Out and about in 2022

Photo by Erik Brolin on Unsplash

It is the holiday season! Several holidays all packed into 5 busy weeks of frying, buying, flying, giving and working hard simply to survive it all. This time of year also has property leaders preparing for 2022, I believe in many ways, a year like no other. As you plan for the coming year, hoping to have a solid cart fleet, merchandise on the shelves, and team members at the ready, it is also time to think about ways to get better and improve the experience for members, guests, and staff. These three ideas can hopefully get you on your way in developing a full 2022 program that positions your golf course as the one to play for members inside your community and beyond.

Of course, you want to have a golf course that presents well and plays amazing, with lush fairways, fast greens, and added aesthetics pleasing to the eyes. Once you move beyond the golf course, developing an experience strategy that puts people first should be top of mind to build traffic, enthusiasm and loyalty. In this installment of In My Opinion, I am presenting three ideas to help with the people side of the experience: 

1. Get out of your office: beyond the necessary office duty, there is very little reason to remain in the office. Develop a plan to have you and your managers be out and about around property, speaking one-on-one with staff and golfers. This can be a game-changer.
2. Develop a concise 15-minute AM meeting: maybe call it the huddle, where you set up 15 minutes to present the day ahead, provide encouragement, or do a quick Q & A. Talking to the team each morning provides information to you and direction and confidence to all.
3. Recognition, recognition, recognition: there is no doubt in my mind that we do not recognize the golfers for their loyalty, or staff members for all they do. Create both a calendar for recognition, as well as an ad hoc program with all of your managers to look for reasons to present both small and large honors to team members. I have never witnessed too much recognition over a long career, so why not think it through and work out a story, a plan and a budget.

In this time of The Great Resignation managers should be looking for things they can do to create and maintain a program for staff that helps people stay longer, strive harder with more energy and enthusiasm. It is not always about the money; it can be everything. Why not ask each individual what they value in their job? Knowing what makes people tick will help that tick stay consistent and strong. Show your golfers love and respect. At the same time, learn about each team member, what they crave, what motivates, and what might build loyalty. Of course you will still have turnover, but providing consistent training, conversation and rewards can, I believe, make a difference for your team that will build a better day for golfers and staffers alike. 

Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion series. Jack is an author, speaker, expert in the golf shop, purchasing, operations, service, and communications. His new book is: Jump the Line: 101 Lessons for Professional Success. To learn how Jack can help your team, your shop, and your operation, call him at: 407-973-6136 or e-mail him at: jackd@careerdividends.com. Jack lives in Orlando and on Zoom. And of course: Happy Holidays!