The European Golf Course Owners Association (EGCOA) and the Club Managers Association of Europe (CMAE) have launched their 2011 e-learning programme, created in conjunction with Hotelschool The Hague.

The course entitled, ‘Membership, Marketing and Food & Beverage Management for Clubs’, will take place twice this year, from  11 May-29 June and 12 October-30 November.

The courses, which launched in 2010 for the first time, are a joint venture organised in conjunction with Hotelschool The Hague Performance Management BV (HPM). Hotelschool The Hague is one of the world's top universities for hotel management, and boasts Hilton, Starwood and the Hotel Okura Company amongst its global clients. 

The online courses are open to club managers across Europe. 

“The flexible nature of the course is of particular benefit to me, as time is precious, and with a young family my time is no longer necessarily my own,” said Richard Pennell, assistant secretary at New Zealand Golf Club in England. “The course is entirely flexible. I believe there is currently nothing else around for the Club Manager that can come anywhere near it. If you are studying for the CCM accreditation, you will pick up valuable education credits, but more importantly, you will enjoy every minute.”

EGCOA director Lodewijk Klootwijk, said: “The marketplace for golf is changing rapidly. More than ever, golf courses need well-trained managers and staff. One of the core goals of the EGCOA is to professionalise the business. These courses are a perfect initiative for this goal. We are very pleased that we can offer our members a program that is tailor-made for the golf industry.”