Why So Many Golf Clubs Are Driving Without a Map

If you asked a business leader whether they’d run a company without a plan, most would laugh at the idea. 

Yet in our recent Custodian Golf Club Quiz, almost 30% of golf clubs admitted that they either don’t have a strategic plan or only put one in place when circumstances force them to.

Think about that. 

Clubs Without a Plan

Nearly a third of clubs are operating without clear direction, without defined objectives, and without milestones to measure progress. They are, in effect, driving the car without knowing where it’s going.

This matters because golf clubs today are navigating rising costs, ageing memberships, and a leisure market that is more competitive than ever. 

Without a plan, small issues pile up. Facilities age. Revenues plateau. And then, as Ernest Hemingway once wrote about bankruptcy, it happens “gradually, then suddenly.”

Closing The Gap

The surprising part is who sits in many of these boardrooms: retired bank managers, former executives, people who built careers in organisations that relied on strategy, measurement, and accountability. Yet once they step into the committee room, those instincts often fall away.

At Custodian Golf, we believe the first step to safeguarding a club’s future is recognising this gap. 

The data is clear: clubs that review and refresh their strategic plan each year, with clear objectives and accountability, are far more likely to be “Lions” leading the pack rather than falling behind.

So the question is simple: does your club know where it’s going?

Find out by taking the Custodian Golf Club Quiz or, if you’d like to hear more about the results, get in touch with our team today.

Phil Grice

Head of Venues at Custodian Golf

Golf Club Rescue, Powered by Data

Expert-led analysis, sustainable solutions and funding partnerships helping distressed golf clubs reposition, repurpose or relocate without upfront cost.

Contact Phil Grice on 01223 776101 or phil.grice@custodiangolf.co.uk.