The wellness firm reports that 87% of all qualified America’s Healthiest Clubs have seen double digit growth in fitness center visits, while the number of golf rounds declined in the same period.
The bar continues to reach new heights in terms of health and wellness initiatives in the private club industry as Prevo Health Solutions announces the top ten “America’s Healthiest Clubs” for the first half of 2014.
All top ten healthiest clubs from 2013 have continued to improve their health score from the previous year and two new clubs were added to the top-ten mid-year ranking. Florida clubs continue to dominate the rankings with 50% of the clubs rated residing in Florida.
Clubs on the list include:
- Broken Sound Club – Boca Raton, Fla., John Crean, General Manager
- Ocean Reef Club – Key Largo, Fla., Paul Astbury, President
- Woodfield Country Club – Boca Raton, Fla., Eben Molloy, General Manager
- Bethesda Country Club – Bethesda, Md., Brad Cance, General Manager
- Desert Highlands Golf Club – Scottsdale, Ariz., Terra Waldron, General Manager
- John’s Island Club – Vero Beach, Fla., Brian Kroh, General Manager
- Palo Alto Hills Golf & Country Club – Palo Alto, Calif., Dirk Zander, General Manager
- The Vintage Club – Indian Wells, Calif., Marc Ray, General Manager
- The Reserve Club – Indian Wells, Calif., Craig Surdy, General Manager
- The Club at Mediterra– Naples, Fla., Tom Wallace III, General Manager
While the number of golfers and tennis players nationwide continue to decline, fitness usage is up significantly. In fact, 87% of all qualified America’s Healthiest Clubs have seen double digit growth in fitness center visits whereas the number of golf-rounds have declined during the same period. According to the Club Spa and Fitness Association (CSFA), 67% of private clubs with $4 million in operating revenue offer fitness services.
To achieve the America’s Healthiest Clubs distinction, each club participated in a detailed on-site evaluation executed by Prevo Health Solutions. The clubs were evaluated across five equally rated categories: fitness, nutrition, staff, members and facilities. Each category is comprised of multiple questions with certain responses valued/weighed as more important. A score of 800-plus qualifies a club as one of America’s Healthiest Clubs, a distinguished third party validation and recognition for achieving a healthy environment. Each club also received a detailed written evaluation that serves as a ‘playbook’ for current and future strategies.
“As a club with a young membership, health and wellness issues have always been at the forefront of our members’ interests and lifestyle,” said Brad Cance, General Manager at Bethesda Country Club. “America’s Healthiest Clubs provides a much-needed venue for qualifying our wellness initiatives and validating the commitment that we have made to such programs. Being recognized for our efforts to encourage health and wellness to our members and staff is an honor but the real reward is when we see significant changes being made with our team members.”
An important element of the evaluation is its quantitative scoring system. Using a quantitative approach levels the playing field, so all clubs can participate regardless of square footage, size of membership, geography, type of club or membership fee. As a result, the top ten are comprised of a diverse group of clubs, each bringing a best practice for the rest of the industry to take note of. Some noteworthy best practices include:
• Ocean Reef Club implemented a neighborhood employee walking program that began with a few employees and now includes spouses, kids, neighbors and their pets.
• Bethesda Country Club continues to increase participation in the “Jump-Start” Employee Wellness Program by adding incentives, challenges and team-building activities.
• Broken Sound Club continues to use an online wellness portal to drive employee engagement.
Qualifying clubs share similar attributes including: executive leadership and commitment to wellness, health conscious chef with a farm-to-table mentality, human resources commitment to the health & well-being of the employees, full service fitness & wellness centers with certified staff, and a very active membership stemming from a wide variety of activities, challenges and programs.
“Private Clubs that have embraced wellness as a strategy have seen an increase in member usage, revenues and have become more relevant with the members. While at the same time, wellness has been an effective strategy to lower employee health insurance costs, improve productivity and reduce absenteeism,” said Rick Ladendorf, President of Prevo Health Solutions. “Our mission is to share what we have learned with other private clubs and to improve the overall health and well-being of club members and the workforce.”
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