Playing in Golf Events & Golf Competitions

There are a few different ways in which to start playing more competitively, here are just a few of the ways in which you can join golf competitions in your area….

1 – Charity Golf Days

Many charities like to use golf events in order to raise funds or to generate awareness of what they do. These events are normally open for anyone (even to those they have never played) to join in. The focus here is on good will rather than good golf but as many of these events are held annually, they can often be ‘serious’ for those that are contending for places. Sometimes, individuals like to organise events in memory of a particular person or charity that is close to them. You may be required to find some other to join you and make up a four-ball but this can in turn reduce your costs for each player

2 – Corporate Golf Days
Many businesses run annual company golf days in order to entertain clients or share corporate responsibilities. In addition, many may have attached themselves to a local charity (see above). These days tend to be relaxed affairs with the emphasis more on business and networking than golf!

3 – Golf Club Competitions
Having joined a club, you will find that they run many annual golf events and monthly competitions. These can be attended by club members by paying a small entry fee on top of your annual membership payment (e.g. £5). This allows you to pitch yourself against the rest of the members, many of who you’ve never met yet. These days can be VERY serious and you may need to check your rule book before taking part

4 – OPEN events
With more and more clubs needing ‘Pay & Players’ to generate additional revenue, many clubs now run what they refer to as ‘OPEN’ competitions. These are open to anyone with a CONGU handicap, which would normally be obtained by joining a golf club or by signing up for a County Card.

5 – Society Days
If you are not a member of a golf club (either online or traditional), you may know somebody that runs a ‘Society’. These are groups of golfer that traditionally have no home but play as a group by moving their events form club to club, playing a new course very month. These societies tend to be fun and can be a great way to meet other like mined golfers.

The Importance of Golf Course Reviews

As such, it is no surprise that many websites and apps have been created in recent years to cater to the Golf market, meaning Golf Course Reviews and Golf Club Reviews have now become very important to the success or failure of many golf businesses.

Before the World Wide Web came along, we would all rely on‘Word of Mouth’ or perhaps go to the trouble of visiting a booking order to buy a bespoke Golf Course Guide.However, whilst a friends recommendation still count for a lot, the immediacy of the internet means that golf club and golf course information can be updated in real time.

In addition, just like the restaurant market, golf day organizers and ‘Golfing Nomads’  and their playing partners will now source the latest reviews and recommendations on a given course, before they even look to book a tee time.

So how will this change the way golf clubs attract new golfers? We’ll firstly they are going to need to read these reviews and respond accordingly.

If someone has had a bad experience, you can rest assured they’ll tell more people about it, that if they had a good experience. And whilst it costs money to promote your club to potential visitors…research tells us that it cost x9 time more to recruit a lapse customer than getting an existing one, to spend more and it requires some pretty good persuasive powers to get someone to reconsider their first impression, let alone convince them to come back again after a bad experience.

In short, we are now living in a world whereby nothing is bought, sold or exchanged without a review being read, a price being compared or a voucher being acquired, so golf clubs beware, there is nowhere to hide anymore!