PGA Professionals at the
Controls
When it comes to growing revenue at all
types of facilities, the PGA Professional
is the pilot, who organizes, oversees and
executes revenue-raising efforts.
“The PGA member must stand up and
be noticed in this economy,” says Ian
Dalzell, PGA general manager and head
professional at Hidden Creek Golf Club
in Egg Harbor Township, N.J. “The PGA
Professional is the one key employee who
has direct contact with the customer
every day. The PGA Professional has
more of a finger on the pulse of what the
members want now and are seeking in the
future. We must secure our positions at
the club, and to do that we must educate
ourselves, expand our knowledge, and be
seen by our boards and committees to be
the leaders in the room – the solution and
the link to future long-term success.”
Bob Doria, PGA director of golf at
The Bucks Club in Jamison, Pa., believes
the PGA Professional must work in concert with facility owners and operators
to maximize facility use, create a memorable golf experience, and provide programs that appeal to juniors, women,
families and every member category to
stimulate spending at the club rather
than elsewhere.
“The PGA Professional’s value in
growing revenue is listening to the customer and the membership, determining what that customer is looking for,
and delivering that golf experience,” says
Doria. “The average player spends
between five and six hours at your facility.
If they do not enjoy or find value in their
experience, they will never return.
“A staff that has the ability to be flexible and respond to the changing needs of
their customers will thrive, even in a
slow economy. The PGA Professional
must lead by example and entrust his or
her staff to make the decisions necessary
to serve their customers while growing
the business.”
When Remy says PGA Professionals
should make themselves more visible
and valuable to drive revenues at their
facilities, Brock Nicholas knows precisely what he means.
“The PGA Professional has a sort of
instant credibility in their community
and is trained in the business of people,”
explains Nicholas, who is employed by
Troon Golf as the PGA general manager
at Harmony (Fla.) Golf Preserve. “Now
more than ever, times require PGA Professionals to be community leaders and
BEST PRACTICES
presented by American Express
Increase Sales
Volume Through
Clubfitting
Casey Paulson is
the PGA General
Manager at The
Vaquero Club in
Westlake, Texas.
We have a state-of-the-art
teaching facility, and our
continued reliance on and
financial dedication to fitting
equipment and demo-club
stock has helped transition the
club to a high-volume hard
goods outlet. I would estimate
that 85 – 90 percent of our
fittings result in direct sales.
Moreover, approximately 50
percent of our golf club sales
volume comes from fitting. At
least half of our core golfers
have been fit for a minimum of
one club.
gross profit on merchandise sales to to sign up, they have to supply us with their
motivate his staff to sell more. The staff e-mail information and agree to receive
stays in constant communication with e-mails from our golf facility,” says Cote.
members at Congressional by e-mail, and “This has given us a lot of good membership
special 10 percent off shop merchandise leads and we then send out e-mail blasts
offers are printed on the bottom of the e- with special promotions to attract play at
mail to reward members who bring in the e- the course. Teaming with an upscale car
mail to certify they have read the dealer has helped us build a good database
communication. of upscale customers and it has driven new
“It’s amazing how many people respond golfers to our facility.”
to that 10-percent-off coupon on our e- Marc De Wall, PGA head professional at
mails,” says Lyberger. “If you want to find out The Clubs of Cordillera Ranch in Boerne,
who’s reading those e-mails, just put a Texas, is centering his revenue-generating
special offer on it and watch the membership initiatives on creating and maintaining
respond. It also stimulates more customer loyalty. De Wall has
traffic in our shop.” focused on building relationships
with his members while offering
Partners are Important
myriad programs to encourage
For Matt Cote, PGA head members to spend their recreation
professional at Fox Hollow Golf and leisure dollars at the club. The
Club in Trinity, Fla., the economy staff at Cordillera Ranch is
has already taken a toll in the loss conducting clinics to appeal to all
of members to home foreclosures. member categories – beginners,
But Cote has picked up new juniors, seniors, families and
Marc De Wall, PGA
members in non-real estate couples. De Wall also has
categories to fill the void through creative developed the Cordillera Ranch Junior Golf
promotions and consistent e-mail Association to involve juniors, which has led
communications. He has partnered with a to an increase in junior lessons and junior
local automobile dealer to help him attract equipment purchases by club members. The
golfers to his facility. Big Break skills challenge and Tailgate Party
“We have teamed with Jaguar of Tampa as part of the club’s Super Bowl Shuffle
to run a promotion where people can Tournament was a successful revenue
register to use a Jaguar for the weekend, but generator while involving numerous members.
The members who get fit for
clubs represent our most
supportive members, so it is
vital to our club’s success to
keep our clubfitting program
up to date and consistently
invest money in the program’s
upkeep. This focus has helped
us realize double-digit
percentage gains in hard goods
for three years in a row.
For information on how partnering
with American Express has benefits
for PGA Professionals, log on to
americanexpress.com/golf
Proud Official Patron of
The PGA of America
(password: PGAmag007) www.pgamagazine.com | March 2009 |
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