I spotted recently yet another reminder of how today's economy is affecting golf, this time via an article in the New York Times. Found here, the article talks about some of the incentives private golf clubs are employing to gain members and keep rounds played up even in these trying times. The article quotes some names familiar to GCSAA, including Joe Beditz, president and CEO of the National Golf Foundation, and Dana Garmany, who, in addition to being the chairman and chief executive for Troon Golf, is also a member of the Advisory Council of GCSAA's Environmental Institute for Golf.
Among those incentives, the story mentions clubs that are waiving or discounting initiation fees, allowing annual dues to be paid in installments, raffling off free memberships online and taking a more family-oriented marketing approach. The bright news is the percentage of struggling private clubs remains low. Beditz also painted a relatively sunny picture by estimating that golf rounds will likely be down only 3 to 5 percent this year; a drop that Detroit automakers likely envy.
What is your club, be it private, semiprivate or public, doing to retain and/or attract customers during these economically challenging times? Or are you feeling the pinch of the economic downturn at all?
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