In the circles of golf club management/ownership, a question asked with increased frequency is: “Why hire a golf professional”?
Every business is constantly being reviewed by financial experts with an eye toward the basics, or in accounting terms, “zero based budgeting.” That means every single part of a business is analyzed every year to determine its value in creating the largest amount of profit at the lowest possible cost.
In other words, are we carrying the right products, shipped at the best prices? Are we gaining the most value from every single dollar spent on advertising? And on down throughout the entire structure of the business.
Eventually, the exercise comes around to the employees: how many do we need? How much should we be paying? Are we spending too much or too little on training? Are we getting the most benefit from that training? And so on. And that brings us to job reviews and performance reviews.
In the business of operating a golf club there are certain tasks determined by sheer numbers. If your players demand the greens be cut every day, you can quickly calculate the number of hours it takes to drive the mower around the course and complete cutting of all 18 greens. If you can afford two mowers, it takes two people a set number of hours etc.
Where the subject becomes more difficult is when it applies to upper level staff: the people who are paid for what they know as opposed to what they do. Generally speaking, any top-quality person I ever worked with/for, worked close to double the number of hours of any hourly employee.
The best superintendents arrived at work around 6:30AM and could still be found at 4:00PM six days a week, with a shorter schedule on Sundays. Plus, they were on 24-hour call for emergencies and/or security issues.
General managers have been a little less ‘on the job’ but they still put in 50 to 60 hours per week and often were on site for large functions that continued late into the night.
These two figures are accompanied by a third person rounding out the key management personnel: the golf professional. The three combine their skills to produce a product called a golf “atmosphere”, which means they work together enhancing the golf experience of the players.
It is obvious what the superintendent brings to the table.
The course has to be maintained to a standard that attracts enough golfers willing to pay enough money to play the course, generating enough revenue to offset the expenses and return a profit. This may sound simple enough but it must be done within the limitations of a budget…. not so simple.
Further, a superintendent must maintain a chemical fertilizer licence, be qualified as an agronomist, mechanic, irrigation expert, and bookkeeper, understand load restrictions on roads, and in some cases, be a carpenter or a plumber…. the list is endless.
I have heard it said that a good general manager only requires one skill: to know the skills of his/her employees and extract the best efforts possible to perform those skills.
In my experience, I have found the best golf club managers to have expert knowledge in every aspect of running the club. They understood Food & Beverage controls, wage/price management, advertising/promotion, accounting/bookkeeping, governmental requirements and, in fact, their list too, is endless.
Now we come to the golf professional. Just exactly what does a golf professional do? How do they benefit a club? How do they contribute to the profitability and wellbeing of the business?
The first golf professional was Allan Robertson, a Scotsman who earned fame as an extremely fine player (reputed to be the first player to break 80 on the Old Course at St. Andrews) and the best maker of “feathery” golf balls.
From there, the vocation expanded to envelop the skills required to make golf clubs, caddy, act as course superintendent/event organizer/rules expert and play exhibition matches. However, once golf was introduced to North America with the construction of the first golf course (Canada’s Royal Montreal, in 1873) things changed quickly.
Early professionals like John Henry Oke and George Cumming emigrated from the UK as golf teachers/players who were hired specifically to demonstrate and show people how the game of golf was played. And, in 1913, led by Canadian-born professionals, Charles Murray and his brother Albert, the Canadian PGA was founded.
The theory of playing, teaching, club making and event organizing remained the predominant responsibilities of a golf professional until the late 1940s and into the 1950s when the economy began to flourish and some of the aristocratic barriers surrounding golf were falling.
The popularity of golf grew and golf professionals entered the new world of retailing when they began to sell golf-related products in their pro shops as an added source of income.
Also new to them was an explosion of golf course construction as thousands of new golfers entered the game, inspired by golf professionals playing tournaments and exhibitions, plus Arnold Palmer and TV.
Adding to the increasing list of demands came mentor, promoter, visionary (to help clubs develop their identity), leader, and cheerleader. It became incumbent upon them to do all things to grow the game, to nurture those already involved, and cultivate/develop golfers of all levels.
It was up to the golf professionals, ready or not, prepared or not, willing or not, to advance the entire population of golfers into the world of golf by showing them how to best enjoy the atmosphere and environment of everything to do with golf. This included playing, travel, entertaining their clients and spending time with their families…all via golf as a vehicle.
In short, golf professionals became the centre of the golf world; the heart and spirit of the golf community.
Naturally, along with it came the need for training/education. With no relative framework, no comparable outline, no existing, previously tested pattern, the various professional golfer’s associations took on the monumental task of trying to establish guidelines for entry into their organizations and standards, to enhance the skills required to become top grade golf professionals.
Today, along with a regulated system set down within the PGA of Canada, golf professionals are learning the skills of their trade through colleges teaching courses in professional golf management. Along with information studied in a cross section of subjects, each candidate seeking acceptance must pass a test proving a level of playing competency.
So, what does all of this mean to a course owner/manager? What does a golf professional do to justify his/her employment?
Firstly, there are multiple types of facilities within the golf industry from private clubs, to semi-private, pay-as-you play, teaching academies, universities/colleges, etc. It is a broad field with each requiring a different skill set.
So, let’s begin by taking a private club. In this situation, the world of a golf professional has changed very little over the years. They are the centre of all the golf activities at the club. They teach lessons, inspire golfers through regular play with them, provide rules expertise, custom fit/repair equipment, oversee the events/tournaments, and generally promote goodwill among the membership by providing a high level of enjoyment through a high level of service.
In other words, they enhance the golf experience of the members. In return, they are provided an opportunity to earn an adequate income through the sale of merchandise and lessons.
Where the template begins to face discussion is when it is presented at clubs where income is generated on a more daily or less reliable basis than that of a private country club. There isn’t a basic core of members who consider the club as a possession. The players are more transient and more likely than not to have less loyalty. Winning their business is done one day at a time. Service levels must be high but costs kept low. Some of the players recognize the value of the golf professional teaching a junior clinic but others do not care; all they want is a starting time at an agreeable price.
In talking to Don MacKay, the owner of Muskoka Highlands Golf Club in Gravenhurst, I heard the opinion of one of the top golf course operators in Ontario. Don said “there are too many courses in my area not to make every effort to be the best. Every day we try to think of ways to make ourselves unique by adding value to the green fee dollars paid by our customers. A golf professional has to be part of this equation.”
Don’s mandate for himself and each of his employees is how to make the facility the best it can be while running a viable business.
The bottom line is very simple. It comes down to hiring the right golf professional. The first responsibility lies in the lap of those who are teaching incoming people how to develop the marketing skills, teaching skills, business skills, management skills etc. to serve the needs of a course owner.
Next, those entering the business must do everything in their power to find ways to do their best as they study, but follow that with exploring creative methods that increase business and bring new people into the game while maintaining the current client base.
Then, the owner/operators must develop a hiring/interview process to ensure they sift through the applicants until they decide on the right one. Last, the two partners must agree on terms of employment, sustainable goals and realistic levels of performance to earn an adequate income.
What I have found is a golf professional who is successful in the pay-as-you play side of the business recognizes the importance of stepping outside the confines of the actual golf property. In fact, they become the golf professional for the whole town/area. They become involved with the Lions’ Club, the Rotary Club, the Kiwanis Club, by attending one of their meetings to promote wellbeing, sports in general and golf (including a few tips) in the community.
They are involved in junior hockey, kids’ baseball and soccer at all levels. They donate 2-for-1 passes to be used in off hours by every kid who plays any sports activity in town. There are programs available that allow golf professionals to teach golf in schools.
The golf professional cross-markets the golf club with every business in town, beginning with ideas as simple as having a local car dealer park a new vehicle beside the clubhouse entrance to promote sales as part of a package to have the car dealer bring his annual golf outing to the club, or have customers bring a receipt from the shoe store and receive 25% off a green fee.
Also, they can allow every business owner to play free along with one guest if they play in a foursome with two more players who pay full price. Advertise it as “Golf Meets Business” rounds. Undoubtedly, the business owner will spring for the other two green fees and they will all pay for carts, drinks and food.
Other promotions specifically oriented toward the skills of a golf professional include junior clinics where each kid receives a 2-for-1 pass (for off hours) every lesson, and a ladies’ beginner class of 10 lessons for $150.00 that includes five nine-hole rounds (in off hours).
Every other staff member has far too many time-consuming commitments to be available to fulfill these duties and who better than your golf professional – the “Mr/Mrs Golf” of the whole town – to drive business in this way?
Hiring a golf professional is a time consuming, demanding road to follow. However, once you find the right one, the owner will benefit significantly through increased sales/profits, the players will enjoy a wonderful golf experience, the community will appreciate the club as a good neighbour and business partner, and the rest of your staff will have an excellent role model.
That’s why you hire a golf professional!
Michael Schurman is a Life Member with the PGA of Canada. In 1988, he became the youngest person to attain the category of Master Professional and served on national and regional PGA boards; is a Past President of the PGA of Ontario and recipient of the Club Professional of the Year Award.
Michael played on a variety of tours and tournaments during his career and held the Head Golf Professional position at a variety of golf clubs. Michael has been involved in golf at every level and just about every capacity for over 50 years.
