As the GCMA prepare to welcome their second intake of applicants, the Golf Club Talk UK podcast assesses the success of the programme so far.
This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.
When Horsforth’s Jonathan Pearson was paired with his new GCMA Mentor, Denham General Manager Richard Penley-Martin, he figured he’d get all the solutions.
“I had a relative impression that things may be black or white – I’ll ask Richard some questions, he’ll give me the answers,” he explained.
“But that’s not how life works, and that’s not how general management of a golf club works.”
What Jonathan expounded upon in the latest edition of GCMA Insights, on the Golf Club Talk UK podcast, is at the heart of the association’s acclaimed Mentor programme.
It doesn’t hand out the pieces of the jigsaw, it put you on the road to finding them yourselves.
Launched at the start of 2022, and with the first set of mentors and mentees paired together since last May, GCMA Mentor supports the professional and personal development of the next generation of industry professionals.
Five mentors – some of the sport’s most experienced and successful golf club managers – took on a host of up-and-coming leaders aiming to develop their leadership, personal, and professional development skills.
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That’s achieved through regular one-to-ones and group meetings, alongside a series of educational events. And if those who’ve taken part in the programme’s first 12 months are any guide, both mentors and mentees have benefited enormously.
“When I went for the training, it wasn’t as much about helping Horsforth Golf Club with its day-to-day problems per se. It’s about helping me and how I tackle problems and that’s a wider picture,” added Jonathan.
“I needed some more tools to be able to cope personally and I think Richard has given me a lot of those tools.”
For Tom Brooke, who has pioneered the Mentor programme as GCMA chief executive, Jonathan’s words will be music to his ears.
Applicants have recently closed for the next intake of mentees, who will be announced in the coming weeks, and the association chief is already working hard on how to make an already successful programme even better.
“Success is measured by the feedback and the experience that the mentors and mentees are getting from the programme,” he said when summing up the first year.
“By all account, both anecdotally and from the survey we’ve done with those who have taken part, it’s been really successful.
“What we found more and more was that [it built] confidence – our mentors really gibing the mentees the tools they need, and really enhancing their mindset and approach to decision making. So much of that comes down to unlocking that confidence and potential and I think there’s where the success has really come from.”
He added: That’s why this programme is so unique and so special. It’s one-to-one mentoring. These guys are not only building a network of colleagues in their fellow mentees but getting one-to-one support from someone that’s been there and done – and isn’t there to just give you the answers and spoon feed you.”
But it’s not just the mentees who have been flourishing. “It’s everything I thought it would be and more,” explained Boyce Hill General Manager, and GCMA Mentor, Scott Clark.
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Membership of the GCMA unlocks a network of like-minded professionals, provides you with support in your professional and personal development, and provides you with a multitude of benefits. Whether that’s the tools that will help you to excel in your profession, or a wide range of services to support your wellbeing, signing up to the GCMA is joining a community.
“I’ve found the process personally very rewarding. I’m sure all the guys would say this but I’ve been quite fortunate with the individuals I’ve been able to work with.
“It’s been great to see some, what I can only describe as, light-bulb moments for them and really discovering their own potential. It’s been a real privilege to have been part of that, developing that, and helping them see that in themselves.”
He added: “[GCMA Mentor] It is to help individuals develop. I’ve actually challenged myself to do that, because you’ve got to get out of a management mode and being a general manager to being a sounding board and a support mechanism for the guys that you’re working with.
“It’s exceptionally rewarding – giving an opportunity to really help try and almost future proof our industry with the individuals we have in it and help them be better equipped for the future.
“The challenges that general managers will face in the next five to 10 years are completely different to what we faced in the last 10 years. So just helping them be aware of what’s out there, and what they are capable of doing – the benefits are unrivalled.”
What is GCMA Mentor?
GCMA Mentor supports the professional and personal development of experienced and successful golf club managers, to develop leadership, communication and coaching skills as they take on the role of guiding the next generation of leaders.
GCMA Mentors helps up-and-coming golf club managers and those new to the industry looking to develop their careers and become golf club managers. They are involved in group and 1-2-1 sessions as well as the GCMA education programme. Read more about GCMA Mentor here.
Listen to GCMA Insights on the Golf Club Talk UK podcast by using the player in this article, or by clicking here.
This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.
Get involved in the debate. To join the GCMA, click here, or to organise a call with a member of the GCMA team, just complete this form and we’ll be in touch!
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