The Golf Club Manager: September 2020

THE GOLF CLUB

MANAGER ISSUE 39 | SEPTEMBER 2020

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION

US: SPECIAL FOCY FOR D A ARE YOU RE ANDICAP THE WORLD HM? SYSTE

GOOD PRACTICE

TIME TO TAKE YOUR TOURNAMENTS DIGITAL? WHETHER IT’S COVID-19 OR WHS, THERE ARE COMPELLING R E A S O N S TO G O PA P E R L E S S THE BIG INTERVIEW

‘THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT CAN BE DONE’ OUR NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE TOM BROOKE OUTLINES HIS A I M S A N D A S P I R AT I O N S A S H E B E G I N S H I S T E N U R E

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E ‘

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CONTENTS ISSUE 39 | SEPTEMBER 2020

GCMA

BEST PRACTICE

04

A warm welcome from the new CEO

42 What do you know about the new handicap system?

08

Meet your new Chairman

46 What you need to do ahead of the start of WHS

INDUSTRY

GRASS ROOTS

16

59 The club that said ‘no’ to bargain golf

Why you won’t be going to BTME in 2021

THE BIG INTERVIEW 22

Introducing: GCMA chief executive Tom Brooke

08

22

46

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION GCMA Bristol & Clifton Golf Club, Beggar Bush Lane, Failand, Bristol, BS8 3TH Tel: 01275 391153 | hq@gcma.org.uk CHIEF EXECUTIVE Tom Brooke - tombrooke@gcma.org.uk GOLF MANAGEMENT RESEARCHER Jim Cunning - jim@gcma.org.uk FINANCE ADMINISTRATOR Lianne Banks - lianne@gcma.org.uk COMMUNICATIONS EXECUTIVE Marie Taylor - marie@gcma.org.uk MEMBERSHIP SERVICES Julie Knight - julie@gcma.org.uk PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Gavin Robinson- gavin@gcma.org.uk BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER Craig Cotterill - craig@gcma.org.uk PRESIDENT JR (John) Jones 2020/22 CAPTAIN Dave Carlisle BOARD OF DIRECTORS Brad McLean, Amy Yeates, Andrew Rankin, Judy Barker, Stuart Leech, Gareth Morgan, Ed Richardson THE GOLF CLUB MANAGER IS PUBLISHED BY: SPORTS PUBLICATIONS LTD 2 Arena Park, Tarn Lane, Scarcroft, West Yorkshire, LS17 9BF, UK Tel: 0113 289 3979 | info@sportspub.co.uk PUBLISHER Tom Irwin - t.irwin@sportspub.co.uk CONTENT DIRECTOR Dan Murphy - d.murphy@sportspub.co.uk EDITOR Steve Carroll - s.carroll@sportspub.co.uk CHIEF DESIGNER Andrew Kenworthy - a.kenworthy@sportspub.co.uk DESIGNER Emmi Parry - e.parry@sportspub.co.uk Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for omissions and errors. All material in this publication is strictly copyright and all rights are reserved.The views expressed in The Golf Club Manager do not necessarily represent the views of the company or the editor. Every care is taken in compiling the contents but the publishers assume no responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from participation in any offer, competition or advertising contained within The Golf Club Manager.

THE GOLF CLUB

MANAGER ISSUE 39 | SEPTEMBER 2020

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE GOLF CLUB MANAGERS’ ASSOCIATION

S: SPECIAL FOCUFOR ARE YOU READY ICAP THE WORLD HAND SYSTEM?

GOOD PRACTICE

TIME TO TAKE YOUR TOURNAMENTS DIGITAL? WHETHER IT’S COVID-19 OR WHS, THERE ARE COMPELLING R E A S O N S TO G O PA P E R L E S S THE BIG INTERVIEW

‘THERE IS SO MUCH MORE THAT CAN BE DONE’ OUR NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE TOM BROOKE OUTLINES HIS A I M S A N D A S P I R AT I O N S A S H E B E G I N S H I S T E N U R E

ED U C AT E | I N FO RM | I N S P I RE ‘

ON THE COVER: New GCMA Chief Executive Tom Brooke

WELCOME

ISSUE 39 | SEPTEMBER 2020

W

ell, here we go!

My first of what I hope will be many welcome messages.

My first priority is engaging with our key stakeholders and I’ll be spending time with our HQ Team, Regional Managers and Board in my first few weeks, before visiting the wider membership at regional meetings, experiencing some fantastic golf clubs and maybe even playing some golf! I am very focused on listening to views and insights from everyone, so feel free to share your thoughts when we meet (or when we ‘Zoom’!).

I join at a challenging, but equally interesting and exciting, time for the GCMA and our industry. We’re coming towards the end of what’s been a remarkable season. Six months ago, dusting ourselves off from the wettest winter on record, we were hit with the unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19 lockdown and the closure of clubs. Who would have thought we’d now be celebrating what’s turned out to be a hugely successful summer, with participation trends not seen for many years? While we can be extremely proud of what we’ve achieved, we have significant challenges ahead, both professionally and personally, while the pandemic continues to impact.

That’s where the GCMA really proves its worth and I’m proud to become part of that. We’ve seen how great communities pull together during a crisis and

we can count ourselves as one of those. Over the last six months, the GCMA has been closely involved with the All-Party Parliamentary Golf Group and it’s been very promising to see the industry associations and home unions working more closely together.

I hope this is a sign of things to come and I’ll be doing everything to ensure we continue to be involved at that level and beyond.

In the immediate future, we will continue to focus on providing members with the personal and professional support needed to lead clubs successfully through the remainder of this challenging time.

I’m confident, by working together and building on what has been delivered in recent months, we’ll have a stronger Association and industry in the years ahead.

Lastly, I’d like to extend my thanks to our HQ Team and Board, who have been going above and beyond to provide leadership and giving me a huge amount of support as I embark on this hugely exciting time.

Tom Brooke – Chief Executive

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GCMA Everything you need to know about what’s happening around the UK in the world of the GCMA

GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

Meet the

CHAIRMAN

C

ongratulations on becoming GCMA Chairman…

I’m very privileged to have been asked to stand, and be elected, by my fellow Board members. The GCMA is in a period of transition and so it’s quite nice to be at the forefront of that, with a great team both at the Board and our head office.

Could you tell us about your background and how you came to be on the Board?

I’ve been in golf for nearly 25 years, starting out picking up range balls in my native Canada.

Originally I went down the PGA route, and was a member for nearly 20 years before recently regaining my amateur status. Once in the UK I worked for Marriott as a director of golf for five years before joining Thorpeness and overseeing the hotel, golf club and country club for another five years before coming to Gog Magog in January, which is my first foray into private club management.

My entire career had been in the commercial side of golf and although it’s a very different side of the industry, in reality there are more similarities than differences. I became involved with the GCMA board very simply because I didn’t feel – and still don’t – as an industry that we were doing enough to professionalise and train those people coming into golf as a career. I didn’t think we

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were doing enough, as an industry, to really drive that forward and make golf more successful and golf clubs more successful.

What can you bring to the role of Chairman?

We’ve had a big period of transition and Phil (Grice, predecessor) has done fantastic work over the last couple of years as chair. He’s got the Association thinking much more pragmatically, forward looking, and progressively than possibly where we were before.

That’s an area I can pick up on with the team and continue to develop. We need to have a strong vision and begin to work more collaboratively to bring industries and associations together to benefit our membership as a whole: the people who sit in the chairs as golf club managers. That’s why we exist.

Could you explain the role of the Board to members and how it drives the Association?

It’s looking from that national and strategic level. On a more micro level, our regional managers are absolutely influential and vital to the heartbeat of our Association and what our members really want and are looking for.

As a board, and from a national perspective, it’s the overarching perspective: developing education and personal development so it can benefit anyone from the south of Cornwall right up to the north of Scotland. It’s giving everyone the opportunity to develop

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Brad McLean has been elected to lead the GCMA Board. We caught up with him to talk about his ambitions for the Association and the challenges that lie ahead

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themselves as much as possible.

We should be working with governing bodies. We should be shaping the industry of golf and being right at the forefront of golf policy to benefit our members.

It is looking at it from a really highly strategic level within golf.

With your ascension to Chairman and a new Chief Executive in Tom Brooke, how will the GCMA move forward?

Short term the challenges related to Covid are with us for some time to come. And we must be conscious of the impact that has had and will have on the golf industry. There are many variables related to the downturn in the economy and what society is going to look like so the Association needs to be thinking progressively to support our Members. Longer term we need

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to look at the sustainability of the Association, ensuring it survives and flourishes for that next generation of member.

Tom brings a strong strategic and commercial background and values that important sense of community which our Association does so well.

Through the interview process and our conversations since his appointment, Tom continues to stress the importance in helping to develop our members and being at the top table shaping the industry. This is an exciting time for the GCMA and one of which Tom and the Board are looking forward to being a part.

That said, we know that it’s going to be challenging for the next 12 to 18 months, if not a little bit longer, and as a priority we have to be there to support our members and share that best practice.

Tom’s role at Glendale appears more strategic than someone who might have arrived directly from a golf club manager role.

Was that something the Board considered?

We had a set of criteria we were looking for as far a successful individual was concerned and it was a commercially and strategically minded individual to push the Association on.

The traditional golf secretarytype of role, that our Association originally came from, is adapting and is moving more towards professional management and needs to continue to do so at pace.

Our members are being asked to, and are expected to, manage the golf club both operationally and strategically and it was important for us to have a CEO that understands that.

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One of Phil Grice’s stated objectives was to try and bridge a perceived gap between the Board/HQ and the regional management structure. How do you plan to build upon that?

Communication is key in changing perceptions. But most important to recognise is that, between the Board and the Regional Managers, everyone one of us are dedicated to doing what is best for our members and the Association.

To help with that communication we have bi-weekly regional manager Zoom calls that myself and Ed Richardson have been dialling into so we can maintain that close link, and we’re committed to having an open and transparent dialogue with the Regional Managers. I have also been having one-to-one calls with all of our RMs as every region is different and has unique needs

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and requirements. Through those open lines of communication we can work closely together to find out what every one of our members wants so that we can shape the Association. Fundamentally, we have to continue to look at what is best for golf and for golf club managers in three, four- or fiveyear’s time and not just what’s best tomorrow.

Covid-19 is a huge challenge.

How will the industry react in the longer term?

There are clubs that, for legitimate reasons at the time, made shortterm decisions which could become difficult in months 13, 14 or 15 regarding their membership.

Clubs need to be driving revenue now when the opportunity is there and looking many months in advance through the winter and into 2021 to make sure their cash

flow will make it through further disruptions. As golf clubs, we have had this membership boom and I think there is a bit of a false sense of security – that golf is great and wonderful and all is OK. The reality is that actual job losses and the impact on the economy is going to be felt post-October when the furlough scheme runs out. We are going to see more localised lockdowns and Covid continuing to disrupt our daily lives until we get a vaccine or cure.

From a club standpoint, and as an Association, we have to make sure that our members are looking into the future and are making long-term decisions – rather than short-term panicky choices.

But it is going to be incredibly challenging. We are going to see golf clubs that are going to fail. We are going to see club managers who are going to be

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made redundant and those, in my opinion, are short-term decisions that amateur committees and Boards will make by thinking they can steer the ship through. I would argue that by having the right professional in place the club would have a much better chance at success. We benefit from the fact that there are very few other leisure activities available at the moment. Travel isn’t really happening, and someone who would go on those big holidays now may have a little bit more disposable income and be looking at their golf club. That may change again in six months. There’s a huge number of unknowns and we need to be planning, and looking into the distance, and to be cautious, yet progressive, in approach.

How can the GCMA educate committees about the importance of their management team to lead them through the pandemic?

We have to collaborate with other industry voices out there. We have to speak to the home unions, the governing bodies, and work with them to be able to get that message across. For a lot of non golf industry professionals, the first thing they do when they think about joining a golf committee is look at England Golf, or Scottish Golf or Wales Golf and try to find information there. We need to be working with those bodies to shape that information and to gear them towards a GCMA member.

If you want somebody to do this properly, and run it for you, you need to employ somebody who is a member of the GCMA. They are the ones who are skilled and experienced enough to guide your club through. They will then be able to tap into a huge network

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of golf club professionals and industry professionals. It’s always said that golf club management can be quite lonely. You are on an island and you are dealing with really well meaning volunteers at a golf club, who are usually quite well experienced in their own field and industry. But golf is a niche.

It’s a very different skill set. You are a bit of HR, a bit of finance, a bit of an agronomist, bit of a food and beverage expert and seen as both the operational and strategic leader. As GMs we all have quite a lot of strings to our bow.

Bodies like CMAE are putting resources into education and the PGA are moving into the golf club management space.

What does the GCMA have to do to protect against those threats and move forward?

There’s two parts. There’s education and there’s professional development. They are two very different, and very important, parts. We need to have a line of education to get people into golf management and be successful coming into the industry. That’s for your assistant GMs and assistant secretaries and office staff that have that interest in getting into golf.

The other side is professional development. For us as an Association, we have over 900 serving managers who wouldn’t necessarily need education but do desire professional development.

Offering a strong and relevant professional development programme is important and a key focus of the Board. But not to be lost is the incredible sense of community the GCMA provides.

Developing a professional development programme, and going and taking courses, is great but being able to pick the phone up to your colleague down the

road is vitally important.

That’s something that we’ve had within our GCMA community and it’s really come to the forefront over the last couple of months.

It’s something we need to celebrate more and talk more about. It’s different to other Associations that may not have that same sense of community.

What are the specific opportunities for the GCMA? Internally we have opportunities to develop our professional development programme and build our members’ opportunities to learn.

Externally, collaborations with other industry professionals is very high on our list. There are others doing similar types of work to us and we need to see where the opportunities lie to benefit both the private and proprietary club manager.

Many managers do not just stay in private or proprietary club management their entire career, and having multiple competing organisations and associations is detrimental to the industry and our managers. Within that we also have an opportunity to work closely with the national governing bodies to shape how the golf industry works. They are influential within golf, and amateur golf, and we need to work closely with them. We are also active members of the All-Parliamentary Party Group for golf, and it’s just using that platform to get our message, and our branding, out there stronger. Ultimately, we want to shape the golf industry for our members. Golf is very fractured as an industry. Within golf there are a lot of different associations to belong to and we need to be at the forefront and shouting about why you should join us and what being a member of the GCMA can offer.

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INDUSTRY The latest news, insightful opinions and in-depth features from the golf industry

GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

In the

LOOP

The news you need to know from the last month in the golf industry…

BIGGA cancel BTME 2021 in light of virus concerns It’s become an important networking opportunity for golf club managers but the turf industry’s premier annual gathering, the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) will not take place in January 2021.

The event’s organisers, the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association, cancelled due to the “ongoing uncertainty relating to the coronavirus pandemic, having prioritised the health

an alternative ‘festival of turf’ to take place in Summer 2021.

BIGGA chief executive Jim Croxton said:“The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves across our industry and BIGGA members have worked admirably in difficult circumstances to enable the continuing success of the facilities they maintain. The work they are doing in a safe and sociallydistanced manner is admirable

Welcome to our newest GCMA members ChrisClough, at Dukinfield, inNorthWest region JackBamford, atWindlesham,inLondon &HomeCounties AnnChristie, atTheLadiesGolf Club Troon, inScotlandregion AlanPaterson, atTidworthGarrison, in Wessexregion Scott Mcginlay, atWest Essex, inEast Angliaregion JulieMathias, at Neath, inWalesregion HuwMorgan, at Neath, inWalesregion ScottThompson, at MendipSpring, in SouthWest region AnthonyRoberts, at ElyCity, inEast Angliaregion LesleyThompson, at Southport & Ainsdale, inNorthWest region Paul Mills, at Newmachar, inScotland region

and wellbeing of its members, exhibitors, staff and other attendees”.

A BIGGA statement said it was agreed that the hosting of a gathering of turf professionals from across the globe, at the Harrogate Convention Centre, would create an unacceptable risk of infection, potentially putting lives at risk. BIGGA’s education programme, Continue to Learn, will take place next January - but as an online event. BIGGA are planning

16 | GCMA.ORG.UK

and has undoubtedly led to an increased confidence in golf as a safe pastime during these uncertain times.”

He added that he was excited about the possibilities presented by a ‘festival of turf’ and was confident it would continue to be “exciting and influential”.

We want to hear from you!

We want to hear from you!

Send your correspondence, on any subject, to letters@gcma.org.uk

AndrewHill, at AlnwickCastle, in Northernregion RhondaTipple, at East Herts, inChiltern& HomeCountiesregion Carol Butler, at Mellor &Townscliffe, in NorthWest region DickVanHauwaert, at Royal Keerbergen, inBelgium RiccardoRebecchi, at Nevill, inSouth East region

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How will regulation will affect golf course

MANAGEMENT?

G

olf Course 2030 was introduced to develop a roadmap and a programme of research, education and communications for mitigating the impact of climate change, resource constraints and regulation on the condition and playability of our golf courses.

These challenges will affect all golf courses and we all need to be aware of the threat to the sport and the facility we are directly engaged with, be that from a management or playing perspective.

The intention is that Golf Course 2030 contributes towards building greater resiliency in our golf courses and the adaptability in

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their management to cope with these challenges.

More information on Golf Course 2030 can be found at The R&A website at: https://www. randa.org/en/sustainability/ golfcourse2030 As part of the development phase for Golf Course 2030, The R&A commissioned a survey from Sports Marketing Surveys Inc to determine the views of club managers, course managers and PGA professionals in Great Britain and Ireland about these issues, whether their facility has already been impacted by them and their facility’s state of readiness to address the challenges they pose.

There were 589 respondents to the survey.

This is the final article of a threepart series aimed at drawing out some of the key findings of the questionnaire.

The first article focused on climate change, the second on resource constraints, and this will cover regulation.

While in the coming years there may be a raft of regulations that will affect how we build and manage our golf courses, to date we have experience of two themes: water and pesticides.

Consequently, the survey asked the following questions about regulation and its impact on water quality, availability and cost, pesticide availability, handling and use, pollution prevention, handling and disposal of waste:

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Continuing his articles outlining the Golf Course 2030 project, Steve Isaac, The R&A’s director of sustainability, considers how regulations will impact on the future of the industry

Overall attitude to the issues and how they impact on golf Level of concern related to own golf facility Action already taken to address the issues State of readiness to mitigate problems related to the issues.

Regulation should be of real concern to the club manager and the board or management committee at the club.

We are talking about compliance to legislation and the need for clubs to act responsibly, which is a matter for those at the very top of the management ladder.

Of the members of the golf facility management team, it is usually the club manager

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that has the most contact with, and influence on, the board or management committee.

If this top decision-making group at the facility is not aware of the challenges being posed by the issues that Golf Course 2030 addresses, then you may want to educate them.

GB&I golf facility management professional’s views on regulation Figure 1 (overleaf) shows the level of concern for survey respondents’ own facility by role, i.e. course or club manager or PGA professional.

Across all three groups, the availability of pesticides was the main concern.

Unsurprisingly, greenkeepers are

most concerned as this falls within their area of expertise, although club managers are clearly aware of the issue.

The survey also revealed that 60% of respondents had already had experience of this issue.

Again, this is not surprising given the withdrawal of insecticides and fungicides in recent years and the turf damage seen from chafer grubs, leatherjackets and disease outbreaks.

A third of respondents reported they were not ready to address this issue – presumably expecting to see notable damage to playing surfaces from insect pest and disease attacks.

Slightly surprising is the relatively low level of concern over water

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Figure 1. Level of concern over water and pesticide regulation by role availability.

In March 2019, Sir James Bevan, head of the Environment Agency, warned that within 25 years England will not have enough water to meet demand.

He cited the impact of climate change, combined with population growth, as the main causes of the country facing an “existential threat”and added “we all need to use less water and use it more efficiently”.

When the level of concern is reflected by region, the picture becomes clearer (see Figure 2).

Those based in south east England are almost twice as concerned about not having enough water as any other region.

This is where we see the worst of summer drought and where the pressure of population growth is at its highest.

Those regions that experience higher annual levels of rainfall, e.g. Scotland, north England and Northern Ireland exhibit very low scores, none with more than 7% of respondents expressing concern.

25% of all respondents reported

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having experience of this issue, with 28% having taken action to address it.

Respondents in the Midlands, East and South East England were the most concerned about the future cost of water, probably reflecting the drier weather in the east and the population size and growth in the Midlands and South East regions.

High demand is often reflected in high cost of commodities.

Pesticide availability remains the main concern across all regions when it comes to regulation.

Interestingly, respondents from England, Wales and the Republic of Ireland are the most concerned.

Could this reflect the weather patterns in these parts of GB&I being more conducive to the over wintering of insect larvae or to the development of disease, and a greater reliance on pesticides here?

What does the survey tell us about attitudes in golf in GB&I to regulation?

The survey has provided us and

the stakeholders supporting Golf Course 2030 with useful insights into the attitudes of the management team at golf clubs to the impact that water and pesticide regulation is having and will have on course condition and playability.

Many are concerned about pesticide availability. The sport is clearly not ready to manage its courses without access to chemicals to deal with disease, pest and weed outbreaks.

Water availability is also a concern for some. Those in south east England are particularly concerned.

The regional differences in levels of concern are interesting.

In relation to water availability, this is only to be expected with South East England not only being the driest part of the country but also subject to the highest population pressure and demand for water.

The regional differences with regards to pesticide availability are, perhaps, not as expected with Scotland and Northern Ireland notably less concerned than

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others.

Might this reflect lower disease, pest and weed pressures and subsequent reduced reliance on pesticides?

Of all the issues covered by the SMS Inc survey (regulation, climate and resources), the only one experienced by over 50% of respondents, other than flooding, is pesticide availability.

Personal experience is reflected in the level of concern expressed and one could argue that the results of the survey reflect the here and now, not the potential scenarios for climate, resources and regulation presented in Golf Course 2030 plans.

Addressing the here and now is all well and good, but the loss of worm killers and insecticides should be considered a warning that we need to find solutions before the problem becomes a reality.

This is an important part of the Golf Course 2030 initiative; forward

thinking and planning so that we are much better prepared for whatever comes our way.

The level of concern over the impact of water and pesticide regulation is not overwhelming.

Might we have got a different response if the survey had asked if the outcomes on the ground from these challenges would be a concern?

What if we had asked would you be concerned if playing golf involved: Wading through masses of worm casts and coming off the course with muddy shoes More weeds than grass on fairways and playing off horribly inconsistent lies Bumpy putting surfaces caused by disease scars and insect pest damage.

Would you be concerned about attracting people to play golf at your facility if you were presenting them with these conditions?

Probably. This is a possible

scenario if the game is unable to mitigate against the challenges that are being posed by regulation, the changing climate, and constraints in the availability of resources.

This concludes my reflections on the results from the SMS Inc survey.

I hope this series of articles has made you appreciate the scale of the challenge that faces us when it comes to maintaining an acceptable and appealing level of course condition and playability.

I hope it makes you believe that we need to be proactive and find ways of mitigating the impacts of climate change, resource constraints and regulation.

My next Golf Course 2030 article in The Golf Club Manager will look at the alignment between the Golf Course 2030 projects and survey results and how the initiative is taking the first steps in contributing towards addressing these impacts.

Figure 2. Level of concern over water and pesticide regulation by region

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The interview...

TOM BROOKE As our new Chief Executive takes the GCMA hot seat, we chat about his aspirations and plans for the Association

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W

elcome to the GCMA. You must be thrilled to be the new CEO...

Absolutely! I’m extremely proud and feel incredibly honoured to have been appointed.

It really is a fantastic opportunity and I’ve been so grateful for the huge amount of support that I’ve already had from so many colleagues within the industry. I’m really looking forward to getting started and to working closely with everyone involved with the Association.

You arrive at a very interesting time, with coronavirus and the GCMA in general. You’ve got to hit the ground running…

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With so many other things changing in our lives throughout the current crisis, it feels like quite an unusual time to be making a career move. I spent seven very challenging but equally enjoyable and successful years with Glendale Golf and I leave feeling extremely proud of what was achieved during that time. Most recently, having experienced how well the team pulled together and delivered such a high quality operation upon reopening each of our clubs, under extremely high pressure and difficult circumstances, just proved to me how much progress had been made and how many great leaders we had developed within the business. You’re right, though, it really is an extremely interesting

time to be joining the GCMA. It will be incredibly challenging, but exciting at the same time and that’s something that I relish.

As a team, I think the GCMA are presented with an incredible opportunity to help lead and support golf club managers, golf clubs and the industry as a whole through the remainder of the current pandemic and beyond.

The Association has done some great work in supporting its members over recent months, so it really is important that we continue to build on that moving forward.

The current pandemic has forced us to think differently and operate in many different ways and I actually think this has given us a great opportunity to re-evaluate

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

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how we should be running golf clubs. It was remarkable to see how much golfers have actually enjoyed some of the recent changes to how golf clubs are being run at the moment; mandatory online bookings have made for smoother tee sheet management and checking in processes, enforced two ball golf led to improved pace of play and with heightened awareness of health and safety, more focus has been put into member and customer care and communication.

All big ticks in my book!

It’s also been really encouraging to see the associations and home unions working more closely together to provide effective solutions for the industry. In the past, this hasn’t always been the case, but I’m confident that can now continue, which can only be good for the game and, as CEO for our Association, I will immediately be looking to take an active role in that process.

In terms of ‘hitting the ground running’, for me the first thing to do will be to actively engage with as many people as possible from within the GCMA community.

I’ll be encouraging an ‘open door’ policy and looking for open, honest feedback on how we’re doing as an Association, as well as to generate fresh thoughts and ideas from everyone involved and giving really careful consideration to the thoughts and views from those outside of the GCMA. What attracted you to the job?

I’m particularly passionate about the role of leadership and team culture in business. It’s something that absolutely fascinates me, both personally and professionally. It has been a real focus of mine in all of my previous roles within golf and leisure. For me, successful business performance is shaped through

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leadership and the power of its team culture and by supporting golf club leaders, and their teams, with personal and professional development opportunities, as well as continuing to focus on the community aspect of the Association, the GCMA can make a hugely positive difference to the industry. So the opportunity to take a lead role in shaping that is extremely exciting. In my previous roles, I have always taken a lot of pride in providing my teams with regular conferences, training, professional development and team building opportunities and, in my time with Glendale Golf, always encouraged my GMs to do the same with their teams. I led the annual company conference for several years, with the focus always being very much about leadership skills development. We covered topics such as leadership style, core values and strategic business planning and one year we based the entire event on one of my favourite books, Simon Sinek’s ‘Start With Why’.

Our events were regularly attended by not only our GMs but also our Golf Pros, Sales Managers, F&B Managers, Head Greenkeepers and even some more junior team members that we saw as future leaders.

For me, it is critical that good leadership runs throughout a golf club (or in any business) and not just depends on one person.

I can confidently say that so much of what was achieved in my time with Glendale Golf came from the time and resource that we invested in those types of experiences, as well as structuring effective career paths for so many promising and talented individuals.

I’ve taken a huge amount of pride and enjoyment in leading this and one of my key motivations for joining the GCMA is to be

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able to develop those types of initiatives on a much wider scale within the industry.

I’d also been involved as a Board Director with the UK Golf Federation for the past few years and I’d really enjoyed being part of it, particularly that the role was very much about supporting and influencing the strategic direction of the golf industry and being part of shaping the future of golf, hopefully for the better!

During my time with the UKGF, we re-branded the association, realigned its strategic direction and quadrupled its membership base of golf operators.

Getting to know the GCMA Board Directors over recent months has also been really enjoyable and a particularly appealing part of the role. There is a wonderful team of people in place, with a broad range of experiences and skill sets and with a really energetic and positive outlook for the Association.

Collectively the board are keen to preserve the heritage and traditions of the Association, while ensuring it also evolves and becomes more effective and relevant for generations to come. That’s a great balance to have. Having spent some time with both Phil Grice, the previous Chair, and now Brad McLean, I was really encouraged with their views for the GCMA moving forward. I know that with Brad, the Board Directors, the HQ Team and the Regional Managers, we’ll be able to build a highly positive and proactive team and work really well together on our shared endeavours for the GCMA. I’m confident that I have a lot to offer in that respect and, ultimately, the reason I was attracted to the role is I feel I can make a positive contribution and help to shape the future of the golf industry

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GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

for the better. If you consider what the GCMA actually stands for, it plays such an important role in the industry and one that, at the moment, I don’t think is recognised as much as it should be. The Association can provide a superb platform for the growth in quality and performance of golf club leadership and that, for me, is an extremely exciting outlook.

Did that strike a chord in the interview process? Professional development, at its essence, is education and team building…

I guess it must have done! I know that’s one of the key objectives of the strategic direction for the Association and it was a highly engaging and well-debated topic throughout the process.

We certainly shared a lot of common opinions in terms of the vital role that Professional Development will play for the Association moving forward.

I’ve really enjoyed speaking with Andrew Rankin, one of our Board Directors, who brings with him a huge level of knowledge and experience with regard to Professional Development and that is certainly something that serves us extremely well and will be a highly valued support to us in how we shape that part of our offering as we progress.

Professional Development comes, of course, in many different formats and that is really important to recognise when considering the offerings that we make available to our members. Our programmes need to be flexible and tailored to suit the needs of the individual learner, as well as providing content that we believe best serves the direction of the industry and golf club management Whether that be a 5-day residential course, an online learning platform,

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a one hour webinar on leadership skills or a practical skills workshop, each play an important role in professional development and we need to ensure we’re well placed to provide for a broad range of skill sets, experience levels and learning preferences.

There’s a lot of good work that is already being done on that side, guided by Andrew and led by our new Professional Development Manager Gavin Robinson and it is something I will certainly be giving a lot of my focus to.

We need to make sure we continually evolve and modernise the education and professional development packages we offer, ensuring it all remains relevant, on point, professionally delivered and of appeal to our target markets, whether that be an existing and well established golf club manager, or someone who is just starting out on their career journey.

Modernising the delivery platforms is critical. This process has, of course, been accelerated due to current circumstances and we’re adapting quickly to more online delivery and use of webinars, which are easily accessible and, from recent experience, well attended and very well received. That is certainly the way forward for our professional development packages and a way of vastly increasing the number of individuals that take an interest in what we provide.

What did you know about the GCMA before you applied?

Being entirely candid with you, I didn’t know much at all!

As a relatively young industry professional (although not quite as young as some anymore!) and from a commercial background with Crown and with Glendale Golf, I suppose the GCMA has not been visible or relevant enough to me.

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The GCMA provides a great support network for General Managers and we all know that the role of a GM can really be quite a lonely place sometimes, so having a wider network of industry professionals and colleagues around you plays such a critical part in professional performance and personal well-being. I suppose in coming from a ‘group’ environment, I have always had that support network and camaraderie around me, which I have always valued highly and it has helped me to recognise the vital role a healthy and productive team culture plays in our working lives.

Without that support network, I certainly would not have achieved what I have done so far in my career. So I see the GCMA playing a vital part in the professional and personal lives of those involved in golf club management and that is something of great appeal to me.

I have a very strong view that associations like the GCMA and the UK Golf Federation, who support and represent golf club management and golf club operations, should have a higher profile and be a lot more influential in key decision making and shaping the direction of the industry within the UK. Unfortunately, at the moment, that simply isn’t the case and that needs to change for the betterment of the game and its business in the UK. That was part of the appeal to me in first applying for the role and it has only continued to grow stronger since I was appointed.

What are your aspirations?

Well, in being entirely new to the Association it really is critical that, before we make any long-term decisions or changes, we establish a clear strategic plan.This starts by

having a clear and collective purpose, an ambitious vision and a shared set of values on which to build.

The last strategic review for the GCMA was carried out in 2017 and there’s some really valuable content in there which provides us with a great starting point, but with so many new people in post, at HQ and Board Level, it will need revisiting and perhaps some refreshing.

We must ensure that our service provision is the best in the industry for golf club managers and, unless we continue to evolve and look at new, modern and innovative delivery methods, we will not achieve this.

When we talk about service provision, this means professional and personal support, technical guidance, professional and personal development programmes and the fantastic networking events the GCMA already offers with the support and commitment of our Regional Managers. I certainly believe, as I’ve already said, the GCMA needs to become a lot more influential within the industry.

To become more influential, we need a bigger membership base and, in order to achieve that, we need to become more visible and more relevant to a wider audience.

In terms of visibility, we should be focusing on digital platforms in particular. As an example, I use LinkedIn quite frequently as a way of keeping up to date with what is happening in the world of golf, as well as the wider leisure and business industries.

It’s a fantastic tool for networking and for learning and can also be used to reach thousands of people, for free! Utilising social media as a way of providing golf and leisure industry professionals with regular, engaging content is just one of the ways we can become more

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visible to our target audiences and keep our industry up to date with what the GCMA is doing to support its members.

So as well as continuing to recognise our heritage, we must build for the future. That means becoming more appealing to the commercial sector of the industry as well as to the next generation of golf club managers and those that are currently in the second tier of club management, like F&B Managers and Directors of Golf.

We should also look to appeal to those that aren’t perhaps currently working within the industry but have aspirations to build a career in golf club management in the future.

We had some fantastic results in recent years at Glendale Golf by appointing some of our General

Managers from outside of the industry, who brought with them a broader skill set and some fresh ideas.

So diversity must be high on the agenda. We have a couple of active groups within the Association already, the Women’s Leadership Group and the Future Leaders Group, and I will be committed to supporting the growth and development of both.

We’ve talked a lot about professional development, but we also have a responsibility to provide our members with personal development opportunities. This means we’re equipping current and future golf club managers with not only the practical and technical skill sets needed to do their role effectively, but also the personal skill sets that

give us all a basis to become better all round people and, crucially, better leaders. What better way to serve our members and the industry that we all love?

We also need to develop our partnership offerings and additional member benefits package. There are so many great ways we can link with associated businesses both within and outside of the golf industry in order to provide a well-rounded service provision for our members that offers excellent value for money in terms of membership subscriptions.

Our new Partnerships Manager, Craig Cotterill, has made some excellent progress on this already, which we will continue to build on.

Another interesting and Tom Brooke Tom studied for a BA Honours Degree in Sports Studies and Business at Solent University and then spent three years in the winter sports industry, travelling around Europe and the United States.

Returning to the UK, he moved into corporate hospitality sales and then spent two years in the health and fitness industry. He moved into the golf industry in 2006, firstly as a Sales Manager for Crown Golf before becoming a General Manager by the age of 27.

Tom spent eight years with Crown, running three different clubs within that time, before being offered the role as Operations Director at Glendale Golf in 2013.

He was then appointed Managing Director of the company in July 2015.

Tom is 41 and married with two young children, Olivia, 8 and Luke, 6.

A keen golfer, he also enjoys cycling and is an avid follower of Harlequins and England Rugby.

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beneficial route will be to forge closer working relationships with other professional associations outside of golf. As an industry, we do tend to be quite insular, but there is so much to learn from other sports and from business sectors that could be of benefit to how we lead, how we innovate and how we develop as individuals, as teams, as an Association and as an industry.

How can you support managers through these times?

There’s two parts to this. Firstly and most importantly, looking after our

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members. Secondly, we must also support the wider golf industry and influence positive change and strategic direction as a result.

In terms of supporting our members, we need to consider how we do this for both professional and personal wellbeing purposes. The GCMA, since the start of the crisis in late March, has done some fantastic work in supporting its membership base and providing accurate and welltimed advice and guidance in how to lead their businesses effectively.

The use of webinars and Zoom calls has proved to be a

particularly effective method for getting people together and it was really promising to see over 200 attendees on several of the sessions that the GCMA put together. We need to build on that because it has really enhanced and tightened the relationship between the Board, head office team, regional managers and the membership base. Of course, golf club boards, club owners and proprietors are going to be looking to their managers more than ever to lead through this crisis and find new and innovative ways of successfully navigating

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assume current participation levels are here to stay, we’ll be doing ourselves a huge disservice.

As things start getting back to normal, other activities and leisure pursuits start becoming more available again and the longer term economic impact becomes more apparent, golf participation will no doubt suffer again.

We need to act now to protect as much of the current increase as we can, with a collective strategy for participation and membership retention. We need to work in partnership with other key associations and home unions to deliver this and make sure we see some long-term benefit as a result of the current trends.

their way through all manner of challenges. As a key part of this process, we must prioritise the personal well-being of golf club managers and their teams. This has already been an extremely stressful time and is no doubt going to continue for the foreseeable future.

If we don’t provide the right support and look after the wellbeing of golf club managers, golf clubs will struggle and, in turn, the industry will struggle. It doesn’t matter what participation looks like, If clubs aren’t being well run then the industry will suffer as a result. What a huge responsibility

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we have! On the other side, we must also look at how we as an Association support and provide leadership to the industry as a whole. We have a fantastic and very current opportunity to help our members and the wider golf industry build on the success we’ve had with the recent spike in participation and membership growth. Of course, we know this has been a result of the current pandemic and that golf has benefited from some hugely unfortunate and desperately sad circumstances worldwide.

However, if we just sit back and

It looks like you’re very keen to get started…

Very much so. As they say, there’s already a lot in the in-tray! While the GCMA does some great work within the industry, we need to be open and transparent with each other; there is so much more that can and should be done!

While recognising our traditions, and without deviating from our core purpose, as an Association we do need to modernise our approach and, as I’ve already said, appeal to a wider audience and the next generation of golf club managers, in order for us to grow, become more relevant, successful and sustainable.

However, I certainly won’t be looking to do it all on my own.

I’ll be working closely with the HQ team, the Board, the Regional Managers and the wider membership base to look for their insights, experience and thoughts in order to help shape the future direction of the Association. That, for me, is what good quality leadership and positive team culture is all about.

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‘My instinct is to ask

‘WHAT CAN I DO?”

S

ammy would rarely fail to greet him on his trips to the gym.“He wears a T-shirt that says ‘be the reason why someone smiles today’.

“Even at my advanced career,” reflects Colin Burns,“I still look for touch points like that – things to remind me about what we do.

“And what we do is hopefully make people a little bit happier.”

As general manager of Winged Foot, Burns has spent nearly three decades at the helm of one of the globe’s most revered clubs.

With its East and West courses, the New York venue has hosted the PGA Championship and, this month, will stage its sixth US Open after it was rescheduled as result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite being utterly grounded in the history of American golf – Bobby Jones was its first major champion – Winged Foot is still at its heart a members’ club.

But while its gloriously scholastic clubhouse might imply a certain way of looking at the world, what happens behind those doors might surprise you.

“I’ve been to plenty of very famous golf clubs and some of them are very welcoming and some of them are not,” Burns explains. “We’re very welcoming.

If you were to walk through the lobby now, and you looked a little bit lost then somebody, rather than ask in a sort of accusatory manner ‘why are you here, what are you doing?’, would say ‘how

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E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Colin Burns is general manager of one of the world’s most storied clubs: Winged Foot. But, as the New York venue prepares to host the US Open, he reveals the club is built on the sport’s traditions and fun

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

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are you? Who is your host today?

Come on in’.” One of the things that makes Winged Foot very unique at that level of club is that’s it’s really a fun place,” he adds.

“You can go to other clubs and the fun factor is just not there. It’s not a country club, it is a golf club but we really do encourage the membership to use the facility – to be there, to bring their families, their children, their colleagues from work.”

Traditions are important to Winged Foot. You can see that just from the archives and mementos that celebrate the giants of the game who have lifted trophies on the grounds.

the club and, rather than drive, they would like to take an Uber.

You can’t have them take an Uber unless they can track it on their phones to see where they are.

“We recognise that’s how people communicate. So we have gone from having a zero tolerance policy to having a fairly liberal policy, in as much as cell phones can be used in the locker rooms. You can use them casually for texting.

“There is still no talking on the phone in the public areas but that’s just one example.”

He continues:“We are a vibrant, family oriented club. We want people here. We want our members here with their kids, with

But Burns’ ethos is not to let those things define the club. Nowhere is that seen more prominently than in their attitude to phones.

“We are still very traditional in some respects. In others, we’ve recognised that change is a good thing,” he explains. “(Our) Cell phone policy is a good example. We still have a cell phone policy but we recognise that younger people, and juniors, have a need to remain in touch with their families, their children.

“We have gentlemen leaving

their family members and relatives.

“We encourage the club to be used. This is not some object that’s purchased and kept on a shelf. This is a viable living thing. Vibrancy is something we are always concerned with.”

Burns says there has never been a moment in his 29 years at Winged Foot where he wasn’t proud to be affiliated with the club – ‘I’ve worn the logo with a great sense of pride’.

“We truly believe in the ethos of the game of golf. We really

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do believe that it imparts its participants with a sense of civility and a sense of fair play. We demonstrate that constantly.

“All of our major golf events are all true golf events. Our club championship is a single flight club championship, there are no net events per se.”

“We have the greatest 36 hole facility arguably in the world,” Burns adds.“We don’t need to do anything else – other than provide a high level of service and a really great culinary programme. It’s

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not just: tie up your shoes in the parking lot, go golf, and leave.

“It’s invite your friends and guests, be welcomed into the grill room.

It’s a very welcoming environment.”

That ethos is also driven through a passion for providing a highclass level of service, borne from Burns’ background. His parents and grandparents both ran very successful restaurants in the New York metropolitan area and, as he grew up, his house was always full as the family continually entertained. It instilled in him a

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sense of welcome, and he has spent his years at Winged Foot ensuring his staff employ the same attitude.

“We are here to help our members to better enjoy their time at the club, to make them feel welcome, like they are truly at their home away from home,” he explains.

“There’s a difference between service and hospitality. Service is the technical thing you do. You deliver the coffee pot and on time.

Hospitality is just that sense of warmth and caring and concern -

that I have and have always had.

“My instinct is to ask ‘what can I do?’ I’d like to think those people, my colleagues that I’ve worked with for a lot of years now, if they didn’t have it to begin with then they have it now. That’s something that costs nothing and why wouldn’t you want to improve someone’s day by making them feel welcome?” n The US Open is being held at Winged Foot from September 17 to 20.

GCMA.ORG.UK | 37

ADVERTORIAL

A great set of grinders means more than

A SHARP CUT

Hedensted Golf Klub’s purchase of a pair of Bernhard machines didn’t just transform turf quality, it saved them money and helped out a whole community

A

sharp blade makes a cleaner cut, everyone knows that.

But when Hedensted Golf Klub got their hands on

38 | GCMA.ORG.UK

a set of Bernhard grinders they couldn’t have imagined the knockon benefits that would also come their way.

It seems that great grinders deliver more than just a surgically

sharp slice through the grass.

Spread out across 27 holes of delightful Danish countryside, just east of Jutland, this young club – just 15 years old – is full of unique, natural, experiences.

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Timm Hansen has worked there for the last five years as a mechanic and, since he took receipt of the Express Dual 3000MC and Anglemaster 3000 MC machines in the spring of 2017, Hedensted never looked back.

So what does a grinder do?

The whole process is crucial to maintaining the sharpest blades and ensuring optimal turf conditions.

At its heart is how it affects the two components of the cutting

unit: the bedknife and the cylinder.

The former might look simple, but it’s a very complex piece of steel and it’s the most important part of any cutting unit.

A bedknife gathers the grass and

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holds it in position until the cylinder blade comes round to cut it.

Spin grinding the cylinder makes each blade sharp and ensures that the cylinder is even. There’s no point in sharpening all the blades if only every third one cuts because they are not of equal height.

A dull cutting unit will tear at grass, leaving it uneven, and these ripped and ragged turf blades bleed and lose plant moisture and nutrients.

The open tips are then more susceptible to disease, such as Fusarium and other leaf-spot afflictions.

Putting that right means more chemicals and more cost – impacting on a club’s budget.

In high season, Timm and his team grind their own greens mowers about every four weeks and their tees and approach mowers every two months.

They also spread the word for Bernhard – helping other local clubs with their grinding and giving Hedensted a return on investment in a massively short space of time.

All in all, they grind around 150 cutting units from nearby clubs during the winter period.

“We use Bernhard grinders because we think it is an easy machine to work with,”Timm said.

“It’s an easy and fast set-up for the many different types of cutting units we grind throughout the year.

“Especially during the winter season when we are grinding for other clubs, it is nice that the setup can be done quickly.”

He added:“It clearly is a good investment for us. Before we got our own grinders, we only got to grind all our mowers once a year, including greens mowers in connection with winter preparation.”

It’s brought fantastic results – “Now we can grind when necessary, we have raised the standard

substantially, especially on greens.

That’s both when it comes to the quality of play, but also when it comes to the disease on the grasses.

As well as that, the wear and tear of our mowers has decreased”.

Better greens, and better surfaces in general, means happy customers. But there are other benefits that can also help the bottom line.

Reductions in the use of water, fertiliser, fungicide, and correct use of top dressing, all help save money.

Cut down on those consumables and you also cut down on the costs of handling them too.

Using less fuel, because the mowers are more efficient thanks to their superior grinding, can also increase their life, reduce their engine wear, require fewer replacement parts and mean a smaller carbon footprint.

So while you always knew what a sharp blade meant to a cut, perhaps you weren’t aware of the financial benefits that also come with efficient grinding.

It’s all about spending less money on fertiliser, fungicide, chemicals and fuel and receiving more money from customers delighted with how the turf looks and performs.

And isn’t playability what really matters to members?

Find out more about Bernhard sharpening equipment at www. bernhard.co.uk

GCMA.ORG.UK | 39

GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

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40 | GCMA.ORG.UK

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

Good

PRACTICE Advice on golf club management issues – from finance to clubhouse rules and employment law

GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

What you need to know about the World

HANDICAP SYSTEM

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E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

It’s D-Day on November 2 and the start of a new era for club golf in Great Britain & Ireland. But if the basics of the new global handicap system have eluded you, here is a brief reminder of what it’s all about

W

hether it is putting in a score for their handicap at the Old Course, or making that summer evening knock count, the World Handicap System (WHS) will change everything for club golfers when it comes into force towards the end of this year.

The various governing bodies were holding education workshops and meetings before the pandemic brought things to a halt, and have since sent out toolkits to explain the changes to clubs and players.

But if you are still worried about what it all might mean, or have just had other things on your plate in these tumultuous times, here are the basics you need to know about the new way of calculating and using handicaps…

Why are handicaps changing?

Golf is played under one set of rules but, prior to this year, there were six different handicap systems operating around the world. The World Handicap System (WHS) is unifying those into one. It’s already come into effect in many parts of the globe. D-Day for Great Britain & Ireland is November 2, 2020.

How will it work?

Handicaps are currently worked out using an aggregate system, but that’s going to change to an average-based calculation – taking the best eight out of the last 20

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scores. Key to the new regime is the Course Rating System. A Course Rating evaluates the difficulty of a playing course for scratch golfers under normal course and weather conditions, while a Bogey Rating does the same for bogey golfers (usually measured around the 20 handicap for men and 24 for women) under the same conditions.

The Slope Rating is a number that indicates the relative difficulty of a course for bogey golfers, compared to scratch golfers.

It’s a combination of the Course Rating and the Bogey Rating that allows the calculation of a Slope Rating for a set of tees. When players turn up to play, they will measure their handicap index against the slope of the course from the tees they are playing and that will give them a Course Handicap.

For equity to be achieved among two or more players, in a competition or match for example, a Course Handicap is converted into a Playing Handicap, which is determined by the format being played and the handicap allowance applicable to it.

How will players get a handicap index?

If they are a member of a club they’ve probably already got one and the transition to WHS, which is already taking place, will convert their existing handicap into its new handicap index.

If they haven’t got a handicap, they’ll need to put in scores for 54 holes from any combination of

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18-hole and 9-hole rounds.

Handicaps will be revised daily, taking into account the playing conditions that are faced on the day, and the maximum limit will be 54.0.

What scores can players put in for handicap purposes?

Any round that’s an authorised format of play, over a minimum number of holes, that’s played to the Rules of Golf, is in the company of at least one other person or player, and is certified by a marker prior to submission, will be classed as an acceptable score.

So that’s competition or social scores from medal, Stableford, par/ bogey and maximum score – as a single golfer.

Players won’t be able to use foursomes, scrambles, or rounds where a minimum number of holes have not been played.

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Will players have to record all their scores?

Players will enter their competition scores as normal and they will also be able to pre-register and submit scores from social games played under the Rules of Golf (the same as they do now with supplementary scores).

A key part of the WHS is the greater the number of scorecards submitted, the more accurate a player’s handicap index will be. At this stage, though, they will not be compelled to enter a score every time they play a round.

The aim is that handicaps will be truly portable – allowing players to put in a score that counts wherever they are playing in the world. So if they playing a special course and want to make that game count for their handicap, they will be able to do so.

Will players still pick up a .1 for a bad day?

No. There will be no 0.1 increases under WHS. It’s hoped with that fear removed, they will be able to relax more when playing.

Their score will only count towards their handicap index if it is one of the best eight of their most recent 20 efforts.

Where can I find out more?

The game’s governing bodies and home unions are all running extensive education and advertising campaigns as we move towards that November 2 date. You can find out everything you need, along with promotional materials you can use in and around your club, by visiting the websites of England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf and the Golfing Union of Ireland, as well as the R&A.

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How to prepare your club for the World

HANDICAP SYSTEM The handicapping experts at England Golf and Scottish Golf outline how you can ensure the new global order goes off without a hitch

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he new World Handicap System comes into effect on November 2 and work is going on apace to get clubs and golfers ready for its arrival.

As club managers, you’re going to need to be on point when your members’ precious and hard-earned numbers start to change and you get the inevitable questions.

With lots of new concepts to think about: slope, caps and course ratings to name just three, the smooth introduction of WHS is going to require patience, understanding and knowledge.

So what can you do to make the move as serene as possible? We brought together Gemma Hunter, England Golf’s head of handicapping and course rating, and David Kernohan, head of handicapping and course rating for Scottish Golf, to give you some expert advice as the countdown continues…

IT’S ALL ABOUT EDUCATION They say knowledge is power and nothing could be truer when it comes to the World Handicap System.

“The primary thing is that the golf club manager’s role will be, initially, about education,” said Hunter.“It will be about helping golfers understand what it means.

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“That’s making sure that you’re well informed and informed enough so that you can educate your members.”

“I’m sure a lot of managers are going to get asked ‘why does my handicap look like this?” added Kernohan.

“Why has my handicap changed?

Tell me a bit about the system?’

I think the work for the club managers will be educating golfers on what’s changed.

“Once we’ve got past that initial transition phase, where education is key, then everything a club manager currently does will continue to be the case moving forward.”

But in this sea of information, how do you work out what’s important and what would benefit your golfers most?

That’s where the respective governing body’s learning programmes are coming into their own. Scottish Golf have put together a WHS Readiness Document, which details all the processes clubs need to go through to ensure they are ready for the go live date.

England Golf’s ‘Know The Score’ campaign, meanwhile, is not only giving players week-by-week information on various parts of the WHS system, the associated toolkit is providing golf club managers and

handicap committees with valuable resources to put up around the club and send to members.

Hunter said:“There are standardised posters, social media posts, hashtags and commentary to go with the whole programme of education.

“We’ve got online videos so if managers weren’t able to attend one of the workshops, they should watch the videos and make sure they’ve made themselves aware of the questions they are likely to get asked.”

“It’s basically a step-by-step guide that will support golf club managers with understanding how the transition to WHS will affect them,” added Kernohan of the WHS Readiness Document.

“It reveals how we are going to transition to WHS, what you need to do to get your CDH cleansed as much as possible, and some key components of the WHS system that you really need to be aware of.

“We’ve also got the Hive learning platform, which is Scottish Golf’s first move towards an online centre for all golf clubs.

“When you log on, you will have every little bit of information you need. There are posters you can put up around the golf club and key information you can leave in and around the club for your members to engage with.

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“It’s about preparing the members as much as possible about the change that’s coming.

The more we can educate the members, the fewer queries the club managers, match and handicap committees are going to have to answer.”

So what can you do to help that education process?

These are not normal times.You can’t hold a meeting at the club, or have a ‘WHS night’ under social distancing.

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“Without Covid-19 we would have been saying ‘run seminars, run workshops, get people involved, get people to the club, have the conversation’,” said Hunter.

“So it’s going to be slightly different. Can a manager put on a webinar? Can you have an online education session with members?

If that’s not possible, what sort of email campaigns can you do?

“With the Know The Score campaign and the week-by-week information that we’re sending

out, even if it is just regurgitating that and putting it into a context you think your members can understand then that would be the easiest thing to do. We have created all the material and the literature for you.”

Familiarising yourselves with the key information you’re expecting golfers to understand will also be vital, explained Kernohan.

“Learning the rules of handicapping is really important and I think understanding the

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key features will help everyone involved in golf as we move to WHS in November.

“In particular, having an understanding of the averaging system – the basis of the calculation, the course handicap, the playing handicap – will be really helpful, as well as preparing for the introduction of course and slope rating.

“Managers will get questions like ‘why is the SSS now 127?’ I am sure people will need to understand a little bit about course and slope

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rating.They will need to consider displaying charts for converting handicap indexes to a course handicap as well as being able to explain the handicap allowances for the competition formats of golf they are playing. Hive Learning is designed to support managers in Scotland with gaining this understanding so that they have the expertise to deliver member education.

“We all need to work together to help golfers understand what scores should be used for WHS.”

GET READY FOR TRANSITION Very soon, golfers are going to see another number appear beside their CONGU handicap. That’s their provisional WHS handicap index, the figure that will come into effect on November 2.

The idea behind revealing that to players is to get them used to seeing their new handicap mark before the system goes live, and how it moves as they put in scores which affects their best eight out of 20.

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“That first few weeks in the run up to November, people will start to ask the question ‘why is it different?’” said Hunter.

“The key principle is that it is different because the system is different. It’s calculated differently.

We are not looking at increments but at averages and that key messaging around switching those.

“We are only using a player’s actual scores. If someone has put in 20 bad scores, because they have been struggling, their handicap index is going to reflect that.

“It is not going to be the .1 increase they have previously had

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under the CONGU system.

“So they might see a shift. Being honest, there is probably going to be only 8 or 9% of players who are going to see a significant difference between their current CONGU handicap and their WHS Index.

“The majority, and the high majority, of people are going to be within two shots.”

EMPOWER YOUR HANDICAP COMMITTEE Handicap committees have always been the backbone of the CONGU system, whether that’s been through the annual review,

keeping an eye on player trends, or stepping in when they have tried to manipulate their marks.

That role will continue under WHS. Kernohan said:“Handicap committees have a really important role. We will expect the annual review to continue moving forward and, if a player has manipulated a score, it’s the committee who will be applying that penalty score to the golfer.

“They will be able to adjust a player’s handicap if it is no longer reflective of their demonstrated ability. That could happen a lot quicker under WHS.

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whether that’s illness or injury or a particular circumstance that is affecting their ability.

“To have that human overview, and to be able to say,‘actually, the numbers are right but we’ve got a little bit more information’ is really important.”

“Under the current system, it takes a lot longer. We’re supplying golf clubs with handicapping software that they’ll be able to use to view handicap records, scores, and ensure there has been no manipulation. They will be able to change a player’s handicap if they deem necessary.”

“A system is just about numbers,” added Hunter.“This is the data that’s going into the system and so this is the answer.

“It has not got that human element – that ability to say ‘hold on a minute, this player is playing like this for a particular reason’ –

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BE PATIENT, BUT DON’T BE AFRAID TO GET CRACKING Any new system – certainly anything on this scale – will take time to bed into place. It’s likely both you, and your players, will consider scenarios perhaps no one has even thought of yet.

Both England Golf and Scottish Golf have tried to consider all the possibilities that might arise. It’s inevitable, though, there will be things they might have missed.

“We didn’t foresee Covid-19 appearing,” said Hunter.“That’s one thing that has thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.

“But, ultimately, just give it time.

Give it 12 months, 18 months, let it settle and let’s get the next playing season out of the way and I’m pretty sure by the time we are at this stage next year everybody will be saying ‘it was the right decision.

Change was the right thing for golf’ and people just get on with it.”

And if you have the chance to use it over the winter – if your club would usually play qualifiers, or can do so with a measured course, the advice from Hunter is unequivocal.

“I would say let’s get going. If we have got measured courses available in November, let’s get out there and play golf. Let’s get using it as soon as we can.

“The more we do, and the sooner we do it, the better - because it will get people used to it. Yes, people will start reading about the system in the winter and will get a bit more au fait with it, but the best way to learn about anything is to get your hands on it and get stuck in.”

England Golf – Know The Score England Golf’s Know The Score campaign is aimed at educating golfers all over the country about the World Handicap System ahead of its November 2 launch.

It’s designed to help golfers understand the system through eye-catching and easy to understand resources and provide a consistent message in the lead up.

To support the campaign, England Golf issued a WHS toolkit to all golf clubs designed to deliver a positive, progressive message to members and visitors about the benefits of WHS. They will be able to pass on information about why the system is being adopted, key information on course and slope rating, details on the handicap index and course handicap and acceptable formats for scoring. For more, visit englandgolf.org Scottish Golf – WHS Readiness Document The WHS Readiness Document outlines the process for all affiliated Scottish Golf Clubs to make the transition to WHS. This includes ensuring accuracy of the required club and member data that must be collected to complete handicap computations on WHS and the process in which to collect, validate and return to Scottish Golf.

As part of preparing all of their affiliated clubs for the transition, Scottish Golf are also launching an interactive WHS area on their new Hive learning platform. This allows clubs to access a breadth of information on WHS such as an overview, key features, rules and club resources. This area will also enable clubs to connect with others to exchange best practice, tips, insights and ideas and talk with members of the Scottish Golf team.

For more, visit scottishgolf.org

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Why it’s time to take your competitions

DIGITAL

Whether it’s the threat of Covid-19, or the imminent arrival of the World Handicap System, there are compelling reasons to go paperless

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I

n a sport that can hold traditions so firm – where things are done because it’s always been that way – coronavirus has had a profound effect.

It’s not just about issues that have now become part of the vernacular, like social distancing.

The virus’s impact has worked its way right down to the micro level.

Flagsticks have become a

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major source of debate. Just how essential is a scorecard? What is the risk of all of these potential touch points?

We’ve had to re-evaluate everything we know about how we play the game and manage our facilities.

So it’s proved with the staging of competitions, the lifeblood of any thriving golf complex.

At one Yorkshire club, after the

easing of lockdown and the resumption of competitions, scorecards were left for 48 hours before being handled with gloves for entry into the system.

PSIs are now wiped down after every use, with competitors urged to sanitise both before and after they start hitting the screen.

Yet it doesn’t need to be this way. While Covid-19 has had a horrendous effect, both on society in general and the wider golf industry, it has also provided an opportunity to look again at what technology can offer.

Those clubs, associations, and governing bodies that have been employing a digital solution during the ‘new normal’ have found the administration of their tournaments much simpler and easier to manage.

Last month, England Golf signed a multi-year agreement with Golf Genius for the company to provide tournament management software for its calendar of championship events.

The English Men and Women’s Amateur Championships, at Woodhall Spa, were the first elite competitions in the UK to be staged completely digitally and it had a huge impact.

Players entered their scores through their phones, using the Golf Genius app, but the way the company’s technology was used was actually far more wide ranging.

“We really tried to give them a contactless approach to the championship,”said Nick Smith, Golf Genius’ UK sales manager.

“All the key information for competitors and officials was available on a portal online and within the Golf Genius phone app, such as competitor details, Code of Conduct, terms and conditions and rules and regulations.

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“When it came to the tournament, all the pin positions were available in the app. Scoring was done in the app. All the practice times, registration prior to the tournament, Covid-related questions, it was all in the app.

“Never before had this tournament been able to have a true hole-by-hole leaderboard.

Previously, it relied on volunteers at scoring stations every three holes.

But with players entering scores hole-by-hole, it was a true live leaderboard.”

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There were no touch points, because players and officials controlled everything through their phones or tablets.

There’s really no change from the way it works at elite level to how it can be used during your club championship, monthly medal, or even a Sunday Stableford.

Golf Genius have released a digital scorecard that allows clubs to run tournaments without the traditional paper option and yet still comply with the requirements of the Rules of Golf.

Here’s how it works.

When using the digital scorecard feature - which can be turned on or off for specific tournaments - a tournament administrator can easily control who acts as the marker for each player.

When a golfer logs into the Golf Genius mobile app, the player will be able to record hole-by-hole scores for one or more other players, and can also record their own score.

At the end of the round, the players can view both the

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marker and the player’s scores to ensure they align, and resolve any differences. Both players can then use their unique Golf Genius IDs to sign and approve the final submitted electronic scorecard.

In America where it was released first, Gareth Londt, the USGA’s managing director of GHIN and IT, said:“The Covid-19 pandemic has driven golf innovation and new ways of thinking, and golfers and administrators directly benefit from these new tools.

“A digital scorecard is one more

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way golf can be more sustainable while promoting a game that is connected and contactless at the same time.”

Chris Kallmeyer, Golf Genius coCEO, added:“Demand for hole-byhole live scoring has skyrocketed this year as associations and clubs focused on contactless golf.

“In view of this we have taken live scoring to the next level by providing an electronic replacement for the traditional role of a marker in the paper scorecard world.

“While the pandemic certainly accelerated demand for a digital scorecard, this is a natural and needed evolution from traditional golf to a technology-driven version of the sport.”

Now with the imminent arrival of the World Handicap System, and the key role digital management will play as it rolls out and becomes entrenched, the move towards events that are staged live and held in the cloud is likely to only grow.

Golf Genius are a CONGU verified independent software vendor in the UK and are licensed to be part of the new system.

In the US, they power USGA Tournament Management, which is used by thousands of golf clubs and virtually every state and regional golf association.

In the past 12 months globally, more than 17 million rounds, at nearly half a million events, in 53 countries, have passed through their hands.

And what the success of WHS will depend on most of all, as it goes live in the UK on November 2, is a robust software solution.

“WHS is words on paper,” explained Golf Genius co-CEO Mike Zisman.“It describes how to calculate a handicap in very precise terms but no-one is going

to calculate handicaps using pencil and paper, so until it is converted to software it does not deliver any value to the world.

“We are in a technology world and it is the software that makes this stuff work. That sounds a little self-serving because that is what we do, but that is the reality.

“It is a challenging project but one of the unique things about our company is that we know software and we know golf.

“Prior to WHS everyone had their own handicap system and as part of our tournament management product we had to interface all of those different handicapping systems, whether in the US, Australia or Canada.

“We have been able to analyse WHS from a mathematical background to work out how handicaps will change, whose handicaps are going to change and by how much, so that part has been very exciting.”

Covid-19 has forced us to examine everything we do at a golf club – from the way customers enter the building to whether a locker room can be safely opened to members and visitors.

As the pandemic persists, it will be some time before we can consider returning to the way things were.

But with digital solutions designed to make things easier – think of the ease of running a competition completely digitally and contactless – do we really want to go back?

WHS will shake things up yet again, and those progressive operators will see an opportunity rather than a challenge.

If you haven’t yet walked down the digital path, maybe it’s time you did.

For more, visit golfgenius.com

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ROOTS All the latest news, views and interviews from across the GCMA’s various regions in the UK

My success story...

ANDREW WATSON When renewals were hit hard by coronavirus the temptation at Holme Hall must have been strong to hold a discount sale. But, as general manager Andrew Watson reveals, the club doubled down and are now looking forward

Holme Hall general manager Andrew Watson

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G

olf club managers can get a bit quiet when you start talking about membership renewals. There isn’t much else that can turn their knuckles whiter than the contemplation of a number that’s leaning towards the side of a heavy loss.

Industry experts talk about it in bleak terms too. It’s known as the

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resignation rate. The aim is to come out with as few of those as possible and, hopefully, breathe a sigh of relief as you contemplate another year ahead.

Such has been the way of the golfing world over the last decade and a half.

But add a pandemic into that already frantic mix, and try and encourage people whose own economic prospects looked bleak

“You can’t be exclusive, and provide a service to your members, if you continue selling cheap.” - Andrew Watson

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Holme Hall

as lockdown took hold, and the shuttered windows and bolted doors at the club made everything look even more terrifying.

Some turned to what they knew to get through in one piece – a month free here, 15 for the price of 12 there, pay the interest deals: get the numbers in now and bank on things turning around when golf became the socially distanced sport of dreams.

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Holme Hall went another way.

Perhaps there was a hint of anguish when 76 members disappeared as the Scunthorpe club started their new membership year in the height of the shutdown.

If there was, though, they stood firm and decided to make a wider point.

“We did lose members – who either didn’t re-join or didn’t want to pay while they weren’t getting any golf and simply cancelled,”says club general manager Andrew Watson.

“They weren’t the traditional members. Once golf returned, we very quickly got most of those back and the number returned to a normal figure.

“There were obviously some offers and discounts being offered (by some clubs). We’ve taken the view that part of the problem in this area is that golf has been driven down.

“It’s the price spiral and it’s always been a bidding war between the clubs.”

It’s the course where a young Tony Jacklin honed the iron play that won him Opens on both sides of the Atlantic but Holme Hall is squeezed on all sides by golf clubs – from the Forest Pines resort, to the likes of Grange Park and Normanby Hall.

In an area that’s far from over populated, there’s only 170,000 people living in the whole of North Lincolnshire Watson says, there’s not really enough golfers to go around.

And while they may be relatively unheralded against their more famous near neighbour, the newly incorporated board at Holme Hall don’t lack self belief.

“We made a decision on what our strategic plan was going to be and that was to make ourselves the best place to play golf in North Lincolnshire and also the most desirable course,”Watson adds.

“You can’t be exclusive, and provide a service to your members, if you

continue selling cheap.

“We’d been prepared, over the years, to have a twilight rate of £10 and member guest rates of £15.

There’s no incentive with so many golf clubs around.

“If I give my mates £15 a round every time they play with me, they’ll stay at the club where they are paying slightly less and just enjoy golf here. We said we’re not going to do that.

“We’re aware that the big issue for

“We didn’t put them up (subscriptions) but we didn’t offer discounts. We said to people ‘this club is worth something’” golf clubs is 12 or 18 months down the line, when the real impact of Covid hits, and we upped our green fees, and we maintained the level of our subscriptions.

“We didn’t put them up but we didn’t offer discounts. We said to people ‘this club is worth something’.

We get rave reviews from good golfers.

“This is what we are about. We’re about quality golf.”

Full value are two words being touted around the club’s inner sanctum now and, far from being an empty phrase, it’s something that has brought a calm to what’s still an unpredictable outlook.

“It’s focused our minds. There was a lot of panic in the golf industry at the start, and quite rightly too, but there was no panic here.

“We thought we know there’s going to be an issue in 18 months time.

“There’s plenty of cash being thrown around by the government.

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(We have to) Take advantage of that and make sure we are operating within our boundaries.

“I’ve got so much cash I can use each much and I don’t exceed it. It’s a very easy way of working.”

They’ll look to franchise bar and catering, realising that in Holme Hall’s case it was little more than a millstone – a “dead duck”as Watson now calls it. A driving range, still relatively new, generates over £2,000 a month and is an effective way of bringing people to the club and

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getting them into the retail areas.

They’re looking hard at how they use their distinctive clubhouse, a path that could see them hire out the restaurant and bar area more often to complement other functions, as well as the weddings that are stacked up for the day coronavirus finally loosens its grip.

At the heart of the club’s strategy is longer term planning – even if the world as it is now screams at everyone to not move from the day-to-day.

“It’s no good saying to members ‘we’ll still be here in April’,”concludes Watson. ”We need to say to them we’ll still be here in April 2022.

“That’s where our forecasts now say we are more than able to say that.”

We want to hear all about the success stories at your club.

Get in touch by emailing s.carroll@sportspub.co.uk

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Partner Network

The GCMA’s Partner Network supports the association’s work to professionalise the industry and promote a culture of excellence in golf club management.

Thank you to all our partners who continue to support the association.

strategic partners

business partners

official suppliers

gcma.org.uk/partners

GCMA | NEED TO KNOW | INDUSTRY | CAREERS | GOOD PRACTICE | GRASS ROOTS

From the

HELPDESK This month: The core areas of management and... why is it called the Green Committee?

Can the golf club staff issue CONGU handicaps to new members once they have submitted the three cards, or is it the responsibility of the Handicap Committee?

It is the duty of the Handicap Committee to administer handicaps, under CONGU Rules.

See page 26 here: congu.co.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2019/12/2018CONGU-Manual-2019.pdf. A lot of clubs have one of the office or Pro shop staff on that committee to allot the handicaps without any delays.

We are thinking of changing from a full statutory audit of our accounts to an accountant’s review report. Audits are becoming just too costly. We would need to change our articles and we are wondering if you have a form of wording for that change?

Possible wording could be as follows: The accounts laid before the AGM will have been audited or subject to an Assurance Review by an independent chartered accountant.

I am involved with recruiting a new GM. Please advise the definitions of “core” management areas. ..

The four core areas of

66 | GCMA.ORG.UK

management are: Finance; Golf Course; Food & Beverage (including Bars) and General Administration.

Is the name Green Committee correct because a) playing through the green refers to the whole course, and b) greens are something you eat?...

Both terms are in common use and it is up to each club to assign a name that suits them. It is what the committee does that is important, not the name.

I am looking to advertise for someone to come in and take on my catering franchise, are you able to help me by suggesting some publications on where best to advertise for this?

You could try the Stewards Mag, which advertises for golf clubs. Visit club-noticeboard.co.uk/stewards/ jobs.php, and caterer.com/ recruiters?INHSE=JSHP_RecCTA_ Advertise.

Is corporate membership liable for VAT? Corporate Membership is liable as all corporate dealings are subject to VAT, even green fees and sponsorship, as this HMRC extract explains: At paragraph 3.4.1 of VAT Notice 701/45: Sport an ‘individual’

is defined as a person who actually takes part in the sporting activity but this can include corporate persons and unincorporated associations, provided that … ‘the true beneficiaries (of the services) are individuals taking part in sport’.

HMRC considers that where a corporate body purchases a golf day or similar (i.e. membership) for its own purposes such as to entertain its staff or guests, this is a not a supply made to individuals but a supply to the corporate body for its own benefit and that the corporate body is the true beneficiary of the sporting services.

Such supplies by non-profit making members’ golf clubs or members’ sports clubs do not qualify for the exemption and are therefore standard-rated for VAT purposes.

Is free membership to a golf club taxable under a P11D? Unless it can be argued it is necessary as part of the requirements of the job then it is regarded as a benefit in kind and taxable. Managers and green staff have successfully argued it is necessary to carry out the job correctly, which it is, and thus not a benefit in kind, but other posts in the club may struggle to do that.

An online helpdesk is available at gcma.org.uk/members.

E D U C AT E | I N F O R M | I N S P I R E

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