Our recent ASPIRE Career Development Series Webinar covered how to prevent burnout while working as a Golf Club Manager.
The Last week’s GCMA ASPIRE webinar, Preventing Burnout in Golf Club Environments, delivered by our own Professional Development Manager, Gareth Morgan, proved to be one of the most impactful sessions in the series to date – and also attracted the highest level of registrations since the launch of the ASPIRE Series, underlining the real value members are gaining from these free professional development opportunities.
Designed specifically for aspiring golf club managers and existing senior leaders, the session tackled an issue many in the industry quietly recognise but rarely address openly: burnout. The session began by challenging the long-held misconception that burnout is a personal weakness, reframing it instead as a predictable response to prolonged systemic pressure. In golf club environments – with seven-day operations, high member expectations, seasonal intensity and limited recovery time – those pressures can quickly accumulate.
The session clearly differentiated burnout from everyday stress or fatigue. Delegates were encouraged to reflect honestly on early warning signs, including irritability with members, reduced patience with staff, difficulty switching off, sleep disruption and the familiar “Sunday dread” that many experience during peak season.
A significant portion of the webinar focused on golf management specific burnout triggers, in particular setting boundaries with your team, members and Directors – especially digital boundaries. Cognitive overload, driven by multitasking, interruptions and the pressure to always have instant answers was highlighted as one of the most underestimated contributors to burnout in management roles.
Importantly, the session was highly practical. Delegates were introduced to realistic prevention strategies that can be implemented immediately, including setting clear digital boundaries, protecting days off, managing workload through time-blocking and delegation systems, and using simple planning tools.
The session concluded with each delegate being asked to create a personalised Burnout Prevention Action Plan, ensuring learning translated into meaningful action beyond the webinar itself. Those who watch this webinar as a recording will also be able to follow the session themselves and make their own plan.
Key Takeaways for Managers
- Burnout is not an individual failing – it is often the result of unsustainable systems and expectations
- Early warning signs are behavioural and emotional, not just physical exhaustion
- Always being “available” digitally creates invisible workload and accelerates burnout
- Small, consistent boundary changes are more effective than drastic interventions
Practical Examples You Can Apply Immediately
- Digital boundaries: Introduce set times for responding to emails and WhatsApp messages, and communicate these clearly to staff and Directors
- Protecting time off: Treat days off as non-negotiable unless there is a genuine emergency – and define what an “emergency” actually is
- Reducing cognitive overload: Batch decision-making and admin tasks rather than constantly switching between roles throughout the day
- Delegation systems: Identify tasks that must be done by you versus those that can be delegated or delayed without risk
- Time-blocking: Allocate protected diary time for strategic work, rather than letting operational issues consume the entire week
With record engagement and overwhelmingly positive feedback, this session highlighted just how valuable the GCMA ASPIRE Series as a whole has become for members seeking practical, relevant support. If you haven’t yet taken advantage of these free sessions, now is the time – your future wellbeing may depend on it.
Missed the webinar? Watch the recording here
By Mark Shanley
