From telephone service and the digital experience to the course and food and beverage, no detail now escapes the scrutiny of mystery testers at Esery. Since introducing the 59club programme, the Haute-Savoie club has transformed auditing into a genuine driver of collective improvement. Its General Manager reflects on what convinced him, how the teams responded, and the value of benchmarking against European standards for a club that has been established for more than thirty years. Interview.
1 – What motivated you to work with 59club and to introduce mystery visits at Golf Club d'Esery?
I first came across 59club a few years ago at a presentation organised by the AIMG. The concept struck a chord with me straight away, because I firmly believe that customer experience is now a major point of differentiation for a golf club. It's a subject I'm passionate about, and one where I enjoy driving the club forward day after day.
We also wanted to partner with a specialist in the golf world, one with a genuinely European dimension. That's what appealed to us about 59club. Beyond the audit itself, it allows us to benchmark our quality standards against those of clubs across Europe — particularly in the United Kingdom, where golf and hospitality culture is especially well developed. That benchmark is invaluable. It gives us the perspective to step back and look at our own practices, identify our strengths as well as our areas for improvement, all against objective criteria.
2 – Have you noticed a change in your teams' engagement or attitude since the audits were introduced?
Yes, very clearly. The teams welcomed the results with real openness and professionalism. The audits have never been seen as a control mechanism, but as a genuine driver of progress. Everyone has embraced the process with a real desire to improve the experience at the club, for our visitors and our members alike.
That momentum has generated a great deal of dialogue between departments and has embedded a true culture of continuous improvement. Today, everyone pays closer attention to the details that make the difference in the quality of our welcome and our service.
3 – In your view, how does this programme contribute to developing your teams' skills and motivation?
When a club has been going for more than thirty years, certain habits naturally set in. You no longer instinctively notice the small details that make the difference to the customer experience. The audits bring an outside perspective, precise and objective indicators, and very concrete points of comparison. It's an excellent tool for moving teams forward.
Beyond the analysis, there's also something highly motivating about tracking how our audit KPIs evolve from one visit to the next. It gives everyone a shared goal and a real appetite to keep raising the bar. We are constantly striving to get closer to excellence, and this kind of tool genuinely helps us move in that direction.
4 – Which aspects of the customer experience have improved as a result of working with 59club?
We have worked extensively on the welcome, and on the telephone welcome in particular, which is so often the first point of contact with the club. The audits have also informed our thinking around the digital experience. We recently overhauled our digital tools, our website and its usability, along with all the information and confirmations sent to players ahead of their visit.
On the course, which of course remains our priority, the audits help us pick up on details we no longer always notice day to day. Our course is already recognised for its quality, but it is often these many small adjustments, taken together, that push the overall experience further still — whether out on the course or across our facilities.
5 – In your view, what value does 59club bring to the role of a golf club director?
The main benefit is that it gives you a view of the club's operation that is both comprehensive and highly detailed. The role of a golf club director spans extraordinarily varied territory: the welcome, marketing, the course, facilities, the practice ground, the changing rooms, food and beverage… It is impossible to be an expert in every one of those disciplines.
The audits, along with the satisfaction surveys we run with our members, give us reliable, objective data across all of these areas. The feedback is sometimes demanding, even a little harsh, but that is precisely what makes it valuable. It helps us better understand what our members expect, identify needs we hadn't always recognised, and take concrete action to improve. It is a tremendous tool for self-examination and for developing skills.
The other great strength of 59club lies in its European dimension. Being able to compare ourselves with establishments renowned for the quality of their welcome and the experience they offer is extremely stimulating. That benchmark allows us to look elsewhere for ideas, draw inspiration from best practice, and align ourselves fully with what today's golfers expect. Ultimately, it is a genuine decision-making tool that lets us run the club with greater perspective, objectivity and ambition.