March 16, 2026
486: The Room Matters
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WEBVTT
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.610
Welcome to the Private Club Radio Show, the show where you get the scoop on life inside private golf and country clubs.
00:00:05.690 --> 00:00:13.580
I'm your host, Denny Corby, and each episode is a real conversation with club leaders, the pros, the people and partners who help clubs thrive.
00:00:13.970 --> 00:00:20.929
We talk leadership, culture, food and beverage, member experiences, member engagement, marketing, governance, and so much more.
00:00:21.230 --> 00:00:27.350
If you want practical ideas, better teams and a club experience, members actually feel and talk about.
00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:29.390
You are in the right place now.
00:00:29.690 --> 00:00:30.559
Welcome to the show.
00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:39.091
In this episode, I want to talk about something that can quietly, I don't wanna say make or break an an event at your club, but it can.
00:00:39.691 --> 00:00:43.320
And that is the room, not the event concept.
00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:52.831
Not the menu, not the email Invite the actual room that your members walk into the room, that they feel the one that you are all in all the time.
00:00:53.040 --> 00:01:01.320
And there's one thing I think we can do as club professionals a little bit better is walk the room a little more and a little better with more intention.
00:01:01.680 --> 00:01:02.430
What does that mean?
00:01:03.030 --> 00:01:05.430
This is coming from me in the event space side.
00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:23.490
It's, you know, when you have the room set up, don't just set it up and let it be the best event planners, the best GMs, the best people who do events at their club, they get, I don't wanna say nitty gritty and down and dirty, but they experience the room.
00:01:23.960 --> 00:01:38.840
As it's set up and as it's being set up as the members, they're sitting in different chairs, they're going to different spots in the room, and they're listening and they're looking, and the good ones are also going to different levels, meaning they're literally going to different levels.
00:01:39.236 --> 00:01:41.066
Why not slouch down in your seat?
00:01:41.126 --> 00:01:44.275
What does it look like from a different angle, a different perspective?
00:01:44.305 --> 00:01:46.766
Maybe stack some books or sit on a bunch of stack chairs.
00:01:46.766 --> 00:01:49.046
Maybe get a different eye level, a different sight line.
00:01:49.376 --> 00:01:59.876
Um, listen to the sound from different points of the room, from the back, from the front, to the sides, to the middle, to the extreme sides, to the corners to is the sound hitting.
00:01:59.876 --> 00:02:01.975
All those little details matter.
00:02:01.975 --> 00:02:07.525
And the best event people, the best club people know that and they are engaging with the room, right?
00:02:07.525 --> 00:02:08.455
They're looking at.
00:02:08.795 --> 00:02:09.545
The setup.
00:02:09.575 --> 00:02:19.645
Okay, yeah, the stage looks great here now, but hey, we're doing a magic show tonight, And the stage is right in front of the giant window, which is great, but there's no curtain.
00:02:19.675 --> 00:02:25.015
And then when it gets dark, it turns into a giant mirror, which for a magic show, it turns it into a lecture.
00:02:26.355 --> 00:02:29.056
But it's just noticing and looking at those different things.
00:02:29.056 --> 00:02:31.126
It's going, Hey, can we put a backdrop here?
00:02:31.366 --> 00:02:32.955
Is everything cleaned up?
00:02:33.045 --> 00:02:35.325
Are, is the ugly being hidden?
00:02:35.445 --> 00:02:37.425
Are there things we could move away?
00:02:37.425 --> 00:02:38.355
Is there clutter?
00:02:38.355 --> 00:02:41.216
Is there other things that we can do to clean up the room?
00:02:41.480 --> 00:02:41.600
I.
00:02:41.855 --> 00:02:43.955
Are we thinking about the music, right?
00:02:43.985 --> 00:02:51.036
Does the music and the type of music match the event and the vibe of the room and the tone and what's all going on?
00:02:51.246 --> 00:03:04.716
All of that stuff matters, and I think that's one thing as club leaders we can do a little bit better, is just taking that little extra time and just working and owning and being in the space a little bit better, a little bit more intentional.
00:03:05.316 --> 00:03:08.915
In doing so, ideally before it even starts, right?
00:03:08.915 --> 00:03:14.466
It's being a little bit conscious of, hey, in a couple weeks we have something coming up.
00:03:14.496 --> 00:03:16.300
Hey, do we have the right lights for this?
00:03:16.950 --> 00:03:18.751
Is the stage gonna be set up well?
00:03:18.901 --> 00:03:20.550
Is the room gonna be a vibe?
00:03:20.640 --> 00:03:22.531
Hey, we should maybe order some uplights.
00:03:22.531 --> 00:03:24.961
'cause I think that would look really nice and do whatever, right?
00:03:25.170 --> 00:03:25.800
Don't do it.
00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:29.281
Or think about the week before, a couple days before, look at your schedule.
00:03:29.281 --> 00:03:34.651
Look what's coming up in the next couple of months that maybe you could already now start to enhance a little bit.
00:03:34.651 --> 00:03:41.790
You can start thinking about things that maybe happened last year that you can make it a little bit better and cleaner, more organized, more.
00:03:42.161 --> 00:03:42.191
Vibey.
00:03:43.121 --> 00:03:44.393
More exciting this year.
00:03:44.992 --> 00:03:50.663
And sometimes it's even, you know, thinking about it from the member's perspective, but perspective, but also your perspective.
00:03:51.052 --> 00:03:52.703
Would you feel good here?
00:03:52.703 --> 00:03:54.652
Would you feel good in this environment?
00:03:56.002 --> 00:03:57.323
Would you like the seat?
00:03:57.923 --> 00:03:59.782
If you had that seat at an event?
00:03:59.812 --> 00:04:00.842
Would you like that seat right?
00:04:01.443 --> 00:04:03.362
And all of this just ties into something bigger.
00:04:03.362 --> 00:04:06.242
'cause event planning Act clubs is not just about logistics, right?
00:04:06.242 --> 00:04:08.703
We're talking about, it's about the member experience.
00:04:08.703 --> 00:04:09.693
That's the real job.
00:04:10.293 --> 00:04:16.473
And as we know, we can have an amazing room, great food, strong programming, and still sometimes miss the Mark A.
00:04:16.473 --> 00:04:19.593
Little bit if the setup makes the event harder to enjoy.
00:04:20.192 --> 00:04:23.252
So few little small adjustments can change everything.
00:04:23.283 --> 00:04:27.483
Shift focal points, move some tables, clean up a background, add some lighting.
00:04:27.483 --> 00:04:29.793
Change the mic set up, get a better sound system.
00:04:29.793 --> 00:04:32.642
Reposition a screen handle glare before it.
00:04:32.682 --> 00:04:36.853
Before your members walk in, small changes, big differences.
00:04:36.853 --> 00:04:42.523
And the best part is members may never specifically point any of that out to you.
00:04:43.122 --> 00:04:46.483
Like no one's gonna come up and be like, wonderful sight lines tonight, Cheryl.
00:04:46.843 --> 00:04:48.762
But, but they will feel it.
00:04:50.233 --> 00:04:56.442
They will feel when the room works and they feel when it's easy to settle in, follow along, and enjoy the experience.
00:04:57.043 --> 00:04:58.122
And that's what great clubs do.
00:04:58.122 --> 00:05:01.963
They don't just schedule events and schedule fun and do these things.
00:05:01.963 --> 00:05:04.812
They, they, they shape the environment around them.
00:05:05.413 --> 00:05:14.507
So before your next thing, speaker night, member Night Wine Night Comedy Night comedy, magic night awards program, holiday celebration, member event, whatever.
00:05:15.103 --> 00:05:25.452
Spend a few extra minutes in the room, being in the room as it's being set up and think, what are some small changes that we can do to make this a little bit better?
00:05:26.052 --> 00:05:30.257
Walk in, sit in, listen in, think and act like a member.
00:05:30.858 --> 00:05:31.398
And that's all.
00:05:31.487 --> 00:05:34.307
Just think a little bit more about, okay.
00:05:35.598 --> 00:05:38.358
About the room, about the events, how to make it a little bit better.
00:05:38.418 --> 00:05:42.168
Don't just set it up and whatever's on the diagram, that's what you put.
00:05:42.168 --> 00:05:45.617
If, if you're setting up the room and it, and it starts to feel right, you can change it up.
00:05:45.617 --> 00:05:47.567
You can change the diagram later, you can do whatever.
00:05:48.947 --> 00:05:53.778
I've just been doing a ton of events lately and just different rooms, different environments, and that's why I always love to show up early.
00:05:53.778 --> 00:05:56.267
'cause I'm also not afraid to move things around.
00:05:56.267 --> 00:05:58.913
Sometimes people get a little upset, but also at the end of the day, it's.
00:05:59.728 --> 00:06:02.247
You know, my show and I wanna make the, the best for it.
00:06:02.247 --> 00:06:09.298
So I'm not afraid to go, you know, pull some tables a little bit closer if there's weird gaps or if it's, you know, too, too much space in between tables and people.
00:06:09.298 --> 00:06:16.197
Because I know for me and my show, the more we're together and closer and the same, it's the same with comedy and a lot of fun events, right?
00:06:16.197 --> 00:06:18.598
You want people as close and tightly packed together.
00:06:18.598 --> 00:06:23.007
'cause that's where humor and laughter, and that's how like the ball starts, starts rolling and that's.
00:06:23.372 --> 00:06:27.423
When events become fun and the energy and the vibe starts, starts going, that's not for everything.
00:06:27.423 --> 00:06:34.833
But I know at least for my show, that's like, that's a very important thing is getting people a little bit closer, a little bit tighter, uh, but each show, each, each things is different.
00:06:34.833 --> 00:06:35.762
And that's what this is about.
00:06:36.362 --> 00:06:37.923
That is this episode.
00:06:37.952 --> 00:06:42.273
If you and your club is looking for a really fun member event night.
00:06:42.742 --> 00:06:44.122
You have the Denny Corby experience.
00:06:44.122 --> 00:06:45.413
There's excitement, there's mystery.
00:06:45.413 --> 00:06:47.242
Also, there's magic, mind reading and comedy.
00:06:47.423 --> 00:06:49.702
A ton of laughs, gasps, and holy craps.
00:06:50.122 --> 00:06:58.043
If you wanna learn more, head over to dy corby.com working on the second half of 2026 and into 2027.
00:06:58.642 --> 00:07:07.098
One of the most fun member event nights, your members will have guaranteed performed for well over 400 clubs Let's have a conversation, but that's this episode.
00:07:07.939 --> 00:07:09.108
I'm your host, denny Corby.
00:07:09.348 --> 00:07:12.079
Until next time, catch y'all on the flippity flip.
00:07:12.678 --> 00:07:12.798
I.
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.610
00:00:05.690 --> 00:00:13.580
00:00:13.970 --> 00:00:20.929
00:00:21.230 --> 00:00:27.350
00:00:27.739 --> 00:00:29.390
00:00:29.690 --> 00:00:30.559
00:00:30.780 --> 00:00:39.091
In this episode, I want to talk about something that can quietly, I don't wanna say make or break an an event at your club, but it can.
00:00:39.691 --> 00:00:43.320
And that is the room, not the event concept.
00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:52.831
Not the menu, not the email Invite the actual room that your members walk into the room, that they feel the one that you are all in all the time.
00:00:53.040 --> 00:01:01.320
And there's one thing I think we can do as club professionals a little bit better is walk the room a little more and a little better with more intention.
00:01:01.680 --> 00:01:02.430
What does that mean?
00:01:03.030 --> 00:01:05.430
This is coming from me in the event space side.
00:01:05.430 --> 00:01:23.490
It's, you know, when you have the room set up, don't just set it up and let it be the best event planners, the best GMs, the best people who do events at their club, they get, I don't wanna say nitty gritty and down and dirty, but they experience the room.
00:01:23.960 --> 00:01:38.840
As it's set up and as it's being set up as the members, they're sitting in different chairs, they're going to different spots in the room, and they're listening and they're looking, and the good ones are also going to different levels, meaning they're literally going to different levels.
00:01:39.236 --> 00:01:41.066
Why not slouch down in your seat?
00:01:41.126 --> 00:01:44.275
What does it look like from a different angle, a different perspective?
00:01:44.305 --> 00:01:46.766
Maybe stack some books or sit on a bunch of stack chairs.
00:01:46.766 --> 00:01:49.046
Maybe get a different eye level, a different sight line.
00:01:49.376 --> 00:01:59.876
Um, listen to the sound from different points of the room, from the back, from the front, to the sides, to the middle, to the extreme sides, to the corners to is the sound hitting.
00:01:59.876 --> 00:02:01.975
All those little details matter.
00:02:01.975 --> 00:02:07.525
And the best event people, the best club people know that and they are engaging with the room, right?
00:02:07.525 --> 00:02:08.455
They're looking at.
00:02:08.795 --> 00:02:09.545
The setup.
00:02:09.575 --> 00:02:19.645
Okay, yeah, the stage looks great here now, but hey, we're doing a magic show tonight, And the stage is right in front of the giant window, which is great, but there's no curtain.
00:02:19.675 --> 00:02:25.015
And then when it gets dark, it turns into a giant mirror, which for a magic show, it turns it into a lecture.
00:02:26.355 --> 00:02:29.056
But it's just noticing and looking at those different things.
00:02:29.056 --> 00:02:31.126
It's going, Hey, can we put a backdrop here?
00:02:31.366 --> 00:02:32.955
Is everything cleaned up?
00:02:33.045 --> 00:02:35.325
Are, is the ugly being hidden?
00:02:35.445 --> 00:02:37.425
Are there things we could move away?
00:02:37.425 --> 00:02:38.355
Is there clutter?
00:02:38.355 --> 00:02:41.216
Is there other things that we can do to clean up the room?
00:02:41.480 --> 00:02:41.600
I.
00:02:41.855 --> 00:02:43.955
Are we thinking about the music, right?
00:02:43.985 --> 00:02:51.036
Does the music and the type of music match the event and the vibe of the room and the tone and what's all going on?
00:02:51.246 --> 00:03:04.716
All of that stuff matters, and I think that's one thing as club leaders we can do a little bit better, is just taking that little extra time and just working and owning and being in the space a little bit better, a little bit more intentional.
00:03:05.316 --> 00:03:08.915
In doing so, ideally before it even starts, right?
00:03:08.915 --> 00:03:14.466
It's being a little bit conscious of, hey, in a couple weeks we have something coming up.
00:03:14.496 --> 00:03:16.300
Hey, do we have the right lights for this?
00:03:16.950 --> 00:03:18.751
Is the stage gonna be set up well?
00:03:18.901 --> 00:03:20.550
Is the room gonna be a vibe?
00:03:20.640 --> 00:03:22.531
Hey, we should maybe order some uplights.
00:03:22.531 --> 00:03:24.961
'cause I think that would look really nice and do whatever, right?
00:03:25.170 --> 00:03:25.800
Don't do it.
00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:29.281
Or think about the week before, a couple days before, look at your schedule.
00:03:29.281 --> 00:03:34.651
Look what's coming up in the next couple of months that maybe you could already now start to enhance a little bit.
00:03:34.651 --> 00:03:41.790
You can start thinking about things that maybe happened last year that you can make it a little bit better and cleaner, more organized, more.
00:03:42.161 --> 00:03:42.191
Vibey.
00:03:43.121 --> 00:03:44.393
More exciting this year.
00:03:44.992 --> 00:03:50.663
And sometimes it's even, you know, thinking about it from the member's perspective, but perspective, but also your perspective.
00:03:51.052 --> 00:03:52.703
Would you feel good here?
00:03:52.703 --> 00:03:54.652
Would you feel good in this environment?
00:03:56.002 --> 00:03:57.323
Would you like the seat?
00:03:57.923 --> 00:03:59.782
If you had that seat at an event?
00:03:59.812 --> 00:04:00.842
Would you like that seat right?
00:04:01.443 --> 00:04:03.362
And all of this just ties into something bigger.
00:04:03.362 --> 00:04:06.242
'cause event planning Act clubs is not just about logistics, right?
00:04:06.242 --> 00:04:08.703
We're talking about, it's about the member experience.
00:04:08.703 --> 00:04:09.693
That's the real job.
00:04:10.293 --> 00:04:16.473
And as we know, we can have an amazing room, great food, strong programming, and still sometimes miss the Mark A.
00:04:16.473 --> 00:04:19.593
Little bit if the setup makes the event harder to enjoy.
00:04:20.192 --> 00:04:23.252
So few little small adjustments can change everything.
00:04:23.283 --> 00:04:27.483
Shift focal points, move some tables, clean up a background, add some lighting.
00:04:27.483 --> 00:04:29.793
Change the mic set up, get a better sound system.
00:04:29.793 --> 00:04:32.642
Reposition a screen handle glare before it.
00:04:32.682 --> 00:04:36.853
Before your members walk in, small changes, big differences.
00:04:36.853 --> 00:04:42.523
And the best part is members may never specifically point any of that out to you.
00:04:43.122 --> 00:04:46.483
Like no one's gonna come up and be like, wonderful sight lines tonight, Cheryl.
00:04:46.843 --> 00:04:48.762
But, but they will feel it.
00:04:50.233 --> 00:04:56.442
They will feel when the room works and they feel when it's easy to settle in, follow along, and enjoy the experience.
00:04:57.043 --> 00:04:58.122
And that's what great clubs do.
00:04:58.122 --> 00:05:01.963
They don't just schedule events and schedule fun and do these things.
00:05:01.963 --> 00:05:04.812
They, they, they shape the environment around them.
00:05:05.413 --> 00:05:14.507
So before your next thing, speaker night, member Night Wine Night Comedy Night comedy, magic night awards program, holiday celebration, member event, whatever.
00:05:15.103 --> 00:05:25.452
Spend a few extra minutes in the room, being in the room as it's being set up and think, what are some small changes that we can do to make this a little bit better?
00:05:26.052 --> 00:05:30.257
Walk in, sit in, listen in, think and act like a member.
00:05:30.858 --> 00:05:31.398
And that's all.
00:05:31.487 --> 00:05:34.307
Just think a little bit more about, okay.
00:05:35.598 --> 00:05:38.358
About the room, about the events, how to make it a little bit better.
00:05:38.418 --> 00:05:42.168
Don't just set it up and whatever's on the diagram, that's what you put.
00:05:42.168 --> 00:05:45.617
If, if you're setting up the room and it, and it starts to feel right, you can change it up.
00:05:45.617 --> 00:05:47.567
You can change the diagram later, you can do whatever.
00:05:48.947 --> 00:05:53.778
I've just been doing a ton of events lately and just different rooms, different environments, and that's why I always love to show up early.
00:05:53.778 --> 00:05:56.267
'cause I'm also not afraid to move things around.
00:05:56.267 --> 00:05:58.913
Sometimes people get a little upset, but also at the end of the day, it's.
00:05:59.728 --> 00:06:02.247
You know, my show and I wanna make the, the best for it.
00:06:02.247 --> 00:06:09.298
So I'm not afraid to go, you know, pull some tables a little bit closer if there's weird gaps or if it's, you know, too, too much space in between tables and people.
00:06:09.298 --> 00:06:16.197
Because I know for me and my show, the more we're together and closer and the same, it's the same with comedy and a lot of fun events, right?
00:06:16.197 --> 00:06:18.598
You want people as close and tightly packed together.
00:06:18.598 --> 00:06:23.007
'cause that's where humor and laughter, and that's how like the ball starts, starts rolling and that's.
00:06:23.372 --> 00:06:27.423
When events become fun and the energy and the vibe starts, starts going, that's not for everything.
00:06:27.423 --> 00:06:34.833
But I know at least for my show, that's like, that's a very important thing is getting people a little bit closer, a little bit tighter, uh, but each show, each, each things is different.
00:06:34.833 --> 00:06:35.762
And that's what this is about.
00:06:36.362 --> 00:06:37.923
That is this episode.
00:06:37.952 --> 00:06:42.273
If you and your club is looking for a really fun member event night.
00:06:42.742 --> 00:06:44.122
You have the Denny Corby experience.
00:06:44.122 --> 00:06:45.413
There's excitement, there's mystery.
00:06:45.413 --> 00:06:47.242
Also, there's magic, mind reading and comedy.
00:06:47.423 --> 00:06:49.702
A ton of laughs, gasps, and holy craps.
00:06:50.122 --> 00:06:58.043
If you wanna learn more, head over to dy corby.com working on the second half of 2026 and into 2027.
00:06:58.642 --> 00:07:07.098
One of the most fun member event nights, your members will have guaranteed performed for well over 400 clubs Let's have a conversation, but that's this episode.
00:07:07.939 --> 00:07:09.108
I'm your host, denny Corby.
00:07:09.348 --> 00:07:12.079
Until next time, catch y'all on the flippity flip.
00:07:12.678 --> 00:07:12.798
I.