Authored by: Jo Mackellar

Dave Arthur

Events contributor: Barbara Allen

20 September 2019

Final version

OCEAN SHORES COUNTRYOCEAN SHORES COUNTRYOCEAN SHORES COUNTRYOCEAN SHORES COUNTRY CLUCLUCLUCLUBBBB

MEMBER SURVEY MEMBER SURVEY MEMBER SURVEY MEMBER SURVEY

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Executive Summary

The Ocean Shores Country Club (the Club) is well known for its spectacular hinterland

and ocean views as well as its championship golf course, bowling greens and dining

areas. With over 3,000 members, the Club is a key sports and entertainment venue for

the local community of Ocean Shores, Brunswick Heads and residents of Byron Shire.

This report provides a summary of the research conducted at the Club, assessing the

characteristics and opinions of members as well as the value of the Club to the local

community. The research is based upon surveys collected from a sample of over 400

members and visitors to the Club. These were analysed by the staff at Destination

Research and Development, and the following key results were found:

74% of members are over 55 years of age,

31% of members bring children with them to the Club,

52% of members are retired,

58% of those surveyed reside in Ocean Shores,

82% of those surveyed reside in Byron Shire,

93% live within 50kms of the Club,

7% could be considered “day tourists” from other regions,

Many long-term residents from the area (average 17 years residency),

51% of members visit the Club a few times a week (weekly),

Social members visit less frequently (monthly),

68% bring visiting family/friends with them,

86% use the Club for dining at dinner and 56% for lunch,

94% rate the pro-shop service as very good or excellent,

89% feel the club is a “friendly place’’,

86% feel it is good for seniors, 70% feel it is good for families,

Email is the most effective communication reaching 77777777%%%% of members,

70% of respondents support development of identified land for stay & play,

55% support attraction of more functions and events in existing areas,

50% of golfers would like to see the golf course developed,

68% of bowlers would like to see the bowls area developed,

Members rate their overall experience as 7.6 out of 10.

Members rate the value of their membership as 8.1 out of 10,

Key reasons to belong 1) golf, 2) location, 3) facilities 4) people.

3

Overall a high level of satisfaction was found with members rating their overall club

experience as 7.6 out of 10. While the results point to high satisfaction in most areas of

the Club, respondents also identified areas for improvement, and areas for future

development and investment. From the analysis of the data, key themes emerged from

the survey data and member interviews to guide future planning in the seven research

areas.

Member profile Member profile Member profile Member profile

Three clear geographic segments can be used for future planning, those being

• locals - reside within a 10km radius of the Club (81%),

• neighbours - reside between 11 and 50kms (12%),

• tourists - travelling more than 50 kilometres to the Club (7%).

SuggestSuggestSuggestSuggested ied ied ied improvements to fmprovements to fmprovements to fmprovements to facilitiesacilitiesacilitiesacilities

• Quality/condition of golf bunkers,

• Golf practice area with ball dispenser and nets,

• More sunshade protection, seating and toilets in bowls area,

• Pool area surface, fencing and general appearance,

• Restaurant lighting,

• Parking access.

Improvements to sImprovements to sImprovements to sImprovements to services ervices ervices ervices

• Reception service,

• Coffee service/pop-up coffee vendor,

• Food service times (after golf/bowls, breakfast),

• Review competition formats for golf and bowls players,

Communication to membersCommunication to membersCommunication to membersCommunication to members

• Email is the #1 method of choice – and easy to use to access current members

• Multiple methods needed to access all members and non-members

• Communicate potential developments to members.

P a g e 4 | 28

Future Future Future Future directions for improvements directions for improvements directions for improvements directions for improvements

• Attracting more functions and events in existing areas,

• Assess smoking area/s for re-purposing,

• Assess gaming/TAB area for re-purposing,

• Continue golf course improvement plan,

• Extend food/beverage/coffee offering throughout the Club,

• Develop the land as play and stay.

Future infrastructureFuture infrastructureFuture infrastructureFuture infrastructure

• Modernisation of entry/reception area,

• Maximising the current facilities for events and functions,

• New golf practice areas,

• Develop swimming pool area,

• Design areas that are family friendly,

• Develop selected area of land as play and stay.

Events Events Events Events and functionsand functionsand functionsand functions for memberfor memberfor memberfor members and guestss and guestss and guestss and guests

Six areas for future event and function development:

1. Develop an events calendar for annual and non-annual events,

2. Develop golf and bowls events for visitors, juniors and emerging professionals,

3. Leverage success of existing events including comedy nights, trivia, music etc.

4. 50th Anniversary Celebrations (2022) - opportunities to plan themed events,

5. Family fun days every quarter to encourage new interest in Club,

6. Functions and weddings –need to maximise opportunities.

5

TaTaTaTabbbble of Contentsle of Contentsle of Contentsle of Contents

Research methods 6

1. Demographic profile 7

Age profile 7

Occupation 7

Place of Residence 8

Reasons to belong 11

2. Facilities 12

Ratings of club facilities 12

Overall comments about facilities 13

3. Services 16

Overall experience 17

Best aspects of the Club 19

Suggestions to improve experiences at the Club 20

4. Communication to members 21

5. Future directions/improvements 22

6. Future infrastructure 23

Golf developments 23

Bowls developments 24

7. Events and functions 25

Summary of results 26

Disclaimer and Copyright

The report has been compiled by researchers from Destination Research & Development. The

information presented in this report is accurate at the time of printing. Whilst all care is taken to

ensure its accuracy, no liability is accepted for loss or damage as a result of its content. Findings

and recommendations are based on the data of the current study; further research may be

required in some areas to validate the findings of this study. Enquiries should be directed to the

Research Manager, destination.research@yahoo.com.

All content remains the property of OSCC and cannot be used without permission.

Research methods

The aim of this research study was to provideprovideprovideprovide a valid and reliable research study to assess a valid and reliable research study to assess a valid and reliable research study to assess a valid and reliable research study to assess

member perceptions, aspirations and behavioursmember perceptions, aspirations and behavioursmember perceptions, aspirations and behavioursmember perceptions, aspirations and behaviours. The research can then be used to guide

future strategic planning activities for the Club. A combination of on-site and on-line data

collection methods ensured members had equal access to the survey, and maximised

opportunities to “have their say” about the future of the Club

The key The key The key The key research objectives research objectives research objectives research objectives aimed aimed aimed aimed to discover more aboutto discover more aboutto discover more aboutto discover more about: : : :

1. Member (and visitor) profile (demographic profile, Club usage, potential skills sets),

2. Facilities used by members (assessment of current and future facilities),

3. Services for members (preferred services, new services e.g. childcare),

4. Communication to members,

5. Future directions for improvements and development,

6. Future infrastructure (accommodation, golf course, bowls greens),

7. Events and functions for members and guests.

These objectives have been used as the structure for this research report.

Delivery of the survey was primarily Delivery of the survey was primarily Delivery of the survey was primarily Delivery of the survey was primarily through an through an through an through an on-line survey,

designed to address the seven research objectives, and was sent

to members and registered visitors via the member’s e-

newsletter. Access was also available via Facebook and the Club

website. A printed version was also available in the Clubhouse

and Pro shop for patrons. The responses rate for each method is

shown here, with a total of 433 responses received.

• Based on the total of 3156 current financial members this represents a random

sampling error of +/- 4.5 per cent at the 95 % confidence level1

• The data was also compared with the member database of 3,264 entries to assess the

validity of the sample.

• Personal interviews (#=30) were undertaken with members to further understand the

issues and opportunities for the Club.

Analysis of the survey results and interviews have provided the basis of the tables and key

themes in this report.

1 https://www.custominsight.com/articles/random-sample-calculator.asp

Method #

responses

Newsletter 340

Weblink 44

Facebook 34

Paper survey 15

Total 433

7

1. Demographic profile

The profile of patrons attending the Club shows the appeal to older age groups, from within

the local Ocean Shores area. As shown below the Club extends its appeal to visitors from a

range of regions in NSW and Queensland.

Age profile

Patrons were asked the number of people in

their group and the ages of those people with

the results highlighting the prominence of older

visitors, with a total of 74% over 55 years. It was

further found that:

• Almost a third of patrons bring children or

grandchildren with them to the Club (31%).

• 60% of respondents were male, with 39%

female and >1% other.

(Av age from member database is 57 years)

Occupation

While the majority of patrons are retired (52%),

others are working full-time or part-time in a wide

range of professions.

When asked for a current or past occupational

field, the highest responses were:

• Education, training 16%

• Construction and building trades 10%

• Hospitality and tourism 9%

• Sales and marketing 8%

Figure 1: Age Groups

Figure 2: Work status

P a g e 8 | 28

Place of Residence

Survey respondents were asked for their postcode allowing two forms of analysis to be

provided - a postcode analysis determines the regions in which visitors reside, and an

annular analysis determines the distances patrons travel to visit the Club.

Postcode Analysis

The analysis suggests the vast majority of visitors

reside in the immediate Byron Shire (82%) and

specifically Ocean Shores (58.4%). However,

patrons also come from other geographical markets

including:

• Neighbouring Tweed Shire (9.7%)

• NSW regional areas: e.g. Ballina (1.3%)

• Queensland: Gold Coast 2.0%, Brisbane 1.8%.

• Other States & Overseas: a small number reside

interstate (SA) or overseas but are visiting

including Canada and UK.

(Ratios of residents is similar to member database(Dbase), with less Qld survey respondents)

Annular region analysis

An annular region analysis shows how far patrons

travel to get to the Club. The results illustrate the

high ratio of local patrons that reside within a

10km radius of the Club (81%), while 12% reside in

between 11 and 50kms.

A further 7% could be considered “day tourists”,

travelling more than 50 kilometres to the Club 2.

Respondents indicated they had resided in that area for an average of 17 years with many

long-term residents being in the area for between 15 and 25 years (27.6%).

2 This result is useful for interpreting the tourist value of the Club; as tourists are officially defined as coming from over 50kms

either for the day or overnight. See http://www.tra.gov.au/statistics/domestic-travel-by-australians.html

Residence survey Dbase*

Byron

Shire

82.1%

Ocean Shores 58.4%

Byron

Shire

77%

Golden Beach 8.9%

Mullumbimby 3.8%

Brunswick Heads 2.8%

New Brighton 2.5%

Billinudgel 2.6%

Other Byron 3.1%

Tweed Shire 9.7% 6.6%

Ballina Shire 1.3% 1.2%

Lismore Shire 0.5% 1.1%

Other NSW 1.5% 3.9%

Sth East QLD 3.8% 9.9%

Other States 0.3% 0.2%

Overseas 0.8% 0.1%

Total 100.0% 100.0%

Annular Analysis %

response

1 Less than 10 kms 81%

2 11-50kms 12%

3 51 - 150 kms 5%

4 200+ kms 2%

5 Overseas residence >1%

Total 100%

Table 1: Residence

Table 2: Annular analysis

9

Club membership and visitation

The majority of respondents were golf members

(45%), followed by social members (33%). As

shown, this does not reflect the actual membership

types listed in the annual report3 - where most are

social (80%). However, as shown in Table 3 below it

should also be noted that over a third of social

members only use the Club once a year.

The majority of respondents indicated they visit

Ocean Shores Country Club a few times a week. As

shown in the breakdown below, this was similar for

golf and bowls members, whereas;

• social members visit less frequently,

• non-members visit a few times a year.

Table 5: Frequency of OSCC visitation

Membership of other clubs

Almost half of respondents also belong to other clubs, with bowlers more likely to belong to

other clubs than golfers. The main clubs listed included Brunswick Heads Bowling Club (7%),

Mullumbimby RSL (7%) and Twin Towns (3%).

Table 6: Other Club membership

3 2018 OSCC Annual Report

Membership type Responses DBase

Golf only 45% 15%

Social membership 33% 80%

Bowls and golf 10% 2%

Bowls only 5% 3%

Not a current member 4% 0%

Pool 3% 0%

Total 100% 100%

Frequency All

responses

Daily 4%

A few times a week 51%

A few times a month 27%

A few times a year 18%

daily

a few times a

week

a few times a

month

a few times a

year

Golf only 4.0% 71.3% 20.1% 4.6% 100.0%

Bowls and golf 12.8% 79.5% 2.6% 5.1% 100.0%

Bowls only 4.8% 76.2% 19.0% 0.0% 100.0%

Social membership 0.8% 17.8% 45.7% 35.7% 100.0%

Non- member 7.1% 7.1% 21.5% 64.3% 100.0%

Pool based member 0.0% 20.0% 50.0% 30.0% 100.0%

Other Club membership ALL Golfers Bowls Social

No 46% 62% 38% 48%

Yes 54% 38% 62% 52%

Total 100% 100% 100% 100%

Table 3: Membership type

Table 4: Frequency of visit

P a g e 10 | 28

Golf members

Golf members were asked a series of questions around their involvement as a golfer, with

analysis finding:

• 92% play as a competitor in OSCC club competitions,

• 30% socially with friends,

• 18% in social competitions/charity days,

• 10% play as a competitor in inter-club competitions,

• 65% play a few times a week, while others play a few times a month (28%).

Bowls members

Bowls members were asked a series of questions around their involvement as a bowler, with

analysis finding:

• 62% play as a competitor in OSCC club competitions,

• 42% socially with friends,

• 52% in social competitions/charity days,

• 50% as a competitor in inter-club competitions,

• 60% play a few times a week, while others play a few times a month (25%), 16% a few

times a year.

When compared to the frequency of Club visitation in Table 5, it is clear that both bowls and

golf members come to the club socially on extra days other than to play their sport.

Social members

Social members were asked a series of questions around their activities at the Club

• 86% enjoyed dining at the restaurant for dinner, and/or for lunch (56%),

• 58% drink socially with friends.

Table 7: Main activities

Social members utilise the Club for a wide

range of other activities as shown in Table 7.

These include recreational pursuits such as

using the swimming pool, playing cards or

yoga, as well as gaming, pokies and TAB.

Main activities of social members %

response

Dining at the restaurant for dinner 86%

Drink socially with friends 58%

Dining at the restaurant for lunch 56%

Live music afternoons and nights 28%

Comedy nights 24%

Swimming pool 19%

Pokies 17%

Various (Yoga, kids club, trivia, coffee) 11%

Kids entertainment 9%

Keno 8%

Tab 7%

Play bridge or cards 4%

11

Accompanying family or friends

Many members bring visitors with them, mainly

visiting family or friends from out of town (68%)

Visitor research in the Byron Bay region shows

that around 30% of all tourists are visiting friends

and family 4 so it is no great surprise that

members bring friends and family with them to

the Club.

Reasons to belong

All respondents were asked for the main reasons they are a member of Ocean Shores

Country Club. Using content analysis, the reasons were categorised into key themes as

shown in Figure 3 below. The top four reasons relate to the golf course, the social aspect of

the Club, the facilities and the location. While these four themes can be considered the

unique selling point of the Club, there are a number of key reasons people belong within

these categories as shown below.

4 Tourism Research Australia (2019) LGA profile – Byron Bay 2018

Accompanying visitors

Local family and friends 35%

Kids or grandkids 15%

Visiting family or friends from out of town 68%

No other non-members 17%

•friendly

•meeting

•social

•food

•drinks

•bowls

•convenience

•proximity

•views

•course

•quality

•play

golf location

peoplefacilities

Table 8: Accompanying visitors

Figure 3: Reasons to belong

P a g e 12 | 28

2. Facilities

Patrons were asked to rate and describe their experiences at the Club, both on a rating scale

and by open ended responses. This included examination of the facilities which were

categorised into golf, bowls, clubhouse, pro-shop and restaurant.

Ratings of club facilities

The five-point rating scales asked ALL respondents to rate the facilities a scale where 1 =

poor and 5 = excellent. The results suggest an overall high satisfaction with all facilities of the

Club, with most aspects rating positively (very good or excellent) overall. The highest ratios

of excellent ratings were given to 'ocean balcony' (87% of users rated very good or excellent)

and 'Golf course balcony' (67% of users rated very good or excellent). There was less

satisfaction with the gaming area and smoking area.

Figure 4: Ratings of facilities

� Rates of ‘not applicable’ show the number of people using/not using these facilities.

� The restaurant had only just started its new license during data collection for the

survey. Comments and ratings clearly relate to both the new restaurant and the old.

13

Overall comments about facilities

Respondents were asked for open comments around the facilities at the Club, with a wide

range of responses received. Comments were grouped into themes as shown below where

many comments related to aspects of the Clubhouse (26%) including improvements to the

comfort and appearance of the balconies, general decor and ambience. Objections to the

smoking area were noted by 15% of respondents, and improvements to the parking area were

also noted by 12%.

Table 9: Comments on facilities

Comments % of responses

Clubhouse, balconies, decor 26%

Food * 24%

Smoking area 15%

Parking 12%

Lighting 7%

Gaming area 6%

Pool 2%

Wine 2%

Entertainment 1%

Bathroom 1%

Various other 4%

Total 100%

* Changes to the restaurant licensee would impact this result

A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

Comments in the category of food (24%) mostly related to optimism for the new restaurant,

for example;

I live across the road in the past 15 years I would have only eaten at

the club a handful of times (disappointingly) because I have never

liked the food. I’m very happy that Spice it Up Thai has arrived, and I

will be eating there a lot more often now. I would imagine.

P a g e 14 | 28

Golf facilities

Golf members were asked to rate aspects of the golf course. The results show that golfers

rate the course challenge and pro-shop very highly (over 90% positive rating), but less happy

with the facilities and competitions (although 80% still rate them as very good or excellent).

Figure 5: Ratings of facilities

Comments were grouped into themes as shown below where most comments were around

the types of competitions and bunkers (e.g. sand and lips). See full list in Appendix.

Table 10: Comments golf facilities

Comments % of golf responses

Types of competitions 27.5%

Bunker quality 19.6%

All ok as is 13.7%

Design of course 13.7%

Other various 7.8%

Practice area 5.9%

Pro-shop 5.9%

Food 3.9%

Greens 2.0%

Total 100.0%

15

Bowls facilities

Bowls members were asked to rate aspects of the bowling areas. Bowlers rate the bowling

green quality very highly (98% of users rated very good or excellent), and the pro shop (91%)

but are less happy with the facilities (41%), with less than 50% rating them as very good or

excellent. In particular comments were made around the shade/seating and toilets.

Figure 6: Ratings of facilities

Comments were grouped into themes as shown below where most comments were around

the shade and seating (26%) and the competition format (26%).

Table 11: Comments bowls facilities

Areas for improvement % of bowler

responses

Shade and seating 26%

Competition format 26%

Toilets on top green 26%

Lighting on both greens 18%

Other – smoke free, fencing 5%

Total 100%

A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

P a g e 16 | 28

3. Services

The five-point rating scales asked ALL respondents to rate the services on a scale where

1 = poor and 5 = excellent. The results suggest an overall high satisfaction with all services of

the Club, with most aspects rating very good and excellent overall (considered a positive

rating). As shown the pro-shop service rated the highest with 94% of users rating it positively

as very good or excellent.

Table 12: Ratings of service

Service type % of users*

Pro shop service 94%

Bar service 70%

Reception service 63%

Restaurant and dining service quality 60%

Gaming and pokies service 50%

Ocean balcony service 43%

Golf course balcony service 41%

TAB service 40%

* Percentage calculated on those who are users of the service (excludes not applicable)

Figure 7: Ratings of services

Rates of ‘not applicable’ show the number of people not using these services. This result

highlights the bar service as the most used service, and the gaming/pokies service as the

least used.

17

Overall experience

The combination of service and facilities, along with the atmosphere and interaction with

other members creates the total experience at the Club. When asked to rate their overall

experience, the average rating was 7.6, with more than half (59%) rating it as an 8 or higher.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1% 0% 2% 2% 5% 13% 18% 27% 20% 12%

When asked to consider their perceptions of the Club, most felt it was a friendly place (89%

agree or strongly agree), and a place that is good for seniors. As shown in the figure below,

less members felt it was good for families, or that it was a well-run Club.

Figure 8: Perceptions of the Club.

A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

P a g e 18 | 28

Member fees

When asked to rate the value for money of their membership, the average rating was 8.1, with

most people (69%) rating it as an 8 or higher.

Respondents could comment on their rating, which highlighted that the perception of fees is

naturally different between membership types (and fee levels). As shown in the table below,

comments made around fees were predominantly positive in all membership types, however

there were more negatives in the golfers’ comments and NO negative comments in the social

or bowls categories.

Table 13: Member fees

Membership type negative positive Total

Golf only 12% 41% 53%

Social membership 0% 23% 23%

Bowls and golf 1% 12% 13%

Bowls only 0% 6% 6%

Pool 2% 3% 5%

Total 15% 85% 100%

A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

While the overall feeling of value for golfers is quite good, the feelings about golf fees are

quite mixed with some suggesting some fees are high and others happy to pay more. For

example.

golf membership is very reasonable. Competition Fees high. Buggy

storage and cart levy also quite high.

I think the fees are too low. Most clubs in the region charge a higher

fee. I would be happy to pay an extra $150-200 a year if the money

was spent on green staff to improve course grooming especially

around the greens/bunkers.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

2% 1% 2% 1% 6% 6% 13% 21% 21% 27%

19

Best aspects of the Club

Respondents were also asked to describe the best aspects of the Club. Using content

analysis, the suggestions were categorised into key themes as shown in Figure 9 below

which showed that most responses related to:

• Golf course (78 mentions) – quality and beauty

• Location – ( 34 mentions) being close to home

• Views - (40 mentions) spectacular views

• Friendly people (18) – including staff, friends and other members.

Figure 9: Best aspects of the Club

Some respondents were very enthusiastic in their response*...

Its superb location is without peer on the eastern seaboard and the

club has to work hard at making the best of it.

Nicely located with great views. A place you want to bring family and

friends. Amazing golf and bowls facilities. Happy hour.

The best thing is the golf course, myself, brother and friends love it.

The condition it is in every week is brilliant and that comes down to

the amazing green staff, and the service we get from Chris in the shop

(He is the best professional and teacher I have been involved with).

*A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

P a g e 20 | 28

Suggestions to improve experiences at the Club

Respondents were asked to suggest improvements to their Club experience. Using content

analysis, the suggestions were categorised into key themes as shown in Table 14 below

showing most responses related to:

• Clubhouse (18%) – related to the reception, lighting, seating.

• Golf (14%) – bunkers and practice areas (see section above).

• Bar (13%) – prices and wine choice.

• Food & restaurant (11%) – optimism that new restaurant will be great, other food

options at other times.

Table 14: Suggested improvements

A full list of comments can be found in the Appendix

It should be noted that many members are happy with their experiences at the Club and

simply encouraged management to keep going with the ongoing improvements.

Keep doing what you are doing, I love the place.

It's a great club and having been a member for 25 years the

improvements have greatly enhanced the club's appeal.

I am proud to be a member of this club and recommend it at every

opportunity.

Categories % of responses

Clubhouse 17.9%

Golf 13.8%

Bar 12.8%

Food & restaurant 11.0%

Entertainment 5.0%

Management 5.0%

Members 4.6%

Family 3.7%

Gaming 3.7%

Pool 3.2%

Parking 3.2%

21

4. Communication to members

Visitors were asked how they hear about Club activities and events. In this question they

could choose more than one source (multiple response) so as to capture all the media that

is used. As shown in the table below, over under half of respondents reported using just

one source (48%) of information, while others used two or more sources. This reinforces the

importance of using a strong mix of promotional mediums to reach a wide audience.

Table 15: Number of information sources used

1 source 2 sources 3 sources 4+ sources

48% 28% 12% 12%

Email is clearly the best way to communicate with members, with 77% of respondents

suggesting this is their main source. The club website is also well used (26%) as are the

posters and signage at the Club (21%). It is expected that social media (19%) will only grow

in importance over the next few years in-line with other marketing trends. It is also useful to

note that social media platforms offer opportunities for visitors to generate content about

the Club to their friends.

Figure 10: Information sources

* Those who chose ‘other’ suggested letterbox leaflets and road sign.

Some respondents commented on recent improvements to communication such as;

I am very pleased to see the new board communicating now with

members, this has not always been the case. As my main focus is golf, I

feel much more included now with the improved email communication.

Many recent improvements in communication and involvement of

members. Love the newsletters and the attitude of current board and

management.

P a g e 22 | 28

5. Future directions/improvements

The aim of this section was to assist the Club in identifying and prioritising key areas for

future development that have been identified by the members themselves. Respondents

were asked which following developments at the Club they would support.

Figure 11: Future directions

Comments were taken for this question, which were coded into categories shown in Table 16

below. Most comments related to the financial prudency of the proposed changes, to ensure

that the Club can afford future developments. There was also vocal comment against

changing the name of the Club and moving the pro-shop. A full list of comments can be

found in the appendix.

Table 16: Comments on future directions

Financially prudent 14%

No name change 14%

Pro-shop moving 11%

Golf developments & driving range 10%

Other ideas (coffee shop) 13%

Maximise current facilities 9%

Clubhouse changes 9%

Events 7%

Land developments 4%

Parking 4%

Family areas 3%

Pokies 2%

23

6. Future infrastructure development

Respondents were asked a series of questions (open-response and rating) on the

development of future infrastructure at the OSCC. The results to these questions are shown

below suggesting the strongest support is to develop land as “play and stay”.

Q.1 The OSCC has a great opportunity to develop an ongoing revenue stream by developing

land currently assigned for sale. Which option/s do you prefer? (Please rank your choice)

Table 17: Future land development

Options Ranked 1 or 2

Ranking

Score

Develop the land as play and stay 70% 3.05

Develop the land with units for sale 55% 2.59

Leave the land as is 50% 2.54

Sell the land 29% 1.95

N=289

Golf developments

Golf members where asked about future developments to the golf course. The results suggest

50% would like to see the golf course developed, however 25% were unsure and 25% are not

wanting development and feeling the quality is OK as it is now. As illustrated and shown in the

figure below, the most frequent comments were around the improvements/development of

bunkers, as well as the continued maintenance plans.

Word frequency is shown in brackets

See appendix for a full list of comments

Figure 12: Golf course development

P a g e 24 | 28

Bowls developments

Bowls members where asked about future developments to the bowls area where 68%

would like to see the bowls area developed, however 16% were unsure and 16% are not

wanting development. As shown the most frequent comments were around the development

of shade (and seating) toilets and lighting. Other comments were around the format of

competitions as shown in the list of comments in the Appendix.

Table 18: Bowls developments

No Unsure Yes

16% 16% 68%

Figure 13: Bowls developments

Word frequency is shown in brackets

See appendix for a full list of comments

25

7. Events and functions

As shown in Figure 11 the development of ‘events and functions in existing areas’ was the #1

option supported by 55% as positive direction for the Club into the future. It is obvious that

events are already a great success at the Club, both the major sporting events like the Pro-

Am and the smaller community events such as the Art Show. Further it is evident that

resources have been spent on the design of function areas. Events professional (and long-

term member) Barbara Allen has offered assistance in assessing the potential of this strategic

area as follows.

I. Events calendar –a lack of coordination and planning has led to conflicts in

scheduling, concerns about quality in the delivery, lost financial opportunities and

under-utilised resources. A coordinated approach which considers a calendar of

annual (and non-annual) events will focus attention and planning on integrating

new events with other important event days of the year when hospitality revenue

can be boosted (e.g. Melbourne Cup, Christmas lunch, Valentines Day, Easter).

II. Golf and bowls events – opportunities exist for the development of multiple

competitions for visitors, juniors and emerging professionals to maximise use of

key assets.

III. Recurring events – leverage the success of existing events including comedy

nights, trivia, music and raffles and continue innovation with yoga, aquarobics etc.

IV. 50th Anniversary Celebrations (2022) offers a great opportunity to plan a year of

mini-events and functions. Also, an opportunity to establish a more inclusive

relationship with community interest groups and acknowledge their part in the life

of the Club.

V. Family fun days every quarter can encourage engagement from the local

community and from a broader demographic range (and new memberships).

VI. Functions and weddings – a largely untapped market, the wedding market is

booming in the region but needs a professional approach to attracting and

coordinating the events in order to compete with other wedding venues. This may

be in the form of contracted events coordinator or employed position.

These six areas will be the key strategic areas on which to base a comprehensive Events Plan

and requisite budget and marketing and evaluation plan, included as a section of the future

Strategic Plan.

P a g e 26 | 28

Summary of results

The research has shown overall positive perceptions of the Club and its staff as well as

highlighting areas for future improvement. The average rating of overall experience was 7.6

out of 10, and the average rating of value of their membership was 8.1. Many respondents

commented on the friendliness at the Club, with 89% agreeing it is a friendly place. Also, that

it is good for seniors (86% agree) and accessible for all (73% agree). There was less

agreement that it is good for families (70% agree).

A summary of results in each of the seven research areas below highlights the areas which

members enjoy the most and those that can be further improved.

1. The assessment of the member profilemember profilemember profilemember profile has shown that the Club attracts an older

demographic, with an average age of 57, and 74% over 55 years. While half of the

members have retired (52%), others are working full-time or part-time in a wide range of

professions including education, and building. The large majority are from the local area

with 82% residents of Byron Shire. Members use the Club very frequently and enjoy its

location, views and friendly atmosphere. The top four reasons to belong relate to the

golf course, the social aspect of the Club, the facilities and the location, and often it is

the right mix of these aspects that can enhance the Club experience.

2. The facilitiesfacilitiesfacilitiesfacilities used by members around the Clubhouse are considered to be generally of

a very good standard, with higher ratings given for the balconies, bar and restaurant and

some improvements required to the gaming and smoking area. Golfing facilitiesGolfing facilitiesGolfing facilitiesGolfing facilities were

also well rated, with some improvements to bunkers and practice areas requested.

Bowls Bowls Bowls Bowls facilitiesfacilitiesfacilitiesfacilities such as greens also rated very well with improvements needed to

lighting, shade and seating.

3. Many of the servicesservicesservicesservices used by members received positive ratings including the Pro shop

service (96% positive), the bar service (70% positive). Less positive ratings were noted

for the reception service (55%) and the restaurant and dining service quality (53%5). It

was noted that services in other areas could be further developed including the front

ocean balcony.

5 Restaurant license had changed during time of the study so ratings may not reflect new services.

27

4. Communication to members is predominantly received by email, which suits the age

demographic quite well. This also allows distribution of larger newsletters and reports, as

well as quick messages about events or competitions. Social media is becoming more

widely used by all age groups and is a useful promotional tool for the Club. Most

members use more than one source of information, so it is important to maintain a mix

of communication media including posters, newsletters and the Club website. The

quality of these communications is quite good and should continue to reflect the

branding and image of the Club.

5. Future directions for improvements Future directions for improvements Future directions for improvements Future directions for improvements to the Clubto the Clubto the Clubto the Club were supported by the survey

respondents in regard to maximising existing resources and infrastructure as well as

developing further infrastructure.

The survey data suggests there is positive support (over 40%) for;

o Attracting more functions and events in existing areas,

o Modernisation of entry/reception area,

o Maximising the current facilities for events, functions,

o Design areas that are family friendly,

o Develop the land as play and stay,

o Improving bunkers on the golf course,

o Improving lighting and shade on the bowls greens.

There is medium support (30% - 40%) for

o Modernisation of Clubhouse,

o Seniors Gym.

There is minimal support (under 30%) for

o Changing the name,

o Selling land owned by the Club,

o Moving Buggy Shed area to develop Function/Office facilities,

o Day spa - Well-being facility, Beautician, Hairdresser,

o Moving Pro-shop to 10th tee area.

P a g e 28 | 28

6.6.6.6. Future Future Future Future infrastructure and improvementsinfrastructure and improvementsinfrastructure and improvementsinfrastructure and improvements

There are clearly different groups with differing needs and desires for the Clubs future. The

research has identified segments which can help management plan for the future toward the

needs of diverse groups.

locals neighbours tourists

Residence 80% within 10km radius of

the Club

12% reside 11-50km away 8% travel more than 50

kilometres.

Frequency A few times a week (50%)

bring visitors (70%)

a few times a week (60%)

bring visitors (70%)

a few times a year (80%)

Like best Locality, golf (bowls),

restaurant and bar, social

Golf course,

Golf availability,

people (Chris)

Unique aspect, golf and

people

Suggest Practice areas

Bunkers

Lighting in dining

Smoking area moved

Bunkers & practice area

Improve gaming/TAB

Post-game food & coffee

Improve dining quality6*

7.7.7.7. AttractinAttractinAttractinAttracting more functions and eventsg more functions and eventsg more functions and eventsg more functions and events

Six areas have been identified for the development of a future event plan which include

I. Development of an events calendar which considers the planning and

coordination of both annual and non-annual events

II. Development of golf and bowls events for visitors, juniors and emerging

professionals to maximise use of key assets.

III. Leverage success of existing events including comedy nights, trivia, music and

raffles and continue innovation with yoga, aquarobics etc.

IV. 50th Anniversary Celebrations (2022) offers a great opportunity to plan a year of

mini-events and functions.

V. Family fun days every quarter can encourage engagement from the local

community and from a broader demographic range (and new memberships).

VI. Functions and weddings – a largely untapped market, the wedding market is

booming in the region but needs a professional approach to secure and service

bookings.

6 Restaurant license had changed during time of the study so ratings may not reflect new services.