Your Home Club: What does it do well, and ff you could improve one thing....

[WBennett]

Hey all

Just after a discussion about things you think your club does well, and if you could improve one thing...

I ask as I am running for our committee, and want to bring new thoughts and ideas.

Example

What does my club do well

Multiple comps per week off different tees, catering to different abilities. We now run various comps up to 6 days a week over daylight savings, despite being a semi public course. Course is in great nick, committee works well, comps are smooth and trouble free.

What could we improve

Some of our comms - we do some things brilliantly, and have an open committee with minutes available within 48 hours, monthly newsletters etc. But I think we can look at our clubs social media and improve our on-line presence.

[Dotty]

What my clubs does well ... Ironically, it doesn't have a golf committee.

Financially, it is managed by a large RSL club's committee.
Playing matters are handled by an unelected (voluntary) 5 person Golf Advisory Panel, who have one spot on the RSL committee.
To me, the separation of responsibility appears to work well, as it doesn't rely on golf enthusiasts to make business decisions on catering, staffing, maintenance, building works, etc.
Doubly so, as the club is as strong as ever, after downturned course revenue from the previous 3 years, due to lockdowns and severe course flooding.

Probably similar to WB's club, separate men's/women's comps two days a week, with combined medley comp on the quieter on 4 days and only Thursday is non-comp.
They recently moved social golf clubs to Sunday arvo, to allow more members off both tees on the popular Sunday mornings, due to increased demand. (Also frees up clubhouse to allow non-playing locals to bring family/friends for Sunday lunch and petting zoo.)

And GAP panel doesn't act on verbal whinges, and tells them to put it in an email, if they want it addressed at the next meeting.


What can improve ... Nothing, considering low annual subs.

[Captain Nemo]

Comp everyday.
Pristine condition.
Cold beer.

Improvement: worst bunkers in Sydney

[golfbound]

Easy to get a tee time with membership now closed at 350 members. The Glades Gold Coast

[BobsYourUncle]

Brookwater
Does well? wonderful layout, no issue getting a tee time, good practice facilities
Could improve? not much of a "club" feel, very "clique-y", conditioning has been a bit below standard coming out of a dry winter, restrictions on earliest/latest tee times due to "residential" nature

Sandy Gallop
Does well? cheap & cheerful, greens punch well above their weight vs. membership cost
Could improve? slow on Saturday afternoons and outside comp times in general

[WBennett]

And GAP panel doesn't act on verbal whinges, and tells them to put it in an email, if they want it addressed at the next meeting.


Funny, that's what I tell people to do at work.
Whinging is easy. Taking time to actually document what is wrong is far harder

[Toxic]

And GAP panel doesn't act on verbal whinges, and tells them to put it in an email, if they want it addressed at the next meeting.Funny, that's what I tell people to do at work.Whinging is easy. Taking time to actually document what is wrong is far harder

Quite simplyCreate a "formal complaints process" reduces whinging and time wasters

[PerryGroves]

WB, good on you for putting up your hand, not the easiest thing to do with a family/job.

Having been on the board at mine, whilst it's good to come with ideas, if you don't have support, nothing with happen, hopefully you don't get frustrated. If you actually have a change agenda, you will need like minded members to join you on the board over time.

You may well find mates want more "inside info" out of you than you are able to give. As a board member, regardless of the decisions, you have to maintain one face to the membership. This is often difficult if you want to be totally honest in all dealings.

I am anti mission statements and visions but I do like a capital works agenda that is made available and costed to the membership and in your comms, gets ticked off when completed.

Good luck.

[WBennett]

WB, good on you for putting up your hand, not the easiest thing to do with a family/job.Having been on the board at mine, whilst it's good to come with ideas, if you don't have support, nothing with happen, hopefully you don't get frustrated. If you actually have a change agenda, you will need like minded members to join you on the board over time.You may well find mates want more "inside info" out of you than you are able to give. As a board member, regardless of the decisions, you have to maintain one face to the membership. This is often difficult if you want to be totally honest in all dealings. I am anti mission statements and visions but I do like a capital works agenda that is made available and costed to the membership and in your comms, gets ticked off when completed.Good luck.

We have a club where the president was a former Chief of Airforce, so process and discipline is in built.I was formerly president and committee member for my old football club for 14 years, so I know how these things work. This is a far better functioning organisation than I was able to run 😂

[Webster]

My home Club does almost everything well. High quality golf at excellent value, members interests always come first, well run competition golf with the course also readily available for social play, engaged with local businesses, community and tourism groups in a team approach, I could go on and on. My former Club was almost the exact opposite, I do not miss it for a second.

If I could offer a pinch of advice to a would be committee candidate, it would be to not be overly eager in trying to rush all your ideas at once, no matter how good they are. Golf clubs are conservative places where the wheels turn slow. Sometimes you just need to be a bit patient until you work our where everyone's loyalties and vested interests are.Good luck.

Oh, and let the Manager and the Super do their jobs. They don't need any micro management if they know their stuff.

[petethepilot]

Hard to think of better value…or simply better golf than your place Webby!

[sms316]

My home Club does almost everything well. High quality golf at excellent value, members interests always come first, well run competition golf with the course also readily available for social play, engaged with local businesses, community and tourism groups in a team approach, I could go on and on. My former Club was almost the exact opposite, I do not miss it for a second.If I could offer a pinch of advice to a would be committee candidate, it would be to not be overly eager in trying to rush all your ideas at once, no matter how good they are. Golf clubs are conservative places where the wheels turn slow. Sometimes you just need to be a bit patient until you work our where everyone's loyalties and vested interests are.Good luck. Oh, and let the Manager and the Super do their jobs. They don't need any micro management if they know their stuff.

Every new director I’ve had has come armed at their first meeting trying to change the world in one hit. It’s as reliable as gravity. And yes, stay in your lane. The board are there to come up with policy and strategy. The GM is there to run operations and implement strategy/policy. You won’t agree with every decision that your GM has and nor should you. Nobody agrees with anyone 100% of the time. Directors need to be adult enough to know when to sit back and accept that from time to time.

[gco0307]

This is a little difficult in some way actually as my club is a lower cost club with lower fees than most and it shows in a lot of areas.

But for me what they do well is generate a good membership atmosphere. Thet are a friendly welcoming club where it is very much a 'social' atmosphere. No real attitudes exist and there seems no Us vs Them attitudes around the place.

That said, a few things could improve but money is needed to improve the fairways (have variable grasses but is also built on iron stone so difficult to grow). We have a lot of rocky areas just off fairways and I know we should not hit there but it is club destroying and some of our tees are to small so you end up using the same area every day. But that said, it is always in as good a condition as possible and as mentioned, it needs money to fix but money is not readily available (although the club has just merged with a larger entity so who knows). All of that needs money so to me, time and waiting.

But they are also a Stroke and Stableford club with a few mix-in fun games occasionally - so same same type of cometitions. However, at the same time and this may be coincidence but 2 weeks ago I played a game with the club captain and mentioned that I had not seen any Par events in the past or future and that I like that game as it is a good challenge. Sure as a long marker it is no good for me and does suit the lower markers (was my favourite when I could play the game 30 years ago) and then lo and behold - Par hits the schedule etc, so they do listen.

Honestly, the big improvements my club needs are money driven so there is an understandable limitation

[Webster]

Hard to think of better value…or simply better golf than your place Webby!

We tend to think we are very lucky to have what we do here, but in reality it's the result of decades of strong governance and shrewd financial management. Having Clayton involved with the course continuously for more than 25 years is a huge part of that.

[WBennett]

Every new director I’ve had has come armed at their first meeting trying to change the world in one hit. It’s as reliable as gravity. And yes, stay in your lane. The board are there to come up with policy and strategy. The GM is there to run operations and implement strategy/policy. You won’t agree with every decision that your GM has and nor should you. Nobody agrees with anyone 100% of the time. Directors need to be adult enough to know when to sit back and accept that from time to time.

As my old work mentor told me, watch and learn for three to six months. There are reasons why things are done the way they are. The incumbents aren't idiots.

[WBennett]

My home Club does almost everything well. High quality golf at excellent value, members interests always come first, well run competition golf with the course also readily available for social play, engaged with local businesses, community and tourism groups in a team approach, I could go on and on. My former Club was almost the exact opposite, I do not miss it for a second.If I could offer a pinch of advice to a would be committee candidate, it would be to not be overly eager in trying to rush all your ideas at once, no matter how good they are. Golf clubs are conservative places where the wheels turn slow. Sometimes you just need to be a bit patient until you work our where everyone's loyalties and vested interests are.Good luck. Oh, and let the Manager and the Super do their jobs. They don't need any micro management if they know their stuff.

We are quite lucky. Our Super is awesome with limited resources, and our head of greens committee is exceptionally qualified and supportive. They have this.

[markTHEblake]

Suggestion: play more interesting events, like 4BWB, Flag, and .... Par, even better, Bisque.

[LeftyHoges]

Suggestion: play more interesting events, like 4BWB, Flag, and .... Par, even better, Bisque.

Good luck, if it's not Stableford or Stroke the phuckwit members tend to vote with their feet and you lose 20% of your field.

I ****ing hate golfers.

[PeteyD]

Good luck, if it's not Stableford or Stroke the phuckwit members tend to vote with their feet and you lose 20% of your field.

I ****ing hate golfers.

So much this. Extremely annoying.

[markTHEblake]

How about a mixed canadian 2 stroke then?

[WBennett]

Suggestion: play more interesting events, like 4BWB, Flag, and .... Par, even better, Bisque.

There are some interesting 'rules' in play.

We have about half a dozen honour board events - Matchplay, 4BBB Matchplay, Champs, Foursomes, Mixed Foursomes and Champs. Saturdays are Stroke first week of the month, stableford the rest.

Wednesdays are Stroke first week week, stableford the rest

Sundays are a mix of par, white tees (3 shot easier course according to handicaps), and 4BBB etc.

We have one ambrose day, and 2 teams events using a club specific format (Lakeball) each year.

Friday is yellow short course.

Bisque has disappeared, American and Canadian Foursomes etc have all disappeared.

[Toxic]

What is "Lakeball" ??

[WBennett]

What is "Lakeball" ??

A pain in the arse to explain. Modified Ambrose.Players are numbered 1-4Some holes up to three players tee off, one putts. Others have one tee shot, three putt.Par 3s, everyone tees off, one person putts each holeOr something like that.

[ParkRoyal]

One thing not mentioned so far is slow play. Our club has tried to do some work and opened feedback via its Facebook page, but it feels short lived possibly because its a much bigger issue in winter.

Having committee members willing to step in and play with known slow pokes I know has helped at a previous club i've been at and shows your not making statements about it. Even setting out targets and monitoring them through the year and providing that info can beneficial with this.

[LeftyHoges]

One thing not mentioned so far is slow play. Our club has tried to do some work and opened feedback via its Facebook page, but it feels short lived possibly because its a much bigger issue in winter.

Having committee members willing to step in and play with known slow pokes I know has helped at a previous club i've been at and shows your not making statements about it. Even setting out targets and monitoring them through the year and providing that info can beneficial with this.

Cairns GC has gone on a slow play blitz, and the last groups of the day are now getting around in 4hr 20 compared to 5hr 20 only 6 months earlier.

Anyone who says they can't get around in under 4hr 30 is full of shit, and needs a good hard look at themselves.