This spring, the Simon Surfaces team has traveled all over the U.S. to meet with country club facilities teams at local and national Club Management Association of America (CMAA) events. We sat down with Anthony Ross, Vice President for Simon Surfaces, to hear about his travels and what club managers are talking about.
Q. Welcome back, Anthony! We understand you’ve been at several CMAA events over the past few months and have met with too many club managers to count. What’s the biggest complaint you’re hearing from them?
A. It’s been a busy few months, that’s for sure. We’re now members of 5 chapters of CMAA, including Texas, Michigan, California and two right here in Ohio. We had a lot of conversations, but I would say the most common pain point we heard was prioritizing projects. There are often multiple areas that need attention at the same time, especially as clubs prepare for the busy season. Member-facing areas are definitely the top concern, especially when it comes to both safety and appearance.
Q. What are some examples of member-facing areas?
A. These are any areas of the club where members can walk, gather, dine, etc. In talking about surfaces, we heard the most common trouble areas were pool decks, walkways near the clubhouse, and locker rooms or restrooms. Complaints can range from safety concerns like slipping, inconsistencies in appearance like noticeable repairs, and just visible wear or aging. Members interact with these spaces immediately, so even small issues stand out. If these areas feel worn or inconsistent, it can affect how the overall property is perceived.
Q. What surface areas of a country club tend to deteriorate the fastest?
A. High traffic areas like pool decks, walkways, entry areas or lobbies, and cart paths seem to be the top offenders. These areas have continuous daily use and are exposed to weather and moisture, making them difficult to maintain. Depending on the climate, concrete surfaces like sidewalks, curbs, and steps can experience damage from harsh winters.
Q. What seems to be the biggest frustration from club managers or facilities teams when maintaining surfaces?
A. Hands down, the biggest frustration we heard was repairs hat don’t last or needed to revisit the same areas repeatedly. These teams have miles of surfaces to maintain and want to be able to fix it and forget it. There are so many aspects to facilities management in these country clubs – they simply don’t have to deal with the same problem twice.
Q. We can feel their pain! What are some of the factors that affect how club managers make decisions when it comes to facility maintenance or upgrades?
A. Member experience is a major factor when it comes to any decision at a country club but especially on the facilities side. Member areas are always top priority, especially when it comes to appearance and safety. Timing is a critical component – any work should be completed in the off-season or after-hours to avoid any disruption. Country club budgets tend to be phased and there is generally a board that needs to approve capital expenditure so larger project decisions tend to take a little longer than a traditional facility.
Q. Let’s talk about the board approvals for facility upgrades. What can club managers or facilities team prepare ahead of time to help make for smoother project approvals?
A. Country clubs are built on reputation for quality and service. They expect their contractors and service providers to be held to the same high standards. The successful project approvals have a two things in common:
- A proven reason for the upgrade, complete with photos, safety concerns, etc.
- A reliable provider with a history of work, top tier referrals, and secure business credentials and documentation
Q. You’ve been visiting a lot of country clubs lately (and not just to be improve your golf swing). What’s the first thing you’re looking at when you visit a country club?
A. Ha! When our team visits a club, we’re always looking at any potential safety concerns first. A country club experiences thousands of visitors in a single season so any trip or slip hazards must be top priority. It’s a liability and can have a significant impact on member experience and the club’s reputation. So I’m always doing a quick sweep of any walking areas like sidewalks, curbs, ramps, and steps to make sure there is no lifted concrete or major cracks.
Q. That makes sense. What about some of the other areas? What do you look for?
A. We’ve had a lot of conversations lately about pool decks. A traditional concrete pool deck can be slippery and doesn’t deliver any visual impact or “wow factor”. There’s been a big interest in rubber surfacing options for pool deck surfaces. To be clear, we’re not talking about your standard recycled rubber for these areas. This is a high-grade rubber granule that has endless color mixtures and design possibilities. The flexible pool deck surface is ideal for country clubs because it delivers safety for members, but it also delivers that visual impact to really elevate one of the most popular areas of any club.
Q. Hanging pool-side at a country club sounds like a dream right now. Thanks for reporting back on everything you’ve heard lately from club managers.
A. I plan on being pool-side soon but it’ll be installing our FX system. Stay tuned for pictures!
Elevated Country Club Surface Solutions
Simon Surfaces understands the unique challenges of maintaining a country club. We provide several solutions ideal for this environment. From our flexible flooring for pool decks and gyms to concrete resurfacing for sidewalks, we have your club covered.
Contact our country club specialists today to start the conversation.
