A premier Midlands Golf Club has been put under the microscope by first year students on the PGA-backed Applied Golf Management Studies degree.
It is the first time in the degrees 10-year existence that students on the course, which is run in conjunction with the University of Birmingham, have been given the opportunity to put their business theory into practice on a ‘real life’ golf club.
Far Left – David Fulcher, far right Adam Grint, centre white hair – Gary Jackson – the rest AGMS students
Edgbaston Golf Club, which is located next to the university and already has links with the university’s golf team, opened its doors allowing the students an ‘access all areas’ pass ahead of presenting their findings to general manager Adam Grint and head PGA professional David Fulcher.
The students examined the club’s current use of the facility for functions and meetings, explored avenues to attract new members, looked at junior golf development and coaching and assessed the corporate golf market.
The findings were reported back to Grint and Fulcher at the PGA National Training Academy at the Belfry at the end of February, with both acknowledging it had been an extremely useful exercise.
Grint said: “I was very impressed with the presentations. It has been an interesting experience to work with them and to hear their results on how we can develop and market the club.
“There were some really good ideas presented and something for us as a club to look at and consider. It also gave us an opportunity for fresh eyes to look at the club and especially from a younger generation, who will be looking to move into careers in golf when they have finished their degree.
“It is has also been a useful exercise in that it continues to forge stronger links between the club, the university and the AGMS students.”
Fulcher, who is a former AGMS student, added: “This is great opportunity for the students to come in and look at ways we can improve sections of the golf club.
“Having done the course, this is a great step forward for them to actually go and work with a golf club and gain experience of the day-to-day operations and challenges at a golf club.
“From my perspective, there were some very useful ideas in terms of junior development but it also illustrated that these students will be an asset to the game with their enthusiasm and knowledge.”
Student Thomas Hefford, whose group presented on membership, which included a video which the club want to use, thoroughly engaged with this topic.
“This has been a fantastic exercise and a great opportunity to work with a golf club,” said the 20-year-old. “Preparing the presentation is something that is right up my street as I love working with all of the graphics.
“I am only six months into the course and every part of the course is exceeding my expectations. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the career opportunities in golf.”
Gary Jackson, the PGA’s business skills development manager, said: “I was really proud of the way these students responded to the challenge that we set them.
“It was great to give them the opportunity to apply the theory that we have covered since they started in September. It’s made the concepts we’ve covered more real and I’m sure that they’ve learned a great deal from this experience.
“I’d like to thank both Adam and David for their assistance and my colleague, Mike Abbott, for helping to set the whole exercise up. I look forward to working with Edgbaston Golf Club in future.