New General Manger appointed

[3offTheTee]

Our Club has decided on a restructuring and a new GM will be in charge from January 2026.

There were almost 30 applicants, I was not involved, and the guy that has been chosen hs not been involved with golf but was GM at a large Hotel locally.

He played golf to a good level (HC 7) around 30 years’ ago. The Club has retained the Golf Pro. The Secretary left last year and his main role will be to take pressure from The Captains and President and replace her in running The Office and overseeing Food and Beverage.

1.My main question is have any of you gone down a similar route in taking someone who came from a non golfing background and how successful or otherwise has it been?

2. Also thoughts on taking somebody who has never been involved in golf? The Club did not rush into the appointment with some outside people involved in the selection process

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our Club has decided on a restructuring and a new GM will be in charge from January 2026.

There were almost 30 applicants, I was not involved, and the guy that has been chosen hs not been involved with golf but was GM at a large Hotel locally.

He played golf to a good level (HC 7) around 30 years’ ago. The Club has retained the Golf Pro. The Secretary left last year and his main role will be to take pressure from The Captains and President and replace her in running The Office and overseeing Food and Beverage.

1.My main question is have any of you gone down a similar route in taking someone who came from a non golfing background and how successful or otherwise has it been?

2. Also thoughts on taking somebody who has never been involved in golf? The Club did not rush into the appointment with some outside people involved in the selection process

Our GM was appointed when we split the Secretary role - we no longer have a secretary as such...we have a General Manager and an Assistant General Manager. Our GM came from another club where he had a similar - though less lead - role. He's a good SF handicapper (not that that makes much difference IMO). I'd say he's doing an excellent job.

Our AGM is our ex-Head PGA pro. His role is to support the GM with his focus being on all aspects of managing the golf side of the club supported by the Handicap and Comp secs. We have also recently appointed a Retail Manager (full scope of role yet to be finalized) to take on, in the first instance, that side of things from the Head Pro (the club runs the pro shop). He has come from a having similar role in other clubs. To be based in our expanded and completely refurbished pro shop (work on it due to finish in couple of weeks), he will also be the 'welcoming' face of the club to visitors and societies.

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Our Club has decided on a restructuring and a new GM will be in charge from January 2026.

There were almost 30 applicants, I was not involved, and the guy that has been chosen hs not been involved with golf but was GM at a large Hotel locally.

He played golf to a good level (HC 7) around 30 years’ ago. The Club has retained the Golf Pro. The Secretary left last year and his main role will be to take pressure from The Captains and President and replace her in running The Office and overseeing Food and Beverage.

1.My main question is have any of you gone down a similar route in taking someone who came from a non golfing background and how successful or otherwise has it been?

2. Also thoughts on taking somebody who has never been involved in golf? The Club did not rush into the appointment with some outside people involved in the selection process

I think it’s forward thinking and makes logical business sense. Going by how you’ve described it his main role is going to be admin based looking after the clubs employees etc, improving the food and beverage quality/income and take pressure of the clubs representatives as a face of the social side of the club.

In that regards it makes far more sense to have someone with a leisure and tourism background that can be the friendly face people want to see and approach about issues and can improve all those aspects of the club. Then allows the Pro, Greenkeepers etc to focus on the course and golf side, it should allow you the best of all worlds and hopefully creates a harmonious and welcoming club.

I’ve experienced it a previous club and it improved it no end, having someone that could separate themselves from the golf meant all focus was on the club etc, revenue increased, food and drink quality went up and social activities became hugely subscribed as they weren’t trying to wear to many hats and being average at everything instead it allowed all the relevant parties to be excellent in their respective areas.

 

[NearHull]

We appointed a new Manager around 4 years ago. His background was also hotels. He managed many very large chain hotels and was also used as an improvement manager sent in to turn failing hotels around. Whilst one of the hotels did have a golf course, and he does play casual golf, he would be the first to admit that his golfing knowledge is no more than the average member.
As Director Competition and Handicaps, I have worked very closely with him, helping him with golf advice and background knowledge. It has been a success, he has brought to the Club greatly needed hospitality experience.
Given a choice between golf knowledge and hospitality knowledge, the hospitality wins hands down. Your Club has made the right choice on experience.

 

[The Squirrel]

Yes, seems entirely sensible.

Golfing knowledge of various sorts is surely supplied by the Pro, Any assistants, Head Greenkeeper and the captains/committees. So most clubs have lots of golf knowledge already. What most clubs lack and need is knowledge about managing commercial food/beverage operations as well as management of both employment and finances, marketing and attracting visitors, etc etc. Hire someone to plug the skill gaps, not just duplicate what you have already.

 

[Crazyface]

What on earth is a General Manager???? Lol....not

 

[IanM]

He'll have most of it...and more commercial accumen than some.

Plenty of resources available from Golf Club Managers Association too.

 

[Hobbit]

Was at a club about 25 years back that went down that route. It was a huge success. Any complex golf issues were dealt with by committee members, though that interaction reduced as the GM got up to speed on that side of the business. The pluses were the accounting(Sage) and HR knowledge along with the ease at which the general admin was dealt with.

 

[3offTheTee]

Thanks guys for the input, some really valid comments, appreciated.

He has a huge task but the course and handicap and competitions look after them selves. It will give him time to concentrate on matters he is well versed in including Food and Beverage, staff issues and man management .

 

[irip]

I was at a club who replaced a general manager who was very much a golf person with someone who was very much a business person.
The first year profits were up massively as the new person just increased the price of everything and made more times available for green fees and societies.
The following year the club lost a significant amount of members though as they were not getting value for money anymore and the profits were not getting put back into the club.
The GM was replaced before they got to the third year.

I think having a business person in this position makes sense as long as they are the right person and flanked by golf people.

 

[LincolnShep]

A new manger just in time for Christmas. How festive.

 

[3offTheTee]

A new manger just in time for Christmas. How festive.

Think you will find it is from January 2026. However he has been to The Club.

 

[kp17]

Our Club has decided on a restructuring and a new GM will be in charge from January 2026.

There were almost 30 applicants, I was not involved, and the guy that has been chosen hs not been involved with golf but was GM at a large Hotel locally.

He played golf to a good level (HC 7) around 30 years’ ago. The Club has retained the Golf Pro. The Secretary left last year and his main role will be to take pressure from The Captains and President and replace her in running The Office and overseeing Food and Beverage.

1.My main question is have any of you gone down a similar route in taking someone who came from a non golfing background and how successful or otherwise has it been?

2. Also thoughts on taking somebody who has never been involved in golf? The Club did not rush into the appointment with some outside people involved in the selection process

I can remember at club I was at years ago the GM role was an old pals act, a decent salary for older members retired from their own line of work, most of whom had 0 clue of how to manage a golf club, and that showed with the club continuing to go downhill. At least 3 guys I can remember in same boat over about a 15/20 year period.