UK Golf Federation news

The recently formed Club Managers Association of Europe – Middle East & North Africa Region (CMAE MENA) has held its first club education seminars under the title ‘Building confidence in communication’, to train golf course and other managers for new challenges. John Deere supported this initiative by bringing in communication expert Bill McFarlan to deliver several seminars earlier this year.

Bill McFarlan has a passion for helping people build their confidence in communication, having been a broadcaster for 25 years with some of Britain’s top radio and TV stations. Sharing what he’s learned from broadcasting and business, he helps create and deliver passionate presentations on how to conduct interviews confidently with the media and at work.

As clubs are becoming bigger, more diverse and more demanding, communication skills are more than ever a key requirement for managers at all levels. Using practical workshops, Bill McFarlan shared top tips and techniques on how to be relevant to any audience, deal with complaints and arguments, and recover difficult situations. The workshops were held at Education City Golf Club in Qatar, Al Mouj Golf Club in Oman and Dubai Creek & Yacht Club.

The events were also a great opportunity for John Deere to be involved alongside local dealers Progressive Trading Qatar, Oman Technical Agencies and Orient Irrigation Services, to meet the CMAE MENA members and support the team.

Carlos Aragones, John Deere’s Manager Sales & Marketing, Turf & Golf for Europe, CIS, North Africa, Near & Middle East, said: "Continued education is a core pillar of the John Deere philosophy, and through this partnership we are committed to making ourselves available to the association’s membership for advice and support.”

Michael Braidwood, General Manager at Education City Golf Club in Qatar and former CMAE Director of Education, said: ”CMAE MENA was delighted with the support John Deere offered us to be able to have our first educational seminars in the region. Without this support, the events would have not been possible. Over 60 club industry professionals benefited from Bill McFarlan’s expertise. It is great to partner with an organisation like John Deere, who have similar values to our own, and we look forward to working with them to deliver more first-class club executive education in the future.”

CMAE’s broader vision is to become the leading organisation for club management educational programmes, and John Deere is delighted to support the Association to achieve its goals.

ENDS (July 2019) Photo caption: Presenter Bill McFarlan (centre), Carlos Aragones of John Deere (third right) and some of the delegates at one of the first CMAE MENA club education seminars in the Middle East. About CMAE The Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) is a non-profit making professional association with members involved in the management of sports clubs (golf, tennis, sailing and other sports), health & fitness clubs, leisure, city and dining clubs located throughout Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. The CMAE is also a pan-European ‘unifying’ organisation for a variety of national professional associations for club managers and secretaries. National associations can affiliate with the CMAE, thereby giving their membership access to CMAE education programmes, international activities and events.