04 Feb 15:08 | Trash.Fry Man said...

How are you and your facility addressing how consumers are using discretionary income during this economic slowdown?

04 Feb 15:11 | Trash.Steve Mason said...

During the week, Mon. thru Fri., we invite golfers to bring a non perishable food item. If they do, they receive a free green fee after paying for a golf car rental. All food donations are given to our local food bank.

04 Feb 15:15 | Trash.Charlotte Collins said...

We try to use marketing strategies un-like any other golf course in our market. We also switch to spending more money on current clients than on new client acquisition. We ask our current clients for referrals. We also send thank you cards for referrals and to top-spending current clients.

04 Feb 15:19 | Trash.Buster Wyatt said...

I bought my course eight years ago and have survived FIVE hurricanes. When two public courses opened within a 5 iron of each other in the same year in a town which the NGF said had enough golf holes already I knew I was in for a battle. Add to this the ability for them to get bailouts and abatements that I cannot get, I know my days are numbered. DESPITE ALL THE ABOVE we still offer free golf memberships to any Veteran which has generated most of my revenue thru cart revenue and concessions. I encourage all facilities that are having difficulties filling their tee sheets to consider making Vets a special deal. The word will get around that you support our military and in that you will have given back to those that sacrificed so much.

04 Feb 15:24 | Trash.Diane T said...

Right up until this past December, my 9 hole regulation muni facility in Central Florida had actually been in the middle of its best two years ever. I had convinced myself that because of our cheap rates, good conditions, and the convenience for golfers to be able to play a quick and timely round of 9 holes to get their "fix" that we would somehow manage to get through this seemingly desperate economic time unscathed.

Unfortunately this past December proved otherwise. We had one of the slowest December's in the 10 years I have been at our facility. If golfers are not able or willing to spend $13 for a round of 9 holes then things are obviously bad. January has started out just as slow as December was.

I do believe however that if we all can just hang on and ride this out that things will eventually start to turn.....at least I hope so.

01 Sep 05:22 | Vincent Caballero said...

@Trash.Buster Wyatt, I think that is a GREAT idea. Thank you for the input.

11 Nov 23:51 | Dayna Hester said...

I am a business development rep for a user-to-user golf website. We have created StoreFronts for pro shops to sell new equipment, list for sale clearance rack apparel and MORE IMPORTANTLY, we are working with the Southwest PGA to help pro shops promote trade in of pre-owned equipment (wherein they sell those trade-ins on ShankMeister ) and the trade in value given to the member has to be spent in store on golf items.

I'd love feedback and/or an opportunity to discuss how our site can help pro shops. We are created an eCommerce marketplace where we only allow NEW name brand equipment to be sold from PRO SHOPS so as to allow for pro shops to have their fair share of Internet exposure.