Another boring talk about my experience managing and consulting for a few golf clubs in the past 22 years. I talk about what golfers expect, what members and homeowners - who may not be golfers themselves - expect when they buy a membership or property beside a golf course. A lot of stories can be shared: Contact me at mynormasATconsultant.com replacing AT with @ for more info.

1. Golf Club
Customers Expectations
Golfers, homeowners and
members

2. In this topic
• Expectations
• Golfers
• Homeowners
• Members
• Managing them

3. Expectations
• Golfers: The Augusta Effect
• What they see in Augusta
• Other courses around the world
• On TV or when they travel
• Expectations can be unrealistic
• Near-perfect conditions
• What they hear from others
• What were told during sale

4. Golfers
• Greens : Fast all year round
• Greens : zero maintenance activity
• Fairways : colour like on TV
• Rough : not ‘too rough’
• Bunkers : consistent all year
• Sometimes its about aesthetics than about
play

5. Golfers
• High expectations is expected
• Club must manage golfers’ expectations
• Don’t ‘chase complaints’
• Key is communication and patience
• Not listening to golfers will lose customers

6. Reasonable Golf Course
• A desirable level throughout the year
• Fair and consistent surface
• Testing for low but enjoyable for high h/cap
• Nicely with local environment & landscape
• Good value for money paid
• Sustainable as a business

7. Homeowners
• Expects what they were told (and more)
• Security (from golf course side)
• Safety (from stray balls, machinery etc)
• Privacy (workers, golfers etc)
• Image (house beside golf course)
• Prestige (golf course brand)
• Real estate value (as advertised & paid for)

8. Homeowners
• Can have high and unrealistic
expectations
• Expect high aesthetic all the time
• Without the inconvenience of fertilizer or
chemical
• Some are unwilling to put up with anything
blocking view.
• They have paid for view and want it.

9. Homeowners
• Club must manage expectations
• Developer wants to sell houses
• Real estate value depends on what
homeowner or prospect see

10. Members
• Can feel that they have bought a piece of
the club
• Some feel ‘entitled’
• Worse if it’s the whole family
• Not all

11. Most Members
• Want what they paid for
• Usage of club facilities
• Fair and consistent rules
• A friendly atmosphere
• Good service
• Staff that knows and cater to them
• Keep staff turnover low.

12. Most Members
• Want club activities
• They may not participate
• They want to belong and be part of
• Club newsletter or magazine
• Birthday wishes
• Management to acknowledge them.

13. Club members
• Want the club to be high profile
• Good publicity
• Win awards
• Be famous
• They want to be proud to belong

14. Sell membership?
• High profile Club
• Award winning
• Publicity
• Slightly expensive membership
• Famous
• Cannot? Manage expectations.

15. In this topic
• Expectations
• Golfers
• Homeowners
• Members
• Managing them