This episode sees Leighton joined in the Story Ninety-Four -
Oxford Podcast Studios by an expert panel to tackle one of the
biggest questions facing golf clubs today: how do clubs build long-term financial resilience
while the industry is still enjoying strong trading
conditions?
Representing a broad
cross-section of the industry are John McCormack (Club Benchmarking EMEA), Paul Mould
(Accountancy Matters), Gavin Anderson (England Golf), Will Hewitt
(59club) and Ben
Laing (Branston Golf & Country Club). Together they
explore why now is the time for clubs to plan ahead rather than
assume the current boom and strong conditions will continue
indefinitely.
The discussion covers the
importance of robust strategic planning, governance and long-term
capital investment, with the panel highlighting why many clubs
remain underprepared for future economic challenges. They examine
rising operating costs, staffing pressures, inflation, major
infrastructure spending, and why diversification of income streams
has become essential rather than optional.
The conversation also looks
beyond finances, exploring how customer experience, staff
engagement and culture increasingly separate thriving clubs from
those that struggle. The panel debates why understanding member
data, benchmarking performance and acting on meaningful feedback
should underpin every major investment decision, while also
discussing the opportunities presented by flexible membership
models, technology and emerging revenue streams such as driving
range technology and padel.
This is the first of a two-part panel
discussion packed with practical insights for golf club managers,
owners, directors and committee members looking to future-proof
their clubs for the next decade. The second episode will
focus on what a successful Golf club should, and could look like in
5 or 10 years.
Please support our panellists where you
can: