Chevin Golf Club GM Dan Housley explains how governance training is shaping strategy, boardroom culture and leadership.
Governance is one of the defining challenges for today’s golf club managers. Ensuring boards and management work effectively together, establishing clear strategy and maintaining sound decision-making processes are central to the long-term health of any club.
It is why the Governance Certificate within the GCMA Advanced Management Programme has become such a valuable learning opportunity for club managers. For Dan Housley, General Manager at Chevin Golf Club, the workshop delivered practical insights that are already influencing how his club operates.
Delivered by governance specialist Kevin Fish, the course helped Housley refine his approach to working with the board and implementing strategy.
Housley entered the industry from a business background, taking up the GM role at Chesterfield Golf Club after selling his own company. The experience proved a steep learning curve and he stepped away from the role after a short spell, spending time working across the industry before returning to club management.
Now approaching two years at Chevin, Housley has a clearer understanding of the role and the importance of strong governance within a club environment.
“When I first came into the industry, governance was something I’d never even heard of, never mind having to manage the process,” he said.
“So when the opportunity came up to do the GCMA course, it felt really relevant to where we are as a club.”
Led by a man whose work has helped shape governance thinking across the industry, the workshop brought together a group of managers to explore best practice and share experiences.
“Kevin Fish has worked with clubs up and down the country and internationally. He’s dedicated the last 20 years to looking at governance, so he’s an expert in the field. What he provides is a blueprint built from that experience.”
A practical, real-world approach to governance
Across the two days of th ecourse, delegates worked through real-life scenarios, shared experiences openly, and engaged in facilitated discussions that ensured learning could be immediately transferred back to their own clubs. Key areas explored included:
- The ideal board and committee structure
- Creating a healthy, high-performing governance culture
- Preparing for and running effective board meetings
- Avoiding common governance pitfalls
- Succession planning for long-term stability
- Defining clear roles and responsibilities
- Delivering effective inductions for volunteers
- Managing difficult personalities and resolving conflict
- Educating volunteers and managing upwards
- Establishing clarity around “this is how we do things around here”
Chevin itself is undergoing a period of change, with plans to strengthen the club’s long-term direction. For Housley, one of the most valuable aspects of the workshop was understanding how governance supports alignment between board and management.
“I think governance means something different to everybody. For me it was about how we get the board on board with a strategy and all working together to deliver the same thing.”
The course also provided an opportunity to exchange ideas with fellow managers facing similar challenges.
“It’s so much more than a two-day workshop. You’re there with other managers discussing things in the evenings and sharing experiences. I took a lot away from it.”
Some of the most important lessons were personal. Having previously run his own business, Housley admits he initially approached club management with the same mindset.
“I take everything personally and treat everything like it’s, but one of the things that came out of the course was a reminder that it’s not your golf club – you’re there to serve the members and deliver what the board wants you to deliver.”
That change in perspective has already influenced his day-to-day approach.
“I used to have my emails on my phone all the time, even when I was on holiday. I was contactable 24/7. But there was a lot of discussion about the importance of having time away from the club to think. Since the course I’ve taken my emails off my phone, and I’m already noticing a difference.”
The learning has also prompted practical changes in the boardroom.
“We now have a session where the board meet for 15 minutes on their own before myself and the volunteers go in. That’s come directly from the learning on the course.”
Housley was also impressed by the structure of the GCMA’s educational pathway, which allows managers to focus on subjects most relevant to their club.
“What the GCMA do really well is allow you to pick the courses that matter to you at that time. You can spend two days properly focusing on governance rather than brushing over lots of different subjects.”
However, he stressed that the value of professional development lies in applying what has been learned.
“It’s not a box-ticking exercise. In golf, things take time. You can’t walk into the boardroom and say we’re changing everything overnight just because you’ve been on a course.
“What I tend to do is digest what I’ve learned and then put it into Chevin language. You use examples of the things the club already does well and build from there.”
That approach aligns with his wider ambitions for the club, particularly around establishing clear strategy across every department.
“When I came in, there was very little in the way of strategy. None of the departments had a business plan or a clear idea of where they wanted to go.”
“If my time at Chevin leaves a strategy in place where every department knows where it’s heading and that aligns with the club’s budget and expectations, that will be a big achievement.”
Click here to find out more about the Advanced Management Programme and upcoming certificates
