From the CEO

What an incredible month we have had celebrating the opening of our Bay Course. The opening weekends were nothing short of a triumph. We have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback shared by members who enjoyed the relaxed and festive celebrations, marking one of the most memorable and historic occasions in the Club’s history.

While we remained cautious about the weather and postponed golf, it turned out to be a silver lining. The extra time allowed our celebrations to stretch across two weekends, and in doing so, built anticipation and excitement. The weather held up for our cocktail celebrations, and the skies cleared in time for golf play the following weekend. Members enjoyed an unforgettable experience, with the Club’s Concourse-turned village buzzing with the sounds, flavours, and spirit of celebration. Exceptional food, flowing drinks, and a true festival feel made it a highlight of the year.

One piece of feedback that stood out was the recognition of our incredible staff, who had come from all areas of the Club to support these reopening events, stepping outside their usual roles to help create something special. It was wonderful to see so many familiar faces contributing to the evening – not just working behind the scenes, but actively sharing in the celebration with members. Personal connection is at the heart of our culture here at Royal Sydney and it was certainly on display.

Learning & Development
Delivering an exceptional member experience is at the core of everything we do. In 2024, we launched our new staff training, the Good to Great program. Over 120 staff members came together for what became the largest service training program in the Club’s history. The success of this initiative, met with the energy and enthusiasm from our staff, will see the return of this program in May as part of our commitment to exceptional hospitality.

Developing our team professionally underpins this service ethos and accordingly, we are continuing our highly successful Foundations of Management program. We have 13 talented future leaders of the Club invited to take part in this course, led by facilitators from the University of Sydney. I wish our participants all the best of luck and look forward to sharing their learnings.

Golf Experience
With golf now returning to our newly redeveloped Bay Course, the spotlight is on the golfing experience we provide. To support this and the development of our golf team, we have recently engaged 59 clubs and an organisation focused on service in the golf environment.

We are also committed to strengthening industry relationships locally with the PGA/Golf Managers Association and the State and National sporting bodies, but also internationally with NACAD (North American Conference of Athletic Directors), PCMP (Private Clubs Membership Professionals) & CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) to ensure we are engaging and aspiring to be the best. 

New Hires
Investing in our team’s growth is critical to our success. I am thrilled to welcome Alex Johnson as the Club’s Restaurant Manager, who will step in following Menuka Khadka’s successful transition to Functions Operation Manager. As recently highlighted to members, we are also welcoming back Director of Golf Nicholas Robb, who will be joining the Club in mid-May.

Member Feedback
Our Clubhouse Chats and Member Survey are just two ways we show our commitment to learning and improving. We value member feedback, whether that is celebrating your great experiences or pointing out where we could do better. Please do not hesitate to share your thoughts with us at any time. Your insights will continue to help us shape a better Club experience for all members.

Our next Clubhouse Chats will be held this Wednesday 16th April and next Tuesday 22nd April. In the lead up to the Royal Sydney AGM on Wednesday 30th April, I invite you all to join the President to ask questions and discuss the things that matter to you.

Thank you from all of our team for your ongoing support.

Des Mulcahy
CEO
Monday 14th April 2025