Spring 2011 issue of Horizons

Hospitality & Gaming

Trends In Today’s Evolving Country Club Market By Jeff Sackman, CPA

For St. Louis area country clubs, 2010 was a welcome year compared to those of recent memory. It was, however, far from ideal. On average, clubs netted a gain of one regular member in 2010 compared to an average net loss of 14 in 2009. Most clubs “stopped the bleeding” by offering discounts and other incentives. RubinBrown’s recent attendance at the Hospitality Financial & Technology Professionals (HFTP) annual conference confirmed this sentiment. Most of the discussions and topics at the conference focused on membership marketing and retention. As is well known in the industry, the days of waiting lists and complacency have dramatically shifted to

sponsoring incentives and marketing directors. In a survey conducted by the National Club Association (NCA), 68 percent of clubs reported an increase in membership marketing. Attributes of Today’s Club Member So, how are clubs marketing and who are they marketing to? In order to answer these questions, we have to understand the characteristics of today’s potential club member. A potential club member today lives in an environment that is drastically different than that of years past. In most American households today, both spouses work, and increasingly, the wife is the higher-income spouse.

Raise Your Expectations

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