With spring around the corner and the golf season set to ramp up, many clubs and resorts face familiar challenges around staffing.
Managing a seasonal business during peak season demands careful planning, with high volumes, long days and elevated expectations placing pressure on both management and teams. Balancing operational efficiency with staff wellbeing is essential to keeping service levels consistent and morale high.
To explore practical approaches, we spoke with two PGA Members who run highly seasonal operations – David Scott, General Manager at Dumbarnie Links, and Gary Silcock, General Manager at Murrayshall Country Estate.
How do you typically plan for the sharp rise in demand during the summer months?
DS: With the experience we now have, we have a very good idea how many guests will be coming through our doors, and what service demands there will likely be in each area of the business.
GS: Greenkeeping-wise they are annualised hours – 45 hours in summer and 35 hours in winter. If the greenkeeping team have hours owed, then payment is received at end of the financial year. In golf operations, the team try to take holidays in off seasons, allowing cover through summer. Any hours owed can also be taken back here too. Being an estate, we also utilise the casual staff within the hotel to provide cover if required.
What are the biggest staffing challenges you face when the club is at its busiest?
DS: Golf Operations and Pro Shop are the most stable, due to many returning seasonal team members. The agronomy team, although sometimes stretched, are also stable. The one area that struggles is the F&B. Seasonal staff in the restaurant are not the most reliable and in the kitchen, it's difficult to attract kitchen porters and extra chefs if we have a requirement to add to the team.
GS: We really do have a good team effort and cross-department teams work together. Golfers do not see the difference, but the business does not have extra costs to cover, allowing more profit through the busy periods which does help the winter months. Improving the golf course to extend the summer green season has helped with revenue from green fees and members. This has helped to ensure all areas are covered.
How do you manage staff morale when your team is stretched thin in peak season?
DS: A really great question. Fortunately, we have a superb team of Heads of Department. They each have the ability to motivate their teams. They regularly praise their team members, and so I think there is a high level of respect from them to their leaders and so very often, they are keen to dig deep, when the going gets tough.
GS: For the past five years, we have really focused on culture. We pay well and provide incentives throughout the year. We work with local schools and colleges to ensure we always have people looking for work. We have the benefit of moving around the Estate. Similar to when I was at the Belfry, PGA Members were in every department and mostly went back to golf through summer months.
What strategies have you found most effective for recruiting seasonal staff?
DS: We have a recruitment day early in February and advertise a few weeks earlier, through social media, ensuring we copy in some local Facebook groups. We usually get around 50 interested people coming through our doors.
GS: Working with schools and colleges to bring people in before going to university. We normally get two good years from them plus they return for summer and Christmas, which is a big help as they bring experience back with them.
Are there any areas where you struggle to find suitably skilled staff?
DS: Greenkeepers and chefs are a real struggle to find.
GS: Greenkeeping is difficult as the number of greenkeepers has dropped. We have done well recruiting PGA Members, as we develop the project further this will also aid recruitment.
Have you explored flexible contracts, job-sharing or cross-training staff to adapt to seasonal swings?
DS: We have annualised hours and so this has been extremely popular with full-time staff. We have excellent retention in the 95% bracket, year on year. I have six Heads of Department and five have been with me for five and half years, and the sixth member for four years. In Golf Operations, most of the team are part-time, and so job share.
GS: We have, and this has led to a team member starting the greenkeeping apprenticeship. Team members also want flexible contracts, if we can match the contract to suit the business and team member, it is a win for all.
