If Andrew MacAuslan has his way, you’ll be able to add golf to the list of things the Margaret River region is renowned for.
The General Manager of Margaret River Golf Club has overseen an unprecedented growth in membership and revenue since taking over the hot seat in December 2023.
More than 150 new members joined the club in 2024 – pushing total membership to well over 600 – while revenue increased by $168,000 over the same period.
These successes contributed to MacAuslan being named as the PGA WA Management Professional of the Year at the recent WA Golf Industry Awards, while Margaret River Golf Club picked up the Regional Golf Facility of the Year gong as well.
Not been a bad start to his tenure, then, but MacAuslan is focused on the longer term and has serious ambitions of making Margaret River GC a must-play Mecca for local and interstate golfers.
“We’re building towards a vision where the club is considered a destination that golfers actively want to come and play,” MacAuslan told GolfWA.
“There’s no reason why that shouldn’t happen, especially with Busselton airport now opening up to Melbourne in Sydney. That’s huge for the region and I want to make sure some of the golfers from over east come to play here instead of in Bali or the Mornington Peninsula.
“We’ve got it all in Margaret River: the food, the wine, the surf and the accommodation. It’s now just about making sure that the golf product is there as well.”
To that end, the club has recently carried out a drone survey and will engage a course architect to draw up a master plan of possible course and facility upgrades.
Last year’s increased revenue has also been prudently reinvested in enhanced tees and footpaths, upgrades to the driving range and replacing the fleet of ageing of greenkeeping vehicles.
“We want people to visit us and when they leave to realise that they’re played a really good golf course,” MacAuslan continued. “We are investing in the club to make sure that what we produce is top notch.
“The slogan of the club is ‘The Southwest’s Best-Kept Secret’. And that’s what we are. But why should we be a secret? I want the world to know how good our golf course is.”
The stunning Margaret River GC captured by drone
The secrets of my success
Here, Andrew MacAuslan identifies some of his key successes from his time as General Manager.
Grabbing the low-hanging fruit
I implemented some straightforward changes that have made a big difference to our bottom line. First, I surveyed the green fees at other clubs in the region and it was apparent our green fees were just too cheap, so these were raised to align with the other clubs. We also changed the bar operational hours. Prior to my arrival, we opened at 9am and closed at 5pm all year round. We now stay open much later and by doing so allow golfers to enjoy a beer or some food into the evening. That has helped increase revenue, but more importantly it has enhanced a sense of community.
Building meaningful community connections
I want the golf course to become central to the wider Margaret River community and have worked hard to establish partnerships with local businesses who share that vision. We now have major sponsors investing in the club and our sponsorship revenue has quadrupled in a little over a year. Little things like switching our beer supplier from a South Australian brewer to a local brewery has helped with that. The quality of the food and alcohol is a big part of what our region is known for, so I wanted to reflect that more in what we offer members and guests.
Taking members on the journey
I feel I’m a people person, and I always operate an open-door policy. Anyone can contact me or talk to me about anything at any time and, within reason, I’m happy to share what we’re doing. Our members are shareholders of the business, so I do what I can to ensure they’re all aware of my vision for the club and what we’re working towards. It helps that I’m a golf pro, too. I’m very active with the members and I feel like they’ve got to know me pretty well since I’ve been here. I attend a lot of meetings and am also active in the members-only Facebook group, which is a very effective way of communicating quickly.
Enhancing our digital offering
One of the first cabs off the rank was to rebuild our website. We utilised a specialist golf digital marketing company to overhaul the website to better reflect the facility and the course. We’ve made it as easy as possible for visitors to book a round and find out all about what we have to offer, and have updated the imagery with some stunning drone photography (taken by one of our members) to show the course at its best.
The little things matter
Simple things, like adding some flowers and greenery into the clubhouse, have helped make members and staff happy. There’s a great vibe at the club. You walk in and everyone’s smiling. It’s a joy to come to work if I’m honest.
Andrew MacAuslan (left) accepts the Regional Golf Facility of the Year Award at the WA Golf Industry Gala Dinner in March
