AUGUST 2024
GM REPORT
Dear Golf Club Members,
I hope this message finds each of you in good health and that you are thoroughly enjoying the summer season of golf.
As we find ourselves well into the golfing season, I wanted to share an overdue update. The past few months have been incredibly busy, filled with numerous tasks and priorities, making it challenging to carve out time for this report. However, I’m pleased to finally provide an update on our club’s progress. As we go forward I will produce a smaller report on a monthly basis to align with our new Director Of Golf report.
Mid-May marked my two-year anniversary in this part-time role, and it’s passed very quickly. I am delighted to announce that Brynhill Golf Club has reached a significant milestone… We now have 402 members over the age of 18 - a remarkable achievement considering that just two years ago, our membership was around the 200 mark and the future of the club seemed uncertain. Additionally, we have 80 registered junior members and I want to thank Joel Hutton and Tom Wilcox for dedicating their time in rebuilding our junior section. Our Facebook page has gained over 400 followers and our website visits are up a massive 64% v the same period last year with the most visited page being our membership offers page followed by green-fees and visitors information.
This growth is a testament to the massive team effort of staff and volunteers across all aspects and departments of the club. I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to each and every member, both longtime members and newcomers, for choosing Brynhill Golf Club as your place to play golf and socialise. We are committed to rewarding your loyalty with a quality golf course and continually improving facilities. While we acknowledge there are still important improvements to be made both on and off the course, we are diligently working on these projects. I will go into greater detail below to give you the relevant updates pertaining to each department.
To now have the added benefit of a top class pro-shop and simulator room is a game changer for Brynhill Golf Club. To have a Director Of Golf at the club through the new appointment of PGA Professional Leon Warne is also an indicator of where we want to position Brynhill Golf Club as we move forward. Having both Leon and Jordan available as PGA Professionals at the club provides an even greater degree of service level for members and a port of call for visitors and potential members. Leon has produced his own Director Of Golf report for members which is included in Member Services below.
I believe there is a really positive vibe in the club with so many people pulling in the same direction and I want to thank all members who engage positively with our social media posts that help drive the right audience to the club. Also thank you to all members who make our visitors and new members feel welcome and quickly integrated into the club. I acknowledge that we also need more improvements within the clubhouse and better kerb appeal with regards to the perimeter of the club and entrance, more remedial work on the course and in particular the tee areas. Understanding the issues and working towards solutions to make Brynhill Golf Club a premier golfing venue in South Wales is what we are trying to do. While financial constraints may slow down some of our plans, I am confident that in time we will get there.
For now, let’s take a moment to appreciate where we are and the positive direction in which we’re heading, who would have thought that we could soon be approaching a time when we will implement a membership joining fee? Thank you all for your patience, loyalty, kindness, and support as members of Brynhill Golf Club.
Together, we are creating a brighter future for our club. As always this report finishes with a feedback form and I always welcome your feedback, suggestions or anything else you would like to share with me to make your membership experience a better one.
Please see full report below.
Kind Regards
Scott Warne
COREYS DAY
On behalf of Lee Price and myself, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all members who gave up their Sunday golf on July 20th. Your generosity allowed us to host the Corey Price Memorial Day, which had to be rescheduled from Saturday due to bad weather.
This day holds great significance for Brynhill Golf Club as we honor the life of Corey Price. Lee Price dedicates an extraordinary amount of time to making this day possible, and 100% of the money raised is generously donated back to the club for specific projects. Recently, we have seen the results of these efforts with the complete renovation of the men's toilet facilities, a project fully financed by Corey’s Day. We are immensely grateful to Lee for his commitment to enhancing Brynhill Golf Club.
For those who attended Corey’s Day, you know what an amazing event it was. The golf was fantastic, and the evening presentation and auction were brilliant. Lee raised over £5,000, and the organisation was flawless. On behalf of Brynhill Golf Club, we want to thank Lee for his tireless efforts in organising this special day. His dedication not only honors Corey’s memory but also contributes significantly to the betterment of our club.
Thank you for your continued support Lee and family.
MEMBER SERVICES, PROFESSIONAL SHOP & DIRECTOR OF GOLF REPORT
I’m sure you’ll agree that the service provided by Leon Warne and Jordan Taylor in our Professional Shop is fantastic. The shop is now open 100% of the time, staying open until at least 6pm. This extended availability has led to increased green-fee and buggy revenue, as well as higher member satisfaction. By keeping the shop open from early morning until late evening, we are making the most of every opportunity to engage with visitors.
It’s wonderful to see how busy the shop has become and how well members are supporting Leon and Jordan with both equipment sales and golf lessons. They are also having more conversations with potential members, successfully converting green-fee visitors into full club members. The operation of the pro-shop and adjoining simulator room is exactly what we envisioned, and it’s likely the envy of other local clubs. It serves as the first point of contact for anyone arriving at the club, and with their professional attire and service-oriented approach, Leon and Jordan make an excellent first impression for Brynhill. Leon will be completing a monthly Director of Golf report which is detailed below:
DIRECTOR OF GOLF REPORT
This report outlines the key activities, achievements, and metrics for the golf operations at Brynhill golf club for the month of July.
Weather Impact
- Days Open: 31 days
- Days Closed: 0 days
Course overview
Course Improvements: We have had excellent feedback off visiting golfers as well as members on the overall condition of the course. Particularly the presentation of the course. We spoke to numerous golfers after completing their rounds and overall they had a very good experience.
Practice facilities
This is an area I feel we can improve and try and create a high end short game facility and putting green. In order to create elite players and attract elite golfers this is an area that we need to look at improving in the future.
Financial Performance
Revenue
- Green Fees: £8529
- Buggy hire: £5421
- Simulator hire: £242
Membership:
We have had a good month for new members at such a late time in the golf season. The feedback of these individuals is they heard about us through social media or through friends who currently play at the club. I have shown numerous potential members around the golf club’s facilities and the golf course. The meet and greet appointment works well.
Events & Tournaments:
Total Events / Tournaments Held:
4 x club competitions
- Major Tournaments: Corey Price day was an excellent day and well supported.
- Member Events: Captains Prize
Member Participation in competitions are generally well supported with 109 entries as an average for July. I do get the impression members would like to see more stableford events. I would also like to approach the EMC regarding organising a Pro’s day which I used to hold in my previous club. This event was used as a fun day and helped raise monies for particular projects on the course or the club. The Peter Hayman competition was a poor turn out of 15 entries as this was held on a Saturday.
Pro Shop:
Top Selling Items:
We have introduced a lot of club logo merchandise recently and slightly improved the club logo by condensing the size of the logo. It’s important we keep the club logo at the forefront of our sales as it’s important for members to feel they are part of a club as well as feeling proud to wear the club logo. It’s also important for us regarding visitors to the shop as this also seems to be popular.
We are adding Callaway to our portfolio of club fitting accounts along side Ping, Wilson and Cleveland.
I’ve also noticed an increase in footfall from other clubs locally visiting the shop.
Marketing & Promotions:
Promotional Campaigns
Promotional campaigns through the club’s social media is definitely working as once again hearing feedback from visitors and the engagement through social media is excellent. The only thing I can suggest on improving this is to add more regular photos of the greens staff work after completion.
Customer Feedback, Overall Satisfaction Rating & Common Complaints:
Occasional course etiquette issues
Tee boxes in need of work.
Common Praise:
Course conditions greens and presentation of course.
Warm welcome off the staff
Positive feedback regarding work being done around the club.
Goals for Next Month:
Increase membership sign-ups.
Enhance customer satisfaction by addressing [Specific Issues].
Launch a new promotional campaign focused on golf lessons and video campaigns through YouTube.
Conclusion:
The month of July has shown promising trends in membership and footfalls with an increase in members guest fees and buggy hire from previous month. There was a slight drop in visitor numbers due to large events and less societies. Everyone who has visited the Proshop have been overwhelmed by the shop presentation and very impressed with the simulator. We have had one of the managers of Foremost visit us last week and said it was the best simulator room he had seen. We have also had the same response from golf representatives who travel the uk. The focus for the next month will be on starting to plan for winter and how we can utilise the simulator room to its full potential.
Thank you for your continued support and for making our Professional Shop a success!
GOLF BUGGIES
Our golf buggies have been a fantastic addition to the club, frequently utilised by both members and visitors. With their popularity soaring during the summer months, we’re finding that we could benefit from having more buggies available. They’re often booked out twice a day, providing excellent service and convenience.
I’m pleased to report that our buggy revenue is up compared to the same period last year, demonstrating that they are paying for themselves whilst helping retain and attract members. Notably, our rental rates are among the lowest in the area. As we approach the end of the season, we may need to adjust our pricing to better align with usage and demand. However, for the remainder of this season, our buggy rental rates will remain unchanged.
GOLF COURSE
The quality of our course, both in condition and layout, has continued to improve significantly. It's important to remember that our team is still working with a very limited budget and some older machinery, though we are making progress in upgrading our equipment.
Course manager Richard Hatcher and the team have been doing exceptional work with the resources available to them. Recently, we took delivery of a sidewinder mower, which delivers a high-quality cut on tees, aprons, and surrounds. Additionally, our new rough mower has arrived, replacing one of our oldest pieces of equipment. This new addition should help reduce maintenance costs, save labor time, and provide a better-quality cut.
We are also planning to acquire a new greens mower and fairway mower soon, and we hope to place the order as soon as they become available. Despite the challenges of a limited budget and a smaller workforce compared to many other clubs, our team continues to achieve impressive results. Their commitment to maintaining high standards is evident in the quality of the course and the increasing number of visitors and members.
Thank you Richard and the team, for your hard work and dedication. Your efforts are truly appreciated and I really feel that you are aligned with our objectives and vision, and the results speak for themselves. Thank you to Mr. Robert Garn who continues to do some tremendous project work on the course and is a great help providing his labour, knowledge and experience. Also to Colin Lewis and Jamie Griffiths, I thank you and the club thanks you for dedicating so much free time to help me with projects. I am in awe of how much you want this club to succeed and prosper and there is nothing more valuable than the time you give.
Myself and Greens chairman Cael Penberthy have had meetings with Richard to discuss the budget and course spend for the year, we are trying to spend less then last year so we can allocate more budget to the machinery lease but some big expenses are inevitable. We have a very dated tractor which is requiring a lot of maintenance and other unforeseen issues which you will always have when running a golf course. Year to date we are ahead of the curve v last years course spend and will continue to try and save money v last year. The issue of “leather jackets” infesting some areas of the greens have been dealt with and is under control, you should start to see improvements in these damaged areas very soon. We now have a slight issue with the pond on the 10th losing water levels and we are looking at solutions to fix this. Additionally, we acknowledge that there is substantial work to be done, particularly concerning the tee areas. Many of the tees, including the red tees, are in need of reconstruction with new turf. We want to develop a tee project plan to address this issue effectively. Implementing such a plan will not be an overnight fix. We understand that the cost of reconstructing all the tees surpasses our current budget as a club, but that doesn't mean it is unattainable. We need a solid plan and a clear goal to work towards, and step by step, we will chip away at this objective to ensure consistent progress.
CLUBHOUSE
Thanks to a £15k injection from Coors Brewery, we've been able to renovate our bar and implement a clubhouse games room. I'm pleased to report that the bar is now operating at +25% compared to the same period last year. The frequency of room hire has also risen, which has led to higher bar sales. While much of this increased revenue is offset by rising costs, it's encouraging to see the bar becoming busier and more vibrant, attracting more events, wakes, and weddings.
It's crucial that we continue to attract outside bookings for these events, as the profits significantly benefit the rest of the club and course. These funds will enable us to improve and update our facilities whenever possible. I cannot stress enough that the clubhouse and bar are the financial drivers for course upgrades and improvements, we now have the business model the right way around and as we move forward we are seeing the benefits to the club as a whole.
I see the business model working with the funnel approach set out as below:
Improve the kerb appeal, standards and facilities
= Resulting in more clubhouse revenue / profit
= Resulting in more course budget
= Resulting in improvements to course through new machinery and better budgets
= Resulting in more green-fee revenue & more new members joining
= Resulting in joining fee & waiting list
= Resulting in more retained members
Following the successful renovation of the men's toilet facilities, our next project is to upgrade the main entrance and foyer area. This renovation will include installing double doors to open up the entrance into the lounge area and making the foyer and entrance more golf-neutral. I want to install a welcome screen with messages and what’s on information. This screen will also showcase the captains and presidents pictures rather than having them hanging in frames on the wall.
The goal is to create a "wow" factor at the entrance and foyer, ensuring a quality first impression for everyone who visits. This improvement is expected to attract more events, wakes, and weddings, which will, in turn, generate additional revenue for further enhancements to other facilities and the course.
I also want to improve the kerb appeal of the club and make a big improvement to our Port Road boundary fence. I would like to install a nice composite 1.3m fence adorned with our Brynhill branding and aluminium posts creating slightly more privacy and thus resulting in an air of exclusivity at the club, I have a mock up image shown below. Again this will assist in driving more weddings and events at the club. I am in talks with the highways department and planning to firstly establish that we have the sufficient permission to do this. If approved we will make a collective decision on the EMC if it is something we will pursue. I believe it is one of the main aspects of the frontage that is letting us down and honestly believe we will soon recoup the investment with increased club bookings and new members. Also the lifespan of a composite style fence would be 20 years. I will keep you updated on this. As a club we are more than aware that we need to reline the car-park with new bay markings and directional markings. We have gathered quotes which suprisingly are around the £5k mark so may look into purchasing the equipment and doing this ourselves.
I would like to also give a shout out to our caterer Neil and his team as the standard and quality of food has also been fantastic with some great feedback from members and visiting teams as well as event customers. Neil has really helped solve our past catering dilemmas and is a massive contributory factor as to why the clubhouse continues to grow from a revenue perspective. Sunday lunches and breakfasts are a must try and I ask all members to please support Neil and his efforts in helping make Brynhill Golf Club a success.
Thank you also to Bar Manager Barrie and his team (If I had an applause button I would press it) who have also done a brilliant job in servicing members and visitors especially with so many room bookings and private functions taking place in the clubhouse which is in growth v last year.
A big thank you also goes to Richard Pierce who goes above and beyond in helping the office, especially when Nicky is on holidays and is always on hand for me personally regarding the club V1 system and setting up handicaps for new members and solving queries with existing members.
Just a quick note regarding our Club Captain Ian Clemo…“If Carlsberg made club captains” - what a club Captain and what a gentleman this man is. Thank you for your support in everything that goes on at the club and for assisting me personally with events and your interest in everything we are trying to achieve, I wish you well for the remainder of your captaincy before we hit another milestone in having Lisa Taylor as our First Lady Club Captain next year.
Thank you also to Lady Captains Jo Kirkpatrick and Chris Hopkins for frequently meeting with me to drive forward the ladies section and help implement forthcoming changes that will align us more as a unified and equal club.
I want to end this section with a big thank you to the office manager Nicky who is instrumental in helping move this club forward, her organisation skills and efficiency allows me the time to explore projects, grants and implement the marketing and digital activities that are so important to any business in this age. Thank you Nicky for all your help, advice and experience at the club.
“THE NEST” INDOOR ACADEMY & SIM ROOM
Our brand new indoor simulator room boasts a state-of-the-art Falcon overhead simulator and has one of the largest screens in the country at 5.2m. This is an amazing space to practice and play some of the best courses from all over the world. Final costs for the sim room and pro-shop renovation are still being worked and the final figure is expected to be around £54k however £29.8k of this was provided by Sport Wales grant funding. Thank you to Jamie Griffiths who completed the work and to many members who assisted with materials and time - a special mention to John Giles of Giles Davies Ltd who provided materials and labour for the complete shop refit saving the club many thousands of pounds. Also the whole exterior of the clubhouse was cladded by our club sponsor Envisage and my thanks once again to Scott Mason for sharing in the vision of what we wanted to achieve.
This facility has been branded as “The Nest” and is already being talked about by surrounding clubs. It has already been a game changer for us as a club, some of the most recent members we have taken on have come because of this added facility and some of the reps that come into the shop say its the best space and set up they have seen. This is a great facility to practice on and also to be fitted for new equipment, the data it returns from each shot is incredible and I urge all members to give it a try. Playing top courses from around the world is great fun and you can have some really serious golf games with friends. As we come into the colder, wetter winter months we will appreciate just how amazing this facility is and how lucky we are to have it at Brynhill. Look out for more sim competitions coming soon. Don’t forget, we have implemented a great online booking link where you can book the simulator or book lessons etc. The link is below:
CLUB UPDATES
NEW MEMBERS ON-BOARDING PROCESS
Our new members on boarding process to get the member "golf ready” has worked well - This has been put in place so new members always have a point of contact and fully understand what is available to them and how to do it.
1) The customer can have a 1-1 presentation before joining if they wish where we take them through what Brynhill can offer.
2) Once the membership subscription is paid Nicky will send them a receipt and will also set them up on the relevant apps and systems.
3) Nicky will also send them a final on-line link to a “New Members” page where we include top line information such as website password, health and safety, dress code, club culture, competition entries and more.
4) This concludes with a checklist form where the new member checks off that they have received everything they need including password information and an invite to the WhatsApp Golf Mates group where new members can arrange games etc and are ready to go. New members have been very receptive to the process and I believe this is how the beginning of their Brynhill Golf journey should be. As we go forward we be implementing a welcome pack containing bar card and numerous vouchers that allow the new member to experience all facets of the club including a golf buggy, Sunday lunch, simulator hire, golf lesson and more.
PRACTICE AREA / RESIDENTS ISSUE
We continue to face issues of members / visitors using the practice area incorrectly.
I need to emphasise the importance of hitting balls away from the houses and not towards the houses, please only use the lovely chipping green for chipping / putting only. Please do not hit full wedge shots into this green and cause pitch marks, there are 2 flags positioned on the practice area so you can hit full shots to them. If anyone does see anyone else doing these things please politely remind them of the rules that are in place or report to the pro-shop / office. These rules are in place so we can keep the practice area open and have a chipping area that remains as good as the actual course greens. The only golfers that are permitted to hit towards the houses with longer iron shots are the PGA pros when teaching and elite professional Stephen Dodd. Thank you for your co-operation.
PRACTICE WARM UP AREA
The framework and nets have now been fully erected in the undercover warm up area. All we are waiting on now is for the artificial turf to be installed. Thank you for your patience with regards to this facility and the drawn out process of completion, hopefully in the next couple of weeks we will have the undercover area up and running. Going forward, especially into the winter months this will a nice facility to keep the swing going especially in severe winter periods where the course may be closed.
ON-COURSE REQUEST
Like most courses, we are getting issues with golfers not repairing pitch marks, not raking bunkers and also driving buggies / or using trollies to close to tees and aprons of greens etc. As we get busier with members and visitors we will also get increasing issues on the course, both Leon and Jordan are going through a checklist of Do’s and Dont’s with visiting golfers however this doesn’t mean that golfers can be monitored 24/7 - Members should know about the rules and guidelines we have in place but if not please see the link below which will give a basic overview of what is expected while playing on the course and this includes dress code. At Brynhill Golf Club, we are extremely proud of our heritage but are equally proud of our modern approach. We have embraced the need for a more relaxed approach to the dress code in order for our sport to continue to thrive and become welcoming to everyone. However, etiquette and social respect both on and off the golf course remain important elements of our culture. Please click the link below for the up to date dress code and rules policy - https://www.brynhillgolfclub.co.uk/club-rules-code-of-conduct
I understand the frustration from members when coming across pitch marks and unraked bunkers, whilst we try and solve this issue please help us by repairing not only your own pitch marks but others also.
NEW TEE SIGNS
I am pleased to announce that all 18 tees now have updated signage. The signage better reflects the data you should see when walking onto a tee whilst also better highlighting our hole sponsors who have paid to be on there. They are branded in our club colours with black posts and this will be a common theme throughout the club and course as we strive to get a consistent look and feel throughout the club and course with regards to our club branding. Our new 1st tee sign on the clubhouse wall is also looking great and will give you all of the slope index and handicap information you require from each tee whilst also giving you other information regarding what’s on today etc.
ON COURSE BALL WASHERS
The seniors section have been very generous in donating 6 brand new ball washers to be placed around the course. We recently auctioned a sponsorship opportunity for these ball washers in the Corey Price golf day and this went for £1,000 - We have ordered black aluminium posts for these washers and along with course manager Richard and Cael we will now be selecting strategic locations to permanently fix these. This will happen in the coming days. My thanks to the senior section for funding these ball washers and giving us the opportunity for advertising revenue.
KYRON SULLIVAN BEATS 20 YEAR COURSE RECORD
Lots of things are changing at the club and getting better. This includes the course record!!
The course record of 65 was shot 20 years ago on Captains Prize day by Andrew Dodd.
This record has stood for 20 years until the 2024 Captains Prize. Proud to announce that Kyron Sullivan has shot 32 front nine and 32 back nine for a fantastic 64 gross.
A new course record.
Congratulations Kyron.
DIGITAL CLUB UPDATE
21k WEBSITE VISITS v YEAR TO DATE = + 64%
FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS v YEAR TO DATE = +24%
Our website and social media platforms have proven to be invaluable assets for our club. We are pleased to see a healthy number of unique visits to the website, totalling 21k visits this year with 30% originating from Google searches and paid Facebook ads. The addition of online forms for various purposes, such as membership applications and room hire, has made our website even more user-friendly. Maintaining and optimising the website, along with SEO efforts, demands significant work, but given the current digital times we are in, it serves as our essential shop window.
When I first assumed this role, our Facebook page was relatively stagnant, with just over 700 followers. Through effective marketing and regular branded content we are now at 1,176 followers. Facebook is a powerful marketing tool, and when utilised effectively, it can significantly impact our club's growth in the future. I extend my gratitude to all who have shared and liked our posts, as each action serves as free advertising for us. Additionally, if you have the opportunity, kindly visit our club's Facebook page and leave us a review, as this greatly benefits the Facebook algorithm and brings our page to the attention of more golf enthusiasts. Moreover, I'm excited to announce the establishment of the Brynhill Golf Club YouTube channel. While it is still a work in progress, we have added various content including course flyovers and “The Nest” interviews. We have also started an instagram channel and a Tik-Tok channel. These social media channels will undoubtedly become valuable marketing platforms for us as we move forward and some have already been proven to drive traffic to our website and recruit new members.
Your continued support in engaging with our online platforms and spreading the word about Brynhill Golf Club is sincerely appreciated. Together, we can ensure that our website and social media presence remain effective tools for promoting and growing our club.
FEEDBACK FORM
I am very approachable around the club and will meet with you at any time to discuss any concerns or ideas you have. Brynhill is your club and when I came into this role I wanted to be completely transparent with members regarding the club and how we progress going forward. I welcome your feedback about your experience at Brynhill Golf Club. Whether it's a complaint, constructive criticism, or praise for our team or facilities, we value your input. If you'd like to share your thoughts with us, please submit the form below.