As many managers are just at the end of the membership renewals and face a summer of busy timesheets, we are back once again with some information and news from the industry. The monthly newsletter is something that will continue to grow and if you have any feedback or suggestions for IGCMA, please reach out.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Your annual subscription to the Association is now due. You should have received your invoice and if you haven't paid it already, please do so at your earliest convenience.
John McCormack - Tribute
It is with regret that I write this in the aftermath of John McCormack, our esteemed President and leader over the past two difficult Covid years, resigning his position as General Manager at Castle Golf Club, after 20 years service. It says much about the club that he is only the second manager there in 40 odd years.
John has been the arch professional, leader and innovator in our industry since coming into it in 1998 at Malahide Golf Club.
John taking over from Michael Moss (Above)
John when President of CMAE in 2007 (Above)
John has chosen the best route for himself and his family. I can assure you nobody worked harder or longer hours than John and that is what has brought him to make this decision. He was always 100% committed to his job and the club. He has graced the industry worldwide with great style and presence. He was President of the Club Managers Association of Europe in its formative years when it wasn’t easy going and he was the moderator at numerous International Symposiums at CMAA’s World Conference. He intends to continue his role as our President until our AGM next March and we are delighted to have him do so.
We wish him well in the next step, whatever that may be.
Michael F Walsh CCM
Executive Officer
MONTHLY ZOOM MEETINGS
We will continue with our ZOOM Sessions which we hope to keep to the first Thursday of each month at 11.00 am.
Provisional Date: Next Meeting May 5th - Zoom Link to Follow
EDUCATION
OBBI Golf Launch in Belfast with Michael Walsh (IGCMA), Michael McCormack (CMAE), Gareth Macklin (OBBI Golf) and Clive Cotteril (GCMA)
Education session on May 5th with Ryan Bell of Obbi Golf, discussing the research report and how Obbi can help clubs redefine their H&S.
Click Here for the Golf Health & Safety Survey
MAJOR players across the golf industry are endorsing a new product which helps ensure the safety, compliance and training standards at golf clubs are up to date literally at the click of a button.
Golf clubs, golf course management organisations, insurance companies, health & safety and legal experts have all sung the praises of Obbi Golf, a new award-winning solution which is simple to install, simple to use, and which can save golf clubs time and money and ensure compliance in an ever more-strict regulatory world.
Belvoir Park Golf Club in Northern Ireland was the first club to adopt the cloud-based system and is already feeling the benefits. Club manager Brendan McDermott said he is looking forward to transforming the way the club operates whilst saving them time and money. The team at Obbi worked with Brendan on the development of QR-code enabled tasks and safety checks, which are an innovate time-saver for staff at all levels.
He said: “In the past unfortunately nobody really embraced and really understood how important health and safety is for the patrons who come through our gates, our membership, and our staff, which should really be at the forefront of everybody’s mind.
“But now Obbi is a one-stop-shop for everything from policies and procedures to risk assessments and is also moving with the times regarding technology and I think all golf club managers should embrace new technologies.
“Obbi has delivered a massive return on investment which is often a hidden cost people don’t really take into consideration like the time doing paperwork or following up on health and safety or near-misses or whatever it may be. It also depends on your broker, but we have seen a reduction in our premium which is obviously very important.”
Obbi Golf has partnered with the Irish Golf & Club Managers Association (IGCMA) the Golf Club Managers Association (GCMA) and the Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) and is working with global insurance giant Howden Group to help more clubs with their safety, compliance, training strategies and systems.
Obbi Golf helps simplify and pull together all aspects of health & safety, compliance, certification, and all training records into one place to work together in tandem to save time, money and mitigate risk.
Obbi Golf CEO, Gareth Macklin, said,
“It makes club manager’s lives easier and helps them sleep comfortably in their beds at night! We’re operators ourselves and were trying to find a platform to integrate lots of the things that are out there. Obbi Golf covers everything around people – from on-boarding of staff, HR, training and communication. It handles processes from quality checks, machine checks, weekly fire checks and audits. Plus, from a safety perspective, it covers risk assessments, accident reporting, insurance documentation. We identified that there are lots of individual solutions out there – from Excel, pen and paper and individual apps – but we wanted to make things far easier and bring it all together.
We’ve won multiple different awards for innovative product of the year, Irish tech product of the year and we’ve recently been named one of the top fifty most innovative companies in the UK and Ireland, specifically for this golf product.”
For more information on Obbi Golf please visit obbi.golf or email golf@obbisolutions.com
RECRUITMENT
GENERAL MANAGER - WICKLOW GOLF CLUB
Wicklow Golf Club is a long-established private members’ club with an enviable reputation, just outside the town of Wicklow. The Club offers a welcoming and friendly atmosphere and provides quality catering, bar and venue facilities to members, visitors, and Golf societies.
The Club has now decided to initiate the recruitment of a General Manager, who will provide leadership and ensure the continuing success and development of the club.
Click Here - Current Vacancies
MATCHES /GOLF EVENTS
CPSG at Waterville April 5th 2022
President John McCormack and his team from Castle GC
It was great to return to face-to-face meetings again and our CPSG at Waterville saw 22 teams compete for our trophy in challenging conditions on a great links course. .
Everyone enjoyed the day. Catering was first class, as was the reception given to us all by the very efficient and friendly staff. Thanks to Michael Murphy, GM, for looking after us so well. We took the opportunity to also create a permanent memento of the day, presenting the winners with The Noel Cronin Memorial Trophy, which will be a feature of the day going forward. Noel's son also joined in the presentation to the winners.
Our Pic shows(L to R)
Hilary Madden, Ger Broderick, Dermot O’Sullivan, Padraig Crowley, John McCormack,(President) Kevin Broderick(Sponsor) and Noel Cronin Jnr
Conditions were difficult, with a strong breeze and rain for the later players, and so it was that we had 3 teams on 82 points, all early starters. When the countbacks were done, Kinsale GC were the winners with Bray GC second and a team from Mount Juliet third.
Padraig Crowley from Kinsale also won Nearest the Pin, while Donal Delaney, Captain at Monkstown GC, had a Hole in One on the 12th , hitting a 7 iron into the cup. Much jubilation all around. Pic shows Donal with General Manager Maurice O’Meara.
Brian Hurley and his Team from Cork GC The Prize Table on the day
The Waterville Team with Michael Murphy GM(3rd from Left)
If you are interested in playing some IGCMA International Golf in 2022, please see the schedule above and details to register interest:
Reply by Email to
michael.igcma@gmail.com
or send form back to me at
IGCMA c/o Riverdale, Herbert Road, Bray, Co.Wicklow A98P2C1
INDUSTRY NEWS
President John McCormack on the Throne with his faithful acolytes around him! Alan Dunning, Michael Walsh, Jim Cullen, Judy Hutton with Pat Barrett and Mark Lynch at the front
Trip to The Game of Thrones Studio
Judy Hutton, the Head of Corporate Business at Game of Thrones in Banbridge had extended an invitation to the IGCMA members to come and view this latest Tourist attraction in Ireland. Located just outside Banbridge, only a few of us availed of the invite, unfortunately. You all missed a tremendous experience and for hardened fans of the show, like Pat Barrett, Alan Dunning and Mark Lynch, it was a mind blowing experience. You can view all the sets, costumes, weaponry, insert yourself into scenes, when you have your picture taken at the beginning and generally enjoy the magic of special effects as you go through the studio.
Judy was the perfect host, naturally enough, treating us to a light lunch half ways through and generally keeping an eye on us lest we be transported into another dimension by accident. We sampled some excellent food and the Studio shop at the end has something for everyone.
If you’re on your way to Belfast, schedule a stop here. It really is worthwhile. They have a Courtesy Bus service which runs from the Banbridge Outlet Centre, so you can shop there when finished. A picture tells a thousand stories so here’s a few
Not sure who the guy is on the far left, but probably a member coming back to haunt us!
We’ll all rot in Hell - The fate of all Club Managers...........
Annual General Meeting at Powerscourt GC on March 7th
Our 2021 AGM went without a hitch on Monday, March 7th. John McCormack was re-elected as our President for another year due to the disruption caused by Covid. We had a good attendance of 23 players and 3 extra for dinner.
Mark Ruddy marked his appointment to Kilkenny Golf Club as GM with his first win in any of our events. Gay Nolan was second with the remarkable Barry Ramsey coming 3rd on the back nine. Jeff Fallon was fourth and Eoin O’Sullivan was nearest the pin on the 16th. We had a very special guest on the day in Ray Cronan of Club Benchmarking in Boston, USA, whose wife Claire happens to be the recently appointed US Ambassador to Ireland. Ray spoke a few words on the state of the industry in the US and we will hopefully get to hear him properly in October or November as part of our Jonas Winter Program.
Our thanks to Gavin Hunt GM at Powerscourt and his team for looking after us so well. Alan Dunning did all the organising and Bernard Gibbons did the cards.
CMAE EDUCATION
The CMAE are delighted to announce a brand new Capital Improvements Summit taking place virtually on 3rd May 2022. Read more and book https://lnkd.in/e5GCRAQZ
