Golf Club Talk UK

Two interviews this month and we catch up with Stephen Nicholson, GM at Haydock Park Golf Club. Stephen, a finalist in the GCMA Manager of the year is building a good reputation as a Golf Club Manager. Leighton and Stephen talk a lot about remaining positive for your staff and members, particularly through a crisis. Stephen also mentions his new venture - Mango Golf Management which is just being launched. https://mangogolf.co.uk/ Eddie also checks in with Graeme Taylor from Xact, a proud sponsor of GCTUK. Xact provide some great solutions both on the HR & H&S fronts and Graeme explains how they have helped clubs through COVID. https://www.xactgroup.co.uk/

After Leighton and Eddie catch up to review what's been happening over the last few weeks, Leighton talks to Mike Clayton and Ed Cartwright from CDP (Clayton, Devries & Pont), a unique and global design collaboration based in the UK, Europe and USA. The discussion centres largely around some of the fundamentals of course architecture and challenges, but Ed also explains what CDP is hoping to do in the UK and Europe, including a couple of existing projects such as The Addington in Surrey. It's a really good chat and having spent over twenty years on the European and Australasian tours, Mike Clayton brings his vast experience, knowledge and story telling to the table. http://www.cdpgolf.com/index.html https://www.golfcoursearchitecture.net/content/custodians-of-the-course

Leighton and Eddie catch up for an end of year chat and look forward to what Golf clubs might be thinking about in 2021. With the opportunities presented, clubs will need to continue to think outside the box and provide an innovative offer. Eddie also pays respect to long time friend and guest of the show - Peter Allis Plenty of great interviews to come in 2021 and thanks to all of our loyal listeners. Happy New Year! Twitter - @golfclubtalkuk golfclubtalkuk@gmail.com

Leighton & Eddie catch up for their usual look at what's been happening in the past month. Following this they're joined by Adam Keable and Colin Bell from Gather! Gather is a new initiative designed to build a community which will disrupt and ask some difficult questions of the Golf industry. With a Podcast, video and online networking initiatives, the guys will open up debate and share knowledge among its members. It's an interesting chat that informs members of what Gather is about but also explores some of the very topics that are key to Gather's manifesto. Check it out at https://www.gather.golf/

Over seven months on from our first International Round Table episode, Leighton and Eddie revisit with Kevyn Cunningham from Half Moon Bay in Jamaica and John Caven from Oakdale Golf & Country Club in Toronto, Canada. This time they're also joined by Luis Rio, Secretary at Morgado Golf Club in Portugal and David Shepherd of The Scandinavian outside Copenhagen, Denmark. The guys explore how they have got on since May when things were in the early days of COVID-19. What have been the successes and challenges as well as direction for 2021 but they also talk about leadership through a crisis such as this. There's some fascinating stuff in here and we're really lucky to benefit from the panel's experience and knowledge. www.morgadogolfhotel.com www.halfmoon.com www.thescandinavian.dk www.oakdalegolf.com Sponsored by BRS Golf - www.brsgolf.com

Eddie speaks with Matt Adamski ( General Manager ) of Sweetens Cove Golf Club . Sweetens Cove has developed a cult following, a unique nine hole golf course in Tennessee, it's recently been included within the top 100 modern golf courses , also the New York Times mentioned it as " The Little Course That Could " Matt shares the amazing story about Sweetens Cove, as one of the coolest golf experiences, while focusing on quality golf surfaces. https://sweetenscovegolfclub.com/ @SweetensCove Second up, Leighton chats with Bob and Lesley from BRS Golf about their new Membership software. This is now creating a seamless system which integrates perfectly with tee bookings and all other aspects of BRS Golf. Also, welcomed to the show is Fame Tait, Owner and Director of Stanedge Golf Club in Derbyshire. Fame gives a first hand account of how she uses the BRS Golf system to her advantage and how it has completely modernised her administration of memberships www.brsgolf.com www.stanedgegolfclub.co.uk Contact Leighton & Eddie: golfclubtalkuk@gmail.com @golfclubtalkuk Thanks to our show partners - BRS Golf

We welcome back Stuart Finlay, GM of Radyr Golf Club in Cardiff. Stuart first appeared on the show two years ago, not long after starting in his new role as GM, having come from Wales Golf. We look back at what Stuart has done at Radyr as well as the successes, tough times and what's ahead. Stuart is open and honest and it's a fascinating interview form one of the industry's sharp operators. Feel free to get in touch with Stuart at http://www.radyrgolf.co.uk

After Leighton and Eddie catch up to look at what's happening in the industry currently, Eddie sits down with John Cockayne: Specialist Golf Consultant based in Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands. John has extensive experiences within the golf industry and shares his ideas and insights with the developments of the golf business. Leighton then chats with Doug Philip of DPSM Consultants. DPSM are a specialist Golf Recruitment firm and he lends some great advice to anyone in the industry. Doug, a member of Elie Golf Club, also owns Oswald House Hotel in Kirkcaldy, Fife. Within 45 minutes of some of Scotland's best courses, Oswald House provides a warm welcome and is an ideal base for a Golf trip in this area. http://dpsmconsultants.com http://oswald.house

Episode 28 features our new sponsor "BRS Golf". Leighton talks to Bob and Peter from BRS about how COVID has affected rounds played as well as membership but they also talk through some of the great innovation that BRS are producing to help clubs. From membership management to member finance they are building the complete package for golf clubs. Leighton then talks to Torbjorn "Toby" Johanssen, Director of Education with CMAE. CMAE are moving towards more online education platforms and Toby explains. He also touches on such things as Golf in Sweden and Scandinavia. BRS Golf - BRS Golf – Online Golf Tee Time Booking Reservation System Software – BRS Golf – Ireland, UK, England, Scotland, Wales CMAE Europe - https://www.cmaeurope.org/home

A brief in between episode this time with Leighton chatting through his experiences over the last 5 months and the effect that it's had on his club, Cirencester as well as him personally. This is followed by Michelle Baker from the Melanoma Fund who explains the "Slip, Slap, Swing" campaign designed to raise awareness around melanoma and skin cancer. The campaign has many UK Golf Clubs on board. Michelle can be found on Twitter - @melanoma_fund, or on Linkedin - Michelle Baker. The website is Melanoma Fund | Tackling Rising Rates of Melanoma