AMP: The vital importance of Golf Club Governance

Golf Club Managers can draw on the insights and hard-earned wisdom of GCMA Advanced Management Programme training partner Kevin Fish of Contemporary Club Leadership.


The Golf Club Governance Certificate will shed light on a topic that is vital to the smooth and effective operation of any golf club.

Led by Kevin Fish of Contemporary Club Leadership (CCL), this Certificate — one of 11 spread across four awards in the recently launched GCMA Advanced Management Programme — is being delivered in January and open for booking now, with limited places available.

With 25 years of experience to call upon, the award-winning former Club Manager has seen “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of golf club governance and he is here to make sure you know the difference.


Training Partner

Kevin Fish, Contemporary Club Leadership 

“As the recognised gatekeeper for Golf Club Governance in Europe, I have advised over 4,000 managers and office bearers on this topic and worked on site with over 100 clubs to modernise and improve their governance structures and practices.”


“The biggest part of what we do is governance and strategic planning,” he said, with CCL also overseeing the Strategic Planning Certificate in this Award. “We work with clubs to get down into the nitty gritty, because there just isn’t a cookie-cutter solution to these problems.

“What we’ve done with these programmes is say, ‘Okay, you’re going to get that very close contact. It’s very small groups, very in-depth. We’ll take it nice and slow and figure out what the problems are at your club, and make sure you leave with the governance principles in your pocket and a fully a step-by-step plan on how to put a strategic plan into place’.”

With governance being such a prominent concern for practically all organisations, Kevin recognises the ongoing importance of education and equipping Golf Club Managers with the knowledge and skills they need to confidently address any issues arising.

“The reason it’s so difficult is governance is messy, because governance is people, and people are messy,” he said. “So you’ve got to try and master two different things — you’ve got to try and master all the structures and the scaffolding that you can put in place to stop the governance from wobbling; and then you’ve got to leverage the governance you’ve got, because the people are what’s going to make the difference.

“I could give you a perfect governance structure, and if the people are idiots, you’re in trouble. Equally, if you’ve got really good people with a good bandwidth, they’ll make the governance work.”

Explaining how this Certificate will bring clarity on a such messy issues, Kevin explained that attendees will get a two-day deep-dive with an expert who has experience or knowledge of pretty much every conceivable problem a golf club might face.

He added: “We’re going to find out why it happens, we’re going to be able to use some case studies to show you are not alone, and then we’re going to say, ‘All right, how would we put these right back at the club?’. When you go back to the club, you’re not going to just have the theory; you’re going to have practiced how you’re going to put this into effect.

“And you must remember this isn’t your club, so you’re going to need some really powerful arguments which you will hone in this work group to make sure when you do go back, you have a step-by-step plan to improve governance, because it’s the most important aspect in your career.”

Listen to the full podcast with Kevin Fish below

Programme Overview: Golf Club Governance

  • Identifying and Addressing Governance Challenges at Golf Clubs
  • Customised Solutions and Practical Applications for Good Governance
  • Effective Practices for Boards and Committees
  • The Board Policy Manual – Development and Implementation
  • Developing and implementing matrices for authority and responsibility between the Board and the employed Management Team

Who is this Certificate suitable for?

  • Golf Club Managers
  • Deputy Golf Club Managers aspiring to become a Golf Club Manager
  • Honorary Secretaries

Learning and Development Outcomes for YOU and YOUR CLUB

You will develop a deep understanding of governance principles and practices relevant to your Golf Club.

You will improve abilities to identify common governance challenges and develop practical knowledge for overcoming them

You will become equipped with the skills to Integrate effective governance practices into daily operations to improve the performance and organisational health of your Golf Club.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK NOW


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