Ideas for Improving golf and retail revenues

by C&RB Staff (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
April 2007
 

Getting a Grip: When Saddleback Golf Club in Firestone, Colo. (30 miles north of Denver), purchased thousands of premium golf club grips at a bankruptcy auction for 30 cents apiece, the pro shop was able to offer a hard-to-refuse re-grip special to generate extra winter cashflow. A $210 weekday or $250 weekend package was offered, which included five rounds of golf, use of a golf cart, 14 premium re-grips and a regripping service.

“We were looking to generate some pre-paid revenue for our course, avoid discounting, and still offer our customers a great value for their dollar,” says Robbie Finley, a pro shop employee. “Even with two feet of snow on the ground, we were selling rounds for 2007. Our hard costs were less than 2.5 percent of the package price. We had no monies out for advertising, utilizing only e-mail and word-of-mouth.”

Full-time salaried employees were overwhelmed with the response. Besides the benefit of increasing revenue, Finley says, the team was “grateful to have something to do during this slow time of the year.”

Bright Students: To attract more female golfers, Juday Creek Golf Course in Granger, Ind. (outside of South Bend) partnered with a local law firm that already had a “professional women’s education series” in place, to add golf as one of the topics—and the club as the site of the class.

“We really had no investment costs,” says General Manager Michelle Wittig. “We were able to attract more than 100 new female golfers who were well-rounded. Many began coming as a group on a regular basis. They also would stay and drink and eat and spend money in the pro shop.

“It is much easier to take a woman in her mid-30s to 50s and make her a new golfer than her male counterpart,” Wittig says.

Stopping the Demo-lition: Tired of having clubs damaged by players who just wanted to “give them a try” but then— “oops, gee, I’m sorry”—brought them back in something less than perfect shape, Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. (suburban Richmond), started a club-demo program, outlining the details in its newsletter and also through postings in both locker room. For a $10 fee, members can now try out clubs and, if they decide to keep them, apply the charge to purchases.

“The demo program has really helped our shop control inventory,” says General Manager Ted Bartlett. “Damage has been significantly reduced, because the members that are trying clubs now are serious about buying. The members have no problem with the policy, as long as we keep our prices under Golf Galaxy’s.”

A Hot Deal from Hilton: In an era where rounds are flat, a chance to pick up even a handful of new ones from an unexpected source is hard to turn down. That’s why Hilton Garden Inn (HGI) hotels has had good success getting courses around the country to participate in its “Great Golf Giveaway,” now entering its third year. HGI, a mid-price chain that caters to business travelers,?uses the promotion to try to fill rooms on its slower nights (Thursday through Sunday).

The lure is a greens-fee voucher, good for two people, that is valid at all courses that have joined the HGI?network (and worked out a deal to be compensated for redeemed coupons). Currently, more than 300 clubs and resorts participate in the promotion, with Hilton looking to add another 50 this year. HGI?vouchers were redeemed for almost 13,000 rounds of golf in 2006.

Chris Camby, General Manager at Landings at Spirit Golf Club, a links-style course in Chesterfield, Mo., says participating in the program has led to “[local] guys coming and playing our course that probably never would have otherwise. Any time you get people to the property,” Camby adds, “that’s how you build business.”

To The Nines: At Cyprian Keyes Golf Club in Boylston, Mass. (45 miles west of Worcester), Friday nights have turned into a social occasion for golfers of all ages and abilities. For just $30, participants in the club’s Nine & Dine league are treated to nine holes of golf, golf car, prizes and dinner. “We’re averaging 40 to 45 people a week, and everyone is having a great time,” says General Manager David Frem (pictured), whose course won a National Golf Course Owners Association 2006 Player Development Award, which recognize courses that successfully introduce golfers of all ages to the game and thereby increase participation and revenues. Over the past three years Nine & Dine has generated over 1,700 rounds of golf and the number of member rounds more than doubled between 2004 and 2006, Frem says. As an added bonus, food and beverage sales have increased, too.

Helping During Trying Times: The death of a loved one is never a pleasant subject. But the fact remains that when one occurs, a sudden need is created to find a facility at which to hold a gathering of family and friends, and also to quickly arrange a tasteful event that will help to provide a fitting and comforting observance.

Recognizing that clubs are in an excellent position to offer the proper settings and provide the right accommodations for these needs, Susan Piper, Catering and Sales Director at Cyprian Keyes Golf Club, Boylston, Mass., sends a mailing once a year to all area funeral homes, to let them know that Cyprian Keyes is interested in, and capable of, hosting bereavement events. When a family books a bereavement, Piper will ask which funeral home they are using. She then calls the mortuary to thank them for the referral, introduce herself and the club, and go over Cyprian Keyes' experience with these events and relevant capabilities and services.

"Our bereavement customers appreciate our willingness to do these, because they don't want to worry about hosting all the friends and family after the funeral," says General Manager David Frem. "We take care of everything and can easily coordinate these events on a moment's notice— which, of course, is very common."