Indoor Golf Reaches New Level in Maine
Out of the Rough Indoor Golf Club opened in Biddeford, Maine, in September and introduced golfers to the latest in virtual golf technology-a simulator that combines ball-tracking technology with 3-D models of championship golf courses.

"The biggest problem with virtual golf has been the lack of accuracy," says Chris Robinson, vice president of Out of the Rough. "This new technology can measure the physical elements that create slices and hooks-spin, lift and drag coefficients."

Behind each of the facility's eight bays is a phased-array microwave receptor that tracks the ball, taking about 455,000 measurements per second, including total distance, carry, vertical and horizontal launch angles, clubhead and ball speed, backspin and sidespin, as well as the swing plane of the club. Out of the Rough is the first North American facility to offer the simulator, which was manufactured by All Golf Ltd., based in Maumee, Ohio.

GeneralSports Turf Tees Up New Golf Division
GeneralSports Turf Systems, a Rochester, Mich.-based builder of synthetic turf surfaces for football and soccer fields, has launched 4-Par Golf, a division to serve the on- and off-course driving range market. The division will promote MaxxTee, a synthetic fiber infill system for tee lines.

Total Golf Assumes Management of Mulligan's Golf Center
Mulligan's Golf Center in Auburn Hills, Mich., home of the world's largest golf dome, has hired Total Golf Inc. to provide comprehensive management services to the facility. Previously managed by the center's six-member investor group, Mulligan's growing business necessitated outside management expertise, says Jim Dewling, president of Total Golf. The Milford, Mich.-based golf management and development company assumed management Aug. 1, just in time for the beginning of center's busiest season, when the dome opens.

Range-Play Entertainment Scores With New Target Game
There's a new target game in town: Range-Play Scramble System, an interactive game that allows golfers to turn practice into play. Developed by Range Play Entertainment Corp., this completely automated system uses targets with built-in sensors that contain wireless radio transmitters. When a target is hit, data is relayed to a scoreboard, giving golfers on the tee line immediate feedback. The system also offers a variety of group-oriented games, which can be used for leagues or corporate outings. Many of the games are played against a clock, which, the company says, encourages players to hit more balls in less time.

Developing a Marketing Plan: Seven Steps to Success
There are certain things that you know you're supposed to do, but put off doing or never get around to doing, such as flossing, eating well, exercising, etc. But making these practices a part of your life can help you stay healthy and vital.

The same is true for your business. There are several practices that will keep your retail operation healthy and successful. Perhaps the most important is developing a plan that outlines operations for the year ahead. As you begin to work on your operations plan for 2004, don't forget the critical marketing component. Here are seven things you should do to ensure that your marketing efforts pay off.

1. Analyze your local market. Has anything changed during 2003-new competitors, new amenities? Are your sales up or down, and can you explain why the business is moving in that direction? Is a change in strategy needed? What do you think will happen in the market during 2004?

2. Identify your overall business objectives for 2004. Write out the strategies you're going to use to achieve those objectives. How does your marketing strategy fit into those tactics, and does it address any of the market issues you've identified?

3. Review your 2003 marketing efforts. What worked and what didn't?

4. Identify a budget level for the year. At least 8 percent of your projected gross sales-more if your sales are declining-should be budgeted for marketing. Allocate dollars to the media you use (i.e., TV, radio, newspaper, magazines, direct mail, e-mail, e-newsletters, yellow pages, fliers). Leave 10 to 20 percent of your budget unallocated for "opportunistic" spending (good ideas that you'll have later).

5. Map out the plan. On a big piece of paper, lay out your marketing plan in flow chart form, with months along the top and media vehicles on the left-hand side. Using the chart as a calendar, schedule your marketing programs and events, and be sure to include dollar amounts for each. This will help you visualize the entire year, and show how the various elements of your plan work together to achieve your objective.

6. "Shoot while the geese are flying." Translated: Budget the bulk of your marketing dollars during the prime season. For most ranges, this is the second and third quarters. Calculate the percentage of your sales by month and use this data as a general guide for allocating marketing dollars. Generally, you want to be leading the prime season rather than trailing demand (i.e., start your heavier spending in the early part of the prime season, rather than at the end of it).

7. Execute the plan. As the saying goes, "Plan the work. Work the plan."

You can't expect good results in 2004 if you don't plan for them. If you think you can get by just winging it, you're not going to realize your full moneymaking potential. But, you will have made someone happy-your competitors.

PGA Merchandise Show: Equipment Testing Center Allows Attendees to Try Before They Buy
A 200,000-plus-square-foot indoor driving range will make its debut at the 2004 PGA Merchandise Show, Jan. 29-Feb. 1 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. Billed as the Equipment Testing Center (ETC), the area will house 45 hitting bays to allow attendees extensive hands-on testing of equipment and range products.

Last year's inaugural outdoor Golf Demo Day confirmed the appeal of testing golf manufacturers' products, says Christopher McCabe, show manager and PGA Golf Exhibitions vice president. "While the invitation-only demo day reaches a smaller, more exclusive audience," he says the new ETC offers equipment access to any attendee wanting to make a more educated buying decision at the show.

The indoor range is just one of many new events that have been added to ensure "the long-term health of the show and the industry," says McCabe. Others include:

• The Golf Demo Day, held Jan. 28, the day before exhibits open, will start at 10 a.m., two hours earlier than last year. More than 40 equipment companies and 15 ancillary companies are scheduled to participate in the event, which will be held again at the 42-acre practice facility at the Orange County National Golf Center in nearby Winter Garden, Fla.

• Driven by a majority of sell-out sessions in 2003, the number of seminars and time periods for the conference program are being increased. Specific emphasis will be given to offering more classes in merchandising, retail profit margins and traffic builders, and business management.

• A tram will transport attendees along the nearly half-mile length of the convention center, running from the ETC in Hall A to the Apparel Hall, Hall E.

Range Balls: More Than a Drop in the Bucket
A range's most important feature may be its smallest product-range balls. According to research gathered by the International Golf Practice Facilities Association, a marketing-based membership organization, "total stand-alone range and on-course visits totaled approximately 300 million in 2002 in the North American market." And one of the strongest preferences voiced by those consumers was for quality practice balls. Keeping range balls in tip-top shape starts with buying the best quality balls the range can afford and then instituting proactive practices to keep them looking good. Read about strategies to manage your range ball inventory in the November/December issue of Golf Range Times. read>>

Also in the November/December magazine:
—Developing membership programs that offer added value to customers and the range
—An inside look at Button Hole Short Course & Teaching Center, a working model for growing the game

Plus, industry news, innovative ideas for making money during slow times and a review of barrier netting products and services.

Reader Wins Free Year of Consulting
Range owners and developers who completed the Golf Range Times 2003 reader survey included in the May/June issue were entered into the drawing for a free year of golf range consulting, valued at $450.

Golf Range Times congratulates Nick Franze of Tee It Up in Oviedo, Fla., who will receive unlimited e-mail consulting services during 2004 from Dominion Golf Group, a Midlothian, Va.-based provider of golf range management and development consulting services.

Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey. Your input continues to make Golf Range Times a must-read publication. Stayed tuned for exciting content additions coming in 2004

2003 Article Index
January/February
• And the Winner Is...Jupiter Golf Center. Spread across 15 acres on the outskirts of Las Vegas, Jupiter Golf Center-Golf Range Times' 2002 Best New Range Award winner-is a place for families as well as serious practice players.
• The Pull and Pall of Direct Mail. Range owners weigh in on direct mail's effectiveness in attracting new customers and bringing previous visitors back and offer tips for integrating this promotional medium into the business's marketing mix.
• Keeping More New Golfers as Customers. Though most every range offering instruction has some sort of beginner program, Link Up 2 Golf is bringing attention to the importance of supervised on-course training in retaining new golfers.
• Training Golfers to Practice Indoors. First introduced in the 1960s as a way for players to keep up their game during the off-season, indoor golf has grown and evolved into a profitable industry segment and year-round business.
• How to: Hiring and Training Staff
• Equipment Review: Mowers & Utility Vehicles

March/April
• Looking Beyond ADA to Make Golf Barrier-Free. The number of individuals with disabilities either learning golf for the first time or resuming the sport after an accident is increasing, fueling the need for programs designed to instruct and retain these players.
• Paying Attention to Youths Now Could Pay Off Later. Studies show that six out of every 10 youths exposed to golf through a structured program will become active adult golfers, strengthening the case for investing in a junior golf program.
• Still the Industry's Biggest Product Fair. Though fewer exhibitors set up shop at this year's PGA Merchandise Show, there was no shortage of new offerings and services for range owners.
• Mulligan's Island Golf and Entertainment Center. As Rhode Island begins thawing for the prime part of the golfing season, things are heating up at Mulligan's Island, second-place winner in Golf Range Times' 2002 Best New Range contest.
• How To: Managing Range Ball Inventory
• Equipment Review: Artificial Turf Golf Mats

May/June
• Successful Range Instruction Programs Focus on Lifelong Learning. By giving beginners entry to the sport and then developing programs of transition for these players, ranges can create a self-replenishing cycle of customers.
• Finding the Right Level of Automation. Though high-volume ranges are the most likely candidates to use automation, small or midsize ranges also can benefit from systems that increase customer convenience and minimize labor needs.
• Special-Interest Groups Broaden Ranges' Market Opportunities. Taking a cue from other industries, driving range owners reach beyond birthday parties and corporate outings to host special-interest social events that open up new profit venues.
• Range Gets Back in the Swing of Things. After a complete near rebuild, The Swing Factory Golf Center, a 35-acre facility 40 miles north of Atlanta, is making a comeback.
• How To: Organizing a Fund-raiser
• Equipment Review: Ball Pickers

July/August
• Lights, Golf, Action. Lighting a range is a balancing act that requires a careful evaluation of the available options to determine which will provide the optimal level of light with the least amount of spillage.
• Keeping Miniature Golf Fresh Increases Play and Profits. From adding subtle landscaping to completely overhauling their miniature golf courses, range owners are finding ways to maximize their mini golf buck and keep customers interested and coming back.
• Offering Seniors Quality Experiences at a Discount Seals the Deal. Many ranges offer special bucket prices for senior citizens, but experts say it takes more creative marketing to court these customers and turn them into regulars on the range.
• First-Rate Retail on the Range. A 41-acre practice and teaching center with nearly $3 million in assets, Games People Play doubles as one of the top golf retail stores in the eastern part of Texas, and possibly the U.S.
• How To: Providing Great Customer Service
• Equipment Review: Ball Washers

September/October
• Point-of-Sale Systems. With their ability to track sales, customers, inventory and employee work hours and generate immediate reports, computerized point-of-sale systems trump cash registers in capabilities.
• Protecting Your Turf. Golf course superintendents share their strategies for strengthening grass's resolve to survive severe weather, from drought plaguing the Western states to the recent rains that soaked the Eastern seaboard.
• Unlikely Pairs. To compete with an increasing variety of entertainment destinations, golf driving ranges are experimenting with skateboarding, paintball and volleyball to broaden their customer base.
• Second Time Is the Charm. A former Family Golf Center, the Golf Center of Connecticut is growing fat and happy in Shelton, Conn., under the watchful eye of novice owners Alan Phillips and Howard Saffan.
• How To: Guarding Against Employee Theft
• Equipment Review: Ball Dispensers

November/December
• Range Balls. Although range balls may be a practice facility's smallest product, they're one of the most important features to customers. Keeping range balls in tip-top shape starts with buying the best quality product the range can afford, then instituting proactive practices to keep them looking good.
• Members Only. By adding value to membership packages, range owners can get existing customers to spend more money. An added bonus is that a carefully structured program can offset underutilized elements of the range. Making the program work for both the customer and the business, however, can be a challenge.
• A Big Idea in the Smallest State. If golf as an industry is battling to keep participant numbers up, then Button Hole Short Course & Teaching Center is the front line. In 2002, the center had more than 900 youth participate in instructional programs, the majority of those picking up a club for the first time. This past summer, that number jumped to nearly 1,500.
• How To: Making Money During Slow Times
• Equipment Review: Netting

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

The Only Directory You'll Ever Need
The 2003 edition of the Golf Range Times Buyers’ Guide and Directory is now available. It’s 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. All Golf Range Times subscribers receive a complimentary copy of the directory. Additional copies 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.

© Copyright 2006 Golf Range Times