Golf Organizations Aid Relief Efforts
Several industry organizations have banded together to create the U.S. Golf Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund, with a goal of raising $5 million for relief efforts in the devastated areas of the Gulf Coast. Leadership for the fund is being provided by the PGA Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, USGA, the Masters Tournament and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Like the U.S. Golf Tsunami Relief Fund, the hurricane fund will provide relief directly to the people affected by the disaster, rather than any type of infrastructure support. Within this parameter, the ultimate use of the funds will be determined in consultation with former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton. In the near-term, any monies that are collected will be held by PGA Tour Charities Inc. in a segregated fund. All contributions are tax-deductible. 
Buy, Browse and Learn at Standard Golf Site
Standard Golf’s new web site, www.standardgolf.com, features a dedicated SG Express link, allowing customers to order items more quickly from the Cedar Falls, Iowa, company. The renovated site also includes information on the company’s newest accessory and maintenance products as well as a complete product catalog, a distributor locator and seasonal savings opportunities, while a special educational section, Tyler’s Tips and Tap-Ins, provides expert advice on purchasing and maintaining equipment.
Boost Holiday Sales With the Perfect Gift
As the busy season quickly winds down, your thoughts may turn to preparing the range for winter and tackling repair and maintenance projects. Although these tasks need to be done, don’t overlook a prime sales opportunity: the holiday season.
 Get into the spirit by creating one or more gift packages sure to get on every customer’s list. The key to developing a successful seller is preparation and early promotion. Your holiday gift packages have to be ready to roll by Thanksgiving weekend, the official kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Essentially, that leaves you only six to eight weeks to create the perfect gift. Here are a few pointers to get you started:
Think big. Don’t just sell $10 and $15 stocking stuffers. Your gift package should be a high-value, high-ticket item that will appeal to customers shopping for themselves or for others. At a special price of $199, for example, the package might include tokens for 100 buckets of balls, a golf glove, a sleeve of balls or a polo shirt or hat with the range’s logo—whatever you have to choose from in your pro shop.
Maximize value. Everyone loves a bargain, and you’ll be competing with other retailers, so create a package that screams value. Think of offering 50 percent off the retail value.
Increase value at no expense. Increase the value of the package by including two-for-one gift certificates for local restaurants or a coupon for free greens fees at a nearby golf course. It’s easier than you think to partner with other local businesses to cross-market and drive traffic to each other. This move will increase the value of your offer without increasing your actual cost. It’s a good deal for everyone.
Promote, promote, promote. Don’t rely solely on foot traffic to sell your holiday package. Aggressively promote your deal and pre-sell it. Hang signs now announcing that you’ll have great holiday savings starting in November. People won’t buy now, but they’ll remember you’ve got the perfect holiday gift. Once you’ve created the package, draw attention to it by arranging the items in an attractive basket and displaying it prominently in your point-of-sale area starting Thanksgiving weekend. Also include your pre-sell message on everything—on signs in the restrooms, on the price menuboards, in all of your e-mails and on your web site, on your TV/radio ads, etc.
Sell, sell, sell. Don’t be afraid to pay your cashiers/sales staff extra for pushing the gift package(s). The best holiday package in the world won’t sell well if the cashiers don’t ask for the order.
So turn your attention to the holidays a bit early this year. Creating the
perfect gift now could make this holiday season your merriest yet.
New Orleans-Bound Golf Industry Show Moves to Houston
In the wake of the destruction in New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) are moving the 2006 Golf Industry Show and their respective education conferences to Houston. The conferences and trade show were to be in New Orleans in accordance with an east-central-west rotation of Orlando-New Orleans-Anaheim/San Diego. The dates of the 2006 event will remain the same: the GCSAA Education Conference, Feb. 6-11; the NGCOA Solutions Summit, Feb. 8-10; and the Golf Industry Show, Feb. 9-11. GCSAA’s annual member golf tournament, the GCSAA National Golf Championship and Golf Classic will be played at five Houston-area golf courses Feb. 4-6, as had been originally scheduled. GCSAA and NGCOA plan to return to New Orleans in 2009 as part of the regular rotation.
Upcoming events:
IAAPA Attractions Expo 2005
Presented by the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions
Conference: Nov. 14-18
Trade Show: Nov. 16-19
Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta
For a complete list of upcoming events in the golf industry, check out the Industry Calendar on Golf Range Times' home page.
Worth a Second Swing
With startup costs keeping many range owners from investing in target game systems, manufacturers are turning the tables. As reported in the September/October issue of Golf Range Times, the new trend isn’t range owners picking and choosing target products for their facility; it’s higher-end target companies buying or leasing ranges to bring in expensive automated systems like the $4.5 million investment Golf Entertainment International just made at the former Mid-Atlantic Golf Center-Kingstowne in Alexandria, Va.
| Be sure to check out these other features in the September - October issue: |
Best New Range Award Entries Due Oct. 6
Applications to be considered for the 2005 Best New Range Award are due Oct. 6. Ranges that opened or underwent major renovations after Sept. 1, 2004, and that operate as the primary business (revenue generator) of the facility are eligible to enter the competition. All candidates must complete an entry form and submit photographs and other materials to illustrate the achievements of the new facility. The Best New Range of 2005 will be announced online at www.golfrangetimes.com and in the January/February 2006 issue of the magazine, which is read by thousands of range owners, developers and key industry personnel and distributed at golf's largest annual event, the PGA Merchandise Show.
The Only Directory You'll Ever Need
The 2005 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 important purchasing decisions. More than 180 alphabetical company listings are cross-referenced by product category, making it easy to find the equipment and services you need. In addition, the directory includes information on purchasing large equipment such as pickers and washers and what various suppliers offer, as well as a checklist outlining smaller equipment needs. All Golf Range Times subscribers receive a complimentary copy of the directory. To purchase additional copies for $35 each, download an order form here.
Sell Used Equipment Fast
Got pickers, washers, balls, mats or tee dividers taking up space? Convert them to cash with a classified ad in Golf Range Times. 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 September/October issue. Classifieds are sold on prepaid basis only.
Back Issues Available
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.
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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