CLUB ROAD: Fall 2012

Embraceable

p. 4

What’s Hot in the Kitchen? Technology! p. 2 Club ’22: Golf for the Ages p. 6 Chambers gets CAP'd p. 7

Dear Friends:

This one’s on me. That is, I'm going solo on this issue’s letter so that I may pay proper tribute to my dear friend and colleague, Bob Hickman, who celebrates 40 years with Chambers this year.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Bob for nearly 30 of those years — it has been an honor and privilege. One of the most gifted interior designers in the business, Bob is also, without question, one of the best human beings I’ve ever known. Thoughtful, caring and immensely talented, Bob has nurtured the talents of dozens of designers who’ve come through our ranks over the years, at the same time delighting hundreds of clients with his collaborative approach to design and exceptional eye. Personally, he’s more a brother to me than a business partner.

We invite you to a one-on-one with Bob. And to send your own reminisces of Bob — post them as comments here or join our Facebook page and share your memories.

Cheers, Bob. And here’s to the next 40 years!

Rick Snellinger President & CEO

Food & Beverage at country, city and golf clubs around the country is changing in drastic ways. Casual dining, sports bars, more gourmet menus and robust wine selections embody some of the changes happening in the front of the house. But what’s happening in the kitchen? Technology!

Here

Rick Snellinger, architect Jim Wallace and Bob Hickman, circa 1994

are some of the hot products cooking in club kitchens around the country.

Technology makes many things about our lives easier, smarter and more efficient (well, most of the time). It can save us time and money and even help us protect environmental resources.

Stew in This

The combi-oven monitors rack by rack, performing 60 measurements a minute and lets you cook multiple menu items at once — each to perfection. It acts as “prep, assembly line and cooker all at once,” says Inverness Country Club Owner Bill Ochsenhirt, who purchased a combi-oven for his club a few years ago. With this, “we can manage food for a 200 person event with just two staffers.”

SelfCookingCenter® whitefficiency® by Rational

Clean Up with This Baby

Yes, it’s “just” a dishwasher. And yes, it saves a ton of water just like most new high efficiency appliances (50% reduction from conventional dishwashers). But wait, there’s more! “It’s all about high efficiency dishwashers now,” says Lucy Titz at food service consultants Savoy Brown, who pointed us to the Insinger Commander variety that requires no exhaust hood or other special space accommodations.

Insinger Commander 18-6

Smart Wine

Wine dispensers like this WineStation by Napa Technology are making their way into private clubs. The “intelligent wine system” preserves and dispenses, enabling individual pours of multiple wines and keeping them fresh for up to 60 days. Jim Palm of foodservice supplier and designer Boetler Contract & Design claims wine stations have increased wine awareness and sales at clubs across the country. “They rival the trend in microbreweries,” says Palm, “where you can pour 8, 10 and 12 tap beers at a time.”

WineStation by Napa Technology

Embraceable View

Scarsdale Renovation Maximizes…Everything.

In the case of one of Chambers’ most recently completed projects — Scarsdale Golf Club in New York — the photos really do tell the story. Club & Resort Business magazine recently did a wonderful feature on the Chambersled renovation — take a look. Now let us show you how this once-tired and underutilized structure now embodies many aspects of the Club of the Future.

many other aspects of the renovation, Chambers captured the power of the view with this portico outside the new locker room, which now looks out over the club’s stunning A.W. Tillinghast-designed golf course.

Not hard to see why the renovation has been embraced enthusiastically by the women at Scarsdale, who now have a beautiful, modern LOCKER ROOM with secluded indoor and outdoor seating areas and private massage room.

THE NORTH COMPLEX, last renovated in 1956 and having suffered years of deferred maintenance, was the central point of the project. The decrepit condition of the ladies locker room was the impetus behind the project. Chambers revamped it (including adding the portico featured on the cover), upgraded the pool area and changing facilities, added food and beverage options, incorporated a “play” area for grownups and one for teens and “maximized the view,” as the Chambers folks like to say — taking every opportunity to capture spaces for members to enjoy the incredible vista, an oasis just 22 miles outside of New York City.

BeforeGreater and more creative foodservice options are a given in the Club of the Future. Scarsdale carries and brews a brand-name gourmet coffee in its MIDWAY CAFE, plus has grab-and-go options inside and a healthier menu at its outdoor café by the pool. see more photos

golf for the ages

We’ve made our clubs kid-friendly. In some ways, kid-centric, even, with elaborate swimming complexes, dedicated programming and more versatile menus. But are we fully engaging our youngest members in what, for many clubs, is our most valuable and impressive asset…our golf course?

No longer are children merely tolerated or placated at private clubs. Today, they're recognized as not only the key to “grownup” members’ satisfaction with their club experience, but also as members

in their own right. And, not incidentally, ones that will grow up to hopefully become members of their own.

a full-time junior golf coordinator, intent on reaching his younger members and “planting the golf seed earlier.”

“Junior golf programming shifted from being a seasonal sport to an all year-round offering,” says Hobbs. “And participation jumped five-fold,” he says. The move was a strategic one for Greenville, as the club recognized that a significant portion of its membership wasn’t taking advantage of the club’s award-winning golf courses.

Today, many clubs are taking a broader view of the golf experience for children and youth.

Greenville Country Club in South Carolina takes junior golf pretty seriously. Two years ago, General Manager Greg Hobbs brought in

It has also been a very successful recruiting tool for the club, enticing members with a more robust

ONE IN AN OCCASIONAL SERIES ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE GOLF EXPERIENCE — FOR KIDS AND GROWNUPS — AT PRIVATE CLUBS.

“ALL I LEARNED AT SUMMER GOLF CAMP WHEN I WAS A KID WAS A PROPER GRIP AND HOW TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF THE GROWNUPS.”

CHAMBERS PRESIDENT & CEO RICK SNELLINGER

DR i VING TRENDS

Chambers’ Club ’22 – Club of the Future survey uncovered some common refrains on the anticipated evolution of golf. Among the highlights:

72.2%

sited enhanced golf practice facilities as a high priority in ensuring member relevance in the club of the future — #2 behind only enhanced fitness facilities.

FUN.

6 holes, a couple of bunkers, larger holes and a pretty course that’s easy to play. Clubs want more options for more people.

INDOORS.

“Dues are annual,” says one survey respondent, “shouldn’t our biggest asset be too?” Indoor driving ranges, teaching bays, video instruction and more to make it a year-round activity.

SHORT COURSES

for those with limited time.

BRONZE

CAP'D ALLIANCE PARTNER

chambers deepens its commitment

Chambers announced with great pleasure last month that it has entered a multi-year partnership with the Club Managers Association of America, signing on as a Bronze Corporate Advantage Partner, or CAP.

CMAA reserves CAP opportunities for companies deeply committed to the club industry — its growth and long-term success. Chambers sought out the opportunity as a means of helping support an industry it has spent the last 65+ years helping build (often, quite literally). “Chambers brings a seasoned perspective on the future of the club industry, one we think will be very beneficial to our membership in their professional development” said Jim Singerling, CCM and President of The Club Foundation. The Foundation is CMAA’s nonprofit arm, dedicated to advancing the club management profession. Chambers sponsorship will support, specifically, CMAA’s Business Management Institute (BMI), which provides intensive learning courses for club

managers on strategic club management, and the annual Mid-Managers Conference. “CAP partnerships have been instrumental in growing our ability to support the club industry,” says Michele Klecha, Director of Corporate Relations at CMAA. “They’ve helped us survive, quite frankly, through the downturn of the last few years. And their support helps us continue our efforts on behalf of the industry — keeping dues low while growing our member programs and services.”

“We’re looking forward to the partnership,” says Chambers President & CEO Rick Snellinger. “We love working in the club industry,” he says. “There is no other industry so committed to ensuring the positive experience and well being of its ‘audience.’ We feel like our support of CMAA is our way of demonstrating our own commitment to the industry.”

Read the press releases. >

What events will be key to the Club of the Future? Here are some of your suggestions — with a holiday twist. field trips! How about a family trip to see a matinee of the Nutcracker this holiday season, followed by a Sugar Plum Fairy-worthy lunch and high tea.

blending educational and social events. Host an around-the-world holiday party? Teach kids and grown ups about the foundations of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Boxing Day and more, amidst a dinner, wine and dessert spread of international proportions, with foods traditional to each holiday and culture.

whole family events . Indoor screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life and AChristmasStory. Oh heck, even Chevy Chase’s Christmas Vacation is fun for (most) all ages.

Keep those suggestions coming and we’ll share them in future issues of CLUB ROAD. Comment on this post or email us at clubroad@chambersusa.com.

what about bob?

cr: Okay, it sounds trite, but you've had such incredible influences on the design and club industries. Have you thought about what you want your legacy to be?

bh: Over the course of time, one of my goals has always been to bring architecture and interior design closer together. Whether it’s for a country club, a healthcare facility or an office, the interior design should sing with the architecture. The result is a much better functioning space and a much more enjoyable experience for its inhabitants.

I hope that I have made those experiences a little richer because I was there.

cr: Is there a signature Bob Hickman approach to design projects?

bh: I’m the kind of person who works to totally engage my clients in the process. I have always focused on trying to uncover exactly what they need and want of a project. That hasn’t changed in 40 years!

cr: What have been your greatest design influences?

bh: First, I had a remarkable education at the University of Cincinnati. I still feel the influences of what I learned there in my job every day. I'm also drawn to Asian art and culture. There is such beauty in its straight forward simplicity — the essence of good design without a lot of extraneous design flowing through it.

cr: How have perspectives about design changed in your time in the industry?

bh: Good design is no longer a luxury. It makes your work easier, makes you happier, makes everything better. Just look around you — Ikea is doing great, affordable design. Look at the catalogs you get in the mail by the dozen. They’re showcasing great things.

cr: What inspires you?

bh: Steve Jobs has always inspired me — the whole concept of marrying great design and technology. He’s probably been the most powerful influence in my life in the last 20 years.

And anyone who knows me knows my fascination with Porsches. It goes back to that simple line — with the stroke of a pencil, you can draw the outline of a Porsche and most people would recognize it right away. Beautiful, simple, perfect.

Forty years with Chambers and forty years stunning and award-winning clubs. So we asked Bob to let us in on a few of his secrets.

Chambers Chairman Bob Hickman Celebrates 40 Years!