HORSHAM Golf Club’s new manager Paul Riley has been in the role for a month now and said he was excited by the challenge and the club’s future prospects.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mr Riley, a professional golfer, brings a host of management experience from golf clubs in Asia. He most recently worked in Hong Kong.
Mr Riley said he a key focus for the club was to entice people from cities such as Adelaide and Melbourne to come to the club.
“Firstly, we want to grow the internal business and members are the number one priority,” he said.
“Secondly, we want to have guests and making sure people realise we are alive and kicking.
“I’ve been settling in and understanding the synergies of how the club operates, rather than just coming and changing things that don’t need changing.
“It’s about getting back to those little changes and improvements.
“They do take time but if we keep working at the attention to detail we will get there.
“I think the golf course is incredible, but I think there could be a couple of holes where we could add a bunker here or there.
“The clubhouse, course and town are great so we are looking at re-engaging Melbourne and Adelaide and getting people back.
“I think we have been forgotten a little bit.”
Mr Riley said October’s Western Open would be a great chance for the club to showcase what is on offer.
“We will showcase the Western Open as our premier event, but then we also have our spring week of golf, which is a huge week for the community and our members,” he said.
The clubhouse, course and town are great so we are looking at re-engaging Melbourne and Adelaide and getting people back here.
- Paul Riley
“We have some great initiatives from our board and we are hoping to bring that to fruition.”
Mr Riley, who is also the club’s director of golf, said he would be focused on a wide range of initiatives at the club.
“Ultimately working for the club there are a lot of little things to do and I want to be very well-read in every area,” he said.
“I want to streamline the operations and I have lots of ideas and then also bringing the governance and transparency for the club so the staff are well informed.”
Mr Riley said him and his family were focused on settling in to Horsham for the long term.
“The children can’t believe they can run around in huge spaces,” he said.
“We are here for the children to grow up and embrace. We really want to raise our children here. Obviously things can change but it’s definitely focused on Horsham and growing our family.”