Menu

Why we’ve become the Golf Club Management Association

08 June 2026

The move from Managers to Management reflects a wider purpose – the changing nature of leadership in modern golf clubs

This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.

The Golf Club Managers Association is now the Golf Club Management Association.

What’s in a name? At first glance you might think the change to be small. But it reflects something much bigger – a recognition that the golf industry is a very different place in 2026.

The GCMA was born as the Association of Golf Club Secretaries in 1933. It became the Golf Club Managers Association in 2007, understanding the changing responsibilities of those who worked at leading clubs.

Those obligations have only broadened in the two decades since. The nature of leadership within modern golf clubs has radically altered.

Now, success means making decisions across a huge number of specialist areas. The role of the Golf Club Manager covers operations, finance, governance, and people management.

It requires expertise in health & safety, workplace legislation, member experience, as well as long-term strategic planning.

Evolving into the Golf Club Management Association ensures the GCMA’s identity better reflects the full discipline of golf club management.

Get involved in the debate.
To join the GCMA, click here, or to organise a call with a call with a member of the GCMA team, just complete the form below.

‘An important and progressive moment’ for the GCMA

CEO Tom Brooke explained: “This is an important and progressive moment for the Association. The profession has evolved significantly in recent years, and this change ensures our identity reflects the modern landscape of golf club management.”

While the name may be different, the Association’s purpose remains unaltered. The Golf Club Management Association will be the standard bearers – supporting Club Managers, General Managers and senior golf club leaders through education, professional development and accreditation.

Members of the GCMA have access to a large professional community that is built around support. It provides a network of people who understand what running a golf club is all about.

But they also benefit from dedicated learning, professional development pathways and access to support. Members of the GCMA enjoy a collective voice and that has helped to raise standards and strengthen careers.

WHY JOIN THE GCMA?

Membership of the GCMA unlocks a network of like-minded professionals, provides you with support in your professional and personal development, and provides you with a multitude of benefits. Whether that’s the tools that will help you to excel in your profession, or a wide range of services to support your wellbeing, signing up to the GCMA is joining a community. 

“The Association remains fully committed to supporting today’s club leaders while helping develop the next generation of professionals entering the industry,” added Brooke. “We believe this evolution strengthens our position as the professional home for golf club management.”

Golf has enjoyed a huge boom since the Covid pandemic, but that doesn’t mean there are not clouds on the horizon. There are pressures around recruitment and member retention. Member expectations are sky-high and the governance of clubs is being placed under the microscope.

In this climate, it has never been more important for skilled leaders to be at the helm of golf clubs. The GCMA’s new name reflects that.  

Click here to find out more and to become a GCMA member

This article is part of GCMA Insights – topical content for golf industry professionals, discussing the things that matter to those who work in golf clubs.

Insights Signup

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Are you a member of the GCMA?

By GCMA Content Team

Categories

More from GCMA Insights

The number of rounds played has fallen – what does that mean for the golf boom?

6 Jul 2026By GCMA Content Team

Rounds played across Great Britain declined over the first quarter…

You should always have this document to hand if you’re running competitions at your golf club

6 Jul 2026By GCMA Content Team

The Committee Procedures found on The R&A’s website provide valuable…

Should we mark the edge of putting greens?

6 Jul 2026By GCMA Content Team

Sometimes it can be hard to see where a fringe…

Close

Allister Frost

A former Microsoft Digital Strategy leader who now inspires audiences to discover the life-enhancing benefits of having a Future Ready Mindset. As a tech pioneer, Allister gained unique insights into how to transform uncertainty into opportunity, and now loves giving others the positive mindset and simple habits needed to:

  • Stay resilient in the face of uncertainty and change
  • Spot quick win opportunities for improvement
  • And *create* a brilliant future!

 

With AI and robots coming for our jobs (hint from Allister: they won’t, if we know how…), many people are anxious about the future. But Allister asserts that we’ve nothing to fear when we leverage our human superpowers and ingenuity to thrive alongside emerging technologies. That’s why having a Future Ready Mindset is now a must-have skill to remain competitive and relevant to the people we serve, our golf club members and the local community. And the best bit: everyone can do it!

This will close in 0 seconds

John Steele

John Steele is a former professional athlete, sports coach, Olympic Leader and is the Executive Director of Sport at Loughborough University. He has been Chief Executive across a range of sectors. Drawing on leadership experience of nine different Olympic and Paralympic Games (including the amazing events at the Rio Games), John reflects on the lessons from this unique period in British sport and relays his fascinating views on creating high performing teams.

Indeed, inspired from PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, by the most successful performance ever for Team GB, he has a whole host of new business and leadership insights into how this was brilliant performance was achieved and how it can translate back into your organisation.

John moved into the corporate world, before he enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional rugby player achieving international honours. After his playing career, he turned his hand to coaching and achieved the highest accolade for a British club coach by winning the European Cup with Northampton Saints. He then became Executive Director on the Saints Board during a period of unprecedented growth, and served on the England Rugby Board during the successful world cup campaign of 2003. It was no surprise that John’s talents were called upon to drive through a change and modernisation programme as CEO of the Rugby Football Union – a challenge that became controversial and ended in his departure from the post after only a year, but with his dignity and professional pride intact.

Headhunted by UK Sport, John took up post as CEO the day before London won the 2012 Olympic bid – and this promising start was sustained as he embarked on developing the UK’s high performance sport system, which he led for a six-year period of unprecedented success through the Beijing and London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Post-London 2012, with the Olympic legacy in place and an obligation to continue inspiring a generation, John took up his post as Group Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust. He has also succeeded Steve Cram as Chairman of the English Institute of Sport, an organisation described as ‘the team behind the team’, which delivers a range of performance impacting solutions to over 40 Olympic and Paralympic sports and some non-Olympic sports.

This will close in 0 seconds

Dr Jo Salter MBE

Dr Jo Salter MBE is famed for becoming the first female fast jet pilot, having flown the Panavia Tornado ground attack aircraft during her services in the Royal Air Force. Joining the RAF aged 18, Jo has since taken Air Cadets into the skies as part of Air Experience Flights, become the Director of Global Transformative Leadership for PWC, and most recently become a Global Advisory of GenAI for PwC.

Jo has piloted flights in the Air Cadets Air Experience Flights and inspired countless budding armed service members to pioneer a male-dominated sector, having been the leader of an all-male squadron. Since leaving the military behind, Jo has established a strong business career working in roles such as Head of Technical Services for NetConnect, European Operations Manager for Automated Power Exchange and Managing Director of Saltin Ltd.

Having developed first-class expertise in leadership, analytical thinking and performing under pressure, Jo is now a highly sought-after public speaker to share stories from her time in the skies.

Jo is a passionate Trustee of The Royal Air Force Club and an Ambassador of the Global Angels charity, an organisation that gives communities around the world access to clean water, education, healthcare and encourages female and youth empowerment. Jo has also authored two books, titled Energy: 52 Ways to Fire Up Your Life and Become an Energy Angel and Energize: Spring Clean Your Mind and Body to Get Your Bounce Back Today and Every Day.

In recognition of her achievements throughout her career, Jo has also been named as one of the 50 Most Inspiring Women in the World by Harpers & Queen. She is now working as the Director of Global Transformation Leadership at PWC, after working in other roles such as Director of Risk Technology Strategy, Director Chief of Staff to Head of Technology & Investments and the Director of People & Organisations.

In 2022, Jo was invited personally by Tom Cruise to attend the premiere of Top Gun: Maverick. Most recently, Jo received an honorary doctorate of Arts from Bournemouth University.

This will close in 0 seconds

Colin MacLachlan

Colin Maclachlan, star of Channel Four's captivating reality TV drama SAS: Who Dares Wins and Channel 5’s ‘Secrets of the SAS’, is an operator with over 25 years of security and risk related experience who is a popular and frequent fixture on the speaking circuit.

Colin Maclachlan, celebrated for his roles on Channel Four's SAS: Who Dares Wins and Channel 5’s Secrets of the SAS, brings over three decades of expertise in security and risk management. Colin's military career began in 1989, and after serving nine years with the Royal Scots, he joined the elite 22 SAS at just 23. His time in the SAS saw him participating in numerous high-stakes operations, including the notable rescue of hostages from the West Side Boys in Sierra Leone—a mission so perilous it was dubbed Operation Certain Death.

Colin was also pivotal during the longest hostage siege on UK soil, when a hijacked Afghan plane landed in London in 2000. The standoff lasted four days with Colin as the first sniper on the scene.

After leaving the SAS, Colin exchanged insights with international forces such as Delta Force and Seal Team 6 and provided security consultancy to the Saudi Royal Family and various celebrities. His academic pursuits led him to earn a First Class MA (Hons.) in History from Edinburgh University and an M.Litt in Terrorism from St. Andrews University.

Today, Colin extends his expertise through television, books, radio, and video games. He supports numerous charities and has founded Who Dares Cares, which assists veterans and those experiencing stress. As a speaker, Colin excels in discussing Resilience, Teamwork and Leadership.

This will close in 0 seconds