I had the pleasure of listening to Jack Nicklaus speak at a luncheon that was hosted at Greystone Golf club during the Canadian Open Week. Mr. Nicklaus was in town for his induction into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and, in what I believe is true Jack style, he went on a bit of a tour to surrounding golf clubs, one of which I was lucky enough to be at.
Now, in all honesty I had met Mr. Nicklaus a few times before back in the early 1990s when I was working at Glen Abbey and he was still playing in the Canadian Open, but this time was different. It wasn’t just different because we were both much older, but more because I have a better understanding of the many different ways he has shaped and influenced the game.
When he was talking to the group, a couple of things really stood out to me: how much he still loves the game of golf, and how equally he respects the business side of the game. One of the first things he spoke about was how tough of a business it is. He then went on to say ‘thank you’ to all the owners and operators that have worked so hard the past 10 years to keep the business side alive, because without the business we would not have the game.
As he walked down memory lane sharing some stories he had of the Canadian Open and of Canada, he spoke about how great the food and restaurants are in Canada. He made special mention of Montreal. Although this particular story was not favourable to the restaurant, I found it very interesting that so many of the stories were focused around restaurants and food.
It was great to hear someone who has traveled so much and played at so many world class golf courses to make special note, and even bring focus to the food and beverage side of golf. I think a lot of times people forget what an important role the outlets play in providing an overall guest experience. The services and experience your Food & Beverage team provides help to create the memory your guests will have of your club. I guess when you think about it, it makes sense. Food is often at the root of bringing people together, and when people come together, that’s when lasting memories are created.
