12/22/2016 1:12 PM
Max, as far as needing a chef, what is your kitchen setup? Maybe you don't need a chef, maybe a short order style cook would be better for now. I think you will need to decide on a goal in the food department, and maybe it will require baby steps. I grew up around a golf course, my mom cooked and my dad was the food and beverage manager, (meaning they could pay him salary, but he worked in the pro shop, took care of carts, did the food shopping and tended bar). They kept things simple, at one course we had a grill and fryer, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, tuna, chief salads, egg salad, grilled cheese with mom's chili in the winter (we were in Florida) the ladies loved their diet plates of a scoop of tuna, sliced tomato, and cottage cheese, (I know things would have to be updated to taste today), along with a full bar. At our other course we worked at, it was a doublewide trailer, no kitchen, just a 3 compartment sink. We had a hot dog slinger, with kielbasa on Kaiser rolls, tuna, egg salad, and ham and cheese, with draft beer and soda. We didn't have the highest revenue, because we offered stuff at fair prices, but we did have the best profit percentages. Short story long, I guess just saying it doesn't have to be fancy.
You could also run specials to encourage food and beverage (can you sell beer/wine/liquor?) sells, especially to your leagues, encourage them to stay after play, create a fun atmosphere. We just took our chapter of superintendents to Topgolf, and as a group we had a great time playing games and drinking beer (and we had a charter bus to drive us home). We will see it after some of our bigger superintendent outings/scholarship and research tournament, we will stay and drink a few beers. I remember growing up we would host a 9 hole scramble, and as we totaled up the scores people would stick around and have a few, usually spending their winnings.
Of course take all this with a grain of salt, my experiences were back in the 70's early 80's, I do know things are a lot different now. But I think the goal is the same, provide an enjoyable experience at a fair price, you might just have to update and reach a bigger audience with parents doing so much for and with their kids.
I think having outings at first bringing their own food is ok, until and maybe even after your kitchen is up and running. At some of our city courses, we will actually cater in some food for groups, because we don't have the facilities except for hot dogs and hamburgers. We've brought in BBQ and Pasta for example.
I do agree with finding a good assistant to help manage the course, then a good assistant manager to just help with some of the day to day tasks in the clubhouse, like maybe scheduling and inventory to help making ordering easier for you.
Good luck!
Mel
Melvin H. Waldron III, CGCS, Horton Smith Golf Course, City of Springfield/Greene County MO