Unlocking Investment Without Compromise: Chesterfield GC Case Study

02 April 2026

From GCMA Partners Golf Finance

At Chesterfield Golf Club, delivering an exceptional member experience remains a central focus. Recognising the growing demand for modern, flexible practice facilities, the club has successfully introduced a state-of-the-art indoor swing studio, an investment that is already transforming engagement, coaching, and revenue opportunities.

The Vision

At Chesterfield Golf Club, the member experience remains a central priority. Recognising the importance of providing modern, flexible training facilities, General Manager Sean Boyle led the development of an indoor swing studio to enhance the club’s year-round offering. The facility is designed to support golfers of all abilities while introducing additional services that add value for both members and the club.

The Process

In collaboration with Golf Studio Design, the club created a state-of-the-art studio incorporating the latest performance technology, including Trackman systems, high-speed video analysis, and realistic simulators. These tools facilitate personalised coaching, detailed swing analysis, and custom club fitting. Funding was provided by Golf Finance through a structured solution that enabled investment in the facility without impacting existing capital resources, ensuring financial flexibility throughout the project.

Rather than relying on existing reserves or delaying investment, Chesterfield Golf Club utilised a structured funding package that enabled the project to move forward immediately. The solution was designed to:

Spread the cost of installation over an agreed term
Preserve the club’s capital for other priorities
Align repayments with the revenue generated by the new facility
Provide financial stability and predictability throughout the project

This approach allowed the club to invest confidently in a high-quality facility without placing pressure on day-to-day finances or long-term planning.

The Outcome

Since opening, the swing studio has quickly become a central hub for member engagement. It offers a premium indoor environment for practice, coaching and virtual play, significantly enhancing the overall member experience.

The facility has also elevated the club’s coaching offer, giving professionals access to cutting-edge tools in a dedicated, high-performance setting. This has driven increased participation in lessons, fittings and structured coaching programmes.

Importantly, the studio is not just an amenity, it is a revenue-generating asset. By introducing new services and year-round usage, the club has created an additional income stream that supports ongoing financial sustainability.

By Mark Shanley

More from Your Community

From career gamble to Manager of the Year: Gareth Evans’ impact at Mountain Ash

1 Apr 2026By GCMA Content Team

After taking a gamble on a career change, Gareth Evans…

Smarter Staff Management for Golf Clubs: How to Reduce Admin and Take Control of Rostering

26 Mar 2026By Mark Shanley

From GCMA Partners Nextrasoft Running a successful golf club involves…

Excellence recognised at the Wales Golf Awards

25 Mar 2026By GCMA Content Team

GCMA members were among the winners at the Wales Golf…

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.

This will close in 0 seconds

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.