Why should I play here?

Image: Allen.G/Adobe Stock

I am here in Florida; the season is humming with golfers everywhere. As the Great Resignation continues, so do the great gains in rounds of golf. Golfers are in the sunbelt, and they are playing their sport. It is grand to report that the uptick which began in June 2020 is still alive and well. Rounds are solid, rates are up, and tee times must be made far in advance. If there is an open slot, it seems to be strictly a temporary miscue. As the season moves north, as you prepare for that first amazing weekend, ask yourself: is the property ready to go? Is it prepared to provide a service experience that will result in solid reviews. Is your property, like that famous putt, “better than most?”

This post is asking you to take a step back, to look at your property as a golfer or even as a competitor might. Would you play your course over that of the others in the area? Certainly you are concerned about conditions; the golf course, after all, is the product. Beyond the conditions, is it a fun test, a fair test? Your average golfer is not asking about the course record. They want to enjoy the day, be treated well, and be treated with respect. They want to be able to navigate around the property, finding the things they want, without asking lots of questions. Here are three thoughts about the golf experience as you prepare for your opening weekend.

1. Does the team acknowledge each golfer? Smile and provide a genuine greeting; making a customer feel good, with a warm first impression, is a great way for that golfer to feel good about their decision to play at your club.
2. Is the property clean with easy-to-read signage throughout? Can your customers move around the property, find the shop, the locker rooms, and other important points of interest without GPS? Making every guest feel at home can help build loyalty for their next round.
3. Is the team prepared to serve all guests? From junior golfers to women to boomers, has the staff been trained to navigate the needs of all players? Over several years, I have watched young people feel more and more uncomfortable about approaching older men and women. Because seniors play a lot of golf, it is essential all staff members are made to feel comfortable with guests of any age. Seniors have their own unique challenges that young people may not understand. They move slower, and at times, not all that well. They have a challenge, at times, distinguishing between different colors in the golf shop.

As you approach this new season of 2022, with COVID waning but the world in crisis, do all you can to be that 5-hour oasis, that place where golfers can leave theworld behind, focus on the quiet, the beauty, and the uniqueness of the game. Get with your team to do all you can to keep the news channels off and the smiles on. Certainly course conditions are important, but making your golfer feel good, for just a while, will help keep your tee sheet growing, even as gas prices do the same. It’s about how they feel, so do all you can to help your customer feel very good about your first tee. 

Jack Dillon writes the In My Opinion post. Jack is a speaker, a blogger, and an expert in purchasing, operations, communications and service. Jack is an author: His book Jump the Line:101 Lessons for Professional Success is available now. Jack is ready to help you build a better 2022. Contact Jack at 407-973-6136, or at jackd@careerdividends.com. Jack lives in Orlando and on Zoom.