know your own golf market


You can hire me as your consultant for 30-days for only $1,000. Over 50-years experience by email, phone, or text for 30-days. I'm an expert on any golf course related issue - Including Your Home Owner Association (HOA). Endless references. People who play your golf course are your own unique customers. But, do you really know your customers? Do you really know your market? Do you really know your own neighborhood? Have you considered an update of your immediate neighborhood marketplace? I mean population in the 30-minute drive-time area surrounding your golf course. Some neighborhood changes are so subtle you don't notice them. Years later, when rounds are down, you realize your customer base is dying off. My good friend, Jack Brennan, Paladin Golf Marketing, (http://www.golfcoursemarketingplans.com/) conducts a highly comprehensive analysis of market areas serving golf courses. In particular, he can help you learn the demographics you are catering to within your drive-time influence area. If business has declined, as it has around the country, you need to know the impact of nearby demographic changes on play. What are the consequences of ignoring your market? You need only visit the empty Kodak plant at Rochester, New York. A former executive at Kodak told me the people at the top totally (smugly) ignored the market they once owned. By the time they woke up to the reality of a changed market it was too late. I MEAN YOUR IMMEDIATE MARKET Golf statistics on a national or even regional basis are not necessarily applicable to a neighborhood of only a few city blocks. First of all, as a golf course, the one of interest to you (yours) has only one thing in common with other golf courses (answer at the end), otherwise, your golf course is entirely unique. So who are your customers! Here's what you should be doing: Look in your customer's golf bag. Do they play real brands or knock-offs? That simple little bag-check can tell you more about your loyalty base than all the studies you can imagine. What's your earliest tee time in the morning: 6:am or 9:am. A busy early morning tee sheet usually indicates a strong senior (retired) player base. Does your grill room serve steaks, deli sandwiches, or burgers and hot dogs? If your grill room makes money, I'm betting you serve a great cheeseburger and fries. Do they drink Bud, Coors, Miller, or Heineken? In Canada, Blue, Golden, or Export? Do you serve them what they want, or what you want them to drink? What percentage of your golfers are women? I will bet you have no idea! What is the favorite ball out there? If you sell used balls brought in from your course, what is the most prevalent? Like looking in golf bags, if you see more Pinnacles and Top Flites than Titleists you know who your customers are. How far does an average golfer travel to your club? I'm betting you have no idea. I suggest putting a sheet on the pro shop counter. Have your clerks ask everyone how far they drive to your course. Analyze the results. Adjust your marketing plans to fit your market of 2015 - not 1998. There's probably a hundred other customer profiles I believe you should know like the palm of your hand. - So let's simplify: We all know freezers sales are slow at the North Pole, right? Well, why try to sell golf to a market that has no interest in golf? No sense chasing people who cannot afford the cost or the time to play golf? If all your players use knock-offs, don't fight it. Go with the flow. They are your customers. They like your price point. Probably like the shorter par-4s and 5s (for birdie chances). They like 9-foot green speeds, not glass tables (though they may not admit it). If you could see their score cards you'll see more scores near 100 than 80. No sense chasing scratch players, right? Ok! So you know your customers better. Now what? Well.... no sense chasing scratch players. Why not clearly identify your players, then find more like them. Gee! What a good idea! Now you can understand why a market analysis can be so useful. Call: 941-739-3990 or write me so we can have a one-on-one discussion. My email: mike@golfmak.com. It's complimentary. You'll find me friendly, enthusiastic, and sincere. Answer: The diameter of the putting cup - 4 1/4 inches.

You can hire me as your consultant for 30-days for only $1,000. Over 50-years experience by email, phone, or text for 30-days. I'm an expert on any golf course related issue - Including Your Home Owner Association (HOA). Endless references.

People who play your golf course are your own unique customers.

But, do you really know your customers? Do you really know your market? Do you really know your own neighborhood?

Have you considered an update of your immediate neighborhood marketplace? I mean population in the 30-minute drive-time area surrounding your golf course. Some neighborhood changes are so subtle you don't notice them. Years later, when rounds are down, you realize your customer base is dying off.

My good friend, Jack Brennan, Paladin Golf Marketing, (http://www.golfcoursemarketingplans.com/) conducts a highly comprehensive analysis of market areas serving golf courses. In particular, he can help you learn the demographics you are catering to within your drive-time influence area. If business has declined, as it has around the country, you need to know the impact of nearby demographic changes on play.

What are the consequences of ignoring your market? You need only visit the empty Kodak plant at Rochester, New York. A former executive at Kodak told me the people at the top totally (smugly) ignored the market they once owned. By the time they woke up to the reality of a changed market it was too late.

I MEAN YOUR IMMEDIATE MARKET

Golf statistics on a national or even regional basis are not necessarily applicable to a neighborhood of only a few city blocks. First of all, as a golf course, the one of interest to you (yours) has only one thing in common with other golf courses (answer at the end), otherwise, your golf course is entirely unique.

So who are your customers!

Here's what you should be doing:

Look in your customer's golf bag. Do they play real brands or knock-offs? That simple little bag-check can tell you more about your loyalty base than all the studies you can imagine.

What's your earliest tee time in the morning: 6:am or 9:am. A busy early morning tee sheet usually indicates a strong senior (retired) player base.

Does your grill room serve steaks, deli sandwiches, or burgers and hot dogs? If your grill room makes money, I'm betting you serve a great cheeseburger and fries.

Do they drink Bud, Coors, Miller, or Heineken? In Canada, Blue, Golden, or Export? Do you serve them what they want, or what you want them to drink?

What percentage of your golfers are women? I will bet you have no idea!

What is the favorite ball out there? If you sell used balls brought in from your course, what is the most prevalent? Like looking in golf bags, if you see more Pinnacles and Top Flites than Titleists you know who your customers are.

How far does an average golfer travel to your club? I'm betting you have no idea. I suggest putting a sheet on the pro shop counter. Have your clerks ask everyone how far they drive to your course. Analyze the results. Adjust your marketing plans to fit your market of 2015 - not 1998.

There's probably a hundred other customer profiles I believe you should know like the palm of your hand. - So let's simplify:

We all know freezers sales are slow at the North Pole, right? Well, why try to sell golf to a market that has no interest in golf? No sense chasing people who cannot afford the cost or the time to play golf?

If all your players use knock-offs, don't fight it. Go with the flow. They are your customers. They like your price point. Probably like the shorter par-4s and 5s (for birdie chances). They like 9-foot green speeds, not glass tables (though they may not admit it). If you could see their score cards you'll see more scores near 100 than 80. No sense chasing scratch players, right?

Ok! So you know your customers better. Now what?

Well.... no sense chasing scratch players. Why not clearly identify your players, then find more like them. Gee! What a good idea!

Now you can understand why a market analysis can be so useful.

Call: 941-739-3990 or write me so we can have a one-on-one discussion. My email: mike@golfmak.com. It's complimentary. You'll find me friendly, enthusiastic, and sincere.

Answer: The diameter of the putting cup - 4 1/4 inches.