Golf 20/20 Unveils Opportunities to Grow the Game
At its conference in November, Golf 20/20, an organization spearheading growth initiatives for the game, brought industry stakeholders up to date on the latest developments to come out of its research and pilot projects.

Pilot projects update
Link Up 2 Golf is a success. The program was tested this past summer at eight facilities in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina as a way to introduce the game at an affordable price and in a non-intimidating manner. More than 300 participants paid $199 for six hours of lessons, five rounds of golf, seminars and range use.

Response from the vast majority of instructors and participants suggest that the program is a viable means of attracting and retaining potential golfers. Prior to entering the program, nearly 60 percent of participants expressed some level of discomfort at a golf facility. Afterward, that plummeted to 3 percent. Moreover, nearly 65 percent entering the program said they were uncomfortable or very uncomfortable on a golf course; afterward, only 4 percent said they were still uncomfortable.

The upshot: Due to this initial success with Link Up 2 Golf, PGA of America and the National Golf Course Owners Association are partnering to expand the program in 2002. Stay tuned for information on where it will be implemented.

New Web site for juniors
The USGA Foundation created a Web site, www.juniorlinks.com, as part of its initiative to increase the number of junior players. A resource for youth, their parents and junior golf program administrators, the site will contain a listing of structured junior programs and related information. Visitors to the site can locate the most appropriate program for their needs based on categories such as geography and playing ability.

The foundation also announced plans for Golf 20/20 Junior Golf Summits, forums where administrators of existing programs can exchange best practices and provide guidance to those beginning new ones. In 2002, summits will be held in Los Angeles, Minneapolis and Boston and in the Florida Panhandle, the Dakotas and the Pacific Northwest regions.

Junior programs pay off in the long run, according to findings of Golf 20/20's segmentation research. U.S. golfers ages 18 to 34 who were exposed to a junior program are playing 58 percent more rounds and spending 71 percent more on fees and equipment than those golfers who did not participate in a junior program.

Get with the program: Capitalize on this trend by offering structured programs that introduce the game to youth, and register them at www.juniorlinks.com.

Ranges' role in the industry
Ranges located near a course contribute to a thriving golf market. Research shows that alternative golf facilities--which also include executive courses, par-3 courses and pitch-and-putt courses--work in concert with traditional courses to create more golfers. Significant findings reveal that golfers play more at alternative facilities when they are located in communities with a larger number of golf courses. Additionally, rounds and fees are higher at alternative facilities in the vicinity of traditional courses.

What this means: Developers looking to build a new facility should look at properties in communities populated by golf courses; the more, the better.

New programs to come
Golf 20/20 plans to use the findings from its research and pilot projects to create additional programs in 2002 aimed at expanding player development.

"The Golf 20/20 initiative was started to bring the industry together to strategize about the future and to foster alliances that will promote growth," says Ruffin Beckwith, senior vice president of the World Golf Foundation, which oversees Golf 20/20. "The quality of what we've learned this year, the success of several of our initiatives and the support of these efforts by the entire industry leave us well positioned to reach our long-term participation and interest objectives."

For more information, visit the World Golf Foundation's Web site, www.wgfmeetings.com.


Improvements at The Golf Place Include New Miniature Course
Increase Your Sales Through Upselling
Are you letting thousands of dollars walk out the door? Every time a customer walks up to the counter and buys a bucket of balls, you have the opportunity to sell him more. He asks for one and you get him to buy two--it's called "upselling,"and it works.

Think of the value meal
If upselling is not part of your sales strategy or if you think it's not a good idea, think again. As proof of this strategy's effectiveness, just drive up to your local McDonald's, Burger King or Wendy's. The first thing the person taking your order asks is, "Would you like a value meal?" Or how about the classic, "Would like some fries with that burger?" These fast-food giants are professional sales machines; they spend millions of dollars on research to find out what works and what doesn't. Range operators should learn from these sales pros and copy their successful ideas.

Overcoming objections
The most common objection given to upselling is that you're selling a product at a discount--the customer is getting a deal. Some operators may feel like the customer is paying less than he should for the product. Others may think they that because their range is so nice, everyone should pay full price all the time.

Better idea: Focus on selling more golf balls and not on the average price per ball or bucket. In the long run, you'll put more bucks in the bank with an upsell sales strategy.

What works
Upselling works particularly well when you're selling tokens for use in a ball dispenser. The beauty with tokens is that they are an easy sell. Easier because you can tell the customer that it's a better value to buy more and that he doesn't need to use them all that day; he can save the tokens and use them the next time he comes back.

This strategy accomplishes a few things. First, it puts more money in your bank account today. Second, that token jingling around in the customer's pocket is a reminder to come back and use it, providing you with another opportunity to sell him something.

Consistency pays off
The success of any upselling program relies on follow-through. You must train your employees to try and upsell every customer. All they have to do is ask; the worst the customer will say is no, but more than likely, he'll say yes. People like to get a good deal and upselling gives them that opportunity.

Let us know how your upselling programs perform. Or if you have ideas that you'd like to share or a question to ask, post it on our Message Board at www.golfrangetimes.com.

A Look Ahead
Be sure to check out the January/February issue of Golf Range Times.
Inside this issue:

--A case study of Lincoln Falls Golf Learning & Family Fun Center, winner of Golf Range Times' 2002 Best New Range Award
--Tips for scoring big with miniature golf tournaments
--What you need to know to take your range to the Web
--Ideas for building community good will with fund-raisers

Plus, industry news, new products available in the marketplace and a product roundup of range balls.

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.