The Problem with 'Hidden Gems'

These phrases didn’t start out as problems.
They became problems when everyone started using them.

Because when everyone says the same thing,
no one sounds different.

And in a category where identity is the product,
sounding like everyone else is a slow leak in the brand you’ve worked hard to build.

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Here’s the issue:

Club clichés aren’t false.
They’re just unearned.
They sound like something a committee wrote.
They might be true—but they’re rarely specific, and never memorable.

What do they actually tell a prospective member?

Nothing they couldn’t find on ten other websites.

So how do you tell a better story?

Here’s a simple framework that works:

1. Be Precise.

Don’t say “great golf.”
Say, “Our members finish a round before 10 and make it to their kid’s soccer game by 11.”

Don’t say “welcoming.”
Say, “The first person you meet at the club will likely be a member, and they’ll remember you next time.”

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2. Be Personal.

Skip the press release tone.
Write like you’d speak to someone sitting across from you on the patio.

Use stories. Anecdotes. Member moments.
Let your message feel lived-in, not laminated.

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3. Be Brave.

Tell the truth—even when it’s less polished.
Not everyone will love your club. That’s the point.

The right people will feel it in their bones.
You’re not trying to win everyone. You’re trying to resonate with the few who matter.

Great club brands aren’t built on perfection.
They’re built on recognition.
The moment when someone sees your story and says:

“That feels like me.”

If your message could be copied and pasted onto another club’s website,
it’s not your story.

Go deeper. Get real.
And say something worth remembering.

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Until next Monday.