The ‘Are You Ready campaign?’ continues to gather steam as golf clubs take advantage of the many business support opportunities being rolled out by the English Golf Union.
The second stage of the campaign is launched this week and the EGU is pleased to announce its continued commitment to its affiliated clubs with an online marketing offer including free website development and an online tee time booking system.
EGU chief executive John Petrie said, “We believe that providing clubs with online marketing tools is crucial to their future success. However, we also recognise that the initial capital investment may be beyond some clubs in the current climate and that is why this offer in conjunction with our partners Gemini Network Media will remove that cost barrier.”
The website offer allows clubs to take advantage of having a new website developed by Golf Club Network, the leading provider of e-marketing and website solutions for golf clubs, without any initial development and design costs and only paying for the annual support fees, a saving of nearly £400.
An online tee time booking system will also be made available to clubs via EGU Golf Central. It offers complete tee time management functionality enabling a club to run their tee time sheet, for members, societies and visitors, and take bookings and payment through EGU Golf Central or through their own website. No set up costs are incurred; but a small transaction charge is levied against all visitor bookings made through the system.
The tee time booking system, which has been developed by Gemini Network Media, will allow golf clubs to market their tee times online to the growing millions of pay and play golfers. Using EGU Golf Central as their marketing hub, clubs will benefit from a far-reaching programme with a range of partners. The system will be available to all clubs regardless of whether they take advantage of the website offer.
John Petrie added, “This initiative is a significant investment for golf clubs in England. Whilst tee time booking may not be on the agenda for all golf clubs right now, it is very likely to be a rapidly growing market in the next few years. We are committed to helping golf clubs market themselves professionally and cost effectively both in today’s difficult climate and also beyond. This is a major step forward in that process. The fact that there is no outlay of funds to start the system means that clubs can immediately benefit when it is launched in October”.
The system forms part of “One Golf Network”, the EGU backed national tee time, membership and marketing initiative which is due to launch on the 5th October. Golf clubs will be able to promote their tee times, membership offers and society packages through a variety of partners and on to golfers simply by updating one point, cutting out the currently time consuming task of managing several distribution channels.
One Golf Network is specifically being built as an open platform and it is intended it will work with any existing tee time booking programme. Any clubs using an existing tee time booking service should talk to their provider about how they can collaborate with the One Golf Network solution.
Golf clubs will receive the latest ‘Are You Ready’ information pack during June which will provide all of the details of the tee time booking and website offer and the timings.
The Golf Club Network free website offer runs until 1st October 2009 but golf clubs will be able to take advantage of the tee time booking system at any time in the future.