Bob Williams named as GCMA’s new CEO

Bob Williams has been appointed as the chief executive of the Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA).

The GCMA is made up of thousands of managers of British golf clubs, and provides advice, guidance and education to its members so they can run their clubs more professionally.

Bob, 58, has managed several golf clubs throughout his career, including Long Ashton and Chipping Sodbury, the latter of which he brought in a raft of changes that transformed the financial performance of the venue.

In recent years he also led the golf industry’s battle against HM Revenue and Customs to have VAT reduced and paid back on memberships, and, due to his reputation as an industry expert, he has been commissioned by several clubs to carry out ‘health checks’ on golf clubs seeking to bring more revenue in.

“I’m delighted to be appointed,” he said. “Every GCMA member will be my customer and they will get the customer service treatment. My first year will be spent listening to as many people as possible and learning what the members want. From that I hope to develop a business plan for the GCMA at the end of 2013.

“I do have specific ideas of what I want to achieve however. I want the GCMA to be able to offer help-lines to its members – particularly for managers of struggling clubs that might need advice on, for example, marketing or business planning. We should also be helping clubs provide the tools so that they can enable their managers to manage – this might involve running workshops for committee members of golf clubs.

“Plus, I want to raise the profile of the GCMA.”

He added that while golf clubs have suffered in the financial crisis over the last few years, now is the perfect time to run an organisation that helps them.

“It is a great time to be involved in golf. Managing golf clubs was less demanding 20 years ago when I first started and people were queuing up to join, but now you have to earn your money,” he said, “especially after the summer we had in 2012.”

A spokesman for the GCMA said: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of the new chief executive, after a rigorous process of reducing many worthy applications down to a highly talented shortlist.

“Bob is an active member in the GCMA’s south west region, notably spearheading their educational activities in recent years. Bob also played an active part in the association’s planning group for the 2011 national conference, and is subsequently already involved in the plans for the 2013 event. He is currently working with the association’s Gill Bridle and Bucks New University [BNU] to help develop the education programme there, including preparation of the course content.

“Bob has played an active part in delivering lectures on best practices in golf club management at both BNU and during the association’s recent series of road shows around the UK. He was already scheduled to help with a presentation at the BTME show at Harrogate in January, and will be attending the regional secretaries’ conference at Weston-super-Mare at the end of January.”

Bob, who replaces Keith Lloyd, who will have been chief executive for 11 years when he departs at the end of February, will formally commence work at the start of that month.