128 | golfmonthlysubs.co.uk/subscribe Dr. Golf Bruce Glasco, senior vice president and managing director of international operations at Troon, explains how clubs need to adapt to be successful ’m sitting at The Grove in Hertfordshire, one of England’s finest all-encompassing golf and leisure resorts, and a fitting venue for my meeting with Bruce Glasco, Troon’s senior vice president and managing director of international operations. The Grove is one component of the company’s extensive global portfolio that takes in properties from Africa to Asia – a selection of eclectic resorts that vary in character and geography, but are all defined by high standards, quality and attention to detail. “There can be no one-size-fits-all approach to golf, but one thing that is a constant is a real push for quality. We didn’t set out, nor does it remain our focus, to be the largest. We simply want to be the best,” Bruce tells me. Troon is the largest golf management company in the world, specialising predominantly, but not exclusively, in the areas of operations, food and beverage, agronomy and membership sales. It has helped turn around the fortunes and expedite growth of numerous resorts across the globe, from those with huge financial backing to smaller-scale operations. All the facilities are different in character, but, as Bruce points out, Troon’s core principles remain constant. Bringing golf up with the times, a focus on intangible qualities, a desire to eradicate modern scourges like slow play, making golf appeal to the modern generation and redefining membership models are all at the forefront of Troon’s thinking. Troon Values Your Time – an initiative introduced in 2013 – was introduced to combat slow play. Each Troon-managed facility calculates an idiosyncratic Time Par for groups to adhere to, with a select number of Pacesetter Times available to those who feel they can play 20 minutes quicker than the Time Par. “It’s really the first initiative that has not been limited to one market with regards to addressing a major problem. It’s a global challenge – we are competing with people’s free time, which is more and more valuable to them, and will only continue to be so.” But slow play is only one sphere, and getting people on the golf course in the first place is as big a challenge. According to Bruce, golf’s exterior perception, membership models, dress codes and strict adherence to rules are all hampering growth. Dress codes “There’s a point at which history and regulation need to evolve like our golfers,” says Bruce. “The new generation that’s coming in are generally not ones that want to be told what to do. How can you tell people they can’t use their phone in the clubhouse when it’s an important part of their social life? How can someone be told their smart jeans aren’t fine when someone is wearing a scruffy pair of trousers and they are? We also need to have faith in people. They will respect the history and heritage of the game and not go too far if we allow them to wear what they want.” Indeed, in 2012, Troon relaxed dress codes at its daily-fee facilities in an effort to reflect the paradigm of modern social living. “I think one of the biggest challenges facing every business is understanding that, today, people want to be as comfortable as they’ve ever been,” Bruce adds. “You need to be prepared to have someone sat there with an iPad and a coffee after their round. Don’t tell people who’ve worn a jacket all week they need to wear one. They can if they want, but it should be their choice.” Bruce’s power-to-the-consumer stance also extends to other strands of club life, such as membership. He thinks an a la carte, insurance-style structure – where prospective members sit down with membership committees to define their exact usage – will become more commonplace. With family time at a premium and budgets increasingly stretched, versatility, transparency and value for money are as important as ever before. “If you’re so myopic in your approach that you don’t realise the family makes the decision, you’re not going to be in business very long,” he says. Experience and expertise Troon has been enlisted by standout resorts around the world because of its broad skill set, proven track record and extensive areas of competency. Troon has worked with The Grove from the outset on management of golf course operations, helping establish the Hertfordshire venue as one of the south-east’s most desirable golfing destinations. “Sometimes, you have to recognise the value in what you have, and the lesson here is to never drop your quality,” says Bruce. Granted, very few golf clubs boast the resources The Grove has, but quality isn’t just defined by expenditure. “You have to train your staff to be welcoming, change the culture of your club, show a dedication to moving with the times. All aspects have to align to the ethos of quality – if one area drops off, it affects everything.” As a result of this commitment, the facility consistently scores over 90 per cent in Troon’s customer satisfaction surveys. The Troon-managed Las Colinas Golf & Country Club in Spain managed to buck the economic trend in the tough Spanish market by adhering to the same principles. “There are so many examples in the golf industry of companies who decided to go downmarket and haven’t been able to get up off their knees,” says Bruce. Clubs in the UK can also benefit from Troon’s example, particularly with regards I Words Nick Bonfield Photography Duncan Nicholls, Kevin Murray “Don’t tell people who’ve worn a jacket all week they need to wear one. It should be their choice” ➜ TROON GOLF Troon Golf’s Bruce Glasco Abu Dhabi Golf Club The Grove