Trends in Clubs
Essential Role of Governance
We are about to enter our sixth year of publishing Club Trends with the National Club Association (NCA), and we continually strive to make it one of the best industry publications available to club leaders. The information provided in Club Trends is not only there to assist managers with the daily operation of the club,…
Read MoreTrend Six: Planning to be Tech-Savvy
There is an almost insatiable appetite for technology products and services in society. Facebook, Apple, Netflix and Google are some of the largest and most powerful companies in the world; yet, their offerings are so popular they have growth rates of much smaller businesses. Once unthinkable concepts like self-driving cars, will soon be called to…
Read MoreNew Thinking in Facilities: Recap of CMAA World Conference
The attitudes and discussions coming from the 91st CMAA World Conference in San Francisco were very positive. The best in many years. Club leaders are looking for new ways to enhance the member experience to remain relevant in their marketplace. They are looking to develop innovative programs and provide facilities to attract the next generation.…
Read MoreTrend Five: Going for the Green Has New Meaning at Clubs
The green movement is sometimes dismissed as a politically-motivated effort to alter our lifestyles and curtail our freedoms; but, the fact is that many of its key elements play well with club members. For example, golfers and boaters appreciate natural beauty. It is synonymous with their pursuits, and their clubs have proven to be quite…
Read MoreTrend Four: Build Community, Sustain Your Club
Clubs are commonly referred to by the dominant activity that takes place there. We call them golf clubs, tennis clubs, a dining club and on and on. While those are, of course, the things members do there, they are not ultimately the primary reason people join and pay a lot of money to belong. There…
Read MoreCreating the Private Club Version of Topgolf
Transforming Your Golf Practice Range What takes a golf practice range and makes it a year-round, night-and-day golf entertainment center? A few little additions do the deed. Add a competitive game, some good food, a little libation and camaraderie among friends, and you have the private club version of Topgolf. In other words, create a…
Read MoreTrend Three: The Ladies of the Club
Recommending that your club increase membership and participation by women might be as simple as saying, “It’s the right thing to do.” These modern times demand nothing less; but, in case we need more ammunition, here are a few compelling stats for your consideration.
Read MoreHow’s Your Security?
One of the most important topics affecting our lives today is the issue of security both in our everyday world and in the cyber realm. Clubs must continually increase their focus on ensuring their members and staff are safe while on the property, as well as maintaining secure data about members and club information on…
Read MorePrivate Club Innovation – The Secret to Having the Club of the Future
We are at an interesting point in our nation where the innovators are carrying the day. Look at technology, especially the iPhone, where the predominant use of this phone is no longer voice communication. Look at the auto industry where the Tesla of the new age is whizzing by the old-line companies like General Motors…
Read MoreTrend Two: Health & Fitness
The road to developing a fitness center at your club is often blocked by strawmen. In reaction to a suggestion that he consider adding fitness to his prestigious club, a club president once told me he opposed it because, “It would lead to people eating in the dining room with their hats on backwards.” He…
Read MoreTrend One: Time & the Re-Invention of Golf
Time. It is precious, of course, and increasingly in short supply. This should be a concern for private clubs, which need people with both the resources to enjoy membership and sufficient leisure time to derive value from the experience. The decline in available leisure time is especially pronounced among the rising 35 to 45-year-olds, where…
Read MoreIncorporating the Topgolf Phenomena into Private Clubs
All we hear about today is the excitement Topgolf is creating in the golf world. In McMahon Group’s recent Pulse Survey completed by almost 350 club managers, 49% said they want to create a Topgolf experience at their club. However, it is important to note that true Topgolf is really much more about entertainment than…
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