As clubs come of age, an opportunity exists to include everyone in a celebration of what makes a property special.
Many clubs, of both the city and country variety, are poised to “come of age” and celebrate notable anniversaries in the new millennium, because their founding coincided with the creation of new population centers, and with it one of the early growth periods for golf, as the U.S. expanded and filled in during the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th.
As part of their renewed focus on membership issues—both to hold existing levels and attract new interest—many of these clubs have seen, and are seizing, a unique opportunity to take full advantage of reaching significant milestones. The appeal of marking these occasions comes not only because it’s a notable achievement to have prospered for so long, but also because real marketing benefits can be gained—and the chances of reaching the next anniversary can be greatly enhanced—by highlighting all that a club has accomplished during its history.
Making a big deal about an anniversary can also be a lot of fun for both members and staff, and an opportunity to stage some unique and creative events. And for really special milestones, some clubs are learning to party like there’s no tomorrow. This past June, The Fort Worth Club in Texas pulled out all the stops for a spectacular 125th anniversary celebration (details of the event were provided in the August 2010 C&RB, and can also be found online at clubandresortbusiness.com/article/10291).
Getting maximum mileage from a milestone-inspired celebration, however, is directly related to the care and forethought that’s put into how it will be marked. Like the husband who slaps his head in late recognition of an anniversary and then rushes out to get a hastily selected and/or unimaginative gift, clubs will stand to lose much that can be gained from these occasions if ample time isn’t taken, well in advance, to start the planning process for 1) creating and providing all of the commemorative touches that can capture what’s truly unique and special about the property, and 2) working through the many details required for smooth and memorable execution of anniversary-related events.
While The Fort Worth Club took special care to honor those who had been part of the club for many years as part of its 125th Anniversary Celebration (individual portraits of long-time member couples were also taken), the festivities also provided appeal for multi-generational families from among the membership, and other peer groups. |
For The Fort Worth Club’s gala, reports Celestina Blok, the club’s Special Events & Marketing Manager, “fervent planning” began four months ahead of the affair. Coordinated through a special Anniversary Celebration Committee created from among the membership, all of the elaborate details were meticulously determined not only for the black-tie event itself, but also the many complementary aspects that led up to it and provided keepsake takeaways (including a “past and future” invitation booklet that cleverly positioned old photos over identical current shots of the club, and a 16-page, tabloid-size history, with advertising, that was prepared as an insert for the Fort Worth Business Press).
At the same time, the club staff carefully worked out behind-the-scenes logistics for the 340-person dinner, including how to utilize auxiliary rooms to plate special dishes created by Executive Chef Tim Prefontaine and his staff for the occasion.
The same attention to detail is needed when mapping out a series of events that will be tied to an anniversary year—and here, too, you can never start too far in advance of the actual milestone.
Green Island Country Club in Columbus, Ga. has already planned a full calendar of events for its 50th anniversary celebration in 2011, which was kicked off at the end of November with the debut of its new club history book.
And as initial steps toward gearing up for its 100th anniversary in 2014, Golden Valley (Minn.) Golf & Country Club has already started to plan and hold recognition parties for membership groups, such as the one it held for 25-year members this past fall (C&RB, October 2010, and clubandresortbusiness.com/article/10791).
Additional PHOTOS from The Ft. Worth Club’s 125th anniversary celebration
Recognition All Around
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS can create a lot of extra work for club employees—many of whom may not yet share a lot of knowledge about, or passion for, the property and history being celebrated. But events built around milestones—and the process of planning them—can also offer an opportunity to engage everyone on a staff, no matter how long they’ve worked for the club, to not only display and contribute special creativity, but also feel more a part of what’s being celebrated. The parties will be better—and the value will be greater and longer-lasting—if care is also taken to include ample involvement, and recognition, of all staff as part of the festivities. |
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