If there is one thing the pandemic has taught us, it is that the club is a safe haven and sanctuary where members and their families can enjoy a “third-place.” Coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, a third place describes a public setting that serves as a regular and informal gathering place.
Within this framework, a club is a place where members feel as safe and as comfortable as they do in their own home, with the added benefit of serving as a separate place to relax, meet and socialize. Especially in the pandemic era of “work from home,” members’ homes have also evolved into their workplaces, which brings about unnerving connotations. Some even find themselves asking: “Do I work where I live, or do I live where I work?” This probably means members want to leave the house more, which leaves the club as the coveted destination.
The role of the club is strengthened by promoting hospitable conditions, and what epitomizes a third place where members can relax and socialize more than the pool? According to McMahon Group’s research, the pool is the number one place for socializing.
The days of the generic, rectangular pools have gone the way of the dinosaur. It is the new, dynamic generation of pools that is attracting the next generation of members. Statistics show the majority of those who join a club are between the age of 35 to 45, with the sweet spot right at 42. This demographic boasts married couples with two children on average. The decision to join a club is joint—often with women making the final decision—and no longer based entirely on whether the club has golf or not. These days, clubs need to provide significant value for the whole family.
The pool is the poster child for family value. It is the gateway amenity.
The club pool has become multigenerational and multipurpose. For older adults, the club pool may accommodate lap lanes, water aerobics or aqua Zumba—the baby boomer generation desires a more active lifestyle than previous generations.
For this generation, health and wellness is a way of life. They are looking for a greater variety of outdoor activities, and the club pool adds a whole new dimension and offering for current and, more importantly, future members. For those family-focused members with children, the club pool may offer the feel of a resort-style pool, with a lazy river, slides and water action stations, such as bucket dumps and stationary squirt guns.
The fastest growing aquatic amenity at the pool is a splash pad, which have only standing water, creating a much safer option for parents with young children. Recently, one club manager stated the greatest safety concern area for his lifeguards is the kiddie pool. As a result, the club is eliminating it and installing a splash pad.
For the modern pool, it is no longer about more water, but what surrounds it.
“We often say it is not so much about getting more water at clubs, it is getting the amenities right around the water: shade, bars, game areas, sprays and fountains plus landscaping to keep it from looking like a sea of concrete. We spend a lot of time thinking about adjacencies, flows and zoning of activities on pool decks these days as well,” says Glen Selligman, AIA, director of architecture at McMahon Group.
Pools should be inviting spaces. The greater the deck area, the more space for socializing, connections and community building. Larger deck areas allow for more trending furniture—cabanas, cabana beds, soft seating and hammocks. More expansive deck areas also allow for super-casual poolside dining options. Whether it is a covered tiki bar with a wood fired pizza oven or tableside dining, poolside dining has become indispensable to the entire pool experience.
Every club manager wants to anticipate the needs of their members and exceed their expectations. A well-planned pool facility concept will do both and is guaranteed to increase member satisfaction, retention and attract the future member.