Q2 2020

GHP / Q2 2020 19 , Nov19540 Golf has always been a popular pastime for those later on in years, but none of us is getting any younger. For sports and activities like golf to survive, it is paramount that younger members be brought in. Golf Autoscore specialises in this work and was the worthy winner of GHP’s Fitness and Nutrition Awards 2019 for Best Golf ClubMember Retention Experts - New Zealand. We turn to this company to see what secrets lie behind their incredible achievement. Time for Tee! No sport is immune to change, and the humble hobby of golf is no exception. While not usually seen as the most mercurial of sports, golf clubs have witnessed a worrying evolution. Over the last ten years, the average age of members at these establishments has risen dramatically from 47 to 62. This information suggests that groups are not only struggling to find new members, but young members as well. Fortunately, the team at Golf Autoscore have the solution, one that can bring all the benefits of an increased membership without the struggle of establishing a complex multimedia marketing campaign. Book + play is the superb solution, developed with care and enviable attention to detail. The system is available to clubs of all sizes and is keenly priced as well. Instead of a flat rate, the fee that Golf Autoscore receives is only a percentage of what is collected from the club. The way in which Book + play works is simple, taking a modern approach that uses technology to understand data more easily. Making this information accessible to smaller clubs that might not have had the opportunity to see these figures allows them to operate at the same level as their larger competitors. The system combines payment and online accounts in order to give members the sort of service that they have come to expect. Instead of old-fashioned paperwork, it’s possible for new members to be playing a round in just a few short minutes. The time-consuming business of renewal is also made into a Book + play problem, allowing clubs to focus their attentions on providing the best possible service. More importantly, having this information means that it is possible to take this data and transform it into a monthly report. This report is able to provide important details on retention and churn rates, as well as the ability to provide a historical comparison. Knowing this information will allow clubs to take the necessary steps to ensure that their retention rates increase. As newer members are more likely to lapse from the organisation, it is clear that clubs must engage with these new faces. Book + play makes this a much more straightforward process, with all the information about who is playing and how often recorded in the system. Using these statistics, the team at Book + play are happy to discuss ways in which an events calendar can be drawn up that encourages these new faces to continue coming to the club and playing alongside older members. They will happily draw up newsletters and email campaigns targeted and designed to keep people coming to events that are being held. Of course, the final decision is down to the club, but knowing that an experience business like Book + play is behind every decision makes it a much more palatable process. Golf plays such an important part in so many people’s lives, and the need to maintain specific areas to play creates challenges for many organisations. It takes a forward- thinking attitude to ensure that the game remains one that can be enjoyed for years to come. Company: Golf Autoscore Contact: Rick Bryant