Before I go on, I know there are more serious thing going on in the world. This article is just a vehicle to do a little venting.
“You will not sweep anyone off their feet, if you can not be swept off your own” Anonymous.
Today, I took a drive to my club to view the renovations that were being done to our practice facility. It has been about six weeks since my last visit which left me in a state of disbelief. I tried to keep an open mind and view beyond the destruction that our renovator created for my last visit.
Today as I drove up, they were still working on the landing areas and being mid October, they missed seeding season. I took a walk down to the proposed tee line and sized up flight lines. Well, if they think they had problems before, they have a bunch of new ones ready to bite them in the ass. I wonder if our BOD and the Renovator hit tee balls from the proposed areas? I am still waiting to be swept off my feet.
When I look at this project, it is disappointing on so many levels. Most of membership think they are getting a practice facility where they can swing the latest golf technology with their same shit swing. However, what they are getting is a debt load, that they will have to pay for the next fifteen years. They got swept off their feet in making that decision. A practice facility will not make them competitive in the marketplace. It is shiny and new. The shine will come off this very quickly. The reality of paying will soon set in. I know . I have lived this before. Didn’t sweep me off my feet then either.
For far too long, our Club been too open for consultants telling us how to run our Club. We have ended up becoming the dog that is chasing its tail. Consultants have no skin in the game. They are spending my hard-earned cash and like the person who crashes the party, at the end of the night they leave us to clean up their mess. I have started to see outside influences as the enemy, which is wrong because they maybe giving us some valuable information, but I am very jaded at present time. If I had my way this golf course renovator would never set foot on the property again. Sweep!
Organizational disarray starts when leadership fails to understand exactly who and what they are. The result is lost trust and faith in the leadership group. I have seen none right now and really do not expect to see any soon. Within leadership you have personalities and people who have their agendas. The organization will sustain some time, but it will eventually eat itself inside out. That is what I see with this project and the leadership group. There is a lack of transparency and consistency of messaging, which also represents organizational disarray.
Our club for years had a pay as you mentality. It was our cornerstone. If you needed something and could not afford it, you saved for it. For years past leadership groups borrowed money because they are in a d**k measuring contest with other very well-established clubs who have deep pockets. We have forgotten who and what we are. We are more interested in how nice our locker rooms are and good our wine list is. Frankly, I do not give a rat’s about either.
There was a time when I knew 75% of the membership, yesterday when I was out their people looked at me as if I was an intruder, an outsider. Little did they know that for 25 years I was a contributor to the on course and off course success. I can honestly say it really hurt. It goes back to what I mentioned earlier. We have lost who and what we are. I felt like the last 25 years were for not.
The truth be known my present mind is not calm on this subject. I spin more and more, digging a deep hole. I get frustrated; I beat myself up because I failed to ask the hard questions to BOD that is accountable to me.
Membership must establish standards of excellence based on culture and values and demonstrate them regularly. They must drive performance. A performance based on knowing who and what we are.
Right now, I see neither.
Until next time!
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