GBN: Give a brief introduction of All Square…
Patrick Rahme: All Square® uses the latest social media and app technologies to harness the passion for golf on a community level and focuses on the massively fragmented golf market that currently has myriads of golf-specific, sporting products. In our opinion these miss the connection golfers share in their love of the entire game whether it is travel destinations, equipment, competitions, or more importantly, their personal relationships that often span a whole lifetime.
What does the All Square platform allow golfers to do?
All Square connects passionate golfers around the world and offers tailor-made features to facilitate the interaction between golfers and their friends. Among the top features, we have introduced a world map listing more than 15,000 courses that allows golfers to share their most memorable rounds. Our iPhone App allows golfers to share photos, videos and life events with their respective communities.
Have you already built any key business partnerships?
All Square is currently working closely with global golf course management company Troon® Golf on its international development and has been selected by KPMG, the global professional services firm, to join its K-Start programme for entrepreneurs which advises on finance, tax, project management and IT matters.
Talking about numbers for a moment: How popular has the initial phase of All Square been with consumers and golf clubs?
Currently, ‘Beta’ testing has initially been concentrated on two countries –Switzerland and Luxembourg. This will be expanded to Scotland and California in the coming months. Considering the small size of our test market, we were able to build strong communities without any marketing efforts. Our focus has been centred on building content and a robust system, which has led to more than 850 golf courses register on All Square already.
Why create a formal base for the business in Scotland?
We have chosen Scotland for several reasons. First, we believe that Scotland’s bedrock of nearly 600 courses, supporting 230,000 golfers, offers All Square a perfect platform from which we can learn, prior to our global rollout. Second, Gleneagles will be hosting the Ryder Cup and the Home of Golf will be in the spotlight, capturing the attention of the international media. Finally, we are working very closely with the Scottish Golf Union (SGU) to help golf clubs raise their online visibility and enhance customer engagement.
What are your global ambitions for All Square?
The golf industry has seen a huge decline in the number of Millennials playing the game. All Square addresses this challenge by making golf more fun and more social. Our ambition is to unify the golf market and become the global platform for golfers.
How will you commercialise All Square?
Once we grow our international audience, we will be able to monetise the global number of users, share data and capture their travel habits, as well as offer advertising and sponsorship opportunities. However, at this stage, we are focused on developing and refining our platform and growing our audience of golfers and registered golf clubs, as well as communicating the benefits of being a part of All Square.
Patrick, thank you very much
All Square® www.allsquaregolf.com