Speakers highlight leadership structures, government matters at 12th Presidents' Council
PAOLI, Pa. - The Golf Association of Philadelphia held its 12th Annual Presidents’ Council on March 16 at Waynesborough Country Club. More than 100 GAP Member Club presidents, general managers and club officials attended the seminar, which key objectives aim to highlight, discuss and resolve topics affecting the golf industry, both regionally and nationally. The first speaker of the morning was Frank Vain, President of McMahon Group Inc., a group which provides consulting and planning to private clubs throughout North America and Asia. Vain presented attendees with modernized ideas revolving around leadership of their club, specifically among board structures. Vain discussed the benefits of implementing confined boards and structures of leadership, while promoting a “smaller business-like model” at private clubs. “We find nine members to be about the ideal size, because larger boards are less effective,” Vain said. “What happens in larger groups, issues are failed to be resolved because speaking time is minimal. Participants only advocate and you’re really unable to process information and resolve differences.” Vain also presented high praise to the Philadelphia region’s private clubs. “It seems golf in Philadelphia is in a great place. We travel the country, visiting clubs, and it seems most of the clubs in this region are doing well in terms of member numbers and facilities,” said Vain. Brad Steele, the National Club Association’s Vice President of Governmental Relations & General Counsel, was the second speaker of the morning. Steele’s presentation was topical with this year being a presidential election year. Steele addressed the Department of Labor’s employee overtime rule and the Environmental Protection Agency’s WOTUS (Waters of the United States) rule, both of which may affect clubs in the region. “New multi-factor economic realities might affect the choices a club has to make. You need to be prepared,” said Steele. “The biggest part of this change is the change to the Primary Duties Test and the impact of newer water regulations. These are all things you might consider when walking in to the voting booth.” The event’s final segment featured a General Manager Panel headlined by Christine Pooler, General Manager of Merion Golf Club; Colin Mack-Allen, General Manager of Tavistock Country Club; Jeff McFadden, General Manager of The Union League of Philadelphia, and Tim Muessle, Chief Operating Officer of Philadelphia Cricket Club. The panel discussed and shared success stories involving member experiences, and how those experiences are rapidly changing and adapting to the technology-friendly world we live in. “Millennials these days don’t spend as much time on one thing, and because of that, you have to look at yourselves and think about how your member experience is set up for the next generation, and how you’re adapting,” said McFadden. “At the Union League, we’ve went from a 'dining club' to a 'lifestyle' club. How do we get more value by adding more experiences to our club? That’s our main focus.” At Merion, Pooler says they share a similar approach with an emphasis on keeping the club’s classic culture intact. “Merion is all about the Merion experience. Everything we’ve done we’ve applied our members-first approach,” said Pooler. “It sounds cliché, but it's absolute fact. Our members understand and our employees understand that evolving yet protecting Merion is our main mindset.”
Golf Association of Philadelphia Founded in 1897, the Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) is the oldest regional golf association in the United States and serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. Its 151 Member Clubs and 57,000 individual members are spread across parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. As Philadelphia’s Most Trusted Source of Golf Information, the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
Presentations
Archives
| ||||||||||||||||
A Walk Through Time
GAP is the oldest state or regional golf association in the country. It started courtesy of a friendly competition – the Team Matches – and has grown into the preeminent golf association in the country. Along the way, golf history has been made.
