News from The Irish Golf and Club Managers Association

Following our agm in March this year the new President of the Association is Jim Melody General Manager at Woodbrook Golf Club in Bray Co. Wicklow.

Following our agm in March this year the new President of the Association is Jim Melody General Manager at Woodbrook Golf Club in Bray Co. Wicklow.  The IGCMA has also appointed Michael Walsh CCM as its Executive Officer responsible for managing the affairs of the Association. Michael retired from Killiney Golf Club late last year after 15 years as Secretary Manager.

The IGCMA has recently completed its Jonas Winter Education Series and Neil Rooney, GM at The Scarboro Club in Toronto, was the guest speaker on Club management systems and getting the best from them. The Club Managers Forum, which was run in Dublin and Cork attracted an excellent attendance and was most fruitful in helping managers overcome difficulties they were facing. Other programs included a “Cost Saving and Revenue” session  and an” Understanding of Irish Whiskey”, combined with a Christmas Dinner. Our thanks to Peter Kirk, General Manager Jonas in Ireland for his assistance.

Following on from the first ever Golf Partnership Education Day in Croke Park last November, which brought the IGCMA, The PGA ,The GCSAI and the CGI(Confederation of Golf in Ireland) together for a golf focused education day, plans are already afoot towards hosting a second event in November 2016.

Peter Kirk, John Lawler, Neil Rooney, Alan Threadgold, John McCormack

(L-R) Peter Kirk, John Lawler, Neil Rooney, Alan Threadgold, John McCormack

 With spring now here the attention switches to golf with the Association hosting Swedish Golf Club managers in Seapoint, Baltray and Laytown Bettystown this week. Then in May we take on the GCMA at Ernville Golf Club, with the Scots due in Portstewart in September. We play the Northern Irish Secretaries in Clandeboye on June 27th.

While the golf market seems to have bottomed out, there are still a number of clubs in a precarious position. Two weeks ago Limerick Golf Club made half their staff redundant including their General Manager Pat Murray. At the same time there is a vacancy in Rathfarnham Golf Club where the incumbent, our Education Officer John Lawler has moved to the Island Golf Club, a superb links course on the Northside of Dublin, close to Malahide. So there is some movement in the market place. We are planning another MDP 1 in November 2016 and will look for expressions of interest in those looking to take MDP2.