Consulting Services

Comprehensive Golf Professional Search Services

Since 2005, GBN has developed and refined a formal evaluation system that allows any client club to identify its needs in an objective manner. The result is highly successful hires and operational improvements. Most importantly, GBN has developed industry benchmarks that allow us to develop the proper profile of a successful Director of Golf, Head Golf Professional or Director of Instruction for your club. 

"We have benefited from the wise counsel and professional advice we received from GBN. While some may believe this could have been done as a do-it-yourself project, GBN's leadership has an unparalleled reputation and demonstrated personal networks among elite golf professionals that showed that the difference between those two approaches is significant."
- Robert B. Rothermel, President, Glen View Club (IL)

Head Professional or Director of Golf Search

Our Head Golf Professional search services are custom designed to meet your club's needs. We deliver a wide range of services, including complete turnkey searches, hybrid searches and contingency-based searches. GBN applies its extensive industry-specific knowledge to identify the best golf professional for your job.

We start by assisting your club in defining the specific job requirements, membership priorities and golf professional traits you desire. This information is used to properly screen a pool of qualified candidates and to assist the club throughout the decision-making process. One aspect of the search process that sets GBN apart is our ability to conduct highly confidential searches. Recent changes in the industry have made it far more difficult for golf professionals to explore new opportunities without putting their current job at risk. GBN seeks to eliminate this problem, which will benefit both the golf professional candidates and the club in identifying the best choice for the job.

This allows GBN to cultivate a pool of the most qualified candidates. Our ability to generate a top-quality short list will be instrumental in elevating your golf program to meet and exceed the expectations of your members for years to come. In addition, we conduct an exclusive orientation with your new golf professional and selected club leaders to ensure expectations are clearly understood from the outset.

"The quality of candidate brought fourth and the thoroughness of the process was second to none. The industry knowledge and benchmarks GBN utilized allowed us to make informed decisions."- Tim Bakels, General Manager, Hamilton Farm Golf Club (NJ)

Director of Instruction Search

Just as GBN matches the ideal head-professional prospects with your facility's needs, we will do the same for clubs seeking a Director of Instruction. Whether you choose GBN's contingency-based, hybrid or turnkey approach, we can deliver the top candidates and the best advice with the least amount of hassle for your ownership or membership.

"Recently, we set out to recruit and attract the highest level candidate for our newly created position of Director of Instruction. GBN's process assistance and industry knowledge allowed us to maximize our search and end up with the best candidate."- Doug Steffen, Director of Golf, Baltusrol Golf Club (NJ)

Below is a list of some of the clubs that have benefited from our Professional Search Services.

• Belfair Golf Club (SC)
• The Bridges at Rancho Sante Fe (CA)
• Cherry Hills Country Club (CO)
• Colleton River Club (SC)
• Country Club of Landfall (NC)
• The Everglades Club (FL)
• Hamilton Farm Golf Club (NJ)
• The Lodge at Kauri Cliffs (New Zealand)
• Philadelphia Country Club (PA)
• San Joaquin Country Club (CA)
• Shinnecock Hills Country Club (NY)
• Winged Foot Golf Club (NY)

Exit Strategy Assistance

Improvements in technology have made it feasible in many industries to gain information on compensation and retirement packages, based on the size of a given company and its industry position. In the golf industry this information is generally unavailable, but GBN remedies that problem. Our company has cultivated information from former high-level Golf Professionals to use as valuable baseline data, guiding your club through a challenging transition.

This matrix of compensation data is of a select nature. It has been gathered from a cohort of golf professionals whose records are marked by the following characteristics:

• Successfully elevated the golf program during their tenure
• Distinguished themselves among their peers in the profession
• Over 20 years of continuous service at their clubs
• Given back to the community and the club consistently during their careers

Outplacement Services

GBN is committed to assisting golf clubs and golf professionals when it becomes necessary to go in a different direction. Services include:

• Development and revision of professional resume
• Strategic plan for interviewing and applying for open positions
• Advising on future career opportunities

The goal is to assist both parties when a difficult transition becomes necessary.

Comprehensive Golf Operations Consulting

The golf industry landscape has been shaken by today’s uncertain economic environment. Expert guidance is needed to navigate the obstacles faced by golf operations, whether distressed or thriving. GBN has developed innovative solutions to help owners, club leaders, lenders and investors navigate difficult market conditions, providing solutions to the most complex issues.

GBN creates valuable opportunities and delivers effective results for a range of private clubs, resorts and daily-fee facilities. Our experts work closely with owners, club leaders, lenders and investors to improve operations, minimize risk and maximize the value of golf assets.

Our team possesses decades of experience as golf professionals, golf industry executives and consultants for golf operations of many types. GBN professionals can easily assume the role of manager and oversee every facet of the golf facility expertly. Operational evaluations, personnel fulfillment and facility management are just a few of the services GBN offers.

Golf Operations Evaluation

GBN offers comprehensive and independent evaluations for golf operations of all sizes. This valuable service is designed to provide a facility with access to industry experts who possess the knowledge to properly analyze its golf operation and suggest areas that can be enhanced to maximize value to the membership. Providing comprehensive services that can be custom-tailored to each client has been at the heart of GBN’s success. It all starts with a proper evaluation of the operation.

Golf Operation Evaluation Services

GBN operational evaluations include:

• Examination of current operational budgets to determine areas of immediate need and areas where cost savings can be realized
• Review of current equipment leases
• Evaluation of the current Profit and Loss forecast and a breakdown of the methodology used to develop the forecast
• Evaluation of current personnel and staffing levels across the operation
• Review of the golf course maintenance budget and agronomic practices
• Review of the golf retail operation, including its buying plan
• Sales and marketing analysis
• Evaluation of the club food-and-beverage operation
• Setting of appropriate benchmarks for your operations through comparison of its metrics to appropriate industry standards
• Recommendations for each area of the golf operation to function within existing budgets to achieve immediate season-long success and future growth
• Identification of the current operation’s strengths and constructive commentary on areas deserving improvement Following a review of the data, GBN provides potential methods to create incentives for the staff that drives revenue while keeping expenses in check

Below are some of the clubs that have benefited from our Golf Facility Consulting Services.

• Country Club of Landfall (NC)
• Country Club of North Carolina (NC)
• Essex County Country Club (NJ)
• Glen View Club (IL)
• San Jaoquin Country Club (CA)
• Country Club of St. Albans (MO)

Building an Action Plan

Based on the Golf Operation Evaluation, GBN Golf Management assembles the information needed to develop a comprehensive Action Plan for implementation. This Action Plan focuses on the following specifics:

• Determine potential budget revisions
• Develop organizational chart to be implemented in the following areas
• Golf Professional staff
• Golf course maintenance staff
• Sales and marketing staff
• Food and beverage staff
• Determine the immediate staffing changes needed and identify potential replacements
• Develop a buying plan for the golf shop
• Revise the sales and marketing plans for short-term gain
• Revise the food and beverage plan to maximize consumption
• Determine the proper benchmarks for the facility
• Build an incentive-based compensation program for the managers that maximizes each department’s potential

Monthly Management

GBN has the ability to assume a facility’s day-to-day operations. Our managers implement the Action Plan and oversee the staff in daily operation. This effort will concentrate in the following four areas:

• Golf operations
• Golf course maintenance
• Sales and marketing
• Food and beverage

Additionally, GBN Golf Management has the ability to utilize outside consultants to accomplish all goals and objectives outlined. Further biographical information about our experts can be furnished upon request.

Preparing a Golf Operation for Sale

If the intent is to sell the property, GBN Golf Management has the unique ability to focus on streamlining the operation to maximize cash flow and profitability. Each of the previous phases of implementation would be factored into the pursuit of this goal.