Here’s the top 3 things I learnt while editing Golf Club Management in August

From fraud scams to clubs showing creativity can lead to financial success, August was far more than simply Justin Rose winning a gold medal at the Olympics, as Golf Club Management editor Alistair Dunsmuir details

3. Golf clubs are still continuing to prove how valuable to society they are

This year Malkins Bank Golf Course was commended for helping people who had suffered strokes and Lincoln Golf Centre was acknowledged in the House of Commons for its work with dementia sufferers, while recently Tapton Park Golf Course has proved of benefit to a carer of someone who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

And now Rudding Park Hotel, Spa and Golf in Yorkshire has been praised for helping people with Parkinson’s and their carers, following a highly successful golf excursion on its short course.

2. Clubs need to train their staff about potential scams

No one is going to put their bank details in an email to a ‘Nigerian prince’ but efficacious fraud scams are much more sophisticated than this and they are particularly targeting golf clubs; at least two have collectively been swindled out of nearly £400,000 in recent months.

The latest story, involving Waterlooville Golf Club, occurred because an employee did what most of us have done: accidentally downloaded spyware on one of the venue’s computers. Perhaps the biggest warning to golf clubs comes as even though there was unusual activity on its accounts, its bank still refused to cover the loss because the club had not downloaded its security software.

1. Creativity leads to unique selling points, which leads to more business

West Lothian GC has a hole called ‘The Coffin’, because of the original design of its green, which isn’t even coffin-shaped any more. But that didn’t stop it getting a local funeral director to sponsor it. And Hamptworth Golf and Country Club had a long par five hole – so it has lengthened it to a par six that measures 666 yards and calls it ‘The Beast’. “Our members love it, as do societies – and visitors come many miles to take it on,” said the club’s owner. In both cases a little bit of creativity has gone a long way.