Turning charitable outings into a win-win-win cause at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club.
There’s nothing like a healthy rivalry to spark a good idea. Just ask Keith Gressle, CCM, Club Manager of Blue Mound Golf and Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wis.
Gressle has been in the middle of competition for charitable outing business among golf courses in the Milwaukee area—stakes that only intensified as the economy 1) made it harder for many organizations to hold outings and 2) increased demands on clubs and courses to offer attractive packages for the sponsors of the outing business that remained.
THE GOAL: To retain and add to the number of charitable golf events at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club, and to encourage more members to participate in benefit tournaments.THE PLAN: Institute a new “club member discount” for guest fees after minimum-player thresholds have been met (and based on the number of club members playing in the event). The charitable organization still charges the member the full fee, with more of it going directly to the charity.THE PAYOFF: The number of outings increased from six in 2010 to eight this year at Blue Mound, and events held to date have averaged about 20 more golfers per outing in 2011. Revenues for F&B and the golf pro shop have increased as well, and the charitable organizations are receiving larger donations. |
In 2010, Blue Mound lost two outings to another property, and Gressle knew it was time to make a move. When a member that had been invited to participate in a charitable golf outing at Blue Mound asked why was he charged a guest fee to play at his own course, Gressle developed his plan of action. He decided to offer a discount on fees to members that participate in charitable outings at Blue Mound.
“Because of the competition, I wanted to come up with a way to keep up our number of golf outings, and to encourage members to participate,” he says.
His ingenuity has paid off. In 2010, Blue Mound, which can hold a maximum of two outings per month according to the club’s Golf Committee recommendations, held six benefit tournaments during its golf season from May to September. This year, the property has scheduled eight events.
A member must sponsor each outing, and Blue Mound sets the minimum number of golfers, as well as the guest fee. During the peak months of June, July and August, the minimum is 100 golfers at $150. In May and September, the minimum is 80 golfers at $100. Once the minimum is reached, any additional golfers qualify for a 50-percent discount off the guest fee, equal to the number of club members participating in the event.
“The event organizers invite as many members as they can to participate,” Gressle explains. “The club doesn’t charge them the guest fee, but the organization still charges them the fee. Instead of paying us the amount, it can go right to the organization.”
In addition to recovering its share of events through this approach, each event held at Blue Mound in 2011 has averaged about 20 more golfers per outing than in the past. And, with more golfers on the course, revenues in other departments, such as food and beverage and the golf pro shop, have increased, too.
The charitable organizations are winning as well, through larger donations because the charge from the property is discounted based on the number of members that play in the event. Members also win because they can support a cause at their home course, and have a portion of their charges go directly to the charity.
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