Highfives: Five tips to guarantee stronger income flow

Over the course of our lives, we have heard there are only two things guaranteed to each of us: Having to pay taxes is the first, and the ultimate final exit is the second.

During a long career I continue to pay my taxes completely and on time. The exit part is, I hope, some years away.

In the world of running a golf course, there are certainly more struggles than any guarantees — but I believe there are things you can do to create a level of success that can be guaranteed. Here are a few thoughts and ideas to think about that might create new business, new loyalty, and help make your property the place to play.

Depending on the type of golf property you manage, there are specific priorities that drive the business.  These priorities include: member retention, new members, outings and events, daily fee rounds, and food & beverage sales. The lesser priorities include the golf shop, golf instruction dollars, and range revenue. If you can open your mind to driving the key priority pieces by utilizing the revenue areas that play a smaller part in the picture, I believe you can guarantee more members, more golfers, more foot traffic, and more revenue. It is all about increasing dollars all season long.

Here are five thoughts to help drive people into your doors and onto your golf course.:

1) Create a golf-improvement program for every member at no cost to them. Create individual lesson plans, group programs, and short-game programs intent on improving the quality of play for every member. Get members to play more because they play better.

2) Change the price structure in your golf shop. Create program pricing that is 20% above costs every day. Stock the golf shop with quality brands as well as new ideas. Six times each year, create a huge special sale (with food and beverage) and create a fun atmosphere, sales, and loyalty.

3) Create FREE golf days for mom, and for the kids. Building a great club today means including everyone in the family. Educating mom on the sport and providing her with instruction will help you drive more members, more food and beverage sales, and more events than ever. Events, weddings, parties can increase with this effort.

4) Build one or two amazing food items. Make them great, make them cheap, and sample them all of the time. Entertain through your food and beverage as well as your people. Make food and beverage a vital part of your total hospitality story.

5) Develop a staff that is not only very skilled, but highly sensitive to developing the priorities of new members, member retention, strong rounds, and the other keys to great cash flow and long success.

Golfers who play better play more golf, and they bring friends to play. Creating fun hospitality with some great food items will keep people on property, and get them to consider your club for their family events. Having mom as a focus provides you an opportunity to have the entire family as part of your base, and making the golf shop an extreme value will ensure strong sales and traffic. Finally, make the instruction team a partner in your growth. Provide a strong bonus plan for these professionals tying into your new success.

Life does offer but a few guarantees, but if your push the right buttons, you just might significantly increase your odds.

Jack Dillon writes the Highfives blog and is a speaker and writer based in Orlando, Fla. He has been in the golf industry for 45 years. Have Jack speak at your next meeting, in order to bring practical, game-changing knowledge to your team – 407-973-6136.