Membership has its privileges

As people age, many like the idea of becoming a joiner. Some join social clubs, book clubs, and other clubs that bring a sense of fellowship, a sense of friendship. In golf, when there is a membership opportunity, club leadership wants to fill every available slot while working hard to build a sense of loyalty. The opportunity to create full membership — while many clubs have a waiting list — has been a huge benefit of this season of COVID. People were wanting to be outdoors, to do things in the fresh air. Golf became the thing after a great deal of preparation and protective measures were put in place by June 2020. Golf course tee sheets became full as people pushed past the daily warnings. Clubs then took advantage by promoting memberships, offering the value of the outdoors without the need to tap the credit card for every round played. Club membership certainly offers a sense of pride for the new member. It offers a true feeling of accomplishment.

As the famous ad states, “Membership has its privileges.” It certainly should as the individual or family makes the decision to take the leap and make the investment. This In My Opinion post will provide three thoughts on the motivation of taking care of those who commit to your club. Whether it is a longstanding member or a first timer, it is important for leadership and staff to create a personal sense of hospitality. It is about care and attention, creating the opportunity for each member to enjoy the experience while playing the game they love. In addition to setting the table for the members, it is vital for every club to take care of the staff, the team that puts on the daily show. As you think about your constituents, appreciate that it includes three groups: your membership group, the staff, and the network serving the club, your supplier community. Each group is a stakeholder in the future success of your club.

Value: Certainly you must present and offer value to the membership each and every day. Members invest a great deal of money for the privilege of membership. It is important to recognize the fact they made the decision to invest in your property. Value is an essential component of membership. While the member invests with their dollars, the staff members invest with their energy and time. It is important to look at the entire concept of value to understand how each of the three groups gains value. The third members of your community include the dozens of suppliers.

Hospitality: The general manager of a golf club acts as the host of a great restaurant. They provide the setup and the structure for a grand experience. Members want to feel special within the gates of your club. That should be the goal of the team you have assembled. At the same time your team, in this new world of work, also wants to feel special, each one critical to the team. Although hospitality doesn’t feel like it fits here, know that today’s employees want to be seen and heard, while expecting flexibility within their area. This is not your Grandad’s employee group. One of the most important areas is in scheduling: being able to fit life into their role and vice versa. The supplier community is looking for time, an ear, and a chance to serve the club. Hospitality is certainly a part of their presentation and selling experience. 

Respect: No matter the group, each person deserves complete respect. Every human being deserves to be seen and thoroughly heard. There can be no invisible people, no matter how busy the day or crazy a situation. Of course, you and your team will provide respect and attention to every member and guest. That’s what you do. In addition, being honest with every supplier is an important step in showing respect, whether you intend to buy from them today or not. Being fair shows respect. Providing direction when a team member makes a mistake is an important piece on the ladder of respect. A lesson I learned a bit late: no matter how busy a manager is, they owe it to every staffer to stop, square up the shoulders, and take the time to listen. Listening in hospitality is a golden ticket.

Members provide an incredible value to the golf club. It should be a goal to serve them well every time they are on property. Think out of the box, providing great surprises throughout the year. Solid employees are tough to find today and even tougher to keep. It takes a plan, time, and committed attention, plus a creative pay package. For suppliers, give them your ear. Allow them to show their menu. There may just be two or three items that are game changers for your club. Golf is in a special place. It takes time, patience, and outstanding listening to get it right.

Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion post. Jack is a speaker, an author, and an expert in the business of golf. Jack’s new book, The Grand Tug of War: buying and selling in the real world, is available now. If you would like Jack to help you and your team, connect at jackd@careerdividends.com or give him a call at 407-973-6136.