Principles of Golf Club Management Course to Visit Royal Birkdale Following The Open

19 March 2026

We are delighted to announce that this year’s Principles of Golf Club Management residential course, taking place this September, will include a unique and timely visit to one of the game’s most prestigious venues – Royal Birkdale Golf Club, host of the The Open Championship.

The main venue for this years residential Principles of Golf Club Management course is to be delivered at the highly regarded Hillside Golf Club. Hillside itself plays a significant role during Open week, serving as the official practice ground for competitors at Royal Birkdale, providing a rare behind-the-scenes perspective into how neighbouring clubs support one of the biggest events in world sport.

As part of the programme, delegates will visit Royal Birkdale just weeks after it has hosted the 154th Open Championship. This exclusive visit will include a tour of the clubhouse and facilities, offering invaluable insight into how an Open venue prepares for, delivers, and recovers from staging a global sporting event.

Adding further value to the experience, one of the course modules will be delivered on-site by Richard Weeks, Secretary Manager at Royal Birkdale and GCMA Director. His first-hand knowledge will provide delegates with a unique understanding of elite-level club management during one of the busiest and most high-profile periods in the golfing calendar.

GCMA Professional Development Manager Gareth Morgan highlighted the significance of this year’s course:

“I look forward to taking this year’s in-person GCMA Principles of Golf Club Management Course to two such prestigious Clubs on England’s Golf Coast, especially just weeks after the World’s best golfers will all have been there for The Open Championship. Hearing how the Clubs in the area maximise the influx of golf fans from around the world during the week of The Open and the story of how the Clubs managed their members’ expectations and operations before, during and after the World’s number 1 Golf tournament. All of this on top of the usual high quality content that this long standing course always delivers.”

The residential course has long been recognised as a cornerstone of GCMA education, combining expert-led modules with practical, real-world insights. This year’s addition of visits to both Hillside and Royal Birkdale ensures delegates will benefit from a truly exceptional learning environment – one shaped by the demands and opportunities of hosting the world’s leading golfers and thousands of spectators.

With places expected to be in high demand, this year’s course represents a unique opportunity for aspiring and current golf club managers to learn at the very highest level, in a setting that few will ever experience so soon after golf’s oldest major championship.

Secure your place on this years residential Principles of Golf Club Management course, or find out more about the course below:

Hillside Golf Club | September 21-25th 2026

By Mark Shanley

More from Your Association

Meet New Mental Health First Aider Marc Valentine

19 Mar 2026By Mark Shanley

Marc joins our suite of existing Mental Health First Aiders…

GCMA 2026 Annual General Meeting Notice

12 Mar 2026By Mark Shanley

The 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Golf Club Managers…

The Latest From The GB&I Golf Forum – March 2026

12 Mar 2026By Mark Shanley

The GB&I Golf Forum brings together senior representatives from the…

John Steele

John Steele is a former professional athlete, sports coach, Olympic Leader and is the Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University. He has been Chief Executive across a range of sectors. Drawing on leadership experience of nine different Olympic and Paralympic Games (including the amazing events at the Rio Games), John reflects on the lessons from this unique period in British sport and relays his fascinating views on creating high performing teams.

Indeed, inspired from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, by the most successful performance ever for Team GB, he has a whole host of new business and leadership insights into how this was brilliant performance was achieved and how it can translate back into your organisation.

John moved into the corporate world, before he enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional rugby player achieving international honours. After his playing career, he turned his hand to coaching and achieved the highest accolade for a British club coach by winning the European Cup with Northampton Saints. He then became Executive Director on the Saints Board during a period of unprecedented growth, and served on the England Rugby Board during the successful world cup campaign of 2003. It was no surprise that John’s talents were called upon to drive through a change and modernisation programme as CEO of the Rugby Football Union – a challenge that became controversial and ended in his departure from the post after only a year, but with his dignity and professional pride intact.

Headhunted by UK Sport, John took up post as CEO the day before London won the 2012 Olympic bid – and this promising start was sustained as he embarked on developing the UK’s high performance sport system, which he led for a six-year period of unprecedented success through the Beijing and London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Post-London 2012, with the Olympic legacy in place and an obligation to continue inspiring a generation, John took up his post as Group Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust. He has also succeeded Steve Cram as Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, an organisation described as ‘the team behind the team’, which delivers a range of performance impacting solutions to over 40 Olympic and Paralympic sports and some non-Olympic sports.

This will close in 0 seconds

Dr Jo Salter MBE

Dr Jo Salter MBE is famed for becoming the first female fast jet pilot, having flown the Panavia Tornado ground attack aircraft during her services in the Royal Air Force. Joining the RAF aged 18, Jo has since taken Air Cadets into the skies as part of Air Experience Flights, become the Director of Global Transformative Leadership for PWC, and most recently become a Global Advisory of GenAI for PwC.

Jo has piloted flights in the Air Cadets Air Experience Flights and inspired countless budding armed service members to pioneer a male-dominated sector, having been the leader of an all-male squadron. Since leaving the military behind, Jo has established a strong business career working in roles such as Head of Technical Services for NetConnect, European Operations Manager for Automated Power Exchange and Managing Director of Saltin Ltd.

Having developed first-class expertise in leadership, analytical thinking and performing under pressure, Jo is now a highly sought-after public speaker to share stories from her time in the skies.

Jo is a passionate Trustee of The Royal Air Force Club and an Ambassador of the Global Angels charity, an organisation that gives communities around the world access to clean water, education, healthcare and encourages female and youth empowerment. Jo has also authored two books, titled Energy: 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel and Energize: Spring Clean Your Mind and Body to Get Your Bounce Back Today and Every Day.

In recognition of her achievements throughout her career, Jo has also been named as one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in the World by Harpers & Queen. She is now working as the Director of Global Transformation Leadership at PWC, after working in other roles such as Director of Risk Technology Strategy, Director Chief of Staff to Head of Technology & Investments and the Director of People & Organisations.

In 2022, Jo was invited personally by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Jo received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.