Hello CMAA! A few weeks ago, I audited BMI Sports & Recreation Management in Scottsdale, AZ. I went a few days early to visit a couple of National Park sites I had yet to see. Over the weekend, before the program began, the GM/COO of Arizona Country Club, Desi Speh, invited me to do an early morning hike up Camelback Mountain. After a quick review online, I agreed, as I read folks were running up the 1.23-mile trail in less than 20 minutes. How hard could it be, right?
We arrived at about 5:30 a.m., just after the sun rose, and the parking lot was full of hikers already out on the trail. I have to say I was surprised, but it was also going to be 105 degrees that day, so I figured earlier was wiser. We began our hike with a modest incline on a trail that quickly turned to climbing up a pile of rocks and was that way for much of the remainder of the “hike.” Ok, my thought of a hike is walking on a trail, not a scramble up rocks, and how is someone running up this in less than 20 minutes without tripping, tumbling, or doing even more harm to themselves? I am told by the local managers that a rescue helicopter plucks someone off the mountain weekly. Gee, go figure! Our climb began a weeklong journey into all that is fitness and wellness at clubs, beyond golf, as this is the focus of the BMI program.
In your clubs, your members represent every level of fitness. Each has different routines and goals, and, hopefully, their own wellness plans. Yes, the view from the top of Camelback was worth it, but the hour-long journey up the mountain with Desi was really the experience. In my opinion, it is why fitness and wellness journeys are one of the core building blocks for many of our clubs and a vital part of our member value proposition.
Desi Speh & Jeff Morgan
Camelback Mountain
Scottsdale, AZLast month I sent an email to you asking you to consider a membership for someone in your club for the Club Spa & Fitness Association (CSFA). Currently, CSFA is offering its mid-year membership dues rate of $150. Additionally, the 2021 CSFA Annual Conference is next month, August 25-26, at The Club at Admirals Cove in Jupiter, FL, and members receive a $100 discount on registration. I am truly a fan of CSFA (a CMAA subsidiary organization) and think you should be too, as it will support the development of your own member services in this area. It will help you to focus on the future by considering other ways to serve your members’ wellness journeys.
Not convinced? Are you aware of the spa trends below and how many of your members might already utilize them at facilities other than your club? Before you say, “spas are not for me” or “we do not have the space,” some clubs are considering utilizing contracted mobile spa services to serve members. How many of these services do you know about: hydrotherapy, halotherapy, gua sha, cupping, reiki, ayurveda, hammam, sound bathing, cryotherapy, aromatherapy, or percussive therapy? This is just a sample of the wellness services clubs could offer to support member health and wellbeing. A CSFA membership for one of your team members will help to ensure you are in the know and making the right decisions in this area for your club.
Do you still need convincing? Here are some of the 31 CSFA webinars and programs you may have missed this past year: “Enhancing the Level of Indoor Air Quality in Wellness Facilities”; “CBD Remedies and Healthy Electrolyte Hydration”; “Using Chinese Medicine & Essential Oils to Support Whole Body Health and What is Halotherapy?”; “Diet & Nutrition and Athletic Recovery & Immunity”; “Building Resilience to Trauma: Supporting Our Teams and Members During Times of Uncertainty”; “Integrating Wellness into Club Design”; “Your Digital Transformation”; “Bringing the Future of Wellness to the Core of Your Club”; and “What Health & Wellness Look Like in a Post-Pandemic World.”
I hope you’re convinced. At $150 for mid-year membership, it is a great value. Please consider extending the opportunities available through a CSFA membership and attendance at the upcoming CSFA Annual Conference in August to a member of your team. Learn more about all CSFA has to offer in this brief video.