World of Golf in Sidcup has become the latest golf centre to join the new British golf revolution.
It is the latest facility to sign up as a 60 60 Golf centre and it has also been joined by the Grimsby Driving Range.
Indeed, interest in the exciting new 60 60 Golf concept has been so strong that the company has recently taken on a new UK Sales Manager, Alex Beesley, whose task will be to deal with a growing number of enquiries about the fast and affordable new form of the game.
Grant Wright, the CEO at World of Golf, admitted that he has been attracted to the 60 60 Golf concept as a means of driving new customers to his facility and he believes 60 60 Golf has the potential to attract a whole new audience to the game.
“I think it is terrific concept and I have been extremely impressed with the whole proposition so far” said Wright. “I am looking forward to the feedback from many of our regular visitors and hopefully a host of new ones.”
60 60 Golf was launched earlier this year in golf centres in Leeds, Wakefield, Rutland and Northamptonshire and they have already seen a steady improvement in business with one of the pioneers enjoying a 50% increase in income in the first three months after the new concept was installed.
The prospect of increasing income was what persuaded Colin Jenkins, the owner of the Grimsby Driving Range, to sign up as a 60 60 Golf Centre.
“I thought long and hard about 60 60 Golf but in the end was attracted by the reaction it had received during trials earlier this year,” he said. “Everyone knows we are in the middle of a recession at the moment so anything that offers the chance to increase business has got to be a good thing. It is relatively inexpensive to install but gives us an immediate competitive advantage over all our competitors in the area.”
60 60 Golf’s new UK Sales Manager, Alex Beesley, who has a proven track record delivering results within the golf industry, working for a variety of companies including Club Car, Club SBM and MLA Putters, took no time at all to be convinced about the potential of the new concept.
“Golf has been my main interest for 28 years,” he said. “I started out as a trainee professional, have held a variety of sales jobs within the industry and even caddied the European Tour for a while, but I don’t think I have ever come across anything with more potential. I expect to be a very busy man.”
60 60 Golf was invented by Newcastle-based businessman Craig Higgs and it gets its name from the fact a group of players can hit 60 shots within 60 minutes.
Higgs came up with the concept as an attempt to arrest the long-term decline in participation in the golf and it has already attracted the support of the British Golf Industry Association (BIGA) who awarded it a £25,000 grant under the auspices of its acclaimed Grow Golf initiative.
Higgs believes that 60 60 Golf will attract interest because it is quick and affordable and breaks down the barriers which put some people off trying the more traditional form of the game.
It also appeals to participating golf facilities because it is inexpensive to set up and run.
Customers who visit World of Golf in Sidcup, Grimsby Driving Range or one of the other 60 60 Golf centres dotted around the country will find the centres kitted out with all the targets, signage and other paraphernalia needed to play 60 60 Golf.
The concept offers multiple game options but the basic idea involves participants earning points for hitting shots at a series of targets. Players can play a game of 60 60 Golf by themselves or compete with their friends. There is also an interactive element available via a free smartphone App so participants at one 60 60 Golf centre can compete against players in other 60 60 Golf sites all over the country. To this end, new iPod stands have recently been installed at all 60 60 Golf Centres. The app can easily be downloaded via the App Store.
60 60 Golf www.6060Golf.com.