The Brough GM brings leisure-sector experience and a passion for member wellbeing to the GCMA Board.
Richard Jagger, General Manager at Brough Golf Club, has joined the GCMA Board, bringing more than 30 years’ experience across the leisure and club management sectors.
His career began in health and fitness, where he managed medium to large clubs for leading operators including Cannons Health Clubs, Total Fitness and David Lloyd Leisure.
A golfer from an early age, Richard moved into club management in 2013, first joining Malton & Norton Golf Club before taking up his current role at Brough.
Here, he discusses his career, his involvement with the GCMA, and the areas he is most keen to support during his time on the Board.
How did you first become involved with the GCMA, and what has membership meant to you personally and professionally?
I have been a member since starting in the industry at Malton & Norton Golf Club in 2013.
From the outset, it provided me with the opportunity to meet fellow golf club managers and build a strong professional network that I could turn to for support, advice and guidance.
More recently, I joined the Yorkshire regional committee and became one of the Mental Health First Aiders for the region. I have also attended numerous national conferences, which have provided an excellent platform for further education, professional development and networking with peers across the industry.
Being a member of the GCMA has been hugely beneficial for both my personal and professional growth.
What made you want to put yourself forward for a place on the GCMA Board?
I am delighted to have the opportunity to offer my skills, experience and knowledge to help support and serve the association.
In particular, I am keen to represent fellow members from the Yorkshire region, help promote the fantastic work the association does, support membership growth, and continue raising awareness of the support available through the GCMA’s Mental Health First Aid programme.
What do you feel you can bring to the role?
Over the last 30 years, I have gained valuable experience across the leisure industry, working predominantly within member-based clubs and organisations.
I believe this experience has given me a strong all-round skill set, along with a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing clubs today. I hope that will enable me to make a positive and valuable contribution to the future of the GCMA.
How do you see the role of the GCMA Board in supporting members across the country?
The GCMA plays an important role in all aspects of golf club management, from education, training and professional development to building commercial partnerships that can support both managers and clubs.
However, for me, supporting managers’ physical and mental wellbeing at club level is equally important, and it is something I am particularly passionate about promoting and developing further.
What are you most looking forward to about the role?
Meeting new people, learning new skills, sharing my own experiences and knowledge, and most importantly, representing and supporting fellow members of the association.
Finally, can you tell members one thing they probably do not know about you?
One of my other great passions is football, and I am currently Vice Chairman of Beverley Town Football Club, better known as “The Beavers”.
My one claim to fame from my playing days is that I managed to score a goal in the FA Cup.
