Club House Europe October 2017

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

CMAE Conference – Register now

ISSUE 12

MDPs – new Director of Education joins CMAE Club Awards – join the celebrations Club surveys – how to do them and why you should HQ Building the Business – boosting efficiencies and saving costs

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WELCOME

Welcome Welcome to the Autumn edition of Clubhouse Europe (CHE) and my last welcome as President as I step down at our AGM in Spain in November.

The last two years have flown by and I am proud to leave the Board overseeing a very positive outlook as CMAE moves onto a new chapter of its 16 year existence. Our Director of Education Michael Braidwood CCM has moved onto pastures new, having taken up the exciting position of General Manager of Qatar International Golf Club. We are looking forward to hearing from Michael on all the Club’s innovations once they open next year.

Michael and the Board have seen our education offering grow significantly over the last three years and we now have a loyal following of dedicated club managers keen to learn more and develop their career. Great job Michael, thank you. He hands over to Sweden’s Torbjörn Johansson who has led the Swedish Golf Club Managers Association with distinction for a number of years. Torbjörn relishes the challenge of steering CMAE’s updated strategic plan, offering high quality education to club industry professionals as well as sound advice and support as we all work to develop our own clubs. In this edition Torbjörn talks about his lifetime in sport and his vision for his new role.

CMAE is very pleased to have resurrected our European Management Conference and we are all set for an excellent three days in Marbella in late November. Boasting an excellent speaker line up, a tour (and 9 holes) of the #1 Club in Europe, Valderrama, plus excellent networking opportunities we are confident we have responded well to the requests received in our annual members survey.

On the subject of surveys, thanks to all of you who participated in two large surveys we carried out in the last 12 months: The 2017 Club Benchmarking survey, masterminded by our partners GGA who are currently analysing the results, will be presented by Rob Hill at the European Conference. I am looking forward to listening to Rob as this sort of benchmarking data and analysis is key as we try to steer our Boards into making the right decisions for our Clubs. The second survey was our annual CMAE members’ survey, the results of which we use to adapt our strategic plan and shape the future direction of the Association. In this edition of CHE Michael Braidwood CCM advises on why conducting member surveys is important and how to get the most meaningful results.

In August I was lucky enough to be invited to the USPGA Championship by Tom Deloizier, the GM of Quail Hollow GC along with Arnaldo Cocuzza CCM. It was amazing to see the scale of work needed to accommodate a major sporting event… the vast crowds, corporate hospitality, security, looking after the top 100 players in the world. It’s a fabulous course with greens stimping at 15. So difficult. Definitely worth a visit as it will be a future Ryder Cup venue. I think we need to add Project Management to our MDP curriculum – whether that’s a Tour event, a multimillion Health Club Redevelopment (which I’m in the middle of!) or Fireworks Night for a few hundred, all require planning and execution with a competent team led by a Club Manager.

Thank you for your support over the last four years as Vice President and President of CMAE. I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and working with new friends, home and abroad, whilst having the opportunity to give something back to the Sports Club Management profession. Please give every support to David Roy CCM as he now proudly carries the CMAE baton.

Marc Newey CCM CCE President, Club Managers Association of Europe

Contributors

Mohammed Attallah

Mike Sean Braidwood CCM Ferris

David Foster

Jonathan Hardy

Rob Hill

Torbjörn Johansson

Marc Newey CCM CCE

Leigh Ann Ogilvie

Caroline Scoular

Nick Sellens

Jill Slingsby

CMAE Board of Directors Jennifer Allmark Jennifer.Allmark@wasbygolf.se Daniel Asis CCM dasis@olivanova.com David Balden CCM dcb@caledonianclub.com James Burns CCM jburns@milltowngolfclub.ie Pierre Chevallier CMdip pchevallier@ngf-golf.com Alberto Iglesias CMdip aiglesias@fdlgolf.es Marc Newey CCM, CCE marc.newey@roehamptonclub.co.uk Michael Newland CMdip Michael.Newland@RoyalPorthcawl.com Ascanio Pacelli CMdip clubmanager@terredeiconsoli.it David Roy CCM manager@crailgolfingsociety.co.uk Javier Reviriego gm@valderrama.com Cindy Schoenrich CMdip cindy@gstaadyachtclub.com Mary Lou Watkins CMdip Marylou@northberwickgolfclub.com

Editor Caroline Scoular caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk Design David Foster Editorial Nick Sellens Sales and Marketing Manager Leigh-Ann Ogilvie Circulation Jonathan Hardy Administration Debbie Goddard Debbie.Goddard@cmaeurope.eu Publishing Director Sean Ferris sean@alchemymedia.co.uk;

Clubhouse Europe is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing Ltd. ACP Gainsborough House 59/60 Thames Street Windsor Berkshire SL4 1TX United Kingdom t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk

CMAE The Club Managers Association of Europe Office 8 Rural Innovation Centre Unit 169 Avenue H Stoneleigh Park Warwickshire CV8 2LG United Kingdom t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359 f. +44 (0) 247 641 4990

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers or the CMAE. Clubhouse Europe does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 3

Contents 13

18

5 News round-up News, views and events – European Conference speakers announced, MDP successes and supplier news.

6 Management systems Verulam Golf Club’s General Manager Paul Keen, explains the benefits of ESP Leisure.

8 CMAE European Conference Put the date in your diary and book your place now.

9 Industry report The latest Golf Participation Report for Europe examines current demand and supply trends in the golf industry across the continent.

13 Top tips on effective surveys

24 Club Awards

36 Preparing for the budget cycle

Consumers are bombarded with post-purchase and post-service surveys, and everyone looks like they need a survey to measure against a Key Performance Indicator (KPI). So just what constitutes a successful survey?

Join us for the club event of the year at Doncaster Racecourse – it's the 2017 Club Awards. Also: Free tickets for the races on December 1.

GGA’s Rob Hill offers best budgeting advice as the autumn budgeting cycle is upon us.

16 HQ Building the Business Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business.

18 A word with... Torbjörn Johansson CMAE’s outgoing Director of Education Mike Braidwood CCM invites his successor, Torbjörn Johansson, to share his thoughts on the past, present and future of CMAE training.

21 Putting Egypt on the map Mohammed Attallah CMdip is Operations Director for the Mediterranean Tour, a developmental professional golf tour that operates a Winter Series in Egypt and the Mediterranean Area. Here he explains his role and the important part that CMAE continues to play in his career.

38 Why sustainability is key 27 Finalists to the fore The 2017 Club Awards take place on 30 November celebrating clubs of all types and sizes around the country. Here are just three CMAE clubs already through as finalists.

Sustainability used to be called a buzzword. Not any more. It is now a key component of efficient and profitable businesses, people’s lifestyle and consumer spending choices, government regulation, and even loans, investments and taxation.

29 Gaining with training

40 Top wearables for members

So you’ve recruited them, now you have to keep them. Timely advice on why it pays to make them stay.

Fitness trackers and health monitors are now part of daily life for members keen to monitor the effect of exercise. But how do you begin to offer any recommendations?

31 Winning with wine It is approaching that time of year when clubs look to refresh their wine list – an important task and one that shouldn’t be neglected.

Building the social calendar. Top advice from Nicki Davis, Events Manager at London’s Roehampton Club.

33 Planning for success Clubs, like every other business in the UK, need to rise to the challenge of the economy we find ourselves in. This short, sharp audit is a good exercise to make sure you’re covering all bases.

For more information on any of these articles or to contribute to our next issue, contact Editor Caroline Scoular. e. caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk t. +44 (0)1753 272022

34 Double protection

For more information on the CMAE, its events and/or courses contact Debbie Goddard. e. Debbie.Goddard@cmaeurope.eu t. +44 (0) 247 669 2359

21 Golf courses aiming to face up to the challenge of turf disease and maintain high quality playing surfaces for their customers throughout autumn and winter have been just been handed a new, highly effective solution, Syngenta’s Instrata Elite.

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42 Tribal Tuesday

News from the frontline A first for MDP courses The first ever MDP course to be held in London was heralded a success by all attending.

Twenty six delegates from city, multi sports and golf clubs in the UK, Russia and Bermuda attended the five-day course which took place at the Victory Services Club and the Caledonian Club in London on 17-21 July, 2017.

Diploma successes for Qatar Four Qatar golf industry professionals recently received their Club Management Diplomas. The four successful recipients were Mohammed Al Naimi, Deputy General Manager Qatar International Golf Club (QIGC), Salman Al Khanji, Qatar Golf Association, Rhys Beecher, Director of Golf, QIGC and Darren Smith Golf Course Superintendent, QIGC. Michael Braidwood CCM, CMAE’s out going Director of Education said: “I have seen them all work incredibly hard during their time at MDP, and then apply that knowledge in their clubs. These people are changing the perception of club management in our industry, and given the number of clubs now appointing trained and qualified managers, others are taking note.”

CMAE MDP dates The delegates at the MDP 1 in London.

CMAE announces new Director of Education Michael Braidwood CCM has become General Manager of Qatar International Golf Club. “It’s a very exciting position and a challenge that I relish,” said Braidwood. “I am wholeheartedly committed to continuing to work with CMAE of course, and am delighted to be handing the Director of Education baton to CMAE member Torbjörn Johansson.”

Torbjörn Johansson has led the Swedish Golf Club Managers Association for a number of years. (Turn to page 18 for an interview with Torbjörn.)

European Conference CMAE has announced the speaker programme for the 9th CMAE European Conference on Club Management, completing its full schedule of education sessions based around CMAE’s 10 core competencies of modern club management.

The conference takes place at H10 Andalucia Hotel, Marbella, Spain on Sunday 26th – Tuesday 28th November, 2017.

Visit www.cmaeurope. org/news-events/eventscalendar or use this QR code.

The CMAE believes that a comprehensive education programme incorporating robust certification is required to equip club managers with the tools that they need. To the right are the dates and venues for the upcoming Management Development Programmes (MDPs).* •For more details visit www.cmaeurope.org or use this QR code. *The CMAE has partnered with Your Travel to offer our MDP delegates the best rates on air fares when travelling to our MDP courses.

Visit www.yourtravelgroup.co.uk/

In 2017/18 CMAE will roll out another 12 MDP courses throughout the UK, Europe and the Middle East, with two programmes taking place in Dubai in May 2018.

For details on forthcoming MDP 2017 Oct 23 - 27 Oct 30 – Nov 3 Nov 6 – 10 Nov 21 - 25 Nov 21 - 25 Nov 26 - 28 Dec 4 - 8 2018 Jan 22 - 26 Jan 29 – Feb 2 Feb 5 - 9 Feb 19-23 Mar 2 - 6 Apr 9 - 13 May tbc May tbc

programmes see below or visit www.cmaeurope.org/ news-events/mdp-dates Alternatively use this QR code.

Course and location MDP 1, Stirling MDP 2, Warwick MDP 1, Cardiff MDP F&B, Marbella MDP 1, Marbella European Conference, Marbella MDP Golf, St Andrews

Host SGCMA / CMAE L&HC / Midland & North Regions Golf Union Wales CMAE AEGG (Spanish programme) CMAE CMAE

MDP 3, Edinburgh MDP 1, Warwick MDP 1, Dublin MDP 2, Stirling CMAA World Conference, San Francisco MDP 3, Stockholm MDP 1, Dubai MDP 2, Dubai

CMAE L&HC / Midland & North Regions IGCMA / CGI SGCMA / CMAE CMAA GAF Sweden, GAF Finland, CMAE Dubai Golf Dubai Golf

Increase rounds played this winter Toro classic celebrates success Global tournament management software provider, Golf Genius, has announced a comprehensive winter league package to help club’s around the United Kingdom increase participation through the quieter months this off-season.

Aimed at increasing rounds played by keeping members engaged and getting more players to the golf course and socialising in the bar, Golf Genius’ innovative library of formats and flexible nature enables clubs to easily manage their weekly golf events into an engaging order of merit to maintain interest over the winter.

Craig Higgs, Head of International Sales for Golf Genius, said: “We’ve developed a comprehensive winter league offering, giving members a reason to get out on the course and enjoy the game in new and different formats.”

For a free demonstration contact Golf Genius Sales and Support Manager Nick Stocking for a free demonstration at nick.stocking@golfgenius.com or on +44 (0) 7716 410 499.

Nearly 30 years after its launch Toro’s Greensmaster® 1000 pedestrian greens mower is as popular now as when it launched in 1989, according to the company.

Jeff Anguige, national sales manager at Reesink Turfcare, UK distributor of Toro, said: “The impact of the Greensmaster 1000 on greens mowing is tremendous. Its impact resonates today and has been felt on greens across the world. Age doesn’t diminish its standing. Its technology is such that it keeps on delivering nearly 30 years later, and that’s a fact undeniable when it is still one of our best sellers today.”

For more details visit www.toro.com or use this QR code.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 5

ADVERTORIAL

Home of the Ryder Cup is now home for ESP Leisure Verulam Golf Club, situated in the historic city of St Albans, is affectionately known as “The Home of the Ryder Cup”. The James Braid designed course offers a challenging par 72 course that first opened in 1905.

V

erulam Golf Club is known as “The Home of the Ryder Cup”, because this is the first club that Samuel Ryder himself joined in 1909. In poor health, Samuel took up golf to get some exercise and fresh air to help aide his recovery, but was unenthused at the prospect of playing golf. His thought process soon changed when he got a golf club in his hands and quickly fell in love with the game. The Ryder Cup story was born!

As a prestigious club, with a huge history that helped pave the way for team golf events around the world, Verulam had struggled in recent years to attract members and retain them. With this in mind, the club made the decision to bring in some experience to help steer the club in the right direction, by way of new general manager, Paul Keen.

Paul, has already spent time at a number of other clubs in the region,including Luton Hoo, Woburn, Harleyford and Hanbury Manor. His experience in small private members clubs, right through to resort style proprietary businesses, has provided Paul with a lot of industry knowledge and best practices. His aim... to put them in place at Verulam.

The club had been using the Clubminder solution for a number of years, but with Paul’s plan to take the business to the next level, this solution wasn’t the best fit for their planned growth. As with any big decision for a club, making this transition from one provider to another can be a daunting task.

With this in mind, one of Paul’s main concerns with implementing a new system was to the disruption this change over can cause, both to the club’s members/customers, as well as the staff. To put Paul’s mind at rest, he worked closely with the ESP project

6 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

management team prior to the installation to ensure this disruption was kept to a minimum.

ESP’s installation, training and project management team have completed hundreds of software installations. Their expertise, knowledge and best practices allowed Paul and his team to not only make the transition of system providers, but also to provide Paul with the time and project management to maintain the day to day running of the business.

Paul commented: “As with any big project for a club, maintaining services and service levels are key to getting staff and member ‘buy in’ to a new system.

But, with ESP’s project management skills and their wealth of knowledge in replacing our clubminder system, the transition was very smooth and required less resources than expected.”

Paul’s three main focuses for the club were designed to improvemembership management, food & beverage and functions.

Firstly, membership management. The only way for Paul to streamline this element of the business was to offer the members more value and services. He did this the best way he knew how; to introduce a new club management system. Paul had used ESP Elite at Harleyford and Beadlow. Knowing its capabilities, implementing Elite at Verulam was top of his list.

The incumbent system was not fit for purpose, with poor management information, lengthy renewals processes and no revenue tracking. Paul knew if he had the right information he could make informed decisions about the strategic direction of the club, speed up the renewals process and understand what, where and how much his members were spending, allowing him to provide them with goods and services they actually wanted.

His second major introduction, was to bring the food and beverage operation back in house as it was previously franchised out. His dedication to make this offering first class for the club’s members, guests and visitors is clear to see throughout this transformation which has been a complete success. ESP’s Elite system has been a fundamental element of this change.

Providing EPoS, members’ levy cards and revenue tracking, giving Paul the tools to make this major change, one of which the members have really embraced.

Thirdly, Paul has introduced member functions and events. These events are regularly attended by 100+ members and guests and have been a huge success at the club. Using ESP’s Elite system has allowed Paul to set up and manage these events and functions very easily. From concept to delivery, Elite manages every aspect, including ticket sales which can be sold at the club or online.

Paul commented: “We are delighted at Verulam

Golf Club to be working with the best IT system in golf and leisure. The system itself helps drive our club forward, but the support from ESP is second to none, assisting with not only technical issues, but providing a consultative approach, sharing ideas and industry best practices.”

Paul has helped to turn Verulam Golf Club around, which is testament to his experience and drive. He has helped transform the club both at site and online, offering services to members through the ESP Elite Live portal. Members can now book golf,

enter a competition, manage handicaps, buy a ticket to an event, check their levy statement and top up their levy card, all online.

• For more information about ESP Leisure’s Elite system for clubs, please contact Hayley Bennion on 0208 251 5100 or email them at info@e-s-p.com. Their systems are in place at more than 250 clubs across the UK and Ireland, including private member clubs, golf clubs, sailing clubs and leisure clubs. See website for more information at www.e-s-p.com.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 7

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Golf Participation Report for Europe 2017 The latest Golf Participation Report for Europe examines current demand and supply trends in the golf industry across the continent. Golf associations were contacted and findings analysed to evaluate the state of participation and the supply of golf courses. So just what is the state of play?

KPMG’s latest report shows signs that the stabilisation of the golf market has continued.The number of registered golfers showed a slight increase, by 2% (+82,584 players), while the supply of golf courses declined by 28 courses (24 openings and 52 closures). Forty six per cent of European countries surveyed experienced a growth in participation rates, 35% showed stability and in 19% of the countries surveyed demand declined.

Men make up 67% of the total registered golfers across Europe in 2016, and the proportion of European population who actively played golf (0.9%) has not changed since 2015.

With a moderate level of growth in 2016, KPMG says it is important to reflect upon various creditable golf development initiatives, which have been launched in previous years with the aim of reaching new audiences and retaining existing golfers across Europe. These initiatives and the hard work of many other golf industry stakeholders, provide evidence for a consciously optimistic outlook for the game’s development.

Certain markets have demonstrated exemplary

performance and highlighted the opportunities a proactive and coordinated approach can achieve.

A number of national golf associations and industry players are working to stimulate current and future clientele with initiatives that embrace inclusivity, equality and an openness to change.

This is helping golf as a sport to address and take on the challenge of falling participation numbers and in some cases to develop green shoots of growth.

The industry-wide focused effort to embrace junior and female participation, innovate formats of play in both the professional and amateur game, along with a broader acceptance that modern day life is influencing the sport across multiple levels, is slowly helping to swing the participation curve around and into a positive direction.

Europe’s leading golf markets In 2016, there were no significant changes in the number of registered golfers or standard length golf courses. The classic golfing countries are still home to the majority of golfers and courses as demonstrated in the charts overleaf. The top 10 countries in

terms of demand and supply stayed the same; England is still leading with almost 700,000 golfers, accounting for 16% of the market.

Also England has the highest number of golf courses with nearly 2,000 and counts for 27% of the European golf supply. In terms of participation numbers amongst major markets, the top growth countries were the followings: • Spain (10.12%; + 28,103 golfers) • The Netherlands (4.78%; +18,278 golfers) • England (4.44%; + 29,520 golfers) The graphic overleaf shows the participation rates of registered golfers as a percentage of a country’s total population compared to the number of registered golfers across the top 10 European golf markets in terms of participation rate. In 2016, none of the countries in the top 10 had a participation rate under 1%.

Golf supply and demand trends – supply Golf supply in the European market is currently stable. Golf courses are neither being built nor closed in great numbers across Europe. In 2016, there were 24

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS openings and 52 closures, with a negative net effect of 28 courses less in comparison to 2015. This stability apperars to have been a trend over the last three years.

England is still the largest golf market in Europe with nearly 2,000 courses, even though the English Golf Union reported 16 course closures (close to 1%)

since 2015. Germany, the second largest golf market with more than 730 courses experienced a slight growth of 1% (+5 courses).

Other top growth markets in terms of supply are Portugal (+5), Italy (+3) and Austria (+3). In terms of decline, Scotland (-19) and Ireland (-4) were the worst hit in 2016.

Golf supply and demand trends – demand Based on the survey, on average, the golf demand in Europe was stable in 2016. Forty-six per cent of the European market has experienced growth in participation rates. Stability is evident in the 35% of the market. The remaining 19% were exposed to some decline in their participation rates of registered golfers.

Sweden continues to see more golfers year-onyear. Ukraine and Serbia are seeing increased junior participation rates via various initiatives and through the opening of new junior golf academies. Russia is also increasing its participation rates; in 2016 this increased by nearly 17% compared with 2015.

Czech Republic, Scotland and Wales are experiencing a decline of approximately 3% p.a. in their registered golfer numbers. The trend is slowing thanks to the support that many clubs are receiving in developing women’s coaching programmes and also due to much reduced membership fees. All this might help to stabilize fluctuations by increasing player participation.

Who’s playing?

In 2016, golf demand in Europe continued to be dominated by adult males. The research shows that males make up 67% of the total registered golfers numbers across Europe. Adult women accounted for 25% and junior participation was still at 8%.

Slovakia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands are the top five countries in terms of female golf participation rates.

In absolute terms, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, France and England lead the female participation rankings. The performance of Germany in this category is remarkable, with 222,516 adult female golfers. That’s over 95,000 more than the second highest, the Netherlands (126,710).

Turkey, Latvia, Russia, Greece and Hungary (markets with a participation rate ≤ 0,2%) are seeing the best junior golfer participation rates, while in absolute terms, Sweden, England, Germany, France and Spain are the countries with the largest number of junior golfers. Some of these countries are active in developing initiatives to promote golf for young people.

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CONTACT DETAILS KPMG Golf Advisory Practice in EMEA KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice offers services to both existing and developing integrated golf resorts, from market and financial feasibility studies to project conceptualization and investment planning.

KPMG Advisory Ltd. 1134 Budapest, Váci út 31.

Hungary T: +36 1 887 6651 E: info@golfbenchmark.com

Registered golfers and standard golf courses in Europe, 2015-2016 Country England Germany Sweden France Netherlands Spain Scotland Ireland Denmark Finland Norway Austria Switzerland Italy Belgium Czech Republic Wales Iceland Portugal Slovakia Slovenia Turkey Poland Luxembourg Estonia Russia Greece Cyprus Croatia Hungary Latvia Bulgaria Liechtenstein Lithuania Serbia Ukraine Malta Armenia Macedonia Azerbajian Andorra Albania Georgia Total

Registered golfers 2016 694,623 643,158 463,952 407,719 400,510 305,885 192,533 190,883 151,139 143,025 100,702 100,351 90,725 90,259 62,632 54,318 45,422 16,823 14,659 10,600 8,762 7,083 4,705 3,475 2,889 1,947 1,514 1,402 1,380 1,095 1,004 920 809 801 747 593 546 130 119 104 79 64 50 4,220,136

Registered golfers 2015 665,103 640,181 455,770 407,569 382,232 277,782 199,244 192,507 150,916 143,182 101,349 101,480 89,579 90,027 62,606 56,352 46,980 16,437 13,848 8,461 5,891 6,829 4,015 3,308 2,810 1,667 1,830 1,559 1,420 998 965 847 723 761 740 547 546 75 119 104 79 64 50 4,138,248

% Change

Golf Courses 2016

Golf courses 2015

4.44% 0.47% 1.80% 0.04% 4.78% 10.12% -3.37% -0.84% 0.15% -0.11% -0,64% -1,11% 1.28% 0.26% 0.04% -3.61% -3.32% 2.35% 5.86% 25.28% 48.74% 3.72% 17.19% 5.05% 2.81% 16.80% -17.27% -10.07% -2.82% 9.72% 4.04% 8.62% 11.89% 5.26% 0.95% 8.41% 0.00% 73.33% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 1.98%

1,907 732 444 600 250 349 578 410 190 129 152 160 96 241 76 106 149 61 87 29 13 18 37 5 10 26 8 9 5 14 6 7 0 5 2 4 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 6,924

1 923 727 445 599 248 351 597 414 190 129 152 157 96 238 77 104 150 63 82 28 13 19 37 5 10 29 8 9 5 14 6 7 0 5 3 5 1 1 0 2 1 1 1 6 952

% Change -1% 1% 0% 0% 1% -1% -3% -1% 0% 0% 0% 2% 0% 1% -1% 2% -1% -3% 6% 4% 0% -5% 0% 0% 0% -10% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% -33% -20% 0% 0% 100% 0% 100% 0% 0% -0.40%

Sources: Local golf associations and Economist Intelligence Unit with KPMG elaboration

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CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

Toptipson

effective surveys Consumers are bombarded with post-purchase and post-service surveys, and everyone looks like they need a survey to measure against a Key Performance Indicator (KPI). Mike Braidwood CCM offers the following advice.

T

he need to gauge customer feedback or satisfaction has never been greater. So do we need to do this effectively in the club world? Or should we be like Steve Jobs who said he never used surveys or focus groups as his customers would never know what they actually need in the future! The same could be said at clubs; if you ask your members for opinions you might not get the progressive answers you are looking for. Nevertheless, keep members onside and ask their opinions from time to time; you might be surprised with the results.

Here are some tips to help you on your way and to ensure you get a satisfactory response rate.

Length of time to complete the survey People these days are time poor, so be mindful of the length of time the survey will take to complete. Also state the time before you ask people to complete it.

Five to eight minutes will probably be sufficient to help gather enough information. Be honest with the

average, we discovered that respondents take just over a minute to answer the first question in a survey (including the time spent reading any survey introductions) and spend about five minutes in total, answering a 10 question survey. However, respondents take more time per question when responding to shorter surveys compared to longer surveys.”

time too. If you say it will take five minutes then make sure it does! According to Survey Monkey, the more questions you ask, the less time your respondents spend, on average, answering each question: “When your respondents, in methodological terms, begin ‘satisficing’ or ‘speeding’ through a survey, the quality and reliability of your data can suffer. On

Incentive to complete the survey People like to be rewarded, so it can be a good idea to offer some form of incentive – it could be additional loyalty points, entry into a prize draw, access to a free download etc. You could partner up with one of your key suppliers on the survey where you gather information on their behalf as well. In this way they might offer the incentive.

Relevancy This is key to a successful survey. Make sure the questions are relevant to the club and are linked

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 13

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CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

somewhat to what you are trying to achieve at your club. A lot of the questions can be used to measure performance of your team and their respective KPIs. Also, the results can help you hold team members and departments accountable. You can argue against hearsay, but you can’t argue against stats !

Forewarn your database It is important that you let your members know well in advance that the survey is coming. It’s amazing how many people will take part in the survey when they know it’s imminent as opposed to just deleting it the moment it comes in. You can then give it a sense of purpose.

What is your goal?

Make sure you have an end goal/goals in mind – don’t do a survey for surveys sake or because the neighbouring club has just done one. You should state your survey goals at the beginning of the survey.

Your goals could be simply: a. We want to gauge members’ opinions on a wide range of our products and services to understand where we need to focus our attention to improve. b. We would like to ask specific questions which will help us shape our future plans. c. We would like to gather data on our key service deliverables to ensure focus on continuous improvement.

The obvious medium is email, and also put it out on social media – even a simple text message if it is a short survey. You should also have a number of good old fashioned pen and paper surveys available within the club. Finally you should always do some face to face interviews over an equal cross section of your club membership. These face to face interviews are diamond and will move you into a new category of member loyalty!

Which mediums will you send the survey out on?

Use as many as possible and measure your response rates per medium. According to Survey Gizmo, ‘Internal surveys will generally receive a 30-40% response rate (or more) on average, compared to an average 10-15% response rate for external surveys’.

You should be looking for at least 50% + to get a fair representation of your member options and preferences.

Share the results You have asked you members to take time to give you some valuable input so in return you should share the results and personalise them if possible.

Write up an executive summary on the report referencing member preferences and ideas.

Act on the results Once you have gathered and analysed the survey results you will often find that there are trends of opinion or some really good ideas coming forward.

This gives you an ideal opportunity to introduce new initiatives based on your member feed back...‘you said you wanted x,y,z and we have given it to you’.

And finally...

Repeat this process consistently and at a minimum on an annual basis. Data is king and can help you steer your club in the right direction, monitor trends on performance and opinions and most of all helps keep your members happy.

CONTACT DETAILS CMAE's former Director of Education Mike Braidwood CCM is now General Manager of Qatar International Golf Club.

He can be contacted at mbraidwood@qigolfclub.com

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Want to cut club spend while increasing efficiencies? Well now you can. Introducing HQ Building the Business. Completely free to clubs this new service involves no contracts and no costs, just better buying and better club business.

Welcome to HQ Building the Business F

rom utilities and energy savings to procurement and financial services, HQ Building the Business works with your club as a surrogate head office, helping you to boost club business. And by working with carefully selected club-supporting partners and suppliers, HQ Building the Business will save you valuable time and resources in the quest to save your club money, freeing up you and your committee to run an even more efficient club.

You’re just three steps away from saving money.

Step 1 Free no-obligation audit – just call us or email us.

Step 2 Following our audit and discussions, if we believe we can help your club we will source the best deals available.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. What do I get when I become a member?

A: You get a free and confidential audit of your club in those areas where you would like to find savings and efficiencies. This could be anything from utilities to phone bills and from food to club equipment.

Q. What are the costs?

A. There are no costs. HQ is free to join.

Q. If I become a member, what are my obligations?

A. There are no obligations for you or your club and no contracts. All we ask is that when we work with you, you are open about your current supplier situation.

suppliers we need to prove the value of a club to their business, but if we can help we will.

Q. What are your club credentials?

A. We’ve been working in the club sector for over 30 years in various roles. The launch of HQ Building the Business is the culmination of many years working with clubs and suppliers, from brewers and telecoms suppliers, to energy and water companies.

Q. Do I need a face to face meeting?

A. Not necessarily. A lot of the ground work can be done over the phone/email.

Q. How do I become a member?

A. Just email enquiries@hqbusiness.com, call 01753 272022 or use the form on the opposite page.

Q. Does the club need to have a minimum turnover?

A. Our services are most suited to clubs with a minimum turnover of £100,000. This is because to secure the HQ Building the Business deals with

Step 3 Your club starts saving money.

This is what we call a win win! So get in touch now and help us help you to make 2017 an even better year for your club and your members. You can call on 01753 272022, email enquiries@hqbusiness.com or use the form opposite.

Ryan Bezuidenhout, General Manager of Aviva Premiership Rugby contender, Worcester Warriors “My role is very much to ensure that the support mechanisms of an efficient stadium and business are in place. I’ve worked with David and his team to assist in delivering savings across the business at Worcester Warriors and I am delighted to recommend the team on a professional as well as personal level.

Energy has been one of the biggest projects, and this procurement is delivering significant short and long term savings. There are plenty of people out there who claim they can do this; this team can.

A large part of my role is about getting things done efficiently and effectively, hence why I value the straight talking, efficient and short sharp presentation of results. No fuss, no salesmanship, just a host of opportunities followed up by appropriate and helpful assistance to deliver the chosen projects; make the most of them.”

• www.warriors.co.uk

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MEMBERSHIP FORM Yes I am interested in joining the no-cost, no-contract, no obligation HQ Building the Business club.

Your name: _____________________________________

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Role in club: _____________________________________ Club name and address: _____________________________ _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________ Tel no: ________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________ Number of members: ______________________________ Turnover*:______________________________________

n All n Other (please list): _____________________________

Particular areas you are interested in?

_____________________________________________

*Turnover - this information is entirely confidential and is not shared with any other companies/agencies etc. It is HQ Building the Businessâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s measure as to how we can help you save money.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 17

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CMAE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION Networking is a passion for new CMAE Director of Education, Torbjörn Johansson.

Pictured in his GAF Sweden role (left) with his GAF Denmark counterpart Jörgen Mathiesen.

Awordwith...

Torbjörn Johansson CMAE’s outgoing Director of Education Mike Braidwood CCM invites his successor, Torbjörn Johansson, to share his thoughts on the past, present and future of CMAE training.

Torbjörn, when did you first get involved with the CMAE Management Development Programme?

I was actually involved from the start when CMAE had discussions with the CMAA about the programme. We tried about five years ago to have a MDP in Sweden but we weren´t successful. After that I have followed its progress and right now we have found an angle to work with it in Scandinavia.

How important is it to the club sector to have an organisation like the CMAE helping

18 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

to drive standards and provide professional qualifications?

I think it’s very important. And my belief is also that the CMAE has to work to strengthen the national organisations such as GCMA, ADGF, GMVD, AEGG and others. We have to drive standards, but together with the alliance partners.

You have run GAF Sweden for many years.

What do you feel the main differences will be for you taking on the whole of Europe under the CMAE banner?

Well for starters, when I took the role with GAF seven years ago the organisation was struggling and we were trying to survive which I’m happy to say we did. It’s now thriving today. CMAE is doing very well with a fantastic educational model to work from and a great potential for further growth.

CMAE has really picked up some momentum in the last few years especially with its education programmes. How do you see this continuing?

It certainly has and we expect to see still further

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Where were you born?

Just outside Stockholm, Sweden in 1976.

Torbjörn looks forward to meeting as many members as possible at CMAE’s European Conference in November.

Alliances and partnerships will continue to be a mainstay of CMAE’s education path. Pictured far left with (l to r) Göran Tyrsing, Manager Swedish Greenkeeper Assocation (SGA), Thomas Ahlberg, President GAF (Manager Bokskogen GC) and Kristian Hägglund, President SGA (Manager/Greenkeeper Tomelilla GC).

Education?

I have a bachelors degree in Sport Pedagogics and attended the very first Masters in Sport Governance and Organisation (MESGO).

Your biggest strength?

To take ideas and make them into actions.

And weakness?

I need to reflect more.

The Board and Torbjörn will continue to drive CMAE’s Education Programme. growth. The programme will be spread to more countries and I also see it being launched in more languages. We also need to add more activities and hear what our members want. Cooperation with alliance partners is also key.

Is there anything new you will be adding?

Yes indeed there will be. I have already told the board about a few of the ideas, but as always it’s important to understand and assess everything before implementing changes or adding extra activities and/or services.

CMAE has a strong following from golf and city clubs, and is working hard on broadening out into other sporting clubs.

What do you think CMAE has to do to attract different sports to its education curriculum?

This is a very exciting path for me. I come from a very strong club background and have been heavily involved in rugby, volleyball, tennis, table-tennis, handball and outside sports within the YMCA. We need to get everyone on board because there is so much we can learn from each other, over and above the boundaries of each individual sporting discipline.

Favourite book?

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.

At the World Conference Orlando 2017 (left) with fellow CMAE members.

– location, content, documenting, time of year and of course price. We have two conferences every year in Sweden (both are three days) which are very successful, attracting 120-130 people every time. But there is a need for both inspiring speakers as well as people offering tools that the participants can implement at their facility. The future is very interesting. You need to find the right time and the right place which will work for both members and Alliance Partners.

With the advances of technology there is demand for online quick and convenient education. Will you consider an online platform ?

We will be discussing this once I’m fully onboard but of course we need to be online with training. CMAE already does a lot of things online, but the MDP is also built on human interaction. You need the combination. Exactly what will be our way forward is very exciting to think about.

In recent years CMAE has expanded into the Middle East. Are there any other territories you feel have potential for expansion?

This is something we will definitely be discussing, but any territory in need of education and support – we will be there! North Africa, for example, could be a possibility.

What do you see as your biggest challenges?

Having enough time to do everything that I love meeting people and listening to our members and then performing things on demand. The first challenge is, of course, to get a hold on everything that is the CMAE. This will take a while but I am ready for the challenge.

CMAE’s European Conference has been reinstated due to popular demand. What do you think a modern conference needs to offer in order to succeed in the busy conference market?

Correct! The conference market is indeed very busy; you need to standout. All aspects are very important

Which parts of your role do you think will be the most fun?

I love the diversity of the role. Education is key and I love to stand in front of a crowd of members getting them gelling together. Then working with partners is also a passion; it’s very important to pair partners with our industry.

Favourite food?

Tough one! I eat pretty much everything, but a great choice is a Swedish potato pancake with pork and lingonberry. (It’s a National dish on Tuesday lunchtimes in Sweden.)

Favourite sport other than golf?

I actually only play golf ‘for fun’.

Volleyball and football were my two sports. I also played table tennis, squash, handball and floorball.

Do you belong to any other clubs?

I’ve been President at three volleyball clubs and involved in the YMCA (sports) along with many more. I love the club industry and the involvement of people outside their work.

If you had to change careers what would you love to be?

Through the years, I have had thoughts about ‘What if? The thought of working with sales (like my father) has been interesting. I have owned a hotel that my father was the CEO of and also been partowner of an export firm working with fish, asphalt, cider and other things exporting to western Africa. I’ve always been interested in trying new things.

How do you relax?

I meet friends, have a chat and listen to music. I am a person who loves to have people around me. I love travelling and listening to podcasts and books.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 19

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INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

Putting Egypt on the map Mohammed Attallah CMdip is Operations Director for the Mediterranean Tour, a developmental professional golf tour that operates a Winter Series in Egypt and the Mediterranean Area. Here he explains his role and the important part that CMAE continues to play in his career.

Walking up to the 10th Tee at Palm Hills Golf Course, Cairo, with the Pyramids in the distance.

T

he Mediterranean Tour has developed over a four year period from a tool to promote Egypt as golfing destination to a destination for emerging golf professionals to play competitive golf in Europe’s Winter months.

From just under 30 professionals in the inaugural 2015 Series (which featured Paul Broadhurst as he prepared for Senior Tour) we hosted 80 professionals in 2017 and expect that number to increase in 2018.

So basically my role is to develop and promote golf in Egypt through the Tour which is a great vehicle to showcase venues and reveal what Egypt has to offer for all levels of golfers. In addition the Tour is fast becoming an excellent alternative gateway for Professional Career Development and extremely competitive golf during the traditional off season.

I have been lucky enough to be part of – and am extremely proud of – every International Golf event that we have delivered in Egypt over the last eight years. If I had to highlight one in particular it would probably be the Challenge Tour events that featured

Working with the media is an important part of Mohammed’s role (pictured above).

Colin Montgomery and a young Rory McIlroy in 2010. These were great stepping stones to putting Egypt on the golf map. This is really where the

Mediterranean Tour was born from; the last few years have really been a great achievement and I’m looking forward to more achievements and things to be proud of going forward.

There are definitely opportunities in the home market. Even though Egypt has a really rich golf history, for some reason there is little participation, so re-educating the local community on golf is a really exciting challenge.

I’m very proud of the resilience and the development of the golf industry here in what have been tough times, especially in terms of tourism, which in the short term is the main potential source of revenue for the golf industry in the country. I’ve noticed the shift to an environment of collaboration, and feel that the work that has been done in the last decade has begun to start fulfilling the potential that the industry has here.

We have over 20 golf courses, 12 of which are signature golf courses with great facilities, so developing this awareness and combining golf with Egypt’s more

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 21

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INDUSTRY INTERVIEW Swedish player Charlie Lindh hits a tee shot at Dreamland Golf Resort, Cairo.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Where were you born?

Birmingham, England.

Education?

Degree in Management and Chemical Science from Manchester University; CMDip. Your biggest strength?

Communication.

And weakness?

Over critical, never satisfied.

Favourite book?

Six Feet Under by Howard Hodgson.

ON THE CMAE When did you get involved with the CMAE MDP? I attended my first MDP in November 2015 in Dublin. The Education is fantastic, especially as you progress through the programmes.

The value of the knowledge that everyone brings to the classroom is really energising.

How useful has it been?

I cannot stress enough how useful the education programme and the network has been for me. Being in a developing country and having the ambitions and roles that I assume can be a lonely place.

The Education pathway has really put focus on my abilities and given me so much confidence and the tools to continue to grow my career in the industry.

At the end of the day, I got into golf by accident, and having the professional qualification and quality education has been extremely useful.

On a level of networks and resources, when the CMAE tells you that you build a tribe for life, it’s absolutely right. I have seen only pure transparent collaboration between everyone that has been a part of the CMAE programme.

Importance of organisations like the CMAE? It is of the upmost importance to have such a strong organisation in place. In actual fact I would really like to play a role in developing the program, especially in Egypt, and the Middle East, as I think this level of qualification, and education, will only help the club industry reach higher standards.

22 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

traditional tourism offerings is a fascinating journey.

Forming a unified industry and delivering results to all stakeholders, golf course developers, government and most importantly golfers, is a challenge I face every day.

My day is pretty varied now. At some point it used to involve playing golf, but – as my tribe foretold! – this has now pretty much stopped. My day normally revolves around meetings with partners, golf courses and marketing teams, as well as the follow-ups and work with the team. During tournament times it is a different story and sees me juggling between being Tournament Director and undertaking media and tour operations roles. It’s very stressful with long, long days – but great fun.

My career in golf has in fact been relatively short, with just over eight years now in the industry, but due to the market I am in I have been privileged enough to be involved in all aspects of the game. My first position was as Business Development Manager for the Egyptian Golf Federation, which was going through a complete overhaul of the governing body, that has been established for over 60 years now.

Obviously post ‘Arab Spring’, these plans were shelved for the short term, and I have been involved (through my own company Golf 1457) in strategic consultancy for the Ministries of Sport and Tourism to develop the Golf Tourism Product, as well as

Favourite food?

Anything made at home.

Favourite sport other than golf?

All sports. I could watch sports all day!

I love the Olympics for that.

Hobbies?

I love the beach and water sports.

If you had to change careers?

A TV commentator.

How do you relax?

I do what I love, so I am always relaxed (ha ha ha!). working with golf clubs and corporate partners in a media and golf event consultancy capacity.

I was also involved with grass roots development and supporting clubs in Egypt with the development of golf offerings to quite a niche market. All in all I’ve had some great fun consulting on developing many different golf initiatives in the country, and now my focus is fulltime on the development of the Mediterranean Tour to showcase Egypt and to provide great playing benefits to emerging professionals.

The 7th hole at Allegria.

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Unlocking Golf’s True Potential

Sustainability

Syngenta is a global agriculture company, employing more than 28,000 people in 90 countries.

Enhancing the environment, increasing biodiversity, and engaging with customers and stakeholders

As an industry leader, we care not only for the health, quality and consistency of your fairways and greens, we care about the health of the game itself and the industry’s For more than 30 years we have also been long-term business sustainability. a market leader in the global golf industry creating innovative turf management That’s why Syngenta is investing in solutions for golf courses in 43 countries. golf from the ground up with the aim of Unlocking Golf’s True Potential.

However, Syngenta is much more than turf Our objectives are focused on: management products and services.

Productivity Supporting our customers and stakeholders with new knowledge, skills and tools to create strong, dynamic, customer-centric golf businesses

Playability Working with golf course superintendents around the world to deliver the best playing conditions for their customers

Working together, we can Unlock Golf’s True Potential To find out more, join Syngenta Golf Ambassador Carin Koch for a special on-course video presentation at: www.unlockinggolfstruepotential.co.uk

Syngenta UK Ltd. Registered in England No. 849037.

CPC4 Capital Park, Fulbourn, Cambridge CB21 5XE.

CLUB AWARDS 2017

Callingallclubs Join us in Doncaster Clubhouse Europe invites you to join fellow clubs and club-supporting sponsors at the 2017 Club Awards and Gala Dinner. Plus: continue the celebrations on December 1 with a complimentary day at the races.

Date: 30 November, 2017 Venue: Doncaster Racecourse Whether it’s meeting sponsoring suppliers, comparing notes with other clubs or trying out a new beer for the bar, the Clubhouse Europe team invites you to join them for an action packed Evening on November 30, followed by a day’s racing on December 1.

5 - 6pm MINI BEER FESTIVAL It’s cask to the fore as we invite you to sample some splendid real ales.

6 - 7pm DRINKS RECEPTION Join us at the pre-Awards drinks reception courtesy of Marston’s and Heineken UK. Photo opportunities to date courtesy of BT Sport have included the FA Cup, the Challenge Cup and the Premier League Trophy.

24 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

STO Don P PR ’t fo ES r f r e Don e ra get the S r

7 - 9.30pm CLUB AWARDS & GALA DINNER The 26th Club Awards and Gala Dinner is being presented by sports personality John Inverdale (above, top). Back by popular demand, he is one of many celebrity hosts to join the Club Awards Hall of Fame.

on Dcaster cing at e’s Club ecem Racec Awa ber 1 ourse Turn rds att for all en t mor he pag dees. e de e for tails .

10pm - 12 midnight ENTERTAINMENT ZONE The evening continues after the Awards with festive entertainment in the Alpine Village!

Turn the page and complete the Booking Form to secure your places.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 25

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CLUB AWARDS 2017

JOIN US FOR THE CLUB EVENT OF THE YEAR The Club Awards, now in their 26th year, are well known for providing the perfect informative – and fun – way to network with suppliers and fellow clubs.

Come and join us for a night of celebration and fun. Open to all clubs, this is the must-attend event of the year.

Complete the form below, or email us on caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk

TICKET BOOKING FORM 30 November, 2017, Doncaster Racecourse • Complimentary drinks reception

NAME: ________________________________________________________

• Beer Festival

POSITION IN CLUB: ___________________________________________

• Three-course gala dinner

CLUB NAME AND ADDRESS: ____________________________________

• Entertainment with celebrity host

______________________________________________________________

• After dinner entertainment • Complimentary ticket to Doncaster Racecourse the following day for each guest

n I would like _______ (STATE NUMBER) tickets @ £52 + VAT

n I would like ________ (STATE NUMBER) table/s for 10 @ £494 + (Total inc VAT: £62.40).

n I will/will not take up my free tickets for racing on December 1.

VAT (Total inc VAT: £592.80).

(One ticket per Awards/Gala Dinner guest.)

______________________________________________________________ CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER: _____________________________ EMAIL ADDRESS: _______________________________________________ SEND COMPLETED FORM TO CLUB MIRROR: BOOK ONLINE: www.awards.clubmirror.com or use this QR code

BY EMAIL: caroline@alchemymedia.co.uk

BY POST: Club Awards, Gainsborough House, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX

BY FAX: 01753 272021 OR CALL: 01753 272022

26 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

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CLUB AWARDS 2017

Finalists to the fore The 2017 Club Awards take place on 30 November celebrating clubs of all types and sizes around the country. Here are just three CMAE clubs already through as finalists.

Datchet Water Sailing Club, Datchet, Berkshire Finalist – Green Club of the Year

Datchet Water Sailing Club has joined the ‘Sustainable Clubhouse’ initiative.

Gabrielle Boase CMdip, General Manager at Datchet Water Sailing Club says: “We are fundamentally a green sport and we operate a green clubhouse at Datchet Water. Spreading the word about environmental impact and sustainability with our younger sailors and newcomers to the sport is helping to keep our waters clean and safe. Engaging with them also creates a long-lasting impact for the club by helping to ensure even more people make sailing part of their future.”

The club has installed a heating system which uses the reservoir as a heat source and a water source heat pump (instead of oil or gas boilers) has reduced the club’s carbon footprint by a factor of over 3.4.

The project falls under the Renewable Heat Incentive which means that the club is paid for the heat generation for the next 20 years. So after repayments from OFGEN the club now receives more money than it spends on heating, while the excess electricity produced by the solar PV panels is used to power the heat pumps.

The club has installed several eco-friendly measures such as double glazing and new energy-efficient radiators, solar panels for renewable energy, new boilers, roof insulation and a cooling system for the conference room.

The insulated roof will help lower the building’s carbon footprint with an annual reduction of 21,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

This is also the first club in the country to run a RYA educational initiative which aims to educate young children about the impact that sailing has on the environment – the Marine CSI Challenge as part of the ‘Push the Boat Out’ scheme.

The club works closely with the Green Blue which is a joint environment initiative created by the British Marine Federation and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to encourage a more sustainable recreational boating sector.

Roehampton Club, London Finalist – Sports Club of the Year

St James’s Hotel and Club, London Finalist – Catering Club of the Year

Roehampton has a golf course, 30 tennis courts, squash courts, a gym, swimming pool and four croquet lawns.

A £3.5m development has seen the outdoor heated swimming pool replaced to become more family-friendly, open for 11 months of the year rather than six, and the gym and health club is being redeveloped, going from one to three studios and increasing in size to 150 square metres.

“It’s very challenging keeping the club open during the building work,” says General Manager and CMAE President Marc Newey CCM, CCE. “We’ve built a temporary gym in the piazza and a temporary studio in the gardens.”

Families are attracted to the club’s tuition programme, explains Newey. “When people join the club, they don’t just want to participate in a sport, they want to get better at it so we offer this extensive tuition programme for adults and kids. Our biggest sports are by far tennis and golf, although we offer squash and croquet.”

In April the club opened 10 grass tennis courts and the club is proud that Wimbledon tennis stars use the club to practise on. It has 30 different courts with a variety of surfaces. The club has 18 tennis pros, eight golf pros and a golf course plus swimming pros.

The club is an international venue for croquet.

St James’s main restaurant (30 covers) has retained its Michelin star and four AA rosettes since 2009 and last year Food & Beverage revenues went up by 11%. But the club, founded in 1857, is not about to rest on its laurels.

Food & Beverage Manager Antonio Vigorito has introduced afternoon tea with a difference, partnering with renowned toy store Hamley’s to supply board games for members and their children to provide what he describes as an uplifting experience. He has also introduced a unique water menu with a variety of different waters from the UK, Italy, Denmark, Portugal and Scotland.

There’s also a new coffee menu which includes exotic varieties such as Jamaican Blue Mountain and Kopi Luwak from Thailand, often referred to as the world’s most expensive coffee deriving its name from the Indonesian civic cat.

As well as the main restaurant, described as French-style cuisine using British produce wherever possible, the club boasts a bistro, a bar and lounge menu.

The club won an award from Spirit Business for its cocktails.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 27

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.

Is it time to review your club’s finances?

Wealth Management

Financial Planning

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Employee Benefits

Taking a step back to look at the long-term situation is not always a priority but careful planning is key to providing financial security over the longer term, and advice from a specialist can help you meet your aims.

Ian Crombleholme BA(Hons) DipPFS Director and Senior Adviser

Speak to us today about your club’s financial goals and let us help you reach them

07796 442 669 i.crombleholme@brightwm.co.uk

01925 839 180 | brightwm.co.uk Bright Wealth Management represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website at www.sjp.co.uk/products. Bright Wealth Management is a trading style of Bright FS Limited. Bright FS Limited is registered in England & Wales. Company No. 08191747. Registered Office: Yarmouth House, Trident Business Park, Daten Avenue, Warrington WA3 6BX.

TRAINING

Gaining with training – why it pays to make them stay So you’ve recruited them… now you have to keep them. Timely advice on the value of training.

M

uch time, effort and probably money, is spent on recruiting employees. A smooth professional introduction to the club and their role within it, will ensure that money has been well spent. You don’t want to start all over again because the newcomer promptly leaves after getting an appalling reception into the club business.

What to cover There are a whole host of subjects which need to be covered to effect the smooth induction of an individual into any organisation. Some will have to be carried out immediately on commencement, especially if there is a high security or health and safety risk; others are more suitably dealt with at a later stage.

A properly planned and executed induction programme will ensure a more relaxed and confident employee, comfortable with their new colleagues and their own role within the club. The level of planning needed will of course vary according to the size of the club, but you will certainly need the relevant paperwork in place – national insurance number, P45 (or P46), driving licence where appropriate, bank details, emergency contact, permits to work (if applicable) and so on.

An employee handbook should be issued with their statement of main terms and conditions of employment including supporting policies and rules.

Planning programmes Although planning the programme (the common skills part) subject, sequence, venue, timing and trainers, is time consuming on the first occasion, it can be used time and time again in the future when little time will be required to update it. Try and mix up ‘listening’ and ‘doing’ sessions, so that people do not spend long periods being talked at or have unfamiliar muscular activity becoming painful and tiring. Clearly, any activity involving risk should be preceded by appropriate health and safety training.

Steps to success Assuming general physical and mental ability (tested if necessary during the recruitment process), consistent with the requirements of the job, certain basics will improve the ease, proficiency and success of training. First identify the skills required.

Break each one down into suitably sized steps.

Practice each step until proficient at that step before moving on to the next. Once proficient at each step

“

Try and mix up ‘listening’ and ‘doing’ sessions, so that people do not spend long periods being talked at.

”

combine them and, hey presto, learning done.

It is the trainer’s responsibility to ensure the learner has learned, therefore always test that you have been understood. Quizzes and tests are all ways of checking the learner has understood the training.

Trainees should be provided with their training programme, an understanding of why they are being taught those subjects and the value to them as an individual to learn them.

Clearly someone brand new to the club has to undergo intensive induction and training regarding every aspect of the business; its layout, rules, people, policies etc. As already noted, some of the subjects have to be dealt with immediately on commencement (for example, toilet facilities and critical Health and Safety issues) while others are dealt with at later stages during the programme.

Route to promotion Changes to an individual’s role, especially where it is to be expanded to include extra responsibilities, or where promotion to a more senior grade is involved poses their own particular problems. Again proper

planning for the induction and training to be able to carry out the new duties, duly prioritised and recorded as appropriate, is essential.

It is, however, also essential to consider the selection of the individual who is to have his/her role expanded or who is to be promoted. The fact that someone is a good (or even your best) barman does not mean that he/she would make a good supervisor or manager. Care must be taken in the selection of an individual for promotion to, for example, bar supervisor. Length of service, or the feeling that it is ‘their turn’ is not a reason to promote someone, because what happens to them if it goes wrong?

What do you do with the individual? Sack them?

Not only have you then lost your supervisor but you have lost a good employee who was so highly valued to you that you promoted them in the first place!

There are also the costs of having to go through the process again, the morale damage to the rest of the work force and knock-on costs because the team is currently leaderless until the appointment and bedding-in of the new supervisor.

Properly planned and executed training for new starters and ongoing changes/promotions, will lead to a higher quality and quantity performance, hence lower costs, less waste, reduced rates of labour turnover, improved recruiting, greater willingness to retrain, and a higher morale amongst the workforce. Enough said?

General statistics show that 50 per cent of all leavers leave within the first three months and a further 25 per cent leave within the second three months. And this is mainly due to poor induction and training. There is a cost associated with each one of these leavers.

So look after your staff and your bottom line at the same time; it really does pay to make them stay.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 29

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WINE SALES

Winning with wine It is approaching that time of year when clubs look to refresh their wine list. It’s an important task and one that shouldn’t be neglected, advises Mark Tipton, Marketing Manager at Tolchards.

A

poor wine list can confuse and complicate a dining experience whereas a great list can win over new customers and put patrons at ease.

So how do you get your wine list to work for you on many levels and be something that you can proudly present?

Consider a simple ‘less is more’ approach with layout and descriptions that make ordering a smooth process for the less wine-savvy clientele.

Navigating a sea of grapes, names and years can lead to certain frustration and seriously reduce the evenings fun factor.

Clear descriptions Aim to speak directly to a customer with terminology that they understand such as dry, sweet, bitter, strong, along with suggestions of which food makes a suitable pairing. Including this helps point towards a wine that customers might not otherwise try, instead making a poor decision solely based on price alone.

Subtle and functional go a long way with the layout. Ideally aim to use two fonts, one that can be used for bolder headings and another that can be easily read for longer descriptions. If you have a brand font that’s used throughout the establishment then even better; this consistency helps develop the sense of trust for those visiting.

Always aim to have your logo and any images in high resolution formats. Menus can often be let down by low resolution images which have been taken from websites which become pixelated on the final printed version.

Small categories of wines work well to break up the menu. The addition of box surrounds or icons can help draw the attention if you have a special priced wine of locally sourced suggestion.

In short, a simple wine list can be diverse, exciting and most of all add adventure to the meal. We go out to try new things and have a welcome experience, making your wine list user friendly will mean customers return and spread a good review.

“

A wine list that is friendly, simple to, use, with good design helps improve the customer experience.

CONTACT DETAILS For more details contact Mark Tipton on: marktipton@tolchards.com

Mark Tipton, Marketing Manager, Tolchards CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 31

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PLANNING AHEAD

Planning for success – from signage to sports screenings Clubs, like every other business in the UK, need to rise to the challenge of the economy we find ourselves in. This short, sharp audit is a good exercise to make sure you’re covering all bases, says Caroline Scoular.

T

o meet today’s challenges, clubs must continue to present themselves in the most professional manner that they can.

Judging by appearances The external appearance of the club is the first impression that members – and potential members – get of your club. The wrapping can be as important as what’s inside and perceptions can be heightened by taking time out to ensure you stand out in the crowd. Take a step outside the club. Would you be attracted enough to walk through the doors?

Does it have ‘curb appeal’?

Of course the vast size of many clubs and the cost of external decoration can make this a costly exercise. But even the smallest attention to detail can make a big difference. Ensuring that the doors are clean and freshly painted is an obvious one.

Hanging baskets and plants can hide a multitude of sins and in the hands of the right committee member/s can be a cheap and effective way to inject new life into a tired exterior.

Signage counts Make sure signage is sited correctly, that it is illuminated where it should be and ensure advertising material such as posters are in date. A wind-tattered poster announcing dates long gone by does little to present the venue as an upbeat, finger-on-the-pulse club.

Marketing matters Impact and a ‘wow’ factor are important to grow the member base. The more advertising and marketing you can do the bigger the impact on membership and events sales, and – from a PR perspective – maintains the club’s profile in the minds of old, new and prospective members.

Mailings to your membership database (where possible) is another way of ensuring you are generating the greatest footfall you can when attracting people to your events. This is where all your marketing initiatives should start – they are your most loyal customers.

Sports screenings and big events Advertising is essential in and around the venue – particularly with respect to sports screenings. Make sure you regularly select the big dates, get the posters up and maximise the potential.

“ ”

Even the smallest attention to detail can make a big difference.

Often it is important to include promotional offers or something of interest to pull members away from the comfort of their own home. Check out your local competition. What are they doing?

The high traffic areas at your venue are the ideal locations for your advertising literature – toilets, notice boards and entrances. Make sure these areas are well covered.

All staff need to be fully briefed regularly on up and coming events. They are your sales team and are not just there to pull pints. Share the responsibility and strain with them giving you more time to focus on the detail.

Funding plans Seeking out sponsorship for events and functions means clubs can expand on original plans with a greater degree of support and finance.

Raising the bar The product portfolio is key – the right brands, with the right support at the best prices giving the

necessary margins. Members’ preferences, combined with new (appropriate) launches and offers etc is the obvious port of call.

How you promote and display the bar offering is also vital to encouraging volume up sells. Eye level positioning of high profit products and the overall general appearance of the bar are massive contributory factors in your challenge to increase revenues for the club.

Targets and training Staff training is ever more important given the competitive marketplace that clubs are in. Product knowledge, customer skills, service techniques and a positive attitude are all essentials.

And finally, for smaller clubs who may think they don’t need a business plan, now’s the time to reconsider. Developing a business plan (whatever the size of the club) and setting targets is the way to achieve objectives. Every business needs a framework to ensure it stays on track, focused – and open!

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 33

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PROMOTION

Double protection Golf courses aiming to face up to the challenge of turf disease and maintain high quality playing surfaces for their customers throughout autumn and winter have been just been handed a new, highly effective solution, Syngenta’s Instrata Elite. The company explains.

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aunched this summer by Syngenta, the leading innovator in turf management solutions, Instrata Elite is a new fungicide formulated to deliver a step change in the level of disease protection course managers can give to their playing surfaces.

Armed with two separate active ingredients – one to protect the plant on the leaf’s surface, and a second to attack pathogens within the leaf itself – Instrata Elite can both prevent the onset of disease and tackle existing infection. Offering greater flexibility, enhanced sustainability and superior performance, proven through exhaustive trials, this is a fungicide offering genuine innovation.

Greater flexibility A key benefit of Instrata Elite is the extra flexibility it affords the course manager in executing effective and proactive disease treatment. The active ingredients complement each other to target infection at different stages of its development, meaning greenstaff are less reliant on pinpoint timing of fungicide application to optimise disease control.

While Instrata Elite can be applied at any time of the year, tests reveal it is particularly effective during the vulnerable and late autumn period, when so many diseases take hold. With growth unpredictable at this time of year, the new curative properties of Instrata

CASE STUDY – HEADINGLEY GOLF CLUB, WEST YORKSHIRE Head Greenkeeper Andy Stanger began a preventative two-spray trial of Instrata Elite last November. By early December he noted that, while treated areas remained clear of disease, there were clear signs of infection in the untreated green surrounds.

“This pattern continued throughout December,” Stanger says. “Development on the untreated areas continued, while the turf colour and coverage, along with complete disease control, on the treated greens remained constant throughout.”

Stanger made his second application of Instrata Elite on December 20. “There was very high disease pressure at times throughout the trial and large patches of Microdochium patch were observed directly adjacent to treated areas,” he reported. “Despite this intense disease pressure and clear outbreaks on untreated areas, the Instrata Elite-treated greens showed no visible signs of infection. This continued right through to January, and the end of the trial.”

Elite offer a vital additional safeguard against sudden infection.

Instrata Elite is also approved for two applications per year, an important development that will help course managers keep development under control from autumn through to spring.

Proven performance The effectiveness and reliability of Instrata Elite has been extensively proven through no fewer than 60 turf trials, conducted in nine countries. The Sports Turf Research Institute also ran tests.

Invariably, triallists reported impressive results.

“We began to see signs of disease last November,” says James Norris, head greenkeeper of Blackmoor Golf Club, Hampshire. “We immediately applied Instrata Elite and the infection very quickly cleared up.” Norris’ trial sheets showed a 2% infection at the time of application had halved within a week.

At Sand Martins in Berkshire, course manager Matt Short also noted how Instrata Elite’s dual-level approach proved beneficial through the dangerously fickle late-autumn UK weather. “By late October Fusarium was active on all greens,” he reported. “We tackled it by raising mower height and applying iron alongside Instrata Elite. By mid-November all the effects of Fusarium scars had grown in and there was no sign of disease. The systemic active ingredient appeared to tackle the intermittent growth that comes with variable weather. Players reported green quality was the best they’d ever seen at that time of year.”

Greater sustainability Syngenta’s maxim for application is ‘As little as possible, as much as necessary’. Instrata Elite helps courses achieve this through using smaller amounts of active ingredient that demand lower volumes of water.

It has been fully tested and approved, and has been developed with enhancing sustainability very much in mind. Syngenta’s substantial support network ensures greater understanding of Instrata Elite, along with guidelines for effective and responsible usage. Its online resource, greencast.co.uk, delivers important information on how to use Instrata Elite as part of an integrated turf management programme, with tools to help each club tailor strategy and timing.

At Blackmoor Golf Club, for example, James Norris was able to call on historic disease pressure records to target November 6 as the start of a high-

34 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

At Blackmoor Golf Club, James Norris (pictured right) was able to call on historic disease pressure records to target November 6 as the start of a high-risk period, and apply treatments preventatively.

risk period, and apply treatments preventatively.

“Optimal timing will prevent disease infection getting into the leaf,” says Syngenta UK business manager Daniel Lightfoot. “But with Instrata Elite there is still the chance for curative activity to stop disease before visible damage is done and minimise stress on the plant.

“Targeting disease at more points through the lifecycle gives greater flexibility in application timing to hit infection. This, plus the introduction of a brand new fungicide active ingredient, is why Instrata Elite should play a crucial role in an integrated turf management approach to deliver sustainable long-term improvements in turf quality.”

CONTACT DETAILS To find out more about Instrata Elite, call +44 (0) 800 169 605 or visit: www.greencast.co.uk Instrata Elite features in a series of sustainability initiatives supported by Syngenta as part of the global company’s ongoing commitment to ‘unlocking golf’s true potential’. Focusing on course playability, operational productivity and golf business sustainability, these industryleading initiatives include:

Instrata Elite has two separate active ingredients – one to protect the plant on the leaf’s surface, and a second to attack pathogens within the leaf itself.

• Ultimate Fairways: improving turf quality while reducing labour and costs • Ultimate greens, tees and surrounds: improving turf quality in high-wear zones • Operation Pollinator: encouraging pollinating insects by creating wildflower areas.

CLUBHOUSE EUROPE 35

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BUDGET CYCLE

Preparing for your upcoming budget cycle Autumn is with us and indications are that as club leaders prepare to go into their annual budgeting cycle, most European economies are witnessing steady improvement and positive forecasts. GGA’s Rob Hill examines the outlook and offers best budgeting advice.

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oldman Sachs describes the outlook for continental Europe’s economy as “cautiously optimistic” as the housing economy continues to recover in most markets, credit is loosening, unemployment is improving, and in particular, consumer confidence is building.

The caution reflects a strengthening euro and of course Brexit uncertainty. Nobody knows yet where that is taking the UK or Europe, but it’s going to be disruptive and it’s not going to be positive.

So, emerging gradually as we are from years of frugality and incessant cost reductions, while also looking to better position the club for any future headwinds, how should club leaders be approaching this upcoming budget cycle?

Here are five guidelines and questions to address.

1. Evaluate variances in the current budget How do this year’s actual results compare to your budget? Variances of more than 5% should be evaluated closely. Maybe you were overly optimistic?

Maybe your execution was off? Beware of line items that were not accounted for in the budget.

The question to ask: “How will we generate different and better results next year?”

2. Review and refine your scope of operations The scope of operations describes all that the club does, including which days and hours the club is operational and which services are offered and on what schedule. In most clubs the scope of operations remains untouched from year to year. But it should be evaluated at the launch of each budget cycle.

Refining your scope of operations is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve performance results.

The questions to ask: “What do our customers and members really want?” And “How can we operate more efficiently and eliminate waste from lightly used or inaccessible services or service times?”

3. Take a zero-based approach Don’t rely on a simple calculation of a percentage increase on all expenses. Start with a clean budget

36 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

• Bundle services to provide greater value for members and customers and to support price increases. Can you bundle services that give your members greater value and improve operational margins at the club?

• Make popular goods and services available to your members and customers ahead of the demand curve. Do you use virtual retailing options to expand access to new and popular products?

sheet and plan each line item for a precise method of operation.

Zero-based budgets are built brick-by-brick, with one assumption added to the previous. Any flawed assumption weakens the foundation. Understand and document each assumption in each line of the budget.

To build a budget from scratch one must be organised and thorough. It will take more time to ask the questions and to find the answers.

While zero-based budgeting isn’t easy, it’s the sign of a real professional. The result is a budget that is more thorough and reliable than one produced by any other method.

The question to ask: “Are my assumptions realistic and based on facts/data?”

4. Increase revenue expectations Has revenue growth has been slow or stagnant for several years? Many managers continue to try outdated programs that did not work in the first place.

Customers and club members seek value. Price increases in importance in their eyes when value is lacking. So before you budget for improved revenue, make sure you’re maximising value.

Revenue increases originate in the following ways: • Sell the worst – least desirable – tee (or court) times first. The best inventory sells itself. Revenue growth comes when attention is given to selling what doesn’t readily sell itself. This increase in utilisation is like finding new money.

The question to ask: “Am I thinking like my customers and members. Am I giving them what they want – recognition, respect and courtesy?”

5. Attack and reduce overhead and administrative costs Most clubs accept increases in products, services, rates and premiums as the cost of doing business, but as a club leader don’t give up so easily.

Be committed to the hypothesis that there is a lower cost alternative and to negotiation. Even if you are proven right just 10% of the time this diligence will impact your budget parameters.

The question to ask: “Have I thoroughly explored and negotiated the possibility of a decrease in property taxes, utilities, insurance premiums, professional services and supplies?”

I’m sure that your planning and budgeting for 2018 will be well underway by now, and hopefully these key five points will be useful to you as you refine it still further.

CONTACT DETAILS Rob Hill is a partner at GGA (formerly KPMG Golf Practice), the largest professional advisory services firm in the world dedicated to clubs and golf-related businesses. From their offices in Dublin, Toronto, Sydney and Phoenix, GGA has served more than 2,900 clients worldwide.

The firm specialises in; strategic business planning; governance; market analysis; membership planning; and operational performance analysis.

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PROMOTION – GEO FOUNDATION

Why sustainability is key Sustainability used to be called a buzzword. Not any more. It is now a key component of efficient and profitable businesses, people’s lifestyle and consumer spending choices, government regulation, and even loans, investments and taxation.

F

or prominent, community based businesses like golf facilities, which use relatively large amounts of land and resources, there is a clear imperative to operate in the most efficient way possible; to proactively engage with consumers; connect with other like-minded businesses and organisations; and to become recognised as a positive leader on issues that are important to local people.

These are all things that OnCourse has been designed to do.

The new sustainable business tool for golf facilities Developed by the GEO Foundation, with significant input from club managers, course managers and professionals over many years, OnCourse is an easy to use, online programme that helps all types of golf facility, to: • Understand their current performance across nature, resources and community.

• Continually improve and strengthen performance in ways that directly benefits the business.

• Confidently engage with customers and the wider community.

Kelli Jerome, Executive Director, GEO: “It is very excited to bring this completely new version of OnCourse to club and course managers across the industry, many of whom have been asking for an easy to use, practical and business centric guide to sustainable operations – and particularly something which helps them communicate more effectively. We will keep listening to feedback and ideas as we work to add even more tools, functionality and value to the platform”.

Value to you OnCourse is designed to make it easier for you to deliver, track and promote your sustainability work, and to connect that with a range of proven business benefits.

Everything in one place • Securely stores your key operational data and files.

• Provides central team workspace, and assists staff engagement and professional development.

Partners and supporters Many people and partners have helped develop and promote OnCourse – locally, nationally and internationally. These include The R&A, European Tour, Textron Golf, Toro Foundation,Rain Bird, Vidauban Foundation,BIGGA, FEGGA,CMAE, EGCOA, AGIF, PGAE, and many other leading national associations.

And every subscriber to OnCourse is supporting GEO’s wider non-profit work to advance sustainability in and through golf. By being part of OnCourse you are making it possible for golf to better represent its social and environmental value - a game changer for the reputation and long term success of the sport.

• Tracks performance annually.

• Builds a library of promotable highlights of your best work.

Less cost, better golf • Ideas to lower energy and other resource costs.

• Ideas to reducecourse maintenance costs and inputs.

• Savings through select suppliers.

• Helps create a great golf environment.

Build connections confidently • Automatically generates sustainability web pages • Raises golfer awareness of good management practices.

• Professional communications tools.

• Pathway to optional world-leading certification and recognition.

Success in the long run • Reduces risk with legal compliance, guidance and recording.

• Full of proven ideas that enhance financial performance.

• Brings support and engagement from golfers and community.

• Help’s improve golf’s image, reputation and influence.

OnCourse also captures all the best practices, data and highlights you need to apply for GEO Certified –golf’s symbol of sustainability and great golf environments.

Get OnCourse for better results Some of the leading and most sustainably managed golf facilities are already OnCourse, and generating real results.

38 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

getoncourse.golf Become a recognised leader in your community, and let OnCourse guide you towards a more sustainable and successful future.

Providing a lot, for a little It only takes a few minutes to unlock the benefits provided by OnCourse.

• Set up a personal profile, and a facility account • Invite others in your team • Enjoy a free 30-day trial period • Annual subscription only £25 / €25 / $30 per month (introduced 2018) Sign up before the end of 2017 for a 25% discount on your 2018 subscription. Facilities that sign up in 2017 will receive a 25% discount for 2018. All GEO Certified® facilities get a permanent 25% discount, and management groups / multi-course owners should contact GEO to find out more about setting up a discounted management group account.

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MEMBER MERCHANDISE

Wear are we now?

Wearable technology has gone way above and beyond just buzzwords. Fitness trackers and health monitors are now part of daily life for members keen to monitor the effect of exercise. But how do you begin to offer any recommendations? Welcome to the fitness tracker Top 10 according to www.stuff.tv*

1

2

In at the Top Spot is Garmin Vivoactive HR. “Probably all the fitness watch you'll ever want – and more.” (£210)

Welcome to the modestly priced Moov Now. “A cheap fitness band that does so much more than just track your steps!” (£50)

3

4

One to watch is the Apple Watch Nike+.

“Small, Nike-flavoured tweaks make the Series 2 even sportier.” (From £369)

In at 4 it’s the Withings Steel HR. “Basic fitness tracking, but with looks like this you'll never want to take one off.” (£170)

5

6

What’s not to love about the Fitbit Flex 2?

“Great price, great features, great app.

Fitbit’s cheapest tracker is a good’un.” (£75)

Affordably fine is the Misfit Shine.

“The Shine is a £50 fitness tracker that feels anything but cheap.” (£50)

7

8

It’s heaven at seven for Fitbit Blaze.

“Fitbit’s latest smart ticker is our favourite sports watch.” (£140)

You’re never alone with MyZone MZ-3.

“A clever take on tracking with meaningful social motivation.” (£130)

10

9

In at 10 is the Garmin Forerunner 620.

“This GPS running watch may be small but it logs an elite amount of data.” (£330)

Full speed ahead with the Fitbit Charge 2.

“A nice compromise between casual step counter and hardcore fitness tracker.” (£130)

40 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

* Prices correct at time of writing.

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TRIBAL TUESDAY – MEMBERSHIP AND MARKETING

Building the

social calendar Nicki Davis, Events Manager at London’s Roehampton Club talks through her process of developing and implementing ideas for a vibrant programme of events at the club.

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ne of the key elements of a private members’ club is its social events programme. A successful programme can create a real sense of belonging and contribute greatly to the life and soul of the Club. As a result one of the most important processes I go through as Events Manager at Roehampton Club is to generate and develop different ideas and then implement them into producing a vibrant programme of events for both the Adult and Junior membership to enjoy.

This process of putting together Roehampton Club’s ‘Social Scene‘ is a twice yearly practice with programmes published seasonally for Autumn/ Winter and then Spring/Summer. Work begins on collating it at least a year in advance. There is a diverse range of events on offer – regular music nights, ‘Evenings with…’ dinners, dances, quizzes, wine tasting evenings and literary talks, as well as some cultural trips to venues outside of the Club.

Our annual events, Family Day (aimed at 3-12 year olds with parents) and Fireworks Spectacular, remain highlights with Fireworks Night attracting over 1000 attendees!

For our younger Members we have a hugely popular Christmas pantomime and hold smaller events throughout the year including our traditional Chocolate Egg Hunt around the gardens on Easter Sunday.

The types of events fall into quite clearly defined categories and ensure that there is something for everyone – with 5000 Members we have a diverse age range of people and ages to consider. There are tried and tested events which we know work and will occur regularly in the programme – why try and reinvent the wheel – but we also throw something new into the mix. With our policy of continual improvement we are prepared to cut losses if the event proves not be popular. And whilst we have an overarching policy of a small financial surplus at the end of the year, it is more important that we provide a blend of traditional and unique events in the programme.

•Premium events These come with a higher cost and should be per-

42 CLUBHOUSE EUROPE

ceived as a ‘highlight’ of the Social Scene. For example our ‘An Evening with series…’ – evenings with prestigious speakers, or entertainers with a formal dinner and drinks reception.

•Classic events A tried and tested successful formula where entertainment is provided with food, such as our Curry & Quiz, a Call My Bluff Wine tasting evening, Burns Night and a Murder Mystery Dinner.

Numbers range from 50 to 120 for these events.

•Informal events Designed to attract increased use of the club and to generate revenue through Members spending money at the bar/cafe with no ticket price. Our Friday music nights see up to 50 attending.

•Intellectual events Targeted at a smaller audience, groups of 20-30, often off-site - such as Walking Tours – and with a meal included, •Workshops Intimate workshops (10-20) utilising the talent and specialities we have within the Membership or our staff team aimed at educating Members. To date these have included Love Your Ipad, First Aid, Rose Pruning, Wisteria Workshop, Save a Life and Open Water Swimming.

•Family Events Entertainment, activities and food for the whole family and their friends – from a Magic Carvery to Fireworks Night.

•Junior Events Events for our younger members with the emphasis on fun – the Christmas Pantomime (which attracts 20-100), Halloween workshops and Pancake Flipping Pancakes.

Each event should: • Provide a social environment where Members can maximise the use and enjoyment of their Club.

• Be available to all Members and their guests (ie not for just one section of the Club).

• Increase usage of the Club’s food and beverage facilities. For example a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show would always include a lunch beforehand (it’s important that we are not just a ticket tout!).

Following these criteria, the key considerations are: • Ensuring there are a variety of events available.

• Ensuring there are events for all membership categories.

• Maximising awareness of the events by working with the Marketing team to promote and increase the profile of the events.

• Providing a good Member experience and value for money.

• Making the Members feel there is something for them and their family and guests. Guests pay a premium so the Member sees the benefit of being a Member.

Of course, monitoring the success of our events is important and we collect constructive feedback, carry out post mortems and, for our biggest events, we conduct pre-mortems as well – trying to plan for every eventuality!

Nicki Davis Nicki has spent most of her working life in the sports industry, joining Roehampton Club in 2009 where she has been Events Manager for the last six years. An active member of CMAE she is on the MDP pathway.

Nicki.Davis@roehamptonclub.co.uk

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