![\"Becoming](\"https:\/\/golftoday.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/melanoma-fund.jpg\")
<\/p>\nMichelle Baker is CEO of the Melanoma Fund and creator of the Slip! Slap! Swing! sun protection campaign for golf.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough becoming a golf club captain carries significant prestige, responsibility, and commitment, it will also be frustrating and hard work, but will create a set of skills, and memories that will enrich your life.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve served as vice-captain and are now stepping-up and lead your club, you may benefit from some key learnings, to not only avoid some of the most common pitfalls but make your tenure ultra- successful and most importantly enjoyable.<\/p>\n
From my experience, great golf club captains are undoubtedly those who love people, can take advice, stand their ground (but can be flexible), have the tenacity to carry through a strategic plan (with goals), and are able to get to grips with a digital diary! When it comes to attitude, although it is impossible to please everyone, a certain degree of managerial pragmatism is essential, and mixing that with a dose of good humour will win the day.\u201d<\/p>\n
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As well as living up to the efforts of your predecessors in maintaining the good name of the club (no pressure there), filling a spreadsheet with all manner of events and fun activities, you will also be responsible for appointing your club charity of the year. This will undoubtedly be a cause close to your heart or relevant to your club, which will not only benefit from your efforts, but will support you back, to ensure you make the most of your captaincy.<\/p>\n
The most successful collaborations I\u2019ve had with golf clubs are with those captains who have great support from the club and its members. Getting the managers to understand your goals is vital, as well as never losing site of them yourself, as the year can easily run away with you.<\/p>\n
My first experience was working with Chartham Park Golf Club, a fantastic course in the heard of Kent. Not only were the team captains agreed in supporting one charity, but they were also aligned in their joint responsibilities, and in amount of donations they were going to raise, which was simply more than the year before! Instead of trying to pry donations from their members, they invested in their events and included me as part of their team, to make all we did cohesive. Overall, the club raised approx. \u00a325,000 which was an incredible achievement, smashing all targets.<\/p>\n
This year, I have had the pleasure of working with Faversham Golf Club where both the lady and men\u2019s captains (Phil Dott and Sheila Fullager) selected us as their club charity. I have been impressed all year, not only with the club\u2019s community spirit, but also the way they work smart, and together as a big family.<\/p>\n