Out to keep head above water

GOLF:The mission statements of clubs are focused on the right factors: providing quality golf and value for money . . . with survival as the bottom line, PHILIP REIDreports

THE OTHER night in Augusta, a reception was held in one of those old colonial manors that are located along Walton Way, one of the grander roads in the Georgia town. As you entered the hallway two large marketing drop-downs featured fabulous shots of Ireland's links and parkland courses with, on one, a photo of Graeme McDowell clutching the US Open Trophy and, on the other, a picture of Pádraig Harrington's friendly face welcoming golfing tourists to these shores.

The basic message being sent out to those in attendance, who numbered media from throughout the world – mainly from the United States, but also from Europe, Britain, and Australia – was that Ireland was very much open for business. And, indeed, the golf tourism market is one that is important to Irish golf courses, especially with regards to green fee revenue on links courses.

Based on the latest available figures, for 2009, an estimated 150,000 tourists come to Ireland with golf as their primary reason and the spend is put at contributing €110 million to the economy. Of those, the main markets are Britain (38 per cent), North America (US and Canada) 30 per cent, and continental Europe (26). The remainder is made up of visitors from Japan and Australia etc, with a strong Tourism Ireland international campaign – fronted by Harrington, who is a global ambassador – aimed at keeping up the market share.

The aggressive promotion of golf tourism is one aspect where clubs are at least getting some outside help in their efforts to survive in difficult economic times, but the main revenue streams for clubs continue to be from memberships – and, in our representative survey of clubs around Ireland, it is interesting to note the different attitudes that are adopted towards encouraging junior memberships which, down the line, will provide the lifeblood for clubs.

Two of the more pro-active approaches come from Fintona Golf Club in Co Tyrone and from Ballyliffin Golf Club in Co Donegal, where there is actually a waiting list of almost 100 juniors so successful has been their recruitment campaign among children in the area.

In Fintona, for instance, the club has been using the "First Tees" programme – a worldwide initiative – as its template for encouraging junior membership. This is promoted through the local schools and also offers facilities to the schools so that golf can be included as part of the Physical Education classes.

In the main, the mission statements of clubs are focused on the right factors: providing quality golf and value for money . . . with survival as the bottom line! It should, perhaps, be pointed out that Irish golf clubs are not alone in battling the current economic woes and ensuring that they keep their head above the water. Last month, a conference in Budapest, Hungary, heard how less than 50 per cent of golf courses in Europe, the Middle East and Africa were profitable in 2010.

The biggest concern from the KPMG survey was that the UK and Ireland – which is golf's biggest market in Europe – showed slower signs of recovery than other regions, with pessimism expressed about the ability to return to growth until the back end of next year.

Yet, the underlying message from respondents in our survey would seem to back up the point put forward by businessman Dermot Desmond to the "Road to Recovery" Golf Conference held in Dublin last November where he encouraged clubs and those involved in the golf industry to, "play to our strengths." He concluded, "I would ask you all to consider the fact that it doesn't get dark at 5pm every day which is always good news for golfers and economists alike!"

THE QUESTIONS

1. Does your club have any policy to attract junior members?

2. Have you experienced an increase in green fees from non-GUI, non-ILGU card holders?

3. Where is the primary source of your overseas green fees market?

4. What is your mission statement for 2011?

THE ANSWERS

Ashbourne Golf Club, Co Meath

1: We have a quota for junior membership (maximum of 150 boys, no limit on girls). We reach this quota every year without any trouble.

2: Yes, but not a significant amount.

3: UK, but this is a very small portion of our green fee income.

4: “Ashbourne Golf Club is an equal opportunity Golf Club which seeks to provide for its members and visitors a top quality year round playing and social facilities in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.”

Athlone Golf Club, Co Westmeath

1: No policy to attract junior members.

2: Yes gradually increase in non-GUI/ non ILGU card holders especially in society outings over the last few years.

3: Overseas market – Germany and Britain.

4: To focus on building up new membership and to attract former members who may have left us for various reasons. To make the club/course as attractive as possible to encourage more society outings.

Balbriggan Golf Club, Co Dublin.

1: No policy in place to attract junior members.

2: No increase in green fee income from visitors.

3: We have a very small number of overseas visitors, but we have noticed an increase in visitors from Northern Ireland.

4: We are proud of the newly developed course and offer a warm welcome to all visitors. We will continue to offer excellent value and very competitive green fee rates to visitors and societies alike.

Balcarrick, Co Dublin

1: We are introducing a new junior policy this year.

2: Good support of our weekly open competitions.

3: Not applicable.

4: Affordable golf for all!

Ballyliffin Golf Club, Co Donegal

1: We have a youth academy with 12 PGA Level 1 coaching staff/volunteers. There is a current waiting list of 90.

2: No noticeable increase.

3: UK, USA , Canada and Sweden.

4: We will strive to continue improvements to our facilities and our customer service levels whilst maintaining strict control of our cost base and targeting new members locally and internationally.

Bellewstown Golf Club, Co Meath

1: No.

2: No.

3: UK.

4: Stabilise income compared to 2010 by reducing prices and improving course standards.

Blainroe, Co Wicklow

1: We usually are oversubscribed in this area.

2: No.

3: UK and Scandinavia.

4: To improve the value offering for members and continue to offer the excellent facilities to visitors that they have come to expect.

Bodenstown, Co Kildare

1. Yes. Also reduced their annual fee by 50 per cent.

2: Slight increase.

3: UK

4: To have a vibrant well-run club with a membership of 500 ordinary members, approximately 70 associate members and between 75 and 100 junior members playing their golf on a course that they are proud of, a course that is well maintained, well presented, generally playable all year round, challenging and acknowledged throughout the Irish golfing community as being a top quality golf course . . . to have mutual trust and mutual respect.

Castlerock Golf Club, Co Derry

1: The professional visits local schools and the club organises open days at the start of the school holidays when the children are invited to receive free lessons on the practice ground.

2: No appreciable increase.

3: North American Canadian golfers and northern Europe.

4: To maintain our position as one of the leading links golf courses on the north coast!

Connemara Championship Links, Co Galway

1: We offer junior membership at very reasonable rates and run a junior golf camp during the summer.

2: No.

3: USA and UK.

4: We aim to improve our course and maintain our facilities to the same high standard. To maintain employment at current levels where at all possible. To maintain existing membership and increase green fee income by promotion and advertising.

Cushendall Golf Club, Co Antrim

1. Yes. Close association with GUI coaching branch and regular junior coaching sessions.

2: No increase.

3: Scotland/England.

4: To keep one step ahead of the posse!

Doneraile, Co Cork

1. Yes, our recruitment policy means we now have over 130 junior members.

2: No.

3: England – helped by initiating deals with local hotels and BBs to attract incoming golf tourists.

4: To break even financially and to maintain and improve our club where possible.

Dunmurry Springs, Co Kildare

1. Yes, we have a good junior programme with an organised co-ordinator, etc.

2: No noticeable increase.

3: UK.

4: None.

East Clare Golf Club, Co Clare

1: No. We have been very successful at attracting juniors as we have a very active junior club.

2: Not any noticeable increase as yet.

3: UK.

4: Our aim is to encourage our membership to stay loyal to the club and promote new membership.

The European Club, Co Wicklow

1: No. We are in the country and kids would have trouble getting here.

2: Yes. We did a post-snow discount for Irish golfers Jan-April on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and were very busy each of those days.

3: Europe is the biggest source followed by USA, Australia.

4: Keep the head down! Keep the eye on the ball! Keep a steady head! Smile

Fintona Golf Club Co Tyrone

1: Our club has been part of the First Tees programme for a couple of years. This includes formal coaching provided by a professional. Entry to this programme is promoted through the local schools. We also facilitate the local schools to use our course to include golf as part of their PE classes.

2: No. Our green fee income fell by about 5 per cent last year.

3: This is not an income stream for our club.

4: Making every effort to work with members to achieve on-going stability. Our club is known for being a picturesque course and a welcoming place to visit. We would hope that we can continue to foster this image through our teams, the open competitions and events such as the Friday night mixed. That we can sustain the improvements to the greens and hopefully enhance the conditions of some of our bunkers. That we can come to some conclusion on the debate on the tree cull raised by Jimmy and others.

Council has been concerned about our ability to get more participation from members, particularly young members, however, there has been significant progress made on the juveniles. We would hope we can give this issue some further thought this year. We plan to re-establish an irrigation system.

Galway Golf Club

1: We have an excellent junior programme in place and can only accommodate less than 20 per cent of applications yearly.

2: Not yet this year but that will likely change when societies start to arrive.

3: The UK.

4: Continue to provide top class facilities for enjoyable golf both for our members and visitors.

Highfield Golf Club, Co Kildare

1: We have a large junior membership of over 100 members who have excellent access to the golf course with summer coaching and junior/juvenile golf competitions every week.

2: N/A.

3: Very little revenue from overseas market.

4: We offer our customers and members good value golf in a friendly, homely atmosphere which is inclusive, competitive and welcoming. We hope to get our members more actively involved in more aspects of the club, which instils a sense of belonging and purpose and a desire to become stay part of an vibrant membership group.

Laytown Bettystown Golf Club, Co Meath

1: Yes. Our club professional provides a free four-hour coaching session for all our junior members every Saturday. Juniors who achieve a handicap of 10 or lower are invited to play in senior competitions. After the age of 24, juniors who have played through the junior and intermediate ranks are offered full membership, without having to pay the entrance fee.

2: Yes, due to: Weather condition during the winter months; As a true links course we don’t have any temporary greens in play; Our greens are in excellent condition all year round; Our green fees are competitive.

3: UK, Scandinavia, America and Canada.

4: To continue to provide an excellent service to our members and visitors and to enhance the enjoyment of the game at all levels.

Mount Temple Golf Country Club, Co Westmeath

1: Yes – the club has a very strong policy to attract junior members, both boys and girls. We work in conjunction with the GUI and ILGU and the local schools to run golf classes in our substantial golf academy and driving range, with professionals providing tuition. Michael Dolan, owner of the golf course, gives all of the facilities for free and also membership to the golf course at a reduced rate of €50.

2: No evidence of any increase as yet.

3: Our visitors in the last three years have disappeared – UK being the main source. We are left with small numbers coming from the Shannon Cruise liners, which would be mainly German and Austrian customers.

4: To keep up our high standards of hospitality and quality both on and off the golf course – to get the NRA and local authorities to put back up signs. Not having the signs for the past three years has been devastating to our business!

Narin Portnoo Golf Club, Co Donegal

1. We have golf camps on with our professional during the Easter and summer holidays. We’ve experienced a huge increase in juvenile membership in the past number of years.

2: Yes.

3: USA and Canada.

4: To continue provide fantastic golf and reasonable rates to members and visitors.

Navan Golf Club, Co Meath

1: We offer good coaching structures.

2: No.

3: England.

4: Excellent course, value for money – it is a hidden gem!

Nenagh Golf Club, Co Tipperary

1: Very attractive junior subscription and intensive efforts to recruit female juniors through the schools.

2: No. Green fee Market in general is reducing. We are hoping to boost our market share through recent reduction of green fee to €25 (16 per cent), reduction of society green fee to €20 (20 per cent) and introduction of special offer for pre-booked fourball at €100 to include breakfast or lunch on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Also we run an open singles each Wednesday from April to September.

3: Britain.

4: To examine our cost base to ensure value for money for our members and visitors.

Newbridge Golf Club, Co Kildare

1: Word of mouth is the primary method of attracting juniors.

2: No.

3: UK.

4: To promote the amateur game of golf among members.

Powerscourt Golf Club, Co Wicklow

1: We have a relatively small junior/student section with a total number of 40, generally generated from existing members. However, last year and this year we have accepted a small number of juniors/students from non existing members.

2: Over the winter period, October through now we have experienced an increase in traffic in this area, probably due to the offer price of €50 for golf and breakfast.

3: The primary source is UK and Germany and some from the US, associated with Ritz Carlton Hotel at Powerscourt. Without a doubt something needs to be done with the airlines as the existing charge for visitors bringing clubs into and out of the country is damaging the golf product. In some cases the bag charge is higher than the ticket itself, surely this is wrong.

4: Our mission statement is to provide each member, member’s guest and visitor alike with a level of service and quality that is synonymous with the Powerscourt brand. We will strive to ensure that every experience is a memorable one.

Skerries Golf Club, Co Dublin

1: Policy in place but very little response in the present environment.

2: No evidence to suggest this.

3: UK.

4: Survive as best we can.

Slievenamon Golf Club, Co Tipperary

1: We have a very active junior section, under the supervision of our professional Suzie O’Brien.

2: We’ve noticed an increase in green fees from players from the construction industry.

3: England.

4. To hold on to what we have!

(Series concludes)