Behind the Gates

We revisit one of our most popular, and one of our favourite, episodes this week. Jim Rohrstaff’s journey from caddying in Michigan to helping build world-class golf destinations in New Zealand is full of lessons in leadership, hospitality, and taking calculated risks. Jim joins Ed Chapman and Michael Herd to discuss what makes a club truly memorable, why great service starts with the right people...

This week we are joined by Tim Neil, PGA, LLM, General Manager of Hann Reserve. The conversation delves into the importance of quality time over quantity time, effective time management, education and career pathways, adapting to new cultures, and the significance of leadership and human connection. It emphasises the value of engaging activities, curiosity, and empathy in personal and professional...

Desi Speh, CEO of the Desert Highlands Association, shares his journey from a young golf enthusiast to a successful leader in the club industry. He emphasises the importance of being authentic, finding the right cultural fit, and building trust in the workplace. Desi's approach to hiring and leadership fosters a family-like environment at Desert Highlands, where values and culture are paramount. T...

The conversation with Javier Reviriego, CEO of Real Club Valderrama, covers his journey to the role, the importance of education, leadership, experience, transition to hotel operations, curiosity, continuous improvement, preparing for board meetings, building trust and credibility, handling pressure and expectations, and professional tournaments and golf IQ. The conversation delves into the impact...

The podcast review covers a range of topics, including reflections on past episodes, Ryan Fox's Open Championship win, authenticity, candid moments, insights from Jim Rohrstaff, Denny Corby's perspective on hospitality and magic, Tom Wallace's journey and leveraged leadership, Sarab Singh's authenticity and empathy, Elaine Patterson's perspective on personal and professional prioritization, accept...

Join us as we explore the global golf industry with Nathanael Pietrzac-Swirc, CCM, CEO of UGolf International. Discover insights on international golf management, leadership challenges across cultures, and the booming development of golf in Africa and emerging markets. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nathaniel Piazak-Svertz 00:59 Nathaniel's Journey in Golf Management 04:08 Choosing UGolf: A Calcul...

We are joined by M. Kent Johnson, CCM, CCE, ECM, the GM/COO of Baltimore Country Club. The conversation explores the importance of work-life harmony and fostering a positive work culture in club management. It delves into the challenges of balancing work and personal life, the definition of work-life harmony, and the strategies for building a positive work culture. The conversation covers the impo...

In this podcast episode, Chris DeChillo shares insights on authenticity in leadership and the value proposition in club restaurants. He discusses his background, career beginnings, and the transition from hotels to clubs. Additionally, he explores the role of authenticity in leadership and the importance of coaching for leadership development. The conversation covers empowerment, authenticity, val...

The conversation delves into John Blanch's experiences as a General Manager with a storied career in the private club industry. It explores his journey through various countries, the challenges of adapting to different cultures, and the importance of leadership and empathy in managing diverse teams. The conversation covers John's experiences in adapting to the UK, managing people in Asia, cultural...

The podcast episode features an insightful conversation with Scott Clark, an experienced General Manager. Scott shares his career journey, transition to private member clubs, leadership style, and the challenges of balancing work and personal life. The conversation highlights the importance of empathy, delegation, and self-awareness in leadership roles, as well as the value of transferable skills...

The conversation covers Elaine Patterson's professional career, her experience as the spouse of a club manager, and the challenges of relocation. It delves into the importance of authenticity, personal growth, and prioritising personal and professional life. The conversation covers various aspects of being married to a club manager, including the impact on relationships, the importance of perspect...

Sarab Singh, of Corporate Sherpas, shares insights on change leadership, modern leadership, and the importance of a learning mindset. He discusses the challenges of leading in a VUCA environment, the role of authentic leadership, and the neuroscientific approach to decision making. The conversation delves into various aspects of effective leadership, communication, and change management. It explor...

The conversation with Tom Wallace covers his journey from early career beginnings to his leadership roles at prestigious golf clubs. It delves into his personal reflections, his father's influence, and the importance of work-life balance. Tom's authenticity and competitiveness are key takeaways from the discussion. The conversation delves into the themes of leadership, mentorship, career developme...

Denny Corby shares his journey from a family business to a career in magic and entertainment, navigating the pandemic, reviving Private Club Radio, and embracing adaptability and resilience. He emphasises the importance of commitment, curiosity, and embracing imperfection, drawing from his experiences and lessons learned from his family's business. The conversation explores the art of adaptation,...

The conversation delves into Jim Rohrstaff's passion for golf and his journey in creating a world-class experience in the golf industry. From his early golf experiences to his transition to Southern California, meeting industry leaders, and his philosophy of creating a great work environment, Jim shares insights on hiring the right people, balancing time, and taking his family on the journey. He a...

The Behind the Gates podcast launches, and its hosts, Ed Chapman, CCM, and Michael Herd, discuss their experience co-hosting, their different approaches to asking questions, and the importance of authenticity in conversations. They share insights into how they got started, the fascinating conversations they've had, and the launch of the podcast with its partners. The hosts also engage the audience...

Spaska Ivanov, Assistant General Manager at Rehoboth Beach Country Club in Delaware, USA, joins me in this episode of The Modern Club Management Podcast. This conversation focuses on navigating challenging conversations in the workplace. We discuss how to approach them, framing the conversation, the importance of setting clear expectations, and giving permission to others to have tough conversatio...

Michael Herd, Head of International Search & Consulting, from Kopplin, Kuebler & Wallace joins me on this episode to discuss trends in Club management, hiring, AI, EQ, employer branding, and "The One Thing" approach to hiring. This is a wide-ranging conversation that touches on lots of aspects of the Club industry, hiring, future trends, and how employers can create a brand to make themsel...

Richard is one of my favourite people in the world. It is that simple. He has taken that big leap into following your dreams and passions, and also saying enough is enough in a job that was no longer fulfilling and nourishing, and that is inspirational. In this wide ranging conversation we dive into a myriad of topics from the joys of sabbaticals, meditation, writing, golf in general and much more...

Today I am excited to be joined by Grace Rokela, the Marketing Director for Te Arai Links in New Zealand. In this conversation we dive into new member inductions, newsletters, the purpose of dress codes, social media, and much more. Please enjoy this conversation. This episode is brought to you by Suada . Suada is the social learning platform that delivers high-quality blended learning with human...

Re-broadcast! Going all the way back to the beginning we bring you some of my favourite conversations from The Modern Club Management podcast. Welcome to the beginning of season 3 of the Modern Club Management Podcast. We start season 3 with the return of Gregg Patterson, this time we are discussing how to handle 'the rude'. If you're interested in learning about the different types of rude, how t...

Re-broadcast! Going all the way back to the beginning we bring you some of my favourite conversations from The Modern Club Management podcast. Today I am speaking with Emily Davidson. Emily is the Participation and Inclusion Manager at Golf New Zealand, an organisation she has worked for since 2017. Her biggest career highlight to date was Golf NZ winning the NZ Sport and Recreation Award for Lead...

Re-broadcast! Going all the way back to the beginning we bring you some of my favourite conversations from The Modern Club Management podcast. Watch out for some new episodes coming soon. In today's episode I speak with Monique Landman, the Chief Empathy Officer and Co-founder of Unchain. After a successful corporate career in strategy and communications, Monique found her heart eight years ago an...

Re-broadcast! Going all the way back to the beginning we bring you some of my favourite conversations from The Modern Club Management podcast. Watch out for some new episodes coming soon. Today I am excited to be joined by global luxury hospitality leader Etienne Haro ( LinkedIn ). Etienne is the Hotel Manager of La Mamounia in Marrakesh. Prior to this Etienne’s roles have been across a who’s who...

Re-broadcast! Going all the way back to the beginning we bring you some of my favourite conversations from The Modern Club Management podcast. Watch out for some new episodes coming soon. Richard Pennell ( LinkedIn ) is currently the Membership Secretary at West Byfleet Golf Club and is the author of the “ Stymied ” blog on Substack - a project he embarked on in order “to put golf back where it be...