Beyond The Baselines

Louise Fahys, co-founder of Plan2Play Artificial intelligence is no longer a future concept in club management — it is already reshaping how private and commercial clubs operate. But according to Louise Fahys, we are only scratching the surface. Fahys is the co-founder and CTO of Plan2Play, a court and sport booking platform built by people who understand both software engineering and the realities of club life. Her view is clear: the next generation of club operations will be driven by intelligent, conversational interfaces — think ChatGPT-style applications — where members interact directly with technology to book courts, schedule lessons, manage guest play, and personalize their club experience. AI Is Going to Change Everything in Club Management AI is already easing the workload for Directors of Racquets, Golf, and Operations. Tasks that once required hours of manual setup — like creating round robins, allocating courts, or balancing player levels — can now be handled in seconds. Names go in, constraints go in, and AI produces fair, efficient scheduling by level, gender, or randomization. And that, Fahys says, is just the beginning. The real shift will come through dynamic pricing. Much like airlines adjust pricing based on demand, clubs will increasingly use AI to price court time, tee times, lessons, clinics, amenities, and guest fees in real time. One-hour bookings will replace fragmented half-hour gaps. Utilization improves. Revenue becomes more predictable. Member experience improves. Data Will Confirm What Clubs Already Suspect AI will also validate long-held assumptions in club operations. Fahys notes that most club professionals already understand that the average lifetime value of a pickleball participant differs from that of a tennis member — and that tennis often differs again from padel or squash. AI won’t just confirm those differences; it will quantify them. That data will influence everything from facility development to membership structures, programming decisions, and long-term capital planning for both private clubs and commercial operators. The End of the “Fiefdom” Era One of the most challenging areas for clubs, particularly member-owned facilities, is change. Software transitions are often resisted — not because the technology isn’t effective, but because long-standing habits and informal traditions are deeply ingrained. Unspoken court ownership. Preferred time slots. Long-tenured directors controlling access “the way it’s always been done.” AI introduces transparency. And transparency challenges tradition. As clubs move toward data-driven scheduling and access, those informal systems may begin to fade. For some, that will feel uncomfortable. For others, it will represent progress — fairer access, clearer policies, and a better overall member experience. Looking Ahead Fahys believes the clubs that embrace AI thoughtfully — using it as a tool to enhance service rather than replace hospitality — will be the ones that thrive. The technology is not about removing people from the equation; it’s about freeing professionals to focus on what matters most: relationships, programming, and experience. The future of club management is arriving faster than many expect. And for those willing to engage with it, the opportunities are significant.