • Designed for slides that exit into shallow water, slide-pad options make pool slides safer, with soft landing pads to help avoid injury • Anchored with hardware to prevent floating or shifting • Provide slip-resistant covered foam padding made of a thick foam pad bonded to a textured PVC material, so the PVC material…
Salsbury Industries—Extra-Wide Designer Wood Lockers
Features: • Constructed of industrial-grade particleboard and covered with durable high-pressure laminate • 25% wider than standard designer lockers • Available in a gray, blue, black, maple, cherry or mahogany finish and includes a black name/number plate • Extra-wide designer lockers include a black laminated base and are six-feet high (add four inches for base)…
Southern Aluminum—Synergy Nesting Tables
Features: • Synergy Nesting Tables, a fusion of rolling buffet tables and transitional furniture, feature classic lines and quality craftsmanship • Handsome architectural legs with discreet casters effortlessly mobilize your buffets and breakout stations • Functional, yet attractive, these tables make a bold statement when used together or as stand-alone furniture Southern Aluminum 800-221-0408 www.southernaluminum.com
Truly Good Foods—Southern Sweets
Features: • Truly Good Foods’ Southern Sweets line consists of crunchy and sweet Southern treats, made with no artificial ingredients • All of the snacks in this line start with quality nuts that are then covered with sweet coating • Perfect sweet snack for a summer afternoon on the course • Flavors in the line…
John Deere—2030A ProGator Utility Vehicle
Features: • Have control of your utility vehicle with large, turf-friendly wheels and tires • Take care of quick and easy maintenance with zero-grease turn points on two-wheel drive machines • Flip-up seats on both passenger and driver sides are easy to clean and dry • Accomplish tough tasks on the course with its high-payload…
One Direction
As you might expect, while Joe Krenn, CCM, CCE, was touring the clubhouse and property of Farmington Country Club (FCC) in Charlottesville, Va. in 2012, to decide if he wanted to make his next career move there and become its Chief Operating Officer/General Manager, numbers were running through his head. Krenn wasn’t computing projected costs…
Happy Chef—Adjustable Neck Bib Apron
Features: • Bib pocket with pen slot is perfect for keeping small tools and accessories handy • Adjustable neck with metal clasp adds style and makes it easy to fasten to your perfect fit • Two front patch pockets and double towel loop, to keep all of your essentials at the ready Happy Chef 800-347-0288…
Two Thousand Close Friends
Any large undertaking needs a blueprint for success, and the folks at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., have put together a master plan for one they now plan to hold each year. In August 2017 the property held a benefit concert, featuring country music artist Cole Swindell, on the Friday night during the PGA…