Pareto Acquires SGD
Golf Range News, the U.K.-based magazine for European range owners, reported in its November 2004 issue that Seoul Nassau (U.K.) Ltd., which operates as Pareto Golf Inc., has purchased SGD Golf Co. in Medina, Ohio. Pareto Golf entered the U.S. market in 2003. "The purchase of SGD was an important first step to our long-term goals in the U.S. market," Craig Treharne, Pareto's group managing director, told Golf Range News. "Our revenues as a group are growing fast-in the U.K. they now exceed £10 million ($18 million) per year, and we expect revenues to be in excess of $5 million for the coming season in the States. A funding exercise has been completed between myself, Bank of Scotland and Bank One in the U.S. to provide further acquisition funds and working capital." Seoul Nassau owns the Pareto, Epic, Heritage, Pattissons, DFL and Sheerwater brands and is the U.K. distributor for Par Aide and Standard Golf products.
Air Force Pulls Plans for Golf Complex in Iraq
Plans to build a multi-amenity golf complex for U.S. troops stationed at Kirkuk Air Base in Iraq have been shelved. According to an e-mail received by Golf Range Times from Maj. William M.G. Manley, chief of public affairs with the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad Air Base in Iraq, "Kirkuk is an Iraqi air base-we're just here temporarily and will be handing it back when we leave. Consequently, we're prohibited from constructing 'permanent' buildings and must restrict expenditures to those things that are mission-essential." As reported in the November/December issue of Golf Range Times, the complex was to include a driving range, 18-hole putting course, chipping and putting green and batting cages.
Miniature Golf Network Connects Course Owners
The Miniature Golf Network, a web site for miniature golf course owners and operators, offers subscribers resources for reducing costs, increasing sales and improving their courses. Online workshops with expert guests cover topics such as pricing, coupons, budgeting and maintenance. Operators also can visit a chat room for regularly scheduled owner-to-owner meetings and access a resource library to review articles and workshop transcripts, archived by subject. Also featured are a 16-page operations manual and a photo gallery of more than 1,000 images of miniature golf facilities. Members can use the free classified ads and find suppliers in a virtual trade show organized by products and services.
Science Determines Netting Height
West Coast Netting, a Kingman, Ariz., netting and pole manufacturer, has answered the age-old question, "How tall should my netting be?" In conjunction with an independent research institution, the company has developed a scientifically based trajectory calculator that predicts the flight path of golf balls; knowing how balls will fly on the range helps determine the height of barrier netting to install. Customers receive customized printouts that take into account myriad factors such as width and length of the range, predominant cross or head wind, elevation above sea level, position of golfers (ground-level or two-tiered tee line), hook and slice and club selection. Additional concerns, such as preventing balls from raining down on neighboring businesses, can be built into the calculations. West Coast Netting will demonstrate its trajectory calculator at the PGA Merchandise Show this week.
Space-Ray Pumps Out More Heaters
Space-Ray of Charlotte, N.C., has expanded its line of unitized low-intensity gas-fired infrared tube heaters and now offers 19 different heaters in more than 100 configurations. Available in both natural and propane gas, the new ETS/ETU Series range in capacity from 40,000 to 250,000 Btu/hr; system lengths vary from 15 to 80 feet, depending on the model. The ETU Series Tube Heaters, ideal for high heat-loss areas and spot heating applications, come in seven configurations. In contrast, the ETS Series Tube Heaters are available in multiple configurations including straight, L-shape, expanded U-shape or Z-shape and are ideal for meeting complete building heating requirements; 90-degree elbows, corner reflectors and side reflectors are available for close mounting near walls, doors and corners. Systems can be common vented or individually vented through the roof or a sidewall.
Coupon Books Can Deliver Customers to Your Doorstep
Placing money-saving coupons in local entertainment books or community guides is a surefire way to attract cost-conscious consumers. City-specific editions of the nationally recognized Entertainment Book circulate in most metropolises, with some locales producing their own coupon book, for example The Market's Best in Richmond, Va. Both editions give local businesses a marketing vehicle with broad distribution. Often hundreds of pages thick, these books sell for $20 to $30-a real consumer value for the "thousands of dollars" in savings contained inside.
Two Sides to Every Tale
Businesses that advertise in the book also receive valuable benefits including
• broad-and essentially free-distribution throughout their market;
• more customers-because people pay for the book, they're more likely to redeem the coupons to recoup their cost;
• exposure at the right time-when people open the coupon book, they're looking to spend/save money, putting your business on a short list of contenders; and
• profits from sales of the book-participating businesses are encouraged to sell the books to their customers.
•Are there any drawbacks?" you ask. As with any marketing promotion, cost is always a consideration. You'll have to pay upfront to be in the book (offset by revenue generated from sales of the books), and the cost to advertise can be high, sometimes thousands of dollars. Other factors to consider:
• Geographic distribution is not controlled. It's likely that some books will be sold to consumers who live outside your market.
• You may be giving savings to someone who would have visited your facility anyway and paid full price. Still, it is never a bad thing to have customers walk through your door, even if they are lured by some sort of discount-you'll be making more money than if they did not come at all.
A Coupon Worth Clipping
If you're not already advertising your business in a coupon book, give it a try. The positives will outweigh the negatives if you advertise with a proven offer-something that has worked in the past. That way, you've got a redemption benchmark for comparison. If you use a weak or untested promotion and then get low returns, you won't know if the problem was the offer or the delivery vehicle. As with all marketing efforts, track and measure your results.
Additionally, make sure that you and your staff support efforts to sell the books. The "free" distribution is only free if you generate enough sales to offset the upfront participation cost.
Golf Channel Broadcasting PGA Merchandise Show
Unprecedented live coverage from the Golf Channel is headlining a host of new programs making their debut at the PGA Merchandise Show this week in Orlando, Fla. Broadcasting from a 15-foot-tall tower inside the Orange County Convention Center, the cable network will air extended live TV coverage from the show floor. Other new additions to the show include:
• Enhanced Equipment Test Center: The ETC-a 200,000-plus-square-foot indoor driving range in Hall A of the convention center-will now include a new ETC Stadium (featuring grandstands and a live demonstration area), two putting greens, an elevated chipping green and dedicated hitting bays for PGA professionals. An additional 40 hitting bays will provide attendees with hands-on and practical testing of equipment and range products.
• Expanded Educational Conference: More than 75 seminars will be organized into eight professional topic tracks featuring additional PGA programming and teaching and training sessions at the new ETC Stadium.
• Dream Pro Shop: New to the Fashion Fairway, a replica of a high-end pro shop will present top merchandising concepts.
• Improved New Product Center: The third rendition of the New Product Center will organize 300-plus products by category.
• New Exhibitor Pavilion: A teaching and training aids pavilion will join the existing club and resort, golf travel and several international pavilions.
Golf Range Times staff attending the show will report on the latest products and services for range owners in the March/April issue.
Golf Industry Show Offers Range Solutions
Every facet of the golf course organizational structure from ownership and design to construction and management will be on display at the 2005 Golf Industry Show in Orlando, Fla. The inaugural event, which combines the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the National Golf Course Owners Association trade shows, will be held Feb. 10-12 at the Orange County Convention Center. One of seven solutions centers will focus on the driving range industry and feature the latest trends in ball and club technology, effective teaching methods and best practices of player retention and development. Attendees can test their skills by aiming at targets and a pin from one of 14 hitting stations. In addition, the Driving Range Solutions Center will present a short game area with a raised green that attendees can attack from either the green side bunker or rough area.
Other allied golf associations hosting the Golf Industry Show are the American Society of Golf Course Architects, the Club Managers Association of America and the Golf Course Builders Association of America. Although the trade shows of the organizations are being combined to form a new industry event, each will retain autonomous education conferences that will run concurrently with the show.
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2004 Best New Range
The Practice Tee Driving Range
With a clubhouse that's more like a friendly neighbor's living room and a tee line comfortable enough to be a back yard, the Practice Tee Driving Range wins customers and the 2004 Best New Range title. Read all about this award-winning facility in the January/February issue of Golf Range Times.
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Be sure to check out these other features in the
January-February issue: |
Sell Used Equipment Fast
Golf Range Times introduces Range Exchange: a new classifieds service for readers. Got pickers, washers, balls, mats or tee dividers taking up space? Convert them to cash with a classified ad. Special low rate for range owners: $50. Plus, we'll help you extend your reach by posting your ad online at www.golfrangetimes.com-for free! Contact Sally Schall, advertising representative, to place your ad in the March/April issue. Classifieds are sold on a prepaid basis only.
The Only Directory You'll Ever Need
The annual Golf Range Times Buyers' Guide and Directory is the only directory published exclusively for the golf range industry, and the one resource you'll refer to all year long as you make purchasing decisions. Alphabetical company listings cross-referenced by product category make it easy to find the equipment and services you need. Order your copy online here.
About the Golf Range Times e-Newsletter
The Golf Range Times e-Newsletter is a free bimonthly publication sent to range owners and developers who have provided e-mail addresses. You can subscribe online here.
Don't hesitate to forward a copy of this newsletter to friends and associates or to let them know that they can subscribe at www.golfrangetimes.com.
Have a tip or idea?
Contact Marshall Norton Jr., Golf Range Times managing editor, at 804-272-9100, ext. 112, or by e-mail at marshall.norton@douglasmurphy.com.
© Copyright 2006 Golf Range Times
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