'During The Last 12 Months, It Has Really Gone Through The Roof' – The Concerning Problem On The Rise At Many Golf Clubs
Much of the talk in recent times has been about rising costs and warmer temperatures, but lots of clubs are also dealing with another troubling issue
Who would be a golf club manager? Running a golf club on a day-to-day basis can certainly be rewarding, especially if you have a true passion for your facility.
However, this past year has been especially demanding for clubs, with droughts and escalating expenses continuing to present ongoing challenges for secretaries and committees.
And another issue is on the rise: member disciplinary enquiries.
According to the National Golf Clubs’ Advisory Association (NGCAA), requests for legal guidance are now dominated by member discipline and misconduct.
“Since we returned to golf after the COVID restrictions, we’ve seen member discipline start to rise, and that has now overtaken employment law as the most common area upon which clubs request advice,” Alistair Smith, Chief Executive of the NGCAA, tells Golf Monthly.
“During the last six to 12 months, it has really gone through the roof.”
Some golf club managers are having to address inappropriate conduct occurring on WhatsApp groups
The NGCAA was formed in 1922. Set up by golf clubs for the benefit of golf clubs, it saves clubs from seeking advice from various law firms.
Smith, a former solicitor in private practice, says that pre-COVID, 65-70% of the enquiries they received related to employment law.
Now, though, the company is inundated with enquiries relating to different forms of misbehavior, including physical and verbal altercations, sexual harassment of staff and members, cheating in competitions, and handicap manipulation.
Golf club managers and their teams are also increasingly tasked with addressing inappropriate conduct occurring on WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.
"A Reflection Of Society"
It begs the question: why is this happening? We can only speculate.
“Incidents of misconduct have increased, that’s for sure, but why, I don’t know,” admits Smith, adding that he doesn’t believe it can be attributed to the number of new people who have started playing golf since the pandemic.
“We’re dealing with cases that involve long-established members as well as new players, men and women, young and old players. There are no patterns in that sense.”
One theory suggests individuals are challenging boundaries more frequently than before, particularly following COVID-19 and its accompanying restrictions. Maybe it’s a “reflection of society rebelling after being told what to do.”
Has the COVID-19 pandemic had an affect on behavior?
Could this trend stem from certain clubs abandoning introductory interviews that previously vetted prospective members for social and behavioral fit?
While a shift away from traditional membership interviews at some clubs might play a part, it hardly accounts for such a sharp spike in misconduct.
And then there’s the procedure that follows. Years ago, a secretary would tap you on your shoulder, and you’d have a quiet conversation in the office if you’d stepped out of line.
Members were contrite. They’d apologise, and that would be the end of it, or they’d resign and walk away if they had done something more serious.
Advice For Golf Clubs
Now, though, we live in a world of procedure. Clubs need to be squeaky clean and clued up. “For a club to successfully deal with a disciplinary case, it must follow its own disciplinary procedure and the principles of natural justice,” says Smith.
“Clubs should ensure that they review their constitution and disciplinary procedures to ensure that they are up to date, consistent and conform to the prevailing law.
“That task should be carried out now, rather than finding out that there is a problem with the documented procedure in the heat of dealing with a live disciplinary case.”
Golf club secretaries and managers should review their constitution and disciplinary procedures
Members are also much more aware of their rights.
“We’ve had quite a few cases where members have used AI to produce defence documents that run for several pages,” adds Smith.
“We have this situation where members are trying to attack the procedure rather than actually deal with the nuts and bolts of whether or not they actually did something or not.”
Like we say, who’d be a golf club manager?
What do you think? Does your golf club have a disciplinary problem? What do you think could be causing this rise? We’d like to hear from members and golf club managers. Please leave your comments in the box below.
