Page 14 - GBC Winter 2024 English

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Golf Business Canada
If you have been a victim of a
recent security incident at your facility, please be sure to notify your NGCOA Canada Regional Director immediately. Visit www.ngcoa.ca or call 1-866-626-4262.
clubhouse, can have significant financial and operational impacts. To effectively mitigate these risks, golf course operators must adopt a multifaceted approach that encompasses both preventative measures and proactive responses.
This following section out- lines a range of comprehensive strategies designed to enhance security and protect valuable assets. By implementing these detailed measures, from reinforcing physical barriers and improving surveillance systems to engaging with local authorities and fostering a strong security culture, owner / operators can significantly lower their risk of theft and ensure a safer environ- ment for their golf courses.
Reinforce Physical Barriers
•Upgrade Locks and Hardware: Invest in high-security locks such as Medeco or Schlage Primus, which offer advanced resistance to picking and bumping. Electronic locks with keypads or biometric authentication (fingerprint or retina scanners) add another layer of security, making unauthorized access more difficult. Reinforce door frames and hinges with heavy-duty metal plates to prevent them from being easily pried open. Regularly inspect and maintain locks to ensure they function properly and replace any that show signs of wear or tampering.
• Security Bars and Grilles: Install bars or grilles on all vulnerable windows and ground-floor openings. Opt for heavy-duty, welded steel bars with tamper- resistant fasteners. Grilles can be mounted on the inside of windows to make them less
as many other area golf courses were impacted, but happy the police made a presence... and perhaps a difference.”
“[One July] evening, I read an email that I had received from the NGCOA Canada notifying all members about thefts that had occurred at golf facilities in Quebec and Eastern Ontario recently. I forwarded the email to my work email with the intention of sharing the information with our staff the next morning with plans to consider options to increase security measures,” said Steve Martineau, General Manager of the Prescott Golf Club.
“Unfortunately, the next morning was too late as I received a call at 2am [that night] that we had been broken into,” lamented Martineau. “Fortunately, the perp- etrators triggered our motion alarm as soon as they entered the golf shop, and they ended up bolting through the clubhouse without taking any merchandise, cash or alcohol. We did share security video of the individuals with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and OPP informed me later that morning that we were one of six golf courses targeted that evening, with three of the courses having had their safes broken into. While we did not
have the opportunity to act on the warning email in time to prevent the break in, we do appreciate the communication that the NGCOA Canada provides to member clubs when important issues arise!”
During this anxious period, the NGCOA Canada also helped collect as much detailed information (videos, photos, and comments) from all the golf courses that were impacted. This information was immediately shared with a special investigator who is currently working on this case in conjunction with the OPP, Gatineau Police and Sûreté du Québec. Throughout the summer, the NGCOA Canada Regional Directors focused member discussions on these recent thefts and other security issues at the dozen NGCOA Summer Coffee Break gatherings across Ontario.
A COMPREHENSIVE SECURITY APPROACH: FROM GOLF CART SECURITY TO CLUBHOUSE PROTECTION
Unfortunately, as previously noted, in today’s evolving security landscape, safeguarding golf course assets has become increasingly crucial. Theft, whether it involves your power cart fleet or break-ins at the