Online TeeTimes Limited (OTL), the leading internet green fee company, has announced a 35% increase in online bookings in Ireland.
The Grantham – based company has seen an upsurge in bookings during 2006, averaging 600 rounds per club, with a single club recording more than 1,400 online sales.
It is now set to launch in the UK, replicating the model which has worked so well in Ireland, and MD Paul Heeney will be revealing the company’s UK plans at this weekend’s GCA Conference ‘Business of Golf 2006 – Profit From Golf’ at Celtic Manor in Wales.
Tee times are marketed in Ireland via its own website www.teetimes.ie but also through a number of ‘white label’ golf booking engines it runs on websites for Aer Lingus, Failte Ireland, Go-Ireland and Independent News and Media.
OTL also distribute golf clubs’ tee times via content agreements with other blue chip organisations, including phone companies and UK-inbound travel websites.
“We have proved our distribution model works well for clubs by increasing incremental revenue by providing golfers access to a wide variety of tee times and offers,” said Paul Heeney. “The days of the fixed-price online green fee are numbered. We provide a flexible, yield management opportunity for clubs, who can set their own prices to fit their own objectives.
“The OTL system facilitates voucher-based discount green fee schemes as golf clubs are in full control of pricing at all times. We believe most commercially minded UK golf clubs will switch to managing their inventory online over the next two seasons”.
OTL also revealed the following numbers about some of its client clubs:
- 196 rounds booked in one month (Dublin club)
- 54 rounds booked for a single day (Wicklow club)
Highest annual revenue generated for one club is £36,000 (North Dublin club)
Heeney said, “We are looking forward to rolling out in the UK with our well-proven financial model and many thousands of actual tee time bookings under our belt. Our unique business model will undoubtedly help client clubs enhance their profitability.”
Online TeeTimes Limited www.onlineteetimes.co.uk
Business of Golf Conference www.businessofgolf2006.com