As one of our Mentors, Scott Clark has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the challenges and opportunities facing Golf Club Managers.
Scott Clark has worked in the golf industry for over 30 years, having qualified as a PGA Professional in the mid-1990s.
He made the moved into club management just over 25 years ago, working for a commercial operator within the industry for the majority of that time and having been posted to a number of clubs around England.
For the past eight years he has moved back towards private member club management, as General Manager at Boyce Hill Golf Club, before moving to Woking Golf Club as Managing Director.
He is also a GCMA Mentor and we caught up with him to discuss his role and some of the challenges of being a Golf Club Manager.
Why did you get involved as a Mentor and how are you finding the experience?
I was excited to be selected and get involved with the Mentor scheme. I remember my first GM position; I was literally given the keys to the club and told how to turn on the computer. The day previously I was the Head Teaching Professional! Having a mentor at that period in my career would have been a major support mechanism, so when I saw the scheme, it was of great interest to get involved.
Being a mentor is not about providing answers; it’s about challenging the mentee to find their own answers. Mentoring is rewarding; it may sound cliché but I have always been interested in individuals that display ambition, to progress and show willingness to challenge, learn and enhance their own development; that is why I wanted to be involved with the programme. I have always encouraged members of my own team to develop, to challenge themselves and support them when they need it most.
It has been so rewarding to see how the mentees I have worked with develop, challenge themselves and gain so much more confidence in their own ability and self-belief.
What are some of the most common challenges faced by those you mentor, or challenges that are prevalent in golf club management?
From experience, I think the biggest challenge we all face at times is self-confidence. Club Management can be a very lonely place at times and I am sure we have all had those self-doubts, second guessing yourself, but it is so important to self-reflect, do not be afraid to ask questions, gather opinions and views to then make informed decisions rather than rash ones.
A Club Manager in this day and age has so many hats to wear, has to be so engaged and abreast with so many different areas; finance, food & beverage, health & safety, HR, governance, sustainability — the list goes on. With all of this, the pressures are greater; members expectations are higher, and the Club Managers are having to be so much more commercially aware.
How would you define your style of management and what makes a good manager?
I have always adopted an approach where I encourage input, give ownership which in turn creates accountability, and ensure that my team are supported and encouraged to bring innovation and new ideas to the table. If your team feel empowered to be able to provide input, create ideas, be innovative, they will take ownership. We will all make mistakes, we need to own those as well but mistakes should not always be perceived as a negative; it is a learning process, however making the same mistake twice, you have not clearly learned from the first time around, that is when I do have a problem.
As for what makes a good manager — great question.
I am a great believer that the manager influences everything in terms of standards, mood, and environment for the team. Being an excellent communicator is one of the key qualities in a good manager; essential in ensuring that your team have clear direction and understanding of what is expected in any given task, or applied to any longer term vision.
They are also the team’s support mechanism, being there in varying capacities; to lead, to listen, to guide, to provide feedback, to encourage, to develop.
Finally, for me personally I think the most important qualities a good manager requires is a level of EQ (emotional intelligence); I believe this quality can be the difference in being able to achieve that extra 10% from the team; to empathise, to be able to connect at a level where you understand what motivates them, what demotivates them.
The Advanced Leadership and Emotional Intelligence course takes place across September 23-25 at the Hilton Oxford Belfry.
Click here to book now
You will leave this course:
- Self-aware, enlightened and more confident to be yourself in both easy and tough circumstances
- Knowing how to encourage excellent performance in your teams through both encouraging and informative feedback, and by challenging and supporting others to be their best selves too
- With practical tips, a development plan for yourself and with a people strategy for your team
- Knowing how to hold your sense of personal authority in board or committee meetings, and with a strong sense of who you are as a leader and why people should follow you
- With improved confidence, competence and your sense of commitment to your teams and to your clubs
- With insightful material that will continue to support your growth and your ability to build relationships; you will understand your identity (an Insights Discovery profile, an Emotional Intelligence profile) and your reputation (360 Emotional Intelligence and Emotional Capital reports)
Advanced Management Programme – Contact Form
All general enquiries for the GCMA’s Advanced Management Programme
