Saving that suits to a tee

Cromer Golf Club’s Melissa Ellis

What Cromer Golf Club General Manager Melissa Ellis may lack in golfing talent, she more than makes up for in passion, leadership and a genuine love for the game — even if the game doesn’t always love her back.

Her easy humour regarding her own skills on the course only adds to the warmth and down to earth style she brings to one of Sydney’s most picturesque and dynamic clubs.

Located on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Cromer Golf Club is a community-based, not for profit, sporting organisation for the use of members and guests, and its diverse offering ensures Melissa’s role brims with variety and interest.

“I’ll admit I’m a very poor golfer, although there is so much to do in a day that I rarely get time for golf regardless,” she laughs. “From member interface to overseeing the golf course, The Clubhouse, The Black Swan Café, functions, and the behind the scenes logistics and operational requirements, I enjoy the variety my role affords on any given day.”

Those taking to the tee during their leisurely game of golf may spare little thought for the business acumen underpinning successful clubs such as Cromer, and Melissa and her team take a professional and highly considered approach to ensuring the club thrives now, and well into the future.

“There are a lot of arms to the organisation, it’s a big business with a diverse offering, we employ over 50 staff and it does require precision management, and we’re really proud of our achievements so far and the strong reputation the club enjoys.”

Support to be proud of, thanks to Rabobank

Melissa admits that finding an organisation to best leverage the club’s deposits has been a challenge over recent years, with consistently poor service a struggle.

“The financial landscape of a golf club is underscored by one large surge of annual income come subscription time, and managing that investment well is crucial,” she explains.

“We need to be able to have access to these funds when we need them, and in the past we became increasingly frustrated by the lack of response when dealing with fund managers.”
 

Cromer Golf Club is a large, and complex, business – requiring a highly-considered savings approach.

Having previously waited 21 days to access a significant amount of money after a trust reached maturity was the final straw.

“That was 21 days our money was missing for, and 21 days we should have been leveraging it.”

Having moved the business over to Rabobank’s Relationship Deposits team, Melissa said she was instantly blown away by the ease of doing business.

“The Rabo team are just so friendly, and I couldn’t believe that we got everything transferred and set up in one day.”

“Now when I make a call, there is a person at the end of the line, prompt, engaged and generous in providing whatever support we need.”

“To have a direct line to a Rabobank team member, and to then receive a text that they’re on the phone and will call straight back – which they then do – seems incredible in this day and age, and it’s these small gestures and considered approach to relationships that really makes a difference, and is sadly lacking in the corporate environment.”

While the prospect of changing banks seemed cumbersome, the reality was more streamlined, and the results, Melissa describes, “a gamechanger”.

“Historically we’ve found the service level in the $5 to $10 million business level really disappointing, so to now be with Rabobank is a breath of fresh air.”

“Rabobank products make it easy to invest, and give us flexibility to move funds around and manage our interest rates as we need to.”

And with the long-term vision for the club featuring a large capital project, the club is optimistic its financial future is strong.

Aligned goals to benefit community

In a testament to Cromer Golf Club’s reputation, each year it hosts the NSW PGA Seniors Championship, attracting top senior players from across Australia.

In 2025 Rabobank joined the event as a sponsor, with the deposits team’s attendance appreciated.

“The team was so friendly and like-minded and we all enjoyed a terrific social day out with lots of laughs and thought provoking conversations,” Melissa smiles.

As a global cooperative bank, founded by farmers for farmers, Rabobank deposits support local Rabobank farming clients, and Melissa said the club enjoyed the fact its savings helped support Australian farmers.
 

Cromer Golf Club and Rabobank enjoy a shared purpose, based on strong client relationship.

“There’s a great synergy between Cromer Golf Club and Rabobank and what we’re trying to achieve, and that’s a shared genuine drive to provide a great service through a relationship driven approach.”

“We want to focus on what matters most — our club members, guests and facilities — not chasing up who our latest business manager is. “

“Knowing our funds are being managed with such consideration and transparency is one less thing we have to think about.”

Rabobank’s General Manager, Deposits, Julie Blanchard, agrees.

“We’re proud to deepen this partnership with Cromer Golf Club, a club that’s truly embedded in its community — on and off the course,” she says.

“Our Relationship Deposits team provides clear, human support and options that fit how clubs operate, and we’re excited to keep backing Melissa and her team as they grow the club and its impact in the community.”