The travel industry has been on shaky ground as of late due to the ramifications of COVID-19. Traditionally flooded with out-of-state visitors checking in with golf clubs in hand, some golf resorts and top courses throughout the U.S. have seen the flow at that tap slow to a drip and now are looking at alternative solutions to fill the gaps.
Some good news was heralded in by the National Golf Foundation, whose data revealed that traveling golfers’ desire to play different courses during the health pandemic has not waned, but now they’re getting to the course by car rather than by air. Two out of three golfers said they will be driving to their next destination this year – even up to seven hours – which has grabbed the attention of marketers now busy shifting their marketing efforts to accommodate a more regional and local focus.
For any golf course looking for that extra marketing edge to help fill its tee sheet and heighten its presence within its market, GolfNow’s Premium Marketing Program (PMP) is a time-tested, enhanced solution.
“PMP is gaining a stronger foothold in the marketplace,” said Jennifer Hanson, National Sales Director for GolfNow Partnerships. “It targets the right golfer at the right moment with the right message to drive traffic to a golf course’s booking engine on GolfNow.
“These additional eyeballs, paired with a high conversion rate, leads to more bookings and, ultimately, more revenue for the participating golf course,” she said. “Our partnership goal is to drive more local traffic to your course, as well as help you stand out to the traveling golfer unfamiliar with the courses in your area.”
Eligible partner courses who invest in PMP benefit from a wide array of advantageous placements and optimized positioning on both GolfNow and Teeoff. The clearest advantage is top placement among the search results seen by golfers when shopping online in a particular market. That top placement has enough prominence to be a real advantage. Other added benefits, like Instagram take-overs, assistance with stay-and-play packages through Golf Advisor, and opportunities for exposure on GOLF Channel’s Morning Drive, are reserved for PMP participants. The product-development team at GolfNow has tweaked and improved the program steadily, using performance analytics along with feedback from course operators. The revenue record over that period tells a powerful tale of effectiveness.
“I realize a lot of courses don’t have the resources, time or expertise to stay on top of their marketing, which makes it more imperative to use the Premier Marketing Program,” said Joe Dahlstrom, Chief Operating Officer, Paradigm Golf Group. Paradigm manages a portfolio of more than 15 private, resort and daily fee golf facilities throughout the U.S., including Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nev.; Dobson Ranch Golf Course in Mesa, Ariz.; Palm Beach National Golf and Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Maui Nui Golf Club in Hawaii.
“For no out-of-pocket expense, you can have some of the industry’s best marketers keep your property top of mind through digital, social and email campaigns,” he said. “In addition, being part of PMP gives you access to top quality data and the ability to reach new customers with special offers, branding messages and more. We have had huge success with the program.”
PMP golf courses are part of an exclusive group, with just over 1,300 enrolled in the program. Being a good fit is all about how engaged and energized an operator is, and whether the course’s strategic ideas align with the concepts on which PMP is based.
A welcome destination for golfers since 1972, Palmbrook Country Club in Sun City, Ariz., has never been a course to rest on its laurels, making it a great PMP partner. “The PMP program has been great for gaining access to golfers that we weren’t exposed to before,” said Director of Golf Mark Kruse, who joined the PMP program in July. “It also broadened our reach with golfers online and our social media platforms have gotten more popular since we started.”
PMP courses are also featured in daily emails to the platform’s golfer database, which are geo-based. A major benefit is appearing in the “Best Bets” email—this is exclusive to the PMP level of partnership and when you land in that spot you are the only option the golfer—arriving with cash in hand and intention to buy a tee time—will see.
“That’s 100 percent share of voice,” says Hanson, with emphasis on the once-weekly email, “which by any measure is a huge value.” In addition to that exclusive Best Bets positioning, participating courses also gain access to the “Book Early” email. It spotlights PMP partners and is delivered to golfers’ inboxes based on their booking behavior and similar course interests.
To learn more about the PMP program, click here.