Membership has its privileges – Golf Inc Magazine

As people age, many like the idea of becoming a joiner. Some join social clubs, book clubs, and other clubs that bring a sense of fellowship, a sense of friendship. In golf, when there is a membership opportunity, club leadership wants to fill every available slot while working hard to build a sense of loyalty. The opportunity to create full membership — while many clubs have a waiting list — has been a huge benefit of this season of COVID. People were wanting to be outdoors, to do things in the fresh air. Golf became the thing after a great deal of preparation and protective measures were put in place by June 2020. Golf course tee sheets became full as people pushed past the daily warnings. Clubs then took advantage by promoting memberships, offering the value of the outdoors without the need to tap the credit card for every round played. Club membership certainly offers a sense of pride for the new member. It offers a true feeling of accomplishment.

As the famous ad states, “Membership has its privileges.” It certainly should as the individual or family makes the decision to take the leap and make the investment. This In My Opinion post will provide three thoughts on the motivation of taking care of those who commit to your club. Whether it is a longstanding member or a first timer, it is important for leadership and staff to create a personal sense of hospitality. It is about care and attention, creating the opportunity for each member to enjoy the experience while playing the game they love. In addition to setting the table for the members, it is vital for every club to take care of the staff, the team that puts on the daily show. As you think about your constituents, appreciate that it includes three groups: your membership group, the staff, and the network serving the club, your supplier community. Each group is a stakeholder in the future success of your club.

Value: Certainly you must present and offer value to the membership each and every day. Members invest a great deal of money for the privilege of membership. It is important to recognize the fact they made the decision to invest in your property. Value is an essential component of membership. While the member invests with their dollars, the staff members invest with their energy and time. It is important to look at the entire concept of value to understand how each of the three groups gains value. The third members of your community include the dozens of suppliers.

Hospitality: The…