Alex Fisher (left) is the PGA Director of Instruction at Camelback Golf Club and Chris Reed (right) is the Director of Program Design at Tatum Human Performance, both located in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Alex Fisher and Chris Reed on the importance of offering free events to communicate your golf fitness message:
Implementing any new program at a club can be a challenge. Communicating the details and benefits of new programming to your members is the first step in growing participation. Golf fitness is fast becoming a vital aspect of most golf player development programs. Whether your facility has its own performance center and in-house fitness staff or you maintain a relationship with an external facility and its trainers, you must educate members and students to understand their own physical limitations. Through such education, they will realize how your new golf fitness program can help them overcome those limitations on the course. New programming offers greater value to your members, and as is usually the case, you have to sell members on these new ideas. Getting the message out on golf fitness can be done in several ways – free events like demonstrations, free trial sessions and educational seminars engage members in these important new topics. Once they’ve experienced what your trainers can do for their body, you may have a new student for the long term. Members should be invited to tour the external fitness center and experience it for themselves. Trainers from this partner facility should bring their knowledge and expertise to the golf club and engage members where they are most comfortable. If you’re opening a facility at your club, have a huge kick-off event, providing all the information they need but be ready to answer questions as well. This is your chance to explain the benefits of golf fitness to a captive audience. Design simple golf-specific programs that can be done at home as an entry point for members. That way if they are hesitant about full investing in the add-on, they can try it out – you can also charge for this service.
Alex Fisher and Chris Reed on the business impact of offering free events to communicate your golf fitness message:
Some will take you up on the opportunity – others will pass. Still others may take their time, but will come around when word spreads of the program’s success and the positive effects it is having on their fellow members. In addition to improved play, members will feel better before, during and after their rounds. They will play more often, and for longer into their senior years. Increased play drives increased revenues in golf and fitness instruction, rounds, guest fees, cart revenues and golf shop and food and beverage. The added amenity can also play a role in attracting new members and retaining your existing ones. Provide many options for those free introductory events – the faster your golf fitness program grows, the faster you’ll start seeing those increased revenues mentioned. And having a healthier membership is an added benefit.
If you would like to email the authors of this Best Practice directly, please email Alex Fisher at alexfisherpga@gmail.com and Chris Reed at chris@ignitethp.com.