How Golf Clubs Could Increase Their Revenue

MOST golf clubs struggle to balance the books. And I consistently fail to understand why.

They always seem to opt for the most obvious choices to raise extra revenue - higher subscriptions, higher green fees for visitors and higher food and alcohol prices in the clubhouse.

Surely there has to be another way? I believe our sport needs to go the other way.

If you put me in charge of a golf club (heaven help them), here are a few of the things I would do…

Golf Club Websites

My first task would almost certainly be to scrap the existing club website and replace it with something that is all-singing, all-dancing and fit for purpose.

People would be able to easily see what tee-times are available, visitors would see at a glance when they can play, how much it will cost and what deals are on offer.

It would have a hole-by-hole guide and a course flyover.

We would be active on Facebook, Instagram and Tik-Tok - and somebody would be appointed to oversee it and ensure it was all monitored and updated on a daily basis.

Subscriptions

I would be looking to give loyalty bonuses to any golfer who had been a member for 25 years and I would be looking to give honorary membership to any long-standing golfer aged 40 and over. I would also ensure that subscriptions would be held for at least 12 months - and ensure that this was widely advertised.

Green Fees

Unlike many club golfers, I accept the value of visitors. They bring in much-needed income and if you make them welcome they will spread the word. And possibly even want to join your club.

So I would be taking a long hard look at how much visitors are charged and I would be launching deals that include a bacon sandwich and meal afterwards.

I would be looking to block out a series of tee-times from, say, 10am on specific days of the week for perhaps two hours. I would make sure that members knew why we were doing this and, once again, I would be ensuring that this was widely advertised.

Loyalty Bonuses

You need to give something back to loyal members who are the very lifeblood of your golf club. Supply them with membership cards that give them discounts on food and drink. When they renew their memberships give them a loyalty package - vouchers to spend in the pro’s shop, guest vouchers that enable them to offer free rounds to friends, a couple of free sessions on the driving range

Encouraging More Visitors

Perhaps the biggest change I would be making is in ensuring that the clubhouse becomes an integral part of the local community, and not just a haven for club members that shuts its doors at 4pm in the winter and 8pm in the summer. My clubhouse would be serving great locally-sourced food at competitive prices. It would host music and comedy acts, quiz nights, regular dinner-dances. In other words, it would become a place where locals would want to go.

Winter Warmer

Many clubs already have special offers that run through the winter season, offer memberships that run from November to March or April. My club would most definitely be doing this - and doing it at rate that was attractive. My sole motivation for doing this would be in the hope that many of these winter members would go on to join as full members.

My real golf club already does this and the retention rate is impressively high.

Summer Days

We all know that many casual golfers have no interest in playing golf during the winter.

My ideal club would be introducing summer-season memberships running from April through to the end of September. Isn’t it better to get some guaranteed additional income? It is surely a no-brainer.

First Tee

I would have somebody at the first tee every Saturday and Sunday. They would serve two purposes - acting as an official starter is the most obvious. Over and above that, they would offer golfers the opportunity to hand over, say, £10 - if they hit the first fairway they would receive a sleeve of quality balls and a place in a raffle offering proper prizes.

Halfway House & Drinks Buggy

How many times have you played a course that has a halfway house and when you arrive it is closed? Why?

And how difficult is it to get somebody out on a buggy selling cold drinks and sandwiches during the summer or hot tea and coffee during those cold winter days?

Pace of Play

I hate slow play. I hate watching PGA and DP World Tour pros take between five and six hours to complete 18 holes.

My club will have a starter who tells everybody how long it should take them to complete their rounds and there would be a marshall who would be out on the course to ensure that everybody is moving along and that slower players are waving through quicker golfers.

Those who failed to adhere to the pace of play would initially be asked to speed things up. If there was no improvement they would be shown a yellow card and if they still failed to speed up they would be shown a red card and asked to leave the card.

Everybody going out to play would be told about this before hitting their opening tee shots.

Welcome Feedback

My club would encourage feedback - and act upon it. If members tell me that they are unhappy with the condition of the bunkers I would be ensuring that something was done about it. And there would be regular communication with ALL members.

The Next Generation

It drives me nuts when I hear all the complaints about how golf is played by an ageing male and female profile. My club pro would be visiting local schools to spread the word about how wonderful this sport is, and he would hold regular sessions on Saturday mornings for groups of youngsters. And there would be no charge for this. You get your financial payback when these boys and girls come back and want to join the club. Treat them properly and you have them for life.

Golf is more than a sport - it's a community, a culture, and for many, a second home. But if clubs are to thrive in a changing world, maybe it's time to ask the bold questions and embrace fresh ideas.  What would you do differently if you were handed the keys to your local golf club? Would you play it safe or bring something different to the fairways?

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