Focus on the Facts

Like It or Not, Dues Increases are the Appropriate Response to Inflationary Pressure.

Labor shortages and other inflationary pressures are budget busters. In the current environment, private club leaders are scrambling to cover current year...

It’s estimated that a new car loses about 10% of its value the minute you drive it off the lot, and as much as 20% in the first year of ownership. We have no trouble understanding that the car still has a certain amount of value if we were to sell...

Taking on long-term debt at a private club is one of the most important decisions a board can make. The long-term consequences of taking on debt will limit the flexibility of the club and future administrations for many years to come.

"We can't control the wind, but we can adjust the sails."

I don't sail much any more, but that adage definitely speaks to me as I reflect on what we've all been faced with over the last six weeks. I am a self-confessed data geek who has been...

Now Might Be a Good Time to Rethink Your Club’s Business Model...

Over the coming weeks and months, clubs will be faced with lost revenue due to sustained closures and challenges related to retention of staff and members. Some clubs will emerge from...

By Jim Butler, CEO - Club Benchmarking

The industry debate over how much a club should budget to maintain its golf course seems never-ending, and that’s understandable. The course consumes a significant portion of the cash required to run a club and it is also one of the most visible and...

The private club industry in the United States has been a work in progress for more than 200 years. Clubs are deeply grounded in history and tradition, which may help to explain why the pace of change tends to be slower...

Every business charts the course for the coming year through the annual budget process, and private clubs are no exception. For many, the experience can be drawn out, difficult and fraught with struggles over...