HZG Blog April – What’s best for business
Maybe an unpopular opinion and maybe something the average 21 handicap player who goes for a quick basket of 50 balls at the range does not think about or care.
A golf course, footgolf, pitch and putt or mini golf on the coast in Scarborough. Whether you like it or not, Golf is in the entertainment business. Business being the most important word.
There are two reasons that anybody in the entertainment business does what they do. One is the love of it. The second is the money but there is however a fine line to both.
I had a conversation with a person in the industry who runs a food and beverage auditing company for entertainment venues, and he flagged up that one golf course he once worked for doing the audit. Was offering 25ml of whiskey at £1 because the owner’s best friend who was a member of the club, drank that brand of Whiskey. After each round of golf, this person would come into the club house and have several drinks of this Whiskey. Over the course of 3 months the club house had lost over £400 behind the bar due to this one Whiskey on their profit and loss report. I am not saying all venues are the same but there will be instances within a venue when this happens. Is this best for business?
There are many areas of focus that golfing venue need to manage. We fully understand most greenkeepers are out on the course from as early as 6am preparing the course in all weathers. We also understand that the Course/general manager role is to look at waste collections, insurances, staffing and other aspects of their facility. Then there are the bar/catering manager and staff, membership team, accounts department, pro shop and teaching, the list goes on but the main reason your visitors come to your venue is for their golfing experience.
Imagine walking onto the first tee at your favourite golf course and there are divots all over the tee, wooden tees littering the area and no sign detailing the hole information, distance or if there is an out of bounds area. What does that say to your members and visitors? The reason your customers come to your venue is to be entertained.
Another question to think about if you run a golf course or a member of the team. Do you play your course? Do you personally use the driving range? Do you play at other venues to see if you can implement an idea that could improve your venue? Have you had an independent/external company play at your venue and give you an unbiased option of your venue? Hole Zero Golf offer this service. Many readers of this Blog know who Hole Zero Golf are and what we stand for in the golfing industry. We are here to be that extra member of staff, to be the people you turn to for us source the best product and improve your venue alongside you. We are here to spot that driving range mat that needs to be refreshed. Will look at your fairways and see if your yardage markers are easily seen. If the route to the next tee is clearer known or if your bunkers need a touch more sand.
So, whether you are the main person making the changes at your venue or there are 3 committees with 5 members each, all thinking of ideas that could improve the venue.
Start to look outside your goldfish bowl and think of your golfing venue. A place to entertain your members and guest.