One of the many benefits of shared-equity, private-member clubs is the often-huge amount of skills and expertise that can be drawn upon from within the membership base. Usually representing a broad cross section of society, golf club members now come from a wide variety of backgrounds and professions – many of which are very useful for the golf club.
One such area of expertise that many clubs benefit from is that of accounting and bookkeeping. Committee volunteers from an accountancy background are extremely useful in helping with the fiscal reporting and financial management of the club. Without these volunteers, some clubs would struggle with this all-important aspect of club management.
But like many things, sometimes the greatest strength can also be a significant weakness. In recent times, at Golf Accountancy Matters we’ve been bought in by golf clubs that have experienced some of the negatives of this volunteer structure.
Perhaps one of the most significant of these negatives is purely by virtue that the volunteer committee member is exactly that – a volunteer. They often still have their own jobs to jungle, as well as all the other commitments of day-to-day life. And you could argue that all of these would rightfully come before the golf club’s books!
Plus, they are members after all – and have paid their annual subscriptions to enjoy playing golf and socialising in exactly the same way as other members. Heavily relying on them to support, sometimes even orchestrate from start to finish, the financial management of the club could be perceived as slightly unfair, certainly without appropriate recompense in some form or other.
Then there are clubs that struggle to find volunteers in the first place, many likely candidates put off by watching the current incumbent dedicate significant time with little tangible reward.
There are also risk factors around the systems and procedures in place, that are possibly only known by the volunteer committee member. In employment terms, there is a level of security in knowing that a notice period is in place if the employee leaves. There is also accountability during their employment. However, should the unthinkable happen and the volunteer can no longer perform their duties (either by their own decision or forced onto them) the club would find themselves in a tricky situation indeed.
At Golf Accountancy Matters, we have worked with volunteer committee members in understanding their roles within the business and supporting them in achieving these goals. This support has taken a number of different forms.
Our systems and procedures audit is a great way to apply best-practices consistently across the financial accounting function. This often improves efficiency and helps the volunteer save considerable time, but it also provides security in the wider understanding of how the accounts are managed.
We’ve also taken on full management of the club’s bookkeeping and financial reporting, working with sensitively to the volunteer and, often, retaining them as a valuable resource but freeing them up from the time commitments associated with the role. In this scenario, the committee volunteer remains an important cog in the wheel, but from a much higher oversight role, leaving them free to enjoy their golf membership.
There’s no doubting volunteer support is pivotal to a successful golf club’s operation. Indeed, ignoring the skills and experiences of members would just be a wasted opportunity. However, balance is the key so as not to expose the club to difficulties.
Contact us to discuss how we can support your volunteers in the preparation of your golf club accounts.
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