A First for On Course Foundation on GCMA Training Course

26 January 2017

The GCMA join On Course Foundation in congratulating one of their members, James Hill, for being the first member of the Foundation to complete the Introduction to Golf Club Management training course.

We kicked off our week at BIGGA’s BTME exhibition in Harrogate by delivering our GCMA three day Introduction to Golf Club Management training course.

Another well attended course welcomed an mix of new and familiar faces from across the country, keen to improve their knowledge and gain a vital grounding in the fundamentals of golf club management.

Usually taken as a five day course, the delegates at Harrogate enjoyed an intense three days of listening and learning with regular tea and biscuit breaks – what would a training course in the heart of Harrogate be without Yorkshire tea and shortbread?

All delegates deserve credit for their concentration throughout the course, but we would like to particularly acknowledge the achievements of one delegate. James Hill, a member of On Course Foundation, has attained the status as the first member of the foundation to complete our Introduction to Golf Club Management course.

On Course Foundation is a fast progressing and increasingly well-known charity that offers rehabilitation to ex-service personnel within the golfing industry, from playing the game to meaningful employment. The completion of our GCMA training course is a positive achievement and precedent for both On Course Foundation and James Hill in their determination to use golf as a vehicle for successful recovery. We pulled Jamie aside and got him talking about his views on the training course and how it has benefited him.

“The [Introduction to Golf Club Management] training course was a good introduction for me and there was a lot of experience in here. I have only been playing golf for two years and so my knowledge [surrounding the industry] is very limited. This training course was such a good insight and it has given me the confidence to pursue a job within the golfing industry in the future.

“My background is in the Royal Marines and I am now currently going through the recovery phase. Working in the military has provided me with a lot of transferable skills that I can use to get involved, skills that were built in to us, including previous organisation skills and a lot of project management expertise. Over the past three days I have found that a lot of these strengths can be transferred across to golf club management pretty easily.

“I also grew up in pubs, and so the food and beverage aspect of the training course has been no big surprise to me, but I learnt a lot from Steve Brown regarding the issues of F&B from a golf club perspective.

“I would recommend GCMA’s Introduction to Golf Club Management training course to anyone who wants to attain and improve their golf club management knowledge. Equally I would highly recommend it to those who are potentially sitting on the fence or not too sure as it covered a broad spectrum of topics that are extremely useful. This has been a good little taster with invaluable teaching.”

Did you enjoy our Introduction to Golf Club Management training course?

Yes, I really did.

How was it meeting other like-minded individuals?

Yes, it was a really nice friendly bunch of people who have a range of differing levels of experience and backgrounds.

What’s next for you?

I live down in Dorset and I am not a member of a club at the minute. As a fairly new golfer I prefer pay-and-play golf as the different golf clubs offer me variety and challenge, especially as someone who doesn’t currently have the time to commit.

I will think about the Diploma. It’s a case of building up and gaining lots of work experience at golf clubs through On Course Foundation, but that’s the thing, the Diploma will always be there and that is nice to know.

Ultimately, I have some big decisions to make this year regarding the military which will decide what I can fit in right now. When I am settled, I will pick a golf club and get the work experience I need, with an aim to use what I have acquired through GCMA’s courses for employment within golf management.

With a wish of the best of luck, James dashed off to start his arduous journey home back down to Dorset. If you are interested in finding out more about On Course Foundation and the employment opportunities the charity offers for your golf club, visit their website for more information.

Have you previously attended one of our training courses?

We are always grateful for your feedback, aspiring to constantly improve our services for your benefit. Drop us any questions and comments you may have on our website.

By GCMA

More from Your Community

GCMA Teams Up with 59Club as an Official Education Partner

5 Dec 2025By Mark Shanley

Press Release The Golf Club Managers Association (GCMA) is delighted…

Announcing the Winners of the 2025 Women in Golf Awards

4 Dec 2025By Mark Shanley

The Women in Golf Awards announced its 2025 winners at…

‘Governance is key’ — David Holmes

3 Dec 2025By GCMA Content Team

Drawing on over two decades of experience, David Holmes shares…

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.