I am pretty certain that, like me, you have had some pretty mixed experience when visiting golf clubs.
You know what I am talking about - scruffy car parks, a cool welcome from the club pro, an exorbitant green fee, a disappointing course and poor food.
So, it begs a pretty obvious question - how could golf courses make visitors feel welcome?
Parking
Let’s start by doing away with specified visitors’ parking areas? Why would you do that? Why would you not encourage visitors to park alongside your members? It is actually discrimination of the worst sort and gives the worst possible first impression.
Pro shop
When we walk into the pro’s shop to pay our green fee I expect the staff to greet me with a smile and if I am playing the course for the first time I also expect the pro to talk me through the course, tell me where the hazards are, tell me which is the signature hole and give me an idea of how long I can expect my round to take.
I would also like to see all golf clubs that have driving ranges giving visitors 100 complimentary golf balls for the driving range. If I am paying £100+ for my round I do not think that being given a basket of ball is too much to ask. And why not give visitors a course guide?
Buggies
I always walk my 18 holes but there are plenty of others who prefer to use a buggy. Why are they always so expensive? Surely visitors should be offered a discounted rate?
Signage
One of my real bugbears when playing a course for the first time is the lack of signage from green to the next tee. Erecting direction signs is not expensive and if you can stop golfers getting lost on your course you are going to speed up play.
Course marshals
There should be somebody by the first tee to welcome you and see you on your way. He should also be pointing you in the right direction and touring the course to ensure people are not holding up players as well as selling tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks.
Course conditions
If you are charging your visitors more than £100 please ensure that they will not feel that they have been ripped off. That means keeping tees, fairways, bunkers and greens in pristine condition. Everything else is just fluff really - the course is the jewel in your crown and you want visitors to go away and tell all their golfing friends about the great experience they have had.
Off-peak deals
I have never been able to understand golfers’ obsession with wanting to play at peak times. If you turn up to play a course in the morning you are probably going to have to accept that you will be sharing your fairways with members, and that means you could be in for a marathon. The best and most welcoming courses will always offer good off-peak deals, meaning you get the best of both worlds - a chance to play a new course at a reduced rate at a time when it is not packed. What’s not to like about that?
Cleaning up
Why not tell visitors that when you have finished your round if you leave your clubs in a designated place they will be cleaned while you visit the clubhouse?
Changing rooms
If you have showers, make sure they provide hot water. And if you have showers, offer visitors towels and toiletries and perhaps a hairdryer in the changing rooms. Please make sure that your changing rooms are smart and clean.
The clubhouse
This is almost as important as your course. A great clubhouse can sometimes make up for a disappointing golf course. Offer a decent range of beers and spirits at affordable prices. More importantly, offer a range of home-cooked food using locally-source products. There is no excuse for processed food.
Would this combine to create the perfect formula for a positively memorable visitor experience?
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