How to Grow Women’s Golf
(outline summary of e-Learning Program – June 23, 2005)
For Starters: How Women-friendly is your facility?
Take This Short Audit: Does Your Facility? One Point Each
1. Offer affordable introductory group lessons?
2. Provide clubs at no charge for beginner lessons?
3. Advertise programs and events for women using the word "fun" or "no pressure" or "beginners welcome"
4. Designate a visible section of the bulletin board (in pro shop or locker room) to promote women's events and news?
5. Offer written handouts with basic information for new golfers including etiquette and pace of play.
6. Offer on-course playing lessons (or supervised play) for new golfers at affordable prices.
7. Offer 9-hole rounds (or shorter) at 9-hole rates (or less)?
8. Offer a choice of playing formats in leagues and outings for non-competitive women golfers as well as competitive golfers?
9. Provide customer-service training to your employees specifically about women customers.
10. Attractively display women's golf clothes and accessories in a visible portion of the pro shop.
Compute Your Score
•Add points – maximum 10
•DEDUCT three points from total if you do NOT have clean, attractive women's rest rooms both on AND off the course.
•BONUS!!!! ADD 5 points for Diaper-changing table in men’s rest rooms. That’s also “family-friendly”
How did you do?
•8-10 points = definitely "women-friendly"
•5-7 points = barely "women-friendly"
•less than 5 points = a long way to go.
Do you have what it takes to grow women golfers at your facility?
You Must Have
•Emotional commitment – and believe that women golfers are or will be your good customers. Leadership at the top is essential
Here is some data that may encourage commitment.
Women Golfers are Increasing
The latest figures from the NGF:
(1) The number of women “golfers” (18 and over) is growing, in fact, faster than men golfers.
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004
Total (mm) 25.0 25.2 25.4 25.8 26.2 27.4 27.2
Men 19.4 20.1 19.8 19.6 20.4 20.8 20.3
Women 5.6 5.1 5.6 6.2 5.8 6.6 6.9
Source NGF
More Positive Trends
(2) Demographics are encouraging.
•Title IX has changed a generation – girls play sports; daughters can golf. More women working.
•More women are working. Golf's "value-proposition" for working women (career and friends) is holding up. Playing Golf is good for business
•Baby-boomers are retiring with time and money.
(3) Media Trends Are Very Important – They condition the marketplace
National or regional media reduces the cost of customer acquisition for local facilities and markets.
If “they” advertise, you don’t have to.
That saves $$$ for local facilities and golf professionals.
Think about more group or coop advertising efforts
In the media, golf appears less traditional and less male-dominated – and more women-friendly. Women are everywhere in the ads now.
•More golf advertisements include or specifically target women – especially golf resorts
•“Play Golf America” - “First Tee” ads include women.
•Industry publications include more information about women golfers.
(4) Instruction trends
•Ball-striking is getting easier for women -- better equipment and teaching.
•Course design is more women-friendly (including restorations).
BUT, Must Know Challenging Trends
Although the total number of women golfers is growing, the most dramatic growth is in the "occasional" (1-7 rounds/yr) segment. (Source: NGF)
2001 2003
Occasional (1-7) 53% 62%
Core (8-24) 24% 21%
Core/Avid (25+) 23% 16%
Two-thirds of women golfers play 7 or less rounds. Half of Occasional Golfers play less than 2 rounds. This may not be all that bad! Better more golfers than less!!
The Retention Challenge – Where’s the Problem?
Are we losing new golfers, occasional, avid? We don’t know. Recent NGF study shows that Retention is significantly higher in structured new-golfer programs (NGF).
•Women are NOT bad customers. If a facility is not investing resources in attracting women customers, what have they lost if women don’t stick with the game or course?
•The customer acquisition costs for women customers have been low. (Prove me wrong!)
•In my opinion, retention is overemphasized as a negative in the women’s segment. Retention is a “symptom” of a lack of industry commitment – it’s not the disease or the problem. There is a “way” – where is the “will”.
Real Problems – Real Challenges
•The "time-barrier" for women is real – shorter golf options (clinics and course play) are helpful -- courses must offer them if they want women golfers.
•Gen-X-ers want "family" time – "family golf" is still new.
Take Your Daughter to the Course Week – perfect program for families
•The Why Golf? value proposition for women (other than career-oriented women) is blurry. Why golf?
•Marketing must stress that golf is:
•Fun, Friendly, Social
•Women-Only or “Women-Welcome”
•Bring-a-Friend or Find-a- Friend
•No Pressure (This is not a job!)
•All skill levels welcome – you can LEARN this game!
•No special skills or equipment needed
•Short Bites – 30, 60, 90 minutes – 9 holes
•Offer $$ value (women are good shoppers!)
•Be “good” for us – enhance our sense of well-being
•Be “good” for our families, and
•Keep us young
Any and all of the above – the more the better
You Must Have
1. Now that you are emotionally committed? You also need:
2. Economic Commitment – some $
3. Staff that is open to training, and someone to train them in how to be women- friendly. (I do that!)
4. Clean, attractive restrooms and locker rooms
AND someone to keep them clean.
5. Staying power – for at least three years
6. A communication method
Every letter you send is a “communication”
Newsletter
Email
Bulletin Board
Personal calls
7. Information about current or potential customers
Register all new customers in the handicap system (even at your own expense)
Track your Membership lists
Learn about New Database companies
Question?? What percentage of your customers only play two times per season? What do your new golfers spend in the Pro Shop?
Old-fashioned way – keep some lists
“Estimate” method – count your customers
Count Your Women Golfers
Easy Way: Compute from Annual Rounds
Here’s a way to count your women golfers using industry averages and your facility’s record of rounds played.
STEP 1.Take one-fifth (divide by 5 or multiply by 20%) of your total rounds at your facility to determine the number of rounds/year by women (actually women are about 19%)
STEP 2.Divide the number of total rounds by women by 20 to determine the number of women golfers. (actually, women average about 18 rounds)
Example: facility with 50,000 total rounds per year
divide by five (20%) = 10,000 rounds by women
divided by 20 = 500 =total number of women golfers
Count Your Women Golfers
According to industry averages:
• Half of your women are occasional golfers and play 7 or fewer rounds per year.
• The other half is divided between core and core/avid golfers.
Example: For a facility with 500 women golfers
___about 250_____ number of occasional golfers (54%)
___about 125_____ number of core golfers (24%)
___about 125_____ number of core/avid golfers (22%)
For a reality check, look at your handicap reports.
Now ask….
•Does my staff know my avid golfers by name?
•What size do my avid golfers wear?
•What do I know about my “occasional” customers?
•What do I know about my new golfers?
All good topics for a staff discussion.
More – What You Must Have
8. Course that is “suitable” for new women golfers
•Manageable carries over hazards and drop areas.
•50-yard fairway marker. (just try it for a few weeks)
•Two sets of tees: slope and rating for women golfers.
•Short holes for practice or new golfers-experience.
•Well-maintained forward tees
•Creative Score Cards can solve problems
•“Combo” tees
Must Have Goals and Objectives
9. GOALS –
Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely = SMART Goals.
What gets measured, gets done.
•What are some examples of goals?
“I want to double the number of women golfers. I want to improve scores of my frequent golfers. I awnt to increase the number of rounds. I want to increase revenues in the pro shop of women purchases for women. I want to increase attendance at clinics:
•Reward success. (Think PR -- publicize it in newspapers)
What you Must DO
•Measure your facility against best practices and decide what you can implement. Each facility is different.
• Develop a strategy with specific tactics
•Establish measurable goals – over 3 years.
•Think Promotion – advertising and public relations.
Some Tactics to Consider…..
Five Inexpensive Customer Service Examples
•1. Use name tags with “Miss” “Mrs.” “Ms.” so staff can address women by name.
•2. Offer group on-course playing lessons.
•3. Send “thank you” notes for lessons and purchases.
•4. Install 50-yard markers on holes.
•5. Keep restrooms clean. (clean!, fresh paint, floors and covered trash cans)
What to DO with Instruction
Kinder and Gentler Learning Curve
1. Offer a tour of the course
2. Eliminate the equipment barrier
3. Make sure golfers know their skill level – “graduation”
4. Private or group lessons – or “combo”
5. Supervised practice
6. Supervised playing lessons (at least five mentored golf experiences necessary)
7. Develop shorter loops and 9-hole rounds
What to DO in the Pro Shop
1. Hire female salespersons – “Prove Me Wrong!”
2. Make the sales reps do their job
3. Offer women’s demo days
4. Change displays often
5. Think “PROMOTION” – often!
6. Save her time – make it easy. (sizes and sizes)
7. Provide one-stop shopping
8. Send thank-you notes
9. Don’t forget the dressing room
10. Other extras: photos of women golfers
What to DO to find new customers:
Make a Plan:
•Build a better women’s association for “word-of-mouth” networking. How to DO that?
•Use “Affinity Marketing” – with women’s associations
•Develop Advertisements and PR
Public Relations
Take advantage of Public Relations
•Media-generated story (“free” advertising)
•Press Releases, Pitches, Press Kits
•SEE WEBSITE www.nancyberkley.com
What’s “news”
–New Golf Clinic Offered
–Demo Day for Women
–Prize Drawing to Kick-off season
–Officers of Women’s Association Elected
Tournament Formats That Work
•Scramble (step-aside)
•Scramble – new putting scramble
•Nassau – Color War
•Skins – use paper money
•Pinehurst??? – try for only nine holes
•Season-long tournaments – at “convenience”
•My “Goldilocks” Tournament
•Pace of Play issues – On-course instruction
–Gimmee Circle
•Option: “Stressless golf”
What do you have to DO
to retain new customers?
•Keep a list of new customers – track them.
•Communicate with them. (over-communicate)
•Use promotions. (bounce-back coupons) (frequency rewards for play or lessons)
•TEACH “DIALOGUE” to your staff.
•Don’t give up – unless you have tried three times to reach them.
Get Ready for
Take Your Daughter to the Course Week
•Publicize 3 times. (newsletter, newspaper, bulletin board) (newspaper, telephone call, radio station) (website, radio station, bulletin board) (locker room, restroom, pro shop) (any three helps!) MUST USE PHOTOS
•Start publicity early. This Public Relations as well as adv
•Think about what is newsworthy about the event: special guest appearance, prizes, “free gifts”, reduced rates.
•Schedule something different every day of the week.
•Free clinics – no equipment needed
•Capture customer information
•Use come-back coupons.
Yes, women are different
•Women like to learn with a group of women – or with families. Women are “collaborative” – not hierarchical
•Women want golf to be social and fun. It’s not about winning or powering the golf ball.
•Women are busy –want efficient use of time – multi-tasking!
Women As Customers
•Women know value and customer service – it’s hard-wired.
•In this “man’s world” of golf, women need extra encouragement.
•Women respond to special attention.
•“Little things mean a lot”
Women are different, AND
We are not perfect
•Some common problems and solutions
–Experts are not friendly to new golfers
–Some women don’t want to play with others
–Women complain about “slow play”
Other problems?
Finding the working-women segment.
How to reach working women
- Identify working women playing at your facility. Ask about their interest in forming a golf program. “word-of-mouth” marketing
- Meet personally with local women business leaders (at your course or range if they like golf; at their office if that’s more convenient for them).
- Identify other women’s groups (local teachers association, realtors)– send flyers and follow up.
- Contact the EWGA to host an event.
- Consider a cocktail hour (with or without golf) as a promotional event for the leaders of these associations. Try a “lunch and learn” program at their meeting or offices.
- Use local newspaper ad or using a press release. For ads, include a photo of a woman golfer. Establish a planning committee among women who respond to decide time, price and format for future events. (take a photo of planning committee for paper)
•A sample: The [golf course name] is hosting a “learn and play” golf program for busy and working women. Late afternoon or evening times to be determined [or indicate a day and time] Open to golfers of all abilities including absolute beginners. The goals: to enjoy golf, make friends and have fun. If you are interested in participating please call or email. Let us know if you are interested in helping us organize the program.
You can Do it!
Use the Free Help Line www.nancyberkley.com
Thank You!
•Nancy Berkley is a golf industry consultant, writer and speaker. She reviews golf resorts for The Golf Insider, an international golf and travel newsletter and serves as a consultant to the Golden Links Advisory Board of Corporate Meetings and Incentives. She is the author of Women Welcome Here! A Guide for Growing Women’s Golf published in 2003 by the National Golf Foundation - Jupiter, Florida. She contributes regularly to golf publications and is the author of the March 2004 PGA Magazine cover story about women and golf.
•She frequently is invited to speak at seminars and conferences for the PGA of America, the LPGA and the National Golf Course Owners Association. As a golf marketing expert, she participates in the industry’s annual Golf 20/20 strategic conference in St. Augustine, Florida.
•In 1998, Nancy founded Berkley Consulting to share her long-time passion for golf and to help grow the game. After beginning her professional career as a high school teacher, she attended law and school and practiced with a New York, Wall Street law firm. Later, as a corporate executive, she held a number of executive legal and marketing positions with Prudential Financial. She is a graduate of the Program for Management Development at Harvard Business School. She describes herself as a good bogey golfer and plays golf as much as her schedule permits on her home courses in New Jersey and Florida.
Nancy Berkley · President · Berkley Consulting
16 Fordham Road · Livingston, NJ 07039
Tel 973-992-1656 · Fax 973-533-1986 · E-mail NMBerkley@aol.com
www.nancyberkley.com
Winter Address: 242 Eagleton Estates Blvd,
Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
Tel 561-776-7243 - Fax 561-694-9211
