WHEN Andrew Kenny left Queensland to take on the CEO role at Cranbourne Golf Club five years ago, he arrived with a proven track record in leading complex golf and hospitality operations.
However, the scale of transformation he would ultimately lead was beyond anything he could have anticipated.
Within 12 months, Kenny found himself immersed in one of the more complex and significant transitions undertaken by a private golf club in Australia.
He was charged with overseeing the sale of the Cranbourne course, a venue that had been owned and operated by the not-for-profit Cranbourne Country Club for more than 70 years.
What followed was not simply a transaction, but a highly coordinated process involving stakeholder alignment, member transition, staff redeployment and the structured wind-up of a long-standing institution.
“I am walking away with a skill set I could never have imagined acquiring,” Kenny said.
“I believed strongly in the club’s founding model as a not-for-profit and in achieving the right outcome for all stakeholders. That’s what ultimately drove me to see the process through.”
Cranbourne has a unique place in Australian golf history. Established at a time when Jewish golfers faced barriers to entry at a number of Melbourne’s leading clubs, it provided both access and community, while always maintaining an open and inclusive membership base.
A long time industry professional, Andrew Kenny has played a key role in the closure of Cranbourne Golf Club and the redistribution and placement of members and staff.
That legacy remained central throughout the transition process.
A key priority for Kenny and the club’s leadership was ensuring continuity for members following the club’s closure.
“We were determined that our members would land well,” he said.
In what is widely regarded as a standout outcome, approximately 250 Cranbourne members transitioned to Huntingdale Golf Club supported by a major investment by the Cranbourne Country Club into a magnificent redevelopment of the Huntingdale course. The project was led by well-known course architect Mike Cocking and his team at Ogilvy Cocking Mead (OCM), ensuring Huntingdale will continue to contribute meaningfully to the future Australian golf landscape.
Kenny also secured positions for Cranbourne members across a number of well-regarded clubs including Southern, Keysborough, Sandhurst, Settlers Run and Patterson River during the period of the transition.
“The support from those clubs was outstanding. Their boards leaned in and recognised the importance of what we were trying to achieve.”
Equally significant was the outcome for Cranbourne staff.
“The loyalty and professionalism of our people demanded a strong result,” Kenny said. All of them found a new job.
“More than 30 staff secured ongoing employment, and importantly, they remained fully employed through to the final day of operations.”
As the final stages of the wind-up process move towards completion — including audit, compliance and statutory closure — Kenny’s tenure stands out as one defined by disciplined execution, stakeholder care and commercial clarity.
Importantly, proceeds from the sale will be reinvested back into the Jewish community, with a particular focus on supporting youth and sporting initiatives — a continuation of the club’s long-standing purpose.
While the Cranbourne chapter is drawing to a close, Kenny’s focus remains firmly on the broader industry.
“A lot of clubs are under pressure, particularly in regional areas,” he said.
“Participation is strong, but cost pressures — from maintenance through to labour — are significant. Many clubs are relying heavily on volunteer structures, which isn’t always sustainable.”
It is an environment where Kenny’s recent experience positions him uniquely.
The Cranbourne golf course has been closed down.
Having led Cranbourne through a complex transaction, large-scale member transition and full organisational wind-up, he offers a skill set rarely seen within the industry — one that extends beyond traditional club management into strategy, restructuring and sustainability.
“With what I’ve been through, I’m well placed to support clubs navigating change,” he said.
That may take the form of advisory or project-based roles, or a return to a full-time executive position.
Either way, his connection to the game remains unwavering.
“The golf industry has been incredibly good to me and my family,” Kenny said.
“My son is Director of Golf at Commonwealth, and my son-in-law is with Callaway. It’s a terrific industry with great people.”
After five years at Cranbourne, Andrew Kenny is not stepping away from the game.
If anything, he is better equipped than ever to help shape its future.
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