IAAPA Cancels Asian Amusement Expo
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions has canceled the Asian Amusement Expo 2003 in response to the continuing outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in that region. Registered exhibitors should contact Linda Wan of Terrapinn for more information (phone: 65-6322-2749; e-mail: linda.wan@terrapinn.com). IAAPA’s Asian Amusement Expo 2004 will be held at the Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Center July 14-16, 2004. For more information, visit www.iaapa.org.

Tool Kit Addresses Accessibility Issues
The National Alliance for Accessible Golf has developed a tool kit for golf course owners and operators looking to make their facilities more accessible to golfers with disabilities. The 16-page guide includes information on the Americans with Disabilities Act and how the legislation affects golf facilities; the alliance’s Accessibility Guidelines; resources and contact information for getting advice about specific ADA compliance issues; a golf course access checklist; and a comprehensive section containing questions operators frequently ask about accessibility issues. The tool kit can be downloaded for free at www.accessgolf.org/alliance/golf-toolkit.htm.

Study Finds 2002 Golf Facility Revenues Flat
The National Golf Foundation reports that total rounds played at U.S. golf facilities dropped 3 percent in 2002 compared to 2001, while total revenues were relatively flat, increasing by only 0.9 percent. The rounds and revenue data come from a survey in January of 2,191 golf facilities. Facilities with declining rounds led those with increased rounds more than 2-to-1. Those who had more rounds in 2002 cited weather, improved course conditions, improved or increased advertising/marketing and improved management as the main reasons for the increase. Download a free copy of the report, “Rounds Played in the U.S.,” at www.ngf.org.

VGM Club Expands Into Canada
VGM Club, the largest U.S. buying alliance for golf facilities, is expanding into the Canadian market. Through its volume buying power, VGM Club negotiates special pricing programs for its members and allows individual members to make purchases from a roster of more than 150 vendors, covering club and restaurant operating supplies, capital equipment, food and beverage, pro shop merchandise and golf course maintenance. According to the company, the new division--VGM Club, Canada--will include the benefits of a buying alliance with the addition of an audited savings analysis for clients. Visit www.vgmclub.com for information on joining the club.

The Top 5 Marketing Mistakes Range Operators Make
Every coach puts together a game plan. That plan, if properly executed, will win the game. You can be guaranteed that the number one item in a coach’s game plan is to eliminate mistakes that will cost the team the game.

A marketing plan is a similar tool. And, likewise, if you make critical marketing mistakes, it could cost you the game, or in this case, money. If your marketing efforts aren’t paying off, it might be because there’s a mistake in your game plan. Here are the top five mistakes range operators make:

1. Insufficient investment
Too many range operators try to save their way to success. A range is a business and every business requires money to drive it forward. This is not a “build it and they will come” business. Unless you have a monopoly on the market and an ideal location, you must invest in marketing.

How much is enough? If you’re spending at least 5 percent of your gross sales on marketing, then you’re spending enough. It could be as much as 10 percent, depending on critical variables such as direct/indirect competition, location and age of the facility. When in doubt, err on the high side.

2. Lack of measurement
Ask any range operator how well his marketing plan works and he’s likely to say, “It works well (or doesn’t).” Ask how he knows or why and he’ll have a hard time proving it. That’s because he hasn’t truly measured the results of his efforts.

Whenever possible, include some kind of trigger mechanism, like a coupon or special offer, that allows you to track the effectiveness of your marketing expenditures. It’s not going to be perfect. But, across time, you’ll be able to compare one strategy to another. The numbers you gather will indicate what works and what doesn’t.

3. Lack of experimentation
Too many range operators do same thing, year after year. And, they wonder why their business isn’t growing. At least 10 percent of your marketing budget should be devoted to new types of marketing. Think outside the box—have fun with it. Use what works and throw away the rest. It’s a constant process.

4. Trying to say too much
Too many ads are overloaded with information. It’s a proven fact that a person can only absorb three ideas out of an advertisement. Identify the three most important things that you want people to take away from your ad and focus on those. If people come away with only one or two things that they remember, you will have succeeded. Keep your message consistent in all media vehicles—print, TV, radio, direct mail, outdoor signage, etc. Repeating your message is key to people remembering it.

5. Weak headlines/lack of benefit
The typical driving range ad leads with the name of the facility. Bad move. The headline is the most important part of the ad. It must capture people’s attention. If you don’t get their attention, they move on and you’ve wasted your money. The name of the facility is not the most important benefit you offer your customers, so don’t put it in the headline (the only possible exception to this rule is if your facility is brand new).

Your headline or opening should scream benefits. Tell people why they should come to your facility and give you money. And, remember, features are not benefits. A covered tee is a feature, not a benefit. The benefit is that customers can improve their golf game every day, rain or shine, when it is convenient for them.

PGA Fall Expo Set for August
The 2003 PGA Fall Expo will be held Aug. 5-7 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, Calif. During the first two days, the education conference will be presented from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the exhibit hall and golf demos open from noon to 5:30 p.m. On Aug. 7, the exhibit hall and golf demos will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. For registration information, visit www.pgaexpo.com.

Successful Range Instruction Programs Focus on Lifelong Learning
Two-hour-long waits to hit balls at The Golf Club at Chelsea Piers gave management an idea. Not for reducing the waiting time but for introducing its teaching academy to customers standing in queue. Last July, the New York facility began offering Golf 101, an hour-long group clinic designed to teach the basics of the game and get people hooked on the sport and, more importantly, on taking lessons. 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. Read about several ranges taking this approach in the May/June issue of Golf Range Times.

Also in the May/June magazine:
--Finding the right level of automation
--A profile of the renovations that turned a neglected range into a heavy hitter
--Using special-interest groups to broaden market opportunities

Plus, industry news, tips for organizing a fund-raiser and a review of ball washers.


Win Free E-mail Consulting
Golf Range Times is giving away a year’s worth of free e-mail consulting—a $450 value—to one lucky reader. Every reader who fills out and returns the survey included in the May/June issue by July 15 will automatically receive a free Golf Range Sales Potential Report. This customized report, normally $180, tells owners, by ZIP code, how many golfers live within a 10-mile radius of their facility and the dollar sales potential that these golfers have for hitting balls at the range. One respondent also will be randomly picked to receive unlimited e-mail consulting for one year with Dominion Golf Group, a Midlothian, Va.-based provider of golf range management and development consulting services.

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