Excellence Evolved: 59club Sets a New Standard in Survey Intelligence forGolf, Leisure, Spa, Hospitality, Retail, and F&B Businesses
Ten years after launching what became the industry benchmark for satisfaction surveys, 59club has unveiled a fully re-engineered, AI-powered platform โ branded under the banner โExcellence Evolvedโ โ marking the next chapter in its commitment to raising the standards of service performance across the global club industry.
Designed for leaders who view service as a strategic advantage, the platform sets a new benchmark in survey intelligence.
This next-generation platform has been developed in collaboration with global digital product studio Studio Graphene, combining a human-centric blend of design, AI and agile product development with enterprise-grade technology and scalable AI architecture; bringing a new level of digital sophistication to the golf & hospitality industry.
While many tools simply gather feedback, 59club delivers something far more valuable: performance intelligence grounded in credible global benchmarking.
The new platform retains the trusted foundations that have supported clubs worldwide for over a decade โ including industry templates spanning the entire member, guest, and employee experience, with comparisons against global averages, best-in-class performers, and recognised industry standards.
Now, it raises the bar.
For the first time, clubs can apply attribute-based benchmarking filters, enabling genuine like-for-like comparisons against relevant competitors. The result is fair, meaningful analysis that creates a true level playing field for performance evaluation.
At the heart of the relaunch is a completely redesigned AI-powered dashboard. Enhanced metrics, smarter visualization, and deeper insight provide immediate clarity. Long-form responses are analyzed and summarized, identifying key themes and sentiment in seconds โ turning feedback into focused action without the manual workload.
The platform also introduces greater multi-language capability, allowing surveys to be created, distributed and analyzed in multiple languages โ supporting international guests and multilingual communities within a clubโs own market. Smart CRM and POS integrations ensure survey data connects directly with operational performance.
Commercially, the model is straightforward: unlimited surveys and responses for one transparent fee โ no caps, no hidden costs.
Beyond technology, 59club continues to differentiate itself through hands-on support from a global team of customer experience specialists embedded in the golf, leisure & hospitality industry. From survey design to insight interpretation and action planning, clubs are supported locally at every stage of their performance journey.
โThe industry doesnโt need more surveys. It needs better intelligence. For years, clubs have been collecting feedback through various channels, producing reports and hoping it leads to improvement. But without credible benchmarking and proper analysis, data is just noise. We built our original survey platform to change that. And now, ten years later, weโve combined all of that credible global data with AI-powered intelligence and our hands-on expertise to give clubs clarity, confidence, and a genuine competitive edge. Our new platform is faster, smarter, and more powerful than anything weโve launched before โ giving clubs something theyโve never truly had: a fair, like-for-like view of how they really perform. If service matters to your club, this isnโt optional. Itโs essential.โ
–Simon Wordsworth, CEO, 59club
โ59club had the vision โ we made it real. This isnโt a survey tool; itโs a performance intelligence platform that sets a new standard for golf clubs & hospitality businesses. By blending 59clubโs unrivalled benchmarking data with scalable AI, human-centric design, and enterprise-grade engineering, weโve built a platform that doesnโt just collect feedback โ it interprets it, benchmarks it, and turns it into action. Where others stop at dashboards, 59club delivers clarity, context, and a true like-for-like view of performance โ instantly. Clubs can see exactly where to act and measure impact with confidence. That level of insight simply hasnโt existed before. Weโre proud to have brought 59clubโs vision to life, proving that when design, data, and engineering come together, service excellence becomes a real competitive advantage.โ
–Ritam Gandhi, Founder, Studio Graphene
For club leaders committed to service excellence and measurable improvement, this platform represents the next evolution of survey intelligence in golf.
59club USAโs third annual Service Excellence Awards Event brought the golf and hospitality industry together to celebrate the nationโs finest service providers, as they recognized outstanding performances across customer service, sales, operations, and leadership.
These prestigious accolades are determined by scores collected through 59clubโs mystery shopping program, which evaluates the entire experience afforded to visiting golfers, andโฏthe sales journeyโฏthat unfolds as prospectiveโฏclients inquire for club membership, group golf days and special events.
Celebrations unfolded for Reynolds Lake Oconee, as the club achieved their third consecutive 59club Gold Flag Accolade.
59clubโs Bronze, Silver and Gold Flag Designations are presented to properties that not only achieved the required standard of customer service during their audits across 2025, but also provided excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.
Reynolds also retained the my59 Service Excellence Award, for their dedication when engaging with members and guests across 2025, having launched a multitude of diverse surveys, serving various revenue streams, utilizing 59clubโs survey tools.
Success for KemperSports, as a defining year unfolded for Desert Willow Golf Resort, who enjoyed multiple accolades across departments. Desert Willow, managed by Derek White, achieved their first ever Gold Flag Designation, while Keith Sansone was crowned Food & Beverage Manager of the Year, Brian Lind secured Retail Manager of the Year, Ryan Szydlowski awarded Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience, and Chris Bien earned Superintendent of the Year across public courses, highlighting a truly holistic approach to service excellence.
Derek White, General Manager of Desert Willow Golf Resort commented:
โAfter achieving Silver status for two consecutive years, our team set a specific goal of earning the Gold Flag, so reaching that milestone has been incredibly rewarding. It reflects the pride, discipline, and consistency our managers and frontline teams bring to their roles every day. To then be recognized with awards across multiple facets of the industry, from golf operations and food and beverage to retail and course conditions is truly special and speaks to an organization-wide approach to service excellence. Qualifying for the Global Awards is an honor we share with our entire team as we represent KemperSports and Desert Willow Golf Resort on a global stage.โ
The Superintendent of the Year category also celebrated Lane Singleton of Reynolds Lake Oconee within the private club sector, and Chris Zugel of Whistling Straits, managed by Kohler, across resort destinations, recognizing the critical role agronomy teams play in shaping the guest experience.
Kohler did not stop there, as two coveted Gold Flag Designations were awarded to world renowned Whistling Straits, and Blackwolf Run, affirming Kohlerโs commitment to delivering service excellence.
Golf course presentation excellence was further highlighted, with Ryan Kreizenbeck of We-Ko-Pa Golf Club awarded for delivering the finest presented golf course, receiving Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation. We-Ko-Pa also achieved a Silver Flag Designation, as the club continues its strong tradition as one of Americaโs leading independent clubs.
Great leadership and teamwork were central themes at The River Club, managed by Escalante, where Chip Spiler led the Golf Operations Team of the Year, and Andy Deyo secured Club Manager of the Year.
General Manager of The River Club, Andy Deyo commented on the award:
โWe are delighted to be able to share this award with our entire River Club team. To be able to uphold the core concepts driven by Escalante of clean operations, sharp execution and remarkable hospitality is indeed gratifying. We look forward to continued and sustained improvement through the partnership with 59club USA.โ
Outstanding hospitality was recognized with Tony Madera of Chariot Run, receiving Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience for Cabot Managed Properties, who also enjoyed an additional two Silver Flags presented to Cascata Golf Club and Serket.
The TPC Network yet again saw their teams receive multiple wins, with Kayleigh Murphy of TPC River Highlands awarded Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance for the third year in succession. Lisa Krueger of TPC Twin Cities secured both Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance and Leading Individual Event Sales Performance. Jasmine Middleton of TPC Summerlin was also revelling after sharing the Most Improved Sales Performance of 2025.
And the awards kept coming, as the iconic TPC Sawgrass was awarded a Gold Flag Designation, a first for the property, and across the TPC network. 59clubโs industry benchmark Flag Designations did not stop there, as Myrtle Beach National, part of the Founders Group International was awarded a Bronze Flag Designation, while Springdale Resort achieved a Silver Flag.
Progress and momentum were rewarded with the Most Improved Golf Visit Experience presented to Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, led by Brian Mahoney, while Elena Correa of The Lexington Golf & Country Club, managed by Landscapes Golf Management shared the Most Improved Sales Performance accolade.
Reflecting on the event, Mark Reed, 59clubโs Co-Founder and Managing Director, said, โAs we celebrate our third year of Service Excellence Awards in the USA, itโs inspiring to see both sustained excellence and meaningful improvement across our affiliate properties. These winners represent the very best of our industry, and itโs a privilege to recognize their commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences.โ
We’d like to thank our Global Partners; Banbury Litho, Caddy Clubhouse, Global Talent Solutions, Pacesetter Technology, Power Tee, Studio Graphene, Turtleson and ZEN Golf, alongside our USA Partners & Supporters; Golf Bizz Review, Galvin Green, Golf Inc Magazine. It’s thanks to their loyalty and support that we’re able to host our Annual Service Excellence Awards, as we continue to work together to unite the golf industry.
The following managers and properties will represent USA at the 59club Global Awards in Portugal this November, where we will announce our Global Manager of the Year Awards that recognize the worldโs most visionary leaders across: Golf Management, Operations, Retail, Agronomy, and Food & Beverage. Along with our Signature Collection, celebrating the best performing Gold Flag bearing venues worldwide for delivering the highest standards of service across every customer touchpoint. Venues are grouped by market segment โ Private, Semi-Private, and Destination โ to reflect the diversity of the global golf industry. And finally, the Eminent Collection, which honors Venues and Individuals who have not only achieved, but sustained, world-class service for a minimum of 5 years.
Leading Managers
Club Manager – Andy Deyo, The River Club
Retail Manager – Brian Lind, Desert Willow Golf Resort
Golf Operations Manager – Chip Spiler, The River Club
F&B Manager – Keith Sansone, Desert Willow Golf Resort
Golf Superintendents –
Chris Bien, Desert Willow Golf Resort (Public)
Chris Zugel, Whistling Staits (Resort Destination)
Lane Singleton, Reynolds Lake Oconee (Private)
Gold Flag Venues
Blackwolf Run
Desert Willow Golf Resort
Reynolds Lake Oconee
TPC Sawgrass
Whistling Straits
59club USA Service Excellence Award Winners 2025
Gold Flag Designation
Blackwolf Run (Kohler)
Desert Willow Golf Resort (KemperSports)
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
TPC Sawgrass (TPC Network)
Whistling Straits (Kohler)
Silver Flag Designations
Cascata Golf Club (Cabot Managed Properties)
Serket (Cabot Managed Properties)
Springdale Resort (Independent)
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Independent)
Bronze Flag Designations
Myrtle Beach National (Founders Group International)
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Andy Deyo โ The River Club (Escalante)
Golf Superintendents of the Year
Chris Bien โ Desert Willow Golf Resort – Public (KemperSports)
Chris Zugel โ Whistling Straits – Resort Destination (Kohler)
Lane Singleton โ Reynolds Lake Oconee – Private (Independent)
Retail Manager of the Year
Brian Lind โ Desert Willow Golf Resort (KemperSports)
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Keith Sansone – Desert Willow Golf Resort (KemperSports)
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Chip Spiler – The River Club (Escalante)
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Ryan Szydlowski – Desert Willow Golf Resort (KemperSports)
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Ryan Kreizenbeck โ We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Independent)
Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience
Tony Madera โ Chariot Run (Cabot Managed Properties)
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance
Lisa Krueger – TPC Twin Cities (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
Lisa Krueger – TPC Twin Cities (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Kayleigh Murphy – TPC River Highlands (TPC Network)
Most Improved Golf Visit Experience
Brian Mahoney โ Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa (Omni Hotels & Resorts)
Most Improved Sales Performance
Jasmine Middleton โ TPC Summerlin (TPC Network)
Elena Correa โ The Lexington Golf & Country Club (Landscapes Golf Management)
We are delighted to announce the nominations for our upcoming Service Excellence Awards Ceremony, taking place at The Hampton Social, Orlando on January 22, 2026. Congratulations to everyone shortlisted!
Several of the USAโs finest Management Companies will see their affiliate clubs nominated for a 59club Service Excellence Award, each having displayed some of the finest customer experiences during our mystery shopper audits over the past 12 months, with Cabot Managed Properties, Escalante Golf, Evergreen Golf Partners, Founders Group International, KemperSports, Kohler, Landscapes Golf Management, Omni Hotels & Resorts, TPC and Troon all vying for accolades.
Independent Clubs that include Blackhawk Country Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club are all also featured in the nominations list, each having delivered the highest standard of customer service throughout 2025.
During the ceremony, our renowned industry benchmark โ the 59club Bronze, Silver, and Gold Flag Designations โ will also be presented to the USA Properties that not only achieved the required standard of service as part of 59clubโs mystery shopping program, but also provide excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.
Commenting on the announcement, Mark Reed, 59club Co-Founder & Director said, โWe are proud to celebrate the exceptional Club Managers, Teams, and Properties nominated for a 59club Award. Your dedication to raising the bar in customer service is inspiring and clearly sets you apart in a highly competitive industry.
โThe continued adoption of our sales and service philosophy across Partner Properties is having a powerful impact, driving measurable improvements and an impressive evolution of service standards throughout the USA.โ
(Properties listed in alphabetical order)
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Blackwolf Run, Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The River Club, TPC Myrtle Beach, Whistling Straits
Retail Manager of the Year
Blackwolf Run, Burning Ridge Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Founders Club at Pawleys Island, Grande Dunes Golf Club, Myrtle Beach National, Randolph Dell Urich Golf Course, The River Club
Superintendent of the Year
Blackwolf Run, Chariot Run, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The River Club, TPC Sawgrass, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Whistling Straits
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Blackwolf Run, Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Myrtle Beach National, The River Club, TPC Myrtle Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Wild Wing Plantation
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Blackwolf Run, Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Serket, The River Club, TPC Myrtle Beach, TPC Sawgrass, Whistling Straits
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Desert Willow Golf Resort, Omni Bedford Springs Resort, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Reynolds Lake Oconee – The Landing, Reynolds Lake Oconee – The Preserve, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Whistling Straits – Straits
Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience
Blackwolf Run, Chariot Run, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, River Hills Golf Club, The Governors Club, The Omni Grove Park Inn, Whistling Straits
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Blackwolf Run – Meadow Valleys, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Lake of Isles, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Omni PGA Frisco Resort, The River Club, TPC Sawgrass – Stadium, Whistling Straits – Irish
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Blackhawk Country Club, Blackthorn Club, Omni PGA Frisco Resort, Royal Melbourne Country Club, TPC Boston, TPC Potomac, TPC River Highlands, TPC Sawgrass
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
The Lexington Golf & Country Club, TPC Southwind, TPC Sugarloaf, TPC Summerlin, TPC Twin Cities
Most Improved Golf Visit Experience
Baylands Golf Links, Blackwolf Run – Meadows Valley, Burning Ridge Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Lake of Isles, Myrtlewood Golf Club – Pinehills, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, River Hills Golf Club
Most Improved Sales Performance
Dakota Dunes Country Club, Pinecrest Golf Club, Prairie Green Golf Course, The Lexington Golf & Country Club, TPC Deere Run, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Southwind, TPC Summerlin
My59 Service Excellence Award
Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Club at Golden Valley, The Old Club, TPC San Antonio, Vanderbilt Country Club
In addition to 59clubโs USA Awards Event, the global Customer Service Management Specialists will host six additional ceremonies during 2026 โ starting in Canada, before heading off to Europe, the UK, the MEA, Asia, and finally finishing in Australia โ as 59club continues uniting the world of golf & hospitality around their commitment to deliver customer service excellence. We look forward to celebrating with you soon!
About the Awards
59clubโs Annual Awards Ceremony recognizes the outstanding venues and teams within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.
Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, guests, prospective members, and prospective event clients across golf and hospitality.
With an ever-expanding and diverse range of venues, 59club USA continues to reflect the absolute best performances regardless of a venueโs size, scale, or profile.
59clubโs Industry Benchmark of Excellence, itโs Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognize member clubs and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.
59club is delighted to announce the appointment of Joe Gates as General Manager of 59clubโs Middle East & Africa (MEA) division, reinforcing the companyโs commitment to elevating service, sales, and compliance standards across golf, leisure, hospitality, and education sectors throughout the Middle East and Africa.
Joe joins 59club MEA with over 20 years of international leadership experience spanning golf, leisure, and luxury hospitality, having held senior roles with some of the industryโs most respected brands including Jumeirah Group, David Lloyd, and The Mere Golf Resort & Spa. His extensive career has been defined by operational excellence, team development, and a proven ability to enhance guest engagement and commercial performance.
Following a comprehensive international search supported by Global Talent Solutions, 59club was presented with a selection of outstanding candidates. Joe emerged as the ideal fit for the role, bringing together deep sector expertise, regional understanding, and a values-led approach to leadership that aligns seamlessly with 59clubโs vision.
During his tenure as Director of Golf at The Mere, Joe played a pivotal role in establishing one of the North of Englandโs most successful independent resorts. Under his leadership, teams were consistently benchmarked, trained, and developed using 59clubโs mystery shopper program, giving Joe firsthand insight into the transformative impact of performance measurement on service delivery and business growth. This early partnership with 59club shaped his long-standing appreciation for data-driven improvement and the power of consistent service standards.
Now based in Dubai, Joe leads 59clubโs expanding operations across the Middle East and Africa, supporting clubs, resorts, hospitality groups, educational institutions, and leisure venues in achieving world-class service and operational excellence. His strategic background, deep regional understanding, and passion for empowering teams will play a central role in strengthening 59clubโs presence and partnerships across diverse markets.
โJoining 59club MEA is a full-circle moment for me,โ said Joe Gates, General Manager. โHaving been a 59club client earlier in my career, I experienced how powerful their tools and insights are in shaping service culture, guest satisfaction, and commercial performance. Iโm excited to now be on the other side โ supporting venues across this dynamic region to achieve meaningful, measurable, and long-term improvements.โ
Joe is committed to positioning 59club as the benchmark for service excellence across the MEA region, helping partners elevate guest experience, strengthen employee engagement, and drive sustainable commercial results through structured benchmarking, tailored training, and continuous support.
Simon Wordsworth, 59club Founder & CEO, welcomed the appointment: โJoeโs international experience, operational expertise, and genuine passion for service excellence make him an outstanding leader for the region as we continue expanding our reach across the Middle East and Africa, supporting our clients in delivering exceptional and consistent experiences that define industry best practice.โ
Premium golf apparel brand Galvin Green and global customer service and performance specialist 59club have expanded their successful collaboration to the United States. The partnership will make its first major appearance at the 3rd annual 59club USA Service Excellence Awards, taking place January 22 at The Hampton Social in Orlando, alongside the PGA Show.
Following a highly successful relationship in the UK & Ireland, the partnership now sees 59clubโs U.S. team exclusively outfitted in Galvin Greenโs DRYVRโข waterproofs and INTERFACE-1โข windproof garments as they travel the length and breadth of the US visiting clients, attending meetings, various education days and trade events.
โAfter such a positive start with 59club in the UK, weโre thrilled to extend this partnership across the U.S.,โ said Lou Delfino, General Manager of Galvin Green North America. โBoth organizations share a deep commitment to excellence and sustainability, and weโre proud that 59clubโs team will represent our market-leading outerwear at such prestigious events throughout the year.โ
Mark Reed, Co-Founder and Managing Director of 59club, added: โOur partnership with Galvin Green is built on shared values of performance, quality, and service. Itโs exciting to see this collaboration take shape in the U.S., starting with the Service Excellence Awards โ an event that truly celebrates the best in the golf industry.โ
The partnership equips 59club USAโs team with Galvin Greenโs most advanced outerwear, including the multi-material DRYVRโข rainwear line, featuring the new PFAS-free GORE-TEX ePE membrane for next-generation waterproof protection, and Pertexยฎ Shield fabrics for maximum stretch and comfort. The lineup also includes the ultra-light LARRY jacket (113g) from the INTERFACE-1โข collection โ hailed for its versatility, windproof performance, and responsible design.
The U.S. partnership will mirror the proven success of the UK program โ extending Galvin Greenโs presence at industry-leading events, reinforcing both brandsโ dedication to enhancing the golf experience.
New partnership combines training, measurement, and mystery testing to enhance the caddie experience and support clubs worldwide
59club, the leading provider of customer service and sales performance management in golf and hospitality, has announced a new partnership with Caddy Clubhouse โ a platform created by three world-class caddies to support caddies to refine and master their craft, and for golf clubs to manage and develop their caddie programs.
Caddy Clubhouseโs Club Course equips caddies with essentials such as green reading, yardage books, etiquette, course management and pace of play. By building confidence and professionalism, the platform enables clubs to deliver consistently high-quality experiences on and off the course.
The collaboration was showcased during the 59club Global Golf Day, part of the three-day build-up to the inaugural 59club Global Service Excellence Awards. A dedicated team of caddies from Caddy Clubhouse supported golfers throughout the event, ensuring a first-class experience across The Belfryโs iconic Brabazon Golf Course the day after hosting the British Betfred Masters. Education, networking and the awards โ where the worldโs top managers were crowned alongside the 59club Eminent and new Signature Collection were all highlights.
“Caddy Clubhouse is more than a training program โ itโs about raising the bar for caddies everywhere,” said Jonathan, Co-founder at Caddy Clubhouse. “Working with 59club gives us the tools to measure, benchmark and improve the caddie experience, creating real value for clubs, caddies and golfers alike.”
Simon Wordsworth, 59club Founder and CEO added;ย โWe are delighted to support the Caddy Clubhouse program as it raises the bar for service excellence and enriches the golfer experience. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to innovation and to creating meaningful engagement across the caddie community.โ
The partnership will focus on integrating caddie surveys into My59, enhancing mystery testing, and strengthening training content; reinforcing 59clubโs mission to deliver measurable service excellence while empowering Caddy Clubhouse to elevate caddie programs worldwide.
For more information on how this partnership can benefit your club, or to explore opportunities to enhance your caddie program, please contact sarah@59club.com at 59club and info@caddyclubhouse.com at Caddy Clubhouse.
~ Winners from 22 countries named at hospitalityโs global benchmark awards ~
For over a decade 59club has set the standard for measuring and rewarding customer service excellence across the golf, leisure, and hospitality industries. In 2025, the journey reached a historic milestone with the launch of the first-ever Global Service Excellence Awards – a landmark celebration that brought together the worldโs finest-performing properties and industry leaders under one roof.
Hosted at the iconic Belfry Hotel & Resort from August 25โ27, the event welcomed 300 distinguished guests representing 120 venues across 22 countries, creating a truly global gathering of excellence. Proudly supported by global partners in Turtleson, Pacesetter Technology, Global Talent Solutions, Power Tee, Zen Golf,Banbury Litho, Caddy ClubhouseandStudio Graphenealong with Global Awards Event Partners, the three-day experience combined competitive golf, world-class education, invaluable networking, and the much-anticipated awards ceremony.
All accolades were determined solely through 59clubโs independent mystery shopper program – the most trusted and objective global measure of sales, service etiquette, and customer experience. Every honor bestowed was a true reflection of operational brilliance and an unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction.
The celebrations opened with the presentation of the Global Manager of the Year Awards, spotlighting the industryโs most visionary leaders. These individuals exemplify the highest standards of professionalism, passion, and innovation, inspiring their teams and setting a global benchmark for service excellence.
Global Golf Manager of the Year: Steven Young, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club (Canada)
Global Golf Operations Manager of the Year: Franco Botha, Jumeirah Golf Estates (UAE)
Global Retail Manager of the Year: Dyootiman Pal,eGolf Megastore – Al Hamra Golf Club (UAE)
Global Superintendent of the Year: Mike Bush, St Mellion Estate (England)
Global Food & Beverage Manager of the Year: Jade Henderson, The Lakes Golf Club (Australia)
The launch of the Signature Collection marked a milestone for the worldโs top 25 properties. Each venue stands as a symbol of world-class excellence, showcasing the highest standards of service across every customer touchpoint. Organized by market, the Collection reflects the diversity of the global industry, and highlights Private Clubs in The Dutch (Netherlands)โ, JCB Golf & Country Club (England)โ, Cataraqui Golf & Country Club (Canada), Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club (Canada)โ The Royal Automobile Club (England)โ, Commercial and Semi-Private Clubs (single-course) โin The Els Club, Dubai, (UAE) Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (UAEโ), Abu Dhabi City Golf Club (UAE)โ Dubai Hills Golf Club (UAEโ) and Yas Links Abu Dhabi (UAE).โ Commercial and Semi-Private sector (multi-course) in Jumeirah Golf Estates (UAE)โ, Emirates Golf Club (UAE), Ballybunion Golf Club (Ireland)โ, Gullane Golf Club (Scotland) and โGolf At Goodwood (England). Destination Clubs (single-course) in The Grove (England), Mount Juliet Estate (Ireland), โDubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (UAE)โ, Finca Cortesin (Spain) โand Rockliffe Hall (Englandโ). Destination Clubs (multi-course) in Costa Navarino (Greeceโ), Gleneagles (Scotland)โ, The Belfry Hotel and Resort (England)โ, Fairmont St Andrews (Scotland) andโ Foxhills Club & Resort (England)โ all welcomed into the Signature Collection.
The Eminent Collection stands as one of 59clubโs most prestigious accolades, awarded only to properties and leaders who have demonstrated sustained excellence for at least five consecutive years. This rare honor is reserved for those who have not only reached the pinnacle of customer service but have maintained it with consistency and distinction – a remarkable achievement in the global hospitality arena.
Seven new Leaders were inducted into the collection, namely; Carmen Laguna Aguilar (Son Muntaner – Spainโ), Eddie Devaneโ (Mount Juliet Estate – Irelandโโ), Gary Johnson (The Mere Golf Resort & Spa – England), Gordon Simpson (Gullane Golf Club – Scotland), Joel Westwellโ (โThe Grove – England), Mark Addison (JCB Golf & Country Clubโ – England) and Matthew Perry (Emirates Golf Club – UAEโ).
The roll call for 2025 Eminent Collection of Properties welcomed two newcomers in Gullaneโ Golf Club (Scotland) and Hanbury Manorโ, Marriott Hotel & Country Club (England) who joined the existing properties retaining their status; Club de Golf Alcanada (Spain), Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club (UAE), Emirates Golf Club (UAE), Foxhills Club & Resort (England), Frilford Heath (England), Gleneagles (Scotland), Son Muntaner (Spain), Jumeirah Golf Estates (UAE), Mount Juliet Estate (Ireland), Rockliffe Hall (England), Saadiyat Beach Golf Club (UAE), The Belfry Hotel & Resort (England), The Celtic Manor Resort (Wales), The Els Club, Dubai (UAE), The Grove (England), The Mere Golf Resort & Spa (England) and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi (UAE).
Simon Wordsworth, 59club Founder & CEO, said: โThis landmark gathering not only celebrated the finest achievements in hospitality and club management, but also set a new global benchmark for excellence in customer service – celebrating the worldโs best, today, tomorrow, and for years to come.โ
About 59club 59club is the leading customer service and sales performance management specialist for the golf, leisure, and hospitality industries, operating in 22 countries worldwide.
59club USA is proud to announce the appointment of Spencer Brookman as Regional Manager, further enhancing the companyโs reach and impact across the United States.
Originally from Virginia, Spencer brings a wealth of operational expertise and leadership experience to the 59club team. His distinguished career includes tenures at two of Georgiaโs premier golf destinations: Jekyll Island Golf Club and King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. From his beginnings as Assistant Golf Professional at Fredericksburg Country Club in Virginia to holding senior roles such as Head Golf Professional and General Manager, Spencer has demonstrated a consistent ability to elevate both member and guest experiences.
Spencerโs exceptional service standards have not gone unnoticed. He is a two-time Georgia PGA Merchandiser of the Year (Resort), earning accolades in 2019 at Jekyll Island Golf Club and again in 2024 at King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort. His 2017 election to the PGA of America is a testament to his unwavering commitment to the advancement of the golf profession.
As he joins Bret Garrison & Mark Reed in 59club USA, Spencer is eager to complement the team, sharing his insights with clubs and resorts seeking performance excellence.
โI am eager to assist Clubs and Resorts reach their full potential by elevating the member and guest experience through 59clubโs cutting-edge performance management tools, training, and insights. 59clubโs unique product set provides Clubs and Resorts clear support to enhance service quality, drive operational excellence, and boost member satisfaction.โ โ Spencer Brookman, Regional Manager, 59club USA
59club Co-Founder & 59club USA General Manager, Mark Reed, expressed his excitement at the appointment:
โSpencer brings a tremendous track record in club operations and guest service to the 59club team. His experience in both public and resort environments, along with his leadership credentials, align perfectly with our mission to help clubs and resorts exceed their service goals. Weโre thrilled to welcome him aboard.โ
With Spencer’s appointment, 59club USA continues to strengthen its team of industry experts, empowering clients with measurable insights, expert training, and the tools necessary to achieve service excellence.
59club USA is proud to announce a dynamic new strategic alliance with the Montgomery County Revenue Authority (MCRA), bringing its world-class customer experience benchmarking and sales performance tools to nine Maryland golf venues: Falls Road, Golf at The Crossvines, Hampshire Greens, Laytonsville, Little Bennett, Needwood, Northwest, Rattlewood, and Sligo Creek.
Under this collaboration, MCRA venues will gain access to 59clubโs proprietary business intelligence and mystery shopping data – enabling real-time measurement, targeted training, and ongoing support. In the project’s kickoff, 59club USAโs Director of Operations, Bret Garrison, met with the club general managers to present the first wave of Golf Visitor Experience Mystery Shopper insights at MCRAโs headquarters at Rattlewood Golf Club in Maryland. The session sparked spirited internal competition and set the stage for what will become a comprehensive training & support program designed to bolster team consistency and performance in line with 59clubโs โmeasure, train, supportโ mantra.
Keith Miller, CEO of MCRA, added:
โOur mission is to deliver outstanding golf experiences. Partnering with 59club gives us access to impartial data and performance benchmarks that will help our teams continuously enhance service quality. Weโre excited about the value this will bring to our guests and staff alike.โ
Wayne Rohauer, MCRA Director of Operations, said:
โThe initial insight session was both engaging and inspiring. It created healthy competition and excitement amongst the management team. We look forward to working closely with 59club to translate these insights into actionable improvements that will elevate team performance at every touchpoint.โ
Mark Reed, 59club CoโFounder & USA General Manager, commented:
โWe are thrilled to welcome MCRA into the 59club network. Their commitment to community golf is exceptional, and with our data-driven approach, they are poised to set new benchmarks in customer service excellence. Weโve seen the same transformative impact within major US Management Companies such as TPC Network, Kemper Sports, Troon, Landscapes Golf Management, Kohler, Cabot Managed Properties, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, and Founders Group International – each leveraging our tools to elevate sales principles, upselling skills, and overall service culture. MCRA now has the intel and resources to join this elite group.โ
59club, the global leader in customer service benchmarking and training for the golf and leisure industry, is proud to announce a strategic partnership with Power Teeยฎ, the premier automated teeing system trusted by golf facilities around the world.
This collaboration brings together 59clubโs industry-leading performance analytics and training expertise with Power Teeโs cutting-edge technology to elevate the modern practice experience. The partnership will provide golf venues with a powerful, integrated solution designed to enhance customer satisfaction, increase operational efficiency, and drive revenue growth.
Power Teeโs automated systems are celebrated for delivering consistent, seamless practice sessions, allowing golfers to focus on improving their game without distraction. Now, with 59clubโs data-driven insight and training tools layered into the experience, facilities can raise the bar on both service delivery and customer engagement.
Simon Wordsworth, CEO of 59club, commented: โWe are thrilled to partner with Power Tee. Their commitment to innovation aligns perfectly with our mission to drive excellence in customer service. 59club is all about touch points โ whether itโs staff interaction or technology. We aim to work with suppliers who enhance the overall experience, and Power Tee certainly delivers on that. Weโre excited to work together to educate and support the industry.โ
Matt Foley, Managing Director at Power Teeยฎ, added: โOver the past 29 years Power Teeยฎ has thrived in exceeding expectations for range users and range owners alike. Power Teeยฎ has grown engagement and grown revenues in all 21 countries it has been installed in (to date). Working with 59club is a natural fit for both companies as we have been intertwined throughout both of our solo journeys. Simon featured in one of our first videos at The Belfry, Matt Roberts and Will Hewitt have both worked with us on the ground, so it is a wonderful opportunity to work with them all again. Our technology is designed to elevate the practice experience for golfers of all abilities. Partnering with 59club allows us to go beyond the physical product โ helping venues create a full-circle service experience that meets the high expectations of todayโs golfers.โ
This strategic alliance underscores both companiesโ shared dedication to advancing the golf industry through innovation, insight, and service excellence. Facilities that embrace this integrated approach can expect improvements in guest satisfaction, increased usage of practice areas, and stronger team performance.
About 59club 59club is a leading provider of performance measurement and management solutions for the golf, leisure, and hospitality industries. Through mystery shopping, customer surveys, and training programs, 59club helps venues enhance service quality, staff engagement, and profitability.
About Power Teeยฎ Power Tee ยฎ is the worldโs #1 automated teeing system, installed at over 400 golf facilities in 21 countries. Notably working with industry leaders such as The Home of Golf, St. Andrews Academy for 21 years, The Belfry, Celtic Manor and many more worldwide. Power Teeยฎ has been engineered to improve the practice experience, Power Teeยฎ allows golfers to maintain rhythm and focus, offering a superior training environment for players of all levels. The real kicker for golf club owners is the increase in perception of value, the added value of having a range concierge in place for their members and guests. For Range owners the fact that 60 golf balls are hit 42% quicker than a generic mat helps with work flow and customer experience. As bending over to change a tee peg in a generic mat is 29 years out of date, surely your customers deserve better.
Leading customer service and performance management specialists 59club have announced a new global partnership with Global Talent Solutions, marking a significant step forward in the development of future talent within the golf and hospitality industries.
Simon Wordsworth, Founder and CEO of 59club, commented:
โWe have been looking to partner with a โTalentโ business that reflected our company goals for a long time, and ever since meeting Sean & Hilly, it became obvious that Global Talent Solutions are exactly the right fit. Their deep understanding of the Club & Hospitality industry honed through hands-on experience at premium 59club venues is invaluable.
โOur partnership will enable some of the best talent in the industry to spread their wings and grow, while also collaborating with us on the development of 59clubโs new internship program.โ
This internship initiative is designed to give young, aspiring professionals the chance to gain invaluable experience by working across a variety of 59club venues over a three- to four-year period. The program will immerse participants in diverse roles, cultures, and management styles, shaping the next generation of golf and hospitality leaders.
Global Talent Solutions are already actively engaged with 59club, supporting recruitment across multiple regions. In the United States, they are working alongside Mark Reed, 59club Co-Founder and General Manager of 59club USA, to help source top-tier talent for a number of vacant positions. Simultaneously, 59club MEA, under the guidance of Mark Bull, is also leveraging the partnership in its search for new regional managers to support growth across the Middle East and Africa.
โIt was important for us that our partner had deep networks within the worldโs expanding golf and hospitality economies,โ Wordsworth continued. โThis partnership opens the door to an exciting and purposeful development pathway for young professionals.โ
Reflecting on the long-term value of such initiatives, Wordsworth added:
โOver 25 years ago, during my time at The Belfry, I launched a similar initiative that helped shape the careers of individuals like Chris Trott, Richard Barker, Daryll Evans, and Nicky Lawrenson, amongst many others. Just imagine the kind of professional we could develop today โ someone who has spent several years immersed in different cultures and leadership styles โ and the value they would bring to the global golf industry, to 59club, and to our clients.โ
Sean Plunkett, Director of Global Talent Solutions, also expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership:
โWe are beyond excited to announce our partnership with 59club globally and together are poised to make a significant impact on the industry. This partnership will not only empower us to help their client clubs by connecting exceptional talent with incredible opportunities but also support 59club to enhance an exciting new internship program. By providing young professionals with the unique chance to work across various venues and cultures that will provide a valuable foundation for their careers to thrive. Weโre confident we can help shape the next generation of leaders in the golf and hospitality sectors by our shared values of customer service, training and support.
โGlobal Talent Solutions offers tailored recruiting solutions to the Club & Hospitality industry, placing mid-senior level talent globally. Our track record underscores our commitment to effective recruiting practices that will help you cultivate a talented team of professionals. Having personally worked within the industry across the world, we understand how important it is to have a team that not only has the necessary skills and experience, but will also thrive and fit seamlessly within your club’s culture.โ
The partnership between 59club and Global Talent Solutions is effective immediately, with further details on the internship program and expanded recruitment strategies set to be announced in the coming months.
March 11, 2025 โPacesetter Technology, a leading innovator in mobile technology for private clubs, has announced a strategic partnership with 59club, the industryโs customer service management specialist. The collaboration is driven by a shared mission: helping clubs elevate their customer experience through cutting-edge technology and data-driven insights.
By integrating Pacesetterโs advanced mobile solutions with 59clubโs industry-leading analytics and training programs, this partnership will set a new standard for club operations and customer experience. Club leaders will gain real-time access to key performance data, training materials, and access to industry events, enabling them to make more informed decisions and deliver exceptional service.
โI am so excited to start this partnership with Pacesetter,โ said Simon Wordsworth, Founder of 59club. โTheir product and aspirations match exactly what 59club is all about. Over the next few years, the mobile experience delivered by Pacesetter will dramatically change the way our clients interact with 59club. We will be able to support our venues as they strive for excellence by providing mobile access to results, events, training materials, and much more. In addition, 59club will look to support Pacesetter clients with the data they need to be the best club for their members, and the best employer possible. This partnership is just a perfect matchโtwo companies at the top of their fields, striving for better.โ
Pacesetter Technologyโs innovative mobile solutions are already transforming club experiences, enhancing personalization, and streamlining operations. By joining forces with 59club, clubs will have unprecedented access to both cutting-edge technology and world-class training resources, allowing them to raise service levels and drive member and guest satisfaction.
โWeโre thrilled to partner with 59club,โ said George Stavros, CEO of Pacesetter Technology. โOur technology, coupled with the deep industry knowledge and training from the team at 59club, is a perfect fit. Aligning our shared values exponentially helps us both raise the bar on the member experience.โ
This partnership underscores both companiesโ long term commitment to innovation and service excellence, ensuring that golf clubs & resorts have the tools and insights necessary to thrive in a competitive landscape.
59club USA’s second annual Service Excellence Awards Ceremony took place in Orlando, Florida, on January 23rd, 2025, as the global leader in Customer Service Excellence, supported by Turtleson brought the golf industry together to recognize the Countryโs finest service providers.
These prestigious accoladesโฏareโฏdetermined by scores collected fromโฏ59clubโs impartial mystery shopping program,โฏwhich evaluates the entire experience afforded to visiting golfers, andโฏthe sales journeyโฏthat unfolds as prospectiveโฏclients inquire for club membership, group golf days and special events.
Celebrations unfolded for Reynolds Lake Oconee after they retained the most prestigious accolade of all, the enviable title, โthat is the Gold Flag of Excellence. 59clubโs Flag Designations are presented to properties that not only achieved the required standard of customer service during their audits across 2024 but also provided excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.โฏ
To this day, Reynolds remains the only club in America to have achieved Gold status. Reynolds also saw Caroline Basarab and her team honored for delivering the Leading Individual Retail Experience, and the club went on to claim the my59 Service Excellence Award for their dedication when engaging with members and guests across 2024, having launched a multitude of diverse surveys, serving various revenue streams, utilizing 59clubโs survey tools. The feedback they receive, has empowered the team to translate โconsumer insights into positive actions, to perfect theirโ member & guest experience.
โWe are truly honored to receive Gold Flag recognition for the second year in a row. We are committed to the highest standards of service and quality at Reynolds, and we depend on 59clubโs non-biased feedback to evaluate ourselves and ensure that all customers are receiving a wonderful experience. This award recognizes our teamโs continued commitment to excellence.โ-Wesley J. Forester, PGA Director of Golf, Reynolds Lake Oconee
Lingering with Americaโs leading independent clubs, a double dose of silverware was presented to Westhaven Golf Club, who saw Karol Gajda receive the Food & Beverage Manager of The Year award, and Chris Cauthen crowned Retail Manager of the Year. With We-Ko-Pa Golf Club retaining their Silver Flag Designation.
Casting the spotlight on the industryโs finest Management Companies, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail emerged as the big winner on the day, claiming 4 individual awards – Chloe Borders, Jack Simms and their team claimed Golf Operations Team of the Year and Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience for Silver Lakes, with Josh Cook from Ross Bridge claiming the Golf Superintendent of the Year, along with the Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation award. The group also amassed 8 Flag Designations, with Grand National, Ross Bridge, & Silver Lakes awarded Silver Status and Capitol Hill, Highland Oaks, Magnolia Grove, Oxmoor Valley & The Shoals claiming Bronze.
The TPC Network saw their sales teams receive the triple crown for managing the best โone offโ inquiry process, with Don Baldassare from TPC Boston awarded Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance, Kayleigh Murphy from TPC River Highlands claiming Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance, and Lisa Krueger awarded Leading Individual Event Sales Performance for TPC Twin Cities.
Kemper Sports enjoyed back-to-back celebrations with Natasha Yarchevskaya and her team from Waverly Woods Golf Club claiming the best one-off Food & Beverage Experience award, and Scott Bailey led the golf operations team from The Governors Club to receive the Most Improved Golf Visit Experience accolade. Kemper rounded off the day with Desert Willow Golf Resort retaining their Silver Flag Designation.
Andy Elliot of Cascata Golf Club secured the envious Golf/Club Manager of the Year title for CDNGolf Management, who also enjoyed an additional 2 Silver Flags that were presented to Cascata Golf Club and Rio Secco Golf Club.
โWe are very honored to be recipients of the 2025 Silver Flag awards at both Cascata and Rio Secco. The teams at both facilities take great pride in giving amazing service experiences to our guests. We are very proud of our teams for what they do each and every day. My congratulations go out also to our General Manager at Cascata, Andy Elliott who received the Golf/Club Manager of the Year award. We are grateful to be associated with the 59club team as we strive to be best in class in providing guest service.โ -Jeff Krohn, PGA, Executive Vice President, CDN
Troonโs retail team at Indian Wells Golf Resort, managed by Pam Vincent, claimed the best one-off retail experience, after demonstrating impeccable product knowledge, stock management, โcustomer interaction, and sales influence. โTroon also celebrated 2 Silver Flags for Monarch Beach Golf Links and Eagle Mountain Golf Club.
Cody Piper of Manhattan Country Club was reveling after securing a win for Landscapes Golf Management, for achieving the Most Improved Sales Performance of 2024.
Of the event, Mark Reed, 59club Director said,โฏโWhat an incredible celebration of excellence. We are 2 years into our awards journey with 59club USA, and itโs a privilege to witness such passion and commitment to excel the customer experience across our affiliate properties. Congratulations to all of our winners and contenders, you are a credit to the industry. I canโt wait to welcome the best performers to our Global stage in 2025, as all ten 59club divisions from around the world come together for the first time, as we crown our Ultimate Service Championsโ.
59club USA Service Excellence Award Winners 2024
Gold Flag Designation
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Silver Flag Designations
Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Rio Secco Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Eagle Mountain Golf Club (Troon)
Monarch Beach Golf Links (Troon)
Desert Willow Golf Resort (Kemper Sports)
We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Independent)
Grand National (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Bronze Flag Designations
Capitol Hill (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Highland Oaks (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Magnolia Grove (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Oxmoor Valley (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
The Shoals (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Andy Elliot – Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management)
Golf Superintendent of the Year
Josh Cook – Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Retail Manager of the Year
Chris Cauthen – Westhaven Golf Club (Independent)
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Karol Gajda – Westhaven Golf Club (Independent)
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Chloe Borders & Jack Simms – Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Chloe Borders – Silver Lakes (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Josh Cook – Ross Bridge (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Retail Experience
Pam Vincent – Indian Wells Golf Resort (Troon)
Caroline Basarab – Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance
Lisa Krueger – TPC Twin Cities (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
Don Baldassare – TPC Boston (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience
Natasha Yarchevskaya – Waverly Woods Golf Club (Kemper Sports)
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Kayleigh Murphy – TPC River Highlands (TPC Network)
Most Improved Golf Visit Experience
Scott Bailey – The Governors Club (Kemper Sports)
Most Improved Sales Performance
Cody Piper – Manhattan Country Club (Landscapes Golf Management)
59club, the leading provider of customer experience benchmarking and improvement solutions for the golf, leisure, retail, and hospitality industries, is excited to announce the expert appointment of Chris Geraghty as its new Managing Partner for 59club Asia.
Geraghtyโs experience with signature Troon managed properties, in North Africa, Bahrain, and Asia plus time spent with Stella Di Mare Hotels & Resorts in Egypt and De Vere Hotels in the UK speaks volumes for the impending impact Geraghty is set to make as he takes the reigns in driving 59clubโs operations across the region.
Boasting a collection of accolades – including four 59club Gold Flag Awards shared between two properties (The Royal Golf Club & Vattanac Golf Resort) also having historically claimed a Silver Flag during Vattanacโs first year of partnering with 59club, and personally receiving the enviable 59club Asia Golf Manager of the year title in 2023 – there is no denying the impact that Geraghty will have on customer service standards in the region as he works closely with all 59club affiliate properties to manage change, increase reputation and improve club profitability.
Of the announcement Geraghty said; โJoining 59club to lead the Asia region is extremely exciting. The opportunity to support Hospitality Business Owners, Management Companies, General Managers, and their respective teams throughout Asia deliver higher levels of service through globally gathered quantitative data, ongoing training, and measurement of results is an incredible prospect.
โGuest expectations in Asia are among the highest Iโve seen throughout a global career, and to be able to share my track record of providing exceptional levels of service with hospitality leaders in over 10 countries to exceed guest expectations is going to be fundamental to the ongoing success of 59club in the region. Thanks to the hard work of the previous management team, 59club Asia is in a fantastic position and Iโm very much looking forward to getting started in 2025โ.
Of the appointment Simon Wordsworth, 59club Founder & CEO said; โWe are delighted to welcome Chris to the team, what an incredible asset for 59club and the clubs in the region to benefit from his expertise, experience and passion. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Araya Singhsuwan for helping to establish our brand in Asia and to James Shippey of Absolute Golf Services for their unwavering support. We look forward to continuing to support our affiliate properties in the region and in welcoming new venues to the 59club network attracted by their desire to excel.
For all enquiries about 59clubโs Mystery Shopping, Satisfaction Surveys, and Training & Education opportunities in Asia simply reach out to chrisg@59club.com
We are delighted to announce the nominations for our upcoming Service Excellence Awards Ceremony, taking place at The Hampton Social, Orlando on January 23, 2025. Congratulations to everyone shortlisted!
Several of the USโs finest Management Companies will see their affiliate clubs nominated for a 59club Service Excellence Award, each having displayed some of the finest customer experiences during our mystery shopper audits over the past 12 months, with CDN Golf, Founders Group International, JDM Golf, Kemper Sports, Kohler, Landscapes Golf Management, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, TPC and Troon all vying for accolades.ย
Independent Clubs that include Mid Ocean Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, St. Ives Country Club, Sugar Creek Country Club, Vanderbilt Country Club, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, and Westhaven Golf Club are all also featured in the nominations list, each having delivered the highest standard of customer service throughout 2024.
During the awards ceremony, our renowned industry benchmark โ the 59club Bronze, Silver, and Gold Flag Designations โ will also be presented to the USA Properties that not only achieved the required standard of service as part of 59clubโs mystery shopping program, but also provide excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.
Of the announcement, Mark Reed, 59club Founder & Director said, โCongratulations to the incredible Club Managers, Teams and Properties nominated for a 59club Award. Your commitment and dedication to ensuring the finest customer service standards within our extensive mystery shopper program is highly commendable and ultimately what sets you apart from other clubs in the industry.
โAnd while this may only be the second year that 59club has hosted our Service Excellence Awards in the USA, we are delighted to observe our Partner Properties in the region having adopted our sales and service principals, and as a result of that hard work and dedication, we are witnessing a significant uplift in standards here in the USA.
โWe canโt wait to come together in January as we crown the winners.”
(Properties listed in alphabetical order)
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Desert Willow Golf Resort, Eagle Mountain Golf Club, Grande Dunes Golf Club, Mid Ocean Club, Mill Creek Country Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Westhaven Golf Club
Kaanapali Golf Course, Mill Creek Country Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Ross Bridge, TPC Myrtle Beach, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Westhaven Golf Club
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Cascata Golf Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Silver Lakes, The Shoals, TPC Scottsdale, Westhaven Golf Club
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Eagle Mountain Golf Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Rio Secco Golf Club, Silver Lakes, TPC Myrtle Beach, TPC Scottsdale
Leading Individual Retail Experience
Antelope Hills, Arizona Biltmore Resort, Championโs Pointe Golf Club, Indian Wells Golf Resort, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Silver Lakes, Tidewater Golf Club, TPC Sawgrass, Tustin Ranch Golf Club, Westhaven Golf Club
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Mid Ocean Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee – Great Waters, Ross Bridge, The Governors Club, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Westhaven Golf Club, Whistling Straits
Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience
Blackwolf Run, Corte Bella Golf Club, Lake of Isles, Mill Creek Country Club, Waverly Woods Golf Club, Whistling Straits
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Reynolds Lake Oconee, Silver Lakes, The Shoals, TPC Las Vegas, Westhaven Golf Club, Whistling Straits
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Royal Melbourne Country Club, The Wigwam Resort, TPC Boston, TPC Potomac, TPC River Highlands, TPC Sugarloaf
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
The Wigwam Resort, TPC Boston, TPC Sawgrass, TPC Summerlin
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance
Bull Valley Golf Club, TPC River Highlands, TPC Twin Cities
Most Improved Golf Visit Experience
Jackrabbit Run Golf Course, Long Bay Golf Club, Prairie Green Golf Course, The Governors Club, Westhaven Golf Club, Whiskey Creek Golf Course
Most Improved Sales Performance
Arizona Biltmore Resort, Manhattan Country Club, Prairie Green Golf Course, Royal Melbourne Country Club, TPC Summerlin, TPC Twin Cities
My59 Service Excellence Award
Reynolds Lake Oconee, St. Ives Country Club, Sugar Creek Country Club, Vanderbilt Country Club
In addition to 59clubโs USA Awards Event, the global Customer Service Management Specialists will host six additional ceremonies during 2025 โ starting in the UK, before heading off to Europe, the MEA, Asia, Canada, and finally finishing in Australia โ as 59club continues uniting the world of golf & hospitality around their commitment to deliver customer service excellence.
59clubโs Annual Awards Ceremony recognizes the outstanding Venues and Teams within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.
Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased; and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, guests, prospective members, and prospective event clients across the Golf and Club industry.
With an ever-expanding and diverse range of venues, 59club USA continues to reflect the absolute best performances regardless of a venueโs size, scale, or profile.
59clubโs Industry Benchmark of excellence, itโs Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognize member clubs and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.
The Finest Properties & Leaders Iconised with Eminent Status in 2024.
The latest properties and leaders from the world of golf & hospitality have been welcomed into 59clubโs โEminent Collectionโ at two exclusive events, hosted at Park Hyatt, Dubai Creek; and at The Belfry Hotel & Resort on the 19th and 21st of November 2024, respectively.
The intimate ceremonies brought existing members, 59clubโs regional teams and industry partners in Club Car, Reesink Toro & Turtleson together to welcome the newcomers into the prestigious Collection.
Glenn McNaughton (Long Ashton Golf Club), Jack Heginbotham (Long Ashton Golf Club), Kristoff Both (Club de Golf Alcanada) and Matt Sandercock (Mount Juliet Estate)were amongst the Leaders who were awarded the enviable title, with the newcomers joining thirty-one existing individuals who were honored with Eminent Status in previous years since its formation in 2022.
With Club de Golf Alcanada; The Els Club, Dubai; Frilford Heath; Jumeirah Golf Estates; The Mere Golf Resort & Spa and Mount Juliet Estate the latest Properties recognised for having met the demands synonymous with the Eminent benchmark of excellence.
With the newcomers officially welcomed, the elite collection of Properties iconised for their commitment to customer service excellence spanning 59clubโs international network in 2024 now includes The Belfry Hotel & Resort; The Celtic Manor Resort; Spa; Club de Golf Alcanada; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Forest of Arden; Foxhills Club & Resort; Frilford Heath; Gleneagles; Golf Son Muntaner; Jumeirah Golf Estates; The Els Club, Dubai; The Grove; The Mere Golf Resort & Mount Juliet Estate; Rockliffe Hall; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas links, Abu Dhabi.
โTogether weโve pushed the boundaries and set the ceiling for what excellence is all about. Itโs a privilege to come together once again with the people we are proud to call the best of the best. I sincerely look forward to supporting other managers and venues to excel in the Business of Golf, ultimately by exceeding customer expectations and reaping the rewards. The skyโs the limit for everyone within 59clubโs network, and when we start to reach the limit, weโll all continue to push a whole lot moreโ
Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO
The โEminent Collectionโ was established in 2022 to honor long-serving standards of customer service excellence delivered over a minimum of 5 years; with 59club Flag Designations, along with individual and team accolades, all contributing towards the global Eminent benchmark of excellence.
Recognition is unbiased, independent, and non-subjective, the only industry award of its kind, symbolizing a true badge of honor for those venues and people consistently delivering the finest levels of customer service, during 59clubโs vigorous mystery shopper program.
The Belfry Hotel & Resort The Celtic Manor Resort Club de Golf Alcanada Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club The Els Club, Dubai Emirates Golf Club Foxhills Club & Resort Frilford Heath Gleneagles Golf Son Muntaner The Grove Jumeirah Golf Estates The Mere Golf Resort & Spa Mount Juliet Estate Rockliffe Hall Saadiyat Beach Golf Club Trump International Golf Club, Dubai Yas Links, Abu Dhabi
Andrew Whitelaw Angus Macleod Anna Darnell Barney Coleman Bernat Llobera Brad Gould Casper Schonfeldt Chris Eiglaar Chris Fitt Chris May Chris Reeve Clinton Southorn Craig Haldane Francisco de Lancastre David Fraser Liston Gary Silcock Glen McNaughton Houssem Belabed Jack Heginbotham Jacques Hobson Jason Adams Jim McKenzie MBE Jonathan Wyer Kristoff Both Club Matt Aplin Matt Sandercock Phillip Chiverton Rob Rowson Scott Fenwick Sean Graham Simon Howell Stephen Hindle Stephen Hubner Stuart Collier Tom Hughes
Andy Siddall is the Director and Co-Founder of Robincroft Consulting. For 20 years he held leadership roles within both educational environments and professional sport as an elite cricket coach and he has worked as a personal performance coach since 2015.
Personal performance coach Andy Siddall explains his theory behind Deliberate Leadership and how it can help you to achieve your business goals
If you are anything like me that question will annoy you! This is because leadership is so complex and dynamic we shouldnโt be looking to categorise people into boxes and one particular style, but instead recognise that the leaders who possess the most skills and flexibility of styles will be the most effective.
The style of leadership adopted by leaders can significantly impact their teamโs motivation and performance, and we will all have natural tendencies for one style over another, a default as it were. But when it comes to the styles that leaders adopt a lot goes into the mix.
Naturally there is their personality, the impact of their cultural background and their experience to consider. Add to this their mindset and the time and space they are in, who they are leading, what needs to be achieved and in what timeframe, and of course, what is at stake.
Plenty has been written on leadership styles and a quick internet search will present you with various links and infographics on the subject. So, for this article, we wonโt be duplicating a version of these or muddying the water with lots of approaches, but will list Daniel Golemanโs Six Styles of Leadership as a consideration point:
At Robincroft, we believe in leadership effectiveness and being able to make a positive impact is what itโs all about. With this in mind you may want to consider doing these three things:
1: Reflect on the culture, behaviours and outputs of those you lead. Whatโs good? Whatโs not? What needs to be different?
2: Reflect on your own leadership behaviours. What style do you spend most of your time in? Consider how those you lead would describe it, and answer the question of โwhat is it like to be led by you?โ
3: Consider what the benefits could be if you adopted different approaches. What skills may you need to develop in order to be more effective?
Itโs remarkable how many successful professional sports teams across the globe have had a similar mantra plastered across the walls of their changing room:
โWhat does the team need from me now?โ The aim? To impact the decision making and behaviour.
As leaders we urge you to embrace a style of what we call Deliberate Leadership and to adopt a similar mantra by constantly asking yourself: What does my business/team need from me now? Or what does this person need from me now?
Deliberate Leadership is a style that requires both conscious thought and conscious action. It requires you to have a quality assessment of those you lead, which allows you to make quality decisions of what they need.
Deliberate Leadership is both purposeful and flexible, transitioning between styles and approaches depending on whatโs required.
Deliberate Leadership is having both a clear intention in our approach and being clear where our attention needs to be to achieve the desired results while helping us grow and develop our employees. Leadership is complex, so donโt just do it โ do it deliberately!
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Vic Aliprando is the Senior Vice President of TPC Network Operations. Owned, operated, and licensed by the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network comprises 29 premier private, resort and daily fee golf properties designed by elite architects.
I grew up in Pennsylvania, wanted to work away and ended up in Mississippi on an internship for 20 months for Arnold Palmer Golf Management company. Met some great people, one General Manager there really was my first mentor, and he wrapped his arms around me and took me under his wing. I always remember this one comment: โNever forget to take out the trash.โ At the time I didnโt understand what he meant. It means to never think that you above doing any of the jobs. Hospitality is why weโre so successful and I want to help our staff and Iโm not afraid to roll up my sleeves and work on any project.
PGA Tour/TPC Network is a global brand associated with excellence. How are you trying to transfer that down through the operations?
Our first club opened in 1980 so we have a long history of standards and deliverables. Back at the beginning the leadership really set the standard for excellence in the golf business and weโve continued to try and elevate and improve things as weโve gone by.
Weโre now in the midst of creating a new mission statement and tweaking some of the experiences that weโre trying to deliver at some of the clubs. Itโs all focused on delivering a PGA Tour playerโs lifestyle to our members and guests.
โWe have a sales process in all areas of our business and that has always been very relationship driven and requires asking a lot of questions and 59clubโs process is a perfect match for thatโ
Vic Aliprando
What is happening in the private member clubsโ marketplace place for you?
Half of our clubs are private and half of them are daily fee clubs. The private club business is still really good and weโre starting to see some attrition return back to pre-pandemic levels, weโre still not there, and membership sales have slowed down โ but frankly we have slowed it down.
Weโve been reaching some capacity levels at some of our clubs, so weโve had to work to sell only enough to fulfil the attrition that is actually left. The golf business is in a very good place, and we continue to hear that industry wide. I continue to speak to our clubs about the need to wrap our arms around these people who are playing golf, we need to keep them playing the game.
What are you trying to achieve in โsharing your brandโ with non-owned but carefully chosen properties?
We really have three different structures within our clubs. We own and operate 11 of the 29, we license and operate five more for other owners and the remaining 13 are purely licence-only clubs. The benefit is getting the credibility that the brand brings to their property.
I was talking to the owner of TPC Danzante Bay, heโs not a golfer and he owns a number of timeshare resorts throughout Mexico but only one with golf. He was talking to a friend who was a big golfer and he asked whether he would travel to a golf resort in Mexico and he said maybe. Then he asked what if it was a TPC and then it was an absolute yes as he knew that it would be great. That flipped a switch, there is credibility and an awareness of very high standards.
What does the TPC Network gain from 59clubโs mystery shopping products?
We have a sales process in all areas of our business and that has always been very relationship driven and requires asking a lot of questions and 59clubโs process is a perfect match for that. What we werenโt doing is measuring how our salespeople were delivering this and thatโs what 59club can do for us with the mystery shoppers.
They will visit as a prospective member or guest and give us a clear scorecard on what we are doing and not doing, and weโll get the results within weeks.
They will give us a comprehensive review, including images of the property, and test various standards from the initial phone call through to playing the course and analysing the conditioning, all the way to measuring the lunch experience at the end of the round.
How do you calculate the ROI on 59clubโs services?
We have had a recent instance where we had a new salesperson and we found that there werenโt a lot of relationship-style questions being asked. So, we utilised 59club to go through a full training of the sales process, that person quickly got the hang of it, and they became one of our top salespeople. And a similar thing happened with a second member of staff.
Iโm not going to let them go for as long as Iโm in the chair, weโre so confident in their processes, itโs invaluable.
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Chris Eigelaar is Resort Director at The Belfry Hotel & Resort. He has been in the role since 2020, having previously been General Manager. Home of the world famous Brabazon course, the Warwickshire property is going through a significant upgrade.
What is happening at The Belfry?
The leisure club has just over 3,000 members. There are extensive events and conference facilities and three amazing golf courses, one being the iconic Brabazon. We employ about 800 people. Part of my overall responsibility is overseeing the current development. Weโre investing ยฃ80 million into building an additional 149 bedrooms, 600-seater conference space and, on a separate site, a leisure club.
Itโs about managing the projects plus ensuring the business keeps ticking over and we continue to hit our targets from a guest satisfaction, revenue and, ultimately, client perspective.
What are the challenges of running a largescale business with such work going on?
We started our bedroom refurbishment programme in October last year. We refurbed our main hotel, the bedrooms, our Brabazon Bar corridors in the resort and that was fairly challenging because it was affecting our main hub.
It was all about communication โ understanding guest flow and really managing the volume of guests coming in. The project ran from October until March and weโve got the larger scale project happening โ the ยฃ80 million investment.
Itโs managed by two different contractors, both accessing the resort from two different areas. There is no movement and no crossover in the resort. One thing we said from Day Dot was we want no high-vis jackets walking around the car park for our guests to see. Itโs fine if they see on arrival, or departure, but as soon as youโre in the main resort you donโt want to see any high-vis jackets. Weโve been very fortunate that, to date, weโve had minimal impact from a normal delivery perspective. But itโs entirely up to my management team, and the great communication we have with our clients and with our internal team, to ensure we mitigate as much disruption as we possibly can. Itโs not easy. It takes a lot of time and effort, but the real challenge is you need to be consistent in your expectations.
There was that first month of myself, my team, walking around ensuring the contractors understand what we expect and making sure we lay that down as quickly as possible and be consistent in asking the same questions and ensuring they deliver.
How do you embrace the change?
We were very focused on the innovation piece. We were very open to people offering change and accepting change and thatโs the journey we took our team on three to six months before this development happened. Throughout, weโve kept all 800 staff members involved in what is happening, what is coming, having town hall, having briefings, to ensure itโs not just what we do as a leadership group.
It affects everybody in the business and itโs ensuring we listen to them if there are any challenges. Youโll be 30% bigger with the development.
Will that change your position in the market?
Our number one priority is retaining our current clients. We retain 70 per cent of our conference and event business. Before we start understanding our new customer base, itโs about retaining the current and taking them on a journey with us.
We will be able to host larger events โ our current large capacity is 280 โ so we will be fishing in a different pond because of size and scale. Some of our current corporate partners who have outgrown us, and potentially utilise bigger event spaces, we need to have conversations with them to say, โcome back to The Belfryโ. We are building this for you because you said, โwe need something biggerโ.
The crucial thing for us, from a location perspective, is we know there are opportunities to attract key events in London or Manchester.
Itโs not about taking anything away from current venues in the Birmingham and the Midlands area โ we are very keen to go and find new business and new events that are not currently visiting the Midlands.
What lessons can you share from the planning process?
We know there are going to be some curveballs, and nothing will go entirely smoothly. Itโs an 18-month development programme, which includes six months of refurb as well. Itโs two years of a lot of changes happening around the resort. It was all about myself, my management team, being agile and adapting as quickly as we can to any challenges given to us or set by construction or third parties and facing it head on. And then itโs talking about it, sharing frustrations, sharing any challenges with one another, coming together and ensuring we deliver it and improve as a team.
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The Viya app allows consumers to book golf and leisure activities across hundreds of venues in Dubai. We asked Julian Danby, Viyaโs Director โ International Business, to explain how it is driving global business.
What is Viya and its role within your organization?
Viya is our dynamic golf lifestyle loyalty and rewards app, launched in Dubai in 2020 under the umbrella of Dubai Golf. Viya was initially designed to enhance the experience for our golfing community and has since evolved into a powerhouse platform spanning nearly 200 venues. Beyond golf clubs, it now includes leading restaurants, beach clubs, gyms, and a variety of activities like fitness classes, personal training, marinas, and spas. Customers can seamlessly book and pay for services through Viya while earning and redeeming points.
Think of it as your all-access pass to living the good life while earning and splurging points between rounds. I am responsible for redefining Viya to suit international markets and roll out the product globally.
This exciting venture involves adapting Viyaโs versatile platform to resonate with diverse cultures and preferences worldwide.
Weโre not just aiming to expand geographically; weโre crafting tailored experiences that cater to the unique tastes and expectations of global users. Itโs about enhancing accessibility and ensuring that, whether youโre in Dubai or London, Viya remains your ultimate golfing companion.
Who owns Viya and how has it impacted your business?
Viya is proudly owned by Dubai Golf, a leading entity under the Dubai government managing iconic properties such as Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates.
The impact of Viya on our business has been transformative, especially evident in our recent expansion into Abu Dhabi. Taking charge of venues like Yas Links and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Viya quickly became instrumental in driving revenue.
A standout example is Yas Acres, where Viya facilitated a remarkable 70% of our monthly green fee revenue within just four months of operation.
How do you measure Viyaโs success, and what metrics are crucial?
Success for Viya hinges on customer loyalty and engagement metrics. We gauge this through repeat visits, customer referrals and of customer spend habits.
โThe impact of Viya on our business has been transformative, especially evident in our recent expansion into Abu Dhabiโ
Was it challenging to onboard partners to Viyaโs concept?
Fortunately, our established golf facilities in UAE provided a strong foundation and a compelling case for potential partners. As Viya expanded to encompass leisure and lifestyle options, it quickly gained traction in the market.
Clubs and vendors recognized that being part of Viya meant offering excellent value and attracting a dedicated customer base. Viya became the word on the lips of every golfer and their close network of friends, and as such we had vendors knocking on our door wanting to be a part of it.
How do you evaluate the return on investment from your collaboration with 59club?
The return on our investment with 59club is evident in improved staff retention, enhanced service delivery, and the consistent delivery of exceptional experiences. While itโs challenging to quantify in purely financial terms, the value lies in our ability to maintain high standards and implement innovative ideas.
Whatโs the best advice youโve received and how does it resonate in your work?
The best advice I received from my dad was: โIf a job is not worth doing properly, it is not worth doing at all.โ This mantra drives our commitment to excellence in planning, execution, and ensuring we have the right resources and team in place to deliver exceptional results.
Itโs the same ethos that lights up our game with 59club, pushing us to wow our customers by reinforcing our dedication to exceed customer expectations and achieve operational excellence.
Youโve collaborated with 59club extensively. Why is this partnership crucial?
Our partnership with 59club, spanning more than a decade, has been pivotal. 59club provides invaluable training and customer feedback that enhances our operational standards. By benchmarking against other clubs internationally, 59club helps us continually raise the bar that keeps our F&B and Golf operations running smoother than a ball on a glassy green
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59club, the global customer service management specialists, has announced today their partnership with leading sportswear brand Turtleson as they head into 2025.
The partnership has been forged with a shared passion for advancing and modernizing the golf industry, with Turtleson famed for reimagining classic sportswear for modern lifestyles, and 59club synonymous with elevating customer experiences and driving sales performance across the global golf & hospitality industry.
With regional divisions spanning the USA, Canada, UK & Ireland, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, Asia, Australia & New Zealand and Korea, 59clubโs global uniform needed to reflect the modern brand while affording regional teams the flexibility to accommodate cultural nuances.
Of the partnership Simon Wordworth, CEO of 59club, said, โWhen our teams take to the road, we want them to stand out in the crowd and be noticed. Thatโs what attracted us to Turtleson. Their sophisticated color palettes and modern tailoring set the bar for quality, style, and versatility. Our uniform is a reflection of our brand, of our values, and our commitment to excelling standards in the industry. For us, Turtleson is the perfect fit to accompany us around the world as we continue to make positive impactful strides as we enter new markets.โ
Since 2011, Turtleson has crafted premium golf lifestyle apparel for private clubs, resorts, and menโs specialty stores around the world. Known for their captivating collections and exceptional service, Turtleson has earned its place as a leading apparel partner in North America, Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Greg Oakley, CEO of Turtleson added, โWhen exploring potential partnerships, we look for companies and brands that share a similar vision. After meeting Simon and the 59club, we realized right away this was a company we wanted to be associated with. 59club is known throughout the world as the standard measure of quality service, and at Turtleson we work hard every day to set the benchmark for quality and service in our markets. It just seems like a natural fit.โ
For stockists & more information, visit turtleson.com or call Anneke Self on (423) 217-4950 or email her: anneke@turtleson.com
For advice regarding 59clubโs Customer Service Management solutions please visit 59club.com or reach out to your local 59club Manager
Andrew Whitelaw led operations at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai โ the first property in the region to work with 59club. He is now General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the 2026 PGA Championship venue Aronimink.
Andrew Whitelaw, Aronimink General Manager and Chief Operating Officer
Tell us about the set-up and model at Aronimink?
It is a traditional American country club and golf is the primary function of the club. The governance structure is fairly typical, with a board of governors โ including a President, Secretary, Vice President and Treasurer. We have 14 committees and they are involved in the running of the club. It is a modern governance model and is progressive. We have a forward looking board and we are in the middle of a $30m renovation of the whole property with clubhouse renovations and an upgrade of some of the golf facilities as well as our sport and leisure areas.
We have a new golf learning centre which is now finished. The membership are fantastic, they really love this club and they are very involved and passionate about everything Aronimink. The course is incredible, which is important, and is the basis of everything we do โ we are a walking-only course and everybody who plays it will say that the conditioning is as good as you are going to see anywhere. Visually it is stunning and it is most definitely one of Donald Rossโs finest creations.
What is happening now in the planning stages for the 2026 PGA Championship?
The PGA of America have a future sites programme, so for the last three years we have been going to events and meeting the committees who are running all these tournaments from their clubsโ perspectives and learning from their experiences.
The PGA will come on site in the next month and hospitality sales have already started. Our main priority at the moment is working with the local townships or various permits that we need to host such a large event. It is a big year for Philadelphia; it is the 250th anniversary of the United States, the FIFA World Cup is in town that year and the PGA Championship will kick it all off.
How do you calculate a return on investment when working with 59club?
Nearly 15 years ago we started working with 59club at the Emirates GC in Dubai and it was an important piece of how we improved our service at the property. In those days we were focused on customer satisfaction and understanding how we could improve the service side at every touchpoint. We werenโt using 59club to deliver a return of investment or upselling, our main use was to identify gaps
in our service and drive engagement and satisfaction among members and guests. When I moved to Trump Dubai in 2016 we introduced mystery shopping and training and achieved Gold Flag status in the first year. We did the same thing at Portmarnock in 2019.
Whatโs the best piece of advice youโve had?
Listen carefully and understand what is being said to you before you reply. A lot of people jump in with a response before they completely understand what they are being asked a lot of the time. You donโt always have to be the first person to speak. I have found that invaluable. Also, when you are starting out, always try and do more than you have been asked and take on things that maybe you werenโt asked to do.
Out of everything that 59club do, what do you like the most?
You canโt be everywhere all the time and, when you work in operations, you donโt always experience what the member or guest experiences. I like the view you get of the personal experience of individuals who understand golf who are then able to give you an unbiased view of every aspect of the service journey. If you get the service at a level where it needs to be people are going to return, they are going to come more often and enjoy their experience more. For me this is the key part of the 59club product although there is so much more to what they offer which is of value.
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59clubโs commitment to elevate Sales & Customer Service across the entire golf & leisure industry, has seen the Customer Experience Management Specialist launch the industryโs first independent B2B magazine, concentrated solely on excelling standards, service optimization and elevating club profitability.
With operations spanning the USA, UK & Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia, Canada, Australia & New Zealand and Korea,ย 59clubย are perfectly positioned to becomeย theย authentic voice of the global golf business, something their clients, associates and those on the inside have been championing for decades.ย
Thousands of affiliate properties have benefited from the customer service insights and data collected through 59clubโs extensive mystery shopping program and real-time customer satisfaction surveys. And now, the eagerly anticipated Insights Magazine will act as a platform to share that wisdom and education with a wider audience, as the new publication fills the void and counteracts any misinformation that the industry has suffered.
Simon Wordsworth, 59club founder & CEO, said; โWith opening rates of digital magazines falling, engagement in that digital space can be very difficult and in general any interaction is short lived. We donโt want to be โread today, forgot tomorrowโ, weโve just got too much to share for that.
โI wanted us to produce a high quality and informative piece of work that simply โlingers longerโin a venue, to remain open at point of interest with the reader, affording them the time and perspective to make positive changes within their business based on fact and understanding. In addition, there are more people within the club/organisation to educate and stimulate discussion. For that reason, digital alone just wouldnโt do for us.
โWe can see from our Club Study results what is on our managers minds and the Insights Magazine will allow us to discuss these topics with the trade and other influencing factors.โ
The global edition of the aptly named โInsightsโ magazine will be hard mailed four times per year to clubโs within 59clubโs immediate and growing network, a digital counterpart is also available to download on mass.
The first edition celebrates the best operators in the world having achieved 59club flag status for excelling Customer Service standards and also features the elite Leaders and Properties within 59clubโs Eminent Collection – the list to end all debates, as those included truly are the industries finest service providers.โฏ
Subsequent issues are driven by live industry data, as 59clubโs universal intel uncovers the truth behind visitor perception, member satisfaction, onboardingโฏprocesses, attrition behaviours, and event management, right the way through to the Club Study survey results that are posted every two weeks.
The magazine will also delve into theโฏsuccess and life-lessons shared by some of the greatest operators and most celebratedโฏproperties in the world of golf & hospitality.โฏThe final publication of the year, will always review the annual customer experience wins & losses, seekingโฏpredictionsโฏand forecastingโฏfor the future.
Each edition will be informative, educational and focus on insights that you canโt find anywhere else, itโs a guard-down approach to excel.โฏ
Read the Insights Magazine now, and for more information about 59club and the lasting change they can bring to the overall success and profitability of your club, simply visit 59club.com and reach out to your regional 59club Manager.
High-profile venues across the United States recognized for service excellenceat Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas
The golf & club industryโs very best operators descended on Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, NV, on Monday, March 4th, 2024, with the hope of claiming a 59club USA Service Excellence Award.
59clubโs accoladesย areย determined by scores collected fromย theirย impartial mystery shopping audits,ย which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfersย andย toย prospectiveย clients for membership, group golf days, and F&B event salesย in accordance with 59clubโs objective benchmarking criteria.ย On the night,ย 59club presentedย 21ย awardsย acrossย 15ย categories,ย recognizing โservice excellenceโ across all areas of the businesses โ sales, service, operations, retail, golf course, food & beverage,ย and management.
Leading the way was Arcis Golf, who collected a total of 5 different awards. The TPC Network was right behind them collecting 3 separate awards. Other winning companies included (in alphabetical order)CDN Golf Management, KemperSports, Landscapes Golf Management, Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, and Troon Golf.
We also had several independent clubs take away some hardware. Mid Ocean Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Country Club of Rochester, and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club.
59clubโs Industry Benchmark of excellence are its Gold, Silver, and Bronze Flag Designations. They were the highlight of proceedings. These highly prized accolades recognize operations that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout 2023.
This year, 59clubย USAย presentedย 1 โGold Flagโย and 5 โSilver Flagsโ. Theย soleย winnerย of a Gold Flag was Reynolds Lake Oconee.ย Taking homeย Silver Flags were (in alphabetical order)ย Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Mid Ocean Club, Rio Secco Golf Club, and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club.
Of this yearโs awards, Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA, commented:
โWe are so happy to acknowledge the great companies and operators that we have the opportunity to work with. Getting them all in a room to celebrate excellence together was great for everyone involved. I also want to acknowledge Jake Gordon, and hist team at Noteefy for helping sponsor these awards.โ
Our promise to our clients, and to those just starting on their journey with 59club USA, is to continue supporting their customer and staff member journey with new tools and more intel, and to equip our most ambitious companies in their pursuit of excellence. Whether it be through our mystery shopping process, the use of our survey tool, or engaging with the training arm of what we do, we take great pride in helping each and every person we have the chance to work with.”
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
59club โService Excellenceโ Award Winners 2023
Gold Flag Designations:
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Silver Flag Designations:
Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management), Desert Willow Golf Resort (KemperSports), Mid Ocean Club (Independent), Rio Secco Golf Club (CDN Golf Management), and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club (Independent).
My59 Survey Service Excellence Award:
The Country Club of Rochester (Independent)
Food & Beverage Manager of The Year (tied):
TPC River’s Bend (Arcis Golf) & Gamble Sands (Troon)
Retail Manager of the Year:
Canyon Springs Golf Club (Arcis Golf)
Superintendent of the Year:
TPC Rivers Bend (Arcis Golf)
Golf Operations Team of the Year:
Palm Valley Golf Club (Arcis Golf)
Golf/Club Manager of the Year:
TPC Scottsdale (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Retail Experience:
Harrison Meadows Country Club (Indigo Sports/Troon)
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation:
Reynolds Lake Oconee (Independent)
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience (tied):
Cascata Golf Club (CDN Golf Management) and The Shoals (Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail)
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance:
TPC River Highlands (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance:
TPC Scottsdale (TPC Network)
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance:
Dakota Dunes Country Club (Landscapes Golf Management)
The Service Excellence Awards will see business leaders and their teams come together from across the USA, as 59club recognize the leading individuals, teams, and properties for their outstanding achievements realized within 59clubโs independent mystery shopper program during 2023.
The event promises to deliver excellent networking opportunities; all centred around the prestigious Annual Service Excellence Awards Ceremony. Congratulations to all our nominees.
2024 Nominees (in alphabetical order)
My59 Survey Service Excellence Award
Reynolds Lake Oconee, St Ives Country Club, Talisker Club, The Country Club of Rochester, TPC San Antonio, Waterfall Club
Food & Beverage Manager of the Year
Gamble Sands, Palm Valley Golf Course, Rim Golf Club, The McLemore, The Pinery Country Club, TPC River’s Bend
Golf Retail Manager of the Year
Aberdeen Country Club, Canyon Springs Golf Club, Harrison Meadows Country Club, Ocean Course Hokuala, Palm Valley Golf Club, Valencia Country Club
Superintendent of the Year
Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, TPC Deere Run TPC Rivers Bend, TPC San Antonio, Weymouth Country Club
Golf Operations Team of the Year
Cascata Golf Club, Monarch Beach Golf Links, Ocean Course Hokuala, Palm Valley Golf Club, TPC Sawgrass, Valencia Country Club
Golf/Club Manager of the Year
Monarch Beach Golf Links, The Oaks Club at Valencia, The Shoals, TPC Deere Run, TPC Scottsdale, Valencia Country Club
Leading Individual Retail Experience
Arrowhead Country Club, Canyon Springs Golf Club, Cascata Golf Club, Four Bridges Country Club, Harrison Meadows Country Club, Highland Oaks, King’s Deer Golf Club, Mid Ocean Club, Palm Valley Golf Club, Reynolds Lake Oconee -The Oconee Course, Rim Golf Club, Rio Secco Golf Club, The Wigwam Resort, TPC Deere Run, TPC Las Vegas, Valencia Country Club
Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation
Chariot Run Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Reynolds Lake Oconee, RTJ Ross Bridge, Royal Melbourne Country Club, Weymouth Country Club,
Leading Individual Golf Visit Experience
Cascata Golf Club, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Rio Secco Golf Club, RTJ Ross Bridge, RTJ The Shoals, TPC Sawgrass
Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance
Bull Valley Golf Club, Hawthorn Woods Country Club, TPC Boston, TPC River Highlands, TPC Sugarloaf, TPC Twin Cities
Leading Individual Group Golf Day Sales Performance
TPC Boston, TPC Las Vegas, TPC River Highlands, TPC San Antonio, TPC Scottsdale, TPC Twin Cities
Leading Individual Event Sales Performance
Broadlands Golf Course, Dakota Dunes Country Club, Jackrabbit Run Golf Course, North River Yacht Club, TPC Deere Run, TPC Sugarloaf
Most Improved Golf Visitor Experience
Four Bridges Country Club, McDowell Mountain Golf Club, Palm Valley Country Club, Stonecreek Golf Club, The Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, TPC Scottsdale
The highlight of the evening will see 59clubโs renowned industry benchmark โ the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Flag Designationsโ presented to the USA Properties that not only achieved the required standard of service as part of 59clubโs mystery shopping program, but also provide excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.
59club’s spotlight shines as the 2023 Eminent Collection is announced.
The latest properties and leaders from the world of golf & hospitality have been welcomed into 59clubโs โEminent Collectionโ at two exclusive events, hosted at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and at Wentworth Club, England on the 21st and 23rd of November 2023, respectively.
The โEminent Collectionโ was established in 2022 to honor long-serving standards of customer service excellence delivered over a minimum of 5 years; with 59club Flag Designations, along with individual and team accolades, all contributing towards the global Eminent benchmark of excellence.
Recognition by 59club is unbiased, independent, and non-subjective, the only industry award of its kind, symbolizing a true badge of honor for those venues and people consistently delivering the finest levels of customer service,during 59clubโs vigorous mystery shopper program.
The intimate ceremony, saw 59club welcome nine industry โleadersโ who join twenty-two individuals honored with Eminent Status in 2022. The newcomers receiving the enviable Eminent titles were; Casper Schonfeldt, Discovery Land Dubai; Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry; Chris Fitt, Moor Park; Clinton Southorn, Troon; Francisco de Lancastre David, Finca Cortesin; HoussemBelabed, Gleneagles; Jason Adams, Rockliffe Hall; Matt Aplin, Goring & Streatley; and, Scott Fenwick, Gleneagles.
With only one new property having met the demands synonymous with the Eminent Collection in 2023; as Saadiyat Beach Golf Club join twelve existing โpropertiesโ from within 59clubโs international network. The elite Collection now represents The Belfry Hotel & Resort;TheCeltic Manor Resort; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Forest of Arden; Foxhills Club & Resort; Gleneagles; Golf Son Muntaner; The Grove;Rockliffe Hall; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas links, Abu Dhabi.
Of the honors, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said; โWhat an incredible celebration of โexcellenceโ! The Collection all came together to welcome our newcomers to this elite group of industry champions, whilst we honored our existing members for a second term. The Eminent Collection is the ultimate accolade we can bestow on any venue or individual, and it remains 59clubโs honour and privilege to continue to shine a light on the people who are shaping the direction the industry continues to take, by maximising the experience that every single customer can enjoy.โ
59clubโs signature partner; Club Car once again extended their commitment to the Collection, in true reflection of their devotion to honor customer service excellence; with both Reesink Toro & Golf Genius also aligning their brands with this unique portfolio of industry professionals.
The Belfry Hotel & Resort The Celtic Manor Resort Delta by Marriott, Forest of Arden Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club Emirates Golf Club Foxhills Club & Resort Gleneagles Golf Son Muntaner The Grove Rockliffe Hall Saadiyat Beach Golf Club Trump International Golf Club Dubai Yas Links Abu Dhabi
Andrew Whitelaw, Aronimink Golf Club Angus Macleod, The Belfry Anna Darnell, The Grove Barney Coleman, Burnham & Berrow Bernat Llobera, Arabella Golf Mallorca Brad Gould, The Grove Casper Schonfeldt, Discovery Land Dubai Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry Chris Fitt, Moor Park Chris May, Dubai Golf Chris Reeve, The Belfry Clinton Southorn, Troon Craig Haldane, Gleneagles Francisco de Lancastre David, Finca Cortesin Fraser Liston, Forest of Arden Gary Silcock, Murrayshall Houssem Belabed, Gleneagles Jacques Hobson, The Belfry Jason Adams, Rockliffe Hall Jim Mckenzie MBE, Celtic Manor Jonathan Wyer, Rockliffe Hall Matt Aplin, Goring & Streatley Phillip Chiverton, The Grove Rob Rowson, Forest of Arden Scott Fenwick, Gleneagles Sean Graham, Foxhills Simon Howell, Forest of Arden Stephen Hindle, Worsley Park Stephen Hubner, Jumeirah Golf Estates Stuart Collier, Stoke Park Tom Hughes, The Belfry
59club is all about detail & data, and our technology plays a vital part in all of that, providing you with the ability to collect survey data direct from 1-1 survey invitations, or the simplicity of a well-positioned QR code or shareable link. Weโve also made some loyal friends along the way via mutual clients, and working together we can generate even more intelligence, while eradicating human error – thatโs right, today weโre opening your eyes to CRM & POS hook-ups!
For the average golf & hospitality business, that simply means each time member and guest data is entered into your software, 59clubโs survey platform will โauto-inviteโ the customer to complete the venues custom satisfaction survey based on their recent encounter. For example; having joined the club, paid to play, visited the spa or F&B outlet, attended a golf club fitting appointment, made a retail purchase, or having relinquished their club membership.ย ย
The functionality can even track a customerโs experience at significant landmarks during their journey, auto generating a โseriesโ of questionnaires, in sequence at set intervals, as programmed by the venue; measuring a new memberโs experience over a set timeframe, or even a โget into golf programโ as a guide.
Over the years we have managed integrations with a number of the leading CRM & POS providers globally on behalf of our mutual clients.
Most recently we have been linked with Lightspeed; a global innovative ePOS system, and we have also deliveredย integrated surveys for many clients with the help of other leading providers such as Concept, EZLinks, imaster.golf and Premier Software, all with the ultimate goal of supporting our shared clients to maximize the intel they receive from their customers.ย
With technology always at the ready, and a wealth of flexible survey templates that cover all areas of the hospitality industry, club staff can save valuable admin time, with elements of human error also eradicated, as the POS & CRM takes over. That means more time to spend on analyzing the data, utilizing the industry specific benchmarking comparisons, and ultimately; on the important parts of customer experience โ spending time with the customer and subsequently around planningย improvements!ย
And while our survey platformโฏis all algorithms, metrics and values, thereโs no bots here! We are human, with expert servicing teams located in 9 international regions – from ideation and build support, to launch assistance, data analysis & next-level advice – when you need us, we are with you every step of the way.
We’ll even support your CRM & POS provider with all the necessary’s tech-talk to maximize your data-capture.โฏSo, what are you waiting for? Talk to us about your provider, and letโs get you hooked-up and away to go.ย ย
Never again will you make decisions blindly or be left wondering why… because youโll have the hard and fast data at your fingertips, as we open your eyes to the wonderful world of wisdom…
As always; reach out to your regional 59club Manager for more information and to get started…
WARNING!!! Please be assured that 59club will guide you through the process of becoming a tech wizard โ no former data-geek experience necessary โ full 59club support provided, we have an open API, weโre friendly like that, and weโll even manage the integration process with your CRM & POS provider as required.
The greatest thing about golfers is that they like to play in groups. No one likes to play golf alone and that gives us a huge advantage, whether thatโs a monthly seasoned away day, or an annual group of 40+ visiting golfers, we want them to choose to visit us, right?!ย But are we consistently hitting all the high notes during their inquiry? After all, theyโre probably canvasing a few other venues for the best rates.
But does rate really matter?
To some, absolutely! Rate may be everything โ but when you consider;
Value = Experience less Cost, itโs the experience that we really need to pitch, and thatโs where excellent customer service and call management will always win, but how do you know what to pitch?
Well, Iโll let you in to a little secret – it all comes down to following a solid sales process – none of this wishy-washy stuff – and at 59club weโre experts at mapping out the perfect journey, so hereโs some helpful hints & tips, just for 10.
Phone rings โ so where do you start?
1. Has the group been before?
2. Whatโs their previous experience, where did they visit; what did they enjoy; and what are the most important factors to ensure a successful event?
3. Discuss their previous budget and typical spend.
4. Sniff out the competition; who are we up against, have they made other inquiries, have they been given any package prices?ย
5. Discuss the frequency of the event?
6. Data collection – name, email, number, address, how did they hear of us, what prompted them to call โ we want it allโฆ
7. Event data – date, times, number of golfers and their level of flexibility
8. Establish the parameters of their budget?
9. Understand the event specifics โ and boy thereโs a lot of technicalities to cover here, from F&B requirements, on-course services, and prize tables, to golf clinics and leaderboards.
10. Demonstrate that you truly value their business.
Promotion begins…
Then itโs a simple case of delivering a โtailoredโ promotion to exceed expectations; as you discuss the venue, your product and your USPโs – demonstrating added value along the way!!! And please ALWAYS give moreโฆ
Sales close & Follow up…
Finally, you start your โsales closeโ and agree your follow-up protocol, because weโre going to be proactive with our next steps. Whether thatโs still attempting to convert the business, offering to hold space, or issuing a personalized proposal; or simply providing pre-visit advice having secured the booking.
Yes, the rate may be high on a specific day or time, but by simply understanding the flexibility of your group; you may well be able to come up with an alternative tee time to help shape a great package for them. Thatโs what group golf is all about, keeping the group happy, and if we can be seen to value their business, tailoring our offering to accommodate them, tweaking this and that to give them the very greatest experience for their buck, then we are hard to beat!
Stop thinking of golf as a solid flat rate โ how can it be, when there are so many SPECIFICS to navigate with the group organizer, and added extras that may well cost you nothing, but make the group feel like a million dollars.
If you start out with a solid sales process, designed to glean the information necessary to over-pitch your offering, then youโre on to a winning formula.
Contact us at info@59clubusa.com to learn more about our Group Golf Sales audits, education and survey tools. There really is a better way to do things, and we are here to help guide you through initiating that sales processโฆย ย
From the second an employee arrives for work, and even before theyโve slipped their coat off and settled into their daily duties, there are customers waiting to be supported & served, and we expect that interaction to be delivered with a smile and genuine interest to help. (As well as hitting all the high notes within our Mystery Shopper audit criteria)
On the whole, performance is true to form, but from time-to-time standards slip – employees may feel the pressures of their role, they may feel undervalued, they may have unknowingly inherited bad traits from other team members โ and slowly that smile becomes strained.
The customer may not even notice the difference in behavior at first, but over time it starts to show, you may even hear customers speaking of the uncharacteristic behavior of their favorite employee.
“Motivate them, train them, care about them, and make winners out of them… they’ll treat the customers right.And if customers are treated right, they’ll come back.”
J. Willard Marriott, American entrepreneur, businessman and founder of the Marriott Corporation
To consistently deliver exceptional service, you must nurture your people, inspire their behavior, support them with the right tools and training to perform well within their role, predict their needs, and listen to their woes.
With so many customers to serve and departments to oversee, time often slips away, and every good intention becomes lower down the priority order, but it doesnโt need to be that way.
Just like your customers, there is also a โneedโ to survey your employees, and for that matter we created a bundle of HR Survey Templates, to make analyzing employee wellbeing that much easier, whether they are an existing employee, new recruit or a leaver.
Thereโs a whole load of pre-set questions for you to include โ as always, we try and take the guess work away, but thereโs also the freedom to add any custom questions to your surveys – youโre always able to do that within any of our golf & hospitality templates, you can even make a survey entirely of your own if you prefer.
What always captivates me with the inclusion of a templated question, is the ability to compare your own outcomes with the global industry & podium set averages, thatโs what fascinates me the most. How other employees’ experiences, preferences, willingness and loyalty compares to yours, and what you can take from the wisdom of stepping out of your own four walls.
The venue will also be able to identify what motivates individuals, and how they can support continued growth within their employees existing role, also providing clarity and vision over personal career progression.
There may be other survey providers out there – heck one google search and you can find a ton of them! But what you donโt get from any of them is the specialized industry expertise, the flexibility, and the miniscule analytical data that only 59club is synonymous for.
We arenโt just here as a survey provider like some of our competitors are, or as a mystery shopping company either, we are here for the greater good. We donโt just help you to spot flaws or celebrate excellence with you, we give you the solutions to perfect experiences.
Circling back to Mr. Marriott, our very own mantra is cut from the same cloth, we exist solely to help you to motivate your team, to care about them, to train them, and every year we make winners out of them. Your people are the foundation to achieving customer service excellence, thatโs the business we are all in, and weโre all in it together!
The Human Resource Survey Templates are free to use within your Survey Platform, they address all areas of the employment roster – from measuring theโฏNew Employee Experience, general Employee Satisfaction, plus anโฏEmployee Exit Survey.
So, while weโve got your attention, take some time out today, look into the HR Survey Suite. Contact us at info@59clubusa.com, and letโs set some time aside to prioritize employee wellbeing, as we look forward to enjoying the perks of increased customer service delivery.
59clubโs โEminent Collectionโ celebration is set to return this fall, as we continue to recognize the finest properties & leaders across the world of golf & hospitality, for their unwavering dedication to Customer Service Excellence.
With exclusive events taking place at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, and at Wentworth Club, England on the 21st and 23rd of November 2023 respectively; 59club are delighted to announce that their signature partner; Club Car has once again extended their commitment to the Collection; with both ReesinkToro & Golf Genius also aligning their brands with this unique portfolio of industry professionals, as the 2023 inductees are set to be announced.
Eligibility into the โEminent Collectionโ is based solely on achievements across the 59club Service Excellence Awards, with individual and team accolades, along with 59club Flag Designations, all contributing towards the Global Eminent Benchmark of Excellence; measuring performances over a minimum of 5 years.
In 2022, just twelve โpropertiesโ from within 59clubโs international network had achieved the required benchmark synonymous with the Collection, with a further twenty-two โleadersโ honored with Eminent Status.
Of the impending celebrations, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said;
โThe ultimate accolade 59club can bestow on any venue or individual is to grant them entry into The Eminent Collection.The calculation is fair, transparent, objective, and open to all industry professionals, and by design showcases individuals and venues who not only invite independent scrutiny, but who then deliver outstanding and consistent performances across a minimum of five years.
โIt is my honour and privilege to continue to shine a light on the people who are ultimately shaping the direction the industry continues to take, by maximising the experience that every single customer can enjoy.โ
As the wider industry waits on bated breath for the 2023 announcement to be made later in November; 59club are preparing to host a full house, as the entire Collection reconvenes to officially welcome the newcomers as they join this elite group of industry champions.
For more information about the Eminent Collection, or to learn about 59club and their plight towards elevating service standards and profitability across the golf & hospitality industry; please visit www.59club.com
In the tranquil haven of Costa del Sol, where the lush greens meet the boundless blue skies, Finca Cortesin stands as a testament to golfing magnificence.
As it prepares to host the prestigious Solheim Cup this week, we had the privilege of sitting down with Rocรญo Sรกnchez, the Golf Manager of Finca Cortesin, to unveil the secrets behind their journey towards golfing greatness and their transformative partnership with 59club.
โRocรญo, first things first, with the Solheim Cup just around the corner, can you share with us how everything is shaping up for the event, and how exciting is it for you and your team?โ
โ We are all thrilled to be hosting the Solheim Cup this week, and have left no stone unturned in preparing to provide an exceptional experience for the players and guests. Over the past two years, all areas of our resort have been tirelessly improved to ensure we’re in top form. The excitement is building as we eagerly anticipate the event and we canโt wait for it to startโ
โYou have been working with 59club for a couple of years, can you tell us how 59club has helped Finca Cortesin objectively evaluate the customer experience and identify areas for improvement?โ
โ59clubโs definition of excellence in service matches our own at the Club. With its well-defined parameters spanning various aspects of the golf reservation process, from the initial booking call to the ultimate visit day, we gain a comprehensive understanding of our service performance. The clarity offered by these parameters allows us to identify both our strengths and areas in need of improvement. By analyzing the entire customer journey, we can pinpoint specific touchpoints where we excel, and areas where we may fall short, enabling us to implement targeted strategies for enhancement.โ
โAs the Golf Manager of Finca Cortesin, can you share with us your vision for the club’s growth and what contributes to achieving that goal?โโAs the Golf Manager of Finca Cortesin, can you share with us your vision for the club’s growth and what contributes to achieving that goal?โ
โIn achieving the high-quality standards that we set ourselves, my role involves evaluating the ratings provided by 59clubโs mystery shoppers, and preparing comprehensive reports. These reports are then discussed with team leaders to identify areas where we excel and those that require improvement. Based on the findings, new guidelines are established to enhance our service further. Subsequently, I lead a meeting with the team to communicate the significance of this information and emphasize the importance of maintaining our level of excellence. Through this process, we aim to continuously elevate our service standards and provide exceptional experiences to our valued customers. โ
“Collaborating with 59club has been instrumental in our continuous efforts to monitor customer service data and elevate our renowned service and facility standards. The ability to track each parameter over time ensures that we remain vigilant and take initiative, never letting our guard down“
โCan you share any specific goals or benchmarks you aim to achieve in terms of service quality and member experience, utilizing 59club’s services?โโCan you share any specific goals or benchmarks you aim to achieve in terms of service quality and member experience, utilizing 59club’s services?โ
We have a very clear vision in the quality of service that we want to offer, so our standard rate to achieve this memorable experience for our members and visitors should be always to be in the top 3 clubs and maintain a 59club Golf Flag designation.
โHow do you think the ongoing evaluation through 59club’s mystery shopping services will support Finca Cortesin in maintaining a culture of continuous improvement and delivering unparalleled experiences for your members and guests?โ
โOver the years, collaborating with 59club has been instrumental in our continuous efforts to monitor customer service data and elevate our renowned service and facility standards. The ability to track each parameter over time ensures that we remain vigilant and take initiative, never letting our guard down. This partnership empowers us to stay responsive to our customersโ needs, identify areas for enhancement, and consistently deliver exceptional experiences that set us apart in the industry.โ
โYou & the team led the way at our recent Service Excellence Awards by winning Golf Manager of the Year & Golf Operations Team of the Year, what does this mean to you & the team?โ
โWe are delighted to receive these two awards; it is a testament to the hard work and effort demonstrated by the team day-in-day-out. Undoubtedly, these awards recognize the teamwork that we apply at Finca Cortesin, and we are very fortunate to have an incredible team that allows us to maintain our standards of service each and every year.
Personally, it has given me immense pride in winning 59clubโs Golf Manager of the Year & Golf Operations Team of the Year awards. Being recognized in such a unique way makes us feel thrilled! Customer service has always been about exceeding customer expectations, and our team is very professional when it comes to daily tasks and responsibilities. We understand the established standards at the Club that are required to maintain an excellent level of service.โ
โAs a leader in the golf industry, how do you think the insights and best practices provided by 59club will contribute to the growth and development of golf clubs in Spain, particularly in the Costa del Sol region?โ
โThe adoption of tools such as 59club by clubs in the Costa del Sol can help raise the overall standards of service, setting a wider benchmark for excellence โ as Clubs can monitor their levels of service in a very transparent way and therefore take action to improve on the required areas.โ
โFinally, what advice would you give to other golf clubs considering partnering with 59club to improve their customer service, staff training, and overall performance?โ
โFinca Cortesin has received some prestigious awards over the last few years for its quality of service and standards that set the benchmark in our region. Our partnership with 59club has been extremely helpful to track our metrics from a non-biased perspective, and take action where needed. So, any service and assistance that can help you achieve your goals, I think its always a good thingโ
In the bustling universe of the hospitality industry, a seasoned manager with over two decades of experience shares their valuable insights into the transformation of employee training.
They, obviously, preferred to remain anonymous, but they did not hold back.
โFrom the days when face-to-face sessions were the norm, to today’s digital age where countless online resources are available, there’s a discernible contrast between broad, free online training tools and specialized solutions tailored to the unique challenges of the hospitality sector.
โI need someone to come in and get it right away. I need a program to help me make it easy. Custom training allows me to make that message clear as day from day one. Only way I can do that is have everything ready to go from the word โgoโ.โ
Hereโs five reasons why our โanonymousโ manager uses 59club training tools.
1. Universal Approaches vs. Custom-tailored Solutions
The first notable distinction our anonymous manager emphasized is the inherent nature of these tools. Free online platforms tend to take a one-size-fits-all approach. While rich in total information, these tools often present a dilemma, as venues have to differentiate between what’s pertinent to them versus other industries, or worse โ bad habits from the industry itself.
And when it comes to bad habits learned form bad organizations, how do you make it right?
2. Content Depth Matters
The vastness of free online resources, though impressive, frequently falls short when it comes to the intricacies needed for complex operations. This manager points out that hospitality venues are multifaceted, encompassing departments from housekeeping to front desk operations, from customer service to event management. Each has its nuances and demands. Specialized training solutions cater to these areas with depth, ensuring holistic development.
โWe need a real understanding of every facet on every level of our operations. Thereโs no way we can expect a retail associate to have the same rapport as our seasoned desk clerkโฆunless they trained together and understand our collective goals. Frankly, we need everyone on board from their first day. If we miss an opportunity to provide exceptional service, weโll never get it back.โ
3. Adapting to an Ever-changing Landscape
Another key observation from this industry veteran is the rapid evolution within the hospitality sphere. Guest expectations, technological innovations, and market dynamics are in perpetual motion. Free tools, despite their periodic updates, might not capture these real-time nuances. A dedicated solution, they hint, keeps pace with industry fluctuations, ensuring relevancy.
4. The Value of Community and Networking
One underrated advantage of specialized solutions, as per this manager, is the community they nurture. Engaging with dedicated platforms often opens doors to network with industry peers, exchange best practices, and learn collectively. Such opportunities are generally sparse on generic platforms.
In other words, โmake it personal.โ
โI want personal rapport. I want my associates to know our guests better than I do. But we cannot create than environment or โwant toโ without clear expectations and 59clubโs training tools make that easy for us. We can easily tell our new hires and our junior associates what is expected of them in this business. Thereโs no confusion.
5. Gauging the Return on Investment
This seasoned hospitality manager is a firm believer in the adage: “You get what you pay for.” While acknowledging the benefits of free training tools, especially for entities with limited resources, they stress the undeniable ROI seen with specialized solutions. Investing in a dedicated platform wasnโt merely an expense for them but a strategic pathway to sustainable growth.
This industry insider’s journey over two decades illuminates that training methodologies’ progression isnโt just a shift from traditional to digital or from paid to free. It’s about recognizing the layers of hotel operations and aligning with tools that resonate with those goals. The anonymous manager believes that while free online platforms have their place, the depth, customization, and real-time adaptability of specialized training solutions can be the game-changer for the hotel industry. Their insights serve as a beacon for those charting their path in the dynamic world of hospitality.
Navigating the sea of survey tools online can be daunting. However, when you understand the depth and precision of specialized tools like 59club USAโs, the choice becomes clear. Weโre not here to waste your time. Here’s a breakdown of the key differences between 59club USA’s industry-leading survey tools and generic free alternatives:
1. Industry-Specific Templates:
While many free tools offer basic, broad templates, 59club USA’s platform is tailored for the intricacies of the daily fee/resort golf, private club, spa, and HR sectors. This ensures we have questions in our templates that are relevant to your business. New Member Surveys, Daily Fee/Resort Guest Surveys, Event Surveys, Exit Employee Surveys, etc.
2. Integrated Software with Instant Feedback:
Most free survey tools require manual dissemination and lack real-time feedback features. 59club USAโs surveys are not only automatically sent based on user interactions but also provide instantaneous feedback, crucial for businesses that require timely data.
3. Comprehensive Benchmarking:
Feedback in isolation has limited use. 59club USA offers the added advantage of industry benchmarks, allowing businesses to compare their performance against competitors. This vital feature is often missing in basic free tools, depriving users of holistic insights and regional factors.
4. Granular Demographic Filters and Automated Analytics:
The power of a survey lies in understanding specific segments of respondents. While free tools may offer basic analytics, 59club USA allows businesses to deep dive into feedback using demographic filters. Whether it’s age, gender, membership type, or how long they have been a member, the tool gives precise insights.
5. Unlimited Surveys with Custom Flexibility:
Free tools often cap the number of surveys you can send, the number of respondents you can reach and even the questions you can ask! 59club USA, however, offers unlimited surveys regardless if using our industry leading, unbiased templates or a set of your own custom, private questions. Businesses can customize questions to their heart’s content.
6. Delivery Method
59club can deliver surveys through the traditional email link process. These messages can be white labeled to your brand. We can also create QR Code surveys for the mass collection of data at, for example, the golf shop, restaurant menus, golf carts, fitness center, etc.
In the competitive world of golf and country club management, staying ahead of the curve requires a combination of dedication, innovative strategies, and utilizing the right tools.
Today, we bring you insights from an industry leader whoโs making headway in optimizing member experiences, Jason Hanna, COO of the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Canada. We talk about his vision, 59clubโs transformative role in their operations, and the future of golf clubs in the region.
The Visionary Path
Under Jason’s stewardship, Credit Valley aims to grow its member service standards by “creating means to measure our progress year over year and benchmarking with similar clubs in our market.” This ensures they’re either meeting or exceeding industry standards and expectations.
Jason highlights the significance of 59club’s industry benchmarking services, calling them “an invaluable tool, not only for club managers but for committees and Boards to better understand industry standards.”
Striking a Better Club Experience
Credit Valley is focusing on enhancing locker room and outside golf operations. Theyโve found an ally in 59club, whose survey software and mystery shopping audits has resonated with the clubโs team, mainly due to its granularity. This has facilitated more accurate evaluations, streamlined internal communications, and enriched staff training.
“Benchmarking and surveys have been instrumental in setting targets. We have used the HR survey templates exclusively on staff to date in order have a sense of their comfort heading into a busy season, and a peer assessment method with our management team that folds into their appraisals. We will also be expanding to use surveys for Board and committee effectiveness,” Jason shares. This bespoke approach has been pivotal in understanding Credit Valleyโs unique aspects, and driving continuous improvement.
On Course for Continuous Improvement
When asked how they intend to capitalize on data, Jason expressed that the information gathered has already contributed to shaping their operational plans, especially around staff engagement.
He also emphasizes the role of mystery shopping services in evaluating customer experiences, stating, “Receiving a timely, comprehensive report covering all areas of interaction at the club allows management to make real-time adjustments, or seek further inquiry into areas performing below standard.”
Industry Influence and Future Forecasts
As a leader in the golf industry, Jason believes that 59clubโs insights will contribute significantly to the growth of golf clubs in Canada, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area, that holds about 20% of the nationโs population and many of the top-tier clubs.
โImplementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,โ
He advises other golf clubs considering a partnership with 59club; “Due to the ability to build services around the specific needs and nuances, 59club will capture data and measure service standards at any club.”
On the horizon for Credit Valley is further integration of these performance management services, especially in terms of member satisfaction surveys on targeted areas of the clubโs amenities and additional mystery shopping across other areas of the business such as member onboarding. According to Jason, 59clubโs regular training and support will make this a walk in the park.
โImplementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,โ said Hanna. โ59club is with us every step of the way, not only helping us read and interpret mystery shopping data, but also recommending and helping us with our employee education and training plans, as well as providing operations support, they are always focused on identifying opportunities for growth.โ
The partnership between Credit Valley Golf and Country Club and 59club paints a picture of progress and promise. With a vision to improve, the right tools in place, and a commitment to service excellence, the future seems bright for Credit Valley and the Canadian golf club industry as a whole.
The world of golf and country club management, as observed through Jasonโs lens, is one of relentless innovation, continuous improvement, and unwavering dedication to service excellence. As we navigate the future, these insights serve as a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, and the drive for progress that defines leaders like Jason Hanna and organizations like Credit Valley Golf and Country Club.
In the world of club operations, having the right people, in the right places, behaving in the right way is paramount to success. A customer only has to receive one bad experience to disassociate themself with a brand or organisation, while spreading news of that poor experience far and wide.
To some, the notion of reinvesting surplus back into operations specifically to educate and develop the team may seem groundbreaking, but could it potentially become the standard for future budgeting?
Now, imagine we shift our perspective slightly and ask: what if a โspecific portionโ of your overall revenue is dedicated to staff training and development in your budgeting process, just like McDonalds, Starbucks and other enormous global companies earmarks a particular amount for advertising each year?
Although training and development have always found a place in your annual expense report, how can you be certain that your investment is enough, and how can you be sure that itโs paying dividends?
Over the past three years, Club Study has conducted multiple surveys via its industry network to understand the investment trends in staff training and development.
Interestingly, the Club Study industry peers report that their investment seems to have slightly dipped since 2021, as seen in the graphic below.
Surprisingly, these numbers seem rather underwhelming for something so crucial to club operations. Observing the expenditure as an absolute dollar value, however, changes the narrative.
A club with a $3 million turnover will spend less than $30k on average on training & development. Given the financial constraints that club budgets often have to grapple with, including break-even targets, slim profit margins, and increasing inflation, this amount suddenly seems justifiable, even generous to some. But can we really justify increasing this budget?
In the wake of a recent increase in club activities and longer wait lists, many clubs may not see the immediate need for investing more in staff training. The decision-making process is typically reactive rather than proactive, and clubs often prioritize preventing losses over seeking gains. But wouldn’t you agree that the clubs investing more than 2% in staff training probably enjoy a more robust staff culture, leading to better relationships, longer staff tenures, and an overall happier environment? Ultimately, selling and servicing customers to better degrees.
We are pleased to report that we have seen an increased appetite for staff training in recent times, with many 59club clients who receive โmystery shoppingโ audits investing heavily in training, probably for the same reason they are challenging the golf industry by delivering some of the finest customer experiences in the world of golf.
59club handles enormous quantities of live data and insights, so much so that we are the only authority in golf who can go out on a limb and make such bold accusations about global CX benchmarks and industry trends.
Surprisingly, these numbers seem rather underwhelming for something so crucial to club operations.
Just as we support our clients to understand their customers, we know our clients and we know them very well, and we can whole-heartedly confirm that they take education extremely seriously โ so much so that we have witnessed a 166% increase in the number of training sessions delivered by the 59club UK team between 2021 & 2022.
Taking it back to the wider industry, the Club Study network reports that the largest proportion of development dollars is spent on middle management. So, where exactly do these training dollars go? The most logical answer seems to be conferences, organised by various associations and governing bodies at national and regional levels. Conferences can provide inspiration, reflection, and innovative ideas, not to mention the fantastic networking opportunities and the fun that they provide.
Yet, it remains hard to precisely calculate the ROI from these events.
The crux of the matter when justifying expenditure lies in quantifying the return on investment (ROI) from training and development, which is no easy task. If we don’t measure it, it’s likely to be overlooked.
To quantify improvement in training and development, we need a benchmark. This is where “mystery shopping” comes in. As an unbiased, ground-level measure of your customer service, it provides the perfect service benchmark. After a period of conducting such audits, youโll have a robust dataset highlighting your strengths and weaknesses, confirming (or disproving) your suspicions.
So, whatโs next? The answer is simple: Train! Use the data, celebrate the successes, and develop strategies to address the weaknesses. Department-specific training, consistent programming, and building an ongoing relationship geared to enhance club culture, audit after audit, will make a world of difference.
Your focus should always be on measuring. Once you start doing that, you’ll start viewing training as an investment that yields a return. This brings us back to the heart of the industry: relationships.
As the world continues to blaze the digital frontier, there are now more ways than ever to book a tee time or make a dinner reservation at your club. At face value, thatโs a good thing. Additional ways to sell tee times and restaurant covers mean more ways to make your club more accessible and potentially profitable.
But new digital pathways also create opportunities for digital missteps. Mainly, customers want to know their credit card information is secure and they want to know when you have reserved their spot โ whether that be for a tee time booking, a dinner reservation or even a treatment at the health spa. And if youโre not providing a written record of their place on your tee sheet or a table at your restaurant, customers may start to feel uneasy about the entire process.
More importantly, an inquisitive written confirmation โ which weโll discuss below โ eliminates common customer service problems and opens additional upsell opportunities at your club and restaurant.
Golf Visitor Experience Mystery ShopperInsights:
The global golf industry failed to request an email address during 40% of all tee time reservations made during 2022.
17% of all email confirmations went astray; either the incorrect email address was recorded, or possibly never sent.
Only 56% of golfers ever received their booking confirmationโฆ
Whatโs the point?
The initial purpose of a written confirmation is to acknowledge the correct date and time of the reservation. Simple. The bare minimum.
If you ordered a widget from Amazon without a confirmation of the purchase, you would be left wondering if Amazon is, in fact, fulfilling the order. That kind of digital misstep creates enormous uncertainty and is unlikely to be the first impression you want to convey to your customer.
With email fields being mandatory, most online tee-time and restaurant booking engines provide immediate and automated written confirmation, allowing customers sight of their booking details and the opportunity to spot any potential errors. When the reservation is booked over the phone the duty of collecting the email address sits with the reservations agent. According to Matt Roberts, 59clubโs Director of Training & Education, the absence of a written confirmation can lead to uncertainty and potentially some level of confrontation, not to mention the potential loss of revenues.
โIf youโre taking the reservation by phone, itโs imperative to take the customerโs email address and ensure it is correct by repeating it back to your guest to avoid errors. From our experience, you would be amazed at how many people show up at the wrong time or even on the wrong day. This leads to an awkward conversation at the check-in counter trying to figure out how the error may have occurred.โ
Additional Components
โMycustomerhasbooked, mysoftwaregeneratedanimmediatewrittenconfirmation, ormystaffhaveaccesstosend a โtemplatedโemail. Doneanddone. Right?โ Not exactly. For many places around the world, golf and secondary revenue channels like restaurants and bar are seasonal. Operating hours, menu items, club dress code and practice facility access and other large parts of the overall golf experience can change and be different from week to week. How often do you rehash the templated message? โ and does it contain everything youโd expect?
Small additions to a written confirmation with updated restaurant hours, dress code or practice facility access, for example, ensure customer expectations match your clubโs operations. According to Roberts, clubs who donโt include this information in their written confirmation are leaving themselves open to poor customer experience.
โEverything in the written confirmation has to match the customer expectations,โ said Roberts. โThe last thing you want to happen is someone arriving at your club expecting to eat breakfast and the restaurant is closed or wishing to hit some balls prior to play and it just happens to be that one day the range is closed for maintenance!
Worse yet, and the one that can cause confrontation, is when a player arrives wearing an outfit outside of the clubโs dress code policy. The staff are now faced with an undesirable dilemma: do I make a concession to this one visitor and risk others perceiving this as special treatment, or do I force this customer to purchase attire from the club shop to then adhere to the dress policy? A bad experience either way. Both are avoidable with an informative written confirmation.โ
Revenue generation
Asking questions or providing additional information within the written confirmation also creates upselling and subsequent marketing opportunities. A common example is the promotion of a golf cart/buggy if one hasnโt been reserved at the call stage. Just by offering a link or a contact to the consumer for them to be able to reserve prior to arrival is imperative for increasing revenue. It also allows the club to prepare this hire item for the arrival of the guest.
Any operator will tell you that the whole check in experience can be busy, but then throw in additional needs of the customer, such as buggy hire, club rental, use of a caddy, or even a personalized gift that the club wasnโt aware of, will lead to more time servicing the guestโs needs and a delay in an already busy operation.
Multiple course operators can also promote the options of an upgrade or highlight other courses within a group. The booking confirmation can also promote elements such as accommodation either on-site, or at other local establishments that offer preferential rates when booked via the club.
And, letโs face it, the opportunities to upsell are endless, when you consider other services and facilities such as high-ropes, custom-fitting, score card marking, leisure & spa usage, private dining etc that can be accessed either on the day, or that may tempt a future return to the club.
Directions or a link to an interactive map, potential transfers and how to book them as well as any information about how to access the club are always useful for any visitors who may be unfamiliar with the area.
Finally, and possibly the most important, are the Terms and Conditions of the club which are there to provide clarity on payment and cancelation, pairing up policy, bad weather and course closures must also be included within the confirmation. You will always be in a more comfortable position, when facing any confrontation, if your Tโs and Cโs are set in place.
Of course, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to customer service at your club, and your fellow 59club manager can guide you through industry best practices.
Last year, 59club announced its commitment to become carbon neutral across its global operations by 2030, and is unbelievably excited to have taken a huge step on that journey, with its UK & Ireland business now officially accredited with achieving neutrality in 2022.
To help guide them through the transition to carbon neutral, 59club found solace in the services provided by โNeutral Carbon Zone (NCZ)โ โ a leading consultancy, management and certification platform.
โStrategically we decided to start with the UK business as it is our most mature business. If we can achieve carbon neutral here, we know we can share best practice and achieve it in our Asia, Australia, Canada, European, MEA, Nordic & USA businesses.โ said Simon Wordsworth, Founder and CEO of 59club.
Over the last 16 months, Alan Stenson & Krys Stanton from NCZ supported Will Hewitt, Andy Etherington and the 59club UK team to adopt NCZโs three scope structure to tackle the key areas of emissions, by creating strategies for every emission line, either at the companyโs cost or simply behavioural changes within the business.
59club even went further than โrequiredโ to help its team members tackle their own carbon emissions through their personal travel and home energy use.
โWe reviewed emissions directly generated by the companyโs activities, emissions that are indirectly generated by energy purchased by the company, and lastly emissions that arise from organizational activities, but from sources owned or controlled by other organizations.
โItโs taken time simply because of the complexity of our business, as itโs not just our office and our people, but all the emissions created by our mystery testers and auditors as they move around the UK & Ireland, the events that we host such as the annual awards ceremony, client golf days, the servers that our software runs onโฆthe list could just go on.โ continued Wordsworth.
The business even went further than โrequiredโ to help its team members tackle their own carbon emissions through their personal travel and home energy use.
To date, 59clubโs UK & Ireland division has completed the first phase of its pledge, having received the results of a recently commissioned carbon footprint assessment, which measures the carbon emissions generated by the organisationโs activities. The assessment is the critical first stage of a comprehensive and commercially focused carbon management plan. The measurement of 59clubโs carbon emissions follows the internationally recognised standard ISO-14064-1:2006.
Wordsworth added; โAs we progress through this journey, will start to change company buying decisions to โfellow green businessesโ who are positively seeking neutrality โ where we stay, where we eat, who we buy from etc.โ
Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2030 across 59clubโs Global Operations
“For 59club, the pursuit of excellence extends beyond exceptional customer service; it encompasses a responsibility towards our planet. Today, we proudly reaffirm our commitment to achieving carbon neutrality across our global operations by 2030. With this effort, 59club is dedicated to creating a brighter future, where exceptional experiences coexist with a greener world.
“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in 59club’s journey towards global carbon neutrality. We firmly believe that every long journey begins with a first step, and this commitment to becoming carbon neutral across our entire global operations by 2030 is just the beginning.โ
Wordsworth concludes; โSome of our operations that cover huge geographical areas are going to find this really difficult whilst still trying to grow and be profitable, but we believe this is an absolute necessity for the preservation of our planet. Over the coming decades, we will continue to forge ahead, implementing innovative measures and collaborating with partners worldwide to ensure a sustainable future. We have always tried to be amongst the first/early movers, tried to be creative and innovative and this journey allows us to flourish, playing our part to inspire positive change for generations to come.”
In the ever-evolving world of golf club and hospitality management, being a successful manager involves juggling multiple roles. In the whirlwind of these responsibilities, there isn’t enough time to play guessing games about your member or guestsโ needs. The best way to learn what your customers want at your club? Ask them !!!
Over the years, we have witnessed a significant shift in customer behaviour within our Survey Software. What started out with aspirations of becoming the most comprehensive pick & mix survey tool in the golf & hospitality industry, has inspired a new-age of club managers who stretch beyond the realms of typical club surveys, to solicit feedback on a whole host of areas to help inform their decision making and the direction the club chooses to take.
Some of those uses border on being radical โ a phrase that doesnโt usually appear in the context of Customer Service Management or in Golf in general… but then again, weโve always been a magnet for those in the industry who like to do things better, and in doing so we like to support them to behave a bit differently…
So, what exactly are these new radicals up to?
Theyโre putting the clubโs destiny in the hands of their members, guests and employees, they’re not just seeking opinion, they’re making instant โdata-drivenโ decisions to help guide the most suitable offering for their customers without prejudice and based on science.
A new age of club managers are delivering surveys for a whole multitude of reasons, some even to establish where their members would prefer grant monies to be spent โ on the course, or in the clubhouse?
Weโve seen a club make their entire stock selection based on responses to a simple โone questionโ survey to establish which brands members would prefer to see in the pro shop โ giving different supplier options to both male & female members.
Many clubs are now turning to their members requesting feedback on the clubโs competition calendar in an attempt to increase participation, with others collating data to help shape their social events calendar, based on likes and dislikes from previous years, whilst ascertaining interest on potential new themes.
There are so many daily decisions that as managers we face, but the new-age of club managers are involving their members, guests and employees, after all itโs their club and we need them to enjoy it to the absolute maximum, if we want to secure their loyalty.
Weโve always been a magnet for those in the industry who like to do things better, and in doing so we like to support them to behave a bit differently…
Weโve witnessed members inspire seasonal menu changes, and on occasion beer and wine suppliers being switched to the delight of those thirsty members. And then thereโs a whole bunch of clubs who made member driven changes to their tee-sheets.
Thereโs so many survey templates to choose from, and so much data to gain and take inspiration from, but thereโs one that remains a favorite, always topping the usage charts – and thatโs the new member survey. Designed to ensure all newbies are integrated into the club community from day one. Some club managers go one step further using the intelligent software to send their new members a โseriesโ of surveys at specific landmarks during their first three months at the club โ monitoring their journey into club life, and addressing any weaknesses along the way.
But letโs not forget the most important people within your business โ your employees!!! Forward thinking managers are gathering critical data from the HR survey template bundle, to analyse new and existing employee’s satisfaction levels, along with finding out why some chose to leave.
Weโve noticed a huge shift from being reactive to pro-active, and that in itself is pure 100 percent karat gold, gone are the days of making assumptions of what will sell in the shop, or what events members may enjoy attending, or why suddenly a loyal group of members went AWOL.
The best way to learn what your customers want at your club?
Ask them!!!
Big shout out to all our radical customers โ you know who you are!
And if youโre just starting out on your journey with us – let us guide you to get the best out of your customers, and to give the best back.
The game of golf has seen significant changes over the past few decades and so have the people who play it. Once stuck with the stigma of being stuffy and elitist, golf is now showing signs of getting younger, more inclusive and available to players of all abilities.
As a result, what was expected of a golf course in the past โ in the way of customer service and player experience โ is changing at the same rapid rate. In phrase: the days of focusing only on turf conditions are coming to an end.
Bernat Llobera receiving his Eminent Collection award in 2023, presented by 59club EU South General Manager Lee Matthew Waggott
In this 59club Spotlight on Service, we head to Mallorca, Spain to catch up with Bernat Llobera, Area Golf Director at Arabella Golf who echoes the importance of providing exceptional customer service across the board, and uses 59clubโs industry leading services to objectively evaluate their customer experience, drive continuous improvement, and establish a club-wide culture of service across their three golf properties on Spainโs largest island.
โWe see nowadays that it is not only about having a course in great shape. It is about a journey, a full experience.โ โ Bernat Llobera.
For Llobera, identifying growth opportunities โ for revenue and service operations โ begins with understanding the experience from the playerโs perspective. Working with 59club has made that objective infinitely easier through regular mystery shopping services at Arabella Golf.
โ59club’s evaluations are incredibly valuable assets as they provide a client’s perspective which resembles a real guest experience,โ said Llobera. โThe objective insights provided by 59club are far more valuable than internal assessments. The โextra bonusโ is being able to compare ourselves, our three courses, and the ability to compare this to the wider industry benchmarks. And once we have identified areas for growth, 59clubโs training and education services allow us to make improvements to our systems and protocols extremely quickly.โ
Llobera went on to say identifying and fixing problems as they arise is only half the battle. A commitment to continuous improvement must be the driving force behind changes to customer service protocols.
โOnce we receive our evaluation results, we immediately sit down to discuss them as a group,โ said Llobera. โWe look at everything from comments and images to objective ratings and begin to identify trends and long-term solutions, something that wouldnโt be possible if every team member wasnโt completely committed.โ
That commitment to improvement at Arabella Golf, and regular training through 59club has created a culture of customer service at the club. Employee training sessions are completed every year in many aspects of hospitality service, including phone skills, upselling options and retail protocols.
โWe see nowadays that it is not only about having a course in great shape. It is about a journey, a full experience.โ
โOur team members love the training sessions,โ said Llobera. โItโs clear to see that everyone takes them seriously and strives to improve. The common feedback from the team is that 59club knows and understands the intricacies of the business, and from what I know, there is nothing that can be compared to what 59club offers. Most recently 59club training sessions have been instrumental in improving our reservations department โ often the first impression with your customer.โ
Another goal for Llobera this year? Pick up a few awards.
โWe were extremely proud of all three of our propertiesโ recognition at the most recent Service Excellence Awards, with Son Muntaner leading the way with a gold flag,โ said Llobera. โIt encourages you to keep working hard. Ultimately, our team members are the ones who create an incredible golf journey for our guests, so itโs especially gratifying to see the entire team recognized for their commitment and hard work.โ
Arabella Golf, Mallorca – Son Vida Course, Hole 16
The age old saying goes, โthat great managers lead by exampleโ; and 59club are quick to point out that Llobera was recently invited into 59clubโs Eminent Collection, joining only twenty-two managers spanning 59clubs global territory โ and the very first in Europe – having achieved this international benchmark of excellence, which recognises the finest individuals who are leading the industry in the customer experience realms.
Eligibility into the Eminent Collection is based solely on achievements across the 59club Service Excellence Awards, with individual and team accolades, along with property flag designations, all contributing towards the Eminent Benchmark of Excellence; measuring performances over a minimum of 5 years.
Golf experience in Spain is being elevated by managers such as Llobera who seek analysis and feedback to support their team to strengthen their proposition in the marketplace. The advice that he would give to other club managers in Europe and across the wider golfing landscape is that โ59clubโs wide range of services and solutions improve the business, and therefore, the bottom line. Through personal experience they understand the golf operation and the hospitality industry better than anyone we have met before; they are a great support specialising in customer service; I highly recommend them and their services.โ
59clubโs Annual Awards Ceremony recognises the outstanding individuals, teams, venues, and groups within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.
Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased; and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, visitors and prospective members spanning the entire Golf, Leisure, Spa, F&B & Hotel operation.
59clubโs Industry Benchmark of excellence, itโs Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognise member clubsโ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.
59club Mantra โ โMEASURE, TRAIN, SUPPORTโ. But what does that mean? By definition, a Mantra is a word or phrase that is repeated often or that expresses someone’s basic beliefs. So why do we use this as our Mantra?
The company was born out of mystery shopping the club/golf business about 15 years ago, so letโs start there. What is mystery shopping? Mystery shopping is a practice that helps a business to better understand the experience of customers (in our case, members, or guests). It implies field-based research done by independent auditors who pretend to be customers. They are called โmystery shoppers.โ They visit a particular club and gather information about the quality-of-service delivery and products. Since mystery shoppers pose as customers, it allows them to get an objective opinion of the club they study. Whenever a mystery shopper dispatches to visit a club or course, they have a list of criteria with them that was compiled by industry experts. And based on these criteria, the mystery shopper evaluates service delivery and the professionalism of the clubโs employees. By having these specific criteria, it allows a consistency of reporting from month-to-month and mystery shopper to mystery shopper. It also helps keep the report objective, not subjective.
So why should a club/golf course mystery shop their operations? The purpose of mystery shopping is to evaluate the clubโs customer (member or guest) service and highlight any areas of excellence and point out any opportunities that may be present. It is a very easy way to see a business from the eyes of the consumer. This information helps clubs know what is being provided to the customer and how that service is perceived. What it is really good at doing is improving the clubโs experience for the everyday customer.
Customer service is what helps clubs gain loyal members & guests and improves the experience for everyone who visits. Employees become the face of a company and exceptional service can cause the company to create a positive reputation in the community. Depending on the type of club, quality customer service could provide a wealth of information that you would not otherwise receive. This is true for almost any type of mystery shop that you can be a part of. For example, private clubs can learn how their membership sales team handles both the all-important inquiry phone call and how they deliver the tour with the prospective member. Are they asking the โrightโ questions to learn about that potential member? Are they promoting back to that prospect what is important to them in their buying decision? Are they following up with their prospects? How else can you find this out? At the Resort or Daily Fee clubs, how is your staff treating that customer from the time they make their tee time until the time they leave your club? Are they using the customerโs name? Are they engaging them with a high-level of hospitality (eye contact, engaging conversation, etc.)? Or are they just processing them through the operation? How do you really know what is happening when you are not standing there? There is a wealth of information that can be provided to enhance the customerโs experience and make them wiser in their everyday experience. Mystery shopping can reveal the strengths and weaknesses of your business, which can help you develop a strategy to enhance customer experiences and increase sales.
Before deciding on mystery shops, you need to ask yourself, โare you TRAINING to a particular standard?โ No one wants a gotcha moment. It’s that moment when someone tries to find that “But you should have known” moment. Unless you TRAIN to exacting standards, your crew may not know what the expectation of guest service is, much less how to deliver it. So, before you judge your crew, make sure you are MEASUREING what you are TRAINING. We have several tools that can assist with TRAINING at any club.
Once you have the report, be thoughtful in how to present the mystery shop results to your team. When you use a secret shopping company, don’t just print the report, and stick it on the employee bulletin board. Good or bad, it should be reviewed by the leadership team first and then you should set up a private time to review any specific results with a particular staff member. In that conversation, we recommend you ask that staff member how they thought they did? SUPPORT them by letting them be part of setting up the goals theyโd like to improve on. Getting buy-in at this point in the process will help you hold them accountable for the next time they get shopped.
One exception to the idea of reviewing these results in private is when someone really nails it. Celebrating that staff member in public, around their fellow team members at a staff meeting or a daily line up for example, can go a long way to getting the team to buy into why you are mystery shopping to begin with. It can help create a culture where you are looking to find the team doing it right. Do you know anyone who doesnโt like to be acknowledged for being exceptional at something?
After those most responsible for the score have been celebrated or coached, where appropriate, you can share the highlights with the entire team. Delete the names, dates, and times so they canโt guess who was responsible for delivering the service.
In summary, the benefits of mystery shops:
Monitored and MEASURE service performance
Improves customer retention
Makes employees aware of what is essential in serving customers
Monitors facility conditions
Ensures product/service delivery quality.
Allows for competitive analyses between locations
Identifies TRAINING needs and sales opportunities
Ensures positive customer relationships on the front line.
Helps increase sales.
Rewards hustle by employees who work hard to SUPPORT customerโs needs.
Back to the start, our Manager – MEASURE-TRAIN-SUPPORT. It is a Mantra we believe in, and we know that works when implemented correctly as evidenced by our over 650 club clients worldwide.
Golf clubs arenโt merely venues for a beautiful round of golf; theyโre spaces where members bond over a meal or drink. As such, food and beverage operations play an essential role in shaping the member experience. However, balancing quality with profitability is a delicate dance that golf clubs across the world grapple with, especially during off-peak days.
According to recent analysis by 59club Study; 1 in 4 golf clubs reduce or even eliminate their F&B operations during their slowest days of the year, 56% of clubs identified Monday as the slowest day of the week, with Tuesday trailing at 22%.
In this case, the data โ based on research from a global network of managers within the 59club Study community โ affords managers industry insights around how other clubs are making changes to their F&B opening or closing times on specific โslowerโ days.
Data collection and understanding are fundamental before making any decision at your golf club. Precise data collected from your own members and guests will enable you to objectively assess your clubโs operations, track member & guest preferences, and identify trends. It takes the guesswork out of decision-making, giving you a solid foundation upon which to design effective strategies.
These โslowโ days offer an opportunity for creative solutions that can boost sales and enhance member satisfaction. If the data suggests that you should remain open, and letโs face it, who wants to shut up shop when thereโs potential revenue to gain, maybe itโs a case of kicking your restaurant into gear to boost sales on these slow days.
Remember, the goal is not just to increase sales but also to enhance the customer experience. The strategies you adopt should reflect your clubโs ethos and cater to the needs and preferences of your members & guests, here are some strategies to consider.
Innovative Marketing and Communication
Using email newsletters, social media, and even the clubโs website to communicate special offers or themed nights can spark interest and increase attendance. Communicate consistently and ensure that your message reaches your customers effectively.
Customer Engagement Activities
Involve members & guests in activities such as cookery classes, wine tastings, or a โmeet the chefโ evening. These initiatives can create a sense of community and encourage members to visit the club on slower days.
Strategic Partnerships
Consider partnering with local businesses to create attractive package deals that combine a round of golf with dining discounts. This can help attract new visitors to the club and possibly convert them into regular members.
Streamline Operations
Use data and analytics from platforms like 59club Study, alongside your own regular customer satisfaction surveys to identify trends and monitor member preferences. You can use these insights to streamline your F&B operations, optimize menus, manage inventory, and reduce waste.
Slow days need not be a drain on your clubโs F&B operations. By adopting creative strategies and leveraging data, you can turn these off-peak periods into opportunities for growth and member engagement. Remember, every day at your golf club is a chance to make a lasting impression and deliver an exceptional experience.
Donโt let the off-peak blues bring you down; instead, use them as a springboard to elevate your clubโs F&B operations to new heights.
We are thrilled to share some great news about our founder, Simon Wordsworth, who was recently recognized as the latest PGA Member to achieve PGA Master Manager status. This announcement comes from the Professional Golfersโ Association itself, marking a new milestone in Simonโs illustrious career and adding another feather to his cap.
The PGA Master Manager status is an accolade of the highest order, recognizing Simonโs significant contribution to the golf industry and his immense expertise in club management. He is one of only 61 PGA members to have been granted this honor.
Our founder has always been a forward-thinker, a trailblazer who has ceaselessly worked towards promoting the golf industryโs best practices. He founded 59club back in 2008, with a vision to revolutionize golf management and service excellence. Under his leadership, we have grown from a handful of clubs in the UK, to a multi-national brand and industry leader with divisions and operations on five continents.
Reflecting on his achievement, Simon shared, โItโs incredibly humbling to receive this recognition. Iโm passionate about delivering excellence in golf management, and I believe this honor represents the collective efforts of our fantastic team at 59club. Weโve always strived to deliver the best, and weโll continue to do so.โ
Over the years, Simon has always been a proponent of professional development within the industry. He believes that the key to success lies in continuous learning, evolving with changing times, and always striving to improve. This ethos has been ingrained in our organizational culture at 59club and continues to drive us towards excellence.
Simonโs PGA Master Manager status comes as a result of his vast experience, his dedication to the industry, and his ability to lead, challenge and inspire. It not only recognizes his past achievements but also underscores his potential for future contributions to the golfing industry. Weโre confident that under Simonโs stewardship, 59club will continue to reach new heights and redefine industry standards.
We are absolutely delighted for Simon and immensely proud to be led by a PGA Master Manager. As we continue our journey, we remain committed to the pursuit of excellence, championing the finest standards in golf and leisure management.
Congratulations, Simon! This is a well-deserved recognition, and we are excited to see where your leadership takes us in the future.
In the world of retail, there is a common question that has plagued salespeople for years. Itโs an easy question to ask, an easier question to answer and it does exactly nothing for your bottom line.
The question in question? โCan I help you?โ
It seems innocent enough, a well-meaning attempt to assist customers. However, according to 59club Global Trainer Matt Roberts, this question may be the absolute worst to ask in any retail setting, and whatโs more staggering is that 59clubโs industry leading data suggests that 75% of all mystery shoppers were either asked this very question, or simply ignored after showing interest in a product.
The Ineffectiveness of โCan I Help You?โ:
According to Roberts, the question โCan I help you?โ often falls flat, and worse, creates a negative feedback loop between you and your customer. The most common response? โIโm just looking, thanks.โ This lackluster interaction fails to create a meaningful connection between the salesperson and the customer, leaving both parties unsatisfied.
A fact supported by 59clubโs mystery shopping data, which highlights, โof those that were asked this question; 58% identified that they would not wish to make a purchaseโ. Immediately, nearly 80% of customers who are asked โCan I help you?โ arenโt buying. Now thatโs a big-time problem.
Missed Sales Opportunities:
Asking the wrong question can trip up sales professionals and hinder their ability to create sales opportunities. Instead of resorting to the generic โCan I help you?โ query, it is crucial to engage customers in a conversation that promotes active dialogue. By understanding their specific needs and preferences, salespeople can tailor their recommendations and provide a more personalized experience.
Turning Conversation into Sales Opportunities:
Having eliminated the โCan I help you?โ scenario; 59clubโs education stresses the importance of asking engaging questions that promote casual chat. For instance, sales staff asking customers a combination of open and closed questions about their golf game, their abilities, or their favorite part of their game can lead to fruitful conversations. These interactions can uncover areas where customers are struggling and allow sales professionals to offer relevant solutions or services. By actively listening and providing personalized recommendations, retailers can turn missed opportunities into successful sales. What do customers want in a personalized experience? Letโs find out through needs analysis.
The Power of Needs Analysis:
One key element of 59clubโs education is the importance of conducting a needs analysis for customers seeking a particular product. Rather than immediately showcasing a range of options, salespeople should focus on understanding what the customer is looking for in that specific product. By asking a selection of well-constructed questions about their preferences, why theyโre in the market for the product in the first place, current usage, and desired improvements, sales professionals can gain valuable insights to guide their recommendations. Failing to conduct a proper needs analysis can result in further missed sales opportunities. Alarmingly, only 50% of 59club mystery shoppers received a needs analysis during their encounter with the retail team, and to their detriment, 77% of those shoppers stating that they did not feel compelled to make a purchase based on their sales experience.
Whatโs a better way?
A crucial aspect of the retail sales process is the significance of linking product features to their benefits. Rather than overwhelming customers with a laundry list of specifications, salespeople should emphasize how a product can meet their specific needs and provide value. By identifying the benefits that resonate with the customer, sales professionals can create a compelling case for making a purchase. This approach not only enhances the customerโs understanding, but also increases the likelihood of closing a sale.
In the realm of retail, the question โCan I help you?โ may be the worst one to ask customers. It often leads to missed sales opportunities and fails to establish a meaningful connection. By embracing alternative approaches, conducting a needs analysis, linking features to benefits, and promoting engaging conversations, sales professionals can transform their interactions with customers.
It is through these personalized and attentive strategies that retail businesses can foster stronger customer relationships, increase sales, and provide exceptional shopping experiences. So, the next time you step into a retail environment, remember that a genuine conversation can make all the difference.
In the modern landscape, data stands as the pivotal cornerstone guiding our actions and shaping our strategies. It offers insight, reveals patterns and uncovers hidden opportunities.
In short, data becomes our road map. Insights collected from our recent multi-national survey of new club members reinforces not only the importance of data collection in this industry, but also how action โ or in this case, inaction โ can create a mismatch between Member needs and Club operations.
Out of more than a thousand global respondents to the member onboarding survey, a striking 80 percent cited โlose weight or get in shapeโ as the primary motive for joining the health club. This clearly signals a profound desire among members to prioritize their fitness journey and take proactive steps towards health and wellness.
However, there exists a disconnection in the clubโs member service ecosystem, indicated by other data points from the survey. A sizable 82 percent of the respondents disclosed that they had not received a new member welcome call within 5 days of joining the club, and only 47 percent received any type of health & fitness induction with the personal trainer, with 40 percent failing to even receive a fitness class schedule.
This data demonstrates a significant gap in communication and service delivery that can hinder members from realizing their wellness goals. It paints a stark contrast between what members expect and what they experience.
Data is a powerful tool, but itโs only as valuable as the action it inspires. What can we, as industry leaders and club managers, do with this data? How can we turn these insights into effective strategies?
Firstly, this data suggests a crucial need to improve communication with new members, ensuring they are well informed about the fitness services available to them. This should involve a personalized welcome call, with an invitation to attend a face-to-face meeting with the personal trainer and / or operations manager, to provide all the necessary items and advice to help them integrate instantly into club life. This simple act of proactive engagement can not only facilitate their fitness journey but also build a stronger rapport, promoting a sense of belonging within the club community from day one.
Secondly, the importance of implementing a comprehensive and structured onboarding program for new members. This should start with a new member initiation meeting, this could include guided tours, allowing the club to emphasize the various fitness services, the different fitness classes or group activity programs and to make introductions to other employees within the fitness team as well as like-minded members, those of a similar ability, or members with relatable fitness goals.
Subsequent appointment scheduling โ should not be overlooked, employees should as part of their regular service calls attempt to engage new members in health assessments, equipment inductions, fitness programs and future goal settings, with appointments set aside for regular reviews โ and perhaps a complimentary session with a personal trainer. The goal is to provide an enriched experience that encourages members to actively utilize the clubโs fitness offerings, and engage with fellow club members and the wider fitness team, whilst serving them to meet their goals.
Lastly, feedback mechanisms should be put in place to continuously gather member input. These might include regular surveys and service calls where members can share their experiences and ideas. This ongoing data collection not only helps to identify any areas needing improvement, but also to anticipate changing member needs, fostering a responsive and adaptable club environment.
This example is a wake-up call for clubs to re-evaluate and reinforce their new member engagement strategies. Itโs a clear testament to the importance of effective communication, a well-structured onboarding process, and ongoing feedback collection. By embracing data and taking the appropriate action, clubs can bridge the service gap, enhance member satisfaction, and ultimately, help members succeed in their fitness journey. After all, data is a tool, and its power is realized only when itโs put into action.
If you are ready to measure your member experience and develop a structured onboarding process for your new golf and leisure club members, then help is at handโฆ
Our New Member Integration Survey, Member Retention Survey and Member Exit Survey Templates will deliver the data to support you to tailor your offering throughout your entire member life cycle.
And you can follow the education lessons within 59clubโs Mentor platform, or request for one of the 59club training managers to guide you through the various training modules.
Together we can build a successful member integration and retention strategy for your club, ensuring members feel welcome, connected, and valued, with the purpose of encouraging them to visit more often, enter into club life, refer friends and family and linger-longer whilst they are at the club.
In todayโs competitive golf industry, itโs crucial for golf clubs to deliver exceptional customer experiences to attract and retain players. One golf club that has successfully navigated this challenge is We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, which โ under the leadership of General Manager Matt Barr โ has seen significant growth in retail and F&B sales over the past two years. Their secret? Unbiased, actionable data collected from regular mystery shopping audits.
The Partnership Between We-Ko-Pa Golf Club and 59club
Barr and his team at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club gained valuable insights into the areas where they could improve their customer service and drive sales growth. According to Barr, what started out as an opportunity to identify on-course condition and maintenance, like turf health and bunkering, turned into an extremely valuable tool for nearly every customer-facing operation at the club.
โManagers canโt be everywhere at once, so we engaged with 59club in order to make sure our on-course product was up to our standards,โ said Barr. โThe data we received from our initial golf visitor experience audits opened our eyes to not only the on-course product, but also our retail and F&B operations. We quickly realized we could grow in many ways.โ
Implementing Effective Sales Techniques
Armed with the insights, Barr and his team at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club implemented new sales techniques that focused on improving customer interactions. By training staff to engage with customers more effectively and to upsell and cross-sell products and services, the club was able to increase its retail sales by double digits in a little under two years.
โWeโve seen a remarkable retail sales increase since starting with 59club,โ said Barr. โThis growth can be directly attributed to learning and implementing effective sales processes that focus on upselling and cross-selling. By equipping our team with the right tools and techniques, weโve been able to enhance the customer experience and drive significant revenue growth for our club.โ
On the F&B front, mystery shopping data allowed Barr and his team to identify areas for growth and double down on quality customer service operations. According to Barr, simple questions asked by F&B staff have led to significant sales increases, and even improved employee satisfaction.
โAsking simple questions like โhave you dined with us beforeโ or โwould you like another beerโ not only lead to increases in F&B revenue, but also staff wages,โ said Barr. โAs bills increase from another round of drinks or upselling a more expensive spirit, so do tips for our servers. Itโs a win-win across the board and something we might never have seen without data from 59club.โ
Enhancing Customer Satisfaction
By making improvements in their daily processes, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club was able to enhance the overall customer experience. Satisfied customers are more likely to return to the club and recommend it to others, which will have a positive impact on future sales. The increased focus on customer service, driven by the insights gained from regular mystery shopping audits, helped the club create a more enjoyable guest experience.
The success of We-Ko-Pa Golf Club demonstrates the significant impact that mystery shopping and data analysis can bring to the golf, leisure & hospitality industry. As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, itโs essential for clubs to prioritize customer service and continually strive for improvement. By partnering with 59club, venues can gain valuable insights and support to help them boost sales and create exceptional experiences for their customers.
Golf club managers are always looking for ways to improve their operations and keep their members, guests and staff satisfied. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by utilizing satisfaction surveys. In particular, 59Club USA’s survey tools have proven to be an invaluable asset to golf clubs across the country. Here are ten reasons why golf club managers need 59Club USA’s satisfaction surveys:
Actionable Insights Through Rolling Surveys
Onboarding new members or employees can be a significant challenge for all clubs. Thankfully, 59club USAโs rolling surveys eliminate some of the guess work regarding your newest addition. These survey tools automatically ask your new members and employees a set of questions regarding their new position at set intervals to measure how a new person at your club (member or employee) is feeling about their choice to join your club. This not only gives you a chance to correct any negative feelings, but also identifies trends over time regarding your entire onboarding process.
In the same vein, member and employee exit surveys provide insight into the real reason behind why someone leaves (whether they are a member or an employee). A few well thought out questions placed into a survey like this will, over time, give the leadership of the club great insights on why people leave and identify trends to make necessary changes.
Benchmarking
59Club USA’s survey tools also allow golf clubs to benchmark their performance against industry standards. This provides golf clubs with a clear understanding of where they stand relative to their competitors and helps them identify areas where they need to improve.
Improved Customer Satisfaction
Perhaps the most obvious benefit of utilizing 59Club USA’s satisfaction surveys is that they help improve customer satisfaction. These surveys provide valuable insights into what members and guests like and dislike about a golf club’s services, facilities, and staff. Armed with this information, golf clubs can make necessary improvements to better serve their members and guests.
Better Operational Efficiency
59Club USA’s survey tools also help improve operational efficiency. By identifying areas where operations can be streamlined, golf clubs can reduce wait times, improve communication with members and guests, and generally create a more efficient and effective environment.
Increased Revenue
Happier members and guests mean more revenue for golf clubs. By improving customer satisfaction, golf clubs can attract more repeat business and new members and guests. In addition, members and guests who are satisfied with their experience are more likely to spend money on additional services and merchandise.
Competitive Advantage
Golf is a highly competitive industry, and golf clubs are constantly looking for ways to gain an edge over their competitors. By utilizing 59Club USA’s satisfaction surveys, golf clubs can identify areas where they excel and areas where they need to improve. This information can be used to differentiate themselves from their competitors and provide a better overall experience for members and guests.
Customizable Surveys
59Club USA’s survey tools are highly customizable, which means that golf clubs can tailor their surveys to meet their specific needs. This allows golf clubs to focus on the areas that are most important to their members and guests and operations.
Easy to Use
59Club USA’s survey tools are also easy to use. Golf clubs can easily distribute surveys to members and guests and collect data in a timely manner. This allows golf clubs to quickly identify areas where they need to make improvements and implement changes.
Staff Development
59Club USA’s survey tools also provide valuable feedback on staff performance. This feedback can be used to identify training and development opportunities for staff, which can improve overall customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Continuous Improvement
Finally, 59Club USA’s survey tools promote a culture of continuous improvement. By constantly collecting and analyzing customer feedback, golf clubs can make ongoing improvements to their operations and services. This helps ensure that they are always providing the best possible experience for their members and guests.
Club managers should consider utilizing 59Club USA’s satisfaction surveys to improve customer satisfaction, operational efficiency, and revenue. With customizable surveys, actionable insights, and benchmarking capabilities, these survey tools provide golf clubs with valuable information that can be used to make meaningful improvements.
Running a golf club located in one of the most luxurious destinations in the world, Abu Dhabi, certainly puts a premium on excellent customer service. The city attracts a diverse range of visitors from all around the globe, from business executives to leisure travelers, all of whom expect a high level of service and experience and are accustomed to top-notch treatment wherever they go. In a place like Abu Dhabi โ and for general manager of Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Rhian Lobo โ investing in customer service operations is crucial to meet the expectations of both local and international guests.
โAs a premier golf destination in the region, we understand the importance of delivering a world-class experience for our members and guests,โ said Lobo. โBy investing in our customer service operations, we can ensure that we meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, and maintain our position as a leader in the industry.”
One of the key investments for Lobo and his team was partnering with 59club, to work on many aspects of their customer-facing operations.
“We strive to provide our members and guests with the best possible experience, and 59club has been instrumental in identifying not only areas of improvement, but also how to capitalize on things we already do well. Theyโve been instrumental in helping us achieve our goals,โ said Lobo.
Identifying needs and opportunities are one thing. Collecting and implementing actionable data is another. Using data collected through 59clubโs survey tools, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club was not only able to identify that their customers wanted improvements to their driving range, but also used data to create a pitch to their governing board. With the help of such intel, they now have ball tracking technology on all 48 bays, something their members & guests greatly valued.
Lobo adds, “The reports from 59club has given us a fresh perspective on our operations, enabling us to focus on the areas we might have otherwise overlooked. We’re thrilled with the impact it’s had on our driving range, and we look forward to implementing further changes based on new reports down the line.โ
In addition to their unbiased mystery shopping audits and survey data, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club has also benefited from on-site training sessions with 59club. These sessions bring the team together and provide them with the tools they need to excel in their roles.
Lobo explains, “Investing in our team is crucial to maintaining our high standards of customer service. The F&B, golf operations, membership sales and retention training sessions provided by 59club have helped us identify our team’s strengths and weaknesses, enabling us to provide targeted training that has ultimately improved the customer experience.”
The investment in 59club and commitment from Loboโs team has already paid dividends. According to 59clubโs data comparisons over the course of the last three years, Abu Dhabi City Golf Clubโs customer service satisfaction scores have shown double digit increases in eight different categories, spanning; staff sales & upselling aptitude, customer engagement, facility management, on-course service standards, and the food and beverage operation to name a few.
โThe ability to measure our investment and see our success through these reports has been absolutely incredible,โ said Lobo. โIt can be easy to implement a new program as a manager and simply forget about it. When you forget about it, so do your staff. With regular mystery shopper reports from 59club, we make sure weโre always focused on what matters to our customers, and we are able to reward our staff for achieving measurable success.โ
Abu Dhabi City Golf Club has come a long way in their customer service journey. Starting from a Bronze Flag Designation, they have progressed to the 59club Gold Flag standard, a testament to their commitment to excellence.
Lobo concludes, “59club has been an integral part of our success, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without their support. We’re excited to continue working with them to provide the best possible experience for our members and guests.”
59club USA announced today Logan Smith has joined the team in an administrative operations role. Smith will help manage the recruitment, training, and coordination of 59clubUSAโs Mystery Shopper team and assist with marketing and social media for 59clubUSA.
“We are thrilled to welcome Logan to our team. Her background in recruiting and patient advocacy, combined with her passion for process improvement and customer satisfaction, make her an invaluable asset to our organization,โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA. โWe were impressed by her dedication to teamwork and building trust among colleagues, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact she will have on our administrative operations.โ
Smith has a background in recruiting and patient advocacy and is passionate about teamwork and building trust among her colleagues. Loganโs interest is in process improvement to increase customer satisfaction and providing efficiency in all administrative operations.
Smith graduated in 2020 with a bachelorโs degree in Psychology from Georgia College & State University. She now lives in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband Alexander, and son Elijah.
“I am thrilled to join this team and bring my passion for teamwork and process improvement to this role. My background in recruiting and patient advocacy has taught me the importance of building trust among colleagues and ensuring customer satisfaction. I look forward to utilizing my skills and experience to increase efficiency in all administrative operations and contribute to the growth of the company.โ
59Club USA’s golf club survey tools are a powerful resource for golf club managers looking to improve their operations and enhance customer satisfaction. With customizable surveys, real-time reporting, and benchmarking against industry standards, these survey tools offer numerous benefits to golf club managers. Here are the top seven features of 59Club USA’s golf club survey tools:
Automated, โNever-Endingโ New Member/Employee Survey Series
Arguably the most important feature of 59club USA’s survey tools is the “never-ending” survey including the “New Member Survey” and the “New Employee Survey” which significantly enhances your clubโs onboarding process. These surveys ask different questions at specific intervals to the same person over time. The goal is to measure how a new member or employee feels about their experience at the club and identify any negative responses early on and quickly correct them.
Customizable Surveys
One of the most significant features of 59Club USA’s golf club survey tools is the ability to customize surveys to suit specific golf clubs’ needs. This allows golf club managers to collect targeted feedback on specific areas of their operations, such as customer service, course conditions, or food and beverage service.
Real-Time Reporting
Another compelling feature of 59Club USA’s golf club survey tools is the ability to generate real-time reports. This enables golf club managers to quickly access and analyze survey results and identify areas where improvements can be made. The real-time reporting also allows managers to address any issues immediately, enhancing customer satisfaction.
Benchmarking Against Industry Standards
59Club USA’s golf club survey tools also offer the ability to benchmark against industry standards. This means that golf club managers can compare their performance against other golf clubs in the industry and identify areas where they may be falling short. This feature allows managers to set goals for improvement and work towards becoming a leader in the industry.
Multiple Survey Delivery Options
59Club USA’s golf club survey tools offer multiple delivery options, including email, text message, and QR codes. This allows golf club managers to reach members and guests through their preferred communication channels, increasing the likelihood of receiving valuable feedback.
Actionable Insights
Another significant feature of 59Club USA’s golf club survey tools is the ability to provide actionable insights. The survey results are presented in an easy-to-read format, highlighting areas where improvements can be made. This feature enables golf club managers to make data-driven decisions and take actions that will have a positive impact on their operations.
Professional Support
Finally, 59Club USA’s golf club survey tools come with professional support. The team at 59Club USA is available to provide guidance and support throughout the survey process, ensuring that golf club managers get the most out of the survey tools. This feature gives golf club managers peace of mind knowing they have access to expert advice and support.
59Club USA’s golf club survey tools offer numerous benefits to golf club managers, including customizable surveys, real-time reporting, benchmarking against industry standards, mobile-friendly surveys, multiple survey delivery options, actionable insights, and professional support. These features provide golf club managers with the information they need to make data-driven decisions and improve their operations, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction and increasing revenue.
59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools are a valuable resource for club managers looking to boost their bottom line. By providing insights into areas such as food and beverage service, customer service, and retail sales, these survey tools can help clubs improve their operations and generate more revenue. Here are five ways club managers can use 59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools to boost their bottom line:
Identifying Employee and Member Exit Trends
Any club manager will tell you it costs significantly more to onboard a new member or employee than it does to keep an existing one. With 59club USAโs rolling employee and member exit surveys, club managers can identify trends and make changes to current operations in an effort to keep employees and members on the roster.
Enhance Food and Beverage Service
Food and beverage service is a significant area for clubs to focus on when it comes to boosting their bottom line. By utilizing 59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools, club managers can gather feedback from customers on their dining experiences. This feedback can be used to identify areas where improvements can be made, such as menu offerings, quality of food, and speed of service. By improving their food and beverage service, clubs can generate more revenue from dining sales and attract more customers.
Boost Retail Sales
Retail sales are a significant revenue source for clubs, and 59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools can help club managers maximize their retail sales. By collecting feedback from customers on their shopping experiences, club managers can identify areas where improvements can be made, such as product offerings and store layout. This feedback can be used to make changes that will enhance the overall shopping experience for customers, ultimately leading to more sales and revenue.
Identify Marketing Opportunities
59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools can also help club managers identify marketing opportunities. By collecting feedback from customers on their overall experience, club managers can identify areas where they excel and differentiate themselves from their competitors. This information can be used to develop targeted marketing campaigns that highlight the club’s strengths and attract more customers.
Measure Success
Finally, 59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools can be used to measure success. By collecting feedback from club members and employees over time, club managers can track their progress and measure the success of their improvements. This data can be used to identify areas where further improvements can be made and to continue to boost the club’s bottom line.
Club managers can use 59Club USA’s hospitality survey tools in various ways to boost their bottom line. By improving food and beverage service, enhancing customer service, boosting retail sales, identifying marketing opportunities, and measuring success, clubs can generate more revenue and attract more customers.
For those of you who are new to 59club Study, the platform connects curious Club Managers and industry personnel from around the globe through quick, anonymous surveys. This creates opportunities to explore operational decision making from a wide range of operators in different locales, under different cultural norms and then learn from each other.
59club Studyโs goal is to build a professional network, driven by data and club research, with a strict focus on collaboration and tackling tough topics together. As a 59club client, you now have free access to this incredible tool.
Built by hospitality managers for hospitality managers, 59club Studyโs purpose is to provide qualitative and personal survey results that complement 59club’s unbiased and quantitative survey results. By utilizing 59Club Study, golf course operators and managers can gain valuable insight into the individual experiences of their customers and receive personalized feedback to improve customer satisfaction.
Having both quantitative and qualitative survey results is important for gaining a comprehensive understanding of customer satisfaction. While quantitative surveys provide important numerical data, such as ratings and rankings, qualitative surveys provide valuable context and specific feedback. By combining both types of surveys, golf course operators and managers can obtain a well-rounded view of their customers’ experiences and make informed decisions to improve their business. Furthermore, the personalized nature of Club Study’s surveys allows operators and managers to receive specific feedback on how to address individual customer needs and concerns, ultimately leading to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Members are the life-blood of many clubs; failure to convert them can prove expensive in both the short and long-term. But maximizing the opportunities which present themselves often comes down to having the correct person adopting the correct policies.
Yet one of the most overlooked aspects of converting a prospect comes at that very first stage: the answering of the call. Firstly, itโs essential that the correct person is available to answer the call. Those who hesitate are lost and so are those who are not there in the first place.
Ask yourself how many opportunities are lost if the phone goes unanswered? Or if the correct staff member is on holiday or sick? So when you consider that on only 58% of occasions did our testers get to speak to the correct person on the first attempt of calling โ according to the 59club industry score โ we begin to appreciate how many opportunities may be lost.
Thatโs effectively twice in every five calls a prospective member speaks to the wrong person, necessitating a call-back. Worse still, what if the prospect calls a competitor while waiting for your return call, and they went on to impress them so much that they signed up!?
One of the most important aspects in the initial enquiry call is building a rapport with the caller. This comes naturally to an engaging staff member but is lost when the wrong person tries to deal with an enquiry.
An engaging staff member will seek to build a rapport, asking them about their golfing background, how often they play, where, and what is their handicap โฆ all simple conversation pieces. Yet the industry are only getting 28% of the picture, while the best-performing clubs glean a better understanding of their prospects, as they achieve 77%.
Asking what has prompted the enquiry is likely to provide you with further valuable information, both spoken and unspoken. They may, for example, be a member elsewhere and be unsatisfied with the condition of the course or a lack of investment, allowing the staff member to respond with positives about the excellent course condition and raft of recent and future investments. This is designed to edge the caller towards a positive outcome, either now or later, after a visit.
There are a plethora of reasons why somebody will make the initial call, but without delving into them, it will be harder to persuade them to put pen to paper. The podium clubs have realised this and without fail, they ask this question every time (100%); the industry average is at 70%.
Furthermore, establishing the callerโs primary requirements for a membership – competitive golf, the social aspect, entertain clients, meet new people etc – leads to other opportunities to โexciteโ later in the call. Again, the podium score reflects the success therein with 86%, while the industry average drops to 44%.
Effectively, taking the last three areas together, itโs clear that industry-wide weโre failing to establish the callerโs real needs on every other occasion.
A further vital question is required to establish whether the caller is also contacting other clubs with the same enquiry.
With relevant SWOT analysis of your competition, your staff are in an ideal position to stress your strengths over your rivalsโ weaknesses, without the need to openly criticise them. The importance of this approach seems to be lost on many clubs, however, with a podium score of just 50% and, even more disappointingly, an overall industry rating of just 14%.
Using all of the personal information learned, you are now in a position to make a related promotion of the clubโs members services, facilities and USPs, for how else is one to excite the caller? Yet, despite the obvious importance of this action, the industry comes in with only with a rating of 55%, and the podium not much higher at 72%.
Now that the prospect is excited at the thought of membership, the emphasis is to encourage the individual to visit the club in order to view the facilities and discuss member benefits further.
In the coming months we will look at how the appointment should be structured.
If you would like to take a closer look at the membership sales process, visit Mentor to fill any short comings in your membership sales enquiry process.
59club, the industry leading Customer Service Analysts and Training Provider has today announced its expansion into the Nordic regions of Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden & Denmark, bringing their wealth of Mystery Shopper Audits, Satisfaction Surveys and Employee Training Programs – created specifically for the golf & hospitality industry – to the fore.
Impressive expansion plans have already seen local 59club divisions established, currently supporting hundreds of golf clubs, resorts and management groups within the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and most recently Australia & New Zealand. It was only a matter of time before the global leaders firmed up their support in the Nordic regions, as they work tirelessly to help clubs shape and develop their sales & customer service cultures.
After a long-standing engagement between 59club HQ and The Scandinavian Golf Club, alongside additional partnerships with European Tour Destinations within the Nordic regions; 59club are delighted at the prospect of having feet on the ground to further support these venues, and attract many more just like them who share the same focus of elevating customer service levels, with the desired effect of driving retention, revenues, and profits.
The new opening welcomes Sebastian Czyz Bendsen, as 59club Nordicโs Sales Manager.
Having graduated from Kent State University, OH, USA with a BA in Finance and a MA in Sport and Recreational Management, and after a well-spent career in golf – most recently in his home Country working with the Danish Golf Union – Sebastian joins 59club with a wealth of attributes and a self-confessed love of educating and guiding leaders towards innovative ideas.
Many would say heโs the perfect fit, offering industry experience and driven by his passion and excitement for connecting Golf Clubโs within the Nordic regions, with the resource and global formula to excel their customer experience, and to create an even better community for their members & guests.
Of the announcement, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said โSebastian is a real go-getter, and well versed in the role that Customer Service plays in growing the game of golf and keeping players enthused and loyal to the sport. And now as he joins 59club, heโs ready to take the support and intel he can offer to clubs a leap further. Sebastian appreciates the complexities of club cultures and has worked with similar principals when supporting the US collaborations with the PGA of America, ClubCorp (now Invited), the TPC Network and Kemper Sports. All private golf corporations, and all searching for means to optimize their business, as well as recent initiatives delivered by the Golf Union.
โWe are all excited about the impact that 59club will make in the region, our global benchmarking data is second to none, and as always, we are spurred on by the rewards our clients enjoy, as we deliver the roadmap to measure, train, support and reward the individuals, teams, managers and groups we work with to perfect the art of delivering Customer Service & Sales Excellence โ we canโt wait to get started!โ
Opening offers are now being promoted, all clubs interested in becoming the first to sample 59clubโs industry leading Mystery Shopping Services, Satisfaction Surveys and Training Tools are invited to reach out to Sebastian@59club.com to sign up for a demo and to unlock their FREE trial.
Keeping good talent is hard work. Hiring new talent is even harder. 59club USA โ in partnership with 59club Study โ conducted a survey of 67 private club managers on the effectiveness of their recruitment tools with regard to hiring new, non-management staff. The results are interesting.
Most clubs employ the standard practice of creating and populating a โcareersโ page on the club website, but without putting money towards advertising the page, the number of visitors is extremely low. Of the 67 participants in the study, seven said social media is their main recruitment tool. Makes sense when you consider how much Meta (formally Facebook) has invested in their employment marketplace. The majority of participants (47%) selected โspecific online toolsโ as their recruitment vehicle of choice. Again, not surprising. Ziprecruiter and others changed the hiring game decades ago and have enjoyed monumental success โ to the point of some companies even purchasing stadium naming rights.
But of the private club operators surveyed, only 30% of participants say they employ a referral program. And NONE said they offered an incentive program. With unemployment at a 20-year low, and one participant saying โall recruitment is extremely challenging for us,โ and another operator stating โour members are our best recruitment tool,โ why would those operators not offer a time tested program? There seems to be a disconnect.
Here are a few reasons to try out an incentive-based recruitment program at your club:
Employees who refer their friends or colleagues are more likely to refer individuals who are a good fit for the company culture and values. These individuals are already familiar with the company’s work environment and are likely to be a better fit for the team. This can lead to higher retention rates and better overall job satisfaction.
Another reason employee referral programs are successful is because they often result in faster hiring. Employees who refer their friends or colleagues are usually able to provide a strong recommendation, which can expedite the hiring process. This is especially important for companies that are looking to fill a position quickly.
In addition, employee referral programs can also be cost-effective. Traditional recruitment methods, such as posting job ads and using recruiting agencies, can be expensive. By relying on employee referrals, companies can save on these costs while still attracting high-quality candidates.
Finally, employee referral programs can also help companies improve their employer branding. When employees refer their friends and colleagues, it sends a message that they are happy and satisfied with their job. This can help attract more top talent to the organization.
The holidays can be stressful. And while most people are busy worrying about what their kids want for Christmas or how to ensure their mother-in-law doesnโt bring up that embarrassing story or the time you burned the roast, club operators are stressed for different reasons. Employee turnover and training, increased quotas despite slowing demand and decisions based on holiday hours are stressing out club operators all over the country. In fact, a recent survey of American club operators found the stress level of an average golf club general manager is a whopping 7.6 out of 10. Thatโs not exactly reminiscent of a cool breeze on a tropical island.
So, we have a group of stressed-out managers during the most stressful time of the year. How can we not only alleviate that stress in the short term, but also make sure managers are better prepared to handle stressful situations in the future? In short, look at the data. Here are a few examples.
Mystery Shopping Data โ On Course
Especially for clubs in traditionally warmer climates who overseed their fairways, mystery shopping data provided by 59club USA ensures operators have the most up-to-date data on the health and playability of their golf courses. So, while operators are busy putting together holiday specials, employee schedules and new F&B options for a winter menu, they can rest assured they know where all problem areas are on the golf course and begin to remedy any issues as they arise.
Member Survey Data โ New Menus
Do my members want a special holiday menu? What about a traditional winter cocktail like spiked eggnog or hot chocolate? How would you know? Using 59club USA survey tools, managers can ask questions of their members in and collect data to help them make decisions about what new or seasonal menu items would be nice for the holidays. No more guesswork. What about using an example of what type of entertainment to use for the NY Eve party? Live band, DJ, Casino Night, etc. to get input on that decision and then once the party is over, finding out what the members thought of that special evening through a follow up survey
Mystery Shopping Data โ F&B
Picking up from the previous example, the member survey returned data suggesting the vast majority of members would like an addition to the menu in the form of spiked hot chocolate. Are your servers pushing that new drink? After all, your purchasing manager just spent additional funds to service that request. Mystery shopping data from 59club USA will alert managers if their servers and other staff are not pushing specials or upselling drinks at the club.
Take the stress out of management. To learn more about 59club USA mystery shopping and survey tools, contact managing partner Mike Kelly โ mkelly@59clubusa.com
The holiday season is officially here, and for club operators, that means added stress in nearly every aspect of your business. Will you have the staff you need to provide the service your members and guests expect? Should you open earlier or later than usual? Do football games and World Cup soccer matches mean specials, promotions, advertising dollars, extra seating or new televisions? Should you offer a special menu for the winter holidays? Should you even open your doors at all?
My goodness, look at all these questions. If youโre not armed with advanced, unbiased data to help you make decisions, you might leave money on the table, or worse, disappoint some of your best customers and employees. 59club USAโs survey tools can simplify your holidays by providing you and your team unbiased insight into what your members, guests and staff need for a successful and fun Holiday.
Letโs look at a few examples.
Special operations for special days
While many Americans use the holiday season to connect with friends and family over dinner and discussion, there are still thousands โ especially empty nesters โ who spend the day at your club. Using 59club USA survey tools, managers can identify what is most important for members who will dine at the club like special menu items, special holiday hours, or the ability to host large groups.
Once youโve made a decision based on data collected from members and their guests, itโs now time to figure out if youโll need extra staff to accomplish your goals. Who has availability to work and who would rather spend time with family that day? If youโre opening earlier than usual, will the same opening staff still be able to make it?
This type of actionable survey data eliminates the guess work and puts you and your managers in the best position to succeed.
Capitalizing on Data
For a while, the World Cup was in full swing, and for Americans, itโs was first time in nearly a decade to see the Red, White and Blue on soccerโs biggest stage. With the tournament hosted in Qatar โ eight hours ahead of EST โ many of the games were played much earlier than what we would consider a โnormalโ starting time.
To inquire about demand for the games, a daily fee club manager used 59club USA survey tools to figure out if his customers and guests have an interest. They do. A lot! In fact, it was shaping up to be one of the biggest F&B days of the year and his club didn’t know if they would have enough tabletops to host everyone and the two TVs in the restaurant arenโt nearly up to standard. Now what?
Obviously, capitalizing on customer experience may require capital expenditure, but the best in the world do what they need to ensure their customers have an even better experience than they originally expect. The difference between making monetary sacrifices for big events might be the difference between retaining a member or not. And as we know, itโs always easier to retain a customer than find a new one. Easier and cheaper.
For more information on 59club USA survey tools, click here.
If only we knew! Clubs have a lot going on right now. Economic uncertainty, all-time employee turnover and whipsaw fluctuations in membership demand have managers seeking to batten down the proverbial hatches to stay afloat in an angry sea of ambiguity. There are decisions to make โ a lot of them โ but what is correct? What do my players want? What do my employees need? Why did that dues-paying member leave after 12 years at my club? Can we afford to greenlight that capital expenditure? Can we afford not to? Clubs and club managers need answers, which means first they must ask the right questions. And if you and your club arenโt armed with data to support your inquiries and decisions, youโre effectively stumbling around in the dark. Best way to illuminate your path? Survey data.
Letโs look at two examples of how direct, first-party survey data arms decision makers to increase satisfaction at their club.
The New Member Example
After a lengthy courting and onboarding process, new member โAndrewโ seems underwhelmed. He doesnโt seem to be taking advantage of club amenities he said he would love to use and hasnโt attended many club functions over the course of his first few months. The sales team is high-fiving and lighting cigars โ it took a while to get Andrew into the club โ but the member concierge is worried Andrew is experiencing buyerโs remorse. Could Andrewโs apathy have been avoided?
As weโve discussed before, the new-member onboarding process is incredibly important, and if it needs to be changed, so be it. Adapt or die. But how should it change? Thatโs where first-party data comes in. Through member surveys, managers can identify not only what Andrew would have wanted during his first few months on property, but also what all other members would have wanted when they entered into their club agreement. Maybe a more robust orientation or a new member meet and greet would have helped break the ice for Andrew. Maybe the entire onboarding process is insufficient for a club of your caliber. Using survey data from existing members allows club decision makers to identify weak points and make important changes so predicaments like Andrewโs donโt ever happen again.
โIf Only We Knewโ Example
Perennial member-guest medalist โJerodโ wants to break the news in person โ heโs leaving the club after 12 years. Jerod has grown with the club and loved every minute of it, but his life has changed and he needs to move on. Club managers understand โ things change โ and wish him the best. After a few months, another long-time member is leaving. Then another. Membership sales are through the roof so the exodus of a small few doesnโt seem to move the needle.
As the player experience coordinator is making his rounds at lunch, he strikes up a conversation with one of Jerodโs regular playing partners who tells him Jerod โ and his three young daughters โ are now members at a club with onsite childcare. The realization hits the concierge like a ton of bricks. THATโS why Jerod left. If only he knew thatโs what Jerod โ and the other members โ needed from the club.
In-depth member exit surveys eliminate this possibility. Whether or not the majority of your members need onsite childcare, understanding the reasons for member exit only strengthens your clubโs ability to adapt and change to meet the needs of your members. Donโt get caught saying โthere was nothing we could have doneโ or โif only we knew.โ
Time is money. Itโs a phrase as old as the United States and as widely known in business circles as just about anything. The phrase was originally meant to explain the โcost of laziness.โ But with the business world moving closer and closer to a fully digital experience, thereโs a new โcurrencyโ on the market other than time with its own opportunitiesโ customer experience.
What is customer experience?
Simply put, customer experience is how your customers feel about the sum of their interactions with your brand. Itโs what shapes their perception of you. It includes every touchpoint and every interaction, from the first phone call and inquiry, to the 1,000th meal they had at your clubโs restaurant.
Investment in customer service and a positive customer experience leads to increases in revenue from additional prospects, prospect retention, increase in retail cart size and time on property. And you can bet that increase in revenue can and will fund capital improvements at your club.
Here are three reasons to invest in your clubโs customer experience:
Happy customers stay longer and therefore spend more
Customers tend to stay on property longer if they have a great customer experience. For our daily-fee clubs out there, this means more time โ and more sales โ at your restaurant, bar, golf shop or other retail/dining environments. For our private club clients, this means an increase in member retention and membership dues.
Itโs much more expensive to replace a customer than to keep one and investing in an excellent customer experience will give you a leg up in the customer retention game.
Increase in new customers as word travels
While angry customers are still more likely to write a review than happy ones, people are much more likely to share positive stories about brands and clubs with their friends. Providing an exceptional customer experience creates a standing army of advertisers who are willing to share stories of your service with other potential customers.
You have heard it 100 times. Maybe you read it in a textbook in business school. Maybe your mentor added emphasis to make it a point that stuck with you for the rest of your professional career. As a manager, you simply canโt be everywhere at once. Employing mystery shopping techniques allows managers to expand their reach and collect data and information they would otherwise be unable to acquire and is easily one of the most cost-effective data collection tools available in todayโs business climate. But mystery shopping helps your club in myriad other ways outside of data collection and pain-point identification.
Here are four additional ways 59club USA clients use mystery shopping data to better their clubs:
Team Feedback with Specific Examples
You canโt run a business on โhe said she saidโ whether the topic in question is good or bad. No matter what, there will always be a bias in the memory of the employees involved. Unbiased mystery shopping allows managers to acquire specific examples from real-world interactions and relay that information to your team as a teaching moment. This provides managers and club operators the opportunity to eliminate unwanted behavior from the moment itโs recognized and turn a weakness into a strength.
Identification of Trends and Future Training Opportunities
Oh no! There seems to be an unwanted trend developing at your club. Could be an apathetic attitude towards upselling. Maybe the collars around your greens arenโt getting the attention they deserve. Where did that come from? You might be able to correct the behavior of a specific employee, but if it happened once, it might happen again. This is the perfect opportunity to update the employee handbook and code of conduct to ensure your employees understand the importance to these specific club operations and eliminate these trends once and for all โ something you might never have identified without mystery shopping.
Objective Reporting and Benchmarking
Is your club making money? Yes? Good. But does that mean itโs a good business? Not necessarily. There are limitless variables when it comes to owning and operating a club, and when youโre reporting to your board, an ownership group or other stakeholders, itโs imperative you come armed with specific, objective reporting metrics. The way 59club USA delivers objective, data driven mystery shopping analysis gives you evidence instead of hearsay to tackle risk/reward opportunities with confidence.
Rewarding the Right Behavior
Weโve talked a lot about poor behavior and customer service here, but one of the most fundamentally positive aspects of mystery shopping is identifying and proving positive customer service interaction from a specific employee. Mystery shopping โ and the objective data it produces โ allows club managers to reward employees based on merit and not the status quo. It has become a common practice for our data to be included in the annual incentive/bonus calculations for managers at all levels of the club. It gives you another objective tool, beyond just the financial statement, to measure how a particular manager is doing in their area of responsibility. Rewarding employees in the right way creates champions and a positive, collaborative culture โ undeniably one of the easiest paths to success in the business world.
The golf shop can be traced back to โ who else โ Old Tom Morris in the home of golf in St. Andrews, and over the past nearly 175 years, it has been a way for golf clubs to add value to their operation, increase their bottom line and offer a wide array of different products suitable for a very specific customer with very specific needs: the golfer. For a century, it was one of the very few places a golfer could purchase the necessary equipment to play the game. That is certainly not the case today.
Especially in the United States with a few clear exceptions, golf shops have become more of a loss leader and primarily operated by retail staff members hired by the golf club itself who do not have a stake in the company other than their job. And if that model is just fine with you and you aren’t looking at your golf shop as an opportunity to increase revenue and pad the bottom line, then this article won’t mean much to you. But, since people are still buying golf shoes at golf shops at the golf course instead of enlisting Amazon drones to deliver it to your house at a fraction of the cost, it means there’s ample opportunity for your golf shop to move from loss leader into a real revenue generating asset. Two tricks โ upselling and cross selling.
What is upselling? Very simply. upselling is where you encourage shoppers to buy a higher priced item than the item that they’re looking at.
As an example, using those same golf shoes, somebody’s looking at a pair of Adidas golf spikes which retails for $79.99. Instead of simply allowing the customer to choose those shoes, instead you upsell them to the Nikes for $109.99. Providing margins are the same, which they likely are, this process increases your total profit. Easy. Right?
In the same vein as upselling, cross selling is when you sell complementary products to increase the overall basket size of this individual customer. Let’s use shoes again. If somebody is willing to buy shoes at a golf shop, they probably need socks as well. If they need a hat, they might need sunscreen or a towel to keep sweat off that brand new hat. This process can continue until the final moment the customer goes to pay. They might need balls, or a marker or a yardage book to go along with their Nike shoes, socks, hat, sunscreen and towel. All high-margin impulse buys to pad the bottom line one final time before they head to the first tee.
Easy in theory, harder in practice. What are some of the techniques for upselling cross selling that can make retail operators at the golf shop more successful than their peers?
Go Beyond the Counter
First, is personally interacting with the customer on the floor. Too often, especially in the United States, retail operators are stuck behind the counter. There are fair reasons for that โ thwarting theft, answering phones, etc โ but in order to really take your operation to the next level through upselling, retail staffers will need to come from behind the counter and work individually with customers to build rapport, and most importantly, ask questions.
Ask Meaningful Questions
A simple question with a yes or no answer isn’t going to build a ton of rapport and it’s not going to make the customer feel that you’re really engaging. Open ended questions are the best. Here are some questions for our shoes example. Why are you looking at this particular item? What did you like about your previous item in this? What didn’t you like? Was it too wide? Was it too narrow? Breathable? Weatherproof? Waterproof? Did it just not fit right? Do you play normally in wetter climates or drier climates? Are you noticing any changes in your stroke when you wear them? All of these questions are open ended and going to entice the potential customer to connect with you and give you reasons that they’re looking for this new product. By by asking and answering these questions for the customer, you’re adding value to the proposition and the overall experience, you’re building rapport with the customer and you’re gaining their trust. Once you have their trust, you can go for upselling cross selling opportunities that match their answers.
Keep it Simple and Connected
When you’re cross selling or upselling, it’s important to not betray that trust by delving into seemingly random or unconnected things. Let’s stick with shoes. Customer A comes into the shop looking for Adidas golf shoes. Based on your cross-selling training, you know you need to provide an additional item to increase basket size, so you suggest a pullover to go along with the shoes. See the disconnect here? The connection between these items is a stretch at best. Youโre much better off suggesting socks, replacement spikes, different color shoelaces or upselling more expensive shoes than a pullover. It’s very important to connect the dots instead of throwing out random things just for the sake of checking off your cross selling to do list as a retail operator.
Prime Product Positioning
The rule of three isnโt just for aspiring comedians. Retail upselling comes in threes as well. When upselling more expensive items, make sure to present a retail customer three options while making sure to put the highest-margin item in the middle. Your customer might not want the highest priced product, but might be willing to pay for the product in the middle โ especially considering the advantages and benefits it has over the lower-priced item. The middle product, in this case is STILL an upsell from the lowest-ticket item.
Want more tips and tricks for your retail operation? Visit 59club USA to inquire about training services.
As the world continues to blaze the digital frontier, there are now more ways than ever to purchase a tee time or make a dinner reservation at your club. And thatโs a good thing. Additional ways to bring in revenue means more ways to make your club profitable. But new digital pathways create opportunities for digital missteps. Mainly, customers want to know their credit card information is secure and they want to know when you have reserved their spot โ whether that be for a tee time reservation or a dinner reservation. And if youโre not providing a written record of their spot on your tee sheet or a table at your restaurant, customers will feel uneasy about the entire process. Instead, look at the written confirmation as a first impression of the experience at your club โ something that should match the overall customer experience at your club. And most importantly, written confirmation automation gives your club and your restaurant an opportunity to advance your marketing efforts by collecting first-party data โ the most cost-efficient marketing strategy available to most clubs.
Unfortunately, nearly half of clubs in the United States do not provide written confirmations for restaurant or tee-time bookings. And, worse, only 12% of clubs ask any follow-up questions in the confirmation, leaving an enormous amount of room for improvement on the marketing side of your clubโs business operations.
Letโs be candid. Sending a written confirmation for a tee time or restaurant reservation at your club is the bare minimum. If you ordered a widget from Amazon without a confirmation of the purchase, you would be left wondering if Amazon is, in fact, fulfilling the order. That kind of digital misstep creates enormous uncertainty and is unlikely to be the first impression you want to convey to your customer.
There are two types of digital reservation confirmations: standard and inquisitive.
The standard reservation confirmation gives basic information like the time and date of the reservation, number of individuals in the party, and โ in the case of a tee time โ the cost of the group to play. This type of written confirmation is rarely visually appealing, but it ensures your customer is aware you have reserved their spot.
The second, and monumentally better form of written confirmation is the inquisitive confirmation which aims to collect additional information about your customer and provide a more welcoming experience. These confirmations provide further insight into the club or restaurant like daily specials, information about the golf course or its history and trains your customer to expect additional questions throughout the booking process. Most importantly, the inquisitive confirmation opens the door to learn more about your customer โ what dishes they like the best, what days they like to play or go out to eat, and how far they live from the club for example.
Armed with this new information about your customer, club and restaurant managers can now send out emails or other forms of digital communication directed specifically at these customers and their individual needs, adding to the overall experience at the property and making a personal connection with your customers.
The best of the best also send a reminder 24 hours ahead of the reservation (tee time or restaurant). Just a thought as we measure this in our mystery shops, and we have customers that do it.
59club USA announced today Patsy Forester has joined the team as Manager of Business Operations. Forester will manage the recruitment, training, and coordination of 59clubUSAโs Mystery Shopper team and assist with marketing and social media for 59clubUSA.
โPatsy joins us with years of experience in customer and member service in the golf industry,โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner for 59club USA. โShe is an excellent fit for our growing company and her knowledge and skills will be immediately impactful. Weโre thrilled to have her on board.โ
Patsy started her professional career in the Members Program at the United States Golf Association, where she served as a liaison between the organizationโs members and all of the departments making up golfโs governing body for the U.S. She then worked at a private golf club in Maryland, amassing many years of experience interacting with golfers. Patsyโs focus has been on member development, marketing, and publishing.
โIโm thrilled to join the 59clubUSA team,โ said Forester. โThe opportunity to join a growing business with incredible upside and a commitment to customer service is extremely exciting.โ
Patsy holds a bachelorโs degree in English with emphasis on rhetoric and composition from Elon University. While a student at Elon, she met her husband, PGA Professional, Wesley Forester. The parents of two grown children, Patsy and Wes enjoy traveling, spending time outdoors, cheering for the Georgia Bulldogs, and being involved at their local church.
In the later parts of the 20th century before the recession of 2008 and its aftermath which all but gutted the golf industry, it was extremely common to find many specialized jobs within golf club operations.
Starters, rangers and even bathroom attendants were at nearly every club โ especially private clubs โ and the reasoning behind these jobs was simple: to enhance the overall club experience. But as less and less golfers walked through the doors at golf clubs throughout the world, clubs look to stay in the black by cutting costs, and that meant cutting staff. And despite the United States economy rebounding after the recession, a lot of these jobs didn’t come back. Instead, many clubs elected to continue operating without starters, rangers and other specialized staff and the golf experience suffered.
Thereโs a reason starters, rangers and beverage attendants exist and are employed at all of the best clubs in the world. And if your club doesnโt have them or they are an afterthought, you better have a good reason for it because your competitors do and they work! Let’s take a look at some of the different reasons a starter or a ranger might be needed at your club outside of their โnormalโ operations.
Starters:
Starters today are employed for a very specific purpose โ to make sure that the people that are teeing off at 10 o’clock are the people who reserved the 10 o’clock tee time. Simple. Right? Instead, look at your starter as the last first impression your customers will get of the golf course itself. The stakes are especially high for new players coming to a golf course for the first time. Without the starter there, the players are left to their own devices. They don’t know about that wash on hole 13 that’s going to eat up tee shots because no one told them to hit less than driver. They don’t know about the history of the golf course, who designed it or why they elected to build it way they did. New players don’t know where the restrooms are or where water is โ exceptionally important in warmer climates. This is all the starterโs job and it doesn’t take very long to do it and do it well. Three minutes is all it takes for the starter to provide all necessary information to the players and make them feel warm, welcome and to educate them on how to have the best overall experience at your club. It’s a pivotal position. And if your club isn’t using it, then you might want to consider it.
Rangers:
Today, the most common reason players see a ranger is because they either they did something wrong or somebody’s taking too much time in between shots. Generally, rangers police players to make sure they’re not damaging property or the golf course itself and they’re there to keep pace of play. Again, simple. But the Rangersโ job shouldnโt be discounted to a golf course โsecurity guardโ. It’s a great opportunity to pacify what would be otherwise angry customers and build personal rapport with players.
Letโs look at the slow play example โ the most common ranger interaction. A good ranger with good experience and proper training wonโt simply ask a group to pick up the pace, but also let the waiting group know pace of play will pick up soon. It pacifies what otherwise be upset or angry individuals, and gives you an opportunity to not only correct the problem immediately, but also let them know that you care about their experience.
59club USA measures dozens of similar on-course services and benchmarks your clubโs overall performance against your competitor set, the industry average and the best clubs in the world. And if youโre in need to hard data to confirm the need for a new starter or ranger, 59club USA can provide that in spades.
Any kind of golf property from the most exclusive private clubs in the world to ultra-affordable city municipal courses have some sort of sales staff and operations to bring new revenue into the club outside of regular tee times. If your club is a daily fee operation, event sales and group golf day sales are an absolute must to supplement your regular tee time revenue. And on the flip side, membership sales at private clubs are the bread and butter of club revenue generation. But if your sales staff is fumbling or the property tour, you can probably kiss that supplemental revenue goodbye.
According to 59club data collected over 15 years from thousands of golf properties all over the world, here are the most important things your sales staff MUST do to ensure the property tour goes smoothly and your club gets the event business or membership sale.
Be on Time
Be on time. Be on time. BE ON TIME! No one likes to wait and if your first in-person impression is of someone who doesnโt value another personโs time, expect for just about everything to go poorly from there. The good news is this is an easy fix. Just โ say it with us โ be on time.
Have a Warm Welcome Waiting
Youโre on time. Now what? The best sales people in the world wait out front for their guests and present a warm and welcome greeting. That means smiling, excellent eye contact, engaging conversation to break the ice and the use of the guestโs name. Itโs welcoming, disarming and the best first impression one can ask for.
Offer a Beverage
Offering a beverage to a guest is hospitality 101, but bonus points can be scored by telling the server your guestโs name beforehand so they can use it as they approach the table.
Recap the Phone Conversation
โHow many people are you expecting again,โ he asked before losing the business. The property tour wonโt be the first interaction with a prospect, so make sure to dust off your sales notes to let the prospect you value his/her time and you were paying attention. Refer back to specifics from your notes and have answers to questions readily available.
Custom Tailored Tours Based on Needs
Chances are your club is not an arts center and your sales staff members are not docents, so make sure to avoid โmuseum toursโ โ the same tour for every guest. Tailor your property tour to match the needs and pain points of the prospect with specifics based on your previous conversations.
Confirm the Tour Length and Prospect Availability
Some people have all day to make sure your property is the best suited for their needs. Some have 30 minutes. Confirm the length of the tour twice โ once on the phone and then again as your prospect arrives to ensure you get to everything you need to cover before time runs out.
Get the Tour Started
This goes for every your, but especially if your prospect has limited time. Get things started! No one wants to listen to your sales staff drone on about the wallpaper or the time they aced the 16th hole. Get your prospect something to drink, confirm the length of the tour, confirm the needs of the prospect and get going!
Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA, has been at the club operations game for a while. And as a general manager of any type of club โ especially a golf club spanning hundreds of acres โ itโs just not feasible to be everywhere at once. Thatโs where 59club USAโs mystery shopping services come into play.
Take a look at the video below where Kelly explains the ins and outs of mystery shopping, why itโs important for club managers and how it can help elevate the service level to meet and exceed your customer or memberโs needs.
59club USA announced today they added Westhaven Golf Club in Franklin, Tennessee, to the 59club USA client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help increase member satisfaction throughout the entire club experience.
โWesthaven Golf Club is an incredible property and weโre delighted to begin working with them,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to showcasing our world-class customer service platform and provide knowledgeable insights into their current operations.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
โWeโre extremely excited to use 59club USAโs mystery shopping services to help enhance our customer service, not only in our golf operations, but throughout our club experience,โ Mark Lammi, General Manager of Westhaven Golf Club. โAs a premier private club and a Troon Prive-managed property, weโre only as good as the service we provide to our members. Weโre happy to employ these specific tools so we can continue to provide excellent service to our current and future members.โ
Located just south of Nashville in Franklin, Westhaven Golf Club is located adjacent to the Westhaven master-planned community, developed by Southern Land Company. The core-golf design blends seamlessly with the surrounding hills and ridgelines of western Williamson County earning the club national recognition for outstanding design from both GolfWeek and Golf Digest. Westhaven Golf Club is managed by Troon Privรฉ, the private club operations division of Troon.
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 150 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale. Additionally, 59club USA works with management companies Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, and Arcis Golf, three of the worldโs largest management companies.
Have you played here before? Itโs an innocuous and generally harmless question with enormous upside. Other industries โ especially the restaurant industry โ have used this relatively innocent question for decades in order to prime the pump for an engaging customer experience. Asking someone if they have been to your golf course, restaurant, spa โ or any other hospitality or leisure venue โ opens the door for conversation and questions, builds rapport and emotional connection between the customer and your staff/brand, and provides an opportunity to share your clubโs best stories or things a customer should know before heading out. 59club USA has crunched the numbers and, once again, the top-performing clubs never miss an opportunity to ask this question. The rest of the pack, however, fails to ask this question 64% of the time. Letโs dive in.
The most effective way to open the door for an engaging conversation and information gathering is to ask personal questions but asking a customer where they see themselves in five years or what makes them the happiest isnโt really appropriate during the tee time booking process. Asking if they have played the course before, however, is a semi-opened-ended question with a clear goal and hundreds of different avenues for additional conversation. If the customer has played the course before, it begs the question โwhen?โ Was it a long time ago or before a recent renovation? Have there been changes to improve the club since then? Why did they take so long in between rounds? Are they from out of town and should their name and email address go into a special โfeeder marketโ list bucket in your CRM system? Enormous amounts of information all gained from starting with one simple question.
These types of conversation starters not only gather important information for marketing and customer service operations, but also provide an opportunity to tell positive stories or provide important general information about your club to someone who may not know. If someone is playing for the first time, they might want to hear about a featured hole, strategy on how to play the course, where to find restrooms, course rankings or accolades, humorous anecdotes and other positive stories. If your club is undergoing capital improvements or repairing part of the course, this is the perfect time to alert the player so they arenโt blindsided when they encounter the issue on-course and so angry they create a Yelp profile just to leave you a poor review. The truth, they say, shall set you free.
Once again, the top clubs are doing this and the majority of other clubs simply arenโt. Every single club at the 59club USA Podium Level โ an aggregate of the highest scoring clubs โ asks this question during the tee-time booking process without fail. The industry average, however, is an abysmal 36%, meaning an extremely high percentage of clubs are leaving easily gatherable information on the table, and leaving the first impression of the golf club up to the player. The golf and leisure clubs who take charge of the first impression and subsequent conversations tend to score higher in other areas as well, creating a domino effect of individual, positive experiences which lead to a better experience overall.
Youโre long past it now, but try to harken back to your days as a middle schooler or teenager, full of angst and hungry for friends and meaningful relationships. Maybe you were one of the cool kids who never had trouble making new friends, but for a lot of people โ especially for those who moved into a new school district โ building new relationships was full of difficulty and anxiety. The same might be said for new members joining a private club. And if your members are paying dues to be a part of a community instead of simply taking advantage of the facilities and amenities, itโs imperative to make them feel welcome and part of the family.
According to 59club data from their proprietary member survey tool, the majority of high-performing private clubs are welcoming new members the right way, but a large percentage of clubs are falling short in key areas of new member integration. Letโs get to the numbers.
The Welcome Call
If your sales staff or marketing team spent a ton of time and a lot of money wining, dining, courting and signing a prospective new lead at your private club, you would assume they would be running โ and fast โ to call the new member to welcome them to the club. According to 59club data, only 52% of new members at private clubs received a formal โwelcome to the clubโ phone call. Not exactly a great start to a budding new relationship.
The Formal Induction meeting
The practice of hosting formal induction meetings for new members is not for every club, but all but guarantees your members an opportunity to meet, learn about and formally welcome a new member of your private community. On average, 26% of new members at private clubs took part in a formal induction meeting, but among the highest scoring clubs in the world, this number dramatically increases to nearly 90%. It might be worth fleshing out and implementing this program at your club in the future if not already in place.
Staff Introduction and Networking
As your members spend more time at the club, your staff will invariably pick up on some interesting tidbits, facts, likes and dislikes from your various members. And in that regard, your staff is armed with networking abilities well suited to help your new members make new friendships. Less than 50% of new members surveyed said they were introduced to legacy members by staff members, but again, the best clubs in the world make this a regular practice.
Knowing Your Name
One of the quickest and easiest ways make someone feel at home is simply by addressing them by their name. shockingly, less than 60% of members surveyed report private club staff members demonstrating they know the name of the newest members.
Adding it All Up
When you take a look at the numbers above, itโs easy to see why only 65 percent of new members at private clubs report making new friendships within their first few months. And for a model that requires camaraderie and inclusion, leaving it up to your members to make friends on their own without any tips and tricks to get the process started is a recipe for member stagnation.
Landscapes Golf Management has been making news lately with a handful of key developments, bolstering their position as one of the 10 largest golf course operators in the country.
In September, the company expanded its existing partnership with Swing King, which operates a fully automated hole-in-one contest at golf courses, country clubs and resorts. The partnership will expand to include more than 30 of LGMโs properties nationwide.
The company then teamed up with 59club USA over the summer and by fall had seen the fruit of that relationship. 59club USA offers satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping and employee training at 20 of LGMโs daily-fee and private properties. The datapoints gathered from these activities have helped LGM to fine tune the experience of going to their properties.
In November, the company was selected to operate the River Run Country Club in Davidson, N.C. River Run features an 18-hole championship golf course as well as event spaces and a sports campus. LGM will be in charge of every facet of the operation, including sales, marketing, staffing, merchandising and more.
LGM has made a career out of being the strong, silent type. Founded in 2007 as an outgrowth of Landscapes Unlimited, a golf course developer and construction company, the company has slowly expanded ever since. It’s portfolio spans 20 states, 54 properties and features a number of regional offices.
LGM touts its family-owned nature as one of the main reasons for its success. Not being subject to third-party constraints opens many doors in how the company can deal with its clients.
โOur teams take relationship building extremely seriously and smart training is critical,โ said Tom Everett, president of Landscapes Golf Management. โAfter all, we recognize that it doesnโt cost us one extra dollar to provide warm hospitality to every golfer, member and guest at our properties. Conversely, we understand how detrimental only one instance of poor service can be.โ
The internet and the myriad new ways it allows people to connect has forever changed the personal and professional communication landscape. Text messages, emails, digital direct mail and online forms make it possible for people to digest and respond to messages on their own time and keep a sense of privacy โ which is great for rudimentary transactions and appointments. But when it comes to private club memberships or other high-value propositions, there is simply no substitute for the old-fashioned phone call.
According to 59club data, on average, only 31% of polled private club prospective members said they received a follow-up phone call from the club. When compared to the leaders in the industry, however, the number jumps up to 100%, meaning the best of the best in the country recognize the importance and power of the phone call.
โFollowing up with prospects after they have expressed interest in joining the club is a major issue,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. โThese prospects have taken time out of their day to call and tour the club and they simply arenโt getting a call back. Some clubs say they either send emails or text messages, but that is frankly not good enough. In order to continue to build rapport, nurture the relationship and be an effective sales staff, you have to pick up the phone. Period.โ
According to 59club, while making the effort to speak with prospective members on the phone is the bare minimum, there are five key components of a truly successful follow-up phone call.
Timeliness of the follow-up call
Prospective members tend to lose interest the longer they have to wait for the next communication. Prompt replies after an initial site visit ensures the emotional connection to the club is still fresh in the prospectโs mind.
Direct communication
Gate keepers like assistants and voicemail messages make it easy to leave a message and move on, but successful sales calls are almost wholly reliant on direct communication so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
Trial close
As a sales professional, your goal should be to sell the membership, not have a nice chat on the phone. Forgetting to engage in a trial close is the quickest way to lose out on new memberships.
A personal call specific to the prospect
Sales scripts are a great way to make sure nothing is left out of each individual call, but blanket statements with no regard for the other person on the line โ their likes, dislikes, pain points, first and last name, etc. โ have the feel of a text message or a disengaged staff member. Make the call personal and specific to each person you contact.
Friendliness
Above all, membership sales calls should be friendly and personable. After all, no one wants to be a part of a group of curmudgeons. Your sales staff represents the club at its base level and should reflect the positive aspects of your club.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have agreed to terms with 19 golf properties owned and operated by Escalante Golf. 59club USA will provide mystery shopping services for each of the 19 properties โ both private and daily fee โ to identify strengths and potential areas for improvement throughout the individual golf experience at each property. To date, 59club USA has provided customer service benchmarking services like mystery shopping, employee and member survey tools and online training for more than 170 golf and hospitality properties in the United States.
โThe golf business demands attention to detail and extreme focus on the customer experience and member satisfaction,โ said Jeff Kindred, EVP, Club & Resort Division . โWe set exceptionally high standards at each one of our properties, but we also realize there is almost always room for improvement. By using 59club USA, we will be able to identify our needs more easily and, if necessary, make immediate changes. Weโre eager to begin.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 170 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, and We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale. Additionally, 59club USA works with other owners and management companies such as Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, Arcis Golf, Brown Golf, Hampton Golf and now Escalante Golf.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
About Escalante Golf
Founded in 1991, Escalante Golf is a boutique owner and operator of 17 luxury golf properties across nine states. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company has quietly assembled an impressive collection of exclusive clubs in key markets. Many have hosted several prestigious amateur and professional golf tournaments including the U.S. Mid-Amateur Golf Championship, the Charles Schwab Cup, the WGC Match Play Championship and the Shell Houston Open. The firmโs culture emphasizes personal service, integrity, long-term stability, and operational excellence. Operating partners David McDonald, Elcio Silva, Robert Silva and David Matheson direct the Escalante team.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added The Cliffs and their seven golf properties to the client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help identify strengths in weaknesses in the overall golf experience at each individual club.
โThe Cliffs represent some of the most beautiful and luxurious private communities in the country and weโre very excited to begin working with them,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. โWe look forward to providing 59club proven, knowledgeable insights into their golf operations.โ
59club USA now serves more than 150 golf club and hospitality properties in North America. Click here to view a complete 59club USA client roster: https://www.59clubusa.com/venues-tested/
The Cliffs is a collection of seven private luxury residential mountain and lake club and communities encompassing more than 20,000 acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains. One membership at The Cliffs grants access to an unparalleled suite of amenities, including seven clubs, seven nationally-acclaimed golf courses, seven wellness centers, boating and water sports, a Beach Club, full-service marina, paddle sports, cycling, tennis, an equestrian center, miles of hiking trails, more than a dozen dining and private event venues, an organic farm and more than 2,000 year-round programs and social activities to create timeless experiences.
โAdding 59club USAโs mystery shopping services to our golf operations is an important step in our long-range customer service plans at The Cliffs,โ said Rob Duckett, President of The Cliffs and South Street Partners. โCustomer service is at the forefront of all amenities at The Cliffs and something in which we invest heavily. Weโre looking forward to taking that next step with 59club.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 150 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale. Additionally, 59club USA works with management companies Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, Arcis Golf โ three of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
If you think back to your networking or sales calls in the before the last turn of the century, you might remember the humble business card โ something now considered archaic and overly obsolete. But the simple business card was one of the greatest first-party-data collection mechanisms ever made. It provided necessary information in which to produce a customer profile including name and geographical locations, contact information, certain demographic information based on the company and card stock and built trust and rapport throughout the sales process โ often in the form of a firm handshake.
With the advent of search engines, social media networks and a near full integration of the internet into most of our waking lives, the need for collecting first-party data waned to the point of near obsolescence itself. Why make what you can buy cheaper? But new rules, regulations and internet navigation habits putting a premium on privacy have changed the game again, and itโs now more important than ever for golf clubs and hospitality venues to collect as much data as they can about their clients and customers โ straight from the horseโs mouth.
According to data from 59club USA, golf clubs and hospitality venues are simply not gathering first-party data from their existing customers. And just like past success is the best indicator of future success, getting a new customer is 10 times harder than retaining an existing customer.
Third-Party Data vs. First-Party Data โ What are We Talking About?
Anyone who has followed social media in any capacity over the last few years is likely familiar with third-party data. Basically, third-party data is a set of geographic, psychographic or demographic indicators purchased from a third party like an internet service provider or social network. Ever seen an advertisement on Facebook for something you were talking about with your friends? How about an Amazon ad that seems to follow you around the internet for that gadget you wanted? And while your phone or computer is actively listening to you, Facebook and Google are not listening to you to immediately serve you ads. The fact of the matter is you, the user, are freely giving that information to these enormous conglomerates. You just might not be aware of how much youโre giving them. Thatโs third-party data. And itโs going away โ or at least significantly and actively changing.
First-party data is information gathered directly between you and your customers. Someone walks into your shop, fills out a form and gives it back to you for input into your CRM or database. Information can include everything you might find on a business card, but can also include what customers like about your club, what they donโt like, what they expect, what they might want in the future and what theyโve purchased in the golf shop. Itโs an infinitely more personal connection, very inexpensive and certainly much more reliable.
Advertising Third Party Info Is Going Away
The past few years has brought with it a general concern about how internet navigation data is being used. Huge companies have been inundated with fines โ albeit only a small percentage of their operating budget โ and governments across the world have started to crack down on misuse of private information. That especially hurts clubs and venues who rely on tourism dollars from multiple different states and countries because each state and country has their own rules. California, for example, has much more strict internet privacy rules than its neighbor Arizona. And as a whole, Canada is far tougher on data collection than the United States but falls short compared to the European Union. Eventually, rules and regulations will find their way back to the mean โ or at least begin to use common language โ and by then, the data-aggregation systems your firm may have used will be gone. Putting a premium on collecting first-party data will help your club transition back into earlier models and set your club above competition who might find themselves at a loss later down the line.
The Industry Is Failing to Collect Necessary Information
59club USA data shows the average score of data-collection methods at the club level are substandard โ scoring 6.7 out of 10. Most clubs fail to gather email addresses from new and existing customers, while some clubs fail to gather so much as a name or phone number.
The simple solution is to use your point-of-sale staff to collect this information at check in, put it in a system and then analyze the data later. But there are also digital integration systems which mirror common booking engines to automate this process. Then, itโs up to you as a manger what you do with the data. And just like having an umbrella in the trunk, better have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Manners and proper etiquette have been a staple of human introductions and discourse since the dawn of civilization. Titles remain incredibly significant in day-to-day conversation. And the topic is so well-engrained in our society, there have been hundreds of etiquette books published throughout the years, with some recent examples including Amy Vanderbiltโs 1952 best seller โThe Complete Book of Etiquetteโ and Tiffanyโs โTable Manners for Teenagers.โ Itโs important! And while the definition of what is โproperโ or โpoliteโ or โappropriateโ differs widely between cultures, age ranges, geographical areas, and โ of course โ what era of human history in which you find yourself, most western civilizations agree a proper address โ greeting a customer by their name โ is the easiest way to build a foundation of professional rapport. The problem? With respect to this topic, the golf industry is left wanting. Badly.
Proper address as a catalyst for a good customer experience
Aside from being an overall best practice, the proper address serves two important functions in point-of-sale club operations: it disarms the bully, and it reinforces a happy customerโs positive attitude.
As a club or hospitality professional, thereโs no doubt you can recall at least a dozen stories of bully customers who approach the counter with a scowl. You can see it coming a mile away โ this person is going to be a problem. It can be easy to fall into the trap set by this curmudgeon customer and stoop to a level beneath customer service standards set by your club. Pausing the conversation to complete a proper address and using or asking for the customerโs name is an excellent way to disarm discourtesy and begin the conversation on new, more polite terms.
On the flip side, a proper address tends to strengthen a positive and happy customerโs perception of your brand, especially from the onset of his or her experience at the club. The proper address also turns the point-of-sale operator into an authority or a person of influence throughout the customer journey and creates a positive, personal connection between an employee and the customer. This not only validates the customerโs experience, but through proper training and a commitment to this procedure, can also help your staff gain confidence and optimism for when that bully customer comes back again.
The stats
Everyone who walks through the door of a golf club, hotel, hospitality venue or other customer-first business will have to give a name to book their experience. Names are taken or given via the phone or digital booking systems and will always be on file for the day and time of customer arrival. And in that respect, the excuses for failing to address a customer by name are few and far between.
The current average proper address score of clubs and hospitality properties is 4.4 out of a possible 10 points over all 59club USA data sets and has only increased to a 6.7 out of 10 over the past 11 months. This remains one of the poorest scoring areas of 59club mystery tests to date. Yet, this is one of the easiest and cheapest corrections to make at the club. No risk, but extremely high reward.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added member-owned St. Ives Country Club to the 59club USA client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services, online survey tools and access to 59clubโonline training tool, Mentor to increase member satisfaction throughout the entire club experience.
โSt. Ives is an incredible property and weโre delighted to begin working with them,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to showcasing our world-class customer service platform and provide knowledgeable insights into their current operations.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
โWeโre extremely excited to use 59club USAโs mystery shopping services to help enhance our customer service, not only in our golf operations, but throughout our club experience,โ said Mike Davis, GM at St. Ives. โAs a member-owned private club, weโre only as good as the service we provide to our members and guests. Weโre happy to employ these specific tools so we can continue to provide excellent service to our current and future members.โ
St Ives Country Club is one of the premier private clubs in the Atlanta, Georgia area and provides a social environment for members, families. Located in Johns Creek, St Ives has provided golf, tennis, and swim programs for the entire family for over 30 years, offering high-caliber membership experience, while being one of the most warm, welcoming, and friendly country club in the area.
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 80 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, Bobby Jones Links, Landscapes Golf Management, Brown Golf Management and Hampton Golf โ some of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added VICI Properties and their four golf courses to the 59club USA client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help audit and improve the golf experience, event sales and group-outing sales at all four VICI owned golf courses.
โWeโre excited to be assisting the high-end properties in the VICI portfolio with their customer service operations,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. โWeโre thrilled to get started and look forward to providing detailed feedback for each of their four unbelievable golf courses.โ
The mystery shopping services provided by 59club USA will capture the golf experience from start to finish and provide industry-leading, unbiased feedback on hundreds of data points that fully encapsulates the customer experience at each club.
โWe are excited to partner with 59club USA as our teams strive to offer the best customer service at each of our VICI Golf facilities,โ said Jeff Krohn, VP of Golf Operations for VICI Properties. โUsing 59club USA tools, our teams will have the best resources available to WOW our guests during each visit. The team at VICI Golf is very excited to get started.โ
VICI Properties owns and operates four golf courses in the United States including Rio Secco in Las Vegas, Nevada, Grand Bear Golf Club in Biloxi, Mississippi, Chariot Run Golf Club in Laconia, Indiana and Cascata Golf Club โ touted as the 8th Wonder of the Golfing World โ in Boulder City, Nevada.
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 80 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, Bobby Jones Links, and Landscapes Golf Management โ two of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit www.59clubusa.com.
About VICI Properties Inc.
VICI Properties Inc. is an experiential real estate investment trust that owns one of the largest portfolios of market-leading gaming, hospitality and entertainment destinations, including the world-renowned Caesars Palace. VICI Propertiesโ national, geographically diverse portfolio consists of 28 gaming facilities comprising 47 million square feet and features approximately 17,800 hotel rooms and more than 200 restaurants, bars, nightclubs and sportsbooks. Its properties are leased to industry leading gaming and hospitality operators, including Caesars Entertainment, Inc., Century Casinos, Inc., Hard Rock International Inc., JACK Entertainment LLC and Penn National Gaming, Inc. VICI Properties also has an investment in the Chelsea Piers, New York facility and owns four championship golf courses and 34 acres of undeveloped land adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip. VICI Properties aims to deliver sustained income and value growth through its strategy of creating the highest quality and most productive experiential asset portfolio in American real estate investment management.
A unique question was posed of PGA TOUR star Marc Leishman during his 2018 BMW Championship appearance โ do you know what you donโt know? The philosophical, almost Zen-like inquiry left the Aussie star perplexed and confused, but he eventually answered the riddle with charming befuddlement, stating with a chuckle โNo. I donโt know what I donโt know.โ Lucky him.
When it comes to their on-course game, Leishman and the rest of the PGA TOURโs best might have the luxury of blocking out the riffraff, choosing instead to focus only on winning โ the one component of their career that matters. But for the remaining 99.9 percent of golf industry professionals like course operators, hospitality managers, F&B personnel, outside service members and others who use the game of golf to make a living, knowing what you donโt know is the difference between providing a valuable golf experience or receiving an angry Yelp review.
Golf course operators and managers cannot be everywhere at once to ensure every single element of the golf experience at their club matches the price point. But with many clubs operating at high price points, excellent customer service is not the exception. Excellence is expected, and the reason why high-profile daily fee clubs and private clubs alike rely on third-party customer-service expert consultants to figure out what they donโt know and fix it.
โAn independent mystery shopper audit allows managers to view their club through the eyes of their customers,โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA. โFeedback will pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, while the ability to make service comparisons to not only chosen competitors, but also the 59club industry and best performing clubs, gives operators actionable data, goals and opportunities to evaluate their tactics.โ
Mystery shopping audits measure all service offerings at the club and are not solely limited to turf conditioning or bunker presentation โ although that is a large component of the program. Staff attitude, sales and upselling prowess, facility management and general operating procedures also are factored into the mystery test โ which gives club managers a real-time snapshot of their entire customer-service presentation.
59club USA has helped more than 80 high-profile clubs collect customer-service data and elevate their golf experience all over the country including the TPC Network which operates 32 golf properties was one of the first to adopt 59club USA customer service benchmarking techniques, using the collected data to increase customer loyalty and provide employee feedback. But Kelly suggests the tools provided by his firm are not reserved for only high-end or private properties.
โInvestment in bricks and mortar do not sustain and grow reputations,โ said Kelly. โIt is people who build reputations. You may or may not be the โbiggestโ club in the area but you can definitely achieve, deliver and then maintain outstanding customer service.โ
As we slowly come out of the pandemic and get back to what serves as a new normal โ whatever that might mean โ we have a little breathing room to reflect on silver linings. The golf industry enjoyed a mini boom over the last 15 months, drawing a large number of first-time players and overall participation not seen since the early 90s. And with that newfound reinvigoration, the game itself is in a unique position to renew its focus on elevating the game from standardized commodity to an elite-level golf experience. And it seems as though 59club might be the best way to know what you donโt know.
Making members and guests feel valued and welcome is an absolute no brainer for any hospitality venue, but for golf course F&B establishments which often operate with smaller margins and lower foot traffic than traditional restaurants, the line between success and failure is razor thin. And with labor shortages and employee turnover at levels not seen in decades, the importance of increasing margins through upselling and keeping good employees has never been higher.
According to 59club USAโs industry leading proprietary data sets, the F&B customer service tactic most in need of improvement is also the least costly and happens to be a catalyst for increased margins. It also helps raise tips for servers and happens to be one of the key components of exceptional customer service โ friendly conversation starters, A.K.A the upsell engine.
Customers are far more likely to purchase premium items when they have a personal connection to their server. Something as simple as a friendly introduction from the server or a well-placed engaging question can be the difference between your customers ordering the cheapest thing on the menu or opting for the larger size โ and higher margin โ appetizer, special of the day, beer, cocktail or dessert. Developing rapport through the friendly conversation starter tactic is something every server in your organization should strive for at the beginning of each individual interaction. And it works.
This same tactic is also one of the driving forces of higher tips. Since most diners in the US tip a percentage of the bill, raising the final total through upselling โ made easier through friendly communication โ will increase gratuities and employee satisfaction and assist in lowering employee turnover.
The stats:
Clubs are simply not taking advantage of this tactic. Even at the podium levels โ the best of the best โ of 59club clients, only 66 percent (66%) of tests showed a serverโs willingness to engage in friendly conversation starters. The industry average drops to an abysmal 40%, showing an industry wide opportunity for growth and higher F&B margins. Letโs do some math!
Club X has an average of 140 players per day of which 40 (29%) order a small beer at the end of their round. The small beer is priced at $7 with a 78% margin. The large beer is priced at $9 with the same 78% margin. If servers at Club X used friendly conversation starters to prime the pump for the upsell to the larger beer and managed to convert half of the 40 drinkers to the premium beverage, the result is a $11,534 increase in profit over the course of one year โ on only one menu item โ just by implementing a no-additional-cost tactic in your customer service toolkit. Win win.
Does your service staff need a tutorial on friendly conversation? Take advantage of 59club USAโs online training platform that is designed specifically for the club business.
North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm59club USA announced today they added Landscapes Golf Management (LGM) โ a sister company to Landscapes Unlimited โ to their client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help audit and improve the golf experience, membership sales, event sales and group-outing sales for 20 LGM golf properties in 13 states.
โWeโre obviously thrilled to begin working with Landscapes Golf Management and their extensive list of extraordinary golf properties,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. โWe look forward to showcasing our world-class customer service platform and providing knowledgeable insights which will help shape future plans and achieve customer service excellence throughout their portfolio.โ
With the addition of 20 LGM properties, 59club USA expands its client roster to more than 80 golf properties in 28 states across the country.
โLandscapes Golf Management invests extraordinary time, effort and resources into all levels of our organization, especially customer service and training, but we understand there is always room for improvement,โ said Tom Everett, president of LGM. โBy utilizing 59club USAโs services, we will receive access to real-time, unbiased data which will help us achieve our goal of consistent customer service improvement, and continued success and growth in all customer-facing areas. Weโre extremely excited to begin.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 80 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC Network properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, Bobby Jones Links, and now Landscapes Golf Management โ two of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
59club USA
announced today Bret Garrison is joining the team as Director of Sales. Garrison
will work remotely for 59clubUSA and manage new client sales operations, client
retention strategies and strategic marketing initiatives.
โBret joins us with more than 15 yearsโ experience in operational and sales management roles and his experience will be instrumental in 59club USAโs sales strategies moving forward, โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner for 59club USA. โAs our business grows, we will continue to put a premium on hiring dedicated and talented individuals to lead our company into the future.โ
Garrison gained experience at several high-end
properties including Boarโs Head Resort & Club, The Club at New Seabury,
Lexington Golf & Country Club and Up to Par Management.
โIโm absolutely thrilled to join the 59clubUSA team,โ
said Garrison. โThe opportunity to join a growing company that is committed to
raising the bar in the golf and hospitality industry really appealed to me.โ
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 50 well-known private golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, Fenway Golf Club in New York , The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, Ruark Golf Properties in Ocean City, Maryland, and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have added The Old Club to their client roster. The Old Club, located in Harsens Island, MI, is a member-owned, exclusive island resort and yacht club surrounded by the pristine, freshwater of the Great Lakes delta known as the St. ClairFlats. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary survey tool to assist the Club in gathering information that will allow the General Manager and the Board to be able to make strategic, data-driven decisions.
โAs a Board, we wanted to get our membersโ thoughts on certain key strategic issues we were facing,โ stated Sean Southers, The Old Club Board Member. โWe also wanted to gain some insights on several key operational issues. Mike and the 59club USA team did a great job helping us formulate the right questions to ask and executed the survey in a very timely manner. They also left us an easy-to-use survey tool to continue to gather our membersโ thoughts on a variety of issues going forward. Part of our plan is to begin surveying all of our new members on how they are being integrated into the club as well as collecting data on why our exiting members are leaving.โ
โThe Old Club had not done a survey of their membership in several years,โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA. โTheir members were eager to give input on certain key decisions the Board and Management are facing, as evidenced by the high participation rate of members in the survey (63%). That is one of the highest participation rates we have seen, and they received some great data as a resultโ.
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 60 well-known clubs, communities and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, Fenway Golf Club, The Mid Ocean Club, Palmetto Bluff, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Ruark Golf Properties and Bobby Jones Links golf management company.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits,
Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
About The Old Club
The Old Club enables old time values, honors decades of tradition yet anticipates the need and necessity to stay current and positively evolving โ a collaboration that encourages innovation & supports future development. To learn more about The Old Club, visit https://www.theoldclub.com/.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have reached an agreement to extend their partnership with Haig Point located on Daufuskie Island in Hilton Head, SC. The extension allows 59club USA to continue to use its proprietary, industry-leading software and objective data analysis tools to provide Haig Point with valuable, quantitative, and unbiased customer service feedback.
โWeโve chosen to renew with 59Club for another year because we continue to improve and want to be a podium club,โ said Adam Martin, VP of Sales & Marketing at Haig Point. โMember retention and recruitment are our top priorities and providing a world-class member experience is our most important strategy in reaching our goals. Our net promoter score has increased 52 points since we began surveying and mystery shopping ourselves. It would not have been possible without the help from the 59Club team.
โThe team at Haig Point does an unbelievably great job taking action on the data we provide for them,โ stated MikeKelly, Managing Partner for 59club USA. โFrom the very first mystery shop, they had a written action plan they presented to their Board to address each area that could be improvedโ. They also survey all their new members regarding how they are feeling as they settle into their new lifestyle. They do this by sending a few, short, thoughtful surveys at appropriate intervals within the first few months after joining to ensure that each new member is getting engaged at the club. They are extremely focused on taking great care of their membersโ
59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 60 well-known private golf clubs, communities and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, Cuscowilla on LakeOconee, Fenway Golf Club, The Mid Ocean Club, Palmetto Bluff, Reynolds Lake Oconee, Ruark Golf Properties and Bobby Jones Links golf management company.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA provides mystery ShopperAudits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance, and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
About Haig Point
Haig Point is a historic private community located on Daufuskie Island in South Carolina. From 1735 through the founding of our club in 1986, our land has been of great importance to the surrounding island. With endless opportunities, Haig Point Club has become a premier destination for members with its 29 golf holes, tennis and fitness facilities, swimming, and beach recreation.
CONTACT: Jonathan Crist 480.348.7540 jcrist@commlinks.com
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have reached an agreement to extend their partnership with TPC Network which operates 30 high-end golf properties in North America many of which are featured on the PGA TOUR. The extension allows 59club USA to continue to use its proprietary, industry-leading software and objective data analysis tools to provide TPC Network with valuable, quantitative and unbiased customer service feedback. 59club USA will provide these services to 14 of TPC Networkโs 30 golf properties.
โThe
training and testing platform created the much-needed visibility into our sales
organization that weโve wanted for a long time,โ said Vic Aliprando, VP of
Business Development of PGA TOUR Golf Course Properties. โWe now have a
consistent sales training program for all new hires which allows us to focus
our retraining efforts specifically on those that need it and on the areas that
they need. Mike and his team are incredibly responsive and have done so much to
help our sales team.โ
59club is
a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses
objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain
standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention.
Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction,
revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer
satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both
virtual and on-site.
โTPC Network and
their team understands the importance of consistency when it comes to sales and
customer service,โ said Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA. โWeโre
extremely excited to continue our relationship which has already paid dividends
for their tremendous properties.โ
59club USA
has established and developed relationships with more than 50 well-known golf
clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf
Club in Scottsdale, Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda,
Haig Point in South Carolina, Ruark Golf Properties in Ocean City, Maryland, and
Bobby Jones Links โ one of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
About 59Club USA
59Club
USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards. 59club USA
provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, and Training
Services, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member
experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately
make informed decisions to enhance their guest services. To learn more about
59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
About TPC Network
Owned, operated,
and licensed by the PGA TOUR, the TPC Network is comprised of 30 premiers
private, resort and daily fee golf properties designed by some of golfโs most
elite architects. Twenty of the clubs are operated by affiliates of PGA TOUR
Golf Course Properties, Inc. Each TPC has hosted or has been designed to host
TOUR-sponsored golf tournaments. Since TPC Sawgrass first opened its
world-renowned PLAYERS Stadium Course in the fall of 1980, TPCs have provided
the PGA TOUR with rent-free venues for tournaments, helping to boost
championship golf purses and increasing charitable donations to grass roots
non-profit organizations. At the same time, TPCs have provided recreational
golfers with the unique opportunity to test their skills on the same layouts
where the worldโs best golfers compete.
TPCs are known
for their history of hosting PGA TOUR-sponsored golf tournaments, their
outstanding conditioning and amenities, as well as a commitment to
environmental excellence. The TPC Network is also distinguished by its
unwavering commitment to further the PGA TOURโs giving back mission through
support of charitable and community-based programs. For more information,
please visit www.tpc.com. For the most up-to-date news, follow the TPC Network
on Twitter (@PlayTPC), Instagram (@PlayTPC) or Facebook.com/TPCNetwork.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today theyโve added three private golf communities which Storied Developmentโs actively involved with to their client roster including The Grove in Nashville, Tennessee, Boot Ranch in Fredericksburg, Texas and Talisker Club in Park City, Utah. 59club USA will use its industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide feedback on Member satisfaction and utilize their exclusive my59 Mentor on-line training platform for Storied Development.
โThe core of our business is ensuring our members receive a
world-class, luxury experience in all areas and aspects of our communities,โ
said Mark Enderle, Partner, Storied Development LLC. โBy engaging 59club, we
receive the actionable and unbiased feedback from our residents and property
owners we need to achieve our goal of consistent customer service improvement,
continued success and growth.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer
service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve
and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and
member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to
customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such
as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee
training โ both virtual and on-site.
โStoried Developmentโs incredible
properties are some of the most beautiful and luxurious private golf
communities in the country and weโre delighted to begin working with them,โ
said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to showcasing
our world-class customer service platform and provide knowledgeable insights
which will help shape future plans and achieve customer service excellence
throughout their portfolio.โ
Already, 59club USA has established and developed
relationships with more than 45 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North
America including 14 TPC properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in
Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina, Ruark Golf Properties in Ocean City,
Maryland and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the worldโs largest golf management
companies.
About 59Club USA
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and
service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer
Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to
analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set
targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance
their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
Storied Development, LLC, is a partnership of seasoned real
estate executives with a 30-year track record of success in the development,
marketing, sales and operation of private club communities throughout the
continental U.S., Caribbean, Mexico and Hawaii. The leadership team currently
has an active role in three private golf communities, The Grove (College Grove,
TN), Boot Ranch (Fredericksburg, TX) and Talisker Club (Hideout, UT). To learn
more about Storied Development, visit https://storiedliving.com/.
59club USA to Provide Mystery Shopping, Member Survey Tools and Virtual Training Services
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added Ruark Golf Properties to their client roster. Ruark Golf owns and operates four of the premier golf clubs in Ocean City, Maryland including the 36-hole GlenRiddle Golf Club (Man Oโ War and War Admiral), The Links at Lighthouse Sound, Rum Pointe, and Nutters Crossing. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services, member, guest and employee survey tools and their exclusive my59 Mentor on-line training platform for Ruark Golf Properties.
โRuark Golf prides itself on providing the highest level of customer service possible and that doesnโt exist in a vacuum,โ said Chris Harrison, director of business development, Ruark Golf. โOur team is constantly looking for ways to improve. With 59clubโs services, we hope to more easily identify areas in which to enhance our guest experience and quickly and efficiently implement real solutions. Weโre excited to get started.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training โ both virtual and on-site.
โWeโre thrilled to showcase our suite of services and bring Ruark Golf into the 59club family,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โOcean City is a bright, vibrant and established golf destination, and these properties are some of the best around. We look forward to working with Ruark Golf and helping their team take additional steps in elevating their customer service techniques.โ
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 30 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, Reynolds Lake Oconee, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the worldโs largest golf management companies.
STATHAM, Ga. โ North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have renewed their professional relationship with Bobby Jones Links. Bobby Jones Links manages a diverse portfolio of golf and social clubs on behalf of developers, private investors, municipal and government entities, associations, club boards, and lenders. 59club USA will continue to provide survey tools, mystery shopping services, and virtual training services for Bobby Jones Links to measure and improve performance throughout their club portfolio.
โOur partnership with 59club USA has been instrumental in evaluating and enhancing our performance across the board,โ said Amy Buchanan, VP of Sales and Marketing, Bobby Jones Links. โUsing a third party to ensure weโre constantly getting better is a real differentiator compared to other management companies who rely on biased data from their own channels. With 59club USA, we can ensure weโre getting real, actionable, unbiased data which will allow us to improve quickly and efficiently. Weโre thrilled with the results.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training.
โOur partnersโ continued success is our success,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to our continued work with the Bobby Jones Links team and helping them continue their pursuit of customer service excellence.โ
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 40 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the countryโs largest golf management companies.
Golf course communities, which had been losing popularity for a few years, have seen a resurgence in interest since this spring. COURTESY OF HAIG POINT
Kathy and Rodger Cole searched sporadically for a second home for the past several years with their sights set on Lake Tahoe. The couple, who live in the San Francisco Bay area, accelerated their plans when the pandemic hit, and switched gears to look at Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel, California.
โWe knew it was time to get serious about a vacation home that we could easily drive to once Covid-19 hit,โ said Rodger Cole, a 51-year-old lawyer. โWe went to The Preserve in Carmel, which is 65 miles from our house, four weekends in a row to play golf and to look at houses.โ
The Coles purchased their home, which features 4,000 square feet, three bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and a patio with a fire pit and a meadow view, for $3.45 million.
โWeโll likely spend as much as three-fourths of our time at The Preserve because our kids, who are in middle school and high school, are doing virtual learning this semester,โ said Mrs. Cole, who is 48. โThe whole family plays golf, and the kids can ride horses at the equestrian center. And even though this place is so secluded and serene, the internet service is better than at our home in Silicon Valley.โ
Golf course communities, which had been losing popularity for a few years, have seen a resurgence in interest since this spring. The states with the most golf courses include Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, North and South Carolina and Texas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. .
โMost of our clients are having record years in rounds of golf played and golf club memberships sold,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of the 59 Club USA, a consulting company based in Statham, Georgia, that analyzes customer service and makes recommendations in the hospitality industry, including golf for courses. โThose that are selling real estate into these environments, especially those in more vacation-like settings away from bigger cities, are also seeing great results this year.โ
Golf is one of the few activities that people could continue to participate in during the pandemic because it is played outdoors and was allowed in most states, Mr. Kelly said.
โThe membership and real estate side of the business is growing due to the trust the market has put into the care given by a private club or community,โ Mr. Kelly said. โPeople simply feel it is a more secure environment than going to a facility that is open to the general public, including the restaurants, pools and kids programming.โ
At Santa Lucia Preserve, for example, the community anticipated selling 30 new club memberships this spring and summer but sold 70 new full golf memberships and another 43 social memberships, said Jen Anello, director of sales for The Preserve. Initiation fees, which are required to join the private golf club, range from $60,000 to $160,000. Annual dues, minimum spending requirements and maintenance fees are also charged to golf club members and vary widely.
โWeโve seen interest in The Preserve change exponentially since the pandemic started,โ Ms. Anello said. โUsually it takes people at least two years between their first visit and their decision to buy, but now people are making the decision within weeks or months.โ
Living room view from a home in Santa Lucia Preserve, a luxury golf community in California. Joe Fletcher
Seclusion and Golf Entice New Residents to Island Life
At Haig Point, a golf course community on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina, far more potential buyers inquired about property between March 1 and May 15 this year (795 inquiries) compared to the same period last year (472), according to Adam Martin, vice president of sales and marketing there.
โWe have the lowest number of homes on the market than ever, which is partly a reflection of the fact that a unique form of security and safety is baked into the community because it can only be reached by boat,โ Mr. Martin said. โThe number of rounds of golf played in June and July was up 150% compared to last year because golf is a naturally socially distant sport thatโs played outside.โ
The initiation fee for golf membership at Haig Point is $20,000.
At Haig Point, about 50% of residents stay year-round, but this year, that has shifted to about 70%, said Doug Egly, the CEO there. Haig Pointโs buyers come from nearby Southern states, the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and New England, especially cities that have a direct flight to Savannah or Hilton Head.
View across Haig Point of the Calibogue Sound and Hilton Head Island. Courtesy of Haig Point
โWeโve definitely seen a resurgence of interest in golf and a change in who plays, too,โ said Mr. Egly. โIt used to be just the husbands, but now the whole family plays. The number of golf clinics for kids and ladies has gone way up. Instead of people playing once a week, our residents are playing three or four times a week, especially parents playing with their kids.โ
Ted Lape, a 55-year-old business owner from Columbus, Ohio, and his wife Kelly, a 50-year-old former lawyer, visited Haig Point for decades before the Covid-19 pandemic nudged them to buy there. They closed on a $904,000 property in June.
Mr. Lape and family Courtesy of Ted Lape
โWe have a sophomore in college, a freshman in college and a ninth-grader who were all doing virtual learning from a rented house in Haig Point in April,โ Mr. Lape said. โWe were playing golf every day in between virtual school and remote work, and we decided it was time to buy here.โ
The golf course at Haig Point is playable for all skill levels, which makes it easier for the whole family to enjoy it together, Mr. Lape said.
โWhat makes Haig Point unique is that itโs a great golf community combined with privacy and the beach,โ Mr. Lape said. โItโs always possible to get a tee time and you donโt even see other people or the other holes while youโre playing.โ
Golf course view from a residence in Haig Point, a golf course community on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina. Courtesy of Haig Point
Arizona Acreage with Seven Golf Courses
In Scottsdale, Arizona, the Desert Mountain golf course community saw golf rounds increase from 27,438 played in May through July last year to 39,579 played in those same months in 2020, according to Nicole Forbes, the communityโs director of membership sales. In addition, 50 new golf memberships were sold in June, July and August this year, compared to 31 during that same period in 2019. The initiation fee for golf membership is $30,000 at Desert Mountain.
โWeโve seen a change this year in our homebuyers, too,โ Ms. Forbes said. โIt used to take people two to five years to visit and buy a home, but this spring and summer, people are buying in a 30- to- 60-day timeframe. Most people used to buy second homes here and then eventually move here full time, but now the majority of buyers plan to make this their primary residence.โ
The increase in golfers includes more women and children than in the past at Desert Mountainโs seven golf courses, said Kim Atkinson, director of marketing and communications for the community.
โOver the past several years, weโve seen a shift to more families with younger children moving here, so during the pandemic, we converted our youth activities center to a socially distanced virtual classroom, offered tutoring and more kids activities,โ Ms. Forbes said. โThe golf courses are a big driver for home purchases, not only for players but also because people like the canvas of all the year-round green grass outside their windows.โ
This five-bedroom, 5,541-square-foot home in Desert Mountain, Scottsdale, Arizona, is currently on the market for $2.675 million. Phil Johnson
Texas Hill Country Enhanced with Golf
At Cordillera Ranch in Boerne, Texas, about 20 minutes north of San Antonio, the number of inquiries into buying homes started to climb beginning in mid-April and continued on an upward trajectory in May, June and July, according to Charlie Hill, president and chief operating officer of DH Investments, developers of Cordillera Ranch.
โAbout 90% of our buyers live here full-time, with a lot of young families, especially, moving here in the past few years,โ Mr. Hill said. โGolf is the cornerstone of the community, especially this year. Normally, we see the number of rounds played go up 2% to 3% per year, but this year, the number of rounds played so far is up 50% over 2019.โ
Most buyers at Cordillera Ranch purchase golf memberships, Mr. Hill said. The initiation fee for membership is $70,000.
โGolf is the major draw, but this year, especially, people also like the access to parks, trails, the equestrian center and the river,โ Mr. Hill said. โMost of our properties are on one to three acres and we have lots of outdoor activities. Our buyers are happy to get away from the confines and chaos of cities.โ
59club USA to Provide Full Suite of Services to Big Canoe, Hope Valley Country Club and The Champions Club.
59club USA announced today they added three more Bobby Jones Links managed clubs (Big Canoe, Hope Valley Country Club and The Champions Club) to their client roster. Just one hour north of Atlanta, GA, Big Canoe is a private, gated, masterplanned community. Hope Valley Country Club is a member-owned private club located in Durham, NC and The Champions Club is a private club nestled at the foot of the White Oak Mountain in Ooltewah, TN. โWeโre excited to continue our relationship with the Bobby Jones Links team and are looking forward to developing a relationship with each of the managers at these three new clubsโ stated Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA.
โBobby Jones Links has secret shopped our properties and surveyed our customers and members for years. When the time came to elevate our practices allowing for better analysis of our data against industry standards and our competitors, 59club USA was the ideal partner to engage. We believe what gets measured gets done, and 59club USAโs tools provide our properties feedback for effective improvementโ stated Amy Buchanan – VP Marketing and Sales for Bobby Jones Links 59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training. Click here to view a complete list of 59club USAโs suite of services.
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with nearly 40 wellknown golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale, The Mid Ocean Club in Bermuda, Haig Point and Sea Pines Country Club in South Carolina and The Hideout Golf Club & Resort in Texas. See a full list of their clubs at https://www.59clubusa.com/venues-tested/.
59CLUB PROVIDES
COMPLIMENTARY DATA TO CLUB INDUSTRY
STATHAM, Ga.
โ The North American arm of customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm
59club announced today they have gathered data from over 100 clubs within the
states of Georgia, Texas, Colorado and Wyoming. All of the data relates
directly to the operational decisions that club managers are facing right now
as they begin to prepare for the reopening.
โSince none of us has dealt with an
issue like this before, club managers are curious about what their peers are
doing to prepare for reopening. Having data they can share with their Boards,
and their teams, is critical right now,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner
59club USA. โClub managers are a very creative group. We want to assist in the
collection and sharing of the best ideas and also share the data that weโve created.
Weโre in this together. We want to do our part and help as much as we can.โ
59clubโs
proprietary survey tools enable club managers to identify member and employee
needs, strengthen customer retention and recognize a clear direction on ways to
improve the overall experience at their respective clubs. Managers and decision
makers can use this service to pick and choose from a wide variety of questions
already available within the platform, and/or choose to add custom questions of
their own. 59club is providing specific COVID-19 survey questions as part of
their complimentary offering of the survey tool.
59Club USA is specifically designed to elevate sales and
service standards. 59club USA provides mystery Shopper Audits, Customer
Satisfaction Surveys, and Training Services, empowering venue managers to
analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set
targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to enhance
their guest services. To learn more about 59club USA, visit https://www.59clubusa.com/.
59club USA announced
today the company will provide its finalized employee survey tools to golf
clubs and other hospitality venues amid the COVID-19 crisis for free. The employee
survey tools capture employee challenges, concerns, and potential opportunities
all in one easy-to-use snapshot. 59club USA has previously made available
survey tools intended for club guests and members. The complimentary survey
tools will be available throughout the current crisis.
โMany clubs
are asking themselves if surveying their employees is appropriate during this
time,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club USA. โThe long-term
implications of mismanaging employee needs are insurmountable, and there is
data available that shows employee feedback and direct communication is not only
appropriate, itโs necessary during this crisis. Top-performing clubs consistently
search for ways to make themselves and their employees better.โ
59clubโs
proprietary survey tools enable club managers to identify both employee and
guest needs, strengthen customer retention and recognize a clear direction on
ways to improve the overall experience at their respective clubs. The smart dashboard
allows clubs to analyze data in a clear and concise manner and provides demographic
filters to further segment information from employees, creating a comprehensive,
manageable and immediate snapshot of employee opinion and attitude. 59club has
created COVID-19 specific survey templates as part of their free offering of
their survey tools. Managers and decision makers have the freedom to create
additional custom questions of their own to better fir their needs and goals
using the software.
โEffective feedback, both positive and negative, is very helpful
anytime,โ said Kelly. โIt may be more important now than ever during these
ever-changing times. Top performing clubs are top performing clubs because they
consistently search for ways to make their best even better. Top performing
clubs are not only good at accepting feedback, they deliberately ask for
feedback. And they know that feedback is helpful only when it highlights
weaknesses as well as strengths.โ
59club USA announced
today they will offer additional complimentary COVID-19-specific survey templates
amid the ongoing global crisis. Additional survey templates include two
direct-member communication surveys โ dependent on whether the respective
facility is currently open or closed for business โ as well as two golf instruction
templates also dependent on the current state of the respective business. Golf
clubs and other hospitality venues may use the complimentary survey tools to
communicate directly to their membership and identify member and guest needs through
May 31, 2020.
โWeโre
doing everything we can to empower those in our industry that have been so
greatly affected by the pandemic,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club
USA. โThese special COVID-19 survey templates include insightful questions
covering all aspects of a venueโs professional services. Right now, it is
absolutely imperative club managers open efficient and consistent
communications channels with their members and guests to accurately identify
their needs to plan and respond accordingly.โ
The
complimentary COVID-19 survey tools now include four specialized and unique
approaches to direct member communication including โclub member: facility
open,โ โclub member: facility closed,โ โgolf instruction: facility open,โ and
โgolf instruction: facility closed.โ These surveys accurately reflect the
differences between clubs in different regions across the country which have
adopted different rules based on their specific circumstances.
59clubโs
proprietary survey tools enable club managers to identify member and guest
needs, strengthen customer retention and recognize a clear direction on ways to
improve the overall experience at their respective clubs. 59club will provide
specific COVID-19 survey templates as part of their complimentary offering of
the survey tool. Managers and decision makers can use this service to pick and
choose from pre-set questions already available within the platform, and/or
choose to add custom questions of their own. The ability to gather data from
oneโs own members and make direct comparisons based on the current situation
facing the industry will provide clarity and vision on a global scale when its
needed most.
59club USA announced
today they will offer complimentary use of their proprietary survey tools amid
the current COVID-19 crisis. Golf clubs and other hospitality venues may use
the survey tools to communicate directly to their membership and identify
member and guest needs through May 31, 2020.
โObviously,
the tourism and hospitality industries have been greatly affected by the
pandemic,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner 59club USA. โWe want to help these
clubs communicate with their members and guests so they can be best prepared to
accommodate special circumstances until things get back to normal. Weโre in
this together. We want to do our part and help as much as we can.โ
59clubโs
proprietary survey tools enable club managers to identify member and guest
needs, strengthen customer retention and recognize a clear direction on ways to
improve the overall experience at their respective clubs. 59club will provide
specific COVID-19 survey templates as part of their complimentary offering of
the survey tool. Managers and decision makers can use this service to pick and
choose from pre-set questions already available within the platform, and/or
choose to add custom questions of their own. The ability to gather data from
oneโs own members and make direct comparisons based on the current situation
facing the industry will provide clarity and vision on a global scale when its
needed most.
โThese are extraordinary times. Many managers are trying to figure out if their club should remain open or what, if any, services should still be available,โ said Simon Wordsworth, founder of 59club. โClubs themselves are navigating uncharted waters trying to determine what their members actually want or expect from their club. Relying only on substandard communication tools like social media and non-reply emails does a disservice to the club, its members and guests. We want our friends and colleagues in the tourism and hospitality industries to have everything they need to weather this storm.โ
59club USA to Provide Employee Survey Tools for the Exclusive Club
59club USA
announced today they added Reynolds Lake Oconee to their client roster. Reynolds
Lake Oconee is a private residential lake and golf community on Lake Oconee
just 70 miles East of Atlanta, Georgia offering spectacular lakefront
residential properties, unrivaled and adventurous sporting grounds, more than
40 distinct member clubs and six incredible golf courses designed by legendary
architects like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Fazio and Rees Jones. 59club USA will
provide employee survey tools and services for Reynolds using their proprietary
software and objective data analysis tools.
โWeโre excited to be
assisting such a high-end club as Reynolds Lake Oconee with their employee
survey tools,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner of 59club USA. โThe ability to
understand employee needs, set expectations and deliver necessary incentives
and training is crucial to providing exceptional customer service to existing
and potential members. Weโre thrilled to get started.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer
service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve
and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and
member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to
customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such
as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee
training. Click
here to view a complete list of 59club USAโs suite of services.
Already, 59club USA has established and developed
relationships with nearly 40 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America
including 14 TPC properties, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club in Scottsdale, The Mid Ocean
Club in Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina and Bobby Jones Links โ one of
the worldโs largest golf management companies. Click
here for a list of testimonials.
59club USA to Provide Mystery Shopping and Customer Service Benchmarking Tools for the Club
59club USA announced today they added Cuscowilla on Lake Oconee to their client roster. Cuscowilla is a private residential lake and golf community on Lake Oconee just 70 miles East of Atlanta, Georgia offering unrivaled lake views, true southern hospitality and Georgiaโs No. 1 residential golf course designed by world-renowned architect duo Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. 59club USA will provide mystery shopping services for Cuscowilla using their proprietary software and objective data analysis tools.
โWeโre extremely excited to use 59club USAโs mystery
shopping services to help enhance our customer service, not only in our golf
operations, but also our food and beverage operations,โ said Jarrod Clark,
general manager of Cuscowilla. โAs a private club, weโre only as good as
the service we provide to our members. Weโre happy to employ these specific
tools so we can continue to provide excellent service to our current and future
members.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer
service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve
and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and
member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to
customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such
as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training.
Click
here to view a complete list of 59club USAโs suite of services.
โCuscowilla is an incredible property
and weโre delighted to begin working with them,โ said Mike Kelly, managing
partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to showcasing our world-class customer
service platform and provide knowledgeable insights into their current
operations.โ
Already, 59club USA has established and developed
relationships with more than 30 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North
America including 14 TPC properties, Reynolds Plantation, The Mid Ocean Club in
Bermuda, Haig Point in South Carolina and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the
worldโs largest golf management companies. Click
here for a list of testimonials.
59club USA to Provide Mystery Shopping and Other Customer Service Benchmarking Tools for the Club
59club USA
announced today they added The Mid Ocean
Club to their client roster. The Mid Ocean Club is a private membersโ club in
picturesque Tuckerโs Town, Bermuda, offering exceptional amenities, private
beaches and a world-class golf course recognized by Golf Digest in 2018 as
one of the Top-100 Worldโs Greatest Golf Courses. 59club USA will provide
mystery shopping and membership benchmarking services for The Mid Ocean Club
using their proprietary software and objective data analysis tools.
โWeโre extremely excited to use this new technology to
better understand our Membersโ needs,โ said Austen Gravestock, GM at The Mid
Ocean Club. โWe take extraordinary pride
on the level of service we provide at Mid Ocean Club. We hope our partnership
with 59club USA will help us understand and implement new ways to enhance the
experience at our incredible club.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer
service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve
and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and
member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to
customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such
as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee
training. Click
here to view a complete list of 59club USAโs suite of services.
โWeโre thrilled to bring Mid Ocean
Club into the 59club USA family,โ said Mike Kelly, managing partner, 59club
USA. โWe look forward to working with their team and helping them continue
their pursuit of customer service excellence.โ
59club USA to Provide Mystery Shopping and Other Customer Service Benchmarking Tools for the Club
North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they added Haig Point to their client roster. Haig Point is a luxurious, sea island community off the coast of South Carolina between Hilton Head and Savannah, Georgia with two Rees Jones designed golf courses, as well as tennis, equestrian and outdoor recreation amenities. 59club USA will provide mystery shopping and membership benchmarking services for Haig Point using their proprietary software and objective data analysis tools.
โHaig Point is an incredible property and we feel that our
partnership with 59club USA will help us take our service to the highest level,โ
said Adam Martin, director of sales and marketing for Haig Point. โWeโve
been self-evaluating using survey tools and comment cards, but our hope is that
this software will give us instantaneous feedback and comparisons to some of
the worldโs top clubs/resorts.โ
59club is a service-based management tool and customer service provider which uses objective data points and images to measure, improve and then maintain standards of customer service, in turn increasing visitor and member retention. Results of on-site testing from 59club are a boost to customer satisfaction, revenues and profits for clubs who use their services such as customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping services and employee training. Click here to view a complete list of 59club USAโs suite of services.
โWeโre very excited to bring another
unbelievable property into the 59club USA fold,โ said Mike Kelly, managing
partner, 59club USA. โWe look forward to working with Haig Point and helping
their team take the next step in elevating their membership service levels.โ
Already, 59club USA has established and developed relationships with more than 30 well-known golf clubs and resorts in North America including 14 TPC properties and Bobby Jones Links โ one of the worldโs largest golf management companies. Click here for a list of testimonials.
Concept has partnered with 59club to provide its golf, leisure & spa clients with new service analysis intelligence to measure customer satisfaction levels within their businesses via its high-end operations software suites
Concept users can now benefit from 59clubโs expertise, mechanism and freedom to independently deliver customer satisfaction surveys using their industry specific benchmarking assessment criteria, flexible survey templates and automated software.
The new partnership enables the auto-generating functions to remain switched on for mutual affiliated clients โ meaning that each time member and guest data is entered into their operations software, 59club will auto-invite the customer to complete the venues bespoke satisfaction survey based on their recent encounter – for example after having joined the club, paid to play, visited the spa or F&B outlet or having relinquished their club membership. The functionality can even track a customerโs experience at significant landmarks during their journey, auto-generating a series of questionnaires, in sequence at set intervals as programmed by the venue, measuring a new memberโs experience over a set timeframe as a guide.
With a wealth of survey templates that cover all areas of the hospitality industry and as a result of the two software giantโs new pairing, club staff can now save valuable time delivering surveys, avoiding additional data entry, and elements of human error or resistance are eradicated.
The new interface will go live at one of the most prestigious properties in The UK; The Belfry – with other leading Golf Groups such as Dubai Golf and premier clubs and resorts that includes the likes of Old Thorns, Celtic Manor, Stoke Park, Ramside Hall and Dalmahoy also set to win as a result of the new pairing, with concept looking to roll-out the update to all of its clients very soon.
Chris Reeve, Director of Golf at the Belfry Hotel & Resort, said: โThe 59club surveys have been a huge success for us and we are just about to introduce a link between our EPOS [Concept] system which will talk directly to 59clubโs software [my59] and provide a survey to anyone that plays a round of golf at The Belfry with a few key questions. This is going to open new doors for us and gives us even more insight into what our customers are looking for and allows us to retain our number one position as the best golf resort in the UKโ
The new partnership has been forged to assist venues to improve and maintain sales and service quality, in addition to comparing their internal customer satisfaction levels against 59clubโs benchmark; the industry average and the best performing venues globally. Ultimately venues stand to capture more consumer insights than ever before.
Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO, said: โOur recent partnership with Concept is hugely exciting for 59club. Linking our customer satisfaction survey software with the complete enterprise solution for the worldโs leading resorts couldnโt be a better match. Both companies have a focus on being in control; whether thatโs assisting clients managing memberships, reservations, POS or business intelligence.
โThe addition of โreal-timeโ customer service analysis sees the essential day to day operation of golf, leisure & Spa venues worldwide get a whole lot smarter. As 59club continues to grow with new operations in America, Asia and Europe, Iโm looking forward to seeing our collaboration with Concept continue to advance service excellence standards across the industry globallyโ.
Concept, a Shiji Group Brand, offers its users with leisure software for spas, clubs, resorts, and golf courses. The Concept Golf product is a complete enterprise solution for the worldโs leading golf resorts and venues and caters for all software needs for golf operations.
Malcolm Rennie, Commercial Manager of Concept, said: โThis new relationship and integration with 59club is so exciting for us. The cross-over between our mutual clients is staggering and we were delighted to see so many of Conceptโs customers being recognised at 59clubโs annual awards ceremony. We canโt wait to rollout this integration to new and existing clients and see the positive results.โ For more information on 59club, visit: www.59club.com For more information on Concept, visit www.concept.shijigroup.com
Notes to Editors:
About 59club
59club was established in 2007 and is now the market leader in providing bespoke mystery shopper performance measurement programs for the Golf, Leisure, Spa, Events, F&B and Hotel Industries.
Specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards, 59club provides โMystery Shopper Auditsโ, โCustomer Satisfaction Surveysโ, and โTraining Servicesโ, empowering venue managers to analyse their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to advance.
The founder of the company, Simon Wordsworth, has a wealth of experience having worked in the sector for many years at one of the worlds’ most renowned Golf and Leisure resorts. At the heart of our operations is an established and dedicated team of professionals who all bring a vast amount of experience from the Golf, Leisure & Events industry, most of which who worked at Senior Management or Directorship level. This knowledge allows for a true understanding of your business needs and the difference customer service excellence can make to your reputation.
About Concept, a Shiji Group Brand
With high-profile clients in nearly 70 countries worldwide and software available in 15 different languages and a global support network to match, Concept, A Shiji Brand, is a global leisure software, development and consultancy company specialising in supplying spas, clubs, resorts, hotels and golf courses with high-end software suites to manage operations.
In 2018, Concept joined the Shiji Group who provide software solutions and services for the hospitality, food service, retail and entertainment industries, ranging from hotel management solutions to food and beverage and retail systems, payment gateways, data management, online distribution and more. Shiji Group today comprises 3,000 employees in 70+ subsidiaries and brands, serving over 60,000 hotels, 200,000 restaurants and 400,000 retail outlets.
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Scott Peddie Director of PR & Communications โ Performance54 E: scott.peddie@performance54.com
For further information on Concept please contact:
