Henry DeLozier and Steven Johnson
Global Golf Advisors
Jack Sullivan and Kurt Kuebler
Kopplin & Kuebler
STRATEGIC PLANNING
AGENDA
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Strategies
Overview for a Strategic
Plan
Parameters
What it is NOT
How should a Board use
the plan
What role does
Management play in the
plan
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SWOT Analysis
What are the contents of
each component
Use and applications of
SWOT
Common mistakes with
the SWOT
AGENDA
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Defining market
research
How to collect, interpret
and apply market data
Source of origin markets
Translating market
analysis to marketing
Marketing limits and
opportunities
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Converting strategy to
tactical planning
Implementing
governance procedures
to maximize
effectiveness
Converting goals and
objectives to an annual
business plan
Collectively, we visit a lot of clubs each year……
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The
good!
The
bad!
And,
the highly dysfunctional
in the club world!!
VERY COMMON TO THE HIGHEST PERFORMING,
“BEST IN CLASS” IN OUR VIEW CLUBS IS…..
A high level of Strategic
Thinking, and
An ACTIVE Strategic Plan!!
SO LET’S TALK ABOUT STRATEGIC
PLANNING IN PRIVATE CLUBS!
WHAT ‘TAKE AWAYS’ SHOULD YOU
EXPECT FROM OUR DISCUSSION
TODAY?
STRATEGIC PLANNING
OVERVIEW &
DESCRIPTION
FROM OUR GROUP
STRATEGY
The skillful planning and
management of anything
BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND
Strategic Planning establishes primary goals
and objectives.
 The Annual Business Plan provides the tactical
details aimed to achieve the strategic goals and
objectives.
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ARE YOU THINKING STRATEGICALLY?
“Even if you are on the right track,
you’ll get run over if you just sit
there”
Will Rogers
ARE YOU THINKING STRATEGICALLY ?
The cat said to Alice as she hesitated along
the path to Wonderland,
“If you don’t know where you are going,
any road will take you there”
--- Lewis Carroll
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
“I cannot give you a formula for
success, but I can give you the
formula for failure:
try to please everybody.”
Herbert Swope
BUT HOW DO YOU GET YOUR BOARD TO
THINK THIS WAY?
“WE HAVE NEVER HAD A FAILURE AT THIS
CLUB BECAUSE OF TOO MUCH PLANNING.”
CAROL STULTS, CLUB PRESIDENT
MEADOW SPRINGS COUNTRY CLUB
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE

One of the most important Committees in the
Club! The Board needs to carefully consider the
constitution of the Committee and provide a
means of continuity without cronyism!

This is NOT simply a means of identifying capital
projects to undertake or consider. It should be
the basis for all decisions at the Club!
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE
What should the Committee be considering?
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Governance issues
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Board and Committee job descriptions
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Mission and Vision Statements
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Membership issues and categories
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Capital programs
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Competitive analysis of the competition
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Feasibility and ‘blue sky’ studies
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3 to 5 years out, 5 to 7 years out, and so on…
WHAT ROLE, IF ANY, DOES THE GM/COO
HAVE IN THE STRATEGIC PLANNING
PROCESS?
THE ROLE OF MANAGEMENT IN STRATEGIC PLANNING
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Strategic Planning in Private Clubs – Who Should Take
Charge?
Clubs with successful, active strategic plans usually have
three key players driving their plan;
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The President or Committee Chair
A Facilitator
The General Manager/COO
The most successful plans include participation by all key
management staff
 Remember
that a strategic plan can be one of
management’s most useful tools!
STRATEGIC PLANNING THINGS TO CONSIDER
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It’s a road map for the future (beyond just tomorrow!) in an
environment where often-times the ‘players’ change (Board
and Committee members, etc.)
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It’s NOT just a capital plan to determine facility needs, but
the strategic plan helps to determine and support capital
decisions that MAY be needed, amongst many other things
that will help to keep the club vibrant and perpetuating
STRATEGIC PLANNING
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It determines who and what you are and what
purpose you serve, or serves to reiterate same in
an environment (club industry recession) where
many clubs have to do ‘extreme makeovers’ just
to stay alive! In effect, it establishes or reestablishes your ‘brand’ so that all constituencies,
internal and external, are clearly aware of who
and what you are and provide
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It is the basis for your “Marketing Plan”
STRATEGIC PLANNING
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It helps to prepare for and manage change (and yet deter
“change” for the sake of “change” each year by new Boards),
which has become an increasingly more ‘normal’ part of the club
world
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It’s about being PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE, especially
in this economic environment and while the club is still
outperforming others in the local market
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It provides the club management team with clear and measurable
goals and objectives
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It’s strategic in nature, but sets the tone and annual direction for
operational decisions and efforts
BENEFITS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
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Helps your club understand and clarify its objectives and set
goals accordingly (attainment of common goals) in a
GROUP setting to build consensus
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Defines short-term actions and avoids deviating from “The
Bronze Plaque on the Wall” (forces decisions/actions)
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Gets member and employee buy-in early in the process to
facilitate positive (politically supportive) change
BENEFITS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
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Lends a greater degree of confidence of long-term success and
improves long-range performance (helps the club remain
economically viable while at the same time attempting to become
recession proof)
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Unites the membership and staff through consensus building!
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Creates a healthy disciplined methodology for decision making
(laser-like)
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It is one of the common denominators found in today’s top
performing clubs
STRATEGIC PLANNING
“The purpose of a plan
is not to produce a
plan, but to produce
results.”
STRATEGIC PLAN OUTLINE
Mission
 Vision
 SWOT Analysis
 Market Analysis
 Goals and Objectives
 Primary Strategies
 Strategic Action Plan
 Summary
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THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS NOT…
An annual business plan,
 Standard operating procedures, or
 An operational review of club management.
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A STRATEGIC PLAN IS…
A succinct and target specific.
 Refined strategic thinking free of tactical
discussions and planning.
 A three to five-year plan for the club.
 Durable and deliberate in its
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STRATEGIC PLANNING, A PROCESS THAT ANSWERS
THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:
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What do we want our club to be?
 What is our Brand?
 What do we want our club to be?
 What do our members look like…now and in the future?
Where should we be five to ten years from now?
 What should our facilities and assets look like in order to accomplish
our goals?
 What will our demographics look like in 5 years? Ten years?
What needs to be done to satisfy our membership now and in the future?
 What changes or improvements do we need to make in order for all of
this to happen? In our physical plant? With our Bylaws? With our
governance and organizational structuring?
IS A CLEAR MISSION, VISION AND VALUES
STATEMENT IMPORTANT?
THE “MAGIC” OF THE MISSION
AND VISION STATEMENTS
AND
SUPPORTING GOALS
MISSION STATEMENT
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Describes the overall purpose of the
organization.
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Must “work” not only today but for the intended
life of your strategic plan.
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Should be broad enough to allow for diversity,
but specific enough to provide the focus
necessary to the success of your club.
VISION STATEMENT
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Statement about what your club wants to
become.
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It should resonate with all members and help
them feel proud, excited, and part of something
much bigger than themselves.
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Gives shape and organization to your club’s
future.
SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT
The vision of Southwest
Airlines is dedication to the
highest quality of Customer
Service delivered with a sense of
warmth, friendliness, individual pride,
and Company spirit
SAMPLE MISSION/VISION STATEMENTS
“The Kansas City Country Club is a traditional, private, family-oriented
Country Club dedicated to providing year-round dining, social and athletic
activities to its members and their guests through superior service, staff
and facilities.”
“The Ritz-Carlton is a place where the genuine care and comfort of our
guests is our highest mission. We pledge to provide the finest personal
service and facilities for our guest who will always enjoy a warm, relaxed,
yet refined ambience. The Ritz-Carlton experience enlivens the senses,
instills well-being, and fulfills even the unexpressed wishes and needs of
our guests.”
“Round Hill Country Club will enhance the value for its Members by
continually improving upon its services, dining experience, facilities and
Member recognition.”
SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENT
Mission
To maximize satisfaction, desirability, value
and distinction of Membership in Ocean Reef
Club by providing unsurpassed value,
excellence and quality in all services and
facilities
CHICAGO YACHT CLUB VISION AND MISSION
Mission Statement:
The mission of the Chicago Yacht Club is to
encourage, promote, and develop knowledge,
participation and enjoyment of all aspects of
yachting.
Vision
The Chicago Yacht Club will be the club membership
of choice for those with yachting interest
MISSION
“Continue to be a premier private Yacht Club,
among the finest in North America, also
providing high-quality family and social
programs to its members.”
VALUES
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Excellence
Integrity
Respect for Our
Heritage and Traditions
Civility and Mutual
Respect
Friendship and
Camaraderie
Family
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Financial Prudence
Community
Fun
Transparency,
Engagement and
Responsiveness in
Governance and
Management
Willingness to Change
VISION
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Grosse Pointe Yacht Club will:
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Provide excellent facilities and programs for sailors and boaters of all
generations.
Be an outstanding family-oriented club that fosters camaraderie,
fellowship and sportsmanship among the members.
Be recognized for its warm and hospitable treatment of its members and
guests and for welcoming new members into the club.
Ensure the club has premier, well-maintained facilities and programs to
meet the needs and expectations of the membership.
Provide for the acquisition and retention of high caliber employees to
render services desired by the membership.
Have effective leadership that performs in a fiscally responsible manner.
Preserve and protect the reputation and traditions of the club, while
welcoming change to insure the club’s future prosperity.
THE COUNTRY CLUB OF BUFFALO
The Vision of the Country Club of Buffalo is
to be amongst the finest private clubs in
North America.
VISION STATEMENT
Charlotte Country Club will
be among the premier family
country clubs in the United
States.
IN THE END, IT’S ALL ABOUT……….
 Execution!
Execution!
Execution!
AND, YOUR MISSION STATEMENT NEEDS TO BE PART
OF EVERYTHING YOU DO AS A CLUB….
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On the front page of your Board and Committee
Books
On the tag line of your Newsletter
On your e-mails
At the front door of your Clubhouse
On the employee business cards
On your member statements
And, be the measure against which all your
decisions are made!
SWOT ANALYSIS
 Strengths
 Weaknesses
 Opportunities
 Threats
SWOT FACTORS
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Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors
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Opportunities and Threats are external factors
SIMPLE SWOT RULES
A SWOT Analysis should take place at the
beginning of the strategic planning process
 It should include the Board, Management and
Committees
 Focus Groups may also be used to broaden the
participation
 Survey the participants in advance of the
session
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SIMPLE SWOT RULES
Be realistic about the strengths and
weaknesses of your club
 Analysis should distinguish between where your
club is today, and where it could be in the
future
 Be specific, avoid grey areas
 Always analyze in context to your competition
 Keep your SWOT short and simple
 SWOT is subjective
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STRENGTHS COULD BE
Location of your club.
 Facilities.
 A new innovative service.
 Quality processes and procedures.
 Your specialist marketing expertise.
 Any other aspect of your club that adds value to
your services.
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WEAKNESSES COULD BE
Lack of marketing expertise
 Undifferentiated services (i.e. in relation to your
competitors)
 Location of your club
 Damaged reputation
 Facilities
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OPPORTUNITIES COULD BE
A developing market such as the Internet
 Mergers or strategic alliances
 A market vacated by an ineffective competitor
 Moving into new market segments
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THREATS COULD BE
A new competitor in your market
 Price wars with competitors
 A competitor has a new, innovative service
 Economic downturns
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COMPLETING THE SWOT PROCESS
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Once you have identified the SWOTs, you need to
prioritize them
Highest priority items become your key strategic
issues (KSI)
Document the other issues in a “parking lot” for future
consideration
Develop objectives for each KSI, and who should
develop the strategies to execute the objectives and
the timeline (i.e.- membership committee and
membership director)
FOCUS GROUPS
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Focus Groups can be used for the following:
 Broaden
the participation in the process
 Validates the process and obtains additional
viewpoints
 Obtains buy-in of the process and ultimately the
strategic plan
 Should include committee members, staff and a
sampling of the general membership
SO….HOW DOES THE ACTUAL
PROCESS TYPICALLY UNFOLD?
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
1. Canvas the club; we need to understand the
external and internal factors that determine the
satisfaction and also the desires of the
membership. Review all information on the Club
operations including previous surveys, long-range
plans, membership categories, financial and
governance data and any other information
regarding the club that would assist us in better
understanding the current state of the Club.
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
2. The “why for the what.” How do we define our
“charter” to create this plan and what are the “core
values,” the “mission statement” and “vision
statement” for the Club, which would drive this
plan? Through a “SWOT “exercise we identify the
initial key strategic issues facing the Club.
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
3. Build consensus and “buy in” to the plan by
conducting focus group sessions with staff,
member and Committee groups reviewing the
strategic issues identified by the Board also
identifying others suggested by the group.
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
4. Review of the data; interpret the data and calibrate
the information, creating what you believe, based
on each of the first three steps, the key issues and
drivers are for the Club.
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
5. The Board and Executive team would construct the
plan and focus on the top five issues in each area
of the Club. Define where the accountability will fall
for the accomplishment of each objective, along
with target dates for achievement, how they will be
measured for success, and so on.
Create an “Action Plan”
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
6. Develop the final report, with an Executive
Summary including a complete recap on the
process, constituency input and the ultimate plan
recommendations that guide the decisions made at
the Club. The Executive Summary of this report
should be shared with the entire membership either
in written form or at a “Town Hall” meeting.
THE SEVEN DISTINCT STEPS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING
7. Monitoring Progress and Results - ensure an ongoing
process to measure and celebrate successes and
reaction to changes in the environment – ”A Living
Document”.
AND MEMBERS SHOULD BE
REGULARLY UPDATED ON THE
STRATEGIC PLAN…..ITS STATUS, THE
OUTLOOK, ETC.
MODEL CLUBS MAKE STRATEGIC
PLANNING A PRIORITY AND NORMAL
ORDER OF BUSINESS!
HOW IMPORTANT IS MARKET RESEARCH
AND BENCHMARKING?
RESEARCH AND BENCHMARKING
Really, what is ‘market research’?
 How do you best collect, interpret and apply it?
 What are the best sources of origin markets;
what should we be looking at in today’s club
world?
 How do you transition market analysis to
“Marketing”?
 Limits and Opportunities

MAKING IT ALL WORK!
HOW DO YOU CONVERT
STRATEGY
TO REALITY!!
ACTION PLAN
Issue
Goal/
Objective
Strategy/
Tactics
Assigned to
Due Date
Membership Growth
New
Social
Define policy for a cap and
review membership
categories
Growth Campaign
Developing a marketing
program
High Membership
Satisfaction
Develop a membership
satisfaction survey &
process
Communications
Chair
Nov. 15th
Improve Golf Shop
Operations
Measure the effectiveness
of merchandising and the
level of customer service
standards
Golf Chair
April 1st
Provide High Quality Food &
Beverage operations in a
fiscally responsible manner
Develop quality and
customer service standards
House Committee and
Management
Jan. 17th
Offer a variety of quality golf
& social Events
Continuous evaluation of
events and participation
Golf, House &
Management
Jan. 17th
Membership
Committee Chair
and
Director
Feb. 1st
Jan1st
ACTION PLAN
Issue
Goal/
Objective
Maintain Financial Stability
Establish needs and
funding for future Capital for
the next three - five years
Strategy/
Tactics
Assigned to
Develop and operate within
a annual operations budget
Finance Chairman and
General Manager
Develop a three to five-year
capital plan
Complete a reserve study
Finance, House,
Grounds &
Management
Due Date
Ongoing
monthly
April 1st
July 1st
Succession Planning
Encourage committee
participation before being
on the Board
Executive Committee
Ongoing
Review Governing
Documents
Complete review of all
rules, regulations,
membership plan and bylaws
Board, Legal & Bylaws
January 17th
Benchmarking
Establish base standards
by which to measure
against both internally and
externally
Committee Chairs
January 17th
ACTION PLAN
Issue
Goal/
Objective
Strategy/
Tactics
Assigned to
Due Date
Provide superior Golf
Course conditions
Continuous program of
quality maintenance and
improvements
Greens Committee
January 17th
Provide and maintain
Superior Social Facilities
Continuous program of
quality maintenance and
improvements
House Committee and
Management
March 15th
Improved relationship
between Club & MHOA
Broaden communications
between both organizations
HOA Representative
January 30th
Improve relationship with
outside community
Develop and communicate
a community outreach
program
Communications Chair
November 29th
Improve Technology and
use of new media
Review use of all new social
media
Communications
Chair
November 29th
Improve member input &
feedback
Incorporate and coordinate
within all action items
Board, Committees
and Management
January 17th
HOW DOES A STRATEGIC PLAN
IMPACT YOUR ANNUAL BUDGET
AND GOALS?
WHAT SHOULD BE PART
OF THE ANNUAL
BUSINESS PLAN?
WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE
SUSTAINABILITY OF A PLAN?
STRATEGIC PLANNING
“The purpose of a plan
is not to produce a
plan, but to produce
results.”
QUESTIONS AND
DISCUSSION
SOME ADDITIONAL SAMPLES
OPERATIONAL CHARTER AND
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
IMPLEMENTATION
To ensure that the principles set
forth in the Operational Charter and
Guiding Principles (“OCGP”) carry
through to future Boards,
committees, and management, the
following are procedures the
Governing Board and management
will follow:
BOARD IMPLEMENTATION
At the first or second Board meeting of a new
administration:
The Board will review the current OCGP, discuss
modifications, and ratify any changes to the
OCGP.
The Membership Issues Task Force will convene
at the request of the President to address any
needs
MANAGEMENT IMPLEMENTATION
The Chief Executive Officer and senior staff will conduct
committee orientations to include a section on the
OCGP.
The Chief Executive Officer and senior staff will all be
required to read and be thoroughly familiar with the
OCGP as well as the detailed principles and
implementation plans.
Management will annually prepare a brief report on the
status of the OCGP and suggested changes.
AREA OF FOCUS TITLE
CHAMPION:
TOM TRAINOR
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
•
Overall
Status
TEAM: KOPPLIN & KUEBLER
Executive Chef Search
Key
Milestone
% Complete
Start:
90
End:
Planned Date
Actual Date
On Task
Feb. 1,
2013
On Task
Issues
•
Green: Plan on Task
MONTH SUMMARY
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January 14: Five candidates interviewed;
final two candidates selected.
January 21 & 22: Final two candidate
cooking demo for members
January 23: Tabulation and results of
cooking demo
Final candidate selected:
Wk. Of Jan. 28: EC offer extended
11/16/12
MN
Progress Expected for Next Month
•
•
Employment agreement
completed
EC start date confirmed
Green
Plan on Task
Yellow
Dates at
Risk/Issues
Red
Date at Risk
Blue
Project Complete
QUESTIONS AND
DISCUSSION
Henry DeLozier and Steven Johnson
Global Golf Advisors
Jack Sullivan and Kurt Kuebler
Kopplin & Kuebler
STRATEGIC PLANNING