Quote of the Month
Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of a bagpipe.– Lee Trevino |
Clubs are a segment of the hospitality industry, not simply the golf or club market. The most successful clubs think this way.
Food for thought…
A recent survey that crossed my desk reported that dining activities actually outranked golf—if only slightly—in terms of importance to golf club members. And the PGA Performance Trak (a combined effort of the PGA of America and National Golf Club Owners Association) reported that, while golf rounds were essentially flat this February compared to last year (after accounting for the extra leap year day in 2008), median club food and beverage revenue for the month was up 12.6%. My guess is that menu price increases contributed little, if anything, to that growth.
These news items aligned with my recent experience at our inaugural Chef to Chef Conference. This peer-to-peer educational and networking event was attended by executive chefs and general managers from outstanding clubs and resorts across the country. Some lasting impressions from the conference included:
- Successful clubs exhibit the same passion for the creativity, quality, and excellence of their F&B operations as they do for their course conditions, clubhouse facilities, and the overall “club” experience.
- This passion emanates from the top and is cultivated through a close working relationship among the GM, the Executive Chef, and the F&B team—all in conjunction with a shared vision of what the club stands for.
- The skill set of the best club chefs extends way beyond culinary expertise—these men and women “get it” in terms of the business side of club operations as well. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by this, but it was a real eye-opener for me.
This all adds up to further evidence that clubs are a segment of the hospitality industry, not simply the golf or club market. The most successful clubs think this way.
Where were you?…
Not at the Golf Industry Show (GIS) in New Orleans, it seems. Show organizers report that attendance was down around 20% compared to last year—and my guess is it was more likely on the order of 35%. Yes, the economy is a factor; however, the lack of traffic on the show floor suggests there is more to the story.
I have been an advocate of the GIS concept since its inception; however, the show’s execution (and some people would vote for it) remains a work in progress. A major problem has been that educational sessions either conflict with show floor exhibit hours, or are scheduled in a way that makes it difficult for attendees to spend much time on the exhibit floor. Remember, exhibitor fees pay for the show, so their degree of “happiness” counts.
Changes to address these conflicts have been made for next year’s show in San Diego. The new plan calls for two days allocated exclusively to show hours, which will be preceded and followed by full days of conference schedules. I hope it works—trade shows are a vital forum for networking and continuing education, which takes place both in the conference rooms and on the show floor.
Quotes…
Our editor, Joe Barks, tells Bill Donohue and me that this is our page to do with as we please. To that end, I am adding a new twist to the bottom of my bi-monthly column—a quote of the month.
The quote may make you think, or simply put a smile on your face—something all of us could use a bit more of these days. If you have, or come across, a quote you particularly like, send it to me at [email protected].
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