The General Manager of Royal Norwich has replaced Mike Hoare as the new chairman of the association
Phil Grice, general manager and director of Royal Norwich, has been named as the new chairman of the Golf Club Managers Association. Formerly communications and marketing director, Grice, 48, has replaced
Mike Hoare, who has decided to stand down after an illustrious 25-year involvement with the association. Having learned the game at Turnberry, Grice is hugely experienced in golf club management, following roles at Haste Hill, Kingswood, Silvermere, Sprowston Manor and Lexden Wood.
He was appointed general manager at Royal Norwich in 2011 and is leading the club in their historic relocation to a new venue
at Weston Park. Grice has gained a wealth of experience at Royal Norwich, which he believes will stand him in good stead for his new role.
“Over the last three year period of my career I have had to learn many new skills, adapt to changing circumstances, and implement
the findings of huge amounts of research,” he said. “I have also been on fact-finding missions to a significant number of clubs and spent time with plenty of my peers in the industry picking their brains about what makes their particular facility stand out, but also exploring their personal challenges.
“I hope to use that perspective of what is happening across our wider industry to challenge why we currently do what we do – much of which is very much on the right lines – and help to ensure that we continue to cater for the needs and demands of the modern golf club manager.”
Having been invited to join the GCMA board of directors at its inception, the scale of his new appointment isn’t lost on Grice: “I love the history of our industry, so I was honoured to be on the board, but to be appointed chairman is an even greater personal honour.
“As a member, I also understand the expectations that our members have for our association, and I hope to guide the GCMA to deliver services and benefits that will allow them to fulfil their personal potential, and to help drive the golf industry forward.
“I hope that members feel they can pick up the phone, or come and talk to me.
As a serving manager I am passionate about the success of our association, and you can never have too much constructive feedback.”
Paying tribute to the outgoing chairman, Grice said: “Mike has been a fantastic guiding hand on the tiller of the GCMA, and it should never be underestimated how much of a steadying influence he has been over such a long time. Over many years his attendance at meetings, travelling to and from GCMA events or simply being on the phone to the CEO and board have seen him being one of the best servants the GCMA has ever had. I’d like to echo the association’s best wishes, and thank him personally for all he has done for our association.”
Two more new faces join the board Grice’s new role as chairman has been supplemented by two new appointments at board meetings after Andy Rankin and Amy Yeates were both formally co-opted as directors.
The pair had been invited to attend meetings in a non-executive capacity since the beginning of the year.
Yeates, the current GCMA Manager of the Year, has just taken over as chief executive of Moor Park, in Hertfordshire, having moved from Fairmont St Andrews. Rankin, who has been involved in the Diploma in Golf Club Management, is a course leader and senior lecturer at Bucks New University.
