Professional Development Manager Gareth Morgan explains why education should be considered a “lifelong pursuit”.
During one of the most insightful marketing education sessions I have attended in recent years, a fellow delegate remarked, ‘It’s not relevant to me — my club has a full membership, and we don’t want more visitors’. These words lingered in my mind as I drove home that evening. While I couldn’t immediately pinpoint why, I have since realised that the comment unsettled me because my view on education within the golf industry is that it is a lifelong pursuit. It is not something that is valuable solely when it can be immediately applied to my club’s operations.
In the case of the delegate, it is true that he worked at a club with a small waiting list for membership and a steady flow of green fee income. However, anyone with experience in the industry understands that such conditions are not always the norm, and certainly cannot be relied upon in the medium or long term.
I found myself contemplating the potential challenges his club could face: What if membership renewals drop in April, and he suddenly needs to recruit 30-40 new members? What if his club faces an unforeseen financial difficulty, prompting the board to focus on increasing visitor income to cover the shortfall?
Moreover, the delegate was in his mid-thirties, planning a long-term career in golf club management. What if, in the future, he moved to a club with different challenges, such as insufficient membership or low visitor income?
While some educational offerings may have immediate, practical applications, I have yet to encounter any training that does not have long-term value for my career.
Another common misconception I have encountered is the belief that, ‘We have a consultant who handles that for us, so I don’t need to learn it myself’. While this may be a reasonable position to take, attending just one module on Health & Safety or Employment Law as part of the GCMA Principles of Golf Club Management Certificate demonstrates how costly and complicated the situation can become if these issues are not properly understood in advance.
While many club managers do benefit from the support of consultants in areas such as Health & Safety and Employment Law, this should not undermine the importance of possessing a solid foundational understanding of these crucial compliance areas.
At the end of a compliance module, I often ask a Principles of Golf Club Management class if they still believe they don’t need to know anything about these subjects, especially if one of them has previously stated, during a lunch break, ‘We have a consultant…’. We then engage in a short discussion, with almost all delegates noting that, ‘Becoming more involved in Health & Safety or Employment Law matters’ is now one of their key takeaways for the week.
As the new year begins, many managers will be focusing on what educational offerings to budget for. I encourage them to consider not only what will benefit their club in the short term but also what will support their personal development in the long term.
One aspect of my role with the GCMA that I particularly enjoy is holding one-to-one sessions with members. These discussions help them identify the gaps in their skills and experience, and we work together to determine the best training and educational options to address these areas.
While we always consider the immediate needs of the club, we also focus on the individual’s long-term development. This approach ensures that those who take advantage of this service plan their education with as much focus on their own growth as on the club’s needs.
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