Mark Diedrich on Sustainable Clubhouses & Clubhouse Renovation

Mark Diedrich is a second generation clubhouse architect. As a principal in one of the nation’s premiere clubhouse design and programming firms, Kuo Diedrich Chi (KDC), located in Atlanta, Mark has been involved in the creation and renovation of some of the most prominent clubhouse projects around the world. I had the opportunity to talk with Mark about his thoughts on clubhouse projects recently. All clubs can benefit from his considerable expertise.

First, I asked him about KDC’s focus on both environmental and sustainable clubhouses. They seek to design buildings to last for generations and Diedrich emphasizes that their expertise is in programming building and site amenities to ensure broad appeal across the spectrum of social, cultural and financial considerations. Environmentally, he says that energy and plumbing codes have pushed buildings to higher efficiency and that the use of low power usage fixtures have become mandated in the market. KDC stresses a movement toward more of a village approach to clubhouse and amenities design that goes away from the enormous clubhouses of the past where everything is housed in a single building. The village approach has many benefits, including smaller footprints with lots of daylight (passive solar), walls that open into expansive outdoor living spaces (saving energy by using natural ventilation), and substituting interior corridors with outdoor breezeways and porches. Recent award-winning examples of this from KDC include Doubletop Village at Balsam Mountain Preserve in NC, Belfair’s new lifestyle village in SC, Richland Pointe at Reynolds Lake Oconee in GA, and Springdale Golf Club in NC.

I asked about the kinds of spaces they recommend to clubs based on usage and membership desires. Diedrich said: “At both new and reimagined clubs today, we are programming spaces that mirror today’s family users of the club. In food and beverage, that means casual spaces that are well connected to the outdoors, often with traditional views to golf via expansive covered terraces. With golf, that means golf simulators like TopGolf Swing Suites, performance centers, and putting courses take precedent over the number of lockers. In wellness, that means ample space for the latest equipment and the ability to accommodate changing group fitness classrooms from spin to yoga. Outdoor spaces include lawns for cornhole, kids playgrounds, pickleball courts, and resort-style pool decks with cabana bars.” He also acknowledged that decisions on planning must be made with 3rd party data and that all members are only temporary users of the club who should be making long term decisions in the club’s (not the board’s) best interests. He related that there have been times when he felt it necessary to push back on club leaders seeking to mold projects into personal desires.

When board members push their “pet project” he implements their plan that he describes: “KDC has a “10-Step Process for Master Planning” that addresses this. The master plan should be driven by data collected from past performance, member input (surveys and focus groups), and national trends. Having the data allows us to take all ideas into consideration and work with the collective committee or board to prioritize these. Pet projects typically make the master plan but it’s about looking at priorities when it comes to our recommendation for phasing and execution. Understanding the club culture and personalities is crucial in managing personalities.” The “needs vs. wants” is often a political game and that the club (not the board) is the client.

Interestingly, he suggested that few clubs focus on the environmental sustainability aspect. He emphasized his responsibility as architect to designing efficiency where possible.

Not surprisingly, Diedrich identified the following 5 things as being what most clubs seek in a new or renovated clubhouse:

  • Destination Dining – Casual dining with a great bar and outdoor spaces
  • Wellness/Fitness Areas – a great social gathering spot
  • Resort-style aquatics
  • Pickleball – the nation’s fastest growing sport
  • Off-course golf – simulators, putting courses, short courses

Of course, one of the biggest concerns with clubs is over-building. Lots of clubs failed because of clubhouses that were too big. Diedrich provided some rules of thumb:  “A couple rules of thumb include a typical target for a ballroom with intention for weddings is 250 seats, while an outing pavilion needs 120 seats for an 18 hole course. If a club is planning to add a new fitness facility from scratch they usually start at a building size of 5,000 sf to accommodate the equipment, classroom, lockers, staff and support spaces. A new club for an existing membership of 600-1000 will likely require anywhere from 40,000-60,000sf of buildings, depending on the extent of ballrooms and meeting spaces.” He emphasized that most of the clubs he sees are either the right size or too big.

With the challenge of negative cash flows in food & beverage, Diedrich focuses on staffing kitchens and optimizing service from as few kitchens as possible, keeping easy access to back of house storage, and designing spaces that are efficiently serviced through wait stations.

Among the biggest decisions some clubs make is whether to build new or renovate. Diedrich says that getting an accurate temperature of the membership, focusing on new members and (believe it or not) former members) can help guide that decision. Instead of a big, new building, how about restoring charm in the existing, older facility and possibly adding separate buildings for fitness, pro shop, etc. to create a campus like effect?

Necessities for every clubhouse in Diedrich’s eyes are:

  • A great Bar
  • Covered, outdoor spaces
  • Family spaces
  • pickle
  • aquatics
  • fitness
  • kids
  • lawn
  • game room
  • golf training

When I asked the one message he’d like to get out to clubs, Diedrich had 3.

  • Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. 
  • Don’t worry about other clubs.
  • Listen to the membership (especially new members, who have new ideas and are the biggest users)