Many golf clubs may be missing the mark when it comes to how they utilise their clubhouses.
The clubhouse remains one of the most important and versatile assets within any golf club, with significant potential to shape member experience and long-term value.
Brendan McDermott, Data Analyst for Capital and Asset Management at Club Benchmarking, highlights how a more considered, member-focused approach can unlock that potential.
By aligning design, service and offering more closely with how members use their club, clubhouses can become stronger social and cultural hubs.
Here, McDermott outlines what good looks like and how clubs can refine their approach to drive greater engagement, satisfaction and overall performance.
Redesign around the golf journey
Design for golfers first. Layout, service style, and opening hours should prioritise players coming straight off the course. Spikes welcome. Fast service the default. Outdoor flow from the 18th green to a comfortable terrace matters more than a formal dining room with white tablecloths.
Simplify the food offering
A shorter menu executed consistently is worth far more than an ambitious menu that creates pressure on the kitchen and disappointment in the member. Clubs that have simplified their food offering typically see both cost reduction and satisfaction improvement.
Invest in bar culture and social space
In most golf clubs, the bar drives more culture than the kitchen. Investment in atmosphere, a well-run bar team, and comfortable informal seating returns more in member satisfaction and dwell time than investment in kitchen complexity.
Measure what matters
Replace gross profit percentage and break-even targets with metrics that reflect what the clubhouse is for: dining Net Promoter Score, member return visit frequency, event participation rates, staff retention in F&B, and member advocacy. These tell a truer story.
Keep the golf in the clubhouse
Show major tournaments on screen. Create moments for members to gather around the game they love. A club that watches The Open together builds something a restaurant never can.
Listen broadly, not loudly
Engage members in feedback through structured channels – pulse surveys, QR codes, member apps – rather than allowing a vocal minority to shape operational decisions. Use the Pareto principle: the 80% who are quietly satisfied matter as much as the 20% who are loudly critical.
Train and invest in your people
The most overlooked investment in club food and beverage is not equipment or menu design; it is the team delivering the experience every day. Clubs that invest in staff development see returns that no kitchen refurbishment can match: confident employees, lower turnover, and a service culture that members feel the moment they walk through the door. Numerous organisations within the private club industry have made this their mission. These organisations offer structured hospitality training programmes in the private club industry. These programmes can significantly alter how a team performs and how they feel valued within the club for as little as three pounds per member. Staff members who are empowered not only serve members but also represent the club’s culture. The value of that is significantly higher than the amount that was invested.
