Jason Hanna; Redefining Member Experience

In the competitive world of golf and country club management, staying ahead of the curve requires a combination of dedication, innovative strategies, and utilizing the right tools.

Employee Development Trends

In the world of club operations, having the right people, in the right places, behaving in the right way is paramount to success. A customer only has to receive one bad experience to disassociate themself with a brand or organisation, while spreading news of that poor experience far and wide. 

Written confirmation, what’s the point?

As the world continues to blaze the digital frontier, there are now more ways than ever to book a tee time or make a dinner reservation at your club. At face value, that’s a good thing. Additional ways to sell tee times and restaurant covers mean more ways to make your club more accessible and potentially profitable.  

We’ve hit our first milestone!

Last year, 59club announced its commitment to become carbon neutral across its global operations by 2030, and is unbelievably excited to have taken a huge step on that journey, with its UK & Ireland business now officially accredited with achieving neutrality in 2022. 

Are you a new age radical?

In the ever-evolving world of golf club and hospitality management, being a successful manager involves juggling multiple roles. In the whirlwind of these responsibilities, there isn't enough time to play guessing games about your member or guests’ needs. The best way to learn what your customers want at your club?  Ask them !!! 

Spotlight: Bernat Llobera, Arabella Golf

The game of golf has seen significant changes over the past few decades and so have the people who play it. Once stuck with the stigma of being stuffy and elitist, golf is now showing signs of getting younger, more inclusive and available to players of all abilities.

Bridge the gap between Expectation and Experience

A case Study exploring global New Member Onboarding trends In the modern landscape, data stands as the pivotal cornerstone guiding our actions and shaping our strategies. It offers insight, reveals patterns and uncovers hidden opportunities.

Celebrating Simon Wordsworth

We are thrilled to share some great news about our founder, Simon Wordsworth, who was recently recognised as the latest PGA Member to achieve PGA Master Manager status. This announcement comes from the Professional Golfers' Association itself, marking a new milestone in Simon's illustrious career and adding another feather to his cap. 

Boost your F&B operations

Golf clubs aren't merely venues for a beautiful round of golf; they're spaces where members bond over a meal or drink. As such, food and beverage operations play an essential role in shaping the member experience. However, balancing quality with profitability is a delicate dance that golf clubs across the world grapple with, especially during off-peak days. 

Avoid this costly question

In the world of retail, there is a common question that has plagued salespeople for years. It’s an easy question to ask, an easier question to answer and it does exactly nothing for your bottom line.  

Think Tank

Have you been here before? It’s an innocuous and generally harmless question with enormous upside.

Spotlight: Matt Barr, We-Ko-Pa

In today's competitive golf industry, it's crucial for golf clubs to deliver exceptional customer experiences to attract and retain players. One golf club that has successfully navigated this challenge is We-Ko-Pa Golf Club, located in Scottsdale, Arizona, which – under the leadership of General Manager Matt Barr – has seen significant growth in retail and F&B sales over the past two years. Their secret? Unbiased, actionable data collected from regular mystery shopping audits. 

Club Study

Connecting Managers with industry Insight, and a global network. Our minute surveys are used to collect immediate and diverse responses from 59club’s global network, with results analysed to identify emerging trends and then published days later.

59club Australia & New Zealand forms Strategic Partnership with Clublinks Management

59club Australia & New Zealand, a leading customer service benchmarking and training provider in the golf and leisure industry, is excited to announce its strategic partnership with Clublinks, a premier management and consulting company specialising in public golf, leisure, and hospitality sectors. 

Australian Preliminary Insights Report: Golf Visitor Experience

In the run up to launching 59club Australia & New Zealand, the customer service management specialists delivered a series of Mystery Shopper audits across Melbourne & Sydney that measured the ‘Golf Visitor Experience.

Prospective Member Enquiry – The Power of the Phone Call

Members are the life-blood of many clubs; failure to convert them can prove expensive in both the short and long-term. But maximizing the opportunities which present themselves often comes down to having the correct person adopting the correct policies.

59Club Study – Connects Managers with Industry Insights and a Global Community

For those of you who are new to 59Club Study; the platform connects curious Club Managers and industry personnel from around the globe, creating opportunities to explore operational decision making from a wide range of operators in different locales, under different cultural norms, as we learn from each other.

59club Think Tank: Employee Retention

Which is more important for employee retention: higher wages or schedule flexibility? Employee turnover can be costly and time-consuming, and it's essential to keep your top talent motivated and engaged. Any club manager will tell you it’s much harder to find and train a new employee, than it is to keep good staff members happy.

Spotlight on Service – Featuring Abu Dhabi City Golf Club’s General Manager; Rhian Lobo

Running a golf club located in one of the most luxurious destinations in the world, Abu Dhabi, certainly puts a premium on excellent customer service. The city attracts a diverse range of visitors from all around the globe, from business executives to leisure travelers, all of whom expect a high level of service and experience and are accustomed to top-notch treatment wherever they go.

The F&B Upsell Engine

Making members and guests feel valued and welcome is an absolute no brainer for any hospitality venue, but for golf course F&B establishments which often operate with smaller margins and lower foot traffic than traditional restaurants, the line between success and failure is razor thin.

Portsea Golf Club engage Customer Service Management Specialists to deliver exceptional guest experiences. 

John Burbergs, General Manager of Portsea Golf Club on the Mornington Peninsula, is one of the latest Club Managers to engage 59club, sharing the common goal of wanting to deliver the very best service levels and customer encounters for their members and visitors. 

59club MEA & Asia Announce Regions Finest Service Providers

59club MEA & Asia brought the Golf & Hospitality Industry together on Thursday 8th March to celebrate elite standards of customer service excellence, as their annual awards event descended on JA Resorts, Dubai.

Leading Clubs & Resorts honored at 13th Annual 59club Service Excellence Awards

Many of the UK and Europe’s leading Venues, Teams and Individuals were in attendance as 59club recognised those who delivered the very best service to their Members and Guests during 2022 at their Annual celebration of Service Excellence, which this year took place at The Hilton, St George’s Park on Thursday 2nd of March.

Golf’s Customer Service Management Specialists expand operations as 59club Nordic launches.

59club, the industry leading Customer Service Analysts and Training Provider has today announced its expansion into the Nordic regions of Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden & Denmark, bringing their wealth of Mystery Shopper Audits, Satisfaction Surveys and Employee Training Programs - created specifically for the golf & hospitality industry - to the fore.  

NEW SOUTH WALES GOLF CLUB TO DRIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXCELLENCE  WITH 59CLUB

New South Wales Golf Club has taken its commitment to delivering a five-star golfing experience to its members and guests a step further by partnering with 59club, the industry’s leading golf & hospitality customer service benchmarking and training provider. Following the official launch of 59club Australia & New Zealand late 2022 - and after a successful round of trial mystery shopper audits - New South Wales is the first club in the region to officially partner with the customer service specialists, and will now benefit from the continual services and detailed feedback 59club will deliver on all elements of its club operations.  

59club, the global force in Customer Service Management opens eighth division serving Australia & New Zealand

The CX Management Specialist has today announced its global operations have expanded into Australia & New Zealand. Bringing with them over 15 years of global customer service intel, plus a wealth of industry leading mystery shopping audits, satisfaction surveys, and employee education pathways.

59club Eminent Collection

An exclusive event hosted aboard the Sunborn London; a floating super-yacht hotel in Royal Victoria Dock, marked the special occasion for those having achieved the highest long-serving standards of customer service excellence. With a previous soiree delivered days before at one of Dubai’s leading restaurants; Carine at Emirates, as 59club’s first inductees were welcomed.

59club Australia & New Zealand – Brochure

View our digital brochures for more information about 59club products & services

Leading Clubs & Resorts honoured at 12th Annual 59club Service Excellence Awards

A welcome return to a “Live Event”, saw the very best Venues, Teams and Individuals from across the UK, Ireland and Europe South assemble at The Belfry Hotel and Resort on March 3rd 2022, ahead of 59club’s annual Service Excellence Awards.

59club releases “live feedback App” for members, boards and managers

59club’s performance management tools have proved hugely beneficial for clubs across the globe – but now clubs can go one better in their efforts to streamline operations management and evaluate and advance member experience; by utilising the new mytell App.

CMAE Spotlights 59club Case Study: INFINITUM

Agustin Garcia is chief business officer at Infinitum (formerly known as Lumine), in Tarragona, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. It offers exclusive seafront homes, three golf courses, and top-quality facilities and services We partnered with 59club 2 years ago and have been reaping the benefits ever since.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MYSTERY SHOPPING AT THE CLUB LEVEL

Mike Kelly, Managing Partner of 59club USA, has been at the club operations game for a while. And as a general manager of any type of club – especially a golf club spanning hundreds of acres – it’s just not feasible to be everywhere at once. That’s where 59club USA’s mystery shopping services come into play.

Have You Played Here Before? The Perfect Personal Question

Have you played here before? It’s an innocuous and generally harmless question with enormous upside. Other industries – especially the restaurant industry – have used this relatively innocent question for decades in order to prime the pump for an engaging customer experience.

59club’s Spotlight on Service Featuring Farleigh’s Award Winning; James Ibbetson

What a year it’s been for James Ibbetson, General Manager of Farleigh Golf Club, having been crowned Golf Manager of The Year in the prestigious 59club service excellence awards, whilst simultaneously leading his team to a second victory, earning the enviable ‘my59 Ultimate Service Excellence’ title, in recognition of the club’s commitment to engage, analyse and enrich their members and guest experience utilising the my59 survey tools. All while dealing with the pressures presented by the pandemic, and after only one year with the Surry club.

59club universal insight confirms service is on par

If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that Michael Gove MP was wrong when he said: “the people of this country have had enough of experts”. If you require a medical diagnosis, consult a medical professional, don’t Google it; if you want accurate information about a pandemic, listen to a virologist, don’t believe social media; and, if you wish to discuss the challenges and opportunities of the global golf and hospitality industries, few organisations are as well placed to offer comment as 59club.

WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS THE RIGHT WAY

You’re long past it now, but try to harken back to your days as a middle schooler or teenager, full of angst and hungry for friends and meaningful relationships. Maybe you were one of the cool kids who never had trouble making new friends, but for a lot of people – especially for those who moved into a new school district – building new relationships was full of difficulty and anxiety. The same might be said for new members joining a private club. And if your members are paying dues to be a part of a community instead of simply taking advantage of the facilities and amenities, it’s imperative to make them feel welcome and part of the family.

59club expands operations into Canada with perfect pairing

59club, the industry leading sales & customer service analysts has today announced its global operations are expanding into Canada. The new opening signals great opportunities for the Canadian golf & hospitality market, as 59club’s signature performance management tools and global intel are now made available to businesses within the region.

Why Troon Golf’s The Els Club, in Dubai hails 59club as an essential service provider

Tom Rourke is general manager of Troon Golf’s The Els Club, in Dubai. Here he explains how working with 59club has achieved an unprecedented level of membership at the facility and why he regards 59club as an essential service provider, both now and in the future.

59club USA Adds 20 Clubs to Rapidly Expanding Client Base Through Agreement With Landscapes Golf Management

North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm59club USA announced today they added Landscapes Golf Management (LGM) – a sister company to Landscapes Unlimited – to their client roster. 59club USA will use their industry-leading proprietary software and objective data analysis tools to provide mystery shopping services to help audit and improve the golf experience, membership sales, event sales and group-outing sales for 20 LGM golf properties in 13 states.

59club selected to provide unbiased audits to quantify service standard & sales performance for Troon International

Troon International, a division of Troon, the world’s largest golf management company, has selected 59club to afford its venues full access to their market-leading ‘performance management’ products & services. 

59club’s Spotlight on Service Featuring Kristoff Both of Club de Golf Alcanada.

Kristoff Both, the director of Club de Golf Alcanada, on the holiday island of Mallorca, tells all about his time working with 59club, the success it has borne, and the many customer-service accolades celebrated during their seven-year engagement.

59CLUB USA RENEWS AGREEMENT WITH TPC

North American customer service satisfaction and benchmarking firm 59club USA announced today they have reached an agreement to extend their partnership with TPC Network which operates 30 high-end golf properties in North America many of which are featured on the PGA TOUR. The extension allows 59club USA to continue to use its proprietary, industry-leading software and objective data analysis tools to provide TPC Network with valuable, quantitative and unbiased customer service feedback. 59club USA will provide these services to 14 of TPC Network’s 30 golf properties.

59club Middle East and Africa partners with the Coffee Club

One of the UAE’s most-popular all day dining café has partnered with the market-leading performance measurement and management specialist, 59club MEA, to ensure it maintains the highest possible service standards across its branches.

Golf Business News Interview with Paul Armitage, partner in 59club Europe West and North Africa

Golf Business News Interview with Paul Armitage, a partner in 59club Europe West and North Africa, covering France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Morocco and Tunisia and recently appointed COO of Open Golf Club

59club Asia has expanded its network with Asian Tour Destinations to further enhance the growth of the golf industry in the Asian region

Asia is a dream destination for golfers, renowned for its abundant natural resources, a great variety of high-quality golf courses featuring challenging and signature designs by world-famous golfers and golf course architects such as Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Sir Nick Faldo, and Robert Trent Jones Jr. Couple this with rich cultures, amazing culinary experiences and warm hospitality makes Asia a must-visit golfing destination.

59club Asia pioneers cutting-edge Spa Mystery Shopping Audits for Wellness and Spa Industry

A spa treatment is a reward considered as a soothing, rejuvenating and typically elegant way to pamper oneself. Due to the current stress created by the COVID-19 pandemic, a spa day would be very much appreciated more than usual. Since wellness and spa services are not only about massages or body treatments, they offer self-confidence, calmness and an escape from our hectic lives.

ABSOLUTE HOTEL SERVICES SIGNS WITH 59CLUB ASIA, FOR MYSTERY SHOPPER SERVICES. ENHANCING CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARDS IN A POSITIVE POST COVID-19 INITIATIVE

During the third phase of easing the Covid-19 restrictions, hotels in Thailand are gradually reopening and resuming their business after temporary closures. Absolute Hotel Services, one of the fastest growing hospitality management companies in Asia with over 60 hotels operating and under development has recently signed a contract with 59club Asia who will be providing hotels under their management with valuable management tools to measure, improve and maintain their standards of customer service, increasing visitor and member retention in turn.

59club Dazzle in Dubai, assisting UAE clubs to do members & club life best

59club Director, Mark Reed is back from his Tour of the UAE where he has been busy corrupting the teams at Dubai Golf & Yas Links empowering them to convert more member sales and retain more club members.