Soon, I may write an article where COVID-19 isn’t a relevant part of the story line, but this is not one. There is still too much happening around us as a direct result of the pandemic, and for many—especially those who operate a club with a golf course and other robust outdoor amenities—there is a very significant silver lining.
Despite last year’s shutdown, golf ended up having one of its best years ever. Golf apparel sales were through the roof, and as noted by GolfPass, 2020 was the best year for rounds played since 1997, when Tiger Woods won his first Green Jacket. Looking beyond golf, we at Jonas Club Software saw a significant increase in demand for member facing technology such as online ordering and mobile bookings as clubs pushed the envelope on member service.
These were all positive signs for the industry, but the single biggest sign of good things to come was that interest in private clubs saw a resurgence in 2020. This trend looks to be continuing into 2021 as more people become aware of the benefits that private club life can offer. Much of this is directly related to three societal changes driven by the pandemic: the desire to be part of a community, the desire to invest in recreation and relaxation closer to home, and the new found freedom many of us are experiencing being able to work from anywhere.
Lockdowns and isolation in 2020 gave many of us a wakeup call, and for some it triggered an internal desire to be part of a community in a way they hadn’t previously felt. I’ve seen this in some of my close friends who expressed interest in private clubs for the first time in 2020 and have since joined clubs in their local areas. For some, it was the sense of having an extended bubble that eased their tensions about the pandemic, as well as the service standards they could trust within the confines of a private club. They also felt that they were becoming part of a like-minded community of people with shared values that they could relate to. Something that in already divisive times, the pandemic seemed to exacerbate.
While travel ramps up, people remain uneasy about the future prospects of far flung family vacations and spontaneous getaways. As a result, many are looking at options closer to home—even in the home. Just try to have a pool installed these days—you’ll be lucky to be swimming by Christmas. This same thought process is likely inspiring even more people to investigate private club memberships. After all, there is nothing better than a recreation destination you don’t need to build yourself.
The pandemic has also proven that the future of work truly is mobile. Some research indicates that 25-30 million Americans plan to relocate because they can now work remotely. For some, this means relocating an hour or two away from their current location, and for others it means moving from high cost of living locations like San Francisco and New York, to places like Naples, Fla., in search of a better standard of living at a lower cost. I recently spoke with a membership director in Naples who told me that for the first time in her career, she is selling memberships to young families and young professionals.
For many this is a success story, but there are also new challenges that clubs will need to face moving forward. An injection of new members into any club can result in a culture clash, and a reassessment of club programming and even capital investments. With so much new demand, membership directors need to think strategically about sales how they can maximize the current market opportunities. Lastly, clubs need to update and enhance their onboarding program to ensure that new members are well woven into the cultural fabric of the club and don’t end up as an attrition statistic in one to three years. All of these topics will be addressed in the next issue of Club Director.
Trevor Coughlan is vice president, marketing at Jonas Club Software. He can be reached at [email protected].