The millennial golfer has been discussed many times. The Business Insider wrote an article discussing how millennials are hurting the golf industry. Most millennials have not picked up golf for various reasons, is your golf course offering an alternative to attract the younger golfers?
Attracting new customers is an important part when your client base is aging out. Here are some tips to attract young adults to your course.
1: Offer free club rentals with PGA lesson or round of golf
One of the first issues new players face is the actual gear required to play. New golf clubs can run upwards of $1,200, not to mention the cost of lessons, and rounds of golf. Consider offering free golf club rentals with the purchase of a lesson or round trying to encourage new players to play with you.
2: Different style of play
FootGolf has been one of the newest phenomena that has millennials enjoying their time at the golf course even if they don’t play golf. Some golf courses have even implemented a disc golf course on their property, or they have the disc golf on a specific day of the week.
3: Social media interaction
Most young adults are on more than one social media site. Imagine if they took a photo of your course posted it on Instagram. This post is an opportunity for your course to comment and thank the customer for choosing your course. Going the extra mile when you have a golfer promote you on their page will encourage them to come back. If you’re not sure how your social media page is performing, please read our article on optimizing your social media.
4: Have a social tournament for local young adults
Offer a 21-35 year old tournament to allow young adults join up on the golf course for a fun and social game of golf. Adults commonly say that there isn’t enough time to do the sports they enjoy. By creating a social tournament you have given golfers the opportunity to schedule in advance and have their friends join.
5: Incentivize your golf round with local business
Consider having an incentive on Tuesdays where every tee box has a new local food provider offering locally brewed beer and delicious tacos. Not only would this be supporting the local businesses but it will also be encouraging young adults to do their Taco Tuesday with your golf operation.
6: Inbound Marketing
Inbound marketing is one of the newest ways to attract customers. Creating content on your website which educates golfers will bring them to your website. Most people take to the internet to find answers, from “Where to golf in AZ” to “How to hit my driver straight.” If you provide the answer, you are not only promoting your golf operation but labeling yourself as a leader in golf knowledge.
CONCLUSION:
At the end of the day, golf is a historically rich sport that hasn’t seen much change over the 600 years of play. By adding new styles of play and enriching the sport with incentives for new players, the game will grow while keeping the history strong.
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