Golf 24/7 in Las Vegas
Greens Worldwide Inc. is constructing a 24-hour golf entertainment facility slated for operation in spring 2003. The Greens of Las Vegas is being designed by Dye Design Group and will include 24 true-to-size championship putting greens. Plans for the 20-acre facility also include a pro shop and sports bar, two 18-hole natural grass putting courses and a Nevada-shaped practice putting green with a private course for VIPs. Several of the courses will be lit for 24-hour access and all will have misting stations. For more information, visit www.thegreensoflv.com.

National Golf Properties Sold
National Golf Properties, a real estate investment trust that owns 116 golf courses at 104 facilities in 22 states, is being sold to an investor group headed up by Goldman Sachs and Starwood Capital Group. The transaction also includes the outstanding equity interest of American Golf Corp., a privately held company that leases and operates nearly all of National Golf's properties. The combined deal, expected to close in early 2003, is valued at $1.1 billion and includes full repayment of all existing National Golf and American Golf indebtedness. For complete details, see www.nationalgolfproperties.com.

Industry Suppliers Update Web Sites
Three equipment suppliers have expanded their online presence:

—SofTee Manufacturing LLC has a new web site, www.softeemfg.com. The site, which features product, warranty and maintenance information as well as distributor contacts, was launched recently in conjunction with the company's new marketing campaign and logo.

—Tex-Net Inc., a provider of netting for barrier, cage and tee line applications, has a new web address, www.texnetusa.com. The company's new e-mail address is powercage@aol.com.

—SGD Golf's new web site, www.sgdgolf.com, features online product catalogs grouped by market. Users can click through products for the driving range, miniature golf course, golf course, pro shop or batting cage operation. An electronic catalog for superintendent supplies is coming soon. The site also includes contact information for SGD staff and its sales representatives, the company's sales policy and a listing of trade affiliations.

The Yellow Pages: An Essential Ingredient in the Marketing Mix
Ask range owners what their marketing consists of and you'll find that most use the Yellow Pages. Most also only have a one-line listing under the "Golf--Practice Range" heading. If that's all you're doing, you're missing a huge opportunity.

Some owners don't think they need a more prominent presence in the Yellow Pages because their range has been around forever. Not true. Statistics indicate that about 10 percent of the U.S. population relocates every year. There could be thousands of golfers moving into your market looking for a place to hit balls, buy clubs, take lessons or have fun. They turn to the Yellow Pages first. You need to be there--in a big way.

When advertising in the Yellow Pages:

1. List your business under multiple headings.
You should be in as many categories in the book as possible. In addition to being listed under "Golf--Practice Ranges" other categories to consider (depending on your facility's features) include

• Golf--Miniature Golf Courses
• Golf--Equipment & Supplies Retail
• Golf--Instruction
• Party--Centers (for birthday parties and outings)
• Party & Event Planning
• Amusement--Places
• Baseball & Softball Batting Range

2. Upsize your ad.
In most markets, businesses receive a free one-line listing in the Yellow Pages. If you want to have multiple ads, but have a limited budget, pick the most important categories and upgrade to a multi-line ad. Use the extra space to tell people why they should come to your facility. Don't just tout your basic features. Include a compelling call to action, or make a claim that none of your competitors can. The idea is to be seen and to be read.

3. Put your web site address in every ad.
Your web site can contain all the detailed information that you can't put in your Yellow Pages ads. Using the book to point customers to your site is a great example of marketing synergy, making 1+1= 3. By the time consumers get finished viewing your web site they should be sold on your facility.

For more tips on creating call-generating ads in the telephone book, check out "Winning the Yellow Pages War," www.yellowpageswar.com.

Tom Barber Golf Center: A Team Effort
What happens when a lifelong golfer and a landscape architect put their heads together? Tom Barber Golf Center. The facility's namesake, Tom Barber, a former PGA Tour player and son of famed PGA Tour member Jerry Barber, grew up a golfer. His friend and professional landscaper, Nick Williams, wanted a crack at designing a golf center that would be as beautiful as it was practical. The two pooled their respective expertise and developed Tom Barber Golf Center, a green oasis in Moorpark, Calif., and recipient of an honorable mention in Golf Range Times' 2001 Best New Range contest.

Read about this unique approach to golf range development in the November/December issue.

Also in the November/December magazine:

--Secrets to a successful golf equipment demo day and how to use this grassroots strategy to win customers.
--Tips for measuring marketing success.

Plus, industry news, new products available in the marketplace, strategies for getting corporate sponsorships for go-carts and a look at netting options for barrier and cage applications.

Is Your Range Better Than Before?
Beginning in 2003, Golf Range Times' new department, Before & After, will highlight improvements and additions to golf practice facilities. Send Golf Range Times information on your renovation project, new amenity or equipment purchases for a chance to be featured in the magazine. No project or purchase is too small! Send a brief write-up along with photos to Golf Range Times, 8730 Stony Point Parkway, Suite 250, Richmond, VA 23235; call Kristen Caldwell at 804-272-9100 x.112; or e-mail kristen.caldwell@douglasmurphy.com.


The Only Directory You'll Ever Need
The Golf Range Times Buyers' Guide and Directory is the only directory published exclusively for the golf range industry. It's 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. Copies of the 2002 directory are $35 and can be ordered online here.


Back Issues Available
Missing an issue of Golf Range Times? Or looking for reference articles on adding amenities, insuring your facility or hiring qualified and committed staff? Click through back issues of the magazine to find these topics and more 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.