Category: canada

Congratulations to the all of the new winners and the few that claimed repeat titles in this year’s celebration.

A selection of the golf and club industry’s very best Clubs and Operators descended on The Albany Club and The Vancouver Club last week with the hope of claiming an industry ‘Oscar’ at 59club Canada’s third annual Service Excellence Awards. 

A wonderful keynote by Coach Lora Caven followed by some practical solutions shared by industry leaders, ended with a glittering awards ceremony honouring the finest customer service providers for having achieved the highest standards of excellence across 2025.  

59club’s illustrious accolades are determined by scores collected from their impartial mystery shopping audits, which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfers and prospective members, in accordance with 59club’s objective benchmarking criteria. On the two nights, 59club presented eight awards across different categories, recognizing ‘service excellence’ across all areas of the businesses – sales, service, operations, retail, golf course, food & beverage and management. With 59club continuing to reflect the very best performances, regardless of a venue’s size, scale or profile. 

The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club took home three achievements; Retail Manager of the Year, Golf Operation Manager of the Year and Golf Manager of the Year (public/resort), while retaining a coveted Gold Flag from last year.

The Pinebrook Golf & Country Club also took home three crystal pieces; Most Improved Golf Experience (tied with Fairwinds Golf Club), Food & Beverage Manager of the Year and Golf Manager of the Year (private)

It was a pleasure to a growing number of clubs in attendance and multiple team members from turf and admin staff on this joyous evening. Some awards are individually awarded but more often than not they’re shared among the entire department. Team spirit is what these evenings are all about. 

59club’s Industry Benchmark of excellence, its Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations, are always a highlight of proceedings. These highly prized accolades recognize member clubs’ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout 2025.  

Criteria to attain a Gold Flag increases in difficulty each and every year and this year, 59club Canada presented seven ‘Gold Flags’. The deserving winners were: Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Essex Golf & Country Club, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club, Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Silver Flags went to Camelot Golf & Country Club, Cutten Fields, Donalda Club, Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, and The Thornhill Club while Bronze Flags were picked up by nine venues including; Belvedere Golf & Country Club, Fairwinds Golf Club, Gorge Vale Golf Club, Kananaskis Country Golf Course, McKenzie Meadows Golf Club, Mickelson National Golf Club, Peninsula Lakes Golf Club, The Club at North Halton and Riverside Country Club (Saint John).

Other prestigious award winners on the night included Mike Van Sickle, Royal Ottawa Golf Club, who took home the Superintendent of the Year and Fairwinds Golf Club with a very impressive, Most Improved Golf Experience Award. 

To recognize venues which have shown continued commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across 59club’s software platform, a ‘Service Excellence’ designation was awarded to Hamilton Golf & Country Club for the third year in a row! A very impressive feat.

Full list of award winners can be seen below;

Gold Flag Designations

Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Essex Golf & Country Club, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club, Royal Ottawa Golf Club and Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Silver Flag Designations

 Camelot Golf & Country Club, Cutten Fields, Donalda Club, Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club, and The Thornhill Club

Bronze Flag Designations

Belvedere Golf & Country Club, Fairwinds Golf Club, Gorge Vale Golf Club, Kananaskis Country Golf Course, McKenzie Meadows Golf Club, Mickelson National Golf Club, Peninsula Lakes Golf Club, The Club at North Halton and Riverside Country Club (Saint John)

Golf Manager of the Year (public/resort)

Steven Young, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club 

Golf Manager of the Year (private)

Ryan Woods, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Superintendent of the Year

Mike Van Sickle, Royal Ottawa Golf Club 

Food and Beverage Manager of the Year

Ryan Kernaghan, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Golf Retail Manager of the Year

Andrew Szewczuk, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club 

my59 Survey Service Excellence Award

Hamilton Golf & Country Club

Most Improved Golf Experience (tie)

Pinebook Golf & Country Club
Fairwinds Golf Club

Stay up to date with all 59club development on social media on @59club Canada LinkedIn, or @59club_Canada on Instagram 

The nominees for 59club’s Canadian Service Excellence Awards are announced! The winners will be unveiled during two separate awards ceremonies; Tuesday, February 24th in Toronto and Thursday, February 26th in Vancouver – the third ceremonies of their kind to be hosted on Canadian soil. Everyone is welcome to attend to celebrate service excellence!

Register you and your team here.

These afternoon / evening events will include two hours of education and shared stories from some mystery guests and presenters as well as an engaging network social prior to dinner and awards!

59club Canada conducted over 160 mystery shops over 50 venues in 2026. These prestigious accolades honour outstanding Venues, Teams, and Individuals in the global golf & hospitality industry consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences for members and guests.

The selection process remains unbiased, relying on scores attained through an in-depth and objective mystery shopping program. This program meticulously evaluates the experiences provided to members, visitors, and potential members across Golf, Turf, Retail, and F&B operations.

59CLUB CANADA ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS
(Listed in alphabetical order)

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59club’s Canada’s Awards Events are the second of seven ceremonies that the global Customer Service Management Specialists will host during 2026, including the USA during the PGA Show in Orlando, the UK, Europe, the MEA, Asia, and finally finishing in Australia as 59club continues uniting the world of golf & hospitality around their commitment to deliver customer service excellence. We look forward to celebrating with you soon!

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About the Awards

• 59club’s Annual Awards Ceremony recognizes the outstanding venues and teams within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.
• Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, guests, prospective members, and prospective event clients across golf and hospitality.
• With an ever-expanding and diverse range of venues, 59club Canada continues to reflect the absolute best performances regardless of a venue’s size, scale, or profile.
• 59club’s Industry Benchmark of Excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognize member clubs and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.

Congratulations to the all of the new winners and the few that claimed back-to-back titles in this year’s celebration presented by Turtleson.

A selection of the golf and club industry’s very best Clubs and Operators descended on The University Club of Toronto and the Calgary Petroleum Club over the last week with the hope of claiming an industry ‘Oscar’ at 59club Canada’s second annual Service Excellence Awards. 

A couple of days that started with tales from mystery shopping, carried on with an impressive panel of new industry GM’s, ended with a glittering awards ceremony honouring the finest customer service providers for having achieved the highest standards of excellence across 2024.  

59club’s illustrious accolades are determined by scores collected from their impartial mystery shopping audits, which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfers and prospective members, in accordance with 59club’s objective benchmarking criteria. On the two nights, 59club presented 10 awards across different categories, recognizing ‘service excellence’ across all areas of the businesses – sales, service, operations, retail, golf course, food & beverage and management. With 59club continuing to reflect the very best performances, regardless of a venue’s size, scale or profile. 

The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club took home three achievements; Most Improved Experience, Golf Ops Team of the Year and Golf Manager of the Year, accompanied by a coveted Gold Flag, improving upon their Silver Flag status received in 2024.

Kudos to clubs or courses with multiple nominees including Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club with seven, Cataraqui Golf & Country Club with five, La Vallee du Richelieu and Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club with four a piece and Mad River and Donalda Club with three a piece. 

It was a pleasure to see multiple team members attend this joyous evening. Some awards are individually awarded but more often than not they’re shared among the entire department. Team spirit is what these evenings are all about. 

59club’s Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations, are always a highlight of proceedings. These highly prized accolades recognize member clubs’ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout 2024.  

This year, 59club presented a very impressive fifteen ‘Gold Flags’. The deserving winners were: Camelot Golf & Country Club, Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Donalda Club, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club, Mad River Golf Club, Mickelson National Golf Club, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club, Royal Ottawa Golf Club, Sarnia Golf & Curling Club, Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, The Club at North Halton, The Derrick Golf & Winter Club and Victoria Golf Club.

“We are truly honored to receive the 59club Gold Flag Award, a recognition of our unwavering commitment to providing exceptional service and experiences for our members and guests. This achievement reflects not only the dedication and passion of our incredible staff—who continually go above and beyond to create a welcoming environment, deliver outstanding hospitality, and maintain world-class facilities—but also the invaluable support from 59club, whose mystery shopper program and service training provided the insights and guidance needed to reach this standard of excellence.” – Glenn Phillips, Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

“Being recognized as a repeat 59club Gold Flag recipient illustrates the commitment the club’s staff has to delivering service excellence to the membership and their guests.” – Brad Franklin, GM Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

The lone Silver Flag went to Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club and two Bronze Flags winners included Black Bear Ridge Golf Club and McKenzie Meadows Golf Club.

Other prestigious award winners on the night included Dean O’Doherty, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club, who took home the Superintendent of the Year award and Steven Young was congratulated, for the second consecutive year with the Golf Manager of the Year award.  

Ashley Zibrik was hailed Golf Retail Manager of the Year from Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, while the Food & Beverage Manager of the Year title went to Michelle Larcher from Mad River Club.  

Individual experience awards were issued to Carrying Place Golf & Country Club for best F&B experience, Cataraqui Golf & Country Club for the best Retail Experience as well as La Vallee du Richelieu with the Best Individual Golf Course Experience award. 

“Winning in the categories we were selected for signifies a remarkable achievement, marking key milestones in our journey. It reflects our commitment to excellence. This recognition is a testament to our hard work, innovation, and passion for success.” – Daniel Beauregard, GM Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

To recognize venues which have shown continued commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across 59club’s software platform, a ‘Service Excellence’ designation was awarded to Hamilton Golf & Country Club for the second year in a row! A very impressive feat.

“Working with 59Club has provided measurable results for service interactions at every touch point. It has allowed our team to track progress and address areas of improvement we may not have otherwise recognized. Our recent award recognition also provided the team a sense of pride for the effort they’ve put forward to ensure we’re constantly working towards being best in class.” – Rich Morel, Carrying Place G & CC

For more information on 59club, visit www.59club.com  

Full list of award winners can be seen below;

Gold Flag Designations

Camelot Golf & Country Club, Cataraqui Golf & Country Club, Donalda Club, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club, Mad River Golf Club, Mickelson National Golf Club, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, Pinebrook Golf & Country Club, Royal Ottawa Golf Club, Sarnia Golf & Curling Club, Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, The Club at North Halton, The Derrick Golf & Winter Club, Victoria Golf Club

Silver Flag Designations

Fairmont Chateau Whistler  

Bronze Flag Designations

Black Bear Ridge Golf Club, McKenzie Meadows Golf Club

Golf Manager of the Year

Steven Young, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club 

Superintendent of the Year

Dean O’Doherty, La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club 

Food and Beverage Manager of the Year

Michelle Larcher, Mad River Golf Club

Golf Retail Manager of the Year

Ashley Zibrik, Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club 

Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation

La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club

Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club 

Leading Individual Retail Experience

Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

my59 Survey Service Excellence Award

Hamilton Golf & Country Club

Most Improved Golf Experience

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Stay up to date with all 59club development on social media on @59club Canada LinkedIn, or @59club_Canada on Instagram 

The nominees for 59club’s Canadian Service Excellence Awards, presented by Turtleson, are announced! The winners will be unveiled during two separate awards ceremonies; one at The University Club of Toronto on February 26th and at The Calgary Petroleum Club on February 28th – the second ceremonies of their kind to be hosted on Canadian soil. Everyone is welcome to attend to celebrate service excellence!
Register you and your team here.

These afternoon / evening events will include an hour session on the good, the bad and ugly of service in clubs as well as an impressive panel of some of our industry’s leaders new to the golf and club industry; James Rosnau, Raj Mutti, Andreas Spove, Martin Boucher and more!

59club’s prestigious accolades honour outstanding Venues, Teams, and Individuals in the global golf & hospitality industry consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences for members and guests.

The selection process remains unbiased, relying on scores attained through an in-depth and objective mystery shopping program. This program meticulously evaluates the experiences provided to members, visitors, and potential members across Golf, Greenkeeping, Retail, and F&B operations.

59CLUB CANADA ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS

Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation

Camelot Golf & Country Club

Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club

Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

St. George’s Golf & Country Club

Leading Individual Retail Experience

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Donalda Club

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Edmonton Petroleum Golf & Country Club

Golden Golf Club

Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience

Royal Ottawa Golf Club

St. George’s Golf & Country Club

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Mad River Golf Club

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club

La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club

My59 Survey Service Excellence Award

Saugeen Golf Club 

The Club at North Halton

London Hunt & Country Club

Hamilton Golf & Country Club

Carleton Golf & Yacht Club

Muskoka Lakes Golf & Country Club

Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Golf / Club Manager of the Year

Gary Ward – Mad River Golf Club

Jim Hope – The Derrick Golf & Winter Club

Steven Young – Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Glenn Phillips – Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Daniel Beauregard – Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

Michael Horsley – Donalda Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Sarnia Golf & Country Club

Donalda Club

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

The Derrick Golf & Winter Club

Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

Superintendent of the Year

Paul Robertson – Victoria Golf Club

Ian McQueen – St. George’s Golf & Country Club

Andrew Hart – Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Mike Van Sickle – Royal Ottawa Golf Club

Chris Chapman – Camelot Golf & Country Club

Dean O’Doherty – La Vallee du Richelieu Golf Club

Golf Retail Manager of the Year

Andrew McCarthy – Donalda Club

Jamie Parkinson – Sarnia Golf & Country Club

Andrew Szewczuk – Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Ashley Zibrik – Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Iain Reston – Cataraqui Golf & Country Club

Marc-Andre Piette – Camelot Golf & Country Club

Food & Beverage Manager of the Year

Michelle Larcher – Mad River Golf Club

Paul McGowan – McKenzie Meadows Golf Club

James Choi – Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Paul Hanner – Mickelson National Golf Club

Francois Guerin – La Vallee du Richelieu

Dale Manaj – The Derrick Golf & Winter Club

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Most Improved Golf Experience

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

The Club at North Halton

Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club

High-profile venues across the country were recognized for service excellence at glitzy ceremonies in Calgary and Toronto

Some of the golf industry’s very best clubs and Operators descended on The Glencoe Club and The National Club over the last week with the hope of claiming an industry ‘Oscar’ at 59club Canada’s first Service Excellence Awards. 

A couple of days that started with some insight on members followed by an impressive panel, ended in a glittering awards ceremony honouring the finest customer service providers for having achieved the highest standards of excellence across 2023.  

59club’s illustrious accolades are determined by scores collected from their impartial mystery shopping audits, which evaluate the experience afforded to visiting golfers and prospective members, in accordance with 59club’s objective benchmarking criteria. On the two nights, 59club presented 11 awards across different categories, recognizing ‘service excellence’ across all areas of the businesses – sales, service, operations, retail, golf course, food & beverage and management. With 59club continuing to reflect the very best performances, regardless of a venue’s size, scale or profile. 

Kudos to clubs or courses with multiple nominees including Credit Valley Golf & Country Club with seven, Sarnia golf & Curling Club with six and Oshawa Golf & Curling Club, Carleton Golf & Yacht Club, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club and Fairmont Banff Springs all with four a piece. 

It was a pleasure to see some large teams from Carrying Place Golf & Country Club, Fairmont Banff Springs and Mickelson National there to celebrate the evening. Some awards are individually awarded but more often than not they’re shared among the entire department. Team spirit is what these evenings are all about. 

59club’s Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations, are always a highlight of proceedings. These highly prized accolades recognise member clubs’ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout 2023.  

This year, 59club presented three ‘Gold Flags’. The deserving winners were: Donalda Club, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club and Credit Valley Golf & Country Club while Silver Flags were captured by four clubs; The Club at North Halton and three Fairmont properties: Jasper Park Lodge, Chateau Whistler and Banff Springs. 

Of this year’s awards, Simon Wordsworth, CEO at 59club, commented:

“The Glencoe Club and The National Club were perfect hosts for our first-ever awards ceremony in Canada, and my unerring congratulations go to our nominees, tonight’s winners, our supporters and everyone involved with 59club for their commitment to perfecting service standards across our industry.   

Just over 13 years ago, we celebrated our first award winning performances in the UK, and as I look back at that wealth of data, I am privileged to have witnessed 59club quite literally reinvent member and guest experiences across Golf & Hospitality using technology & data to measure, train and support our clients to achieve service excellence.  

Our promise to our clients, and to those just embarking on their journey with 59club – as 12 Franchises take hold around the world servicing golf, leisure, spa & hospitality providers – has always been to continue supporting their customer journey, with new tools and more intel, to equip our most ambitious companies in their pursuit of excellence.” 

Other prestigious award winners on the night included Andrew Hart, Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club, who took home the Superintendent of the Year award and Steven Young was congratulated with the Golf Manager of the Year award.  

Gavin MacIver was hailed Golf Retail Manager of the Year, while the Food & Beverage Manager of the Year title went to Michael Binns from Credit Valley Golf & Country Club.  

Individual experience awards were issued to Pinebrook Golf & Country Club for Best Overall Experience, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club for best F&B experience, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler for the best Retail Experience as well as the Highlands Golf Club and Oshawa Golf & Curling Club splitting the Best Individual Golf Course Experience award. 

To recognise venues which have shown continued commitment to engage, analyze and enrich their member and guest experience, utilizing a collateral of survey tools across 59club’s software platform, a ‘Service Excellence’ designation was awarded to Hamilton Golf & Country Club. 

For more information on 59club, visit www.59club.com  

Full list of award winners can be seen below;

Gold Flag Designations

Donalda Club, Credit Valley Golf & Curling Club, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club 

Silver Flag Designations

The Club at North Halton, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, Fairmont Chateau Whistler  

My59 Service Excellence Award

Hamilton Golf & Country Club 

Golf Manager of the Year

Steven Young, Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club 

Superintendent of the Year

Andrew Hart, Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club 

Food and Beverage Manager of the Year

Michael Binns, Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Golf Retail Manager of the Year

Gavin MacIver, Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year

Credit Valley Golf & Country Club 

Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation (tie)

Highlands Golf Club & Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience

Oshawa Golf & Curling Club 

Leading Individual Overall Experience

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Leading Individual Retail Experience

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Stay up to date with all 59club development on social media on @59club Canada LinkedIn, or @59club_Canada on Instagram 

The nominees for 59club’s Canadian Service Excellence Awards are announced! The winners will be unveiled during two separate awards ceremonies; one in Calgary at The Glencoe Club on March 8th and the other in Toronto at The National Club on March 12th – the first ceremonies of their kind to be hosted on Canadian soil. Everyone is welcome to attend to celebrate service excellence!
Register you and your team here.

These afternoon / evening events will include an hour session on the Membership Enquiry Process and an impressive panel of some our industry’s leaders; John Caven, Bill Morari, Miles Mortenson, Jana-Lyn Fairnbairn, Melanie van der Hoop and more!

59club’s prestigious accolades honour outstanding Venues, Teams, and Individuals in the global golf & hospitality industry consistently delivering exceptional customer experiences for members and guests.

The selection process remains unbiased, relying on scores attained through an in-depth and objective mystery shopping program. This program meticulously evaluates the experiences provided to members, visitors, and potential members across Golf, Greenkeeping, Retail, and F&B operations.

59CLUB CANADA ‘SERVICE EXCELLENCE’ AWARD NOMINATIONS

Leading Individual Golf Course Presentation

Highlands Golf Club

Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Carrying Place Golf & Country Club

Beaconsfield Golf & Country Club

Leading Individual Retail Experience

Royal Mayfair Golf Club

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

Richmond Country Club

Fairmont Chateau Whistler

Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Carleton Golf & Yacht Club

Leading Individual Food & Beverage Experience

Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

The Links at Brunello

Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Royal Mayfair Golf Club

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club

Leading Individual Overall Experience

The Club at North Halton

Camelot Golf & Country Club

Beaconsfield Golf Club

Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Carleton Golf & Yacht Club

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Pinebrook Golf & Country Club

My59 Survey Service Excellence Award

Riverside Country Club 

Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Hamilton Golf & Country Club

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Carleton Golf & Country Club

Golf/Club Manager of the Year

Tahlon Sweenie – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club

Jason Hanna – Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Glenn Phillips – Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Steven Young – Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Miles Mortenson – Mickelson National Golf Club

Marc-Andre Piette – Camelot Golf & Country Club

Golf Operations Team of the Year

Fairmont Chateau Whistler Golf Club

Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Club

Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club

Superintendent of the Year

Andrew Hart – Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club

Joel Trickey – Carleton Golf & Country Club

Joel Henderson – Sarnia Golf & Country Club

Chris Chapman – Camelot Golf & Country Club

Chris Bouwers – Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Golf Retail Manager of the Year

Mike Cyndroski – Richmond Country Club

Jamie Parkinson – Sarnia Golf & Country Club

Tahlon Sweenie – Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Club

Patrick Yashar – Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

Gavin MacIver – Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Food & Beverage Manager of the Year

Frank Mastromattei – Carrying Place Golf & Country Club

Holly Stovin – Oshawa Golf & Curling Club

Paul Hanner – Mickelson National Golf Club

Shannon Thyssen – Sarnia Golf & Curling Club

Michael Binns – Credit Valley Golf & Country Club

In the run up to launching 59club Canada, the customer service management specialists delivered a series of Mystery Shopper audits across the country that measured the ‘Golf Visitor Experience’.

You can view the headline findings from those mystery shopper audits in the ‘Canadian Preliminary Insights Report’ below...

In the competitive world of golf and country club management, staying ahead of the curve requires a combination of dedication, innovative strategies, and utilizing the right tools.

Today, we bring you insights from an industry leader who’s making headway in optimizing member experiences, Jason Hanna, COO of the Credit Valley Golf and Country Club in Canada. We talk about his vision, 59club’s transformative role in their operations, and the future of golf clubs in the region. 

The Visionary Path

Under Jason’s stewardship, Credit Valley aims to grow its member service standards by “creating means to measure our progress year over year and benchmarking with similar clubs in our market.” This ensures they’re either meeting or exceeding industry standards and expectations. 

Jason highlights the significance of 59club’s industry benchmarking services, calling them “an invaluable tool, not only for club managers but for committees and Boards to better understand industry standards.” 

Striking a Better Club Experience

Credit Valley is focusing on enhancing locker room and outside golf operations. They’ve found an ally in 59club, whose survey software and mystery shopping audits has resonated with the club’s team, mainly due to its granularity. This has facilitated more accurate evaluations, streamlined internal communications, and enriched staff training. 

“Benchmarking and surveys have been instrumental in setting targets. We have used the HR survey templates exclusively on staff to date in order have a sense of their comfort heading into a busy season, and a peer assessment method with our management team that folds into their appraisals. We will also be expanding to use surveys for Board and committee effectiveness,” Jason shares. This bespoke approach has been pivotal in understanding Credit Valley’s unique aspects, and driving continuous improvement. 

On Course for Continuous Improvement

When asked how they intend to capitalize on data, Jason expressed that the information gathered has already contributed to shaping their operational plans, especially around staff engagement. 

He also emphasizes the role of mystery shopping services in evaluating customer experiences, stating, “Receiving a timely, comprehensive report covering all areas of interaction at the club allows management to make real-time adjustments, or seek further inquiry into areas performing below standard.” 

Industry Influence and Future Forecasts

As a leader in the golf industry, Jason believes that 59club’s insights will contribute significantly to the growth of golf clubs in Canada, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area, that holds about 20% of the nation’s population and many of the top-tier clubs. 

“Implementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,”

He advises other golf clubs considering a partnership with 59club; “Due to the ability to build services around the specific needs and nuances, 59club will capture data and measure service standards at any club.” 

On the horizon for Credit Valley is further integration of these performance management services, especially in terms of member satisfaction surveys on targeted areas of the club’s amenities and additional mystery shopping across other areas of the business such as member onboarding. According to Jason, 59club’s regular training and support will make this a walk in the park.  

“Implementing new operations or software can be daunting at times, but working with 59club makes implementing new protocols and services fairly routine,” said Hanna. “59club is with us every step of the way, not only helping us read and interpret mystery shopping data, but also recommending and helping us with our employee education and training plans, as well as providing operations support, they are always focused on identifying opportunities for growth.” 

The partnership between Credit Valley Golf and Country Club and 59club paints a picture of progress and promise. With a vision to improve, the right tools in place, and a commitment to service excellence, the future seems bright for Credit Valley and the Canadian golf club industry as a whole. 

The world of golf and country club management, as observed through Jason’s lens, is one of relentless innovation, continuous improvement, and unwavering dedication to service excellence. As we navigate the future, these insights serve as a testament to the transformative power of collaboration, and the drive for progress that defines leaders like Jason Hanna and organizations like Credit Valley Golf and Country Club. 

59club’s Annual Awards Ceremony recognises the outstanding individuals, teams, venues, and groups within the global golf & hospitality industry for having achieved the highest standards of customer service excellence & sales performance.

Qualification for these prestigious accolades is unbiased; and determined by scores achieved through a detailed and objective mystery shopping program, which measures the experience afforded to members, visitors and prospective members spanning the entire Golf, Leisure, Spa, F&B & Hotel operation.

59club’s Industry Benchmark of excellence, it’s Gold, Silver and Bronze Flag Designations are also awarded annually, these highly prized accolades recognise member clubs’ and resorts that provide excellent facilities for golfers to enjoy, as well as having achieved the required standard of customer service throughout the year.

View the Canadian 2024 Award Winners here.

View our digital brochures for more information about 59club products & services

Please contact your regional manager for more information

59club, the industry leading sales & customer service analysts has today announced its global operations are expanding into Canada. The new opening signals great opportunities for the Canadian golf & hospitality market, as 59club’s signature performance management tools and global intel are now made available to businesses within the region.

59club has driven a data revolution within the industry, and are famed for their insightful customer satisfaction surveys, mystery shopping audits and employee education pathways. Their expertise and industry insight into global sales performance and customer service standards are well documented, and many of the greatest names in the club industry credit 59club for their properties success, working with them to measure, train, support and recognize their workforce as they achieve sales and customer service excellence, while elevating customer acquisition, satisfaction and profits.

Headquartered in the UK and firmly established in golf, hotels, leisure, spa and restaurants, 59club now has seven divisions across the USA, Middle East & Africa (MEA), Asia, two in Europe, with the latest opening in Canada.

With customers who include the likes of TPC Sawgrass, Bobby Jones Links, Emirates Golf Club – Dubai, Thai Country Club, The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Gleneagles, Le Golf National and Marco Simone to name just a few, and hundreds of other properties. When it comes to driving sales and customer service excellence 59club are proud to work with venues of all size and profile, supporting club management to deliver unprecedented service experience whilst simultaneously driving revenues and profits.

And the front man behind 59club Canada is Club Study owner and PGA member Ryan Tracy. Commenting of the new opening, Simon Wordsworth Founder of 59club said; “Ryan will be a great ambassador for our brand, and we are all excited to begin working with him and his existing clients as we introduce our products and services to the wider hospitality business community across Canada. We champion ‘service excellence’, and with this new division, golf as a global entity only serves to become bigger, better and stronger, with enhanced services and greater experiences tailored to the discerning golf & hospitality enthusiast, engineered from real live intel and expertise”.

Tracy added; “I have been fortunate to serve the golf industry in Canada for the last 20 years, specifically with Club Study providing customized pools of operational data in club management over the last two years. When a mutual client made an introduction to Simon, conversations over our shared passions and subsequently the similarities between the two entities made the decision for us to work together a natural progression. I realized immediately that the insight that 59club creates will help operators in Canada, and I am excited to bring these resources to market”.

And now as Club Study falls within the 59club armory, the pair can deliver even more industry insight as the bi-weekly national surveys, which had previously been connecting Club Managers in Canada & US, are now made available to the entire 59club global network.

Head to 59clubcanada.com for more information.

Clubs in Canada can sign up now for a Demo and to unlock a Free Trial by contacting Ryan.tracy@59club.com