Club Management - March/April 2008 - (Page 23)

Food & Beverage Operations Club Events: Bring Magic to Your Members By Charles D. Dorn, CCM sk club managers about club events, and they often roll their eyes to the sky. Complaints about the event committees, members, expenses, food – you name it. The committee wants more food and more decorations, always at a lower cost to the member in the end. While some decisions may be easy for the management staff to change or clarify, others are painful. Management often is put in the awkward position of reporting members to the board for their behavior, their lack of attention to budgets and most often, not communicating with the club’s staff. What makes a great event? Certain things we all know. The importance of food and beverage, quality of the service and décor are among the ﬁrst to be debated. What truly makes a great party are the things members do not see. Often these best-practice items are added or changed by the staff as they complete their planning. Some CMAA member practices and suggestions follow. Best Practices Larry Hines of New York City’s Princeton Club stresses the importance of planning and budgeting. “If you are going to be successful, you need to plan ahead,” Hines said. “I know it’s nothing new, but you have to be a stickler for the numbers.” At the Princeton Club, a large portion of the programming is done at cost, so if the planning is not done properly, the club loses money, and the club’s staff will feel Hines’ scrutiny. At The Apawamis Club in Rye, New York, General Manager Rob Schlingmann, A Free hot air balloon rides were a big hit at Oakmont Country Club’s Wine Country-themed 85th anniversary celebration. CCM, speaks of the club’s “Safety First” policy. “We are a family club, and many of our events are geared toward kids,” Schlingmann said. “In January we sit down and review all our club events. We pay special attention to the events kids will attend. We look for food allergy issues, physical concerns like areas to be fenced off or anything that could harm a child.” When asked about involvement with committees, Steve Hockett, CCM, of Oakmont Country Club in California took a different approach than most. Hockett said, “We always lead giving the impression that we are being led.” For Oakmont’s larger events, the committee structure is typically comprised of 12 couples. Meetings are held during the early evening. The club provides wine, and most members stay for dinner. Hockett reports the bonding that takes place between the members and staff gives the committee conﬁdence and comfort. Martina Halsey of the Field Club of Greenwich in Connecticut agrees with Hockett’s approach. “As a result of our committee relationships, there is a clear understanding of who does what,” Halsey said. “They will decide what they want and we know how to proceed.” MARCH/APRIL 2008 • 23 ©Dreamstime.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Club Management - March/April 2008

Club Management - March/April 2008 Contents President’s Message Board Governance Technology Human & Professional Resources 2008 CMAA President Peter Homberg: A Profile in Courage, Perserverance Welcome, CMAA 2008 Board of Directors Club Events: Bring Magic to Your Members Club Adopts 'Dependent Parent' Membership Policy Paving a Path to Success Groundbreaking Project Measures Environmental Data for Golf Courses Paradise Preserved HFTP Insight New Directions Global Outreach Products and Services Marketplace Advertiser Index/Advertisers.com Club Wrap

Club Management - March/April 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.