What Is a Group Purchasing Program for Country Clubs? How CLUB360 Works

A group purchasing program gives an independent club access to the pricing of a much larger buyer. Instead of negotiating alone, the club buys through enterprise-level national contracts built on aggregated purchasing volume, so the fairway mower, the broadline food order, and the front-desk supplies all arrive at pricing a single facility could never command on its own. The club keeps its identity, its menu, and its standards; the contract underneath the purchase does the saving.

What is CLUB360, exactly?

CLUB360 is an exclusive cost-savings program from CORE Insights Group, a procurement consulting firm. It gives private and public golf and country clubs, restaurants, resorts and independently owned hotels, and yacht clubs access to enterprise-level pricing on the supplies, equipment, and service programs they already buy every day. There is no cost to join and there are no membership fees, and savings are built in at the point of purchase rather than returned later as rebate checks.

The scale behind it: more than 500 best-in-class programs across back-of-house and front-of-house spend, backed by enterprise-level national contracts with over 100,000 contracted items, controlled mark-ups, drop-size incentives, and multi-tiered pricing.

How is CLUB360 different from a buying co-op?

Three ways. First, it is managed for you: a dedicated CLUB Advisor, a real person who learns your facility, handles the savings with white-glove support, rather than handing the club a catalog. Second, there are no compliance mandates and no forced volume commitments; the club uses the programs that fit and skips the ones that don’t. Third, the benefit is immediate: price-to-property pricing at the point of purchase, not a rebate check months later.

How does CLUB360 work? The five steps

• Sign up online: complete a short enrollment form; no paperwork required.
• Meet your CLUB Advisor: they reach out within two business days to review your needs and current vendors.
• Identify savings: CLUB360 maps your spend to nationally contracted suppliers (or equivalents) to find savings.
• Customize your savings plan: the most advantageous programs, best quality at the lowest price, with contract options.
• Save immediately: benefits start at the point of purchase.

What does the program cover?

The whole facility, organized as five areas of savings: Turf & Agronomy for the course, Clubhouse, Pool, & Fitness for everywhere members gather, Office & Administration for the back office, Pro Shop & Retail for the shop, and Food and Beverage, the largest and most active area of the program.

Who is a group purchasing program for?

Anyone at the club who owns a budget. The general manager and COO see it as blended savings across the whole operation; the F&B director sees the broadline order and the bar; the superintendent sees turf chemicals, fertilizer, irrigation, and equipment; the controller sees administrative and professional services; the pro shop manager sees the brands members ask for at pricing that protects the margin. Beyond golf, the same logic serves restaurants, resorts and independently owned hotels, and yacht clubs.

What does it cost to join?

Nothing. There is no cost to join and no membership fees, savings with nothing to sign up for financially. In a representative CLUB360 golf club cost study, estimated blended savings ran around 12.2% across roughly $1.17 million of annual spend, about $142,927 a year. Savings vary based on use of the CLUB360 programs.

How does a club join?

Through the online enrollment form: it takes minutes, and a CLUB Advisor will reach out within two business days. Prefer to talk first? Talk to a CLUB Advisor through the contact page.