Modern savvy golfers

The Modern Savvy Golfer Expects!

What some golf clubs seem to forget is that the world of communication and competition has changed. No longer will golfers necessarily seek you out, so it’s vital to communicate directly with them. Competition is also much fiercer these days, and there’s a need to entice and incentivise.

Technology rules the way, and the way we all access our information is far removed from bothering to read the minutes from a stuffy old committee meeting that have been pinned to the clubhouse notice board!

Even a special offer on the club’s website or having a few leaflets put through letterboxes doesn’t suffice anymore. Instead, it’s the ability to deliver immediate and well targeted messages to a wide and varied audience that matters. Things like effective social media campaigns, eNewsletters and the use of discounting platforms like Groupon and Tee Times hit the mark with their real time mass delivery of offers which are just too good to resist.

Let’s face it, with the cost of an annual membership at a private club being around £1000 you need to play fairly regularly to get your money’s worth. Even playing once a week at those rates costs £19 a throw, and how many working people get the chance to play that often – particularly with the good old British weather spoiling things? So golf clubs need to catch up and realise that membership might not be the Holy Grail, and in fact many different offer seeking ‘nomad’ golfers might just be the future. Albeit at the risk of upsetting a few long in the tooth stuck in the mud members who are quite literally sucking the life out of many clubs by stubbornly opposing evolution.  So the time to communicate and compete effectively in order to reach a new audience is here – and the need to embrace new technology is vital.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against private clubs one little bit as they can be a second home for many people. However, we don’t pay full price for anything anymore and we’re certainly not restricted to spending all of our spare time in one place. So clubs need to evaluate what the future holds, look after their members yes, but realise new revenue streams are there to be secured if they embrace new technology, communicate and compete in a way the modern savvy golfer expects.

Happy Golfing 

Getting out of your comfort zone will improve your golf

Now is the very best time in golf’s evolution to become the player you've always imaged you could be! You have an infinite amount of information available at your fingertips, club manufactures are bringing out amazing equipment, golf courses are in tip top condition and playing at a new course is more affordable than ever.

I've been speaking to a good friend of mine Adrian Riddell, who's a leading Sports Psychologist and scratch golfer, and we've been debating what exactly separates the best golfers we know from the rest - and one thing that stands out is the amount of different courses the very best play on.

Let me explain, when was the last time in life, not just in golf, did you feel out of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy being there and more importantly did you come through it and learn something? Well the same thing applies to golfers. Take for example club members who pay a lot of money every year to ‘belong’ to one club, so understandably feel obliged to play there week in week out. They stand on every tee knowing what's coming up and very rarely do they change their game plan, meaning playing at the same place all of the time can’t be good for their overall improvement.

An absolute MUST in my opinion is to get out of your comfort zone and play at different courses. This will test your game and highlight your weaknesses. Be it a fear of water, tight tree lined courses, ones with a lot of bunkers on them and so on and so forth. Without finding out your weaknesses how can you ever improve?

Don't take my word for it just look at the Majors, time and time again you see the cream rise to the top because the very best pro’s know what it takes to win and they don’t fear golf courses because they’ve played so many different ones over the years . They don't really have any weaknesses and if they do you can bet your life they work hard to improve them.

So don't get stuck in your ways, get out there, play different courses and open your mind to improving your game.

The Julian Mellor Golf School 

based at Stoneleigh Deer Park Golf Club in Warwickshire. Find out more here

PGA Progessional 

Positive impact golf coach 

www.julianmellorgolfschool.co.uk

Julianmellorpga@icloud.com

07595 157452