GCTUK – Discussion on Food & Beverage in Golf Clubs

10 July 2025

Steven Brown, Heather Moran & Kevin fish discuss F&B operations at Golf Clubs. A wide ranging chat covering key principles as well as a look at how clubs can do things better, while retaining that “service element”

In this eye-opening episode of Golf Club Talk UK, host Leighton Walker guides an expert panel through a thought-provoking deep dive into the world of Food & Beverage (F&B) operations in golf clubs, a vital yet often undervalued aspect of club life. It’s an honest, forward-thinking conversation that blends classic principles with modern solutions, helping clubs to evolve without losing their service-driven heart.

Meet the Experts:

Steven Brown – Renowned F&B Consultant from Inn-Formation, bringing decades of strategic know-how.
Heather Moran – General Manager of La Moye Golf Club, offering real-life operational insights and member-focused wisdom.
Kevin Fish – Club Management Specialist at Contemporary Club Leadership, adding high-level perspective on governance and leadership.

Why You Should Tune In: Whether you’re a General Manager, board member, or leading the F&B charge in your club, this episode offers candid discussion, fresh ideas, and real-world tactics to help elevate your operation, improve member satisfaction, and boost your bottom line—without compromising what makes your club special.

What’s On the Table:

Current F&B Landscape: An honest snapshot of how things are looking across private golf clubs. What’s working, what’s not, and why some dining rooms are buzzing while others are barely ticking over.
Trends & Transformations: From sustainability and locally sourced menus to tech innovations and service enhancements, the panel explores the macro trends reshaping the hospitality sector and how they’re filtering into the golf club experience.
Realities of Club Operations: Running an F&B outlet inside a private golf club comes with its quirks. Think member discounts, high expectations, and tight margins. The panel tackles the eternal conundrum: how do you deliver a five-star experience when the budget says otherwise?
Member Satisfaction vs. Profitability: Striking that perfect balance between pleasing members and sustaining a profitable operation—while navigating board dynamics and financial oversight—is a central challenge discussed in depth.
Training That Transforms: Why the demand for professional development in clubhouse staff has never been higher, and what modern training programs should look like to foster loyalty, professionalism, and next-level service.
F&B Strategy – Your Secret Weapon: The importance of having a clear, actionable Food & Beverage strategy that’s aligned with your club’s overall vision and member needs. Without one, clubs risk treading water.
Rise of Service Culture: Beyond just serving food, today’s club employees are being trained to curate member experiences—from personalized touches to seamless service that makes dining feel exclusive and memorable.

Find all Golf Club Talk Episodes here

By Mark Shanley

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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.

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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.