Robert S. Krause
Vice President for
Institutional Advancement
Kansas State University
College Discussion
Colleges
• Ideally, the golf industry
should identify one brand of
player development targeting
the collegiate population
Colleges
• Several best practices importance of utilizing teaching
professionals
–Golf for Business and Life
–Link Up 2 Golf
Colleges
• Golf 20/20 should develop a
“Business Case” for golf
–Faculty and staff
–Students
Colleges
• Brand positioning with collegiate
alumni market
Steve Czarnecki
USGA Foundation
Junior Golf
Discussion
2001 Objectives
• Take an inventory of the many already
existing Junior Golf activities
• Create communication tools to
connect people with resources
• Increase Junior Participation
2001 Activities
• Developed JuniorLinks.com
– Site devoted to educate kids, their
parents and junior program
administrators about Junior Golf
opportunities
• Coordinated regional Junior Golf Summits
– Gatherings Geared toward the
exchange of ideas and resources
among parties interested in Junior Golf
in communities throughout the country
Breakout Session Objectives
• Ways to enhance current activities
– JuniorLinks.com
– Regional Junior Golf Summits
• New Ideas for
Golf 20/20 Junior Initiative
JuniorLinks.com Enhancement Ideas
• Marketing
– Launch a comprehensive campaign in and
out of the golf world focusing on reaching
kids, their parents and Junior Golf Program
administrators
• Services
– Increase kid interaction with the site
– Highlight more individuals
– Educate about careers in golf
– Maintain communication with users
Regional Junior Golf Summit
Enhancement Ideas
• On-line registration
• Continue to focus on
broader participation
Other Thoughts
• Further research on retention
of Junior Golfers
• Offer searchable alternative
facilities database
• Schools and Golf
Mike Hurdzan
Hurdzan and Fry
Golf Course Design
Alternative Facilities
Discussion
The Alternative Facilities Breakout
Sessions...
• Endorsed and supported the Golf 20/20
mission of growing the game
• Accepted the new research as valid and a
foundation for ongoing thinking
• Focused on developing meaningful and
necessary recommendations
The Alternative Facilities Breakout
Sessions...
• Discovered that Alternative Facilities (AFs)
are underrepresented at 20/20 and to some
degree out of the mainstream of industry
involvement, concerns, and understanding
• Agreed that more research is necessary
to make further recommendations and
decisions
• Identified that AFs can and do play a role in
player development
The Alternative Facilities Breakout
Sessions...
• Supported the concept of targeting
alternative facilities for industry inclusion
• Determined that segmentation should occur
between golf ranges and other alternative
facilities
• Concurred that AFs are good places for
friends & family to play and enjoy golf
• Stated that industry-branded programs
enjoy a high potential for success
Data/Research/Information
We Need to Know More About Alternative
Facility Consumers and Operations In These
Specific Areas:
• What are the demographics, needs and
characteristics of AF golfers?
• Is the AF consumer market segment growing,
and in what ways?
– How much, when, and where?
• Why do golfers play exclusively at AFs,
and what would it take to move them to
traditional courses?
• How can AFs offer a better consumer
experience?
Data/Research/Information
We Need to Know More About Alternative
Facility Consumers and Operations In These
Specific Areas:
• How many golfers learned the game of golf at
an AF?
• What are the golf amenities, programs and
marketing initiatives of AFs, and how effective
are they?
• How rapidly are AFs growing, and how well
utilized (played) and profitable are they?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of
having an AF at a Traditional Facility vs.
functioning as a stand alone?
Recommendations for
Industry Programs
• Support the Link Up 2 Golf program and
expand it to other markets, with more
emphasis on Alternative Facilities
• Gather the common denominators, best
practices and models for AFs and make
them known throughout the industry
• Identify and remove barriers that make
golfers feel less welcome at both Alternative
and Traditional Facilities
Recommendations for Industry
Programs
• Search for organizational, industry and
institutional barriers that disenfranchise and
disconnect golfers
• Develop a menu of industry initiatives
designed to support AFs, and then conduct
focus group discussions with AF operators
to measure their reaction
• Recognize and pilot ways AFs and
Traditional Facilities can cooperatively
support each other
Recommendations for Industry
Programs
• Explore the role of indoor facilities
• Look at ways that existing courses can
modify their facility to create an AF
experience (later phase)
• Find a better name for Alternative Facilities
Conclusion
• 5,000+ Alternative Facilities
may be an untapped resource
to help fulfill the 20/20 Mission
Dave Branon
Chairman,
Dunlop/Slazenger Group (Ret.)
New Ideas
Discussion
How Do We Strike While the
Iron is Hot?
Convert Interest to Action
• Targeting the
25 - 45 age group
• Impediments: Cost
Time
Access
Difficulty
Promotions...
Such As Multiple Rounds Continuity-Discounts
With Added Incentives for Couples, Families
(Kids Play Free)
• Association frequency card (incl. churches)
• Ticket stub redemption
– Airlines (409 million)
– Sporting Events (86 million)
• National Grow-the-Game Club/Corp. Cards…
sequence discounts, equipment discounts,
lesson-packages, etc.
Promotions...
Such As Multiple Rounds Continuity-Discounts
With Added Incentives for Couples, Families
(Kids Play Free)
• Involvement in the community at
local courses
– “Town Days” (concerts, picnics, holidays)
– Celebrities/Chamber of Commerce
– Move PTA meetings to golf courses
– Beginner Clinics
• Retail Tie-In coupons (McDonald’s, Wendy’s,
MS Windows, TOUR sponsors, airlines, etc.)
• Golf lotteries (state, regional, national)
Target Specific
Groups/Associations
• Women Executives
• Disabled
• Minorities
Attracting New Golfers
• Don’t be afraid to discount
• “Sampling”…First round free
• Free lessons
• Alternative layouts at existing courses
• Make the game easier for beginners
Funding… All who benefit from
growth should contribute to
growth (the transactionaltariff…”The Powerful Penny”)
Representing Golf’s Bestinterests:
A Washington-Based Lobby
20/20 Creative Clearing House
New Ideas
Website
Will Mann
Past President
PGA of America
Link Up 2 Golf
Discussion
What is the Value of
a New Golfer?
One Year
$1,000
Five Years
$7,500
• Excludes any membership fees/dues
• Excludes soft dollars (travel lodging,
viewership, subscriptions, marketing benefit)
• Program offers greatest value to facilities that
are not at full capacity
What Should be the LU2G Management
Structure Going Forward?
3 Ideas:
1. 20/20 Staff
2. One representative full time from each key group
(TOUR, PGA, LPGA, USGA, NGCOA) managed by
20/20 and one executive
3. Private company to manage - hired by 20/20
• Need dedicated organization
• Entire industry to fund
• Whatever is adopted it should be:
“Efficient and Effective”
How Should the Program Expand?
• Choose best demographic clusters
• “Don’t Know” - Leave it up to the experts
• Build a five year business plan
• Should be a selection process based on:
A. Established criteria
B. Commitment of owner
C. Passion of golf professional
Summary
• New golfers have a high value - worth
the investment
• Build dedicated, focused organization
• Major stakeholders need to be involved
• Thoughtfully grow next year
Jim Awtrey
Chief Executive Officer,
PGA of America