Case study: How Adams Keegan optimized workforce management for a private golf club

Adams Keegan delivered a transformative HR solution for a private golf club improving workforce management, cutting costs, and facilitating long-term success across one of the nation's premier course destinations.

Before Adams Keegan
The golf club is nationally recognized for excellence in its championship-caliber courses and amenities and its high standards of service and professionalism. They have hosted multiple international events and are an ultra-exclusive private club. That expectation extended to every partner and vendor relationship. However, its experience with a previous HR and payroll provider fell short. 

At the time, the club operated under a bundled percentage-of-payroll fee structure through a national PEO, a one-size-fits-all model. This arrangement blurred visibility into actual service costs and offered limited flexibility. More importantly, it led to persistent service and accountability issues, with inconsistent support, minimal responsiveness, and no tailored guidance. 

For an organization that prizes precision and professionalism, this lack of transparency and strategic partnership was misaligned with the club’s culture and operational goals. Amid the complexities of managing a multi-disciplined workforce across hospitality, maintenance, and operations, the organization was ready for a change – one that could cut costs, improve efficiency, and bring greater insight into HR operations.

Our Solution
Adams Keegan stepped in to lead a comprehensive review of their HR infrastructure. Through detailed analysis, Adams Keegan identified cost-saving opportunities totaling over $110,000 annually. Key savings came from restructuring administrative fees, lowering state unemployment tax exposure, and significantly lowering workers’ compensation insurance costs – achieving a 70% cost reduction in that area alone.

Additionally, Adams Keegan also unbundled their workers’ compensation plan and implemented a stand-alone client-sponsored model, which enhanced safety training, claims reporting, and employee communication. Adams Keegan also transitioned the club to a level-funded medical plan through Cigna, offering a stronger provider network, more favorable deductibles and out-of-pocket limits, and real-time insights into claims and usage trends. This gave the organization the power to make data-informed decisions throughout the plan year and at renewal.

Beyond benefits, Adams Keegan introduced a new “per check” pricing structure, eliminating the bundled fees of the previous provider and offering full transparency in cost and service.

The Adams Keegan Difference  
With Adams Keegan’s assistance, the private golf club saw measurable improvements across multiple facets of workforce management.

Employee onboarding became faster and more consistent, upgrading the new hire experience and decreasing turnover. A streamlined scheduling system helped managers better allocate labor resources, reducing unnecessary overtime and optimizing staff coverage across club operations. Adams Keegan also provided proactive support around turnover management, helping the organization create systems that better anticipate staffing needs and ensure continuity of service.

Staff and management alike have responded positively to the changes, and the golf club has since become a continual reference point for other groups considering Adams Keegan’s services. 

The takeaway: partnering with Adams Keegan means gaining a dedicated extension of your HR team – one that delivers results, reinforces culture, and ensures operational excellence.

Learn more about the services we offer for private country clubs here.