Missed The Golfer’s Journey Part 2? Get caught up here.

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Only a few courses have mastered the secret formula.

Perceived Value > Greens Fee

I went through every step from when a golfer books a tee time to shaking hands on the 18th green. Each step is a way to pump that formula into your golf course.

The best part? They’re nearly all free things you can implement tomorrow.

70 Near Free Ideas to Make Your Course Unique

1. Website search of golf course
   • Click “About the Course”
     • Offer instruction on “how to play the course”
       • NO ONE clicks hole by hole descriptions. Pictures give no context to someone who has never stood on the course
       • Provide entertaining flyover video: someone caddying for the head pro as he explains how to play the course and what makes it unique
       • Click “Book a Tee Time”
         • Option to book same tee time next week
       • Enter information to book tee time
         • “Are you a new or returning player?” Button
       • Receive email confirmation
2. Waits for day of tee time
   • Does NOT get an email welcoming them
     • Based on new or returning player, send a welcome email the day before their tee time
       • Include “how to play the course” information
       • If new, send them a thoughtful template welcome email with a 20% off pro shop voucher
       • If returning, send template email to build relationship. Make them feel like they’re a long time friend that is coming to play golf again. Make them feel like the course is theirs.
       • Note: All of this can be automated. Ask me how!
   • Does NOT get an email upselling deals in the pro shop
   • Does NOT get an email telling them how to play the course
3. Day of tee time arrives
4. Looks up directions to course
5. Drives to course
   • Welcome email includes a 20 minute podcast they should listen to learn more about the course for their commute
6. Pulls into parking lot
   • Bag attendant meets them at the car with a cart
   • Cart is fully stocked with water, tees, scorecard and towels
   • Complementary range balls already in back of cart
7. Changes shoes sitting on trunk
8. Carries bag to bag drop
   • If no cart was driven to parking lot, attendant takes bag and loads up cart
   • Carts have a printed personalized welcome on the scorecard clip
   • Drives cart that was given
9. Check into the pro shop
   • Waits in line to pay
     • Partitioned “essential” items for the things people forgot: tees, socks, ball markers, balls
   • Peruses the pro shop
     • “Take the course with you” promotion of branded shirs, hats, etc.
       • Showcase merchandise photos on other courses far away (taking a ball marker to Ireland)
       • Submit a photo with you wearing our logo around the world for a free gift
   • Pays for round
     • Online payments make the lines shorter in the pro shop
   • Asks if range is included
     • Small range bag should be included. Most people don’t show up early enough to a round to use it anyways. If they do show up early to SPEND MORE TIME at your course, that is a good thing. You will make up the money elsewhere. No one can hit a bucket of balls without going back in for a breakfast sandwich and a drink.
     • Upgrade to medium or large for $10 or $14
10. Walks to cart
    • Cart should be waiting for them once they leave the pro shop
    • Waiting with range balls and when they need to be back 10 minutes before their tee time
11. Drives to the range and takes out 4 clubs
    • Have bag stands so players can bring their whole bag
12. Stretches
    • Small bin on range with stretching equipment
13. Hits bucket of balls
    • Invest in Trackman range
    • Have alignment sticks in bag stand
14. Reloads bag with dirty clubs
    • Multiple club and groove cleaning stations
15. Drives to practice green
16. Takes out 3 balls and putter
17. Practices putting for 7 minutes
18. Checks in with starter and digs through pockets for receipt
    • Don’t ask for receipt. Starter should know who is checked in already
19. Waits for tee time
    • Starter should be in a good mood and officially welcome them to the course. Starters have the easiest job in the world yet so many start the golf experience off on a sour note with a poor attitude. Customer service needs to be emphasized for whoever fills this role
20. Grabs scorecard
21. Figures out what tees and game the group is playing
    • Tee recommendations by handicap
22. Spins a tee to see who goes first
23. Waits for green to clear
24. Tees off
25. Hits breakfast ball
    • Offer a complementary breakfast ball (they’re going to hit one anyways— buy into it). Most will opt to hit their own ball too, but it’s the thought that counts. Fill a bucket of range balls for anyone that needs an extra shot. Place a second bucket on the second tee for them to return the breakfast ball
26. Carries on with round
27. Course gets backed up by the 3rd hole
    • Rangers need to do their job. Many of them just drive around and nod instead of engaging players and asking if pace is slow.
28. Waits
    • Slow rounds kill the Golfer’s Journey
    • Engage golfers around natural backups (par 5s and par 3s)
      • Drink stand
      • On course grill
29. Sees cart girl around 5th hole
    • Offer something unique that they can’t get at the turn
    • Special of the day
30. Makes the turn but stops at clubhouse
31. Gets out of cart and walks inside
    • Have on course food options that don’t require players to walk inside, wait, and slow up play
    • On course grills are cheap and literally no one can pass it up when you pump that smell onto the course
32. Waits in line
33. Hopes group behind does not pass
34. Orders a hot dog and a beer
35. Puts condiments on hot dog
    • Do not skimp on the condiments. Players have a mental ranking of the courses with the best hot dogs. You want to be high on that list
    • Offer the pickle. It’s worth it.
36. Rushes back to the 10th tee
37. Finishes hot dog way too quickly
38. Hits an undigested tee shot that was very rushed
    • Saving time by placing a grill near the 10th tee is a more relaxed player. Golf needs more Zen moments: standing on the tee enjoying a hot dog with your friends is very different than scarfing one down while teeing one up.
39. Continues playing back nine
40. Gets tired around 12th hole
    • Need water stations on 12, 14, and 16. Dehydration kills the Golfer’s Journey
41. Starts to lose focus
    • Name the stretch of holes from 12-15. Create lore around your course. Naturally helps players focus more
    • “You are now entering…”
42. Sees cart girl around 15th hole
    • Upsell options for food and drink after the round
43. Adrenaline kicks in around 16/17
44. Finishes round
45. Shakes hand on 18th green
46. Totals score
47. Takes group photo if course has significance
48. Drives cart to cart drop
    • Bag boy cleans clubs
    • Walks bag out to car
49. Empties cart of trash and personal belongings
50. Tips bag boy
51. Sits on trunk to change shoes
52. Smacks golf shoes clean of mud
    • Offer shoe cleaner at bag drop
53. Puts clubs in the car (drives cart back)
    • Bag attendants should drive carts back from parking lot
    • They have the time (only one group comes in at a time)
54. Drives home
55. Recounts round to wife or girlfriend
56. Texts golf group chat about round highlights
57. Maybe gets promotional email form club
    • Does NOT get a thank you email for playing the course
    • Does NOT get an email asking how the round went
    • No promotion or upsell to come back soon
58. Repeats process when THEY think of YOUR course
    • Send a personalized template thank you email the day after the tee time
      • If new customer, ask what they thought
      • If returning, ask how the conditions were
    • Upsell in the thank you email
      • Book another tee time during the week for 20% off or free cart
      • Gift a tee time gift card sales

Small Dent — Big Difference in the Bottom Line

A lot of the ideas we can come up with cost almost nothing.

But when your course has taken into account the entire customer experience, your bottom line sees immediate growth.

The Promise of the Golfer’s Journey

• Increased pro shop spend
• Increased F&B spend
• Increased referrals
• Increased private event inquiries
• Increased customer satisfaction
• More time spent at your course
• LESS competition with other local courses