MARTIN SLUMBERS
Dear Amanda,
I remain impressed by and supportive of the work of Platinum Clubs of the World to raise standards in our industry and raise awareness of golf around the world.
We are a global sport that embraces diversity and inclusivity and I should like to share just a couple of recent initiatives that The R&A has embarked upon since the last publication of your World Top 100 List.
Women’s and Girls’ golf
As part of our Women in Golf Charter, which was launched in 2018, we have created the Women in Golf Leadership Development Programme, which is a personal development opportunity for aspiring woman leaders in golf who want to fast-track their growth and career through a transformative learning experience. Even during the pandemic, two new cohorts of participants graduated from the programme, which moved online, and many have already secured promotion.
In the Autumn of 2020, we launched #FOREeveryone, initially in Great Britain and Ireland, which is a creative approach to unite the industry behind a single campaign. It encourages clubs to consider how they can evolve to welcome more women and girls into the sport, challenging stereotypes and proving that it is an enjoyable recreational activity and career for all. Shortly we will launch the consumer-facing aspects of #FOREeveryone, to showcase the sport’s many benefits and provide practical advice on how women and girls can start playing.
We also celebrated International Women’s Day with a series of social media content to highlight some of the work being done across golf to encourage more women to play, work and volunteer in the sport.
https://www.randa.org/en/theranda/initiatives/womenandgirls
Inclusivity and Accessibility
In February this year, we submitted our planning application to build a new golf facility in Glasgow, Scotland. This is an exciting development and reflects our aim to ensure golf is more welcoming and inclusive for people of all ages and backgrounds by offering a variety of fun and affordable activities that entice more families and young people into the sport. We view this an opportunity to establish a popular blueprint for facilities and connect local communities with an accessible pathway into golf, as well as demonstrating the health and wellbeing benefits of our sport.
https://www.randa.org/en/news/2021/02/plans-for-new-golf-facility-in-glasgow-submitted
I am sure that your selection panel will enjoy arriving at your final selection and I wish you every success.
Martin Slumbers, Secretary, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and Chief Executive, The R&A
INTRODUCTION
Greetings from St. Andrews!
Each day, I walk to my office through the portico of a Clubhouse that overlooks the oldest course in the world – the first record of golf played over the Old Course, St. Andrews dates back over 600 years to the early 1400’s.
That is a thought that never fails to create an emotional reaction in me and a thought that never fails to amaze. The profession we value and the recreation we enjoy have their 600-year origin in a small cathedral & university town located in a farming and fishing community on the east coast of Scotland.
However, from small, humble rural origins, the game spread internationally and is now played across the globe. The retention of its popularity has resulted from strong traditions, but also from a flexibility that has adapted successfully as society has evolved.
I am proud to play a very small role in that long heritage, and I am also very proud of the Club’s current team of staff, which is playing a significant role in moving the Club and Golf forward in the 21st Century.
This presentation has not been prepared by a professional media team. It has been put together by the Club’s Executive Head Chef, Craig Sneddon, supported by Molly Clark, Administration Assistant; Susan Isaac, Waldon House Manager, Liz Robinson, Food, Beverage & Events Manager; Lucy Burt, Events Supervisor and Sean Samson, F&B Server.
This presentation is evidence of the pride in the golfing Heritage and Leadership that still exists in St Andrews and the desire to communicate that pride across the globe and to share the Game’s values.
It has been an exciting challenge to benchmark our Club against the Platinum Seven Criteria.
We hope you enjoy our presentation, and we hope that one day we may be able to offer you a Royal and Ancient welcome to St. Andrews!
Stephen Toon, Members’ Secretary and Executive Director
UNIVERSAL RECOGNITION
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews was founded on 14 May 1754. Its first competition was the Challenge for the Silver Club.
Evolving over the past 267 years, it has grown from a small society of no fixed abode into a renowned club with a worldwide Membership.
From the late 1800’s, the Club increasingly came to be regarded as a governing authority, both in the United Kingdom and internationally.
Between 1897 and today it developed three distinct areas of responsibility, namely:
• The administration of the Rules of Golf, in close collaboration with the USGA.
• The staging of The Open Championship, the Walker Cup and other key Amateur and Professional golfing events.
• The development of the game in existing and emerging golfing nations.
In this way, the Club achieved universal recognition.
The Club's constitution has five objects:
1. To be a members’ golf club, having a clubhouse with high-quality amenities and access to first-class golfing facilities.
2. To help maintain the position of St Andrews as the Home of Golf.
3. To provide appropriate accommodation for Members of the Club.
4. To acquire and preserve records and artefacts relating to the history of the game of golf.
5. To contribute, through its Members, to the work of The R&A in respect of Governance, Championship and Golf Development.
The Clubhouse
The Royal and Ancient Clubhouse is an iconic image that is universally recognised by golfers worldwide.
Yet it is very different to the building unveiled in the middle of the 1800’s.
Each elevation has changed over time, a result of the expansion that has taken place to meet the needs of a growing Membership.
The foundation stone was laid on 13 July 1853.
The project took eleven months to build and was complete by 22 June 1854.
Currently, plans have been approved to create a subterranean extension, the first significant enhancement of the building since 1924.
What winning in St Andrews means
RESPECTED MEMBERSHIP
R&A Members are Ambassadors for golf around the world, many of whom have respected golfing backgrounds as elite amateur golfers, golfing administrators at local, national or international level, Rules Officials and Tournament Directors who are dedicated to giving back to Golf and promoting it within their communities.
Our Members feel a responsibility for ensuring that Candidates propose to Membership of the Club will support and maintain the historic values and traditions of our Club and the Game of Golf.
The Membership Committee scrutinise candidates for their golfing ability, character & values, willingness to participate in the activities of the Club, commitment to the Game of Golf and a sense of Stewardship and a resolve to be of service, in terms of Committee roles and administration with the Club and The R&A.
EXCELLENCE IN AMENITIES & FACILITIES
Members have access to three properties that cater to all needs of accommodation, golf and hospitality.
All three of the Club’s properties overlook the 1st and 18th holes of the Old Course and have sea views. All are within easy walking distance of the town centre.
Clubhouse
The iconic Clubhouse overlooks the 1st tee and contains a reception lobby, informal bar service in the Trophy Room, formal bar service in The Big Room, a formal Dining Room, a library and a quiet reading room: The North Room. Other facilities include a locker room, bag store, caddy cart store, club shipping service, shoe and club cleaning service and a drying room.
Forgan House
Forgan House is a seasonal, informal, first floor bar, dining room and function venue overlooking the 18th green of the Old Course and has sea views.
The venue is open for lunch service during the peak season and can be used for private events, Club events and meetings.
At the turn of the 19th century, Forgan House was a workshop that produced golf clubs.
Robert Forgan took over the firm of his uncle (Hugh Philp) in 1856 after serving an apprenticeship there from 1852. His sons continued with the company until it was sold to Spalding in 1960. Forgan & Son were from 1863 until 1908 was the official clubmaker to the English royal family. Forgan House is the oldest workshop of its kind in the world.
Waldon House
Waldon House overlooks the 18th Fairway and the sea beyond and is a Members’ Guest House providing Bed and Breakfast exclusively for Members and their families and friends.
The accommodation comprises 2 x single and 6 x twin bedded rooms.
A lift is available to all floors
In addition, there is a spacious Captain's Suite consisting of a twin ensuite bedroom with a large lounge and dining room offering views over the Old Course and St Andrews Bay.
The Captain's Suite is available to Members and their guests when the Captain is not in residence.
The World Golf Museum
Beginning as a cabinet of curiosities in the 1800s, the Museum is located opposite the Clubhouse. The vast majority of its exhibits and historic artefacts are owned by the Club.
Closed since early 2020, the Museum galleries have been redisplayed and re-interpreted through immersive, eye-catching and interactive displays.
The story of golf is presented through six new thematic zones, each designed to engage and entertain through experiential and video displays.
From July 2021, an exhibition celebrating the life of Severino Ballesteros will be featured: Seve – His Life Through the Lens and will run for 18 months, including throughout The 150th Open in St Andrews.
The Museum includes a café which may be reserved by Members for private functions.
FACILTIES THAT REFLECT OUR FUTURE
Planning consents have been achieved to extend and enhance the Clubhouse facilities to future-proof and support golf for women, juniors, seniors and for disability golf.
The men’s locker room will be extended to create greater space and comfort; a women’s locker room will be added and the two locker rooms will be divided by a family friendly area which will have multiple possible uses. Two accessible locker rooms and full disabled access.
On exiting the locker rooms, one will pass by a wardrobe section; a warm-up & physio rooms and a golf concierge area that includes a drying room and a new bag store.
A lift will be installed that will rise from the basement, through the reception lobby and up to the Dining Room.
EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE STANDARDS
Hospitality
At the Royal and Ancient Golf Club we have two venues overlooking The Old Course. The original Clubhouse overlooking the first tee is our traditional, formal venue and Forgan House, overlooking the 18th green is a more informal and contemporary event space. There are two dining rooms with contrasting menus prepared with seasonal produce and created by our Executive Head Chef Craig Sneddon.
A variety of events take place in both buildings: Club and Committee dinners, private events for Members or for guests such as the Patrons of The Open Championship. These events can range from a small intimate gathering of eight, a convivial dinner of up to a hundred and ten or a cocktail party for up to three hundred guests.
The menus are created using seasonal produce by our Executive Head Chef Craig Sneddon which are complemented by wines from our Club cellar.
Our Clubhouse Manager, Graham Clark is a member of the Golf Club Managers Association and the Institute of Hospitality.
The Master Chefs of Great Britain seeks to promote to both the chef and the consumer all that is best about British cuisine and the produce available in this country. The association supports the campaign for healthy eating by encouraging the use of sustainable, fresh quality produce in kitchens around the country. Our members are keen to source local ingredients and support small producers.
We are thrilled to have our Head Chef, Craig Sneddon as part of our team. He was accorded the fantastic honour of being admitted to the The Master Chefs of Great Britain in 2021, in recognition of his work over the last 35 years in the industry.
Craig and his team are committed to providing the highest quality and locally sourced cuisine to our Members and their guests.
Golf Services
The Golf Services Team are the first point of contact for Members, Members guests and Visitors, offering the following key services:
- Reception & Switchboard
- Security
- Golf Reservations
- Locker Room Services
- Competition Management
- Handicapping
The Head of Golf Services is a Member of the SGCMA (Scottish Golf Club Managers Association) The Golf Services team offer a professional service to Members and their guests, to give them a memorable experience of their visit to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews.
Membership
The Membership Department focusses on a variety of essential administrative tasks in order to facilitate the professional, smooth running of Club life.
The Membership Team offers administrative support and guidance to the Committees of the Club which include the Club Committee and their Sub-Committees, the Membership Committee, the ICLC (Inter Clubs Liaison Committee), which is an important liaison link with the Town of St Andrews and the Nominations Sub-Committee in which in which nominations for Committee service are reviewed.
The Membership Department is also responsible for all Club Communications and IT, the Club Calendar of Events, Golf Administration, Annual Subscriptions and a broad spectrum of day to day Member Enquiries.
Our Head of Membership is a Member of the CMAE (Club Managers Association of Europe) and has successfully completed Part 1 of her Management Development Program. Our Membership Administration Manger is a Member of the Institute of Administration Management.
The team as a whole offers a first class, friendly, professional service to the Membership.
WALDON HOUSE
Situated beside the 18th fairway of The Old Course, Waldon House is very much a part of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. It is Home to the Captain when in town and provides an exceptionally friendly standard of bed & breakfast accommodation for Members and their Guests.
A Family Affair
I have been very privileged to be part of Waldon House for 40 years! My mother, Lil, was Housekeeper from 1981 until she retired in 1994, when my sister Doreen took over the reins until she retired in 2015. After living with my parents in Waldon House during my teenage years and working here at weekends, I was very fortunate to be given the opportunity to take over from Doreen as Manager. Along with my fantastic team, I’m absolutely delighted to be looking after all our Members who call Waldon their ‘home from home’.
- Susan Isaac, Waldon House Manager
MANAGEMENT & OPERATIONS
MEET THE STAFF
The Members’ Secretary / Executive Director is responsible for the management and operation of the Club, according to policies set by the Club Committee, the Membership Committee and the Nominations Committee.
A review of the historic organisation structure was conducted in 2019 and in January 2020 a new, contemporary Staff Organisation Structure was introduced, creating three distinct pillars of responsibility: Membership & Administration; Golf Services, and Hospitality, which reflect the five Objects of the Club as they appear in the Club’s Constitution.
To support this structure, each member of staff has been afforded the opportunity to enrol in a programme of professional and vocational accreditation.
A Head of each of the 3 pillars was appointed from the existing staff: Debbie Mitchell, Head of Membership & Administration; Ford Horsfield, Head of Golf Services and Graham Clark retained his existing role as Head of Hospitality.
The three Heads are participating in a bespoke Leadership Development programme, that includes the provision of personal leadership coaches.
Head of Membership
The Head of Membership, Debbie Mitchell acts as Deputy for the Members’ Secretary and manages the administration of the 3 principal committees: Club, Membership & Nominations. The role is broad ranging and encompasses Communications and IT and has a general oversight of all aspects of the Club. The Membership Team is the focal point of communication for Members worldwide.
Head of Golf Services
The Head of Golf Services, Ford Horsfield and his team is the key front-facing role and takes care of all golf-related operations. This role combines many aspects of a Director of Golf with those of a Reception Manager.
Head of Hospitality
The Head of Hospitality, Graham Clark, is responsible for Food, Beverage & Events plus property maintenance.
Graham is also heading up the Club’s programme of Scottish Vocational Qualifications, with the aim of providing each member of staff with a Government certificated qualification in their specialist field.
ADAPTING TO CHANGING TIMES
Covid-19 Response
Covid 19 has certainly created a need to adapt to changing times and we sincerely hope that restrictions will gradually reduce in severity and that Club life will return to degree of normality by the end of the year. However, we are sure that long term changes will be required as it is unlikely that the virus in all its variants will disappear in the foreseeable future.
In the past 15 months all of our procedures internally and externally have adapted to the risk of infection. A sample of our various “Rule Books” can be found on this link
We have also adapted to the challenges that have been faced by staff and we have placed a far greater focus on Mental Health Awareness
We are also acutely aware that Societal and Demographic trends require a focus on:
Gender balance, Diversity and Inclusivity
Within our senior management team of 9 persons, 4 are male and 5 are female, across a very broad age range.
Our global gender balance is 62.5% female and 37.5% are male, again across a very broad age range.
In terms of Membership, our plans to future proof the Clubhouse to facilitate accessibility and inclusivity is a forward looking Policy on the part of the Club Committee, with a significant funding commitment.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE
When it comes to defining the overall experience of The Royal & Ancient Golf Club we let our Members speak for themselves...
"Being a Member of the Club gives me a tangible touch on the history of our great game and our Club and its history."
"Our time in The Club would not be the same without the fantastic staff. You are world class!"
"I am super proud to be a member of The R&A, but even more proud to be a member of a Club who has such fantastic staff."
"The Staff are very professional but also very personal. Always there to help and make the best for us. And always with a smile. Thank you for all fantastic moments during the year."
"I thank you most warmly for the Club’s most wonderful hospitality on the occasion of our biennial match with The R&A. Please convey my most grateful thanks to all who have made our visit such an unforgettable experience."