The Key Functions for Golf Course Management (3): Club Operations

Continuing with the review of the key functions, which we had begun to review in previous articles, for the management of golf courses, and that we had segmented into four, Management Control, Facility Maintenance, Sales and Marketing , and Club Operations, today we are going to refer to those Operations that each Club carries out daily to respond to the expectations of its Clients.

The Operations of a Club are one of the fundamental elements in the Management of golf courses

What do we mean when we talk about the Operations of a Golf Club? The answer can be simplified in that they are those actions that the Club staff has to carry out so that the Client achieves maximum satisfaction in the use of the Club and that In addition, they are activities that the Client sees live. Although each Club is different and may have different Operations, we can determine the following as the most relevant and common:

- Reservation Management: It is a vital operation for the operation of a Club, regardless of whether it is for members, commercial or mixed. The good practices in this operation will significantly mark the quality of the management. Reservations can be made in three ways, in person, by phone or by mail, although today the most widely accepted alternative is online reservation, thanks to the fact that there are already a series of very popular software on the market. that greatly facilitate them. The staff in charge of the reservations have a great responsibility, since they manage the inventory of the most precious goods of the Club, the tee-times, for which they have to have a great knowledge of the operation.

Every day online reservations are taking more boom

- Rentals: This is another relevant function. Today the most important rental is that of the Buggys, and for this many decisions have to be made, How many buggies does the Club fleet have to have? Do they have to be gasoline or electric? Is it better to lease them? or renting, or owned? How do we store them?...these and other questions are key to answering them properly to have a good buggy rental service. In addition, there are other necessary rentals for good customer service, rental of clubs, increasingly necessary, rental of trolleys... In short, the rentals also contribute to the excellence of the service of each Club.

Buggy rental is having great importance in all types of Golf Clubs

- The Driving Range: The Driving Range is a nerve center for the satisfaction of the Clients of a Golf Club. In addition to a physical space that has to be maintained with great sensitivity, the Driving Range is a very important service center. The main operations carried out at the Driving Range are golf lessons and practice balls. As for golf classes, it is an activity that requires a lot of attention, and correct decision-making, by the Club's Management. The first question to be resolved regarding golf classes is whether we want to be an open school or a school restricted to our members/subscribers. Another question that requires an answer is whether the teachers are employees of the club, are they self-employed, or are they an independent company? The decision on how we organize the youngs school, a key element in any Club, also requires reflection... In short, there is much to reflect on the activity of golf classes before making decisions. As for practice balls, there are also things to discuss, do we leave them free to players who have paid a Green-fee, or do we charge them? The same question must be asked for members, free or charged?. It is also necessary to discuss whether the balls are included in the price of the classes or paid separately, as well as whether the vending machines work with coins or tokens. The decision of how the collection of the balls is organized at the end or during the day is not simple either. The summary is that the driving range also has an important weight in the image and operation of a Club.

The Golf School, including the practice balls, is a matter of great importance in the Operations of a Club

- Pro-Shop: Another nerve center of a Golf Club. Here the main questions are, where should it be located? In the same place as the caddy-master or apart? Should it be directly managed or outsourced? It is a difficult decision to make, since it will greatly affect the organization. In the case of sublease, it is necessary to decide whether the rent is fixed or variable, also on whom the staff puts, the Club or the tenant?, the type of products that are put up for sale, only replacement material, or also hard goods?. In the case of direct management, issues such as pricing policy, supplier selection, stock management, responsible personnel, merchandising of material with our logo... There is no doubt that the pro-shop is a critical point and that it notably affects the image of our Club.

- Food & Beverage: This is generally the most complex operation on which to make decisions. The issues here are very diverse. The first to decide is whether we take it directly or subleased. Here are answers for all tastes. Advantages of subletting? Obviously there are, the clearest, those of purchases, a complicated issue, and those of the staff. In the other option, direct management, there are also great advantages, although not without drawbacks, the most important being the integration of the entire service with the same criteria, another important advantage is the "packaging" of prices for offers to play and eat, or that of the lunch included in the championships. In any case, in addition to the dilemma between direct and subleased, the restoration of a Club has to resolve other issues, such as hours, type of food, rates... without forgetting the availability for events, whether for third parties or promoted directly by the Club. The issue of restoration has a great weight in customer satisfaction, so it must be carefully considered.

The decision on the type of F&B operation, direct or subleased, of a Golf Club is of great relevance

- Other Operations: In addition to the above, the Golf Clubs have other operations to attend to, although many of them are specific to each type of Club. One, almost generalized in all Clubs, is the management of tournaments, which can be social, open or professional, and each one can have a different format. In some Clubs, especially member clubs, the championships have a very relevant importance in the usual operations. Another operation that is being required in many Clubs, in this case more in the commercial ones, is that of the buggy-bar. Children's activities, the pool or other sports are also common, but they already depend on the type of Club that is analyzed.

In summary, we can affirm that the Club Operations section is a basic subject in Management, as important as the other three, Management Control, Maintenance and Sales and Marketing, and that the assessment that the market makes our Clubs.

Thanks for your attention

Francisco Aymerich

CEO

GOLF BUSINESS PARTNERS