Golf Matters: Presented by Golf Australia

In this episode of Golf Matters, host Matt Chesterman speaks with Ian Denny, owner of Golf Services Management (GSM), who shares insights from nearly 40 years in the golf industry and his experience operating a diverse portfolio of golf venues, including St Andrews Beach, Growling Frog, Ranfurly and Hepburn Golf Course. The conversation explores the importance of understanding the modern golfer, catering to different customer needs and creating experiences that encourage participation and loyalty. Ian discusses innovative approaches to making golf more accessible, including shorter formats, the Fun Five concept at Hepburn, entertainment-focused driving ranges and removing traditional barriers for beginners. He also shares his perspectives on pricing, managing customer expectations, delivering consistent experiences and harnessing the power of customer advocacy and social media. A great conversation highlighting why understanding the golfer experience is critical to growing participation and building the future of Australian golf.

Welcome to Golf Matters, presented by Golf Australia – a podcast exploring the people, places, ideas and decisions shaping the future of Australian golf. Hosted by Matt Chesterman, the series goes beyond the professional game to uncover the thinking and expertise behind successful golf clubs and venues. From governance, leadership, finance and operations to agronomy, sustainability, participation and people and culture, Golf Matters brings together industry leaders, innovative thinkers and experts from inside and outside golf to share insights, challenge traditional thinking and explore what the industry can learn from others. Because if someone somewhere in golf has learned something that could help the rest of us do things better, that's a conversation worth sharing.

In this episode, Matt sits down with Anthony Masters, General Manager of The Barwon Heads Golf Club, to unpack the renovation of its iconic clubhouse, a project costing around $17.5 million.

Anthony shares how the club navigated rising costs, protected the building's heritage and kept members informed throughout the biggest project in its history. He also explores how changes to the clubhouse are giving members new reasons to visit and bring guests. 

The conversation comes back to three lessons that apply to clubs of every size:
1. Get governance clear before work begins. Know who is responsible for what, where decisions sit and when the board, committee or members need to be involved.
2. Communicate consistently. Keep people informed through changing plans and costs, and build trust before difficult decisions arise.
3. Know your members. Understand what they value, how they use your club and what would bring them back more often.

Whether you're planning a major redevelopment or making a smaller change at your club, this episode offers practical lessons to bring into your next management or committee meeting.

What's the biggest change your club is working through? Tell us in the comments.

Subscribe for more Golf Matters conversations, and share this episode with someone on your club's management team or committee.

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