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CLUB MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVES

Managers at Work

Three Board meetings a year, no committee meetings to attend, closed five months out

of the year, and no dinners. Sounds great, doesn’t it?

However … when you are a small club of less than 50 employees, who all leave in mid-May with the exception of the golf course staff, you quickly learn to do it all. You are every department – HR, Accounting, Housekeeping. You handle new member orientations, interview new employees, type letters, and answer phones.

I got into this business after marrying a golf professional and realized I loved the golf business. (Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the career lasted longer than the marriage.) Where else do you meet such wonderful people? My break into management came when I was recruited by Jupiter Hills after ten years as the Controller at Frenchman’s Creek. Bob Schmidt, who had just arrived as the General Manager from Muirfield, was looking for a controller and I was looking for a change – perfect timing. After eighteen months he was offered the position at Estancia in Scottsdale, and to my surprise (more shock), he told the Board that I was capable of doing the job as manager. I learned quickly that

GWEN GORDON-POLSELLIClub Manager

Seminole Golf ClubJuno Beach, Florida

having the right people around you is what makes it work.

I have found that no matter where I have been in my 40 years in the club business that the more you are willing to do, the more you learn and understand what it takes to get the actual job done, and what to expect from your employees.

Seminole Golf Club boasts a historic, Donald Ross design course on the Atlantic coast which has seen very little change in its physical appearance. It was built in the late 1920’s by financier E.F. Hutton and has been described as simple and unfussy. In fact, any changes that evolved on the golf course are now being taken back to the original design with the help of Coore &

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A Publication of Master Club AdvisorsJuly/August 2016 Volume XVIII, Number VI

continued on pg. 3

The “Have You Considered These Questions” Good Transition Checklistby Gregg Patterson

Editor’s Note: In past issues of CMP, we often continue longer articles in the following issue. We felt the importance of this article merited “keeping it all together” in this July-August edition. Enjoy the read!

As the immediate past General Manager of The Beach Club, I am officially retired, currently

a full time dues paying Beach Club MEMBER (!!!), full time speaker/MC/facilitator/workshop “deliverer” and part time writer. Whenever people ask me about retirement, I laugh and tell them I never retired, but simply “switched gears,” and am busier than ever in my new life – preaching, teaching and facilitating. I’ve gone from full-time operations to full-time reflecting and because I have, life is richer, more interesting, and more deeply rewarding than ever before!As a full-time “ponderer,” I now have time to focus on enlarging the journey … time to think about, in the mixed-up muddle of experience, the “big issues” that I never had time to think about in the day-to-day, all consuming “gotta get this done NOW” world of club management. My writings are the end result of my ponderings, and it gives me great joy to put my reflections on paper to amuse, entertain, and provoke myself and others.

mAster Club AdVIsors“Search Consultants to the Private Club Community”2

Partner’s Perspectiveby Bill Schulz, MCM

In today’s world, it is imperative to have a food service operation in which members are proud. There is

competition on every level and you are forced to be on the top of your game at all times. I suggest taking a pro-active position – get ahead of any problems and address them before they are blown out of proportion. Approach this issue with a doctor/patient mentality by staying alert to the warning signs and symptoms of a struggling operation, and developing a course of treatment based on your diagnosis of the problem(s).

Often times the General Manager and Executive Chef believe that their food and beverage operation is second to none. Top-notch in their eyes, everything is “Great!” They perceive that members are very satisfied but the reality is this may not be the case. Unless you are keenly aware and objectively evaluate your operation, your false sense of security may be short-lived. This is especially true in evaluating Member Satisfaction Surveys. You and your Chef’s opinion about the club’s food service operation often differ from what the majority of members really think.

I encourage you to take the pulse of your food service operation on a regular basis. As you can imagine, a floundering Food and Beverage operation places management in a very precarious predicament. Members have many choices when it comes to dining and these choices continue to expand at an astonishing

In This IssueManagers at Work . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Good Transition Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Partner’s Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2MCA 2016 Symposium Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Ask Mr. Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Idea Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7The Clock Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

MCA SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE 2016

HUMAN RESOURCES SYMPOSIUM Carolina Country Club

Raleigh, North Carolina August 17-19

GATED COMMUNITY CLUBS Ocean Club, Key Largo, Florida

August 28-30

GREAT COUNTRY CLUBS OF THE SOUTH

Mountain Brook Club The Country Club of Birmingham Greystone Golf and Country Club

Birmingham, Alabama September 12-14

GREAT COUNTRY CLUBS OF THE MIDWEST

Westmoreland Country Club Skokie Country Club

University Club of Chicago Chicago, Illinois

October 18-20

YACHT CLUB SYMPOSIUM Chicago Yacht Club, Chicago, Illinois

October 20-21

pace. Restaurants across the nation are ramping up menus, offering personalized service, specials and promotions – all with the intent of drawing in your members. Being pro-active as opposed to reactive is the key to addressing this problem.

So, let’s be proactive and begin the check-up by evaluating your symptoms:

• What are the members telling you? Are you really listening?

• Who is complaining and how often? (Non-complainers, who have been driven by their dissatisfaction with the food service to complain, are usually an excellent smoke alarm.)

• Are members suggesting other area restaurants for you to visit?

• Are members hesitant to bring guests to the club?

• Is there excess friction between the front and back of the house staff?

• Are employees frustrated with their work?

• Is there an excessive number of food items being returned to the kitchen?

• What is happening with food and labor costs? Has your month-end become a guessing game?

Now, let’s implement an effective course of treatment:

1. Hire the right people. A skilled staff is paramount; however, don’t

forget that passion, integrity, and a good work ethic are skills, too.

2. A chef does more than cook. Ensure you have a chef with excellent people skills in addition to superior cooking ability.

3. Embrace a “bottom up” rather than “top down” management philosophy. Your employees want the same things you do. You will gain the trust and loyalties of your employees by taking the time to not only listen to them – but to really hear what they are telling you.

Is Your Club’s Food Service Operation on Track?

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WWW.MASTERCLUBADVISORS.COM 3

Partner’s Perspective continued ...

continued on pg. 5

4. Involve more people in the decision-making process. Solicit opinions and suggestions. Yes, this form of decision-making may take longer, but it produces a better end result, especially when you’re developing a team.

5. Open the channels of communication between the front and the back of the house employees. Have joint meetings and air out the problems; be responsive and address the problems as quickly as possible. If you say you are going to do something – do it!

6. Practice fiscal responsibility, but correct experience issues before you manage costs. The food business is about great service, a welcoming environment, and using quality ingredients.

7. Focus on the core concepts and fundamentals of the operation first. Improve the basic experience before reaching out with new ideas and concepts. Are you serving the “best hamburger” in town?

8. Never allow a member to wait for the menu, their first cocktail, or the check.

9. Increase service standards and training until excellent service becomes routine. Repeat, repeat, and repeat yourself again and again. Education is vital.

10. Develop fluid delivery systems. Make sure your staff has the tools to do their jobs. Create systems that expedite “stove-to-plate-to-table” in

an efficient manner.

11. Become member-focused. Ask the members what they want and then deliver. Don’t make excuses about why something cannot be done.

12. If you discount in your Food and Beverage operation … stop! If you deliver on the above, you don’t have to discount. Discounting is a short-term solution which will result in damaging the long-term.

13. Stay the course, but never hesitate to change for good reason. Just because something has been done a certain way for a long time doesn’t make it right. “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll only get what you’ve always gotten.”

14. If you make a mistake, acknowledge it, and move on. Focus on conflict resolution rather than blame.

It is very important to take time to acknowledge those employees on your team who work hard to help achieve a turnaround. It is a long journey but don’t forget to celebrate the little things; it makes employees feel good about what they are doing and provides concrete evidence of progress. Don’t forget to reward achievement. Overcoming the negatives takes time and commitment. There is no magic pill that will cure an ailing operation; however, a healthy outlook and a strategic course of treatment are guaranteed tools of the trade that should be kept in all managers’ little black bags.

Next patient, please! l

Food and Beverage is a core component found in all club operations. Often times it’s the little things that can transform an ordinary kitchen, dining and bar operation, into a consistent winner that club members support. In this regard, a third party providing impartial or unbiased insight can help identify the shortcomings and suggest improvements. Need Help? Using his forty-plus years of Food and Beverage experience, Senior Partner and Principal, Bill Schulz, uses an extensive checklist of “key target points” to test and verify during his Food and Beverage Audit. He systematically reviews the entire food and beverage operation and makes recommendations for improvement or reinforcement when things are right. Contact Bill at 713-252-2753 or [email protected].

Gregg Patterson and Norm Spitzig’s “First Annual Road Show” in Australia and New Zealand was very well received. Their topic was “Universal Life Lessons Learned in the Wonderful World of Private Clubs.”

Why This Article?I wrote the following article after transitioning from “active GM” to “retired GM” at The Beach Club. The Board, Transition Committee and I were “innocents” when transition time arrived … after all, this was the first transition for me and The Beach Club in 34 years! We were fortunate that Norm and Master Club Advisors were there to guide us through the process. Norm asked the questions, gave advice, did The Search, delivered The Nudge, and The Beach Club got it right. The Newbie, Michael Chase, is the superstar manager we were looking for! However, it would have been lots easier for The Club if we’d asked, and answered, the right questions in advance. So, to prepare others for the journey from one GM to the next, I’ve drafted the following in hopes that Every Manager Transition is a Good Transition.TransitionTransition happens. Managers come. Managers go. Sometimes it’s a planned transition – exiting in twelve months. Sometimes it’s an unplanned transition – fired. At some point The Big Cheese will be gone, and when Transition happens, the going will be a Big Deal for members, staff and

Transition Checklist continued ...


Response #1 – Norm Spitzig, MCM Always remembering that private clubs truly come in all shapes and sizes, it is fair to say that more private clubs than not are generally quite traditional and conservative—and therefore not all that eager to keep up with “new society norms.” In other words, hiring employees with body piercings, visible tattoos and/or people who like to interject the big four-letter word into their conversations are generally anathema to many, if not most, private club members and general managers. Accordingly, the issue then becomes whether or not an individual private club culture will choose to hire such employees or not. (My good friend Gregg Patterson said it best when he defined “private club culture” as “the sum total of the tangible expressions of a community’s value system.”) Some clubs are so highly regarded (i.e., many people know about the club and really want to work there) and/or financially well-healed (i.e., they can offer highly competitive wages) in their respective individual communities that they can be “very choosy” when it comes to the people they opt to employ. In other words, these sorts of clubs can take their time and hire only people whose core values appropriately mesh with their own. If these clubs’ core values don’t much care for the new norms of society, they can and will hire more conservative and traditional people.Other clubs are often not so lucky and often hire, for many reasons (both valid and not), “whomever is available.” This is most unfortunate because no

good can come of employing people whose core values conflict with the core values of an individual private club. The solution, I believe, is for private club leaders (both volunteer and paid) to really understand “who they truly are, what they want to become, and how they will get there,” (i.e., develop and implement a personalized strategic plan), and then hire accordingly.

Response #2 – Gary Collins, CCMClubs must always maintain their standards! Standards must and do change. Clubs must be very clear on what their standards are and enforce them.Much has changed in clubs over the last 40 years. Dress is more casual, coat and tie requirements in many areas have disappeared, jeans are allowed in many clubs. Clubs that once prohibited cell phones, now have spaces for Wi-Fi and portable electronic devices. The changes are endless and ongoing, but whatever the standards are – they must be made clear and enforced uniformly.A perfect example of changing standards is that most golf clubs are far more women-friendly today than they once were. To be sure, there are still men-only and women-only clubs. If that is the club standard, then enforce it. The point is to be clear about the standards and the enforcement of them.Restrictions on tattoos and piercing generally apply to employees, not members. Some clubs and businesses have restrictions on visible tattoos and piercings for employees. “If it is not

visible, it is your business.” If you have these types of restrictions, they should be made clear pre-employment, and the restrictions should be enforced. The club attorney and HR department must be involved in writing these rules. If you have different rules for men’s and women’s ear lobes, you must be very clear about them. (Again, attorney approved.)“The employer has a right to establish a dress code for his organization. If you have body piercings, he can request that you remove the related jewelry while at work. While you can’t remove a tattoo, your employer can demand that you cover the tattoo while you’re working. If a pierce-free, tattoo-free look is part of the uniform and it’s in the dress code, he has every right to fire you if you don’t follow the rules.The only exception to the above may be if the piercings or tattoos could be said to be part of an ethnic or tribal custom.” Attorney Stewart McKelveyRefraining from offensive and/or explicit language and following mannerly conduct rules apply to both employees and members. Allowing anyone to curse someone out can lead to very expensive “hostile work environment” litigation.Club standards are, of course, always changing and evolving. We must be clear about what our club standards are now. We must also understand they may change in the future. I firmly believe we can find a work force and a membership that fit our club standards. This is not easy and it does require consistent and uniform enforcement of well-written standards. In the recruiting business, I see the leaders of our industry in action every day. They

Ask Mr. Manager

Many General Managers today are facing the frustration of the “new society norms” including tattoos, piercings, even cursing in the club environment (both employees AND members in the millennial generation). Do private country clubs have to yield to new society norms to keep a work force? What do we have to accept or not accept to have and maintain a steady staff, all the while protecting the quality and tradition of the club?

continued on pg. 5

Ask Mr. Manager continued ...

are smart, hard-working, articulate, and up to this task!

Response #3 – Luke O’Boyle, CCM The premise of the question centers on whether some of these changes are in fact a new “norm,” or just a fad. Fads are more likely to come and go. Just think back to the attire and hair styles of the 1960s or the 1980s. Clubs have been able to continue to attract and retain a core group of polished professionals over that period of time. Many of those employees from the 80s are now our 30 year plus employees. With the exception of facial tattoos and ear stretching to accommodate larger jewels, more subtle body art and piercings can often be masked or removed during the work day. Over the years I have worked with any number of employees who had tattoos or piercings on their bodies but who covered them during their workday. By dressing appropriately while at work and hiding their markings, they struck the important balance of being independent, while not allowing their choices to reflect negatively on their place of employment.There is no question that clubs face this more today than ever before. It is

also a bigger issue in some parts of the country than others. Establishing and providing employment candidates with a clear list of appearance standards is an important first step. Asking questions relative to ensuring they are willing and able to comply with those standards is the next step. (It may be necessary to customize those standards by department thereby not eliminating the entire population from prospective employment, but just limit those to positions where the members would be less likely to be impacted.)Each manager has to weigh the value proposition of hiring individuals who may not meet the members’ perceived image of what an employee should look like. If it is a significant issue for your club, take it to the appropriate committee or the Board and begin the discussion now. Discuss potential revisions to appearance standards to allow yourself greater flexibility. See where members draw the line in their own minds as to what is appropriate and what is not at their club. l


“For the first time, the weird and the stupid and the coarse are becoming our cultural norms, even our cultural ideal.”

– Carl Bernstein

continued on pg. 7

management. Everyone involved in The Transition – the current manager, the incoming manager, the spouse of the incoming manager, the staff, the Board and the members – wants the right thing to be done at the right time in the right way. Everyone involved wants assurance that The Powers That Be have been asking and answering the right questions. Everyone involved wants to know that the club created a Good Transition White Paper that’s on file, locked away, ready to activate when Transition Time arrives. And every Good Transition White Paper starts with The “Have You Considered These Questions” Good Transition Checklist.Every club answers each of the checklist questions differently. The key for Boards and Managers is asking the right questions – first. Knowing the questions stimulates deep pondering and leads to Right Answers for a given club. So start the process. Prepare for transition. Ponder these …Phase I: Anticipating “The Transition” Long Before Transition HappensBoards know transition is coming – sooner or later. Long before it’s time to go, preparations are needed. First question to ask: Does the club have a Planned (Retirement Time) and Unplanned (Hit by a Bus) “Transition” White Paper, current and in the file, answering all of the questions raised in the “Good Transition Checklist?”Phase II: Time to GoMaking the decision to exit or to be exited is a biggie. Members, management, and staff want to know why, why now, and how. 1. What are the club’s criteria for a

great GM, in priority order?2. Are those criteria known to the

current GM, and to the staff and


CMAA and NCA Representatives - Luke O’Boyle, CCM, CCE; Jeff Morgan, FASAE, CAE; Brad Steele; Kirk Reese, CCM; and Ted Benn - met with House and Senate leadership staff on Capitol Hill for National Golf Day in May.

Managers at Work continued ...

Crenshaw. Ben Hogan considered Seminole the model for what he thought every private golf club ought to be and would practice here before going to the Masters.

We have members who have been here for more than fifty years, Board members who have served for as long as 25 years, and the Presidents usually hold office for ten years and then select their successor. Most important decisions are made by the President himself. This may be what has made the Club so consistently successful all these years.

Seminole does not have a huge dining room for holding social events and no spa and fitness. But when you have the great membership that Seminole does, these features are not important. It’s all about golf, lunch, and personal service. No one complains. They all appreciate what you do for them and tell you so. I wouldn’t trade that

“We have … Board members who have served for as long as 25 years, and the Presidents usually hold

office for ten years and then select their successor.”

continued on pg. 7


“I learned quickly that having the right people

around you is what makes it work.”

Seminole Office Staff from 2014 (Gwen, Maria Lewer, and Shirley Prebor). Gwen dedicates this photo to Maria, who died last summer after a five year battle with cancer.

SEMINOLE GOLF CLUB Juno Beach, Florida

Year Club was Founded: ........................................................................... 1929

Number of Members: .................................................................................. 325

Initiation Fee: ..................................................................................... $100,000

Initiation Fee Income: .................................................................... $1,300,000

Annual Dues Income: ..................................................................... $3,860,000

Annual Food and Beverage Sales: .................................................... $370,000

Annual Golf Revenue: ...................................................................... $582,500

Golf Course: ................................................................. Donald Ross, 18 Holes

Clubhouse: ...........................................................................27,000 square feet

Swimming Pool:...................................................One Salt Water Pool, 40X80

The Club’s Most Difficult Challenge: Age of facility and layout

Something Unique and Special about the Club: 86 year old Donald Ross design on the Atlantic Ocean

looks forward to the event each year.

During my career, I raised three wonderful children and now I play a huge role in the lives of my four beautiful granddaughters – the

for the most modern of facilities and amenities. Employees stay for this reason; 50% of our employees have been here over five years and others have 20-30 years of service.

Each year after the Honda Classic, we hold our Pro-Member which includes most of the field from the Honda. In recent years winners included the likes of Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler, but during the early years it was Ben Hogan and Arnold Palmer. It is just a fun, relaxed day for the pros and the membership

Managers at Work continued ...

oldest of which just graduated high school and will be off to NYU in the fall. I’m sure most of my male counterparts never considered what it would be like to do their jobs and still have all the “mom” responsibilities. My very understanding husband is


Recognizable 2013 Major Championship Winners participated in the Seminole 2014 Pro-Member Tournament: Phil Mickelson, Jason Dufner, Justin Rose, and Adam Scott

membership?3. Have any shortcomings been

discussed with the current GM, and was he or she given an opportunity to correct and improve?

4. Does the Board have a “We’ll Know When It’s Time for a Change” checklist clearly identifying the red flags signaling it’s time?

5. Has the Board communicated its three “Transition Checklists” – its “Criteria for The Good GM,” its “We’ll Know When It’s Time for a Change” and its “Here’s How We’ll Handle the Transition,” with the manager who’s transitioning, and with the membership and the staff who’ll be impacted by the change?

6. Who decides, and how is the decision made, when it’s time to transition the sitting GM?

7. How and when will The Transition be communicated to the membership and staff?

Phase III: The Search BeginsOnce the decision’s been made to “Do Transition,” the club needs to find the right person for the GM job. Having a checklist covering “Who’ll Do The Search,” where they’ll search, and how to select is critical. Here are a few of the questions you’ll need to ask:1. How and when will the search

process be communicated to the membership and staff?

2. Who will be on the Transition Committee and what will their responsibilities be?

3. How will the Transition Committee interface with the Board during the search?

4. What role will the outgoing GM have in the search?

5. Will the committee investigate how other clubs have conducted their search? continued on pg. 8


the Assistant General Manager at Frenchman’s Creek. Now in his 25th year there, he has come to recognize in our fourteen years together, that during the months of January through March, there is little time for anything outside of our clubs.

Seminole is now in the process of preparing the golf course and clubhouse for the 2021 Walker Cup. This will be the first competition open to the public since opening in 1929, and the first time the Walker Cup will be held in Florida. I can’t wait to see how the best young amateurs from Great Britain, Ireland, and the United States stack up against each other on what the staff and members consider Paradise! l

After attending a children’s book reading by Laura Bush and Jenna Bush Hager in May, it occurred to me that the actual “reading of books” to our little ones is one of the most important activities – certainly one

with the most impact – that we can do. And it’s so simple. At home OR as a club activity. It doesn’t take much time, with little or no expense. For this particular reading, Mrs. Bush and Jenna simply sat on a stage and – with much animation, clarity, sincerity and laughter – read each page and held up the colorful illustrations to a spellbound audience. This particular children’s book, “Our Great Big Backyard,” focuses on a young girl whose parents encourage her to “look up” during a vacation road trip instead of staring at her all-too-familiar tablet or phone; and in the process she found bigger, brighter, and more exciting sights. A great theme. And there are hundreds of excellent children’s books out today with equally meaningful messages.

As General Managers and Catering Directors/Event Planners, we all try to outdo ourselves every year when it comes to events for members’ children at our clubs, and often forget the very simplest possibilities. But Meghan Holobetz at Schuylkill Country Club in Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania didn’t forget! Meghan and her team decided to take their love for reading and children and capitalize on it with events that their whole membership could enjoy.

Meghan explains “Founded in 1921, Schuylkill is a charming, historic club with 470 members who love their golf (a Donald Ross course) and look at the club as their second home, especially the children. The staff feels the same way, so it is great when we can come up with different opportunities to help

Idea Fair by Patti Stanwood

continued on pg. 12



MCA Partner Gary Collins raised over $28,000 last year (#1 among teams) for children’s charities through Marathon Golf. Gary played 150 holes from daylight until dark. This is the equivalent of two PGA tour events over eight days plus six more holes – in one day! All Marathoners combined raised over $155,000.

6. How will committees, the general membership and staff provide input into the qualities they feel are needed by the next GM?

7. What are the qualities needed, in priority order, for the new GM?

8. How much is the club willing to pay and what are the benefits the club’s willing to provide to the right candidate?

9. How will the search be communicated to interested GMs in the marketplace?

10. Will the club be using a head hunter?

11. If a head hunter is not used, how will the search be conducted?

12. If a head hunter is used, will that person be a “club industry specific” or a generic “I’ll Find the Big Cheese for any Business in Any Industry” head hunter?

13. Will the current GM sit in on the head hunter interviews?

14. What are the criteria to be used in selecting the right head hunter

from amongst those interviewed, and what questions will be asked to determine if they’ve got the goods?

15. Will the head hunter be asked to identify candidates who are employed outside of the club industry?

16. How will the head hunter come to know and understand the club’s culture, and will he or she draft a club profile, which is then approved by the Committee, as part of the search process?

17. Will the head hunter draft a job specification sheet, which is then approved by the Committee, as part of the search process?

18. How and where will the head hunter search for the right candidates?

19. What criteria will the head hunter use to evaluate and screen the pile of resumes?

Phase IV: Interviewing Semi-Finalists1. Before presenting the most

qualified candidates to the Committee for consideration, will the head hunter discuss the position, the club, the geography and the challenges in detail with each of the qualified candidates to confirm that they know what they’re getting into?

2. How many resumes will the head hunter present for Committee consideration?

3. Will the head hunter meet personally with the Committee to discuss, in detail, each of the qualified candidates?

4. How many candidates will be selected for the preliminary round of interviews?

5. Will the current GM up-brief the semi-finalists either in advance of or when they arrive for the interview?

6. Will the semi-finalists tour the facility for an exposure opportunity to staff, members and facility before their interview?

7. Will the semi-finalists be encouraged to meet with or talk to the current GM on or before their interview day?

8. Will the semi-finalists be sent a package of background information in advance of their interview – and if yes, what? Will the semi-finalists be separated from other semi-finalists on interview day – and if so, how?

9. How will the semi-finalist interviews be conducted – by whom, when, and where?

10. Will the head hunter sit in on the interviews?

11. Will the current GM sit in on the interviews?

12. Who will draft the interview questions for the semi-finalists and will those questions be assigned to specific committee members in advance?

continued on pg. 9

13. If none of the semi-finalists resonate, will the head hunter be required to pursue alternative search avenues?

14. What criteria will be used to select the finalists from amongst the semi-finalists interviewed?

15. Who communicates “you’ve lost” or “you’ve won” to the semi-finalists – and how much feedback will they provide as to why?

Phase V: Interviewing FinalistsFinalists will be selected from the semi-finalists interviewed. Decision time has arrived. 1. Will a club representative –

Board, Committee or GM – visit the finalists at their home location for an up-brief meeting before the final interview?

2. Will the spouses of the finalists be interviewed to confirm their support for the position and the geography?

3. Will the head hunter sit in on the interviews?

4. Will the current GM sit in on the interviews?

5. Will the supervisors interview the finalists?

6. Will the Board interview the finalists?

7. Will the finalists meet club representatives in a social setting before or after the second interview?

8. Should “Short List” candidates be given a problem to analyze, document, and present to the Transition Committee and Board?

9. What new questions will be asked – and by whom – during the finalist interviews?

10. Does the Committee make the decision on whom – or do they simply recommend who to the Board?

11. Does the Committee sit with the Board to explain their recommendation?

12. Who makes the final decision on whom – and is unanimity required?

13. Who communicates “you’ve lost” or “you’ve won” to the finalists – and how much feedback will they provide as to why?

14. Who drafts the contract – and what “wiggle room” is there in the final package negotiations?

15. Will the head hunter act as the intermediary between the club and the selected candidate during the final negotiations to ensure that the best interests of both parties are served?

16. How and when will the winner be announced to the staff and general membership?

Phase VI: Pre-Arrival PreparationThe Newbie has been selected but he/she is yet to arrive at the club. Questions need to be answered.1. Should the incoming manager

up-brief/debrief the outgoing manager?

2. Who will prepare the staff for The Transition – and how will that priming be done?

3. How will the membership be prepared for the arrival of The Newbie?

4. What should be done to prepare the committees for the Newbie’s arrival?

5. What should be done to prepare the Newbie for committee expectations?

6. What practical issues will the spouse need to address and how might the club help in addressing those issues?

7. What are the practical issues the Newbie needs to address during the move, and how might the club help?


8. Should the Newbie meet with the outgoing GM, senior staff and key club members off-site in preparation for the arrival on site?

9. Should the Newbie meet with the outgoing GM, senior staff and key club members on site before moving in and taking over the GM office?

10. What background reading will the Newbie be given before arrival?

11. Should the outgoing GM be given an exit interview – and if so, what should be asked, and by whom?

12. Should the outgoing GM be given the opportunity to write a good bye letter to the general membership?

Phase VI: Post Arrival The Newbie will experience a honeymoon phase following their arrival. This is a one-shot opportunity to solidify their support, build their goodwill bank account, and establish themselves as a leader. A few of the questions that should be asked are:1. Will the head hunter create a

performance review template for the club and GM to use during the transition year?

2. Will there be an overlap period during which both the current and the incoming GM are working together at the club?

3. Will the spouse/family of The Newbie be allowed club privileges?

4. Will the headhunter be asked to mentor the Newbie – and if yes, for how long?

5. Will the new GM receive the same new member orientation as new members?

6. Will the Newbie get the same new employee orientation as any new employee?

7. Will the Transition Committee remain active mentoring the


continued on pg. 11


I have a theory about clubs and their managers. This theory has been a very long time

announcing itself to me, seeping into my conscience bit, by personal episode, by bit. My theory is distilled from forty years toiling in the club management vineyard, and then filtered from the perspective of six busy years consulting with private clubs and successfully placing managers and general managers around the country.

This theory is about the inevitability of change in the midst of more of the same. It’s about real life in clubs.

My premise is that over time, clubs move through differing cycles but ultimately end up back where they started from. If we would view this inevitable cycle as the face of a clock, we could stand outside at three o’clock, and sooner or later the little hand of club life would point to three and the big hand to twelve. In some clubs, the route around the face takes but a few years … in others decades … propelled by new members or generational replacements of long-term members.

A lot of this theory is based on club governance structures and practices. Club cultures also come into play. It works, I believe, because of the essential sameness of people despite their wealth, trappings, and social position. It works because sooner or later everyone follows certain tendencies.

This may all sound confusing and weird when discussed in abstract terms. Perhaps a concrete personal

example will help you fill in the voids.

In the mid-eighties, I had just remarried and my bride and I had moved to Tennessee. I was starting a new life in a new club in a warmer geographical climate than the one I had lived in for so many years in northern Ohio. Life was sweet and full of promise. I had things figured out and knew for once where I was headed, personally and professionally.

Then came the phone call from a very old friend and trusted colleague. He was retiring after a successful reign at one of Ohio’s finest country clubs. He had already talked to his President and I was to send my resume. “I want you to have this job, to be my successor,” he told me.

While it’s always nice and ego-fueling to be wanted and sought out, going back north was a detour I had not calculated into my master professional strategy. This presented a quandary. My wife and I were darn happy where we were, and I was having a ball creating havoc and change in a club that needed and wanted to be kicked into the present. So I was reluctant to answer this request even though I had long thought that particular country club was one of the truly great clubs and one that I would like to manage.

After many searching conversations, we decided that the opportunity was special and that we could endure a few more harsh winters if that was the price required. So, I agreed to send the resume and see what happened. Not long

thereafter, Martha and I were invited to Akron for an interview. We spent the night in one of the club’s suites, and the next morning I met with the select committee of three. Afterward I was told by my friend that they were very impressed with me. The President told him I was their man, but of course they had to do their due diligence and interview a few others. On this euphoric high, we even had a realtor show us a few homes so we would be prepared before heading back to the Volunteer state.

What followed for the next six months was pure soap opera of the highest order. I would receive periodic phone calls from the retiring general manager reaffirming that the President assured him that I was “their man,” they just had to get their due diligence done first. As judgment day approached I was exhausted with anticipation, only to have my plans dashed as the club hired the last man they interviewed instead of me, their man.

While I had learned in my life that I didn’t get everything I thought I wanted, this particular decision smarted – especially because I didn’t have much respect for the individual they selected. I mean, it is one thing to lose to a more worthy opponent, quite another to a second-rater. Well, my judgment was better than the committee’s because this wonder was terminated ten months later. The club then turned to a search firm and of course they asked me to be a candidate – and you can

The Clock Theory – Midnight Comes Sooner or Later to Every Club In 2009, Master Club Advisors lost a partner and dear friend, Ed Henderson. Fortunately for all of us, Ed’s thoughts and writings on club management will go on forever. This gem dates back twelve years, yet is so timely today. It plays hand-in-hand with Gregg Patterson’s article found elsewhere in this issue.

continued on pg. 11

The Clock Theory continued ...


Newbie after arrival – and if yes, for how long?8. Will regular meetings be scheduled with the

President and Committee chairs?9. Will there be post transition “How are things going

with The Newbie?” meetings between department managers and the Board/Transition Committee?

10. What tactics will be used to introduce The Newbie to members and staff?

11. What tactics will be used by The Newbie to quickly establish themselves as leader?

12. What tactics will be used to connect with area club managers?

13. How will the Newbie personalize the office?14. What pre-existing “beloved by members” GM

habits, behaviors, routines or activities should be retained – and which discarded?

15. Will the head hunter check back with the GM periodically to ensure a smooth transition?

The “Oldie” as “Newbie”Sometimes the GM retires after decades of good service and is embraced by the club. He or she may be given an honorary membership. Questions need asking:1. How long should the “Oldie” stay away before

returning to the club?2. Will the “Oldie” be allowed to sit on committees?3. Will there be any restrictions on visit frequency or

activities allowed?4. Will the “Oldie,” who intends to be a frequent user

of the club, pay dues and assessments just like any other active member of the club community?

It’s ComingTransitions will happen. Managers will leave. A Newbie will be needed. Doing transition right will be, and always has been, Job One for the Board of Directors. Boards, managers, members, and staff should be prepared.And while you’re preparing, never forget … enjoy the journey! l

Gregg Patterson is our newest contributor to Club Management Perspectives and President of “Tribal Magic.”

imagine my pleasure in telling then no, no way, not in the longest day they lived. After all, I felt entitled to a good, healthy pout.

Martha and I moved on with our lives, and ultimately we went to Indianapolis so I could tackle the city club world again. The phone rings one day and it is my old friend, back at my old club on an interim assignment, as they had just ran through their fifth manager since my friend retired eight years previously. Would I come over and talk with them? He still wanted me to have this job. Well, I did go … and after a pleasant lunch what the select committee of three said to me was, “Go home and tell us what you want.” There were no other candidates to interview, no process, other than our agreeing to terms. It was not too far removed from a coronation – in my imagination I played it through, the spurned prince returns in glory, vengeance is served at last, etc!

And so began a very happy and rewarding time both for Martha and me, and I believe for the club as well. After we finished the large renovation and construction project already in play, I was able to create order, and life got better each day. I remained happily at that club until my retirement on my sixty-second birthday.

The question of importance here, I believe, is why did this club work so darn hard not to hire me in 1986 and be hell-bent on only hiring me eight years later? What changed? Not me, I think. If anything, I was more determined to run a club my way than ever before. No, what changed was the club’s governing body and philosophy on how much control to cede to a general manager. It seems on the evidence that the very reason they resisted hiring me the first time around was the deal-closer in round two. Those hands on the club clock had moved and I was the right person at that moment in time. I am enough of a realist however, to know that if I had stayed too long I could have over-stayed my welcome.

The second part of my clock theory is that every manager has a useful shelf-life in a club. While I have heard some older colleagues provide a concise number of years a manager should remain at one club, I think there is no set number – only the inevitability that the hands on the club clock will move. It may be of different tenure from club to club, but times change and different talents best serve the club at different times. l

Ed Henderson, MCM, was one of the original six managers to earn the lifetime designation of Master Club Manager in 1995. He was a principal and managing partner of Master Club Advisors.


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Idea Fair continued ...

enrich their lives as well as their experiences at the club. Our Book Club is in its third year, and the Children’s Readings are an offshoot of the Book Club. We are blessed to have a member who is a local author, and another member whose daughter lives and writes in New York. So we asked the authors to conduct the readings – but don’t worry, that is not critical. ”

CMP is sharing Meghan’s list of suggestions and things to remember in the planning stages of a Children’s Reading:

1. The day of the week and time of day is critical. Determine your target audience age and call a few moms to find out the options. We found that Sunday at 1PM worked well – after church and before late afternoon sports practices.

2. Eliminate other distractions. Listening to someone read a book should be captivating, but if loud or enticing distractions are happening elsewhere, it will be hard to keep the children’s attention. A close circle on the floor in a small room is the perfect set-up.

3. According to the age of the children, consider if you want parents in attendance, and promote it accordingly.

4. A good reader will make or break the reading. Choose a very kid-friendly, animated, clear, distinct, and loud employee – or find the same qualities in a member’s son or daughter. He or she should be at least a high school senior – maybe someone in the theatre department. Be picky on this. Consider two, if there is quite a bit of dialogue in the book. Yes, we lucked out with the authors and had signed books to hand out, BUT this isn’t necessary for a successful event.

5. Refreshments are nice – nothing extravagant. Cookies and punch, cupcakes – brought in AFTER the reading. Or you could add an arts and crafts activity after the reading, as well. We also had a theme for our readings and some of the children dressed up like their favorite royalty.

6. And finally, a lunch or dinner special (according to when you schedule the reading) could follow for kids and families in the dining room. Great for F&B revenue … just make sure your chef knows!

CMP thanks Meghan Holobetz for taking the time with us to share her experiences. Meghan’s enthusiasm is quite contagious! If your club has not offered this easy yet important activity, why not give it a try before summer’s end? And let us know how it goes! l

Meghan HolobetzMembership/Marketing Director

Schuylkill Country Club

All ages enjoyed Rudy’s Reading

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