New era dawns for club managers in Asia

SINGAPORE — A new era for club managers in Asia has been ushered in with the staging of the inaugural Business Management Institute [BMI] course in the region.

Organised by the Asian Golf Industry Federation [AGIF], the five-day event at Singapore’s Orchid Country Club was attended by delegates from five countries and territories – China, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia and Singapore.

Keynote presenters were Jeffrey Kreafle and Dr Larry Ross, prominent members of the Club Managers Association of America [CMAA].

Eric Lynge, the AGIF’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “This has been an historic gathering for the club management industry in Asia.

“We are excited at the relationship we’re developing with the CMAA and look forward to staging further BMI courses around the region in the months ahead.”

The AGIF entered into an historic agreement with the CMAA last August that enables the Federation to utilise the CMAA’s acclaimed BMI curriculum to deliver similar face-to-face classroom learning to club managers across the Asian region.

Lynge said: “The aim of this partnership with the CMAA is to ensure that the worldwide standard of club manager education is maintained, and tailor approve classroom courses for successful delivery in our territory.

“Such a link is long overdue and will be welcomed not only by established club managers around Asia but also those who harbour ambitions of carving themselves a career in club management.”

Kreafle, General Manager at Congressional Country Club and a CMAA Board Member, said: “For almost 90 years, the Club Managers Association of America has been committed to advancing the profession of club management by fulfilling the educational and related needs of its members. CMAA provides its members with the necessary expertise to deliver an exceptional club experience.

“We congratulate the Asian Golf Industry Federation on its initiative in engaging with club managers in Asia. It’s a positive move and the CMAA looks forward to making a positive contribution to club managers in Asia.”

CMAA’s curriculum materials will be used by the AGIF for the betterment of club management in the territory and with its full range of members and educational programmes throughout the territory to deliver curriculum that will lead to a Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation.

The BMI Asia Pacific will be the functional name of the AGIF-run CMAA education programmes and the AGIF will work with approved CMAA education staff member to develop five, five-day educational programmes – BMI I, BMI II, BMI III & BMI Food and Beverage and BMI Golf Management – that cover all 10 management competency areas as defined by CMAA’s Certification and Club Management Institute [CMI] Committees.

Jimmy Luk Jian-hua, among an 11-strong contingent from China, said: “It has been an eye-opening week. The content has been educational and I look forward to putting into practice much of what I have learned from Dr Ross and Jeffrey Kreafle.”

Azhan Abdul Kadir, Manager Human Resource & Administration at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, said: “It is wonderful that the BMI courses are now being conducted in Asia. The quality and the depth of the presentations has surpassed my expectations.”

Wee Peng Siong, a Board Member of the AGIF and a CCM graduate, said: “I had the benefit of going through this programme when I was setting out in my career and the experience and certification I gained have proved invaluable.

“To those who are involved in club management and who are seeking to develop their careers I would highly recommend taking the time to attend one of the forthcoming BMI courses.”