Golf Australia and Board Surveys recently announced the release of a critical report, “Golf Club Governance in Australia: 4 Steps to Better Outcomes”.
The report, launched over two sold-out industry forums, presents a thorough investigation aimed at illuminating governance practices within Australian golf clubs.
Conducted by Jeff Blunden from Golf Business Advisory Services (GBAS) and Nicholas Barnett of Board Surveys, this comprehensive study offers a detailed analysis of governance standards across these clubs.
The report also includes practical recommendations aimed at improving board effectiveness and ensuring each club’s long-term sustainability.
CEO of Golf Australia, James Sutherland, said that Golf Australia has seen a significant increase in interest in golf over the last five years.
“We congratulate GBAS and Board Surveys on their initiative in delivering this timely research. It reminds us that golf club governance in Australia could be much better and provides a valuable resource for golf club leaders who are committed to performance improvement and business sustainability,” he said.
Currently over 3.5 million golfers play each year, across 1600 clubs around Australia – an all-time high for the sport.
Due to the increased interest, it has become an important time for boards and management of golf clubs to improve their effectiveness.
According to the survey responses gathered, the main issue emerged as a problem differentiating director roles and responsibilities from management roles.
The report highlights four key elements to address the shared concerns:
- Ensure clarity around the role and purpose of the board and directors
- Ensure board renewal, composition, skills mix and diversity are correct
- Emphasise leadership, process and dynamics
- Execute strategy, performance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement effectively.
“I have no doubt that this will be a significant step in ensuring the ongoing relevance, longevity and prosperity of the sport we so deeply cherish,” said Mr Sutherland.
Visit www.golfbas.com/publicreports for the full report.
