Hopeman Golf Club Plan for the future sustainability of the Club The 4F Plan (Draft V02)

Where are we now ? Established Club within the region Open and friendly culture Golf course has a good reputation However…. Declining membership Seasonal Visitor revenue Changing drinking habits However…. All is not lost, research suggests that golf participation is still high with further potential – we need to adapt.

The Challenge….. Research done by SGU highlights that clubs have to act now… Current Membership by Age Group – a ticking time bomb… Locally that means that there will be attrition in the region…some golf clubs will not survive! We don’t want to be one of them….we need to make the cut!

Where are we going? Objective: To create a sustainable family, community club for all age groups and genders that is attractive to visitors by focusing on 4 key areas:  Friendliness (welcoming Clubhouse, value for money)  Family (especially Women and Juniors)  Fairways (the course and competitions)  Finance (fees, sponsorship, etc)

How are we going to get there ? Friendliness Attractive proposition in terms of Fees and Facilities – value for money. Retaining existing members and attracting new members is a priority. Improved Marketing, i.e. welcoming signs, etc Create dining area, enlarge shop Customer service, friendliness of staff Make it a golfing experience for visitors

How are we going to get there ? Family Open and welcoming approach Invest in juniors: practice area, junior room Encourage more female participation Encourage family participation – family fees? Create family dining area

How are we going to get there ? Fairways Upgrade winter tees Upgrade main tees Staggered plan for water irrigation upgrade Competitions: Abercrombie Cup, Regional Tournaments, Open Winter Foursomes Starters for Open Competitions and Visiting Parties

How are we going to get there ? Finance Campaign to attract more sponsorship, advertising, etc Campaign to attract more visitors, web bookings, etc Focus on dining, events, etc to compensate for loss of alcohol sales Improve shop and retail sales Review fees structure – more flexibility and incentives Attract local government funding, sports grants, etc

Project Milestones Approval by Council and Members – March Plan and action list completed by – April Changes to clubhouse etc completed by – May Funding based on VAT rebate from HMRC Resources: Club Manager, Staff, Council Members and Volunteers, especially trade skills Risks – We do nothing – this is not an option !