Never forget, golf is a service industry also.

What are the key ingredients golfers are looking for from their own club or when they visit a club with a golfing society or a group of friends? The quality of the greens, the history of the course, the car parking, the practise facilities, the range of stock in the Pro shop or maybe even the welcome. I am a firm believer that the best reputation a golf club can have is that the vibe surrounding the whole location will guarantee on departure that visitors will become ambassadors for the venue they have just visited by commenting on their excellent day out to anybody who will listen. The danger of course with golf clubs is the one-year committee-based structure where some Captains chair an unmotivated team, simply want to avoid controversy, avail of a few complimentary rounds of golf and argue that long term planning is not in his/her remit as current committees cannot make decisions for committees yet to be elected.

However as more and more clubs go for the management committee style whereby a committee is in situ for four or five years, long term decisions can now be made with ease and of course with the members approval through annual general meetings. Every day is a learning day we are told and there is no harm in having an outside agency come visit and report on the overall product that your golf club is providing. As the season begins to get shorter and shorter every year, the revenue generating months are crucial and it is essential to maximise the reputation of one’s golf course both nationally and internationally. This is part of the future for all golf clubs looking to cement themselves in their local sporting landscape. When golfers arrive to play golf, they want to be bouncing onto the first tee and it is every club’s raison d’etre to facilitate this by constantly upskilling every member of their golf team.

59club is a UK based company that have a proven track record in assisting leisure business’s achieve industry recognised customer service standards. They can provide training when required and have developed a structured “secret shopper” programme that is guaranteed to highlight strengths and weaknesses in your golf club. Currently partnered with a number of marquee clubs here in Ireland, it was clear to me following a recent face to face meeting that the service they provide is a perfect fit for all golf clubs here in Ireland. The comment box or reviews on social media platforms were OK 10 or 15 years ago, to help committees get a small understanding of where they were going right and wrong. Structured and “live” data is now a prerequisite for any business hoping to stay ahead of the curve and protect their business model. Smart comments during prize presentations or convincing yourself that your product isn’t broken and doesn’t need fixing is a recipe for closure. Rather than stressing on where you club is positioned in the next published top of the pops chart, why not be pro-active and take the road less travelled?