The value of a proactive professional to a golf club

Stuart Kerr, Business Development Consultant, Foremost Golf, explains the importance of being heavily involved in the day-to-day life of your golf club.

A golf professional and their team sit at the forefront of the customer journey, checking players in and providing services to enhance that experience. These days, the role a golf professional plays has become increasingly diversified, and being forward-thinking and proactive has never been so important. This article provides four areas of focus, which in turn will have a positive impact on the performance of the golf club and the retail business when implemented correctly.

Member retention

A significant number of people will need to make financial sacrifices over the coming months and golf is not immune.  We need to make sure that their golf membership is the last thing somebody looks to cut, not the first.  No department is better placed in a golf club to regularly engage with these members, integrate them into the fabric of the club and make them feel part of a community than the pro shop team.  Those professionals that regularly host events, play golf with different members and go above and beyond to make the atmosphere around the golf club like a second home will help retain current members and also support new members with their integration into the community of the golf club.

Setting the right tone

The first impression really matters. The pro shop is the first port of call at most golf clubs, and it sets the tone for the whole customer experience.  A friendly greeting with a clean, professional, well-laid-out environment will make a great impression on a prospective member and instil a sense of pride in an existing member. A forward-thinking golf professional knows that the impact of this professionalism goes far beyond a successful retail business, elevating the entire club experience.

Engaging with your customers away from the club

As well as creating a community at the golf club, an extremely important facet of the modern golf professional is to create a digital community too. Being able to regularly engage with members when they are not at the golf course is essential. Without this, golfers are susceptible to marketing from rival retailers, coaches and golf clubs. This need not be a scary prospect for pros though. Retail groups like Foremost help catch consumers’ attention with newsletters, social media posts and special mails, and join-up the retail chain with professional signage, automated in-store video monitor content and displays, providing the tools to take a spark of interest through to an educated purchase. This tailored communication ensures members and guests feel important and get the information that matters most to them. Don’t let your competitors have a free run at your customers.

A thriving pro shop benefits everybody

A friendly, well-informed pro shop team that provides a professional service, good retail choice, expert coaching, and great value for money will reflect positively on the club as a whole and gives members more reason to not go anywhere else for their golf needs. Although often separate businesses, pro shop teams and golf clubs share the same common goal and when they work together, it significantly elevates the golfer experience. A harmonious approach promotes continuity and enables investment on both sides, ultimately providing the best array of services to golf club members.

For more information on how Foremost can assist you and your business in 2023 simply email membership@foremostgolf.com or call 01753 218890.