When we look into our crystal ball, we see two emerging trends that will impact private clubs and their approach to recreation. The cumulative impact of these trends will be positive, if we adjust accordingly.
First, we begin with golf. While golf may still drive many clubs, it may no longer serve as the raison d’être for others. A broader array of recreational offerings is expanding in a number of private clubs. This growing portfolio of new recreational activities and sports provides an opportunity to drive membership not just seasonally, but year-round. This, in turn, can benefit clubs and their members with diversity in recreation that can increase member satisfaction and attract more members whose interests extend beyond golf. This doesn’t mean golf will disappear, it just means that clubs must become more multi-dimensional.
Looking at the commercial sector of recreational offerings, extensive facilities have been built by national fitness club chains. These large commercial operators are expanding their services based on research that indicates members want a broad assortment of recreational activities. Golf will have its role, but it will be a piece of a much larger puzzle, especially as clubs look to spend their limited resources on facilities and services that will attract the greatest number of members.
Herein lies an opportunity for private clubs to attract a new demographic of potential members with varied recreational interests. Clubs could modify the status quo with some innovations that can keep them relevant for an evolving base of members.
For example, they can add more top-flight practice facilities, with friendly and unintimidating instruction that blend fun and teaching in equal measure, attracting men, women and youth alike. The reach of such a facility might extend from tried-and-true pro instruction all the way to computer-simulated golf, where a member might stop to play a few holes at Pebble Beach or Augusta, never having to change their attire or go searching in the thicket for that wayward tee shot.
On the course itself, time is a factor that sometimes impacts golf play negatively. Efforts to help develop more par 3 and nine-hole courses might very well serve to position golf as a more enjoyable, less weighty, recreational option for potential members.
Where Sports Recreation is Going
Children today increasingly participate in team sports, and parents find themselves struggling to keep up with the hectic practice schedules and now almost perfunctory private coaching and physical training, so it would seem wise for our private recreation clubs to find ways to offer their members facilities and instruction in those sports—soccer, field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, basketball, baseball, football, volleyball and more—that have shifted parent and child alike away from club life.
In many cases, schools have picked up the slack. Cities and counties are providing extensive athletic fields for all types of sports. How should a private recreation club—either in the suburbs or downtown—react to this changing scene? In the not-so-distant past, athletic clubs trained Olympic athletes. The Olympic Club in San Francisco was founded with this purpose, and today the club still sponsors soccer teams and other competitive athletics. What once was, can be again. Clubs can expand their purpose, if they have the vision and motivation to do so.
The Club of the Future
With so many golf facilities competing for a small golfing population that has not been growing, it might make sense to consider what the country club of the future might look like, and secondly, consider how we might re-purpose the old to make way for the new.
At most country clubs, golf is still king so these clubs will have to squeeze in some true team sports and other recreational activities where they can. This could include adding water polo, volleyball and maybe ice and field hockey in some remnant ground area. Another idea would be to take some excess land to use for soccer and lacrosse fields, croquet lawns and even bocce courts.
Diversifying recreational activities and adding team sports is an idea applicable to all country clubs that serve families. There are very successful clubs today offering options for team games such as Chevy Chase Club, the Philadelphia Cricket Club, and the Toronto Cricket Skating & Curling Club. Some private clubs such as Apawamis partner with a nearby school to get access to the school’s fields for summer sports sessions.
As for the most dynamic recreation offering a club can provide, fitness, club after club is expanding facilities and programs to handle the demand. Swimming pool rebuilds are also a high priority to attract members as an outdated pool area is a sure way to turn off younger members.
By having the club of the future not totally dependent on golfing members, the ability to attract significantly more members is not only possible, but also economically attractive. All of the recreational activities mentioned represent opportunities to drive participation and interaction. Most do not require much space and they are relatively low cost to develop. The country club of the future will adapt to provide the recreational offerings that members expect—and deserve.
Club Trends Summer 2014