Little Bennett Golf Course in Maryland saw a decline in revenue and rounds played in 2006 due to deteriorating course conditions. In response, the golf operations director launched an initiative to improve agronomy practices, customer service policies, and pricing programs. Specifically, they shifted to hand-watering greens and aerating putting surfaces regularly. This led to dramatically improved turf conditions. The changes were successful, yielding a 23% increase in revenue, 14% increase in rounds played, and improved customer loyalty ratings, recognizing the course as one of the most improved facilities by the National Golf Foundation.

1. Strategy for improvement
changes help Maryland course record
operAtions
23 percent gain in revenue
success story
A
fter going through a tough
year in 2006, the managers at
Little Bennett Golf Course in
Clarksburg, Md., knew they had to make
some dramatic changes.
Worsening playing conditions had cut
into rounds totals at the 18-hole daily
fee facility, owned by the Montgomery
County (Md.) Revenue Authority.
So Wayne Rohauer, director of golf
operations for the agency, launched a
program aimed at turning around the
situation. The effort proved so successful
that Little Bennett recently was recog-
nized as one of the most improved facili-
ties in the nation by the National Golf
Foundation through its annual Customer areas. Golfers evaluate a specific course
Loyalty Awards. The course enjoyed the attribute on a 1 to 5 scale in each of those
What is a
largest increase in loyalty ratings from categories.
loyalty index?
2006 to 2007 among medium price point Greg Nathan, NGF executive vice presi-
($40-$70 per round greens fee) courses. dent, said that the biggest influencers of
“The improvement at Little Bennett was customer loyalty are four factors — over-
the loyalty index score is a
a direct result of three factors: improved all experience, overall course condition,
component of the national Golf
playing conditions through improved overall value of the course and condition
Foundation’s online Golfer survey
agronomy practices, improved customer of the greens.
program (Gsp).
service policies and flexible rate and pack- “The first time around, the condition
Golfers participating in the survey
age programs,” Rohauer said. of the greens at Little Bennett graded 3.2
are asked the question: How likely
And the impact on the bottom line was out of 5, which based on our benchmarks
would you be to recommend the
dramatic as well. The three new opera- for courses of this type was a D+,” Nathan
facility to a friend or colleague?
tions initiatives yielded year-over-year said. “So the customers weren’t loving the
increases of 23.4 percent in revenue, 14.3 greens.”
the answer to this question is
the best indicator of customer
percent in rounds played and 8 percent in After making the changes between 2006
loyalty as future revenue growth,
revenue per round. and 2007, Nathan said the course’s grade
according to nGF officials.
The key to the turnaround was a change rose to 3.9, which was the equivalent of
in water management strategy. Rohauer a B.
the goal of the survey is to provide
honest feedback for courses to
said that in 2006, the course had lost sig- In addition to the changes in course
act on to better their operations,
nificant amounts of turf on five greens conditions, Rohauer said the course’s
thereby increasing revenues and
and about 25 percent of its tees. customer services were beefed up by
the number of loyal customers.
To improve conditions, Rohauer shifted adding to the greeter staff and increas-
to hand-watering of greens. And he initi- ing staff presence on the first tee in
ated a program of venting putting surfac- Maintenance and operations payroll rose peak periods.
es every two or three weeks, using small by about 35 percent from 2006 to 2007. “This gave us the ability to visit with
solid tines to open up the surface. That But the changes produced solid results, players prior to the start of their round to
promotes air flow and root development as measured by the NGF’s online Golfer explain the day’s programs such as pace of
without causing major disruption to play. Survey Program. Under the program, cus- play, cart policy and services present on
There was a price tag for the changes. tomer feedback is collected in 21 different the golf course,” he said. —Brian A. Lee
22 Golf Inc. June 2008