Recent analysis of online booking statistics by BRS Golf, developers of the market leading online booking system, shows a surprising and clear trend: 72% of online bookings are made outside of normal club office hours (8am to 5pm).
Based on their research into the 330 clubs with the BRS system, the implications are that of the £2.1 million of bookings taken online through BRS Golf during 2009, as much as £1.6m was booked outside office hours.
Dr. Brian Smith: “With a BRS Golf online booking facility, when your club and pro-shop are closed your online shop is still open for business 24/7. As these statistics prove, golfers prefer to make tee bookings in their own time, and at their own convenience ie. probably at home in the evening on their own home PC or lap top.”
“Right now, 400 golf clubs with the BRS system in the UK and Ireland are now benefiting from what are effectively extended opening hours. Additional benefits for their club managers include building a marketing database automatically and online pre-payment for tee times. With BRS Golf’s online booking system operating in real time, every club is in complete control of which times they want to sell online, and at what price – peak, off-peak and so on.”
Get tooled up for online booking
Dr. Brian Smith continues: “This finding is very significant, as it means that if golf clubs really want to maximize their tee bookings, they will need a system like BRS Golf so that their members and casual visitors can make online bookings when it’s most convenient to them. For most people, that is probably in the evening and when the club is closed.”
“It also underlines another important point: the forthcoming Ryder Cup and the London Olympics will bring hundreds of thousands of tourist golfers looking for rounds of golf. If your club isn’t set up for them to find its website and book a tee time on the internet, you’ll be missing out on thousands of pounds of additional revenue.”
“But if your club has the BRS Golf system and a decent website, you’ll have the tools you need to make the most of the opportunities, both those from casual or nomad golfers, and those via major event golf tourism in the near future.”
BRS Golf www.brsgolf.com