Shelby Stamets is the Fitness and Wellness Director at Blackhawk Country Club in Danville, California.
Shelby Stamets on the importance of building a culture of fitness that goes beyond the golf course:
With many Blackhawk Country Club golfers in our fitness center every day, my team and I have implemented special programs that address their specific needs. In fact, one of our fitness professionals, Matt Teuscher, a TPI-certified trainer, offers TPI and video assessments as an initial means of engagement with golfers. In addition to Matt’s TPI assessments, our entire team of eight trainers is equipped to train golfers and help them realize the benefits of being physically fit for golf. For instance, seeing the benefits that fitness in golf can have on one’s game, as well as on one’s general lifestyle, our Blackhawk Women’s Golf Association, a high-level women’s golf group, approached us last year to do twice-a-week 60-minute classes that are exclusive to their members. The golf-specific topics covered in these group sessions help strengthen their golf games with better balance, joint mobility, strength and endurance. As a result, there is an increased understanding among golfers that pursuing time with our training staff will help them play the game pain-free and with more enjoyment. We help with mobility in their spine, hip and glute strength and overall mind-body awareness – that connection is vital for athletes in any sport. Getting the word out on these benefits is vital to getting members through the doors. We send a weekly “Healthy Highlights” newsletter that highlights what we’re doing in the fitness center, promoting personal training and more. We make sure they know we can create a plan that is specific to each individual for maximum benefit rather than simply prescribing the same cookie cutter program across our diverse membership.
Shelby Stamets on the business impact of building a culture of fitness that goes beyond the golf course:
We’ll send trainers and a massage therapist to the practice range before major club tournaments to conduct stretching exercises with golfers and help them warm up for their round. We set up a tent to bring attention to our team and will even partner with Hyperice and use their compression boots and a massage chair to bring awareness to this aspect of training and performance. We do chair massages for our tennis and pickleball players every Friday night and provide similar services before swim meets. After all, we understand how important fitness is to these athletes – spreading that awareness is step one in helping members achieve their goals in whatever sport they play. In addition to those eight trainers I already mentioned, we have 17 group fitness instructors and even have a couple of golfers who are working with our Pilates Reformer coaches. Our weekly calendar includes 45-50 classes to serve our 1,500 families (3,000 members). With about 350 visits per day to our fitness facility, ensuring we have a great team helps make it all work, and our members see what we bring to the table to help improve their skills and their overall well-being. We recently got approved for a capital project this year that will enable us to refresh our facilities with new equipment and a revised layout that will make better use of our existing space. I look forward to sharing those results in this publication later in the year.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email sstamets@blackhawkcc.org.
