Category: article

Distinguished Excellence Takes Centre Stage as Winners Unveiled at prestigious 59club
Middle East & Africa Service Excellence Awards.

The golf industry witnessed a spectacular evening of accomplishment, as the winners of 59club
MEA Service Excellence Awards, were unveiled at an illustrious awards event hosted at the iconic
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, on Wednesday 12th February 2025, with the support of 59club’s
global partner, Turtleson & event title sponsor Luxury Carts Group.
The awards event brought together the very best of the industry, starting with a signature golf day.
As night fell, the glittering celebrations unfolded in the adjacent grounds of Park Hyatt Dubai as
the spotlight began to shine over 59club MEA’s partner properties in recognition of their
outstanding achievements, remarkable dedication, and unparalleled commitment to service
excellence.
Amidst the anticipation and excitement, the ceremony commenced with the presentation of 6
‘Team of the Year’ titles that represent each facet of the golf visitor experience – Golf Operations,
Golf Retail, Food & Beverage, Golf Membership and two accolades in Agronomy, equally
representing both 9 & 18 hole facilities, with winners determined as a result of scores collected
from 59club’s impartial mystery shopper program. An additional accolade recognized the leading
venue for their commitment to measure and advance customer satisfaction using an array of
59club survey tools.
The highest prized accolade of the night; the Ultimate Service Excellence Award was presented
to Jumeirah Golf Estates in recognition of their leading performance over and above 14 other
Gold Flag Designation venues that were honored on the night. In addition, the DP World Tour
Championship host venue saw their Golf Operations department recognized as Team of the Year.
Franco Botha, Director of Golf, commented on their success “At Jumeirah Golf Estates, we
recognize the invaluable insights provided by 59club, which empower us to navigate an
increasingly competitive market. It was a pleasure to spend the day with our peers, and an honor
to accept these awards on behalf of the entire team in recognition of our collective efforts. The
bar is set very high, and we are excited to continue enhancing the experience we afford our
Members and Guests while defending our titles against other clubs. A big thank you to Mark and
Sally from 59club MEA, and the entire team at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club for hosting such a
fantastic event!”
Multiple celebrations unfolded for the host venue Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, with David
Taggart – Club Manager of Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club adding; “We are delighted to receive
recognition from 59club with both our Gold Flag Designation and for claiming the Membership
Sales Team of the Year title. As the host venue for this prestigious event, the timing of this
recognition is extra special for us. The 59club awards are greatly deserved by each and every
member of the team who worked tirelessly throughout the year to exceed our member and guest’s
expectations”
Trump International Golf Club, Dubai once again secured the my59 Ultimate Service Excellence
Award, having consistently demonstrated their commitment to regularly analyse and advance
their customer service levels using a breadth of satisfaction surveys. Rounding off their
celebrations with a Gold Flag Designation.
The award that recognizes the industry’s finest Agronomy Teams was split for the first time, to
represent both 9- & 18-hole facilities for their supreme standards in golf course presentation. The
winning venues celebrating this success were; Abu Dhabi City Golf Club (9) & Emirates Golf
Club (18) respectively who were also both recognised with a Gold Flag Designation.
The evening also saw Al Hamra Golf Club & eGolf megastore clinch the prestigious Retail Team
of the Year accolade for their unparalleled excellence within their customer service offering and
sales process, also claiming a Gold Flag Designation.
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club also enjoyed their time in the spotlight celebrating a Gold Flag
Designation and having fought off stiff competition for the closely contested Food & Beverage
Team of the Year Award. On winning the award for the first time, Karl Whitehead Cluster Club
Manager Viya Golf Venues said “The team at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, alongside the wider Viya
Golf Abu Dhabi team, is proud to be recognised as Food & Beverage Team of the Year at the 2025
59club Service Excellence Awards. Receiving recognition for outstanding service at Hawksbill
Restaurant reflects our team’s dedication to providing our members and guests with outstanding
memorable experiences. Additionally, achieving Gold Flag status across all three of our Abu
Dhabi clubs is an honour, and we remain committed to maintaining this recognition across our
operations.”
During the ceremony 59club’s coveted Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations were presented
to seventeen properties across the Middle East & Africa, each having achieved the required
standard of customer service, as well as providing the finest facilities and services for their
guest’s enjoyment, as independently adjudicated by 59club’s comprehensive benchmarking
system.
15 Gold Flag Designations were presented to properties that included; Abu Dhabi City Golf Club;
Al Hamra Golf Club; Al Zorah Golf Club; Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf &
Yacht Club; Dubai Hills Golf Club; Els Club, Dubai; Emirates Golf Club; JA Resort Golf
Course; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club;
Trump International Golf Club; Yas Acres Golf & Country Club; and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.
With both The Track, Meydan Golf and Mont Choisy Resort, Mauritius, claiming Bronze Flag
Designations on the night.

Mark Bull, Director 59club MEA said of the event “We are ecstatic to acknowledge the outstanding
teams and managers who shone brightly throughout the evening. Heartfelt congratulations to all
the deserving winners! A huge thanks extends to our title sponsors, Luxury Carts Group and
Turtleson, and to both Dubai Creek and Park Hyatt for their hospitality and a tremendous night of
celebration. Special thanks also to my colleague Tom Lynch, from the 59club Global Team, who
provided a captivating overview of 59club’s remarkable journey covering the past 17 years and a
preview of a number exciting developments that lie ahead”.
Responding, Tom added “It was a real pleasure to be in Dubai again and join the celebrations of
what is an incredibly vibrant region. Clubs in this part of the world are continuing to move the dial
year after year in regard to the service levels they provide to their members & guests. Whilst
fiercely competitive, there’s a wonderful sense of camaraderie too and the event was such a great
testament to that. Huge congratulations to each and every nominee & winner across the evening”.
59club’s awards season is in full swing – having hosted 59club USA’s Awards Ceremony last
month in Orlando, before those celebrations swiftly passed over to 59club MEA. Four more
ceremonies will be staged by 59club’s regional teams in Canada, the UK, Europe and Asia, before
finally arriving with 59club Australia & New Zealand in May – as each region crowns their finest
individuals, teams and properties responsible for delivering the very best customer experiences.
The pinnacle for these deserving properties will see Gold Flag Venues and select regional winners
invited to the UK to compete at 59club’s Inaugural Global Awards Event in August 2025.
The honour of hosting this inaugural celebration falls to the World-Class; Belfry Hotel & Resort –
having hosted The Ryder Cup more than any other venue in the world, and host to this years
Betfred British Masters – who will welcome the very best global golf providers from 59clubs
network to the Resort, in what can only be described as a spectacle of glory.

Full list of 2025 Service Excellence Awards winners featured below:
Ultimate Service Excellence: Jumeirah Golf Estates
Gold Flag Designations: Abu Dhabi City Golf Club; Al Hamra Golf Club; Al Zorah Golf Club;
Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Dubai Hills Golf Club; Els Club,
Dubai; Emirates Golf Club; JA Resort Golf Course; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Montgomerie Golf Club,
Dubai; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club; Yas Acres Golf & Country Club;
and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.
Bronze Flag Designations: The Track, Meydan Golf: Mont Choisy Resort, Mauritius,
Golf Operations Team of the Year: Jumeirah Golf Estates – led by Franco Botha
Agronomy Team of the Year (18 Holes): Emirates Golf Club – led by Matthew Perry
Agronomy Team of the Year (9 Holes): Abu Dhabi City Golf Club – led by Gustav Pieterse
Retail Team of the Year: Al Hamra Golf Club & eGolf – led by Sumit Pariyar
Food & Beverage Team of the Year: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club – led by Santos Castillo & Prasath
Rajendran
Golf Membership Team of the Year: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club – led by Romana Fernandez
My59 Ultimate Service Excellence: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai – led by Martin
McDonagh

As 59club MEA and their award-winning properties enjoy their time in the spotlight – 59club the
global Customer Service Management Specialists, are on course to continue uniting the world of
golf & hospitality around their commitment to deliver service excellence.

59club, the leading provider of customer experience benchmarking and improvement solutions for the golf, leisure, retail, and hospitality industries, is excited to announce the expert appointment of Chris Geraghty as its new Managing Partner for 59club Asia.

Geraghty’s experience with signature Troon managed properties, in North Africa, Bahrain, and Asia plus time spent with Stella Di Mare Hotels & Resorts in Egypt and De Vere Hotels in the UK speaks volumes for the impending impact Geraghty is set to make as he takes the reigns in driving 59club’s operations across the region.

Boasting a collection of accolades – including four 59club Gold Flag Awards shared between two properties (The Royal Golf Club & Vattanac Golf Resort) also having historically claimed a Silver Flag during Vattanac’s first year of partnering with 59club, and personally receiving the enviable 59club Asia Golf Manager of the year title in 2023 – there is no denying the impact that Geraghty will have on customer service standards in the region as he works closely with all 59club affiliate properties to manage change, increase reputation and improve club profitability.

Of the announcement Geraghty said; “Joining 59club to lead the Asia region is extremely exciting. The opportunity to support Hospitality Business Owners, Management Companies, General Managers, and their respective teams throughout Asia deliver higher levels of service through globally gathered quantitative data, ongoing training, and measurement of results is an incredible prospect.

“Guest expectations in Asia are among the highest I’ve seen throughout a global career, and to be able to share my track record of providing exceptional levels of service with hospitality leaders in over 10 countries to exceed guest expectations is going to be fundamental to the ongoing success of 59club in the region. Thanks to the hard work of the previous management team, 59club Asia is in a fantastic position and I’m very much looking forward to getting started in 2025”.

Of the appointment Simon Wordsworth, 59club Founder & CEO said; “We are delighted to welcome Chris to the team, what an incredible asset for 59club and the clubs in the region to benefit from his expertise, experience and passion. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Araya Singhsuwan for helping to establish our brand in Asia and to James Shippey of Absolute Golf Services for their unwavering support. We look forward to continuing to support our affiliate properties in the region and in welcoming new venues to the 59club network attracted by their desire to excel.

For all enquiries about 59club’s Mystery Shopping, Satisfaction Surveys, and Training & Education opportunities in Asia simply reach out to chrisg@59club.com

The Finest Properties & Leaders Iconised with Eminent Status in 2024.

The latest properties and leaders from the world of golf & hospitality have been welcomed into 59club’s ‘Eminent Collection’ at two exclusive events, hosted at Park Hyatt, Dubai Creek; and at The Belfry Hotel & Resort on the 19th and 21st of November 2024, respectively.

The intimate ceremonies brought existing members, 59club’s regional teams and industry partners in Club Car,  Reesink Toro & Turtleson together to welcome the newcomers into the prestigious Collection.

Glenn McNaughton (Long Ashton Golf Club), Jack Heginbotham (Long Ashton Golf Club), Kristoff Both (Club de Golf Alcanada) and Matt Sandercock (Mount Juliet Estate)were amongst the Leaders who were awarded the enviable title, with the newcomers joining thirty-one existing individuals who were honored with Eminent Status in previous years since its formation in 2022.

With Club de Golf Alcanada; The Els Club, Dubai; Frilford Heath; Jumeirah Golf Estates; The Mere Golf Resort & Spa and Mount Juliet Estate the latest Properties recognised for having met the demands synonymous with the Eminent benchmark of excellence.

With the newcomers officially welcomed, the elite collection of Properties iconised for their commitment to customer service excellence spanning 59club’s international network in 2024 now includes The Belfry Hotel & Resort; The Celtic Manor Resort; Spa; Club de Golf Alcanada; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Forest of Arden; Foxhills Club & Resort; Frilford Heath; Gleneagles; Golf Son Muntaner; Jumeirah Golf Estates; The Els Club, Dubai; The Grove; The Mere Golf Resort & Mount Juliet Estate; Rockliffe Hall; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas links, Abu Dhabi.

“Together we’ve pushed the boundaries and set the ceiling for what excellence is all about. It’s a privilege to come together once again with the people we are proud to call the best of the best. I sincerely look forward to supporting other managers and venues to excel in the Business of Golf, ultimately by exceeding customer expectations and reaping the rewards. The sky’s the limit for everyone within 59club’s network, and when we start to reach the limit, we’ll all continue to push a whole lot more”

Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO

The ‘Eminent Collection’ was established in 2022 to honor long-serving standards of customer service excellence delivered over a minimum of 5 years; with 59club Flag Designations, along with individual and team accolades, all contributing towards the global Eminent benchmark of excellence.

Recognition is unbiased, independent, and non-subjective, the only industry award of its kind, symbolizing a true badge of honor for those venues and people consistently delivering the finest levels of customer service, during 59club’s vigorous mystery shopper program.

The Belfry Hotel & Resort
The Celtic Manor Resort
Club de Golf Alcanada
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
The Els Club, Dubai
Emirates Golf Club
Foxhills Club & Resort
Frilford Heath
Gleneagles
Golf Son Muntaner
The Grove
Jumeirah Golf Estates
The Mere Golf Resort & Spa
Mount Juliet Estate
Rockliffe Hall
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Trump International Golf Club, Dubai
Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Andrew Whitelaw
Angus Macleod
Anna Darnell
Barney Coleman
Bernat Llobera
Brad Gould
Casper Schonfeldt
Chris Eiglaar
Chris Fitt
Chris May
Chris Reeve
Clinton Southorn
Craig Haldane
Francisco de Lancastre David
Fraser Liston
Gary Silcock
Glen McNaughton
Houssem Belabed
Jack Heginbotham
Jacques Hobson
Jason Adams
Jim McKenzie MBE
Jonathan Wyer
Kristoff Both Club
Matt Aplin
Matt Sandercock
Phillip Chiverton
Rob Rowson
Scott Fenwick
Sean Graham
Simon Howell
Stephen Hindle
Stephen Hubner
Stuart Collier
Tom Hughes

The Viya app allows consumers to book golf and leisure activities across hundreds of venues in Dubai. We asked Julian Danby, Viya’s Director – International Business, to explain how it is driving global business.

What is Viya and its role within your organization?

Viya is our dynamic golf lifestyle loyalty and rewards app, launched in Dubai in 2020 under the umbrella of Dubai Golf. Viya was initially designed to enhance the experience for our golfing community and has since evolved into a powerhouse platform spanning nearly 200 venues. Beyond golf clubs, it now includes leading restaurants, beach clubs, gyms, and a variety of activities like fitness classes, personal training, marinas, and spas. Customers can seamlessly book and pay for services through Viya while earning and redeeming points.

Think of it as your all-access pass to living the good life while earning and splurging points between rounds. I am responsible for redefining Viya to suit international markets and roll out the product globally.

This exciting venture involves adapting Viya’s versatile platform to resonate with diverse cultures and preferences worldwide.

We’re not just aiming to expand geographically; we’re crafting tailored experiences that cater to the unique tastes and expectations of global users. It’s about enhancing accessibility and ensuring that, whether you’re in Dubai or London, Viya remains your ultimate golfing companion.

Who owns Viya and how has it impacted your business?

Viya is proudly owned by Dubai Golf, a leading entity under the Dubai government managing iconic properties such as Emirates Golf Club and Jumeirah Golf Estates.

The impact of Viya on our business has been transformative, especially evident in our recent expansion into Abu Dhabi. Taking charge of venues like Yas Links and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Viya quickly became instrumental in driving revenue.

A standout example is Yas Acres, where Viya facilitated a remarkable 70% of our monthly green fee revenue within just four months of operation.

How do you measure Viya’s success, and what metrics are crucial?

Success for Viya hinges on customer loyalty and engagement metrics. We gauge this through repeat visits, customer referrals and of customer spend habits.

“The impact of Viya on our business has been transformative, especially evident in our recent expansion into Abu Dhabi”

Was it challenging to onboard partners to Viya’s concept?

Fortunately, our established golf facilities in UAE provided a strong foundation and a compelling case for potential partners. As Viya expanded to encompass leisure and lifestyle options, it quickly gained traction in the market.

Clubs and vendors recognized that being part of Viya meant offering excellent value and attracting a dedicated customer base. Viya became the word on the lips of every golfer and their close network of friends, and as such we had vendors knocking on our door wanting to be a part of it.

How do you evaluate the return on investment from your collaboration with 59club?

The return on our investment with 59club is evident in improved staff retention, enhanced service delivery, and the consistent delivery of exceptional experiences. While it’s challenging to quantify in purely financial terms, the value lies in our ability to maintain high standards and implement innovative ideas.

What’s the best advice you’ve received and how does it resonate in your work?

The best advice I received from my dad was: “If a job is not worth doing properly, it is not worth doing at all.” This mantra drives our commitment to excellence in planning, execution, and ensuring we have the right resources and team in place to deliver exceptional results.

It’s the same ethos that lights up our game with 59club, pushing us to wow our customers by reinforcing our dedication to exceed customer expectations and achieve operational excellence.

You’ve collaborated with 59club extensively. Why is this partnership crucial?

Our partnership with 59club, spanning more than a decade, has been pivotal. 59club provides invaluable training and customer feedback that enhances our operational standards. By benchmarking against other clubs internationally, 59club helps us continually raise the bar that keeps our F&B and Golf operations running smoother than a ball on a glassy green

Andrew Whitelaw led operations at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai – the first property in the region to work with 59club. He is now General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of the 2026 PGA Championship venue Aronimink.

Andrew Whitelaw, Aronimink General Manager and Chief Operating Officer

Tell us about the set-up and model at Aronimink?

It is a traditional American country club and golf is the primary function of the club. The governance structure is fairly typical, with a board of governors – including a President, Secretary, Vice President and Treasurer. We have 14 committees and they are involved in the running of the club. It is a modern governance model and is progressive. We have a forward looking board and we are in the middle of a $30m renovation of the whole property with clubhouse renovations and an upgrade of some of the golf facilities as well as our sport and leisure areas.

We have a new golf learning centre which is now finished. The membership are fantastic, they really love this club and they are very involved and passionate about everything Aronimink. The course is incredible, which is important, and is the basis of everything we do – we are a walking-only course and everybody who plays it will say that the conditioning is as good as you are going to see anywhere. Visually it is stunning and it is most definitely one of Donald Ross’s finest creations.

What is happening now in the planning stages for the 2026 PGA Championship?

The PGA of America have a future sites programme, so for the last three years we have been going to events and meeting the committees who are running all these tournaments from their clubs’ perspectives and learning from their experiences.

The PGA will come on site in the next month and hospitality sales have already started. Our main priority at the moment is working with the local townships or various permits that we need to host such a large event. It is a big year for Philadelphia; it is the 250th anniversary of the United States, the FIFA World Cup is in town that year and the PGA Championship will kick it all off.

How do you calculate a return on investment when working with 59club?

Nearly 15 years ago we started working with 59club at the Emirates GC in Dubai and it was an important piece of how we improved our service at the property. In those days we were focused on customer satisfaction and understanding how we could improve the service side at every touchpoint. We weren’t using 59club to deliver a return of investment or upselling, our main use was to identify gaps

in our service and drive engagement and satisfaction among members and guests. When I moved to Trump Dubai in 2016 we introduced mystery shopping and training and achieved Gold Flag status in the first year. We did the same thing at Portmarnock in 2019.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve had?

Listen carefully and understand what is being said to you before you reply. A lot of people jump in with a response before they completely understand what they are being asked a lot of the time. You don’t always have to be the first person to speak. I have found that invaluable. Also, when you are starting out, always try and do more than you have been asked and take on things that maybe you weren’t asked to do.

Out of everything that 59club do, what do you like the most?

You can’t be everywhere all the time and, when you work in operations, you don’t always experience what the member or guest experiences. I like the view you get of the personal experience of individuals who understand golf who are then able to give you an unbiased view of every aspect of the service journey. If you get the service at a level where it needs to be people are going to return, they are going to come more often and enjoy their experience more. For me this is the key part of the 59club product although there is so much more to what they offer which is of value.

59club’s commitment to elevate Sales & Customer Service across the entire golf & leisure industry, has seen the Customer Experience Management Specialist launch the industry’s first independent B2B magazine, concentrated solely on excelling standards, service optimization and elevating club profitability.

With operations spanning the UK & Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia, the USA, Canada, Australia & New Zealand and Korea, 59club are perfectly positioned to become the authentic voice of the global golf business, something their clients, associates and those on the inside have been championing for decades. 

Thousands of affiliate properties have benefited from the customer service insights and data collected through 59club’s extensive mystery shopping program and real-time customer satisfaction surveys. And now, the eagerly anticipated Insights Magazine will act as a platform to share that wisdom and education with a wider audience, as the new publication fills the void and counteracts any misinformation that the industry has suffered. 

Simon Wordsworth, 59club founder & CEO, said; “With opening rates of digital magazines falling, engagement in that digital space can be very difficult and in general any interaction is short lived. We don’t want to be ‘read today, forgot tomorrow’, we’ve just got too much to share for that.

“I wanted us to produce a high quality and informative piece of work that simply ‘lingers longer’in a venue, to remain open at point of interest with the reader, affording them the time and perspective to make positive changes within their business based on fact and understanding. In addition, there are more people within the club/organisation to educate and stimulate discussion. For that reason, digital alone just wouldn’t do for us. 

“We can see from our Club Study results what is on our managers minds and the Insights Magazine will allow us to discuss these topics with the trade and other influencing factors.”

The global edition of the aptly named ‘Insights’ magazine will be hard mailed four times per year to club’s within 59club’s immediate and growing network, a digital counterpart is also available to download on mass. 

The first edition celebrates the best operators in the world having achieved 59club flag status for excelling Customer Service standards and also features the elite Leaders and Properties within 59club’s Eminent Collection – the list to end all debates, as those included truly are the industries finest service providers.  

Subsequent issues are driven by live industry data, as 59club’s universal intel uncovers the truth behind visitor perception, member satisfaction, onboarding processes, attrition behaviours, and event management, right the way through to the Club Study survey results that are posted every two weeks. 

The magazine will also delve into the success and life-lessons shared by some of the greatest operators and most celebrated properties in the world of golf & hospitality. The final publication of the year, will always review the annual customer experience wins & losses, seeking predictions and forecasting for the future. 

Each edition will be informative, educational and focus on insights that you can’t find anywhere else, it’s a guard-down approach to excel.  

Read the Insights Magazine now, and for more information about 59club and the lasting change they can bring to the overall success and profitability of your club, simply visit 59club.com and reach out to your regional 59club Manager.

Presented by Luxury Carts Group.

The industry turns its attention to The Middle East & Africa as the shortlist is revealed ahead of 59club MEA’s 5th annual Service Excellence Awards, which boards the iconic Queen Elizabeth 2, Dubai Maritime City, on the 7th of March 2024.

59club’s prestigious Service Excellence Awards recognise those outstanding teams and managers within the industry who consistently deliver the finest customer experiences for their members and guests – spanning all aspects of the Golf and F&B operation.

Qualification is unbiased; and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping programme, that spans a twelve-month period throughout 2023. The properties nominated represent a defining standard within the golf & hospitality industry, signifying the ultimate benchmark of customer service ‘excellence’.

Defending their 2023 Ultimate Gold Flag Property award; Emirates Golf Club lead the way this year with 5 nominations across the 6 categories, which sees their Golf Operations, F&B, Retail and Agronomy teams all nominated. Emirates are also in contention for the ‘my59 Ultimate Service Excellence’ award, an accolade that represents a venue’s commitment to measure and advance their customer experience using a wealth of 59club’s satisfaction survey templates. Other nominees in this category include, Al Zorah Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Trump International Golf Club, Dubai.

In addition to their my59 nomination, Al Zorah Golf Club, are one to watch, boasting 4 more nominations, after seeing their Retail, Golf Operations, Agronomy and Membership teams all shortlisted for an award this year. These nominations are testament to the effort and focus given by the team to ensure a smooth journey for golfers across all areas of the club.   

Jumeirah Golf Estates along with Dubai Hills Golf Club and the Prosports International Team enjoy nominations in, no less than, three award categories. Jumeirah competing in the Golf Operations, Membership and my59 Ultimate service categories, whilst Dubai Hills are vying for success in the Retail, F&B and Agronomy stakes.

Last year’s Agronomy Team of the Year; Yas Acres Golf & Country Club are back to defend their title, with their Viya Golf partner club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, in the running for Golf Operations Team of the Year.  

Clubs fending a double dose of nominations include Trump International Golf Club who, in one arena are hoping to claim the my59 Ultimate Service Excellence award, a title they hope to retain for the third consecutive year. And in the other arena they boast a first-time nomination placement, thanks to the club’s Agronomy Team.

And finally, Troon International will be especially hopeful on the night, as the group enters the winner’s arena in a strong position with Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai boasting two nominations credited to their F&B and Retail team led by eGolf International. The Els Club, Dubai also enjoy a double dose of nominations thanks to their Membership and Agronomy Team, plus there’s more opportunity for the group’s potential success within the Retail, and F&B stakes, in recognition of the teams at Al Hamra Golf Club and Arabian Ranches Golf Club respectively.

This year 59club MEA have introduced a new category o the awards – the Sustainability Award. 59club has recently become Neutral Carbon Zone Silver Certified, meaning all of their organisational emissions have been measured, and fully offset to be carbon neutral for 2023. In the spirit of their aspirations for the great game of golf to become more sustainable, the sustainability award, presented in conjunction with Neutral Carbon Zone, will be a welcome and relevant addition to the awards ceremony.

59club’s most prized accolades of the awards ceremony, the Bronze, Silver & Golf Flag Designations will be presented on the night to the properties who consistently deliver an outstanding customer experience as well as providing the finest facilities for their guests enjoyment.

Looking ahead to the Service Excellence Awards, Mark Bull Director 59club MEA said;

“It is fantastic to be hosting our 5th Service Excellence Awards, presented by Luxury Carts Group. We are very excited to be hosting the industry on board the historic QE2 and celebrating teams and managers from across the industry. The array of nominees just highlights how lucky we are in this region to have some of the leading venues and lifestyle destinations in the world. We are also excited to be making our awards a carbon neutral event, an initiative that is front and centre of ours and the wider industries minds today. We look forward to welcoming everyone on board in March and Good luck to all nominees on the night.”

In addition to 59club’s MEA Awards Event, the global Customer Service Management Specialists, will host six additional ceremonies during 2024 – which started in the UK, before heading off to Europe, MEA, Asia, USA and Canada, before finally finishing their annual celebrations in Australia – as 59club continue uniting the world of golf & hospitality around their commitment to deliver customer service excellence.  

59CLUB MEA ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS (in alphabetical order):

Golf Retail Team of the Year:   

Al Hamra Golf Club, led by Ivy Ferrancullo, Al Zorah Golf Club, led by Stephen Payne, Dubai Hills Golf Club, led by Sam Taylor, Emirates Golf Club, led by Stuart Fee, Montgomerie Golf Club and the eGolf International Team.

Food & Beverage Team of the Year:

Arabian Ranches Golf Club, led by Ryan Smith, Els Club, Dubai, led by Etienne Barry, Dubai Hills Golf Club, led by, Conor Rogers, Emirates Golf Club, led by Max Grenard, Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai, led by Retief Tolken

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year:

Al Zorah Golf Club, led by Stephen Payne, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, led by Romana Fernandez, Els Club, Dubai, led by Agnes Wesolowska, Jumeirah Golf Estates, led by Candy Legaspi

Agronomy Team of the Year:  

Dubai Hills Golf Club, led by Jordan Fairweather & Josh McCallum, Els Club, Dubai, led by Alex McDowell, Emirates Golf Club, led by Matthew Perry, Trump International Golf Club, led by Simon Winzar, Yas Acres Golf & Country Club, led by Corey Finn & James Taggart

Golf Operations Team of the Year:                                                                                                

Al Zorah Golf Club, led by Stephen Payne, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, led by Michael Major, Emirates Golf Club, led by Nico Visser & Ian Brennan, Jumeirah Golf Estates, led by Franco Botha, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, led by Daniel Richards                                                                                                        

My59 Ultimate Service Excellence Award:

Al Zorah Golf Club, led by Stephen Payne, Emirates Golf Club, led by Nico Visser & Ian Brennan, Jumeirah Golf Estates led by Franco Botha, Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, led by Martin McDonagh

Sustainability Award of the Year:

To be announced on the evening

59club’s spotlight shines as the 2023 Eminent Collection is announced.

The latest properties and leaders from the world of golf & hospitality have been welcomed into 59club’s ‘Eminent Collection’ at two exclusive events, hosted at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and at Wentworth Club, England on the 21st and 23rd of November 2023, respectively.

The ‘Eminent Collection’ was established in 2022 to honor long-serving standards of customer service excellence delivered over a minimum of 5 years; with 59club Flag Designations, along with individual and team accolades, all contributing towards the global Eminent benchmark of excellence.

Recognition by 59club is unbiased, independent, and non-subjective, the only industry award of its kind, symbolizing a true badge of honor for those venues and people consistently delivering the finest levels of customer service,during 59club’s vigorous mystery shopper program.

The intimate ceremony, saw 59club welcome nine industry ‘leaders’ who join twenty-two individuals honored with Eminent Status in 2022. The newcomers receiving the enviable Eminent titles were; Casper Schonfeldt, Discovery Land Dubai; Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry; Chris Fitt, Moor Park; Clinton Southorn, Troon; Francisco de Lancastre David, Finca Cortesin; HoussemBelabed, Gleneagles; Jason Adams, Rockliffe Hall; Matt Aplin, Goring & Streatley; and, Scott Fenwick, Gleneagles. 

With only one new property having met the demands synonymous with the Eminent Collection in 2023; as Saadiyat Beach Golf Club join twelve existing ‘properties’ from within 59club’s international network. The elite Collection now represents The Belfry Hotel & Resort; The Celtic Manor Resort; Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Forest of Arden; Foxhills Club & Resort; Gleneagles; Golf Son Muntaner; The Grove; Rockliffe Hall; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas links, Abu Dhabi.

Of the honors, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said; “What an incredible celebration of ‘excellence’! The Collection all came together to welcome our newcomers to this elite group of industry champions, whilst we honored our existing members for a second term. The Eminent Collection is the ultimate accolade we can bestow on any venue or individual, and it remains 59club’s honour and privilege to continue to shine a light on the people who are shaping the direction the industry continues to take, by maximising the experience that every single customer can enjoy.”

59club’s signature partner; Club Car once again extended their commitment to the Collection, in true reflection of their devotion to honor customer service excellence; with both Reesink Toro & Golf Genius also aligning their brands with this unique portfolio of industry professionals.

The Belfry Hotel & Resort
The Celtic Manor Resort
Delta by Marriott, Forest of Arden
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Emirates Golf Club
Foxhills Club & Resort
Gleneagles
Golf Son Muntaner
The Grove
Rockliffe Hall
Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
Trump International Golf Club Dubai
Yas Links Abu Dhabi

Andrew Whitelaw, Aronimink Golf Club
Angus Macleod, The Belfry
Anna Darnell, The Grove
Barney Coleman, Burnham & Berrow
Bernat Llobera, Arabella Golf Mallorca
Brad Gould, The Grove
Casper Schonfeldt, Discovery Land Dubai
Chris Eigelaar, The Belfry
Chris Fitt, Moor Park
Chris May, Dubai Golf
Chris Reeve, The Belfry
Clinton Southorn, Troon
Craig Haldane, Gleneagles
Francisco de Lancastre David, Finca Cortesin
Fraser Liston, Forest of Arden
Gary Silcock, Murrayshall
Houssem Belabed, Gleneagles
Jacques Hobson, The Belfry
Jason Adams, Rockliffe Hall
Jim Mckenzie MBE, Celtic Manor
Jonathan Wyer, Rockliffe Hall
Matt Aplin, Goring & Streatley
Phillip Chiverton, The Grove
Rob Rowson, Forest of Arden
Scott Fenwick, Gleneagles
Sean Graham, Foxhills
Simon Howell, Forest of Arden
Stephen Hindle, Worsley Park
Stephen Hubner, Jumeirah Golf Estates
Stuart Collier, Stoke Park
Tom Hughes, The Belfry

59club is all about detail & data, and our technology plays a vital part in all of that, providing you with the ability to collect survey data direct from 1-1 survey invitations, or the simplicity of a well-positioned QR code or shareable link. We’ve also made some loyal friends along the way via mutual clients, and working together we can generate even more intelligence, while eradicating human error – that’s right, today we’re opening your eyes to CRM & POS hook-ups!  

For the average golf & hospitality business, that simply means each time member and guest data is entered into your software, 59club’s survey platform will ‘auto-invite’ the customer to complete the venues bespoke satisfaction survey based on their recent encounter. For example; having joined the club, paid to play, visited the spa or F&B outlet, attended a golf club fitting appointment, made a retail purchase, or having relinquished their club membership.  

The functionality can even track a customer’s experience at significant landmarks during their journey, auto generating a ‘series’ of questionnaires, in sequence at set intervals, as programmed by the venue; measuring a new member’s experience over a set timeframe, or even a ‘get into golf program’ as a guide. 

Over the years we have managed integrations with a number of the leading CRM & POS providers globally on behalf of our mutual clients. 

Most recently we have been linked with Lightspeed; a global innovative ePOS system, and we have also delivered integrated surveys for many clients with the help of other leading providers such as Concept, EZLinks, imaster.golf and Premier Software, all with the ultimate goal of supporting our shared clients to maximise the intel they receive from their customers. 

With technology always at the ready, and a wealth of flexible survey templates that cover all areas of the hospitality industry, club staff can save valuable admin time, with elements of human error also eradicated, as the POS & CRM takes over. That means more time to spend on analysing the data, utilising the industry specific benchmarking comparisons, and ultimately; on the important parts of customer experience – spending time with the customer and subsequently around planning improvements! 

And while our survey platform is all algorithms, metrics and values, there’s no bots here! We are human, with expert servicing teams located in 9 international regions – from ideation and build support, to launch assistance, data analysis & next-level advice – when you need us, we are with you every step of the way.  

We’ll even support your CRM & POS provider with all the necessary’s tech-talk to maximise your data-capture. So, what are you waiting for? Talk to us about your provider, and let’s get you hooked-up and away to go.  

Never again will you make decisions blindly or be left wondering why… because you’ll have the hard and fast data at your fingertips, as we open your eyes to the wonderful world of wisdom…  

As always; reach out to your regional 59club Manager for more information and to get started…  

WARNING!!! Please be assured that 59club will guide you through the process of becoming a tech wizard – no former data-geek experience necessary – full 59club support provided, we have an open API, we’re friendly like that, and we’ll even manage the integration process with your CRM & POS provider as required.  

The greatest thing about golfers is that they like to play in groups. No one likes to play golf alone and that gives us a huge advantage, whether that’s a monthly seasoned away day, or an annual group of 40+ visiting golfers, we want them to choose to visit us, right?! But are we consistently hitting all the high notes during their enquiry? After all, they’re probably canvasing a few other venues for the best rates.

But does rate really matter?  

To some, absolutely! Rate may be everything – but when you consider;

Value = Experience less Cost, it’s the experience that we really need to pitch, and that’s where excellent customer service and call management will always win, but how do you know what to pitch?  

Well, I’ll let you in to a little secret – it all comes down to following a solid sales process – none of this wishy-washy stuff – and at 59club we’re experts at mapping out the perfect journey, so here’s some helpful hints & tips, just for 10.  

Phone rings – so where do you start? 

1. Has the group been before? 

2. What’s their previous experience, where did they visit; what did they enjoy; and what are the most important factors to ensure a successful event?   

3. Discuss their previous budget and typical spend. 

4. Sniff out the competition; who are we up against, have they made other enquiries, have they been given any package prices? 

5. Discuss the frequency of the event? 

6. Data collection – name, email, number, address, how did they hear of us, what prompted them to call – we want it all…  

7. Event data – date, times, number of golfers and their level of flexibility 

8. Establish the parameters of their budget? 

9. Understand the event specifics – and boy there’s a lot of technicalities to cover here, from F&B requirements, on-course services, and prize tables, to golf clinics and leaderboards. 

10. Demonstrate that you truly value their business.  

Promotion begins…  

Then it’s a simple case of delivering a ‘tailored’ promotion to exceed expectations; as you discuss the venue, your product and your USP’s – demonstrating added value along the way!!! And please ALWAYS give more…   

Sales close & Follow up…  

Finally, you start your ‘sales close’ and agree your follow-up protocol, because we’re going to be proactive with our next steps. Whether that’s still attempting to convert the business, offering to hold space, or issuing a personalized proposal; or simply providing pre-visit advice having secured the booking.  

Yes, the rate may be high on a specific day or time, but by simply understanding the flexibility of your group; you may well be able to come up with an alternative tee time to help shape a great package for them. That’s what group golf is all about, keeping the group happy, and if we can be seen to value their business, tailoring our offering to accommodate them, tweaking this and that to give them the very greatest experience for their buck, then we are hard to beat! 

Stop thinking of golf as a solid flat rate – how can it be, when there are so many SPECIFICS to navigate with the group organizer, and added extras that may well cost you nothing, but make the group feel like a million dollars.  

If you start out with a solid sales process, designed to glean the information necessary to over-pitch your offering, then you’re on to a winning formula.  

• Ask your regional 59club manager about our Group Golf Sales audits, education and survey tools. There really is a better way to do things, and we are here to help guide you through initiating that sales process…  

From the second an employee arrives for work, and even before they’ve slipped their coat off and settled into their daily duties, there are customers waiting to be supported & served, and we expect that interaction to be delivered with a smile and genuine interest to help. (As well as hitting all the high notes within our Mystery Shopper audit criteria)  

On the whole, performance is true to form, but from time-to-time standards slip – employees may feel the pressures of their role, they may feel undervalued, they may have unknowingly inherited bad traits from other team members – and slowly that smile becomes strained.  

The customer may not even notice the difference in behavior at first, but over time it starts to show, you may even hear customers speaking of the uncharacteristic behavior of their favorite employee. 

“Motivate them, train them, care about them, and make winners out of them… they’ll treat the customers right. And if customers are treated right, they’ll come back.” 

J. Willard Marriott, American entrepreneur, businessman and founder of the Marriott Corporation

To consistently deliver exceptional service, you must nurture your people, inspire their behavior, support them with the right tools and training to perform well within their role, predict their needs, and listen to their woes.  

With so many customers to serve and departments to oversee, time often slips away, and every good intention becomes lower down the priority order, but it doesn’t need to be that way. 

Just like your customers, there is also a ‘need’ to survey your employees, and for that matter we created a bundle of HR Survey Templates, to make analyzing employee wellbeing that much easier, whether they are an existing employee, new recruit or a leaver. 

There’s a whole load of pre-set questions for you to include – as always, we try and take the guess work away, but there’s also the freedom to add any custom questions to your surveys – you’re always able to do that within any of our golf & hospitality templates, you can even make a survey entirely of your own if you prefer.  

What always captivates me with the inclusion of a templated question, is the ability to compare your own outcomes with the global industry & podium set averages, that’s what fascinates me the most. How other employees’ experiences, preferences, willingness and loyalty compares to yours, and what you can take from the wisdom of stepping out of your own four walls.  

The venue will also be able to identify what motivates individuals, and how they can support continued growth within their employees existing role, also providing clarity and vision over personal career progression. 

There may be other survey providers out there – heck one google search and you can find a ton of them! But what you don’t get from any of them is the specialized industry expertise, the flexibility, and the miniscule analytical data that only 59club is synonymous for.  

We aren’t just here as a survey provider like some of our competitors are, or as a mystery shopping company either, we are here for the greater good. We don’t just help you to spot flaws or celebrate excellence with you, we give you the solutions to perfect experiences.  

Circling back to Mr. Marriott, our very own mantra is cut from the same cloth, we exist solely to help you to motivate your team, to care about them, to train them, and every year we make winners out of them. Your people are the foundation to achieving customer service excellence, that’s the business we are all in, and we’re all in it together!  

The Human Resource Survey Templates are free to use within your Survey Platform, they address all areas of the employment roster – from measuring the New Employee Experience, general Employee Satisfaction, plus an Employee Exit Survey.  

So, while we’ve got your attention, take some time out today, look into the HR Survey Suite. Give us a call if you prefer, and let’s set some time aside to prioritize employee wellbeing, as we look forward to enjoying the perks of increased customer service delivery.

59club’s ‘Eminent Collection’ celebration is set to return this fall, as we continue to recognize the finest properties & leaders across the world of golf & hospitality, for their unwavering dedication to Customer Service Excellence.  

With exclusive events taking place at Trump International Golf Club, Dubai, and at Wentworth Club, England on the 21^st and 23^rd of November 2023 respectively; 59club are delighted to announce that their signature partner; Club Car has once again extended their commitment to the Collection; with both Reesink Toro & Golf Genius also aligning their brands with this unique portfolio of industry professionals, as the 2023 inductees are set to be announced. 

Eligibility into the ‘Eminent Collection’ is based solely on achievements across the 59club Service Excellence Awards, with individual and team accolades, along with 59club Flag Designations, all contributing towards the Global Eminent Benchmark of Excellence; measuring performances over a minimum of 5 years.  

In 2022, just twelve ‘properties’ from within 59club’s international network had achieved the required benchmark synonymous with the Collection, with a further twenty-two ‘leaders’ honored with Eminent Status.  

Of the impending celebrations, Simon Wordsworth, 59club CEO said;

“The ultimate accolade 59club can bestow on any venue or individual is to grant them entry into The Eminent Collection. The calculation is fair, transparent, objective, and open to all industry professionals, and by design showcases individuals and venues who not only invite independent scrutiny, but who then deliver outstanding and consistent performances across a minimum of five years.  

“It is my honour and privilege to continue to shine a light on the people who are ultimately shaping the direction the industry continues to take, by maximising the experience that every single customer can enjoy.” 

As the wider industry waits on bated breath for the 2023 announcement to be made later in November; 59club are preparing to host a full house, as the entire Collection reconvenes to officially welcome the newcomers as they join this elite group of industry champions.  

For more information about the Eminent Collection, or to learn about 59club and their plight towards elevating service standards and profitability across the golf & hospitality industry; please visit www.59club.com  

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.

Today, we bring you insights from an industry leader who’s making headway in optimizing member experiences, Jason Hanna, COO of the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Canada. We talk about his vision, 59club’s transformative role in their operations, and the future of golf clubs in the region. 

The Visionary Path

Under Jason’s stewardship, Credit Valley aims to grow its member service standards by “creating means to measure our progress year over year and benchmarking with similar clubs in our market.” This ensures they’re either meeting or exceeding industry standards and expectations. 

Jason highlights the significance of 59club’s industry benchmarking services, calling them “an invaluable tool, not only for club managers but for committees and Boards to better understand industry standards.” 

Striking a Better Club Experience

Credit Valley is focusing on enhancing locker room and outside golf operations. They’ve found an ally in 59club, whose survey software and mystery shopping audits has resonated with the club’s team, mainly due to its granularity. This has facilitated more accurate evaluations, streamlined internal communications, and enriched staff training. 

“Benchmarking and surveys have been instrumental in setting targets. We have used the HR survey templates exclusively on staff to date in order have a sense of their comfort heading into a busy season, and a peer assessment method with our management team that folds into their appraisals. We will also be expanding to use surveys for Board and committee effectiveness,” Jason shares. This bespoke approach has been pivotal in understanding Credit Valley’s unique aspects, and driving continuous improvement. 

On Course for Continuous Improvement

When asked how they intend to capitalize on data, Jason expressed that the information gathered has already contributed to shaping their operational plans, especially around staff engagement. 

He also emphasizes the role of mystery shopping services in evaluating customer experiences, stating, “Receiving a timely, comprehensive report covering all areas of interaction at the club allows management to make real-time adjustments, or seek further inquiry into areas performing below standard.” 

Industry Influence and Future Forecasts

As a leader in the golf industry, Jason believes that 59club’s insights will contribute significantly to the growth of golf clubs in Canada, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area, that holds about 20% of the nation’s population and many of the top-tier clubs. 

“Implementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,”

He advises other golf clubs considering a partnership with 59club; “Due to the ability to build services around the specific needs and nuances, 59club will capture data and measure service standards at any club.” 

On the horizon for Credit Valley is further integration of these performance management services, especially in terms of member satisfaction surveys on targeted areas of the club’s amenities and additional mystery shopping across other areas of the business such as member onboarding. According to Jason, 59club’s regular training and support will make this a walk in the park.  

“Implementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,” said Hanna. “59club is with us every step of the way, not only helping us read and interpret mystery shopping data, but also recommending and helping us with our employee education and training plans, as well as providing operations support, they are always focused on identifying opportunities for growth.” 

The partnership between Credit Valley Golf and Country Club and 59club paints a picture of progress and promise. With a vision to improve, the right tools in place, and a commitment to service excellence, the future seems bright for Credit Valley and the Canadian golf club industry as a whole. 

The world of golf and country club management, as observed through Jason’s lens, is one of relentless innovation, continuous improvement, and unwavering dedication to service excellence. As we navigate the future, these insights serve as a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, and the drive for progress that defines leaders like Jason Hanna and organizations like Credit Valley Golf and Country Club. 

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. 

To some, the notion of reinvesting surplus back into operations specifically to educate and develop the team may seem groundbreaking, but could it potentially become the standard for future budgeting?  

Now, imagine we shift our perspective slightly and ask: what if a ‘specific portion’ of your overall revenue is dedicated to staff training and development in your budgeting process, just like McDonalds, Starbucks and other enormous global companies earmarks a particular amount for advertising each year? 

Although training and development have always found a place in your annual expense report, how can you be certain that your investment is enough, and how can you be sure that it’s paying dividends?  

Over the past three years, Club Study has conducted multiple surveys via its industry network to understand the investment trends in staff training and development. 

Interestingly, the Club Study industry peers report that their investment seems to have slightly dipped since 2021, as seen in the graphic below. 

Surprisingly, these numbers seem rather underwhelming for something so crucial to club operations. Observing the expenditure as an absolute dollar value, however, changes the narrative.  

A club with a $3 million turnover will spend less than $30k on average on training & development. Given the financial constraints that club budgets often have to grapple with, including break-even targets, slim profit margins, and increasing inflation, this amount suddenly seems justifiable, even generous to some. But can we really justify increasing this budget? 

In the wake of a recent increase in club activities and longer wait lists, many clubs may not see the immediate need for investing more in staff training. The decision-making process is typically reactive rather than proactive, and clubs often prioritize preventing losses over seeking gains. But wouldn’t you agree that the clubs investing more than 2% in staff training probably enjoy a more robust staff culture, leading to better relationships, longer staff tenures, and an overall happier environment? Ultimately, selling and servicing customers to better degrees. 

We are pleased to report that we have seen an increased appetite for staff training in recent times, with many 59club clients who receive ‘mystery shopping’ audits investing heavily in training, probably for the same reason they are challenging the golf industry by delivering some of the finest customer experiences in the world of golf.  

59club handles enormous quantities of live data and insights, so much so that we are the only authority in golf who can go out on a limb and make such bold accusations about global CX benchmarks and industry trends.  

Surprisingly, these numbers seem rather underwhelming for something so crucial to club operations.

Just as we support our clients to understand their customers, we know our clients and we know them very well, and we can whole-heartedly confirm that they take education extremely seriously – so much so that we have witnessed a 166% increase in the number of training sessions delivered by the 59club UK team between 2021 & 2022.  

Taking it back to the wider industry, the Club Study network reports that the largest proportion of development dollars is spent on middle management. So, where exactly do these training dollars go? The most logical answer seems to be conferences, organised by various associations and governing bodies at national and regional levels. Conferences can provide inspiration, reflection, and innovative ideas, not to mention the fantastic networking opportunities and the fun that they provide.  

Yet, it remains hard to precisely calculate the ROI from these events. 

The crux of the matter when justifying expenditure lies in quantifying the return on investment (ROI) from training and development, which is no easy task. If we don’t measure it, it’s likely to be overlooked. 

To quantify improvement in training and development, we need a benchmark. This is where “mystery shopping” comes in. As an unbiased, ground-level measure of your customer service, it provides the perfect service benchmark. After a period of conducting such audits, you’ll have a robust dataset highlighting your strengths and weaknesses, confirming (or disproving) your suspicions. 

So, what’s next? The answer is simple: Train! Use the data, celebrate the successes, and develop strategies to address the weaknesses. Department-specific training, consistent programming, and building an ongoing relationship geared to enhance club culture, audit after audit, will make a world of difference. 

Your focus should always be on measuring. Once you start doing that, you’ll start viewing training as an investment that yields a return. This brings us back to the heart of the industry: relationships. 

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.  

But new digital pathways also create opportunities for digital missteps. Mainly, customers want to know their credit card information is secure and they want to know when you have reserved their spot – whether that be for a tee time booking, a dinner reservation or even a treatment at the health spa. And if you’re not providing a written record of their place on your tee sheet or a table at your restaurant, customers may start to feel uneasy about the entire process.  

More importantly, an inquisitive written confirmation – which we’ll discuss below – eliminates common customer service problems and opens additional upsell opportunities at your club and restaurant. 

Golf Visitor Experience Mystery Shopper Insights: 

The global golf industry failed to request an email address during 40% of all tee time reservations made during 2022.  

17% of all email confirmations went astray; either the incorrect email address was recorded, or possibly never sent.  

Only 56% of golfers ever received their booking confirmation…  

What’s the point? 

The initial purpose of a written confirmation is to acknowledge the correct date and time of the reservation. Simple. The bare minimum.  

If you ordered a widget from Amazon without a confirmation of the purchase, you would be left wondering if Amazon is, in fact, fulfilling the order. That kind of digital misstep creates enormous uncertainty and is unlikely to be the first impression you want to convey to your customer.  

With email fields being mandatory, most online tee-time and restaurant booking engines provide immediate and automated written confirmation, allowing customers sight of their booking details and the opportunity to spot any potential errors. When the reservation is booked over the phone the duty of collecting the email address sits with the reservations agent. According to Matt Roberts, 59club’s Director of Training & Education, the absence of a written confirmation can lead to uncertainty and potentially some level of confrontation, not to mention the potential loss of revenues.  

“If you’re taking the reservation by phone, it’s imperative to take the customer’s email address and ensure it is correct by repeating it back to your guest to avoid errors. From our experience, you would be amazed at how many people show up at the wrong time or even on the wrong day. This leads to an awkward conversation at the check-in counter trying to figure out how the error may have occurred.” 

Additional Components  

“My customer has booked, my software generated an immediate written confirmation, or my staff have access to send a ‘templated’ email. Done and done. Right?” Not exactly. For many places around the world, golf and secondary revenue channels like restaurants and bar are seasonal. Operating hours, menu items, club dress code and practice facility access and other large parts of the overall golf experience can change and be different from week to week. How often do you rehash the templated message? – and does it contain everything you’d expect?  

Small additions to a written confirmation with updated restaurant hours, dress code or practice facility access, for example, ensure customer expectations match your club’s operations. According to Roberts, clubs who don’t include this information in their written confirmation are leaving themselves open to poor customer experience.  

“Everything in the written confirmation has to match the customer expectations,” said Roberts. “The last thing you want to happen is someone arriving at your club expecting to eat breakfast and the restaurant is closed or wishing to hit some balls prior to play and it just happens to be that one day the range is closed for maintenance!  

Worse yet, and the one that can cause confrontation, is when a player arrives wearing an outfit outside of the club’s dress code policy. The staff are now faced with an undesirable dilemma: do I make a concession to this one visitor and risk others perceiving this as special treatment, or do I force this customer to purchase attire from the club shop to then adhere to the dress policy? A bad experience either way. Both are avoidable with an informative written confirmation.”  

Revenue generation  

Asking questions or providing additional information within the written confirmation also creates upselling and subsequent marketing opportunities. A common example is the promotion of a golf cart/buggy if one hasn’t been reserved at the call stage. Just by offering a link or a contact to the consumer for them to be able to reserve prior to arrival is imperative for increasing revenue. It also allows the club to prepare this hire item for the arrival of the guest.  

Any operator will tell you that the whole check in experience can be busy, but then throw in additional needs of the customer, such as buggy hire, club rental, use of a caddy, or even a personalized gift that the club wasn’t aware of, will lead to more time servicing the guest’s needs and a delay in an already busy operation.  

Multiple course operators can also promote the options of an upgrade or highlight other courses within a group. The booking confirmation can also promote elements such as accommodation either on-site, or at other local establishments that offer preferential rates when booked via the club. 

And, let’s face it, the opportunities to upsell are endless, when you consider other services and facilities such as high-ropes, custom-fitting, score card marking, leisure & spa usage, private dining etc that can be accessed either on the day, or that may tempt a future return to the club. 

Directions or a link to an interactive map, potential transfers and how to book them as well as any information about how to access the club are always useful for any visitors who may be unfamiliar with the area.  

Finally, and possibly the most important, are the Terms and Conditions of the club which are there to provide clarity on payment and cancelation, pairing up policy, bad weather and course closures must also be included within the confirmation. You will always be in a more comfortable position, when facing any confrontation, if your T’s and C’s are set in place.  

Of course, this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to customer service at your club, and your fellow 59club manager can guide you through industry best practices.  

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. 

To help guide them through the transition to carbon neutral, 59club found solace in the services provided by “Neutral Carbon Zone (NCZ)” – a leading consultancy, management and certification platform. 

“Strategically we decided to start with the UK business as it is our most mature business. If we can achieve carbon neutral here, we know we can share best practice and achieve it in our Asia, Australia, Canada, European, MEA, Nordic & USA businesses.” said Simon Wordsworth, Founder and CEO of 59club. 

Over the last 16 months, Alan Stenson & Krys Stanton from NCZ supported Will Hewitt, Andy Etherington and the 59club UK team to adopt NCZ’s three scope structure to tackle the key areas of emissions, by creating strategies for every emission line, either at the company’s cost or simply behavioural changes within the business.   

59club even went further than ‘required’ to help its team members tackle their own carbon emissions through their personal travel and home energy use. 

“We reviewed emissions directly generated by the company’s activities, emissions that are indirectly generated by energy purchased by the company, and lastly emissions that arise from organizational activities, but from sources owned or controlled by other organizations. 

“It’s taken time simply because of the complexity of our business, as it’s not just our office and our people, but all the emissions created by our mystery testers and auditors as they move around the UK & Ireland, the events that we host such as the annual awards ceremony, client golf days, the servers that our software runs on…the list could just go on.” continued Wordsworth. 

The business even went further than ‘required’ to help its team members tackle their own carbon emissions through their personal travel and home energy use. 

To date, 59club’s UK & Ireland division has completed the first phase of its pledge, having received the results of a recently commissioned carbon footprint assessment, which measures the carbon emissions generated by the organisation’s activities. The assessment is the critical first stage of a comprehensive and commercially focused carbon management plan. The measurement of 59club’s carbon emissions follows the internationally recognised standard ISO-14064-1:2006.  

Wordsworth added; “As we progress through this journey, will start to change company buying decisions to ‘fellow green businesses’ who are positively seeking neutrality – where we stay, where we eat, who we buy from etc.”  

Achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2030 across 59club’s Global Operations

“For 59club, the pursuit of excellence extends beyond exceptional customer service; it encompasses a responsibility towards our planet. Today, we proudly reaffirm our commitment to achieving carbon neutrality across our global operations by 2030. With this effort, 59club is dedicated to creating a brighter future, where exceptional experiences coexist with a greener world. 

“Today’s announcement marks an important milestone in 59club’s journey towards global carbon neutrality. We firmly believe that every long journey begins with a first step, and this commitment to becoming carbon neutral across our entire global operations by 2030 is just the beginning.” 

Wordsworth concludes; “Some of our operations that cover huge geographical areas are going to find this really difficult whilst still trying to grow and be profitable, but we believe this is an absolute necessity for the preservation of our planet. Over the coming decades, we will continue to forge ahead, implementing innovative measures and collaborating with partners worldwide to ensure a sustainable future. We have always tried to be amongst the first/early movers, tried to be creative and innovative and this journey allows us to flourish, playing our part to inspire positive change for generations to come.” 

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 !!! 

Over the years, we have witnessed a significant shift in customer behaviour within our Survey Software. What started out with aspirations of becoming the most comprehensive pick & mix survey tool in the golf & hospitality industry, has inspired a new-age of club managers who stretch beyond the realms of typical club surveys, to solicit feedback on a whole host of areas to help inform their decision making and the direction the club chooses to take.  

Some of those uses border on being radical – a phrase that doesn’t usually appear in the context of Customer Service Management or in Golf in general… but then again, we’ve always been a magnet for those in the industry who like to do things better, and in doing so we like to support them to behave a bit differently…  

So, what exactly are these new radicals up to?  

They’re putting the club’s destiny in the hands of their members, guests and employees, they’re not just seeking opinion, they’re making instant ‘data-driven’ decisions to help guide the most suitable offering for their customers without prejudice and based on science.  

A new age of club managers are delivering surveys for a whole multitude of reasons, some even to establish where their members would prefer grant monies to be spent – on the course, or in the clubhouse?  

We’ve seen a club make their entire stock selection based on responses to a simple ‘one question’ survey to establish which brands members would prefer to see in the pro shop – giving different supplier options to both male & female members. 

Many clubs are now turning to their members requesting feedback on the club’s competition calendar in an attempt to increase participation, with others collating data to help shape their social events calendar, based on likes and dislikes from previous years, whilst ascertaining interest on potential new themes. 

There are so many daily decisions that as managers we face, but the new-age of club managers are involving their members, guests and employees, after all it’s their club and we need them to enjoy it to the absolute maximum, if we want to secure their loyalty.  

We’ve always been a magnet for those in the industry who like to do things better, and in doing so we like to support them to behave a bit differently…  

We’ve witnessed members inspire seasonal menu changes, and on occasion beer and wine suppliers being switched to the delight of those thirsty members. And then there’s a whole bunch of clubs who made member driven changes to their tee-sheets.  

There’s so many survey templates to choose from, and so much data to gain and take inspiration from, but there’s one that remains a favorite, always topping the usage charts – and that’s the new member survey. Designed to ensure all newbies are integrated into the club community from day one. Some club managers go one step further using the intelligent software to send their new members a ‘series’ of surveys at specific landmarks during their first three months at the club – monitoring their journey into club life, and addressing any weaknesses along the way.  

But let’s not forget the most important people within your business – your employees!!! Forward thinking managers are gathering critical data from the HR survey template bundle, to analyse new and existing employee’s satisfaction levels, along with finding out why some chose to leave.  

We’ve noticed a huge shift from being reactive to pro-active, and that in itself is pure 100 percent karat gold, gone are the days of making assumptions of what will sell in the shop, or what events members may enjoy attending, or why suddenly a loyal group of members went AWOL.  

The best way to learn what your customers want at your club?

Ask them!!! 

Big shout out to all our radical customers – you know who you are!  

And if you’re just starting out on your journey with us – let us guide you to get the best out of your customers, and to give the best back.  

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.

As a result, what was expected of a golf course in the past – in the way of customer service and player experience – is changing at the same rapid rate. In phrase: the days of focusing only on turf conditions are coming to an end.  

In this 59club Spotlight on Service, we head to Mallorca, Spain to catch up with Bernat Llobera, Area Golf  Director at Arabella Golf who echoes the importance of providing exceptional customer service across the board, and uses 59club’s industry leading services to objectively evaluate their customer experience, drive continuous improvement, and establish a club-wide culture of service across their three golf properties on Spain’s largest island.  

“We see nowadays that it is not only about having a course in great shape. It is about a journey, a full experience.” – Bernat Llobera.  

For Llobera, identifying growth opportunities – for revenue and service operations – begins with understanding the experience from the player’s perspective. Working with 59club has made that objective infinitely easier through regular mystery shopping services at Arabella Golf. 

“59club’s evaluations are incredibly valuable assets as they provide a client’s perspective which resembles a real guest experience,” said Llobera. “The objective insights provided by 59club are far more valuable than internal assessments. The ‘extra bonus’ is being able to compare ourselves, our three courses, and the ability to compare this to the wider industry benchmarks. And once we have identified areas for growth, 59club’s training and education services allow us to make improvements to our systems and protocols extremely quickly.”  

Llobera went on to say identifying and fixing problems as they arise is only half the battle. A commitment to continuous improvement must be the driving force behind changes to customer service protocols.  

“Once we receive our evaluation results, we immediately sit down to discuss them as a group,” said Llobera. “We look at everything from comments and images to objective ratings and begin to identify trends and long-term solutions, something that wouldn’t be possible if every team member wasn’t completely committed.”  

That commitment to improvement at Arabella Golf, and regular training through 59club has created a culture of customer service at the club. Employee training sessions are completed every year in many aspects of hospitality service, including phone skills, upselling options and retail protocols. 

“We see nowadays that it is not only about having a course in great shape. It is about a journey, a full experience.”

“Our team members love the training sessions,” said Llobera. “It’s clear to see that everyone takes them seriously and strives to improve. The common feedback from the team is that 59club knows and understands the intricacies of the business, and from what I know, there is nothing that can be compared to what 59club offers. Most recently 59club training sessions have been instrumental in improving our reservations department – often the first impression with your customer.”  

Another goal for Llobera this year? Pick up a few awards. 

“We were extremely proud of all three of our properties’ recognition at the most recent Service Excellence Awards, with Son Muntaner leading the way with a gold flag,” said Llobera. “It encourages you to keep working hard. Ultimately, our team members are the ones who create an incredible golf journey for our guests, so it’s especially gratifying to see the entire team recognized for their commitment and hard work.” 

The age old saying goes, ‘that great managers lead by example’; and 59club are quick to point out that Llobera was recently invited into 59club’s Eminent Collection, joining only twenty-two managers spanning 59clubs global territory – and the very first in Europe – having achieved this international benchmark of excellence, which recognises the finest individuals who are leading the industry in the customer experience realms. 

Eligibility into the Eminent Collection is based solely on achievements across the 59club Service Excellence Awards, with individual and team accolades, along with property flag designations, all contributing towards the Eminent Benchmark of Excellence; measuring performances over a minimum of 5 years. 

Golf experience in Spain is being elevated by managers such as Llobera who seek analysis and feedback to support their team to strengthen their proposition in the marketplace. The advice that he would give to other club managers in Europe and across the wider golfing landscape is that “59club’s wide range of services and solutions improve the business, and therefore, the bottom line. Through personal experience they understand the golf operation and the hospitality industry better than anyone we have met before; they are a great support specialising in customer service; I highly recommend them and their services.”  

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.

In short, data becomes our road map. Insights collected from our recent multi-national survey of new club members reinforces not only the importance of data collection in this industry, but also how action – or in this case, inaction – can create a mismatch between Member needs and Club operations.  

Out of more than a thousand global respondents to the member onboarding survey, a striking 80 percent cited “lose weight or get in shape” as the primary motive for joining the health club. This clearly signals a profound desire among members to prioritize their fitness journey and take proactive steps towards health and wellness.  

However, there exists a disconnection in the club’s member service ecosystem, indicated by other data points from the survey. A sizable 82 percent of the respondents disclosed that they had not received a new member welcome call within 5 days of joining the club, and only 47 percent received any type of health & fitness induction with the personal trainer, with 40 percent failing to even receive a fitness class schedule. 

This data demonstrates a significant gap in communication and service delivery that can hinder members from realizing their wellness goals. It paints a stark contrast between what members expect and what they experience. 

Data is a powerful tool, but it’s only as valuable as the action it inspires. What can we, as industry leaders and club managers, do with this data? How can we turn these insights into effective strategies? 

Firstly, this data suggests a crucial need to improve communication with new members, ensuring they are well informed about the fitness services available to them. This should involve a personalized welcome call, with an invitation to attend a face-to-face meeting with the personal trainer and / or operations manager, to provide all the necessary items and advice to help them integrate instantly into club life. This simple act of proactive engagement can not only facilitate their fitness journey but also build a stronger rapport, promoting a sense of belonging within the club community from day one. 

Secondly, the importance of implementing a comprehensive and structured onboarding program for new members. This should start with a new member initiation meeting, this could include guided tours, allowing the club to emphasize the various fitness services, the different fitness classes or group activity programs and to make introductions to other employees within the fitness team as well as like-minded members, those of a similar ability, or members with relatable fitness goals.  

Subsequent appointment scheduling – should not be overlooked, employees should as part of their regular service calls attempt to engage new members in health assessments, equipment inductions, fitness programs and future goal settings, with appointments set aside for regular reviews – and perhaps a complimentary session with a personal trainer.  The goal is to provide an enriched experience that encourages members to actively utilize the club’s fitness offerings, and engage with fellow club members and the wider fitness team, whilst serving them to meet their goals. 

Lastly, feedback mechanisms should be put in place to continuously gather member input. These might include regular surveys and service calls where members can share their experiences and ideas. This ongoing data collection not only helps to identify any areas needing improvement, but also to anticipate changing member needs, fostering a responsive and adaptable club environment. 

This example is a wake-up call for clubs to re-evaluate and reinforce their new member engagement strategies. It’s a clear testament to the importance of effective communication, a well-structured onboarding process, and ongoing feedback collection. By embracing data and taking the appropriate action, clubs can bridge the service gap, enhance member satisfaction, and ultimately, help members succeed in their fitness journey. After all, data is a tool, and its power is realized only when it’s put into action. 

If you are ready to measure your member experience and develop a structured onboarding process for your new golf and leisure club members, then help is at hand…  

• Our New Member Integration Survey, Member Retention Survey and Member Exit Survey Templates will deliver the data to support you to tailor your offering throughout your entire member life cycle.  
• And you can follow the education lessons within 59club’s Mentor platform, or request for one of the 59club training managers to guide you through the various training modules.  

Together we can build a successful member integration and retention strategy for your club, ensuring members feel welcome, connected, and valued, with the purpose of encouraging them to visit more often, enter into club life, refer friends and family and linger-longer whilst they are at the club.  

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. 

The PGA Master Manager status is an accolade of the highest order, recognising Simon’s significant contribution to the golf industry and his immense expertise in club management. He is one of only sixty one PGA members to have been granted this honour. 

Our founder has always been a forward-thinker, a trailblazer who has ceaselessly worked towards promoting the golf industry’s best practices. He founded 59club back in 2008, with a vision to revolutionize golf management and service excellence. Under his leadership, we have grown from a handful of clubs in the UK, to a multi-national brand and industry leader with divisions and operations on five continents.  

Reflecting on his achievement, Simon shared, “It’s incredibly humbling to receive this recognition. I’m passionate about delivering excellence in golf management, and I believe this honor represents the collective efforts of our fantastic team at 59club. We’ve always strived to deliver the best, and we’ll continue to do so.” 

Over the years, Simon has always been a proponent of professional development within the industry. He believes that the key to success lies in continuous learning, evolving with changing times, and always striving to improve. This ethos has been ingrained in our organisational culture at 59club and continues to drive us towards excellence. 

Simon’s PGA Master Manager status comes as a result of his vast experience, his dedication to the industry, and his ability to lead, challenge and inspire. It not only recognizes his past achievements but also underscores his potential for future contributions to the golfing industry. We’re confident that under Simon’s stewardship, 59club will continue to reach new heights and redefine industry standards. 

We are absolutely delighted for Simon and immensely proud to be led by a PGA Master Manager. As we continue our journey, we remain committed to the pursuit of excellence, championing the finest standards in golf and leisure management. 

Congratulations, Simon! This is a well-deserved recognition, and we are excited to see where your leadership takes us in the future. 

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. 

According to recent analysis by 59club Study; 1 in 4 golf clubs reduce or even eliminate their F&B operations during their slowest days of the year, 56% of clubs identified Monday as the slowest day of the week, with Tuesday trailing at 22%.  

In this case, the data – based on research from a global network of managers within the 59club Study community – affords managers industry insights around how other clubs are making changes to their F&B opening or closing times on specific “slower” days.  

Data collection and understanding are fundamental before making any decision at your golf club. Precise data collected from your own members and guests will enable you to objectively assess your club’s operations, track member & guest preferences, and identify trends. It takes the guesswork out of decision-making, giving you a solid foundation upon which to design effective strategies.  

These “slow” days offer an opportunity for creative solutions that can boost sales and enhance member satisfaction. If the data suggests that you should remain open, and lets face it, who wants to shut up shop when there’s potential revenue to gain, maybe it’s a case of kicking your restaurant into gear to boost sales on these slow days. 

Remember, the goal is not just to increase sales but also to enhance the customer experience. The strategies you adopt should reflect your club’s ethos and cater to the needs and preferences of your members & guests, here are some strategies to consider; 

Innovative Marketing and Communication 

Using email newsletters, social media, and even the club’s website to communicate special offers or themed nights can spark interest and increase attendance. Communicate consistently and ensure that your message reaches your customers effectively. 

Customer Engagement Activities 

Involve members & guests in activities such as cookery classes, wine tastings, or a ‘meet the chef’ evening. These initiatives can create a sense of community and encourage members to visit the club on slower days. 

Strategic Partnerships 

Consider partnering with local businesses to create attractive package deals that combine a round of golf with dining discounts. This can help attract new visitors to the club and possibly convert them into regular members. 

Streamline Operations 

Use data and analytics from platforms like 59club Study, alongside your own regular customer satisfaction surveys  to identify trends and monitor member preferences. You can use these insights to streamline your F&B operations, optimize menus, manage inventory, and reduce waste. 

Slow days need not be a drain on your club’s F&B operations. By adopting creative strategies and leveraging data, you can turn these off-peak periods into opportunities for growth and member engagement. Remember, every day at your golf club is a chance to make a lasting impression and deliver an exceptional experience.  

Don’t let the off-peak blues bring you down; instead, use them as a springboard to elevate your club’s F&B operations to new heights. 

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.  

The question in question? “Can I help you?”

It seems innocent enough, a well-meaning attempt to assist customers. However, according to 59club Global Trainer Matt Roberts, this question may be the absolute worst to ask in any retail setting, and what’s more staggering is that 59club’s industry leading data suggests that 75% of all mystery shoppers were either asked this very question, or simply ignored after showing interest in a product. 

The Ineffectiveness of “Can I Help You?”: 

According to Roberts, the question “Can I help you?” often falls flat, and worse, creates a negative feedback loop between you and your customer. The most common response? “I’m just looking, thanks.” This lackluster interaction fails to create a meaningful connection between the salesperson and the customer, leaving both parties unsatisfied.  

A fact supported by 59club’s mystery shopping data, which highlights, “of those that were asked this question; 58% identified that they would not wish to make a purchase”. Immediately, nearly 80% of customers who are asked “Can I help you?” aren’t buying. Now that’s a big-time problem. 

Missed Sales Opportunities: 

Asking the wrong question can trip up sales professionals and hinder their ability to create sales opportunities. Instead of resorting to the generic “Can I help you?” query, it is crucial to engage customers in a conversation that promotes active dialogue. By understanding their specific needs and preferences, salespeople can tailor their recommendations and provide a more personalised experience.  

Turning Conversation into Sales Opportunities: 

Having eliminated the “Can I help you?” scenario; 59club’s education stresses the importance of asking engaging questions that promote casual chat. For instance, sales staff asking customers a combination of open and closed questions about their golf game, their abilities, or their favourite part of their game can lead to fruitful conversations. These interactions can uncover areas where customers are struggling and allow sales professionals to offer relevant solutions or services. By actively listening and providing personalised recommendations, retailers can turn missed opportunities into successful sales. What do customers want in a personalised experience? Let’s find out through needs analysis. 

The Power of Needs Analysis: 

One key element of 59club’s education is the importance of conducting a needs analysis for customers seeking a particular product. Rather than immediately showcasing a range of options, salespeople should focus on understanding what the customer is looking for in that specific product. By asking a selection of well-constructed questions about their preferences, why they’re in the market for the product in the first place, current usage, and desired improvements, sales professionals can gain valuable insights to guide their recommendations. Failing to conduct a proper needs analysis can result in further missed sales opportunities. Alarmingly, only 50% of 59club mystery shoppers received a needs analysis during their encounter with the retail team, and to their detriment, 77% of those shoppers stating that they did not feel compelled to make a purchase based on their sales experience. 

What’s a better way?  

A crucial aspect of the retail sales process is the significance of linking product features to their benefits. Rather than overwhelming customers with a laundry list of specifications, salespeople should emphasize how a product can meet their specific needs and provide value. By identifying the benefits that resonate with the customer, sales professionals can create a compelling case for making a purchase. This approach not only enhances the customer’s understanding, but also increases the likelihood of closing a sale. 

In the realm of retail, the question “Can I help you?” may be the worst one to ask customers. It often leads to missed sales opportunities and fails to establish a meaningful connection. By embracing alternative approaches, conducting a needs analysis, linking features to benefits, and promoting engaging conversations, sales professionals can transform their interactions with customers.  

It is through these personalized and attentive strategies that retail businesses can foster stronger customer relationships, increase sales, and provide exceptional shopping experiences. So, the next time you step into a retail environment, remember that a genuine conversation can make all the difference.  

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

The restaurant industry have used this relatively innocent question for decades in order to prime the pump for an engaging customer experience. Asking someone if they have been to your golf course, restaurant, spa – or any other hospitality or leisure venue – opens the door for conversation and questions, builds rapport and emotional connection between the customer and your staff/brand, and provides an opportunity to share your club’s best stories or things a customer should know before heading out.  

59club has crunched the numbers and, once again, the top-performing clubs never miss an opportunity to ask this question during the tee time booking call. The rest of the pack, however, fails to ask this question 64% of the time.  

On arrival at the club during checking in for golf; even the best performers struggle when it comes to discussing a visitors  previous experiences as they attempt to build a personal rapport, only achieving 68%, with the 59club industry average sat at just 50%. 

Let’s dive in.  

The most effective way to open the door for an engaging conversation and information gathering is to ask personal questions but asking a customer where they see themselves in five years or what makes them the happiest isn’t really appropriate in this instance. Asking a visitor if they have played the course before, however, is a semi-opened-ended question with a clear goal and hundreds of different avenues for additional conversation. If the customer has played the course before, it begs the question “when?” Was it a long time ago or before a recent renovation? Have there been changes to improve the club since then? Why did they take so long in between rounds? Are they from out of town and should their name and email address go into a special “feeder market” list bucket in your CRM system? Enormous amounts of information all gained from starting with one simple question.  

These types of conversation starters not only gather important information for marketing and customer service operations, but also provide an opportunity to tell positive stories or provide important general information about your club to someone who may not know. If someone is playing for the first time, they might want to hear about a featured hole, strategy on how to play the course, where to find locker room, restaurant, practice area and 1^st tee, humorous anecdotes and other positive stories.  

The message is clear, the top performing clubs need to be more consistent from managing the tee time call to greeting a visitor on arrival, far too many other clubs – that feed into the 59club industry average – are leaving easily gatherable information on the table. The golf and leisure clubs who take charge of the first impression and subsequent conversations tend to score higher in other areas as well, creating a domino effect of individual, positive experiences which lead to a better experience overall.  

Working with the data 

Delve into your Mystery Shopping Audits, and analyze how many times the team has asked this question ‘month on month’ and ‘year on year’, paying close attention to the podium performance, industry and your own competitor set average to see how you compare.  

Celebrate those within the team who have witnessed successes, reminding others of the fundamental basics to perfect their engagement techniques.  

Encourage skill-share, role-play, and time away to study, reminding the team of the learning links within the mystery shopping results, and the resources within the Mentor education platform to develop their sales process & customer service experience. 

Review successes and set targets on a regular basis as Mystery Shopping results are released…  

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. 

The Partnership Between We-Ko-Pa Golf Club and 59club 

Barr and his team at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club gained valuable insights into the areas where they could improve their customer service and drive sales growth. According to Barr, what started out as an opportunity to identify on-course condition and maintenance, like turf health and bunkering, turned into an extremely valuable tool for nearly every customer-facing operation at the club.  

“Managers can’t be everywhere at once, so we engaged with 59club in order to make sure our on-course product was up to our standards,” said Barr. “The data we received from our initial golf visitor experience audits opened our eyes to not only the on-course product, but also our retail and F&B operations. We quickly realised we could grow in many ways.”  

Implementing Effective Sales Techniques 

Armed with the insights, Barr and his team at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club implemented new sales techniques that focused on improving customer interactions. By training staff to engage with customers more effectively and to upsell and cross-sell products and services, the club was able to increase its retail sales by double digits in a little under two years.  

“We’ve seen a remarkable retail sales increase since starting with 59club,” said Barr. “This growth can be directly attributed to learning and implementing effective sales processes that focus on upselling and cross-selling. By equipping our team with the right tools and techniques, we’ve been able to enhance the customer experience and drive significant revenue growth for our club.” 

On the F&B front, mystery shopping data allowed Barr and his team to identify areas for growth and double down on quality customer service operations. According to Barr, simple questions asked by F&B staff have led to significant sales increases, and even improved employee satisfaction.  

“Asking simple questions like ‘have you dined with us before’ or ‘would you like another beer’ not only lead to increases in F&B revenue, but also staff wages,” said Barr. “As bills increase from another round of drinks or upselling a more expensive spirit, so do tips for our servers. It’s a win-win across the board and something we might never have seen without data from 59club.”  

Enhancing Customer Satisfaction 

By making improvements in their daily processes, We-Ko-Pa Golf Club was able to enhance the overall customer experience. Satisfied customers are more likely to return to the club and recommend it to others, which will have a positive impact on future sales. The increased focus on customer service, driven by the insights gained from regular mystery shopping audits, helped the club create a more enjoyable guest experience. 

The success of We-Ko-Pa Golf Club demonstrates the significant impact that mystery shopping and data analysis can bring to the golf, leisure & hospitality industry. As the industry becomes increasingly competitive, it’s essential for clubs to prioritize customer service and continually strive for improvement. By partnering with 59club, venues can gain valuable insights and support to help them boost sales and create exceptional experiences for their customers. 

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.

Yet one of the most overlooked aspects of converting a prospect comes at that very first stage: the answering of the call. Firstly, it’s essential that the correct person is available to answer the call. Those who hesitate are lost, and so are those who are not there in the first place.

Ask yourself how many opportunities are lost if the phone goes unanswered? Or if the correct staff member is on holiday or sick? So, when you consider that on only 58% of occasions did our mystery testers get to speak to the correct person on the first attempt of calling – according to the 59club industry score – we begin to appreciate how many opportunities may be lost.

That’s effectively twice in every five calls a prospective member speaks to the wrong person, necessitating a call-back. Worse still, what if the prospect calls a competitor while waiting for your return call, and they went on to impress them so much that they signed up!?

One of the most important aspects of the initial enquiry call is the art of building a rapport with the caller. This comes naturally to an engaging staff member, but this technique is lost when the wrong person tries to deal with an enquiry.

An engaging staff member will attempt to build a rapport; asking the prospect about their golfing background, how often they play, where, and what is their handicap, all simple conversation pieces. Yet the industry are only getting 28% of the picture, while the best-performing clubs glean a much better understanding of their prospects, as they achieve 77%.

Asking what has prompted the enquiry is likely to provide you with further valuable information. They may, for example, be a member elsewhere and be unsatisfied with the condition of the course, or a lack of investment, allowing the staff member to respond with positives about the excellent course condition and raft of recent and future investments. This is designed to edge the caller towards a positive outcome, both now and then later in the sales process when they visit the club.

There are countless reasons why somebody will make the initial call; employees who fail to delve into them will find it harder to persuade the prospect to put pen to paper. The podium performers have realised this and without fail, they established what prompted the membership enquiry every single time; the industry asked the question 70% of the time.

Furthermore, establishing the caller’s primary requirements for a membership – competitive golf, the social aspect, entertaining clients, meet new people etc – leads to other opportunities that will relate to their needs, with the intention of exciting them at the thought of a membership later in the call. Again, the podium score reflects the success therein with 86%, while the industry average drops to 44%.

Effectively, taking the last three areas together, it’s clear that industry-wide we’re failing to establish the caller’s history and membership needs on every other occasion.

A further vital question is required to establish whether the caller is also contacting other clubs with the same enquiry. With relevant SWOT analysis of your competition, your staff are in an ideal position to stress your strengths over your rivals’ weaknesses, without the need to openly criticise them.

However, the importance of this approach seems to be lost on many clubs; with a podium score of just 50% and, even more disappointingly, an overall industry rating of just 14%.

Using all of the personal information gleaned, you are now in a position to make a ‘related’ promotion of the member services, club facilities and USPs, for how else is one to excite the caller? Yet, despite the obvious importance of this action, the industry comes in with a rating of just 55%, and the podium not much higher at 72% when analysing their promotion.

Now that the prospect is excited at the thought of membership, the emphasis is to encourage the individual to visit the club in order to view the facilities and discuss member benefits further.

In future issues, we will look at how the membership sales appointment should be structured.

If you would like to take a closer look at the membership sales process, visit the 59club Mentor education platform to fill any shortcomings in your member sales enquiry process.

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 Study’s goal is to build a professional network of hospitality managers, driven by data and club research, with a strict focus on collaboration and tackling tough topics together.

Each fortnightly report highlights technical, conceptual, and philosophical insights from inside Golf, Leisure & Hospitality businesses across the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australia & New Zealand.

Managers are encouraged to submit questions they would like to appear in subsequent surveys, putting you in control of the direction the study takes, providing an industry perspective like no other.

The insight, collaboration, and community that 59Club Study creates, will inspire curiosity, and ultimately empower Club Managers to make informed data-driven decisions.

Sign up now, whilst it’s free to join

Click here to read three of 59Club Study’s most recent reports.

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.

If you get word a few of your best employees are beginning to think about working elsewhere, what do you do?

You could pay them more, certainly, but that might not be the underlying issue for their unhappiness. Schedule flexibility could help, but you need them at the club as often as possible. After all, they’re your best staff members.

What is more important: higher wages or schedule flexibility? What would work the best? How could you possibly know? It might depend on individual needs.

Higher wages can be an attractive option for employees, as it can increase their sense of financial security and stability. Employees who feel that they are being paid fairly are more likely to be motivated and committed to their work. However, there is only so much you can offer in terms of a salary before it becomes unaffordable for your business. It’s essential to consider whether you can sustain paying higher wages in the long term, especially if it means compromising on other areas of your business, such as investment in training or new equipment.

On the other hand, schedule flexibility can be another key factor in employee retention. Many employees value having the ability to adjust their work schedule to accommodate personal or family commitments, such as attending a child’s school event or caring for a sick relative. Offering schedule flexibility can increase employee satisfaction, which can lead to increased productivity, engagement, and loyalty. However, it’s important to ensure that schedule flexibility doesn’t impact business operations or create any staffing gaps that can impact other employees’ workloads or morale. Can your club operate successfully with that amount of flexibility for just one or two employees? Does it have to be available to every employee?

So, what’s the answer? Which is more important: higher wages or schedule flexibility? It’s challenging to determine what’s more important without asking your employees directly.

By surveying your employees, you can gather unbiased feedback and gain valuable insights into their preferences and needs. You can ask staff about their thoughts on higher wages versus schedule flexibility and use this information to make more informed decisions about how to retain your top talent. All anonymously and without bias.

These are only two answers to a delicate problem faced in the club industry. Both options have their advantages, and the answer to what’s more important may vary depending on the individual needs and preferences of your employees. To make an informed decision, it’s essential to gather feedback from your employees and use this information to make adjustments to your retention strategies.

With 59club’s survey tools at your disposal – you really can ask whatever you like. Plus the HR survey templates make it easy to monitor employee wellbeing, engagement & satisfaction levels, ensuring that you are providing existing employees and new hires with the support they need to thrive in their roles – and there’s always something to learn from an employee exit survey.

If the reality is that ‘happy employees = happy customers,’ then it’s high time we prioritise employee well-being.

As J. Willard Marriott famously said; “Take good care of your employees, and they’ll take good care of your customers, and the customers will come back”.

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.

In a place like Abu Dhabi – and for general manager of Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, Rhian Lobo – investing in customer service operations is crucial to meet the expectations of both local and international guests.

“As a premier golf destination in the region, we understand the importance of delivering a world-class experience for our members and guests,” said Lobo. “By investing in our customer service operations, we can ensure that we meet and exceed the expectations of our customers, and maintain our position as a leader in the industry.”

One of the key investments for Lobo and his team was partnering with 59club, to work on many aspects of their customer-facing operations.

“We strive to provide our members and guests with the best possible experience, and 59club has been instrumental in identifying not only areas of improvement, but also how to capitalize on things we already do well. They’ve been instrumental in helping us achieve our goals,” said Lobo.

Identifying needs and opportunities are one thing. Collecting and implementing actionable data is another. Using data collected through 59club’s survey tools, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club was not only able to identify that their customers wanted improvements to their driving range, but also used data to create a pitch to their governing board. With the help of such intel, they now have ball tracking technology on all 48 bays, something their members & guests greatly valued.

Lobo adds, “The reports from 59club has given us a fresh perspective on our operations, enabling us to focus on the areas we might have otherwise overlooked. We’re thrilled with the impact it’s had on our driving range, and we look forward to implementing further changes based on new reports down the line.”

In addition to their unbiased mystery shopping audits and survey data, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club has also benefited from on-site training sessions with 59club. These sessions bring the team together and provide them with the tools they need to excel in their roles.

Lobo explains, “Investing in our team is crucial to maintaining our high standards of customer service. The F&B, golf operations, membership sales and retention training sessions provided by 59club have helped us identify our team’s strengths and weaknesses, enabling us to provide targeted training that has ultimately improved the customer experience.”

The investment in 59club and commitment from Lobo’s team has already paid dividends. According to 59club’s data comparisons over the course of the last three years, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club’s customer service satisfaction scores have shown double digit increases in eight different categories, spanning; staff sales & upselling aptitude, customer engagement, facility management, on-course service standards, and the food and beverage operation to name a few.

“The ability to measure our investment and see our success through these reports has been absolutely incredible,” said Lobo. “It can be easy to implement a new program as a manager and simply forget about it. When you forget about it, so do your staff. With regular mystery shopper reports from 59club, we make sure we’re always focused on what matters to our customers, and we are able to reward our staff for achieving measurable success.”

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club has come a long way in their customer service journey. Starting from a Bronze Flag Designation, they have progressed to the 59club Gold Flag standard, a testament to their commitment to excellence.

Lobo concludes, “59club has been an integral part of our success, and we wouldn’t be where we are today without their support. We’re excited to continue working with them to provide the best possible experience for our members and guests.”

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.

And with labour shortages and employee turnover at levels not seen in decades, the importance of increasing margins through upselling and keeping good employees has never been higher.

According to 59club’s global data; the F&B customer service tactic most in need of improvement is also the least costly, and happens to be a catalyst for increased margins. It also helps raise tips for servers and happens to be one of the key components of exceptional customer service – friendly conversation starters, A.K.A the upsell engine.

Customers are far more likely to purchase additional or premium items when they have a personal connection to their server.

Something as simple as a friendly introduction from the server, with the attempt to involve the table in engaging conversation can be the difference between your customers ordering the least profitable items on the menu, or on their recommendation, opting for the higher ticket, higher return options, or additional courses.  

Developing rapport through the ‘friendly conversation starter’ tactic is something every server in your organisation should strive for at the beginning of each individual interaction. And it works.  

This same tactic is also one of the driving forces of higher tips. Since most diners chose to tip a percentage of the bill; raising the final total through upselling – made easier through friendly communication – will increase gratuities and employee satisfaction, and assist in lowering employee turnover.

The Stats…

Clubs are simply not taking advantage of this tactic. When it comes to a server’s willingness and ability to initiate friendly conversation starters; the podium performers score just 58%, the 59club industry average drops to 40%, showing an industry wide opportunity for growth and higher F&B margins.

Despite all the positive scenarios related to upselling, staff are just not on board. We have to focus their attention and encourage them, and give them the confidence to give upselling a go. The opportunity to sell more and increase F&B profits is easy money, yet the industry only attempts to upsell additional items on 37% of occasions. The podium venues also need to re-focus their servers, as they only achieved 56%.

Let’s do the math based on a club that see an average of 140 players per day, of which 40 of them order a meal after their round.

If the servers use friendly conversation starters to prime the table for the upsell of an additional course priced at £5 (with a 60% margin), and managed to convert just half of the 40 diners; the result is a £21,900 uplift in profit over the course of one year, just by implementing a simple conversation piece in your customer service toolkit. Win win.

And let’s not forget the opportunities to upsell simple but highly profitable snack items & drinks to the 140 golfers before they even teed off ! And that’s something we can all get more bang from our buck; with the podium set performers only attempting to upsell 30% of the time, and the industry missing even more opportunities, as they only attempt to upsell to a fifth of all golfers !

Implement friendly conversation starters today, and watch your profits sore.

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.

Festivities began with a round of educational and networking opportunities both on-and-off the course, before the evening celebrations paid tribute to the best performing properties within 59club’s mystery shopper programme of 2022.

59club’s coveted Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag awards were presented to nineteen properties across the Middle East, Africa & Asia for having achieved the required standard of customer service as well as providing the finest facilities and services for their customers enjoyment, as independently adjudicated by 59club’s comprehensive benchmarking system.

Emirates Golf Club received the highest of those accolades on the night – the Ultimate Service Excellence Award for their leading performance within the Gold Flag Designations. They also saw their F&B department awarded the team of the year title, a triumph that Mark Bull, 59club MEA Director previously revealed had seen Emirates’ CX performance across the F&B department rise by 5% and the overall golf operation up by as much as 6% over the past 12 months.

Cian Hurley, Director of Golf at Emirates Golf Club said of the awards, “We are delighted to have won the 59club Ultimate Service Award here at Emirates golf club. This is a true reflection of the overall team effort that goes into reaching and attaining the level of service standard we aim for. Working alongside the team at 59club has helped us to realise this achievement, the support provided is invaluable to us.”

Those properties achieving Gold Flag Designations on the night were: Abu Dhabi City GC; Al Hamra Golf Club; Dubai Creek; Dubai Hills Golf Club; Els Club, Dubai; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Trump International Golf Club; Yas Acres Golf & Country Club; Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.

Meanwhile six Silver Flag Designations were awarded to Al Zorah Golf Club; Arabian Ranches; Bryanston Country Club; Meydan Golf; Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai and Vattanac Golf Resort. With Aquella Golf & Country Club; Riverdale Golf Club and Thana City Country Club claiming Bronze Flag Status.

Further celebrations were realised for Abu Dhabi City Golf Club, after they took the double crown having seen both their Retail & Membership departments awarded 2022 team of the year titles.

Rhian Lobo, General Manager, “We’re thrilled to win best Membership sales team, best retail store and reach the 59club Gold Flag award. Congratulations to the entire team for providing exceptional customer experience standards throughout the facility.”

Trump International Golf Club, Dubai became the my59 Ultimate Service Excellence Award heroes, an honour they have retained for the fourth consecutive year, having consistently demonstrated their commitment to regularly analyse and advance their customer service levels using a wealth of satisfaction surveys. 

As proceedings unfolded, first time 59club champions Yas Acres Golf & Country Club took to the stage – having only enlisted the customer service specialists’ services the previous year, proving they are true professionals when it comes to service excellence – having been awarded Agronomy Team of the Year for their consistency on the golf course.

Saadiyat Beach Golf Club also had reason to celebrate after seeing their team claim the enviable Golf Operations Team of the year award.

Meanwhile, 59club Asia saw success from two newcomers to the 59club community: with Aquella Golf & Country Club claiming a Flag Designation and both the Retail, and F&B Team of the year accolade.

Speaking of their Bronze Flag Designation and their multiple team of the year successes in what is their first 59club Service Excellence Awards Ceremony; Brian Gibson, General manager of Aquella Golf & Country Club said; “Working with 59club Asia has helped our team achieve the service levels required and elevate Aquella G&CC to be one of the top golfing destinations in Thailand, benchmarking Aquella G&CC against the top clubs & resorts in the world allows the team to focus on the guest experience and continue to exceed customer expectations. The on-site training provided by 59club Asia has been instrumental in our success, the team members are more engaged as a result of the tailored and detailed training sessions delivered by 59club Asia associates, not only are our team consistently delivering a great experience, as individuals the 59club Asia training helps develop and shape their career, providing vital guidance and development”

Renowned Riverdale Golf Club celebrated being awarded Bronze flag designation, having worked tirelessly with their team to develop member and guest experience following the significant challenges Asia experienced during the pandemic, achieving this awards testament to the teams dedication to Excellence.

The same can be said for Thana City Country Club who also celebrated achieving Bronze flag status, Thana City was especially pleased to be recognised after investment saw them rebuild their greens 18 months ago which has been lauded in the region, as they continue to drive customer experience and focus on attaining Golf flag status.

And finally, Vattanac Golf Resort also proved that standards at the Cambodian resort are amongst the highest in Asia, after they scooped 59club’s Golf Operation Team of the year title, and their greens department won Asia’s Agronomy Team of the year award for consistently delivering a well-defined and presented golf course of the highest standard.

Of the annual hallmark event in the golf & hospitality business community, Mark Bull 59club MEA Director said “It was our pleasure to gather the Industry together at JA Resorts for a celebration of the Industry success across MEA & Asia. Congratulations to all winning clubs and managers. We are already looking forward to making the 2024 awards a bigger and better event for all.”

Araya Singhsuwan 59club Asia Director, commenting on the success of the annual event; “We are immensely proud of all our nominees and winners this year, everybody has tirelessly dedicated themselves, not only to deliver above and beyond excellence, but to do better and achieve the best in both their personal and professional lives. It is inspiring, and we are very happy and proud to see their achievements. Once again, congratulations to all, and we will continue to support all of our clubs on their journey”

59CLUB MEA & ASIA ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD WINNERS (in alphabetical order):

Ultimate Service Excellence Award: Emirates Golf Club;

Gold Flag Designations: Abu Dhabi City GC; Al Hamra Golf Club; Dubai Creek; Dubai Hills Golf Club; Els Club, Dubai; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Trump International Golf Club; Yas Acres Golf & Country Club; Yas Links, Abu Dhabi.

Silver Flag Designations: Al Zorah Golf Club; Arabian Ranches; Bryanston Country Club; Meydan Golf; Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai and Vattanac Golf Resort.

Bronze Flag Designations: Aquella Golf & Country Club; Riverdale Golf Club and Thana City Country Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year: Saadiyat Beach Golf Club & Vattanac Golf Resort                                                                                             

Agronomy Team of the Year: Yas Acres Golf & Country Club & Vattanac Golf Resort                                                                                        

Golf Retail Team of the Year: Abu Dhabi City Golf Club & Aquella Golf & Country Club

Food & Beverage Team of the Year: Emirates Golf Club & Aquella Golf & Country Club                       

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year: Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

My59 Ultimate Service Excellence Award: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

JA Resorts will host the annual 59club Middle East, Africa & Asia Service Excellence Awards ceremony, in March, as the leading performance management specialists return to host its prestigious ‘Golf Industry Oscars’, an event that has also become renowned for its educational and networking opportunities in addition to being a celebration of 59club’s clients’ achievements across the year.

The highlight of the evening ceremony remains the awarding of 59club’s renowned industry benchmark awards – the bronze, silver and gold flags – which are presented to the venues that not only achieve the required standard of service as part of the mystery test audit criteria, but also provide excellent facilities for customers to enjoy.

A number of individual, team and manager titles which recognise the very best sales and
service experiences within the hospitality industry will also be up for grabs on the night, and the event will also see venues rewarded for their commitment to engage, analyse and enrich their member and guest experience, utilising a collateral of survey tools across the my59 survey software platform.

The evening ceremony precedes a series of inspirational education seminars, plus the 59club golf event; as the industry come together once again to celebrate Customer Service Excellence.

For all enquiries and to secure your tickets for the education seminar, golf event and awards ceremony taking place on March 8th 2023, please contact Mark Bull for further details at mark@59clubmea.com

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.

Simon Wordsworth CEO of 59club said; “having amassed over 12 years of non-subjective performance data spanning all aspects of customer service, 59club has an unparalleled vision over those within the Golf & Hospitality Business who have proven their excellence, time after time, year after year. In honour of those years of dedication, the Eminent Collection was born to represent an international benchmark of excellence, which recognises the finest individuals & properties who are leading the industry in the customer experience realms. It is the only badge of honour that is an unbiased testament to having created a customer-centric culture, that puts the customer and their needs first, whilst regularly seeking objective affirmation that those needs are exceeded”.

Eligibility into the Collectionis based solely on achievements across the 59club Service Excellence Awards, with individual and team accolades, along with property flag designations, all contributing towards the Eminent Benchmark of Excellence; measuring performances over a minimum of 5 years.

Simon added “There is no debate to be had, you are either in or not, if in it is crystal clear why, if out then likewise you know what you must do. There is no self-assessment, no bias, no cloudy subjective entries – if you are in the Eminent Collection, you are there because you put yourself, your team, your venue up for independent non-subjective scrutiny of your customer service performance. The venues and individuals are proven to be amongst the best operators in the business – that is what the Eminent Collection is there to show. That is exactly why a brand like Club Car, who are all about customer experience and vehicles of the highest quality has chosen to support us in highlighting these achievements.”

Twelve Properties from within 59club’s international network achieved the Benchmark of Excellence. Four were from the UAE, one from Europe and seven from the UK.

2022’s induction roll also included twenty-two individuals. Three are from the UAE, one from the USA, one from Europe, and seventeen from the UK.

The Belfry Hotel & Resort
The Celtic Manor Resort
Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club
Emirates Golf Club
Forest of Arden
Foxhills Club & Resort
Gleneagles
Golf Son Muntaner
The Grove
Rockliffe Hall
Trump International Golf Club Dubai
Yas Links Abu Dhabi

Andrew Whitelaw GM/COO, Aronimink Golf Club
Anna Darnell Resort Director, The Grove
Barney Coleman Club Manager, Emirates Golf Club
Bernat Llobera Area Golf Director, Arabella Golf Mallorca
Chris May CEO Dubai Golf
Gary Silcock General Manager, Murrayshall
Stuart Collier Director of Golf, Stoke Park

Brad Gould Director of Golf, The Grove
Chris Reeve Director of Golf, The Belfry
Fraser Liston Director of Golf, Forest of Arden
Sean Graham Head of Golf Operations, Foxhills
Stephen Hindle Golf Manager, Worsley Park
Stephen Hubner Club Manager, Jumeirah Golf Estates

Angus Macleod Director of Golf Courses & Estates, The Belfry
Craig Haldane Golf Courses Manager, Gleneagles
Jim Mckenzie MBE Director of Golf Courses & Estates, Celtic Manor
Jonathan Wyer Golf Course Manager, Rockliffe Hall
Phillip Chiverton Golf Course & Estates Manager, The Grove
Rob Rowson Golf Course Estate Manager, Forest of Arden

Jacques Hobson Food & Beverage Outlets Manager, The Belfry

Simon Howell Golf Operations Manager, Forest of Arden
Tom Hughes Head of Golf Retail & Operations, The Belfry

Thursday 24^th March 2022

YAS LINKS, ABU DHABI RISES TO THE TOP AT 59CLUB MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS

High-profile venues across the Middle East & Africa recognised for service excellence

in ceremony hosted at The Els Club, Dubai.

The finest golf properties across Middle East & Africa saw their teams descend on the Els Club, Dubai, on Wednesday March 23rd, 2022, with the hope of claiming an industry ‘Oscar’ at the annual 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards.

A day which started with a 9-hole Team Scamble, ended in a glittering awards ceremony as the market-leading performance-management specialist continued to honour its best performers across the region for having achieved the highest standards of sales & customer service excellence across 2021. 

The winners in the 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards are determined by scores collected from its impartial mystery shopping audits, which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfers and prospective members, in accordance with objective benchmarking criteria over a period of 12 months.

On the night, 59club MEA presented 23 awards, recognising ‘service excellence’ across all areas of the businesses – Sales, Service, Operations, Retail, Golf course, Food & Beverage and Membership. 

And, for one property, there was special celebration as Yas Links, Abu Dhabi  gained four awards after scooping Golf Agronomy Team of the Year, Golf Operations Team of the Year, Gold Flag Designation and the leading award of the night, the Ultimate Service Excellence Award. Attached picture from left to right: Daniel Wright, Corey Finn, Lee Waggott and Santos Montes.

Speaking of their winning performance, Matt Waters, Group Director of Golf, said; “We are extremely proud of the teams amazing efforts in achieving four superb awards at this year’s 59club Middle East & Africa Awards. We strive to deliver the best possible customer experience at both golf clubs and with the support of Troon and 59club, we have been able to continually improve to deliver some great results. I believe that the awards we have received this year are a true testament to the hard work and commitment from all team members over the past couple of years. Thank you to 59club Middle East & Africa for organising a fantastic awards afternoon and evening to allow all clubs the opportunity to celebrate their successes.”

Other Teams honoured on the night were Saadiyat Beach Golf Club who were awarded Golf Retail Team of the Year, the Els Club, Dubai who claimed Golf Membership Team of the Year and Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai having scooped Food and Beverage Team of the Year.. 

While Trump International Golf Club, Dubai repeated their success from last year to receive the My59 Service Excellence Award for their continued commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across 59club’s software platform. 

The final awards of the evening and always a highlight of proceedings saw 59club MEA present their Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations. These highly prized accolades recognise properties that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year. 

This year, 59club MEA presented 9 ‘Gold Flags’, the deserving winners were: Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Royal Golf Club, Bahrain; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; The Els Club, Dubai; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai and Yas Links Abu Dhabi. Whilst 6 ‘Silver Flags’ went to Abu Dhabi City Golf Club; Al Hamra Golf; Club; Al Zorah Golf Club; Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Dubai Hills Golf Club and Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai and 1 ‘Bronze flag’ to Meydan Golf.

Of this year’s awards, Mark Bull, Director at 59club MEA, commented: “ It is always a pleasure to host the industry at our annual service excellence awards and recognise the hard work and commitment of all membership and operations teams in the region. Special thanks to our host venue, The Els Club, Dubai and all of our partners and sponsors on the day. Congratulations to all nominees and winners on the night, the high levels of service and quality of facilities at all venues is fantastic and we are very proud of the part we play in supporting the industry in measuring and benchmarking to maintain these standards”. 

Full list of 59club MEA ‘Service Excellence’ Award Winners 2022

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year, sponsored by Worldwide Golf: The Els Club, Dubai

Golf Retail Team of the Year, sponsored by Luxury Carts Group:  Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Dubai

Food and Beverage Team of the Year, sponsored by African & Eastern:  Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai

Golf Agronomy Team of the Year, sponsored by Delta Turf Care/Toro:  Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Golf Operations Team of the Year, sponsored by Golf Genius:  Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

My 59 Service Excellence, sponsored by Sunset Events Production: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Ultimate Service Excellence Award, Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Bronze Flag Designations:

Meydan Golf

Silver Flag Designations: 

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club; Al Hamra Golf; Club; Al Zorah Golf Club; Arabian Ranches Golf Club; Dubai Hills Golf Club and Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai

Gold Flag Designations: Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; The Els Club, Dubai; Royal Golf Club, Bahrain; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai and Yas Links Abu Dhabi.

Notes for journalists:

About 59club Middle East and Africa:

59club Middle East and Africa is the market leader in providing bespoke mystery shopper performance measurement programs for the Golf, Leisure, Retail, Spa, Events, F&B and Hotel Industries. Specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards, 59club provides ‘Mystery Shopper Audits’, ‘Customer Satisfaction Surveys’, and ‘Training Services’, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to advance. Based out of Dubai, Directors, Neal Graham and Mark Bull have over 25 years’ experience in the region, working in the golf and hospitality industries, supporting venues and organizations across 7 countries. 59club operates in four other different regions, UK, Europe, Asia and USA.

For further information on 59club contact:

Mark Bull: mark@59clubmea.com +971 50 538 4841

Neal Graham: neal@59clubmea.com +971 50 553 7989

■ For more information on 59club MEA, visit www.59clubmea.com

59club Middle East and Africa is delighted to announce the nominees ahead of its 3^rd Annual Service ‘Excellence’ Awards Ceremony, as the market-leading performance management specialist continues to honor those responsible for delivering the best customer experiences across golf, retail & hospitality.

Leading the way with nominations this year is Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in Abu Dhabi, with a total of 4 nominations across the 7 categories.  There are also nominations for a number of clubs in their first full year of working with 59club, including Al Zorah Golf Club, Dubai Hills Golf Club & Montgomerie Golf Club, Dubai.

The night’s proceedings will also see venues honored for their commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across the my59 software platform.

59club’s coveted industry benchmark of excellence – its gold, silver and bronze flag designations will also be awarded on the night to those venues that have delivered the most consistent golf experiences, as 59club MEA continues to recognize properties that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of service throughout 2021.

Mark Bull, Director of 59club Middle East and Africa commented: “At a time when the golf industry is experiencing continued growth, the 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards, recognizes the industry’s most successful venues for delivering the highest levels of customer service and facility standards across the region in 2021.

“The year long 59club audits continue to provide essential and invaluable data for our clients to develop and evolve their customer service standards and anticapte the needs of their guests.”

Full Categories and Nominees

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year: Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Els Club, Dubai, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club

Golf Retail Team of the Year: Al Zorah Golf Club, Dubai Hills Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

My59 Service Excellence: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Food and Beverage Team of the Year: Els Club, Dubai, Montgomerie Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Golf Agronomy Team of the Year: Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Els Club, Dubai, Emirates Golf Club and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Golf Operations Team of the Year: Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Royal Golf Club, Bahrain, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Ultimate Service Excellence Award 2022: Nominees and winner to be announced on the night.

59club MEA’s 3^rd Annual Service Excellence event takes place on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at the Els Club, Dubai. Tickets are on sale now, to secure your place at the Awards Ceremony & Golf Day, please contact Neal Graham for further details at neal@59clubmea.com

The evening ceremony precedes a series of inspirational education seminars, plus the 59club golf event; as the industry come together once again to celebrate Customer Service Excellence.

For all enquiries and to secure your tickets for the education seminar, golf event and awards ceremony taking place on March 23rd, 2022, please contact Neal Graham for further details at neal@59clubmea.com

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.

Although I had worked with 59club previously, I hadn’t utilised the membership sales experience audit as I was previously based at a daily fee only facility. Upon joining The Els Club and better understanding the membership structure, I thought the best thing to do would be to have 59club involved with some membership enquiries and mystery shops – to go through that experience to see where enhancements could be made to improve the conversion of our prospective member show rounds.

I met with 59club MEA director Mark Bull who discussed the expectations, the history of the previous membership enquiries from past mystery shoppers at The Els Club, the benchmarking process, audit criteria, and the recommendations to get the most success out of a potential new member or membership enquiry.

Subsequently, I sat down with our membership manager, Thomas Nicolson, and gathered his feedback before we instigated the first membership related mystery shopper enquiry. After receiving the initial audit report, Thomas and I analysed the feedback and established there were quite a few areas where improvements could be made. 

Thomas is a great member of the team and together we very constructively worked our way through the audit feedback; with Mark Bull on hand to provide his insightful recommendations on further measures to advance. 

Thomas took all of the data and feedback within the audit on board, and, worked to improve the membership enquiry process, and the following month, achieved a near perfect show round appointment mystery audit. The process has transformed our membership sales procedures, and, after receiving this great feedback, we started to look at the membership offering and made some additional adjustments.

And it’s really paid dividends. Thomas did a fantastic job: in December we had around 30 new members sign up; in January we had 40 new members; and, in February, another 15 – so it’s been a huge success. Since working with 59club, we’ve had more new members sign up at The Els Club than ever before.

It illustrates that by reviewing the customer journey and the show-round experience, utilising the 59club tools, and doing a refresher of all the Troon Golf operational standards as well, makes a massive difference, even at an incredible property such as The Els Club. We’re delighted with the results.

With 59club, the attention to detail from the tester is incredible and, when you’re able to review recordings of the telephone call, when you’re able to analyse the sales techniques demonstrated, and in other audits the upselling measurements in the golf shop, the photographs and the reports from the agronomy perspective as well, it is hugely valuable detail. 

There was already an agreement in place with 59club when I arrived at The Els Club, but I would be looking to work with them at any facility that I would go to within Troon Golf. It’s an absolute no brainer – the costs you’re looking at for 59club, the detail and information you’re going to receive, and the improvements you can make, mean you’re going to get back that investment 10-fold, with all the enhancements you’re able to identify and implement. 

As a new general manager or department head, there’s great value in reviewing the previous 59club mystery shops, so you start to understand the operation with a different set of eyes. And then to be able to meet with 59club and engage with them and understand what’s happened previously, the feedback that was given, and whether any adjustments were made, is a big help.

I’m also a believer in the integrity test side of the business, especially on the driving range or areas where, maybe, there’s fewer associates, or they’re further away from the main hub of the clubhouse. It’s fundamental for department heads and the GM to study these mystery shops and integrity checks, just to have some eyes on those areas from an experience side and a security perspective.

To be engaged with 59club to monitor your business, make improvements, and for it to complement Troon Golf, is for me, just the minimum standard. After the first couple of mystery visits and the results of the integrity tests, associates begin to see things differently and take call handling, sales processes, and cash handling more seriously.

It’s really been an eye opener for the team – you always get a few shocks, speedbumps and hiccups along the way, but you start to make improvements and the revenues will start increasing. Certainly, using 59club services will only increase revenues, whether that be on membership, green fees, retail, or on the driving range. To receive that detailed feedback helps enormously. 

There is such incredible value in the level of detail in the reports, it’s a set of independent eyes, seeing it through the eyes of the guest, which is so incredibly valuable. Nine times out of 10, you are going to see an increase in revenue, and that is an absolute no brainer.  

The wider business goal for The Els Club is to become more of a country club and engage with the local community. The Els Club will always be, fundamentally, built on an incredible golf course – Ernie Els did a fantastic job with the design.

But we’re currently underway with the construction of two padel tennis courts, a spa, ladies hair salon and a gents’ barber shop, and, because 59club does not just specialise in golf, we will also be engaging with 59club in these areas of the business. 

59club is very much across the whole area of hospitality and the business – which Troon Golf also specialises in – and it will further enhance the guest and member experience, help drive revenues and give the general manager, and his decision makers, and department heads the information they need at their fingertips.

As the flagship facility, all the fantastic standards we have within Troon Golf are at the very highest level at The Els Club. But, with 59club – whether it be SOPs, training, uniform standards, or something else – we’re just going to get additional feedback, which will only further enhance what Troon Golf has in place and ensure it is followed, consistently. We’re already at such a high standard, but it will give more information, data and feedback – and it’s always great to receive. 

We can also utilise other platforms within 59club that might not be on the guest side of things, such as associate training. There’s always something, for example, upselling, that you can never improve enough. If you want to improve the engagement with the guest, improve product knowledge, and the way that information is delivered, 59club is a great partner to guide you through that process and deliver training sessions. Department heads at Troon Golf always do an incredible job, but it’s additional support, and that goes a long way.

Having a 59club division ‘on the ground’ here in the region has made a big difference. I was very fortunate, previously, to do my PGA training with (59club CEO) Simon Wordsworth, and have worked closely with both Mark Reed, Matt Roberts and Andrew Etherington, so I know it’s an incredible team; but, having Neal Graham and Mark Bull on the ground here, is a great addition to the club. They are on hand with recommendations, training, or support, and will pop over at any time.

You don’t ever feel with 59club – unlike some – as if you’re on ‘the meter’; you know you’re calling them over to have a coffee, catch up and go through some feedback. You feel they are a pure partner and that they simply want to enhance the guest journey, and the operation, and genuinely care about The Els Club as a business. Both Mark and Neal have great experience in the region and it just further complements the club.

I feel the 59club team understood our goals from the start; the key part for us is we are all about membership – so we want to hit our full membership cap of 200 members which we’re now very close to achieving. They understood that, and, also, the history of The Els Club: that the number one focus is golf. They looked at how they can assist us and give recommendations, improve that mystery shop and guest journey, so that we could attract more members. Then we looked at the F&B experience, the upselling in the golf shop, the engagement during the experience with the guests, the experience on the golf course – every part of the business. But, number one, was membership and, then, the driving range, just looking to make sure policies and procedures were being followed.

It’s an absolute pleasure to be associated with and work alongside 59club and I’m sure the relationship and support will continue to enhance and complement The Els Club and Troon Golf’s operating and hospitality standards.

This year we were delighted to receive two 59club Service Excellence Awards, in both Golf Retail Team of the Year, and, The Els Club was awarded the highest honour, the Gold Flag Designation, which is credit to the hard work and high standards we all work to achieve. 

I do genuinely respect and value what 59club offers and to see it branching out now all around the world, is wonderful. It’s something golf never had previously, and I just hope everyone else values it as much as we do, and doesn’t see it as an expense line. Properties need to see their products and services as something that provides tangible value; with 59club your guaranteed to improve the overall experience, and ultimately that will make a difference to your profits.

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. 

Based from their corporate office in Dubai, Troon International works with clients across Europe, Middle East, Asia and Australia. 

Mark Chapleski, President of Troon International, explained: “Troon International has recognised the benefit 59club products bring to its venues. Existing General Managers and Directors of Golf have embraced the external mystery shopping audits and utilised the feedback to improve the customer experience, develop associates, improve financial performance and help provide valuable data in setting out their long-term goals and objectives.

“This enhanced service will allow each of our properties – outside of the Americas – to utilise 59club’s product portfolio, should they so wish.”

The catalyst for the new agreement was centred around 59club Middle East & Africa’s existing successful support of nine Troon International properties in the Middle East The Els Club, Dubai Hills GC, Address Montgomerie, Arabian Ranches GC, and Meydan Golf, in Dubai; Abu Dhabi GC, Yas Links, and Saadiyat Beach GC, in Abu Dhabi; the Royal GC, in Bahrain and 59club’s long standing relationship in the UK with The  Grove.

These venues already utilise 59club’s wide range of mystery shopping products, including the golf visitor experience; golf membership sales enquiry; group golf enquiry call and integrity audits. They have also adopted the my59 survey platform to measure their member experience; custom-fit service, with 59club delivering onsite staff training which is supported by the recently launched ‘My59 Mentor’ virtual training platform. 

59club MEA director Mark Bull explained: “We are delighted to extend our relationship with Troon International on a firmer footing worldwide and, although not mandatory, this allows access to 59club’s full portfolio of products, should the General Managers and Directors of Golf choose to use them.

Troon International venues taking up this opportunity will be provided with a minimum of four mystery shopper audits per year, focussed on both their visitor and member-experience, and will benefit from the additional service & support provided by their local 59club division and the new virtual Mentor training platform.

This partnership will also see Troon International venues eligible for entry into 59club’s Annual Service Excellence Awards, regarded as the ‘Oscars’ of the golf industry, as 59club recognise individuals, teams, venues and management groups for delivering the very best member and guest experiences. 

FINEST SERVICE PROVIDERS HONOURED AT 59CLUB MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA SERVICE EXCELLENCE AWARDS SUPPORTED BY GOLFBREAKS

High-profile venues across the Middle East & Africa recognised for service excellence in glitzy ceremony hosted at Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai.

The finest golf properties across the Middle East & Africa saw their teams descend on Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, on Wednesday May 26, 2021, with the hope of claiming an industry ‘Oscar’ at the annual 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards.

A day which started with a 9-hole Team Shamble on The Earth Course, ended in a glittering awards ceremony as the market-leading performance-management specialist continued to honour its best performers across the region for having achieved the highest standards of sales & customer service excellence across 2020/21. 

The winners in the 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards are determined by scores collected from its impartial mystery shopping audits, which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfers and prospective members, in accordance with objective benchmarking criteria. 

On the night, 59club MEA presented 16 awards, recognising ‘service excellence’ across all areas of the businesses – Sales, Service, Operations, Retail, Golf course, Food & Beverage and Management. 

And, for one property, there was double celebrations as Abu Dhabi Golf Club saw two of its teams honoured after scooping Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year and Golf Agronomy Team of the Year.  Pictured from left to right: Scott Sellars, Golf Operations Manager of Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Clinton Southorn, Cluster Director of Agronomy.

Speaking of their winning performance, Francisco de Lancastre, Cluster General Manager said; “We are delighted to receive these two awards, as it is a testament to the hard work and effort demonstrated by the team over 2020. Working with 59club MEA throughout the year assists us to monitor customer service data and constantly strive to improve and evolve our renowned service and facility standards”.  

Other Teams honoured on the night were Abu Dhabi City Golf Club who were awarded Food and Beverage Team of the Year, Emirates Golf Club who claimed Golf Operations Team of the Year and The Els Club, Dubai having scooped Golf Retail Team of the Year. 

While Trump International Golf Club, Dubai went on to receive the My59 Ultimate Service Excellence Award for their continued commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across 59club’s software platform. 

The final awards of the evening and always a highlight of proceedings saw 59club MEA present their Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold and Silver Flag Designations. These highly prized accolades recognise properties that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year. 

This year, 59club MEA presented 8 ‘Gold Flags’, the deserving winners were: Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; The Els Club, Dubai; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas Links Abu Dhabi. Whilst 2 ‘Silver Flags’ went to Abu Dhabi City Golf Club and The Track, Meydan Golf. 

Of this year’s awards, Mark Bull, Director at 59club MEA, commented: “ It was an honour and privilege to host the first service excellence awards outside of the UK, special thanks to our host venue, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Golfbreaks for their support of the event, as well as all our event partners.  Congratulations to all nominees and winners on the night, all of whom can be proud of the levels of service provided throughout 2020 and we look forward to continuing to support the industry in driving standards forward.”

59club MEA ‘Service Excellence’ Award Winners 2020/21

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year, sponsored by Worldwide Golf: Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Golf Retail Team of the Year, sponsored by Sunset Events:  The Els Club, Dubai

Food and Beverage Team of the Year, sponsored by African & Eastern:  Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

Golf Agronomy Team of the Year, sponsored by Toro/Delta Turf Care:  Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year, sponsored by Golf Genius:  Emirates Golf Club

My 59 Ultimate Service Excellence, sponsored by Club Car: Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Silver Flag Designations: Abu Dhabi City Golf Club and The Track, Meydan Golf.

Gold Flag Designations: Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club; Emirates Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; The Els Club, Dubai; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai; and Yas Links Abu Dhabi

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Dubai, UAE: 59club Middle East and Africa is delighted to announce the nominees ahead of its Service ‘Excellence’ Awards Ceremony, as the market-leading performance management specialist continues to honor those responsible for delivering the best customer experiences across golf & hospitality.  

This year’s awards ceremony; supported by Golfbreaks.com and our Event Partners will take place on Wednesday, May 26, 2021 at Jumeirah Golf Estates. A 9-hole Texas Scramble competition will proceed the evening’s Gala dinner and Awards presentation. 

The nominees for the Service ‘Excellence’ titles are determined by scores collected from an independent panel of mystery shoppers, utilizing 59club’s unique, non-subjective benchmarking criteria.  Measurements to qualify for these highly recognized industry accolades includes a series of audits that focus on the property’s service levels, sales performance, staff attitude, internal processes and facility standards.

Leading this year’s nominations for these illustrious accolades are Abu Dhabi Golf Club; Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club; and The Els Club, Dubai, who all feature in 3 of the award titles, with Abu Dhabi City Golf Club; Jumeirah Golf Estates; and Yas Links, Abu Dhabi all receiving multiple nominations. 

Other venues also nominated for a Service Excellence Award include; Emirates Golf Club; Trump International Golf Club, Dubai and The Track, Meydan Golf.

Despite a condensed auditing schedule, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, 59club MEA continued to deliver the necessary quota of mystery shopper audits across their affiliate properties, further cementing the shared commitment between 59club and its client properties to realise the very highest levels of customer service across the region.

The night’s proceedings will also see venues honored for their commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across the my59 software platform.

59club’s coveted industry benchmark of excellence – its gold, silver and bronze flag designations will also be awarded on the night to those venues that have delivered the most consistent golf experiences, as 59club MEA continues to recognize properties that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of service throughout 2020/21. 

Neal Graham, Director of 59club Middle East and Africa commented: “The 59club MEA Service Excellence Awards, recognizes the industry’s most successful venues for delivering the highest levels of customer service and facility standards across the region. 

It’s even more prevalent than in previous years for us to continue honoring great team achievements realized, despite the challenging circumstances we all faced as an industry throughout 2020. And, as customer expectations continue to evolve, the data 59club MEA continues to provide, will assist clubs to shape their service standards moving forward.”

Full list of Nominees: – 

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year:

Abu Dhabi Golf Club

The Els Club, Dubai

Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Golf Retail Team of the Year:

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

The Els Club, Dubai

The Track, Meydan Golf

My59 Service Excellence  – Ultimate Award:

Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Yas Links, Abu Dhabi

Food and Beverage Team of the Year:

Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

The Els Club, Dubai

Golf Agronomy Team of the Year:

Abu Dhabi Golf Club

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Jumeirah Golf Estates

Golf Operations Team of the Year:

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club

Emirates Golf Club

Jumeirah Golf Estates

About 59club Middle East and Africa:

59club Middle East and Africa is the market leader in providing bespoke mystery shopper performance measurement programs for the Golf, Leisure, Spa, Events, F&B and Hotel Industries. Specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards, 59club provides ‘Mystery Shopper Audits’, ‘Customer Satisfaction Surveys’, and ‘Training Services’, empowering venue managers to analyze their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to advance. Based out of Dubai, Directors, Neal Graham and Mark Bull have over 25 years’ experience in the region, working in the golf and hospitality industries, supporting venues and organizations across 7 countries. 59club operates in four other different regions, UK, Europe, Asia and USA.

For further information contact:

Mark Bull: mark@59clubmea.com +971 50 538 4841

Neal Graham: neal@59clubmea.com +971 50 553 7989

THE COFFEE CLUB HAS NO GROUNDS FOR CONCERN

AFTER PARTNERING WITH 59CLUB MEA

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.

The Coffee Club has engaged 59club MEA (Middle East and Africa) to measure and refine its customer ‘journey’ at 23 of its restaurants in the UAE: 9 in Abu Dhabi, 10 in Dubai, 2 in Al Ain and 2 in Ras Al Khaimah.

Since launching in Brisbane, in 1989, The Coffee Club has become Australia’s largest home-grown café group, with around 400 outlets in nine countries, delighting more than 40 million dedicated customers, with more than 20 of those stores located in the UAE.

Ravi Chandran, CEO of parent company Liwa Minor Food and Beverages, explained: “Like most hospitality businesses we have our core standard operating procedures and staff are measured against those. 

“However, we were hugely impressed with the data and information gathered by 59club MEA during its initial visits to our stores and it became clear to us that its testing procedures were far more thorough and beneficial than anything else we had seen previously.

“The company has an impressive track record in ensuring high-service standards across its client portfolio and this is a further guarantee to our customers that the experience they enjoy at The Coffee Club will be second to none.”

59club MEA’s directors, Mark Bull and Neal Graham had an appetite to demonstrate to the brand how its proprietary mystery-visit data can highlight areas of service which might otherwise be overlooked.

Chandran was so impressed with both the quality of ‘live’ information supplied and the initiative of the pair that The Coffee Club signed a one-year contract for 59club MEA to evaluate their outlets’ service performance. 

Graham explained: “Previously, 59club’s reputation in UAE – and beyond – has been built upon its work within golf and leisure clubs, but this arrangement is testament to the ability of its products across other sectors, including pure food-and-beverage operations. 

“Each of the outlets will receive four ‘casual dining’ visits through the year and each visit will be based on what we call the four pillars of the test: attitude; facility; process; and sales. 

“59club’s reputation is based upon the ability to drill down into each of those areas to ensure the test is not a mere ‘tick-box’ exercise – it’s an in-depth analysis of both the good and the bad of the customer experience. 

“It’s not about pointing fingers; it’s designed to help staff improve – maybe even in areas where they didn’t realise they were lacking – to provide direction for further training where required, and to ensure The Coffee Club continues to be known as the most customer connected café experience by being personalized, easy and rewarding.                     

59club MEA is one of six 59club divisions worldwide, with more to follow. It was created in 2019, initially to service existing clients within the region’s golf industry following the company’s strategic approach to measure, train and support its client properties to elevate sales and service standards from a dedicated local office. 

The subsequent agenda was to introduce its ever-evolving product range – Mystery Shopping, Customer Satisfaction Surveys, Employee Training and Management Development Programmes, plus Financial Operational Comparison Tools – to an emerging audience across the region’s diverse hospitality industry. 

And, as the new partnership with The Coffee Club demonstrates, its expertise and specialist tools are equally effective in a number of other leisure spheres – membership clubs, spa, hotels and F&B are just four sectors into which 59club MEA has expanded in little more than a year.  

■ To discover more about 59club MEA visit 59clubmea.com, email enquiries@59clubmea.com or call 050 553 7989.

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During these challenging times, Troon Abu Dhabi Courses –  Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club and Yas Links have continued to work closely with 59club Middle East and Africa, as an independent partner, to ensure that their members and guests continue to enjoy the high levels of service and great facilities on offer, in a safe and comfortable environment. 

59club MEA have adapted the new Covid – 19 Golf Visitor Experience Audits to assist venues in evaluating the measures that have been put in place, such as pre-arrival safety information,  thermal image screening, social distancing markers, availability of hand sanitizer and staff awareness. Independent feedback helps management to constantly review the practices in place and provide additional feedback where applicable.

Complementing the adapted Covid – 19 criteria, the audits continue to provide feedback in 4 key areas, Staff Sales, Staff Attitude, Staff Process and Facility.

Matt Waters (Group Director of Golf) explained: “Since the beginning of April we have been working through a number of adaptations to promote a safe, socially distanced environment for our Members and Guests to experience and enjoy. By measuring our teams performance in these specific areas via 59club Middle East and Africa, it has allowed us to consistently review and improve our TROON standards and customer experience throughout all areas of the facilities. Managing change will always come with its challenges however, when you can present genuine and trustworthy feedback from a customer, the explanation of “why” we need to change or improve, suddenly becomes a lot easier to understand and implement.”

Under the management of Troon International and its promise of delivering extraordinary guest and member services, Troon offers unmatched amenities, exquisite dining, the finest playing surfaces, and an uncompromising attention to detail. The Els Club Dubai is no exception and is committed to deliver on the mission statement with forming collaborations and associations in the industry.

Forming a collaboration to implement 59club’s expertise, and the customer experience enhancement in relation to golf, the team at The Els Club has greatly benefitted from the best-practice guidelines received from them.

Els Club General Manager, Tom Rourke, explained “The benchmarking has not only assisted to guide the team to deliver an improved experience, this has also resulted in a positive membership acquisition leading up to some exciting new enhancements which includes the opening of the new extension. This multi-story facility, is the much awaited expansion at The Els Club Dubai and is now in its final phase. The 5-star leisure facilities boast an urban-chic gym, a stunning restaurant, & 2 swimming pools accompanied by a pool bar including a kid’s pool.”

In addition to the year-round exquisite condition of the award winning Els-Design Golf Course, the Members, Guests and staff alike have been appreciative of being a part of the club, which continues to enhance its offerings to the community of Dubai Sports City. 

 59club MEA Director, Mark Bull, added “We ensure that we are fully aware of our client’s immediate and long term goals.  By doing so we can then assign our applicable products and services to help their team deliver an unrivalled experience for members and guests.”

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59club the leading sales & service analysts and training provider, have today released my59 Mentor, their intelligent virtual learning experience, safeguarding clients triumphant return to golf.

The new virtual platform features 59club’s acclaimed sales & service training programs – from membership sales and retention strategies, to perfecting corporate sales enquiries and advancing the overall guest experience – across golf & hospitality.

Venues can take advantage of the virtual mentor experience to expand their existing knowledge, educate new staff, upskill relief staff and providing personal development pathways for all aspiring individuals. Additional white papers, videography and supplementary contributor content from the likes of the infamous Gregg Patterson, are also accessible within the platform, available now 24/7 at staff member’s convenience.

The platform also acts as the perfect vehicle for venues to store and communicate all in-house company policies and training manuals direct with their team, also providing the technology to build online training courses, verify learning outcomes and track liability acceptances within one user-friendly, easily accessible and white-labelled virtual platform.

Simon Wordsworth 59club CEO said: “We recognised the need for organisations to have control over their online learning experience, so we built a platform that our partners can manage without any knowledge of coding. My59 Mentor has been developed with simplicity in mind; its clean, intuitive design makes the platform a user-friendly experience for admins and students across all devices.

“During this difficult time, we understand the challenge of motivating staff and the need to enhance personal development, and for this reason education has to remain a priority. Our entire educational content is waiting to be discovered within the platform, what better way to engage staff and build momentum, ensuring they are on top of their game and raring to go.

“There isn’t a single golf club, restaurant or hospitality venue on the planet that will, in the short term, continue to operate as usual. Each club or venue will have acute and significant challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic – problems my59 Mentor can alleviate.”

Intelligent push notifications will link directly to a venue’s mystery shopping and survey performance data, directing the member of staff to the relevant lesson within the platform, as My59 Mentor instinctively acts to upskill staff and address any shortcomings.

Venues can build their own in-house digital education programmes and customise the appearance of the platform. Host staff handbooks and support files to communicate knowledge & company policy direct to the team, while collating all existing digital and paper content into one media library. The platform also provides an efficient way for managers to communicate with their staff around their initial COVID-19 policies and procedures, and phased protocol thereafter.

Within my59 Mentor there is an integrated ‘Quiz’ function which tests knowledge both before and after courses to evaluate progress. Upon completion, individuals can download certificates to authenticate their achievement. This process will naturally lend itself to organise and communicate new COVID-19 operating procedures efficiently, demonstrating that all staff members throughout the operation have read and gained a clear understanding of any new policies as they come into force.

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Dubai, UAE: 59club Middle East and Africa is delighted to announce the winners of its inaugural Service Excellence awards supported by Golfbreaks.com.

The presentation of the awards was due to take place at a gala dinner ceremony in the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort and Spa this month. However, due to the outbreak of COVID –19, the ceremony had to be cancelled.

The awards criteria was based on mystery service audits data, which was captured and benchmarked across 18 golf venues that 59club MEA supports in the region during 2019. The awards recognise the most successful venues across the region in sales performance, staff attitude, internal processes and facility standards.

Gold, Silver and Bronze service excellence flags are also awarded to venues that have delivered the most consistent golf experiences throughout 2019, rewarding the overall team effort across each element of the 59club mystery testing report.

Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club managed to scoop an unprecedented total of five awards including Golf Operations Team of the Year and Golf Manager of the Year won by Michael Major

On receiving the awards, Julian Danby, Commercial Manager at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club said: “We are thrilled to have been recognised by 59club Middle East & Africa Service Excellence awards. This represents fantastic achievements across each area of our operation and rewards our team for the drive and passion they continually show in helping to deliver the highest of golf experiences for our members and guests.”

The Royal Golf Club, Bahrain also won two awards including Best Greenkeeper of the Year, William Evans and Food and Beverage Manager of the Year, Kim Marshall.

Neal Graham, Director 59club Middle East and Africa commented: “The Service Excellence Awards recognises the delivery of high levels of customer service and facility standards provided by venues across the region. Our non-subjective criteria assist clubs to constantly review and evolve their customer journey experience.”

Full list of Winners and Nominees:

Leading Individual Golf Membership Sales Performance:-
Winner: George Wearden, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Nominees: Rhys James, Emirates Golf Club and Khay-Gin Aniciete, Trump International Dubai

Golf Membership Sales Team of the Year:-
Winner: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Nominees: Emirates Golf Club and Trump International Dubai

Golf Retail Manager of the Year:-
Winner: Gregorio Gonzales, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Nominees: Ervin Cabiles, Trump International Dubai and Alex Heler, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club

Golf Manager of the Year:-
Winner: Michael Major, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Nominees: Phil Waine, Trump International Dubai and Cian Hurley, Emirates Golf Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year:-
Winner: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Nominees: Trump International Dubai and Jumeirah Golf Estates

Food and Beverage Manager of the Year:-
Winner: Kim Marshall, Royal Golf Club, Bahrain
Nominees: Pattabi Raman, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and Andy Heath, Trump International Dubai

Greenkeeper of the Year:-
Winner: William Evans, Royal Golf Club, Bahrain
Nominees: Ben Griffiths, Trump International Dubai and Matthew Perry, Emirates Golf Club

Gold Flag Winners

• Abu Dhabi Golf Club
• Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
• Emirates Golf Club
• Jumeirah Golf Estates
• Royal Golf Club, Bahrain
• Saadiyat Beach Golf Club
• The Els Club, Dubai
• Trump International Golf Club, Dubai

Silver Flag Winners:

• Abu Dhabi City Golf Club
• Education City Golf Club, Doha
• Yas Links Golf Club

About 59club Middle East and Africa:

59club Middle East and Africa is the market leader in providing bespoke mystery shopper performance measurement programs for the Golf, Leisure, Spa, Events, F&B and Hotel Industries. Specifically designed to elevate sales and service standards, 59club provides ‘Mystery Shopper Audits’, ‘Customer Satisfaction Surveys’, and ‘Training Services’, empowering venue managers to analyse their entire visitor and member experience, enabling them to set targets, monitor performance and ultimately make informed decisions to advance. Based out of Dubai, Directors, Neal Graham, Mark and Sally Bull have over 30 years’ experience in the region, working in the golf and hospitality industries, supporting venues and organizations across 7 countries. 59club operates in four other different regions, UK, Europe, Asia and USA.

For further information contact:
Mark Bull: mark@59clubmea.com +971 50 538 4841
Neal Graham: neal@59clubmea.com +971 50 553 7989