PGA Director of
Golf John Lyberger
(green tie) has a
bonus sharing pool
that has helped
increase golf shop
revenue at
Congressional
Country Club.
RUSSELL KIRK/GOLFLINKS
use their mini-celebrity in every way, shape and form
to generate revenue and benefit your property.”
Controlling Expenditures
Public, private and resort facilities face some similar and some vastly different challenges when it
comes to growing revenues, and surviving and
thriving in an unpredictable economy. All facility
types can benefit by carefully controlling the
expense side of the ledger to positively impact the
bottom line.
“We started looking at all of our expenditures
Public Facility Challenge
Growing revenues at public or daily fee loyalty program, because we want folks to
facilities is a multi-faceted challenge, visit our facility more regularly,” says
since PGA Professionals must provide Gomez. “Our big objective is to create a
programming to appeal to a wider range of memorable golf experience every time
price-conscious golfers and compete for someone visits our facility. Our staff is
the dollar with all other types of facilities committed to a program called “Set the
and leisure-time alternatives. Tone,” where we encourage folks
Providing public golfers with a to come back time and time
“country club” experience might again. I told our staff if we can get
be the objective of many daily fee 1,000 avid golfers to visit our
facilities, but PGA Head facility two more times a year,
Professional T.J. Gomez at Shadow that will make a huge difference
Valley Golf Course in Boise, Idaho, on our bottom line. If giving
is truly dedicated to carrying out someone a cookie on the golf
that mission. course is going to bring them
Gomez and his staff distribute back, I think that’s a great
T.J. Gomez, PGA
complimentary cookies each day investment. It’s not like we have
on the course while monitoring pace of play. two million golfers to pursue in Boise, so we
Plus, when the temperature dips below 50 have to make sure those we have are
degrees, player assistants deliver brandy comfortable playing at our facility and want
and hot coffee. When the thermometer to come back every time they play.”
rises above 80, it’s free bottled water and Gomez maintains an active e-mail
ice towels. To encourage repeat customers database and is constantly communicating
and build loyalty, Gomez has introduced a with his clientele at Shadow Valley. He also
“Loyalty Program” and “Birthday Club” that plans to add two men’s association events
reward frequent customers with a free on weekdays in 2009 to give regular players
round of golf when they spend $300 (one a good reason to frequent the course once
point per dollar spent is tracked by the or twice more each week. “All of our men’s
facility’s Pro Shop Keeper software), or a association events are on the weekend now,
free round within one week of their birthday but we have an active men’s group and we
each year. project that two more weekday events will
“We’ve placed a lot of emphasis on our bring 600 more people to the facility each
week,” he explains. “That will be a nice
revenue boost.”
Community Involvement
Building relationships with area businesses,
local hospitals, school districts, park and
recreation districts, colleges, and local
chambers of commerce and business
associations can prove beneficial in driving
outings and charity events to your facility.
Taking an active role in the community while
providing programs for juniors, seniors,
families, couples and men’s and women’s
associations will also provide a steady
stream of revenue.
Mike Attara, PGA director of golf at Eagle
Ridge Golf Club in Lakewood, N.J., hosts a
special event each year for the local
chamber of commerce that attracts golfers
and non-golfers while generating
considerable income for the facility. The
event includes the usual cocktails and hors
d’oeuvres, a putting contest and free clinic.
Non-golfers are encouraged to sign up for a
four-hour Golf 101 School that runs in
conjunction with the golf outing. The non-golfers enjoy lunch before the round and
rejoin the group for dinner after the event.
They all have a chance to win prizes during
the award ceremony.
“The objective is to extend the golf
outing to introduce new players,” says
