The Golf Club Managers’ Association (GCMA) has launched Affiliate Membership – a brand new membership category that creates a pathway into golf club management, following a conclusive vote at the association’s AGM in April.
The new category has been created in line with the ethos of the GCMA – to support and develop golf club managers – and was a core recommendation in the association’s strategic review, which was launched at the GCMA 2017 Conference in November
The new category is designed to offer an opportunity for aspiring club managers to join the industry, and to support existing GCMA Full Members by increasing the levels of expertise and knowledge in all areas of the golf club business.
Affiliate membership is open to anyone employed in a golf facility with a professional interest in golf management, who isn’t eligible to become a full member, regardless of whether there is already a GCMA member at the club.
Lara Johnson (pictured) – Golf at Goodwood’s Member Events Coordinator and the association’s first ever Affiliate Member – explains why she was the first person to sign up, “I want to learn everything about the industry and constantly challenge the way I do things. I try to step back from my ‘to do list’ once in a while and remind myself what is happing out there; sharing ideas with and learning from industry leaders is a great way to do that so Affiliate Membership will allow me to do it more regularly. Having access to GCMA resources is invaluable, I’ll be better informed and equipped when the time comes for me to step into a club management role.”
The launch of Affiliate Membership means there is now a membership option for everyone in the industry. Previously, membership of the association was only open to managers, assistants, owners and directors of golf, known as Full Members, or anyone undertaking any of the GCMA education programmes, who could join as Associate Members.
The introductory rate for Affiliate membership is £75 for the remainder of 2018, or £175 until 1 Jan 2020. These special launch offers – limited to the first 25 memberships – are currently available on the association’s website.
Affiliate Membership includes key GCMA benefits, such as the association’s weekly enewsletter, and the monthly The Golf Club Manager magazine – a award-winning members’ journal that is a key source of industry news, education, inspiration and information.
Affiliate members will also have the opportunity to develop new skills through the regular golf leadership webinars, and will be able to attend some regional networking and education meetings. Along with access to the members’ helpdesk and library of information documents, they will also be able to maintain their continuing professional development record, supported with a preferential delegate rate for the association’s biennial conference.
GCMA CEO Bob Williams explains, “I am delighted to welcome Affiliate Members into the association. We have worked hard to make the GCMA a welcoming and inclusive environment and opening up membership to anyone working in the industry was the natural next step. It brings us in line with partners like BIGGA, and I am excited to be promoting excellence in golf club management throughout the industry.”
For more information, or to join as an Affiliate Member, visit the GCMA website