GCMA Advanced Management Programme: Hear from our specialist training providers

Find out more about the organisations and individuals who will be providing the education and training for the GCMA Advanced Management Programme.


The GCMA Advanced Management Programme was created and developed in association with specialist training providers and industry experts.

In a testament to its exceptionally high quality, the programme has been officially recognised by the Chartered Management Institute against their professional standards.

We spoke to the organisations and individuals who will be delivering each of the certificates to find out more about the in-depth skills and knowledge they will be providing to GCMA members who engage with the Advanced Management Programme.

Advanced Leadership & Emotional Intelligence – Progrezo

What is your expertise in this area? 

Progrezo coach and develop leaders and boards across many different sectors, enabling them to lead their business to even greater success. We work with large corporates such as Allianz and FCA, and public sector bodies such as TfL, as well as not-for-profit organisations such as the British Heart Foundation, to smaller but still crucial businesses.  

What can people expect from the course? 

A far deeper understanding of your abilities to be a great leader that will boost your confidence, knowing and practicing how to lead board and committee meetings, build your teams, lead change and drive the success of your club, with greater influencing skills and a sense of personal authority.  

Why is this important? 

To manage all stakeholders and build strong relationships is a tough ask. With a regular change of boss, members who are often your boss and customers at the same time, and a team who relies on you to be resilient, supportive and challenging, you need to know you are doing the right thing and feel confident in your emotional intelligence and leadership abilities.  

Golf Course Management – Sami Strutt, Bernhard Academy 

What is your expertise in this area?   

The Bernhard Academy are experts in building and delivering programmes specialising in subject areas including agronomy, technical, mechanical and leadership and management. The team are experienced and knowledgeable in their field and are passionate about developing people to be leaders in the industry. 

What can people expect from the course?   

It will provide Club Managers with knowledge and understanding of greenkeeping practices, the importance of those practices and the role the Golf Course Manager and the greenkeeping team play to manage and maintain the main asset of the business, the golf course. 

Why is this important?   

A strong relationship between the Club Manager and the Course Manager is significant to support not only the ambitions of the club and the golfers, but to support and respect the role they each play within the business. 

Health and Safety – Jason Peacock, ROSPA 

What is your expertise in this area? 

RoSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) is a not-for-profit organisation that has worked for more than 100 years to help people recognise and reduce their risk of accidents, at home, on the road, at work and at leisure. Our goal is to enable everyone to live their lives to the full, safely.” 

What can people expect from the course? 

IOSH Managing Safely provides practical knowledge and skills that allow you to take responsibility for health and safety in your workplace. The course gives you the confidence to assess risk and improve existing health and safety practices in your organisation. 

Why is this important? 

IOSH Managing Safely is an essential qualification for any manager or supervisor who is responsible for the health and safety of their team. It provides a comprehensive understanding of health and safety legislation and best practices, enabling managers to create a safer working environment for their employees. 

Golf Club Governance – Kevin Fish, Contemporary Club Leadership 

What is your expertise in this area?  

As the recognised gatekeeper for golf club governance in Europe, I have advised over 4,000 managers and office bearers on this topic and worked on site with over 100 clubs to modernise and improve their governance structures and practices. 

What can people expect from the course?  

We will construct an implementation strategy for overcoming the common obstacles to good governance, tailored to the challenges that you are facing at the club. We will review real life case studies to show the benefits of putting governance best practice in to place at your club, so that the organisational health can improve, along with your own.      

Why is this important?  

Collaborative governance is the process that binds senior managers and willing volunteers into an effective decision-making body, that ultimately dictates not only your success in this role, but also your level of personal enjoyment and fulfilment. 

Finance and Accounts Management – AAT 

What is your expertise in this area? 

The Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) is the world’s leading professional body for accounting technicians. With almost 124,000 members and students in 105 countries, AAT develops finance qualifications that ensure business can draw upon skilled people, fully equipped to meet its challenges head-on. 

What can people expect from the course? 

This programme follows the AAT Essentials Courses in ‘Finance for non-Finance Managers’ and ‘Budgeting’ and will provide you with all the key skills required to prepare budgets, learn how to make informed budgeting decisions and effectively communicate financial information to key stakeholders within the golf club. 

Why is this important? 

As golf clubs evolve to become more business focused and with heightened pressures on finances, the Golf Club Manager is increasingly being looked to in being an effective and skilled leader and administrator of the club’s finances and accounts. 

Food and Beverage Management – Kevin Fish, Contemporary Club Leadership 

What is your expertise in this area?   

With over 25 years in the industry, I know very well how difficult it is to put this political football to bed in a golf club. Our successful CMT programme for aspiring clubhouse managers is in its seventh year, and now it’s time to establish the correct role of the Club Manager in F&B operations, and ensure they are equipped to play their part in its success. 

What can people expect from the course?  

We are going to take a deep dive in to the success factors of Food and Beverage in clubs to help you arrive at an agreed, settled strategy in this most talked about area of operations. You will understand what your role is, in particular in the leadership of those responsible for the delivery of the results, and how the volunteers at the club can contribute at the right level, to help make your F&B service a visible and sustainable success.   

Why is this important?  

In the UK relatively few people come in to the golf industry to run an F&B operation, but every one of us must master the principles and the practices to lead a settled and popular service. This will do it.  

What is your expertise in this area?   

The Golf HR team have decades of experience in employment law for private member golf clubs, and currently work with 213 clubs on retainer, including 38 of the Top 100.

In addition, the private sector part of the business, Gap HR has 85 retained clients.

Both areas of the business provide advice and support on all areas of the employment law, from contracts to restructuring, disciplinaries to settlement agreements.

Led by HR expert Carolyne Wahlen, the Golf HR team pull no punches, delivering jargon-free expertise designed to make a genuine difference to your managers and your team.

What can people expect from the course?  

The course provides in-depth training on how you can deal with deal with the most frequent and time-consuming employment law topics: disciplinaries, grievances, recruitment, annual reviews and what to expect at tribunals.

It’s ideal for managers, supervisors and team leaders – if you’re involved in people management in any way, shape or form, you’ll get huge value from it, and it’ll improve the way you manage people, whilst also protecting your club.

Why is this important?  

Whether you like it or not, employment law exists.  Transgress it, and you’re risking very real consequences, for you and for your club, with lawsuits, tribunals and hefty compensations all possibilities.  

This course exists to equip you with the tools you need to navigate the complex world of employment law, making decisions in the club’s best interests, whilst staying legal and compliant.

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