To say we’re a fickle society would be an understatement. Certainly, we can’t seem to make up our mind when it comes to trends. What’s in one year may well be out the next, and nowhere is that more apparent than in the golf business.
But even as we may brush off golf trends that come and go, it’s vitally important for private golf clubs to understand trends — fleeting as they may be — and their potential impact on a club’s business.
Michael Leemhuis, former CEO at the storied Congressional Country Club in Potomac, Maryland, has been a driving force behind monitoring, measuring and updating evolving trends that are having the most significant impact on private clubs. At Congressional he guided the club to the number one spot in the Platinum Clubs of America, and into the top 100 Platinum Clubs in the world.
Speaking at this year’s PGA Show in Orlando, Leemhuis said he first decided to dig deeper into trends back in 2010 as part of his strategic planning process. With 22 department heads at Congressional, he needed a plan that would encompass decision making at all levels of the club. To get the information he was looking for, he went right to the front line — management colleagues who were experiencing the trends firsthand.
“I wanted feedback and trend identification from boots-on-the-ground GM’s,” Leemhuis said. He first formed a small advisory group of managers to identify the most relevant trends as they applied to golf clubs. He then reached out to nearly 50 managers at elite, top-performing clubs to find out what impact these trends were having on their clubs, and, where necessary, how they had responded to them.
The study’s findings were exactly what Leemhuis had hoped for. Not only did the data reveal valuable information that he was able to use in the Congressional planning process, the published results were used by other managers in the planning process at their own clubs.
The research initiative was such a success, in fact, that Leemhuis was asked to revisit the study in 2013 to see how trends had changed. It’s since been conducted every three years, with Global Golf Advisors (GGA) taking over as research masters for the 2016 survey. That year, the study analyzed the largest number of trends from the largest group of participating managers.
“Networking is important,” Leemhuis said. “Besides getting real experiences from real GM’s, between 2010 and 2016, respondents tripled and trends doubled.”
As the magnitude of the study has grown, so has the overall list of trends GM’s are reporting every three years. It’s especially interesting to look at the “top 10” lists from the first three studies and notice how the reported trends fluctuate from survey to survey.
In 2010, the top three trends as reported by managers at their clubs were: intergenerational issues; increased interest in fitness; and the impact of technology. In 2013, intergenerational issues and fitness remained in the top 3, but changing menus had taken over the top spot. By 2016, the top three were food and beverage, health and wellness, and the importance of family.
No surprise, really, since as times change, so do trends. They can develop rapidly, and disappear as fast as they arrived. Clubs have to be careful as to how they respond; jumping on a bandwagon can be a costly proposition in more ways than one.
A judicious approach is the best way to go says Rich Morel, general manager at Carrying Place Golf & Country Club in King, Ont.
“I certainly keep an eye on trends within the industry,” Morel says. “I want to ensure I have a feel for what is happening around the country. While having an awareness of trends can be helpful, I believe it’s vital to ensure decisions remain true to the mission and vision of the club as opposed to making changes to try to keep up or match others.
“We have focused on a number of the trends which include adding experiences, focusing on healthier menu items and reevaluation of our communications. These have been the low hanging fruit which we’ve been able to implement at no cost.”
Leemuis says trends should first spark ideas, and then a more tactical response if feasible.
“Take food and beverage, for example. One idea might be a wine list that includes the wines of golfers like Greg Norman. Another might be a less-is-more approach as far as the menu goes. You don’t need 1,000 different items on the menu.”
The 2019 survey results reveal once again that trends are extremely fluid. Topping the list are business planning, capital investment — a “huge trend” says Leemhuis that “needs to be done on time and on budget” — food and beverage experiences, communications, and food and beverage menus. Of these, only the latter was in the top 10 in 2010 and 2013.
Trends can translate into a club’s — and members’ — future needs. Managers who are well-informed about current trends and the challenge they present for their club are in the best position to take the first step toward a shift from a reactive management approach to a proactive leadership role.
