Effective Golf Management

A shortage of effective leadership qualities among top managers in the United States has been documented by numerous research studies. With a 17% decline in golfers over the last decade and a 19% turnover rate among golf facility managers, the golf industry is no exception. The purpose of this study was to determine the attributes of an effective organization and its leadership team in the golf management industry. The research defined “effective leadership” from an integrative perspective that included traits, behaviors, style and method. In addition, the study viewed “organizational effectiveness” from a multidimensional approach which included Five Pillars: Financial, Environmental, Philanthropic, Customer Satisfaction, and Employee Satisfaction. The research indicated significantly different leadership attributes by job title between managers of effective and less effective golf facilities.

Joseph M. Groch, PGA, M.P.S. is a Professor at Florida Gulf Coast University in the Professional Golf Management Program and the Director of Golf at the Glades Golf & Country Club in Naples, Florida. He has researched, published and won several awards for his books and articles related to the golf industry.