SCPGA Launches Co-Op For Members

The Southern California PGA has officially launched a groundbreaking member benefit program that is exclusively available to SCPGA Members and provides access to negotiated pricing across a wide range of business categories. The SCPGA Club Co-Op program is available at no charge to the Section’s 1,500-plus club managers and golf professionals as part of the Association’s benefit to the membership. According to SCPGA Executive Director & CEO, Nikki Gatch, PGA, the program has been in development for more than a year and will offer significant savings and concierge-level service to the people responsible for the day-to-day operations of golf and country clubs.

“We are always exploring ways to enhance the value and benefits to our section membership,” says Gatch. “That effort has increased in response to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, particularly when it comes to saving money and time, as well as increasing efficiency and productivity. The Club Co-Op program will launch with a solid group of participating vendors, which will broaden as the year goes on.”

SCPGA members, she adds, are not obligated to use any of the goods and services in the Club Co-Op. Program participants will be accessible to members through a dedicated page on the SCPGA.com/Co-Op web site. Several vendors are positioned to offer negotiated pricing on everyday costs, including food and non-food services, that can translate into six- and seven-figure annual savings.

“One of the key features of the program is that our members will have the name, number and email of a contact person at the companies in the Co-Op,” says SCPGA Executive Director Emeritus, Tom Addis III, PGA . “So however you are comfortable making inquiries or shopping for ‘deals,’ you know you will be communicating with a person who can answer questions and directly address a club and facilities’ unique needs.”

The Club Co-Op administrator is Neil Hirsch, who has more than three decades of experience in the Group Purchasing space. Hirsch has run successful programs in the health-club and community college markets, bringing the buying power of large corporations to small- and medium-sized companies. The concept of Group Purchasing is hardly new, he points out, but within the context of the golf business—and as part of an existing member benefit package—it offers some eye-opening possibilities.

The Club Co-Op is now available to SCPGA Members in the link below with participants in categories ranging from maintenance supplies and event signage to club leasing/financing and cyber security—in addition to the aforementioned food and non-food services. Plans to expand the program in 2023 include the addition of tailored insurance products, private-label apparel, and marketing and public relations services. Additional details and periodic updates to the Club Co-Op program will be communicated through the association’s e-newsletter, magazine and webinar series.

VIEW THE CO-OP LANDING PAGE