November 2007

Nelspruit Golf Club

a unique ‘bush golf’ experience
Also in this issue
• Signage • Moss and algae growth
• Menu writing • Turfgrass maintenance
• Codes of conduct

A monthly business-to-business Volume 3 Issue 11

magazine for golf clubs brought to you by www.compleatgolfer.co.za
CONTENTS SIGNAGE

Signage – getting
LEAD STORY
Signage – getting the balance right  3

COURSE MANAGEMENT

the balance right

Moss and algae growth are signs of stress 7

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Guidelines to menu writing 8

CLUB PROFILE
Nelspruit Golf Club 11

COURSE MANAGEMENT
Turfgrass maintenance 12
Klippie Melck, general manager of Goose Valley Golf
PROFILE
Vivien van Wyk 14 Estate on the Garden Route, takes a fresh look at an old
HUMAN RESOURCES Letter page problem. Does your signage enhance or detract from the
overall golfing experience at your club?
Readers’ questions answered 15

CLUB MANAGEMENT
Now is a good time to reflect 17

MARKETING Golf Course signage is extremely impor-

Maximising your club’s potential 18 tant. First time visitors to a new course can Visitors
have a frustrating and poor start, or they can should be
HR LEGAL
be made to feel welcome and totally “au fait” left in no
When is a lunch break not a lunch break? 19
with the course they are visiting, purely by doubt as
BIRDIES AND BOGEYS
the standard of the signage they encounter. to where
Snippets 21
An essential start is a large, unambiguous to go.
SPECIAL FEATURE “Welcome”, incorporated into the club’s
Codes of Conduct 22
name and logo. Directional notices in the
HR DEVELOPMENT car park must be large enough to be easily
Pitfalls to effective listening 23 read but not so large that the signs affect
Cover picture: Richard Rillema, club the visual aesthetics of the entrance area. Klippie believes there is. There should be
manager of Nelspruit Golf Club, looks out Visitors want to know where to park, where a sign in a prominent area near the entrance
over his domain. See our story on page 11. the pro-shop is, where green fees are paid, to the “Pro Shop” which sets out the basics
where to leave tog bags and where to find of the club’s attitude and rules; the same sign
the beer! should be repeated at the first and tenth tees,
■ Editorial 
ANDREW WILSON It is also advisable to have an early under- these signs should be legible without having
email: consultaew@iafrica.com standing of the location of the first and tenth to wear spectacles and in colours that blend
cell: 082 575 3861
tees as well as the half-way house. This infor- in with the surroundings.
■ AdvertisinG mation should be conveyed prominently in By the time the golfer sees the “club mes-
Simon Turck
(PUBLISHER) the car park and, if the tees are some distance sage” for the third time he will be thinking
email: simon@rsp.co.za away, an easily identifiable series of arrows of the Groot Krokodil wagging his finger, “I
cell: 083 252 8387
must be there to direct the visitor. This prin- have said this before and I will say it again!”
■ AdvertisinG ciple must be repeated on the golf course if However, as a golfer, he will hopefully
TYRON MARTIN
(ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE) there is the slightest possibility of the visitor appreciate the importance of the message.
email: tyronm@rsp.co.za wandering off in the wrong direction. There is also a need to display an indem-
cell: 083 235 7509
It is equally important not to create sig- nity message along the lines of “Members
■ Advertising nage pollution. A barrage of instructional and visitors to these premises do so at their
James Ferrans
(National Sales Manager) signs scattered across the golf course is own risk. The club does not accept liability
email: jamesf@rsp.co.za likely to antagonize visitors rather than for loss of or damage to property, nor the
cell: 084 252 6373
make them follow the instructions, particu- consequences of injury or illness suffered
■ SUBSCRIBE to GCM for R240 a year. larly if such signs are haphazardly placed all on the premises”.
Contact Natalie Shekleton
tel: 011 301 4448 over the course. Most golf clubs hire out golf cars and
email: natalies@rsp.co.za Rake bunkers, fill divots, fix pitch marks, golfers, as hirer’s, are required to sign an
Visit our website www.compleatgolfer.co.za drive on the roads, don’t kill snakes, indemnity form when paying for the car.
speed up play. The list is endless and every Golf clubs should go for the “belt and braces”
A monthly
business-to- golfer has heard them all before; is there a
business magazine
better way? Continued on page 5
brought to you by

Golf Club Management November 2007 

 According to Dave Ward, superintendent at Olympia
Fields—the number 24 ranked course by Golf Digest,
installation of the Rain Bird ® Cirrus Central Control
™

System paid dividends last year alone when the course

didn’t see one decent rain from June through September.

“Having a control system do exactly what you want

really benefits you during a drought. The course looks
very healthy and green. The greens and the roughs are
thriving. Having full coverage in your roughs really
makes a difference in appearance.”

Kevin West, first superintendent at Olympia Fields, says

the system’s flexibility is a key advantage.

“It’s easier to micro-manage irrigation on the entire

course, because the Rain Bird system is so flexible. We
Kevin West don’t need to shut down entire areas or blanket water
First Superintendent
because zones don’t get too wet or too dry. We only apply
the amount of water needed, no more, no less.”

Dave Ward The decision to install centralized control demonstrates

Superintendent
that Olympia Fields shares Rain Bird’s commitment to
The Intelligent Use of Water.
™

Olympia Fields Country Club

Olympia Fields, Illinois

For information about how all Rain Bird Golf irrigation products work to manage and conserve water,
click on www.rainbird.com/golf. For a hands-on demonstration, contact your Rain Bird Golf Distributor.

© 2003 Rain Bird Corporation


Continued from page 3
approach; repeat those details in large
print and place the golf car rules in the
most visible position possible on each
golf cart.
Every tee box should have attractive,
informative markers of uniform design
indicating the number of the hole, distance,
stroke number and description (champi-
onship, club, senior, ladies.) If any hole
is “blind” a directional map is advisable.
Directional maps are acceptable on every
hole and if well positioned, it may be pos-
sible to use only one per hole. Once again
all of these signs should be subtle and blend
with the background.
On the golf course itself the signage
can now be restricted to those unobtrusive
hard wearing signs that blend into the back-
ground and issue positive mini messages
such as “Golf Cars this way →”. Similarly,
direct messages like “GROUND UNDER
REPAIR” or “DROPPING ZONE” can be
effectively employed. .
On golf course estates
where homeowners are
automatically members of
the golf course and where
visitors have certain rights
to play on the golf course,
it is advisable to prepare a
set of rules for display in the
houses/units. The purpose
of these notices is to inform
the homeowners, visitors
and tenants that all playing
of golf must be done via
the golf club management
system and that all the rules
relative to playing, use of
golf carts, even their own
golf carts, must follow the With signage like this who
golf club’s rules. needs a stroke-saver?
There are going to be
areas where golf cars are going to compete
with motor cars for road space. Motor cars,
being that much bigger, should have the
right of way and STOP signs must control
golf car crossings. An added safety precau-
SIGNAGE
tion would be a speed bump
on the car road, close to the
intersection.
The financial advantages
of selling advertising space
on tee boxes is often out-
weighed by the disastrous
visual effects which follow.
Club managers and commit-
tees, while appreciating the
added revenue, will often
lock horns with advertisers
on this sensitive issue. The
purists will favour an adver-
tisement free golf course.
The more pragmatic amongst
us will just have to make sure
that the route to the tee box
doesn’t resemble Las Vegas
on a bad night!
To get in touch with Klippie Melck
contact him at Goose Valley Golf Estate on
044 533 5082 or 083 703 7283 and read his
CV on pg 21.
144 Courses Can’t Be Wrong

For a live demo visiti www.eluminaiberica.com

or contact andrew@elumina.co.za
or telephone Andrew Nelson 082 901 6184

Moss and algae growth
are sure signs of stress
As the demands for faster green speeds increase, so does the risk of stress (to the greens
that is!). Murray Veitch of Turftek identifies moss and algae growth as the indicators
of stress and outlines the cultural practices to overcome the problem.
There is a greater demand being put on
greenkeepers to produce faster and faster
green speeds. Golf courses are being com-
pared with each other by what speed their
greens run on the stimp meter, to the detri-
ment of the greens.
These faster green speeds are great for the
golfers but what are they doing to the health
of the greens?
A sure sign that a green is being put under
stress or rather that the green does not have
the ideal growing condition, is the infesta-
tion of Moss or Algae growth.
Conditions favoring Algae and Moss
growth.
1. Greens that stay wet for long periods of
time due to poor drainage are more likely
to have moss and algae problems.
2. Mowing greens shorter and shorter to
try and increase green speeds may cause
greater susceptibility to moss and algae
infestation. The more light that is allowed
to penetrate onto the soil surface results
in better growing conditions for the moss
or algae.
3. Compacted soils do not drain well and
therefore stay wet longer, encouraging
moss and algae growth.
4. Poor grass growth as a result of low fer-
tility favours algae growth. It is therefore
important to insure that a balanced ferti-
lizer program is followed.
Cultural Practices that help control Moss
and Algae growth.
1. It is imperative that the surface of the
green drains properly. Water should run
off the green and not “puddle” on it.
2. Carrying out regular hollowtinig or ver-
tidraining practices will help improve
A brief CV of Murray Veitch
Murray Veitch is a regular contributor
to Golf Club Management on issues
related to course management. He holds
a National Diploma in Horticulture
from the Natal Technikon as well as a
Pest Control Officer Certificate. He has
also completed a short course with the
Landscape Irrigation Association.
His work experience started in 1997
as assistant greenkeeper at the Wild
Coast Sun before moving on to assist
with the construction of the de Zalze and
Arabella courses in the Western Cape. He
then spent five years as the greenkeeper
at the Centurian Golf Estate in Gauteng
before joining Turftek and working on
the Eagle Canyon Golf Estate also in
Gauteng. He currently is the golf opera-
tions manager for Turftek.
infiltration rates into the greens which
will ensure that the green surface dries
out quicker. Regular verticutting also
helps reduce the thatch layer that pre-
vents water from moving through the
surface layer.
COURSE MANAGEMENT
3. A water management program that
encourages dry greens should be fol-
lowed. Greens surfaces should be kept
as dry as possible. Deep watering should
be encouraged rather than frequent light
watering.
4. Greens should be cut at higher heights and
rather rolled more frequently to obtain
the desired green speeds. Light topdress-
ings will also help smooth greens out and
thus provide a better putting surface.
5. Traffic across green surfaces should be
controlled to minimize wear and compac-
tion of the greens. Moss is more likely to
infest high wear areas on a green.
6. Greens should be fertilized to ensure a
uniform growth and thus out-compete
moss and algae growth.
Chemical Control
1. The use of chemicals such as
Chlorothalonil will help control the
spread of Algae growth.
It is vitally important that regular cultural
practices to control moss and algae growth
are carried out in order to insure healthy turf
coverage. Chemical control will not be suf-
ficient as this does not solve the underlying
problems.
Moss and algae growth is a result of
greens that are put under stress due to a
number of reasons. The most important con-
sideration is to maintain healthy moisture
levels in your greens.
For more information on moss and algae
growth problems or other turf related
issues contact Murray Veitch of Turftek
on 012 807 7282 or at
leonetter@turftek.co.za
Golf Club Management November 2007 
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
A ten point guideline
for menu writing
Writing a menu is an art as well as a science. Tony Beart ex chairman of
FEDHASA gives GCM readers some tips on planning and producing interesting
and informative menus
You may not be able to judge a book by
its cover but you can judge a restaurant by
its menu.
Over many years I have collected menus
from restaurants around South Africa and
overseas. The trend over the last decade
appears to be for menus that are shorter, flex-
ible, casual, humorous and less glossy. Desk
top programs have reduced the publishing
price and simply made it easier to produce
an attractive and effective menu in-house.
A club menu is work in progress. We are
constantly upgrading, revising, discarding,
downsizing and redesigning our menus.
This is a difficult process for most of us, as
the writing of a menu is mainly self-taught;
there is no authoritative and accessible ref-
erence book that I am aware of. Writing a
menu is, after all, a personal challenge that
we have to rise to. Happily we often surprise
ourselves at just how well we manage.
Here are a few pointers that you may find
useful next time around.
1. Highlight your menu’s virtues
Against all the competition in your neigh-
bourhood, a member has chosen to dine in
the club’s restaurant. He and his guests are
looking for a mixture of reassurance, excite-
ment and pleasure. The menu supports these
emotions. The menu items and their descrip-
tions are designed to appeal to sight, taste
and smell and the experience of reading the
menu should feel good in the mouth.
The words must highlight the virtues of
the dish, must appeal to the member, get his
attention and create an air of enthusiasm for
the overall dining experience.
Try to avoid creating unrealistic expec-
tations that are hard to meet consistently.
 November 2007 Golf Club Management
The menu items and their
descriptions are designed
to appeal to sight, taste and
smell and the experience of
reading the menu should feel
good in the mouth.
Hackneyed clichés such as special, excellent
and classic are often unrealistic and create
suspicion.
2. Highlight the origins of the menu
We now have access to both local and
international television food channels that
discuss and demonstrate a wide variety of
food dishes from around the world. Take the
time to watch selected programmes and, like
me, you will be inspired by the skill of the
chefs on view and the amazing dishes they
produce.
Whatever local or international dishes
you select to include on your menu, high-
light their origins. It is important to remain
faithful and consistent to the original recipe.
Natal curries are sought-after by many South
Africans. Alas too often the preparation and
use of spices, as original proposed, are not
adhered to. Being consistent and loyal to
the recipe helps develop a reputation. As my
cooking instructor used to say “Repetition
builds Reputation”.
3. Highlight the supplier or the source of
your ingredients.
We are indeed fortunate to have access
to an ever improving quality and range of
products from our suppliers. Woolworths
especially, highlights these developments.
Identifying with a supplier and a region adds
credibility to the menu and compliments the
chef. Feature items such as line fish from
Natal, seafood from the Cape, lamb from
the Karoo, to mention a few. Embellish the
description of these dishes with the sauces
and the ingredients employed in the prepara-
tion of the dish
4. Describe the method of cooking.
Throughout the menu convey a visual image
of the dish as if it is being prepared. Here is
an opportunity for excitement, action and
involvement. Sell the adventure and the
“sizzle”. Consider pan-fried, charcoal-grilled,
sautéed and lightly poached. In our country
charcoal grilling or meat on a braai strikes
a visual cord immediately; campfire grilled
and nostalgic moments in the bush spring to
mind. Nothing could be more evocative
5. A message from the captain of the club
The inside front cover of the menu lends
itself to a short welcoming message from the
chef, the house committee chairperson or the
captain of the club. This is an opportunity
for a positive food message to be relayed to
the membership from the main committee.
The chef could state his approach in the
choice of menu items and talk up the people in
the kitchen who deliver the finished product.
Sharing aspirations with the membership
is always advisable.
Don’t spoil this opportunity by featuring
disclaimers such as “we are not responsible”
and “no cell-phones.”
6. Keep the menu language simple
Write menus in words that everyone under-
stands. Some ethnic restaurants use the

vernacular but with English translations. For
a moment consider the arrival of thousands of
international visitors to SA from all over the
world. It is already happening. By 2010 we
will be happily inundated. There is a case to
be made for our menus to be translated into the
major international languages. This approach
will help our local staff communicate with,
say, a non English-speaking German visitor
7. Emphasize the seasons, its flavours and
aromas.
The process of describing the flavours and
subtleties of a new dish is rewarding. Serve
your proposed new dishes to your staff and
knowledgeable members. Describing the
cooking process and the ingredients, leads
to enticing menu suggestions. This “chefs
table” approach builds relationships and
input which is reflected in the menu items
and in the attitude towards food and bev-
erage management.
8. Be careful of topical references
References to national political leaders,
Congratulations must go to John Bold,
general manager of Mowbray Golf Club
who has been working hard on devel-
oping the food and beverage side of
the club’s activities over the last couple
of years. His efforts have now been
rewarded as the club has won a gold
category “Award of Excellence” in the
latest Diners Club International Winelist
awards. John has been very particular
in the selection of wines and the values
offered, grouping them by cultivar on
the wine list and making recommen-
dations for the most appropriate food
accompaniments.
stage and cinema personalities or sports
heroes have only a limited shelf life. People
come and go rapidly. Some stay, but the
majority don’t. You will never know
whether a celebrity will become a legend or
a distant memory. Joel Stransky will always
be remembered in sporting circles. Madiba
by all of us, but they are the exceptions. Be
careful of naming menu items after promi-
CLUB PROFILE
nent members. Only 50 percent will be
happy with your selection; avoid offending
the other 50 percent.
9. Signature dishes
Your restaurant may well have signature
dishes that lure your members back on a reg-
ular basis. Highlight your signature dish in a
simple box or border and site at the top of the
page. A “chef’s choice” on a menu item is a
good way of highlighting a club speciality.
10. The K.I.S.S.principle
Nobody wants to read a menu that looks like
a book.
Like innovative advertising, menu
writing with graphic description, personal-
ized style and original sincere phrases can
win the appreciation of the member as well
as promote the club restaurant and increase
the sales.
For more information on menu writing
and other Food and Beverage issues,
contact Tony Beart on 082 443 6975 or at
tbeart@tiscali.co.za
 club profile

Nelspruit Golf Club – a unique

‘bush golf’ experience
Peter van Onselen of GCM recently visited Nelspruit Golf Club and spoke to the club
manager Richard Rillema. Here’s what he found out.
Mpumalanga is fast becoming a ‘bush golf’
mecca. With Leopard Creek the obvious
candidate to set the bar in terms of prestige
and class, Nelspruit Golf Club continues to
strive for this type of reputation. So if you
are travelling to the Kruger Park and happen
to have accidentally left your clubs in the
boot of the car (or even specifically packed
them to play at one of the other courses in
the area), Nelspruit Golf Club should sneak
onto your list of courses to play.
Richard Rillema, club manager at the
club, is optimistic about the clubs future
growth and refinement. The club currently
has 800 members and has recently spent
about R800 000 on relaying new greens.
The surface should be ready by November
2007. Richard and the club committee have The clubhouse and course at Nelspruit escaped the recent devastating fires in the area.
identified the fact that people judge golf
courses based on the condition of the greens
and have taken the plunge to invest money Now here’s a lesson that Mpumalanga (9 holes). Leopard Creek is a mere 75km’s
on this aspect of the course. and the South African golfing community as from Nelspruit GC. These clubs, along with
The club prides itself on things that a whole should follow if they are not already Nelspruit can certainly put the cherry on top
Gauteng courses wish they had – GREEN doing so. “At Nelspruit Golf Club visitors of a potentially relaxing bush golf holiday.
winter golf. The fairways are lush year- are treated exactly like the members at sin- Could this region challenge the Garden
round, which makes the track far more cerely affordable green fee rates, as well as Route when it comes to competing for local
aesthetically pleasing. Gauteng at the same bar prices that are tough to beat anywhere in and foreign tourists?
time of year is brown, bare and desperate for South Africa” claims Richard. The Mpumalanga area as a whole has
rain! For all the environmentalists, the expe- Nelspruit GC is enhancing the ever not had an easy time of things lately. At the
rience at Neslpruit Golf Club doesn’t end increasing number of improving golf courses time of writing this article, I was sitting on
there. This parkland course is lined exclu- in the area along with White River Country the balcony overlooking the 9th and 18th
sively with indigenous trees! No exotics on Club (18 holes), Sabie River (18 Holes), greens; bits of ash drifted through the area as
the course. Malelane (9 holes) and Kruger Park Lodge a result of some the worst fires the region has
had in its history. The course itself was not
And as a PPPS from general manager 3. Personality – dealing with a large affected, but the region has taken a pounding
Richard Rillema, he sees the following diversity of people requires you with fires destroying vast areas of land.
four aspects that are critical to running a have a good sense of humour and But nothing quite beats golf in the bush.
successful golf club: adaptability. No highways, no powerlines, no smog! So
1. Patience – the members can sometimes 4. Service – members pay large sums of be sure to drop into Nelspruit Golf Club. It’s
be demanding so extreme patience is money to be members of a golf club. certainly worth a visit.
required. Reward them by ensuring high standards For more information about Nelspruit Golf
2. Professionalism – be efficient and of service throughout the whole club. The Club, you can contact: Richard Rillema
thorough and give attention to detail. small things are the things that count! – General Manager - (013) 744 0952 or
email on nelspgc@mweb.co.za.

Golf Club Management November 2007 11

COURSE MANAGEMENT

Turfgrass maintenance basics

during the holiday period
Are you ready for the holiday rush? Darren Berry of Golf Data pinpoints the critical
areas of course preparation that need attention in the build up to the busiest time
of the year.
The maintenance of healthy turfgrass
during the warm, summer holiday period
can be challenging if one is not adequately
prepared.
Preparations take many forms and
include various aspects of the maintenance
operation such as agronomy, planning and
communication.
Communication between the golf course
superintendent and the club management
is the most vitally important component of
the holiday season preparations. Pre-season
communication between all stakeholders to
properly determine the guidelines within
which the golf course maintenance crew
must operate is important to ensure all the
clubs’ member and visitor expectations are
met. Once the holiday period is underway,
daily communication between the golf
course superintendent and the club manage- It may be quiet now but is your course ready for the holiday rush?
ment is vital to provide a smooth enjoyable
experience for all golfers.
Golf clubs will have varied priorities over
Some lateral thinking is Greens aeration is one such example.
Aeration practices do far more than simply
the holiday period. Some will encourage relieve compaction and reduce thatch.
visitor play and will increase the available often required to have the Aeration is a vital pre-summer stress cul-
tee times to maximize the potential revenue, tural practice that conditions and prepares
while others, primarily estates courses, will golf course prepared ahead the greens for the summer heat. The aera-
have a member focus and will only allow tion holes improve moisture penetration and
visitor play when members have failed to of golfers, especially when infiltration which is vital to summer sustain-
fill the available tee times. ability. The aeration operation also provides
Both the above strategies will have quite
different influences on the golf course main-
a two tee start is utilized. an opportunity to amend the greens root
zone with a moisture holding component
tenance operation. When revenue is the which again will assist with summer plant
primary focus, golf course maintenance pro- health.
cedures are often minimized to the absolute made. There is generally more time needed Careful planning of the entire mainte-
bare necessities in order to have the course by the maintenance crew to ensure that all nance operations, at least 6-8weeks prior to
ready for play on a timeous basis. Some lat- manicuring and attention to detail items are the rush, is essential to ensure a smooth, hassle
eral thinking is often required to have the up to standard. free holiday period. Orders for important
golf course prepared ahead of golfers, espe- Agronomic preparations are also very materials must be made on a timeous basis
cially when a two tee start is utilized. When important and if done properly, will create to avoid inevitable delays in delivery and
the club’s members play is the primary focus more valuable time during the busy holiday depleted stock levels during the holidays.
because golf course conditions are expected period, by alleviating potential turf health Equipment preparations are another
to be at their best and no compromises are issues that may otherwise develop. item to consider. A winter maintenance

12 November 2007 Golf Club Management


schedule which ensures that all the equip-
ment is ready for the summer holidays and
growing season will go a long way towards
reducing downtime and unnecessary
disruptions.
Once the holiday rush is underway, it
is very important to keep a careful eye on
those agronomic issues which are enhanced
by the summer heat stress and excessive golf
rounds.
Traffic management is a key part of any
holiday period maintenance operation. Cart
traffic will quickly cause excessive wear
if not managed with care. Increased golfer
traffic will lead to increased divot and ball
mark damage to tees and greens respectively
and both must be actively managed to avoid
poor playing conditions.
Heat stress is another challenge asso-
ciated with the holiday period. Pre-stress
conditioning, such as aeration and wetting
agent application will help to manage the
situation, but daily hand watering, syringing
and careful water management are still
unavoidable.
The maintenance crew will be under
immense pressure to produce the desired
results and it is very important that each staff
member is included in the planning process
and that they are all working towards a
common goal.
Maintenance staff must be carefully
managed to ensure there is no drop in basic
maintenance standards due to the increased
pressures on time and performance.
A rushed, incomplete or poorly performed
maintenance task can very easily have a
negative influence on the golfer experience.
Mistakes that would otherwise never occur
often happen when there is pressure on
available time. A calming influence is what
is required from the superintendent during
these periods.
Proper planning and preparation is the
best way to stay on top of the pressurized
holiday situation and its many challenges.
It is very difficult to stay calm and in con-
trol of the maintenance operation without
a well organized approach and thorough
communication.
COURSE MANAGEMENT
Darren Berry is a
regular contrib-
utor to Golf Club
Management maga-
zine. He has been
working for Golf
Data for the last
seven and a half
years having started off as an Assistant
Golf Course Superintendent. In 2003
he was promoted to Head Golf Course
Superintendent and in 2005 was
appointed Director of Maintenance
Southern and Eastern Cape as well as
head of their Agronomy Services divi-
sion. He holds an Advanced Diploma
in Turfgrass Management and various
certificates in Turfgrass Management
from Pennsylvania State University. He
is also a licensed pest control operator.
Darren can be contacted at Golf Data
on 083 671 9399 or (044) 384 0680/3
or at Darren@gdmaint.co.za
PROFILE
From the Sunshine Tour
to the valley of the vines
Vivian van Wyk recently took up the reigns of general manager at Stellenbosch Golf
Club having spent 10 successful years with the South African PGA. GCM asked him
how he was finding the transition to club management and what excites him most about
the challenges of running a well-established golf club. Here’s what he had to say.
The first thing Vivian realized when he
arrived at Stellenbosch Golf Club (SGC) was
the degree to which tradition, history and
culture underpinned the whole mindset of
the club. SGC was founded in 1904 and has
been a member-owned club ever since. The
members are passionate about their club and
in the majority of cases are fully supportive
of moves to build on the successes of the past.
The club originated as a nine-hole course
until the current 18-hole layout was launched
in 1953. Since then it has hosted many com-
petitions, notably the South African Masters
from 1986-1990, the South African Airways
Open in 1999 and the World Amateur Team
Championships in 2006.
Vivian has split his priorities into short-
term and longer-term goals.
Short term
The short term priorities mainly deal with
the financial issues but there are also some
challenges with regard to standards. The
first challenge was to tighten up on the time
sheets and booking procedures for both pri-
vate and corporate groups. Seventy percent
of club revenue comes from playing fees
and there was an unacceptable amount on
“no-shows”. Through tighter controls, these
have been drastically reduced which will led
to an immediate improvement in bottom line
profits.
The second challenge was to review all con-
tracts that outside suppliers had with the club.
Every single contract or third party agreement
was looked at in detail and a number of sig-
nificant changes were made, again impacting
positively on the bottom line.
The third area we looked at was the
standards we offered to the members and
14 November 2007 Golf Club Management
visitors. The course itself is the most impor-
tant asset any club has. Luckily, SGC has
an outstanding course and even through
the harsh winter we have experienced, the
course remained in excellent condition. Our
focus therefore has rather been on the areas
that can complement the golfing experi-
ence; the warm, friendly and professional
welcome that we offer members and visi-
tors; the standard and quality of food that
we offer; and the levels of service. All these
areas offer considerable scope for improve-
ment and currently enjoy our attention.
Longer term
One of Vivian’s sayings is “show me a guy
without a vision and you have a guy without
a future.” The creation of a longer-term
vision for SGC, owned and accepted by all
those involved in the running of the club, is
critical to the future success of the club.
There are three priorities that SGC are
addressing over the next five to ten years.
These are:
1. Adding constant value to the current
membership base, while at the same time
analyzing the profile of the next genera-
tion member.
2. Protecting the tradition, history and cul-
ture of the club.
3. Positioning the club in the marketplace
so that it can seek out and attract income-
generating opportunities other than green
fees and subscription fees.
Adding constant value
This means ring-fencing the current member-
ship base, while at the same time attracting
and developing a new membership profile.
The club is now positioning itself to attract
a far broader membership base across all age
groups and backgrounds whilst retaining the
support of our current membership base.
Protecting the tradition, history and cul-
ture of the club
This is probably one of the most difficult
challenges and also one of the most impor-
tant to get right. Luckily, SGC is blessed
with a very committed and passionate mem-
bership base. There is full commitment and
support from the committee for both the
short-term and longer-term strategies. The
club constitution, which was reviewed and
finalized in June this year, guides the opera-
tional and decision-making side of the club.
The members manage the members and the
management team deals with the opera-
tional issues, this being critical to future
consistency, which will ensure sustainable
service levels.
Positioning the club in the marketplace
The first challenge has been to develop a
corporate identity; very basic stuff really
such as a clear logo for letterheads, notices
and business cards etc. The next, much
bigger challenge, is to seek out the income
generating opportunities that are out there in
the market place and that will have the full
support and commitment of the members.
This is where my experience with the PGA
and the Sunshine Tour will come in handy.
A lot of my time with the PGA was spent
looking for ways to maximize earnings for
all the stakeholders involved in the various
events that we organized.
For his contact details and more infor-
mation on Vivian van Wyk, read his CV on
page 21 of this issue.

Readers’ questions answered
If you have a question contact Andrew Wilson at consultaew@iafrica.com
A question from Piet in KZV
I have a problem with staff regularly taking
a day’s sick leave on either a Friday or a
Monday. Is there anything I can do to over-
come this?
GCM – There are two things you can
consider. Firstly, you can write into your
contract of employment that a medical cer-
tificate will be required if an employee is
sick on a Friday or a Monday or before/after
a public holiday.
If this isn’t already in your contract,
your current staff may resist agreeing to
the change in their terms and conditions of
employment. Under these circumstances
you can go the disciplinary route if you have
a staff member who regularly takes time off
as mentioned above. You can charge them
with an unacceptable pattern of absenteeism.
People are not sick to a pattern and therefore
if someone is regularly taking off a Monday
or a Friday, on the balance of probability
they are not sick but rather “loafing”. In
the latter stages of the warning/disciplinary
process you could insist that, in order to try
to avoid having to terminate the contract of
employment, you impose a condition that for
the next year you will require a medical cer-
tificate if they are off on a Friday, Monday or
a day before or after a public holiday.
A question from Helen in the Western
Cape
With the holiday period coming up a couple
of staff have asked whether they can bring
HR LETTERS
their children to work with them during the
holidays. Is this allowed?
GCM – There is nothing in law to stop you
allowing your staff to bring their children
to work. You need to consider a couple of
things however. Firstly, check your insur-
ances. Are you covered in case the child
suffers or causes an accident while they are
at your place of work?
Secondly, you have to consider the
needs of other workers as well as members
and visitors. If having children around the
workplace will disrupt proceedings then
you will be quite within your rights to
refuse the request. If on the other hand you
are able to accommodate the request, you
are likely to earn serious brownie points
with your staff!
"Your complete media partner in golf"

PUTTING YOU ON COURSE


Now is a good time to reflect
How often do we lurch from one year to the next without really taking stock of where
we are at and where we are going? Paul Leishman, general manager of Glendower
Golf Club and chairman of the Club Manager’s Association of South Africa,
highlights 10 questions we should be asking ourselves as 2007 draws to a close
As we reach the end of the year it is a good
time to take stock of what we have achieved
in the past year and begin with our plans for
the upcoming year. Use some of the quiet
time (if you have any!) over the festive
period to do a bit of evaluation, both of your-
self and your club. This evaluation should be
the basis on which we create our goals for
the year ahead. Writing down our goals and
constantly reviewing and reinforcing them
will ensure that we achieve our dreams in
the year ahead.
Below is a list of questions you can ask
yourself both as an individual and for your
club.
Evaluation
This evaluation is based on the core compe-
tencies of a club manager
1. The Staff at my club are an important
asset I need to manage. Have I done suf-
ficient training and appraisal of the staff
in this past year and what can I do next
year to improve on this?
2. Do I have an accurate asset register with
a good handle on the TOTAL value of
my club?
3. Is our club financially stable? What have
we done or what can we do to ensure
better financial success for the club?
Do I need to learn more about financial
management and when last did I go on a
course to improve my financial manage-
ment skills?
4. Have we implemented a strategic plan
for next the three, five or ten years at
our club? Remember that if we do not
know where we want to go, how will we
ever know if we get there?
club management
5. Do my team, including staff and com- 9. Membership Marketing. Do we have
mittee members, understand our vision enough members now and for the years
or mission? Do we have a vision that we ahead? Are our members happy with the
all agree on and are working towards? club or are we going to have a huge attri-
6.. Am I recognized as the leader of my tion at year end? Are we doing enough to
club? What should I be doing to gain or make our members happy and appreciate
reinforce my leadership role? their club ? Do our members feel like
7. Are the values and ethics of our man- they get value for money? Are you sure?
agement team and committee members 10. Sustainability? Have we done our bit
beyond reproach. I must always ask to ensure that future generations get to
myself … is it legal, is it balanced and enjoy our courses as much as we do?
how will it make me feel about myself? Water management and environmentally
8. Have we done a member survey this friendly practices need to be placed high
year? Have we done a service audit and on our agendas and “Good Practice”
do we know where our weak points are needs to be part of our daily lives?
in customer service? Have we had a
silent audit or mystery shopper visit our Paul Leishman is club manager of
club and assess our service levels? Have Glendower Golf Club in Gauteng which
we benchmarked all our service opera- was ranked fifth best course in South Africa
tions and do our service staff understand in the Compleat Golfer 2007 ratings.
what minimum service standards are Paul can be contacted on 011 453 1013 or
expected of them for all functions? 082 322 2369.
More about Paul Leishman
Paul completed a Diploma in Hotel Management at the Wits Hotel School
and then spent short periods of time at The Winkler Hotel in White River
and The Bay Hotel in Camps Bay, Cape Town.
He has had a total of 16 years in the industry and started his associa-
tion with golf clubs as the F&B manager at Crown Mines Golf Club in
1991. In 1992 he was promoted to general manager of Crown Mines. He
moved from there to become assistant general manager at Vodacom World of Golf in 1998.
From there in 1999 he moved to his current club, Glendower Golf Club, where he currently
holds the position of general manager.
Paul has served on the National Executive of ACOSA for four years and has just
completed his 2nd year as the first chairperson of the newly united Club Management
Association of South Africa.
He is passionate about the club industry and has attended five international club man-
agement conferences in the USA and the UK.
Golf Club Management November 2007 17
MARKETING
Maximising your club’s potential
Are you making the best use of all your club’s facilities. Sheonah Howlett of Atlantic
beach Golf Club gives us some tips on how to build member loyalty.
A club’s image is one of its most valuable
assets. A good image, reinforced through
effective marketing, careful positioning
and presentation will attract new members,
appeal to potential sponsors and encourages
participation.
Marketing is effectively about communi-
cating your club’s activities and facilities to
attract members or to make a sale in what-
ever format - club membership, corporate
golf day, tickets to a social event or a meal
in the restaurant.
Before a marketing plan is executed,
you should know your members. A good
marketing strategy is much more likely
to succeed if you have a clearly defined
target audience. This information helps to
determine the type of activities planned,
the level of expectation, pricing and of
course identifies the opportunities for
making that sale.
The bottom line is always “Value for
Money”. This is where presentation and
positioning is essential to the marketing
plan. For example if your social calendar
has top-end, exclusive and trendy activities
with prices to match – then the presentation,
planning, execution, food and service are all
vital to its success.
The biggest indicator of this success is
an increased membership base and sales.
Well planned, effective marketing leads to
informed members and informed, happy
members not only participate but are the
best source of advertising you can get!
Some ideas to help you “wow” your
members and visitors:
1. New member induction – conducting a
simple induction will enable new mem-
bers to be properly informed and offers
an opportunity to publicize up-coming
activities. A typical induction should
include:
• Club house tour highlighting the
facilities
• Introduction to key personnel
• A calendar of upcoming events
• Club rules & regulations
18 November 2007 Golf Club Management
2. Something for the kids – social mem-
bers are just as important as the full club
members. Every social calendar should
include a variety of regular kiddie’s activ-
ities, especially during the holidays. For
example:
• Kiddies Cooking Club – involves the
club chef or assistant chef taking time
out to teach the pint-sized members a
thing or two about cooking.
• Movie Night – Friday nights are perfect
for a movie night with refreshments.
Chances are, many of the kids know
each other and mum & dad can spend a
couple of hours on the driving range or
in the restaurant.
3. Monthly events – regular monthly events
are important when wanting to create not
only regular income, but a feeling of club
community spirit.
• A Supper Club – gives members an
opportunity to enjoy a specially pre-
pared menu with a careful selection of
accompanying wines.
• The Monthly Medal – once a month
members compete against each other in
a club friendly with drinks and prizes
afterwards.
• Themed Parties – occasionally the club
can put on a themed party for members
to socialise and meet other members.
Successful themes depend on your
member profile and the food and enter-
tainment value – Moroccan Evening,
Halloween, Jazz Evening etc. Making
full use of the facilities is key to the
success and enjoyment of the club.
• Leisure Centre – the swimming pool
area, if you have one, is ideal for potjie
kos competitions, summer braais, craft/
painting classes, dance classes, etc.
• Restaurant – the club restaurant offers
the ideal facility for running specials
such as Sunday lunches, themed buffets
and private parties.
• The Golf Course – the course itself is
ideal for charity golf days, night golf,
father & son or mother and daughter
competitions and more.
Of course there is always room for
improvement and the best source for ideas is
your membership base. Provide a platform
for your members to give input, allow them
to contribute by making suggestions or rec-
ommendations via a suggestion box, email
and website forms.
The challenge is to get your members
to want to spend time (and money) at your
club when they are not playing golf. You
also want them to bring their friends along
as well. To achieve this you have to offer
something that is more appealing to them
than what is on offer elsewhere in the market
place. Is your club purely a golf club or are
you a club that happens to have a really good
golf course and offers lots of other advan-
tages to golfers, their families and friends?
For more information contact
Sheonah Howlett at Atlantic Beach Golf
Club on 021 553 2223.
HOW ABOUT SHARING YOUR
IDEAS WITH OTHERS
Especially with all the year-end festivi-
ties on our doorstep, we are sure that all
golf clubs are planning something spe-
cial for their members. We’d love to hear
from you if you think you have a novel
and successful idea that you would like
to share with other clubs. How often do
I hear members of the management teams
at golf clubs saying that they wish they
could get together with their fellow club
managers more often to share experi-
ences and ideas. Well, here’s your chance.
Contact us at GCM and we will publish
your ideas, which will help benefit the golf
club industry as a whole. If you think you
have a great idea and would like to share
it with others, contact Andrew Wilson at
consultaew@iafrica.com
 HR legal

When is a lunch
break not a
lunch break?
Can an employee swap part of her
lunch break for leaving early? Andrew
Wilson of GCM gives some answers.
The Basic Conditions of Employment Act stipulates that you
must give an employee who has worked for five hours a one
hour lunch break. What action should you take if an employee
comes to you and asks to work though their lunch break so that
they can leave an hour early?
The Act does not state when the lunch break should be taken
so, as an exception, it would be in order to agree to the request
providing it suits both parties. You must guard against agreeing
to the request on a regular basis as it could then become custom
and practice and the employee could understand it as a perma-
nent condition of employment.
If you stipulate that an employee should take their lunch
break for example between 12 noon and 1.00pm and the
employee chooses to only take half an hour for lunch so that
she can leave half an hour earlier, she can’t force you to let
her leave half an hour earlier if it doesn’t suit you. You have
fulfilled your obligations under the Act by granting her the one
hour’s lunch break. Likewise, time worked during a lunch hour
can’t be accumulated and is cancelled once the day is over.
The key is to be flexible, accommodating where possible, and
always to take decisions regarding staff that are fair, consistent
and in the best interests of the club and its members.
If however it is in both your interests to shorten the one
hour lunch break on a permanent basis this can be done pro-
viding both parties agree to it in writing. Under section 14 of
the Basic Conditions of Employment Act you can shorten the
lunch break to not less than 30 minutes. You can also dispense
with the lunch break for an employee who works less than six
hours in any one day. For more details on meal intervals check
out the labour department’s website at www.labour.gov.za

If you have a question concerning human resources or

industrial relations, e-mail Andrew Wilson at
consultaew@iafrica.com

NEWS FLASH
The monthly remuneration ceiling for determining max-
imum contributions and benefits for UIF will increase from
R11 662 to R12 478 with effect from the 1st October 2007.
 Is your golf course exceptional,
exciting and enjoyable?
...it could be

PO Box 4531 Dainfern Valley 2055

Johannesburg, South Africa
Tel/Fax +27 11 469-3345
e-mail: COBIELEG@telkomsa.net
Direct personal service line
+27 83 375 2098

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Website of
the month
How much of your time is spent on staff
matters? The general consensus is that
between seventy and ninety percent of a
club manager’s time is spent on dealing
with staff issues. Whether it is counseling,
coaching, reprimanding or praising staff,
most managers wonder where all the time
went when they come to the end of another
busy day. Probably the least “sexy” website
you can imagine is the government’s labour
website www.labour.gov.za but it can save
you a lot of time. If you have any labour
related questions such as what should I
include in a contract of employment, or
do I have to submit an employment equity
report, then you can find the answers on
their website. It is worth spending some
time familiarizing yourself with what is on
the site. A little time spent now can save you
a lot of time when you need answers.
Corporate days
Further to our lead article on corporate golf
in our October issue, Amanda Forknell, general
manger of Atlantic Beach Golf Club sent us these
five hints for a successful corporate golf day.
1. Anticipate your client’s needs and go out of
your way to accommodate them.
2. Collect corporate visitors with a golf cart from
the car park and accompany them to the club
house and registration area.
3. Have friendly and passionate staff at the reg-
istration area, offering professional assistance
and ensuring a smooth operation.
4. Have marshals monitoring the event constantly
on the course, to ensure that an organized,
professional service continues throughout the
day.
5. Prize giving and function facilities should
be slick and professional. However badly
someone may have played, if the prize giving/
after party is well run, that’s the image the cor-
porate golfer will take away with them.
You want your visitors to go away saying to
themselves that the next time they have a cor-
porate golf event, your club will be their No 1
choice.
BIRDIES & BOGEYS
Vivian van Wyk –
a short CV
Read our article on Vivian on page 14.
Vivian van Wyk matriculated from Montague High and
then joined the army in Oudtshoorn where he played rugby
and golf for his unit. His first job was with ABSA bank but
eventually his love for golf took over and an opportunity
arose with the South African Professional Golf Tour. During his time with the SAPGA
he learnt how to analyse the golfing market and identify the huge networking oppor-
tunities golf has to offer. He also got to know the various golfing bodies and their
structures. When an opportunity occurred at Stellenbosch Golf Club for the position
of general manager, he jumped at it as he loves the vineyards, the traditions of the
club and, in addition, he personally knew some of the members. He realizes that he
can learn a lot from the golf management industry but hopes that, with his past experi-
ences, he can also make a difference and add value to the excellent work that has been
done by his predecessors.
People on the move
Jannes Sik has been appointed as Head Professional at Centurion Golf and Country
Club. Jannes was previously based at Houghton Golf Club.
Cliff Anderson has left Mount Edgecombe and will take up a Head Professional position
at the Sahara Golf and Country Club in Kuwait.
Jean Sadie has been appointed at Polokwane Golf Club as teaching pro with Ray Earle.
Dean Le Vieux has been appointed Head Professional at Cotswold Downs in
Pietermaritzburg.
Stefan Burger has been appointed Course Superintendent at the Fish River Sun Country
Club.
Rob Turner has been appointed General Manager at Roodepoort Country Club.
Wouter Geldenhuys has been appointed general manager of Westlake Golf Club.
More about Klippie Melk
See our lead article on “Signage” by Klippie Melck on page 3 of
this issue.
Klippie Melck recently returned to the golf club industry after
five years with PGP in Plettenberg Bay. Klippie has joined Goose
Valley Golf Club where he takes over from Vaughn Tucker.
During the seven years he spent at Plettenberg Bay Country Club,
Klippie strove to create a user friendly environment for golfers and
to promote Plettenberg Bay and the Garden Route as a national and international
golfing destination. He attended IGTM meetings in Portugal and at Sun City.
Klippie recently attended the annual Western Cape Golf Managers Conference at
Fancourt. He was delighted to hear that Larry Gould would be spearheading a drive
to market “The Garden Route of Golf”.
This project is very similar to the “Garden Route Golf” marketing consortium that
Klippie started many years ago and he will give great support to Larry and the various
tourism, hospitality and golfing facilities that buy in to the concept. He believes that
this must be a winner!
In his previous lives Klippie has been an insurance broker and hotelier; being the
genial host and offering good service is his passion.
Golf Club Management November 2007 21
SPECIAL FEATURE
Codes of Conduct – are
they necessary?
Is it necessary to have a written code of conduct? What was taken for granted 20
years ago is no longer a given! Ian Leach of Euphoria Golf Estate looks at why
codes of conduct should become an essential at golf clubs.
An excellent article on ethics in golf was
published in the September issue of G.C.M.
This was directed at the individual with
inferences that if a person is dishonest on the
golf course that same person is likely to be
dishonest in business as well. The October
issue of G.C.M. included an article on
cheating, especially when it relates to hand-
icap manipulation. Is this a sad reflection
on our modern day society that these issues
have to be put in print? Where have the days
gone where a golfer arrived on time, was
always properly dressed, did not require a
starter or marshall and whose word could
always be trusted? Sadly those days are gone
and, probably for ever. This isn’t unique to
South Africa, although it seems that as a
nation, South Africa could be strong con-
tenders for the world championship.
As far back as 40 years ago the leading
corporations of the world recognised that
change was taking place and, in order to pro-
tect themselves, began producing corporate
codes of conduct to which the company, its
employees and its business associates were
expected to comply. Even with these codes
in place numerous international and national
scandals have surfaced. Golf clubs in South
Africa have experienced their fair share of
fraudulent scandals over the years and would
be well advised in these difficult times to
consider introducing their own code, unique
to their specific circumstances.
In order to help clubs get started this
article will address 15 criteria that could
and should be written into a clubs “Code of
Conduct”.
1) Club Mission
The primary mission of the club should
be clearly stated and then complied
22 November 2007 Golf Club Management
with by management and members
alike. This is a simple step forward
yet vital to the long term growth and
stability of the club.
2) Ethics
The club’s view on honesty, consistency
and integrity should be clearly defined.
Statements like “we will always keep
our word” and “we won’t promise
more than we can reasonably expect
to deliver” and many more, bind the
club to comply. Positive wording on
the club’s ethical position sends a pow-
erful message to employees, members
and business partners. What’s more it
provides strength to the club when it
becomes necessary to deal with any
offenders.
3) Involvement of People
This section should address the club’s
belief in people by creating a work
environment in which employees are
encouraged to want to work and con-
tribute to the overall success of the club.
4) Human Relationships
Both employees and members need to
know the club’s policy on managing
employees. If a club has a well defined
HR policy and applies it consistently,
it will earn the respect of employees
who will then in turn almost certainly
produce better results.
5) Employment Equity
Whether or not a club is required by
law to have an employment equity
plan in place, every club should have
one. Every club should be fully com-
mitted to the normalisation of society
which in any event will pay dividends
in the long term.
6) Privacy of information
Every club has access to information
about members and employees that
needs to be kept strictly confidential
and the club’s code of conduct should
clearly state its intention to do so.
7) Committee Stewardship
Committee members are elected to
represent the best interests of the club
and not themselves. There should
always be full transparency between
the committee and members. Through
the code of conduct the committee
should at all times act in the best long
term interests of the club and its mem-
bers. Individually and collectively the
committee members should reflect the
honesty and integrity of the club.
8) Values
As part of its code of conduct every
club should develop a set of values
that are near and dear to its own cul-
ture. These values should be publicly
displayed in the club house for all to
see. When values are not complied
with, members or even guests will
have every right to bring this to the
club management’s attention.
9) Continuous Improvement:
Clubs should always strive for
improvement in every aspect of the
club’s operations. Without a continuous
improvement strategy no improvement
is likely to occur.

10) Competitive Conduct;
Fair competition is fundamental to the
free enterprise system. Clubs should
state their willingness to co-operate
with each other in the best interest of
the industry but never to collude with
each other in an underhanded or unfair
manner.
11) Relationship with Suppliers:
Every club should document its posi-
tion that all purchasing decisions will be
based purely on evaluations of quality,
price, delivery, service, availability,
technical competence and integrity.
It should further state that no officer,
committee member or employee of the
club will ever accept any gift or favour
other than those of nominal value, in
return for supplier preference. A way
of establishing “nominal value” is to
peg it to a readily available consumer
item such as a bottle of Bell’s whisky.
Pitfalls to effective listening
We all know that listening is a key skill when managing people, but how often do we
listen effectively? Andrew Wilson of GCM highlights five pitfalls that trap us on a reg-
ular basis and stop us from really listening.
Pitfall No 1 - Getting heated and emotion-
ally involved.
Stay calm. You are trying to understand
why the other party is saying what they are
saying. If the other party is getting heated or
emotional you must stay calm and focused.
Get the other party to think about their words
and behaviours rather than yours.
Pitfall No 2 – Interrupting before fully
understanding.
As Stephen Covey says in his book The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People
“seek first to understand and then be under-
stood”. If you hear yourself saying “yes but”
it is a sure sign that you are not listening.
You are rather wanting to get your point
12) Industry Involvement
Every club should be willing to get
involved in industry matters and to
“give back” as much as possible.
13) Environment
The status and role of golf clubs in
South Africa is questioned by many.
One of the key concerns is the poten-
tial impact they may have on the
environment. Every club should be
bound to an environmental policy that
not only complies with the law but
also actively and positively improves
the environment in which the club
operates.
14) Financial Reporting
It goes without saying that every
club shall record and report its finan-
cial status accurately and timeously.
Nothing should be concealed from the
auditors or the members.
across instead of really trying to understand
the other party’s point.
Pitfall No 3 – Allowing distractions.
Make the other person feel that they are
the only person at that time who is impor-
tant to you. Focus on them and don’t get
side-tracked by interruptions (especially
cellphone calls!).
Pitfall No 4 – Reacting to emotionally
laden words.
If the other party is emotional, say that you
can see that they feel strongly about the
issue but remain calm yourself. Aggression
meeting aggression equals explosion! Block
out the emotional words and listen for the
facts and what is relevant.
special feature
15) Communication
Last but not least is the responsibility
the club has to communicate regu-
larly, honestly and accurately to all
stakeholders.
Clubs that have the courage to adopt a
code of conduct and the conviction to apply
it at all times will go a long way towards
improving credibility and loyalty with mem-
bers. What is more, it will make a positive
statement that the club will not tolerate dis-
honesty and this in itself will discourage
individuals from behaving in a dishonest or
inappropriate manner.
For more information contact Ian Leach
on 08289286693 or at
ianleach@euphoriaestate.co.za
HR DEVELOPMENT
Pitfall No 5 – Allowing your own beliefs
and prejudices to interfere .
Check your own agenda and beliefs first.
The stronger you believe in something, the
less likely you are to listen to another view-
point. Great leaders are prepared to put their
beliefs on the line in order to verify them.
You may be right, you may be wrong, but
listening to other viewpoints will help you to
understand why the other person is thinking
and behaving the way they are.
For more information on Human
Resource related issues contact Andrew
Wilson at consultaew@iafrica.com
Golf Club Management November 2007 23