The Future Arrives at the Clubhouse: How Technology and Member Expectations Are Transforming Canada’s Golf & Leisure Clubs
For Canada’s golf and leisure clubs, the past decade has brought an unprecedented shift, one shaped not only by the pandemic’s ripple effects but by rapidly evolving technology and dramatically heightened member expectations. Foodbuy spoke with Suzanne Godbehere, Chief Executive Officer of the Club Management Association of Canada (CMAC), to better understand how these forces are reshaping the sector.
A seasoned business leader with more than 30 years of strategic, operational, and marketing experience, Godbehere leads CMAC in strengthening professional development, certification, and leadership excellence across Canada’s club sector. Representing nearly 700, CMAC supports general managers, CEOs, food and beverage leaders, membership directors, and operational teams across golf clubs, yacht clubs, multi-sport facilities, social clubs, curling clubs, and prominent city clubs.
“Many of these organizations function much like small cities,” Godbehere explains, referencing the complexity and sophistication involved in running modern clubs. Whether managing a high-volume urban club or a sprawling private golf course, leaders face a rapidly evolving landscape that demands agility and innovation.
Technology Moves From Novelty to Necessity
What once felt experimental now feels essential. For many clubs, technology is no longer a “nice-to-have” but an operational backbone.
Club leaders are increasingly turning to AI-powered tools to reduce administrative burden and improve responsiveness. What began with meeting transcription software, tools that generate instant action lists, eliminate manual note-taking, and streamline follow-up, has expanded into far more sophisticated applications.
Godbehere points to emerging use cases inside club environments:
- AI-powered member service
Some clubs are implementing intelligent bots capable of responding to member online queries such as – tee time availability, dress codes, room bookings, and event details – ensuring quicker, consistent responses and reducing pressure on frontline staff.
One club is piloting an AI-driven call system that logs member requests and distribute them to the appropriate internal teams, supporting faster resolution and helping clubs manage ongoing staffing shortfalls by reducing the volume of routine inquiries that would otherwise require frontline personnel.
- Robotics and automation on the operations side
AI isn’t only changing member-facing interactions. It’s also reshaping the physical environment.
At the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club, robotic food delivery runners transport food and beverages through the restaurant, improving efficiency while delighting younger members.
In the golf segment, automated mowers are gaining attention. These machines not only maintain consistent turf height but recognize contours, course variations, and terrain changes, optimizing maintenance at a level previously unimaginable.
“These tools can significantly improve both efficiency and the quality of service delivery,” Godbehere says. “They allow staff to focus on higher-value interactions.”
- Experience-enhancing technologies
Clubs are rapidly expanding experiences that go beyond the traditional golf season. Golf simulators, once tucked away in basements, are evolving into full lounge environments offering food, beverage, and social spaces—some even being installed in city clubs with no outdoor golf facilities.
Modernized golf carts with GPS tracking, distance-to-pin functionality, and real-time course information are becoming standard expectations.
And innovative applications such as geo-fencing, which can alert staff when a member arrives on property, are beginning to redefine personalization. While acknowledging the need for thoughtful implementation, Godbehere recognizes their potential: “Used appropriately, these tools can elevate the member experience in meaningful ways.”
The Next Generation of Club Members
As technology accelerates, the composition and expectations of club members are evolving too.
“Millennials and Gen Z approach club life differently. They value community, wellness, inclusivity, and flexible experiences. Technology-enabled interactions—mobile booking, personalized communication, and year-round hybrid experiences—align with their expectations.
Godbehere explains. “Clubs must adapt their programming and engagement models to remain relevant to these emerging member groups. Clubs that thrive will be those that invest early in innovation, talent, and member-centric design.”
Meanwhile, Generation X is moving toward retirement, becoming an increasingly important demographic for long-term membership stability. Understanding this next wave of members is critical for shaping strategic planning, investment, and program design.
Rising Expectations in a Post-Pandemic Era
The pandemic accelerated a significant increase in club usage, particularly in golf. Although the initial surge was driven by the need for safe outdoor activities, interest has remained strong.
“Tee sheets continue to be full, and overall utilization remains elevated,” Godbehere notes. “Managing capacity while maintaining the quality of the member experience has become a central priority.”
Members now expect faster service, more personalized interactions, and greater transparency around value. These expectations extend beyond members, partners and vendors, who increasingly seek measurable returns and higher levels of engagement.
“Expectations have risen across all stakeholder groups,” she says. “This requires clubs to be intentional, strategic, and member-centric in every aspect of operation.”
Education, Certification & the Talent Pipeline
As the sector evolves, professional development and workforce sustainability remain at the forefront of CMAC’s mandate.
Godbehere sees two pillars as essential:
- Professional development and certification
CMAC, via their partnership with the Club Management Association of America (CMAA), offers the only globally recognized certification, the Certified Club Manager (CCM) designation, for club management professionals in Canada—an important credential in an industry without a formal academic pathway in Canada.
“Certification provides credibility, builds confidence, and ensures leaders have the required competencies to manage increasingly complex club environments,” Godbehere explains.
- Building a sustainable talent pipeline
Labour shortages continue to affect hospitality, and recent federal restrictions on international students have created added pressure. CMAC has engaged in targeted advocacy to help the government understand the operational and economic implications for clubs across the country.
“Students represent a meaningful portion of the hospitality workforce,” she says. “When their access is restricted, clubs feel it immediately.”
The Takeaway: A Sector on the Cusp of Reinvention
From AI service bots to robotic turf maintenance, from rising expectations to the urgent need for talent development, Canada’s clubs are evolving.
For club leaders, the future will be defined by adaptability, innovation, and a relentless focus on elevating member value.
From AI-driven service models to evolving membership demographics and rising performance expectations, the role of the modern club leader is changing rapidly.
“The pace of change will continue to accelerate,” Godbehere emphasizes. “Clubs need to embrace innovation and remain deeply focused on member value.”
As Godbehere summarizes, “The industry is moving forward quickly. It’s essential that we all move with it.”
Foodbuy supports the club sector, by identifying opportunities that help clubs modernize operations, deliver consistent quality, and create meaningful and cost-saving efficiencies.
Article as published in Foodbuy’s 2026 Golf & Leisure Guide.