Page 36 - GBC English Winter 2022

Steve Ilkiw
Steve is the Principal at Bedford Hill Consulting, which is a boutique strategy and marketing communications firm specializing in sport, membership, and B2B organizations. Bedford Hill Consulting helps leadership teams grow their organization with well constructed plans that enable cohesive execution and action. Contact Steve at stephen@bedfordhill.ca or 416-877-0325.
Located a 2-hour drive north of Toronto, in the rolling hills of Simcoe Region, and sitting atop the Niagara Escarpment, Duntroon Highlands Golf Club feels like more than a golf course. The restau- rant is called a ‘cafe’ and invites people to attend whether golfing or not. A sign on the long winding driveway points mysteriously to ‘The Barn’. Flashes of mountain bikers can be seen streaking through the forest behind the driving range.
Martin Rydlo, the owner, hangs out near the peak of his property, leans overthesteeringwheelofhisgolfcart,andseesanewopportunityinevery direction he looks. But we will get to that part a little later.
Over the last couple of years, the booming golf industry has been one of the few positive stories coming out of the pandemic. Tee sheets were filled, equipment and clothing sales spiked, and big profits were being made by everyone in the golf industry. The question for many, will it last? By the time this article is published, the 2022 season will be complete and trends over the course of the golf season will indicate if this resurgence in golf continues. Many golf course owners will know exactly where they are before the snow falls. Guided by a well thought out plan, they will have implemented OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) and followed departmental KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) closely throughout the
36 Golf Business Canada