Turning 50 years old last year, Foxhills Club & Resort in Surrey is in as strong a position as ever as it celebrated the remarkable milestone. We speak to director of golf Sean Graham about recent golf course investments, the importance of mixing tradition and innovation, and providing ever-increasing value to almost 6,000 members.
Can you tell us a bit about your journey to the position of director of golf at such a prestigious venue?
By the time I graduated from the Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS) course at the University of Birmingham in 2014, I was also a fully qualified professional and had completed seasonal placements at prestigious venues – Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club, as well as Machynys Peninsula Golf Club and Premier Spa – to learn from some of the industry’s top young leaders.
My first management role came at Safaa Golf Club, Saudi Arabia, when I was 23, gaining an appreciation for attention to detail and the finesse of world-class customer service. After three years I returned to the UK, as golf operations and retail manager at Foxhills.
This year will be my ninth year at the club. Now director of golf, I’m responsible for golf, greenkeeping and associated front of house departments, as well as gardening and F&B.
Membership is nearing 6,000 – a remarkable figure. How have you balanced exclusivity with accessibility to create value for such a large member base?
Foxhills is a complex operation! We rely on strong individual teams to provide consistent quality in their department and ensure members leave feeling better than when they arrived. Foxhills’ success derives from a relentless focus on customer experience and lifestyle services beyond golf, making every member feel part of something truly special which, in turn, creates value and exclusivity.
As a family-owned club, we have also been fortunate to receive constant investment, care, attention and ambition to become a leading country club in the UK. We’re committed to staying ahead of trends and giving members significant value through a breadth and depth of quality experiences.
Recent additions have included padel and pickleball courts, a yoga cabin, a Trackman range, a £7 million family building featuring a soft play area, two adventure playgrounds, an indoor and outdoor pool, a games room, group cycling and fitness studios and a restaurant – so it’s been a very busy time!
This investment has allowed us to cater for a large and diverse membership without compromising on standards. We now offer more than 200 weekly activities for our members and have nurtured a strong community ethos – a social hub where members can connect and feel they belong. Members know they’re part of a vibrant club that continues to evolve, while still holding onto that feeling of exclusivity through premium service, exceptional facilities and a genuine sense of welcome and belonging.
Foxhills has also seen significant growth in green fee revenue – what do you see as the main drivers behind this?
Foxhills is a fantastic club with three fabulous courses, all with their own identity. By continuously investing in our surfaces and surrounding facilities, alongside our team’s commitment to providing unique and quality service, we believe we’ve built an offering that’s amongst the best in class for the area.
Our strategy and vision have always been based around our members. Now, though, more than 50 percent of total visiting play derives from members’ guests, demonstrating the pride the members have in the condition of our courses – they want to continually bring friends and showcase their club. Our reputation has also seen an undeniable boost from some hugely successful events – most recently the Asian Tour’s International Series England in 2024 and the 2022 PGA Cup.
On top of that, our golf revenues have a robust corporate arm, built on providing high-quality large shotgun start days. Our space and team quality enables us to deliver these days whilst still providing our members with freedom of movement around their club, which is crucial to our strategy.
The Longcross Course has seen a £2 million investment, including a remodelled 16th and new bunkering – with the Bernard Hunt Course also benefiting from major upgrades in recent years. What was the vision for this project, and how has it elevated the playing experience?
These have been the biggest structural changes in the courses since they were designed by Fred Hawtree and opened for play in 1975.
The aspects of the course that have seen the biggest change include bunker shape and positioning; green size, shape and contouring; herringbone drainage and irrigation upgrade work; and tee positions on several holes to bring hazards more in play and encourage more strategy and creativity throughout the round.
The most complex part of the renovation project was to transform our par-three 16th into a signature hole. The hole now plays 200 yards over water and is a stern challenge even for low handicappers!
It has been a huge success and with the support of our members and diligent work of our greenkeeping team, we’ve been able to successfully grow in the changes whilst remaining busy through the calendar year.
The Foxhills Foundation is the country’s oldest golf scholarship programme. What impact have you seen it make over the years, and how does it align with your vision for golf development?
The Foxhills Foundation is something we’re immensely proud of. It’s the UK’s oldest golf scholarship programme – established in 1986 – and in that time it has opened doors for hundreds of young people who might never otherwise have had the chance to experience the game.
The impact has been profound. We’ve seen scholars progress to county and national level, some even moving into the professional ranks such as Paul Casey and Anthony Wall, but just as importantly, we’ve seen the way the programme shapes confidence, character and a lifelong love of the game. For many, it has provided a pathway into the wider Foxhills community, creating opportunities on and off the course that extend far beyond golf.
Our local community is vital to Foxhills. To mark the club’s 50th anniversary, Foxhills has pledged £50,000 to support families in need, bringing the total raised by its members and charitable trust to nearly £250,000 over six years. This generous funding will provide more than 700 camp places, helping more local children than ever before. The camps serve families across Runnymede, one of Surrey’s most deprived boroughs. Designed to help parents who struggle to find affordable childcare during school holidays, the camps offer children aged seven to 12 a safe, enriching, and inclusive environment filled with fun, food, and friendship.
Foxhills has become home to some of the biggest YouTubers in golf. How have influencer collaborations contributed to the club’s profile and commercial success?
The beauty of influencer collaborations is that they cut through to new demographics. Many of these creators have built loyal followings among younger players and casual fans, groups that might not have previously considered a club like Foxhills. Viewers feel a connection to those they watch and, by featuring in their content, we’re able to present the club as much more than a traditional golf destination.
From a commercial perspective, the exposure has been invaluable. We’ve seen direct membership enquiries off the back of online content as well as a growth in visitor green fees, but brand recognition and awareness has never been higher.
You’ve launched a technology-driven driving range to complement the courses. How has this technology enhanced practice, coaching and member engagement?
The first step in our strategy is to provide our golf members and guests with an elevated practice and arrival experience. Then we can create a stronger pathway from our leisure (non-golf) to full membership, adding additional fun opportunities to pick up a club for beginners.
Alongside the renovation of our academy building and with a teaching team of ten PGA professionals, we now have a vibrant academy where skills can be developed in a fun, relaxing environment regardless of your ability. Coaches can create custom challenges for classes, and skill tests for their clients to develop outside of lessons. Commercially, we’ve also diversified revenue streams from additional offerings to residential and corporate clients in our quieter periods for the academy.
What lessons would you share with other club leaders about driving innovation while safeguarding tradition?
The biggest lesson is that innovation and tradition don’t need to conflict – in fact, they can complement one another if approached with clarity. Foxhills is fortunate to have a rich history and a strong reputation, but we also recognise that standing still isn’t an option if you want to stay relevant in today’s market. As long as every innovation supports your brand’s core values, then it feels authentic rather than disruptive.
For us, it starts with listening. Listening to members, to staff and to the wider industry. That feedback helps us identify where to invest – whether it’s redeveloping courses to keep them at championship standard, integrating technology to improve the member journey or working with influencers to reach new audiences. Each decision is guided by the question: does this enhance the member experience and protect the long-term health of the club? Prioritising the customer journey and making it the foundation of your strategic decisions is key.
Don’t be afraid to invest in and focus on the support and development of your team with ongoing training, mentoring and networking. You may not always see the benefits immediately but it’s crucial for the longevity of your success.
I’d encourage other club leaders to be bold in exploring new opportunities but equally disciplined in ensuring they’re rooted in the club’s identity and safeguarding tradition. That way, you can embrace growth and change without losing the character and heritage that make a club truly special.
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