A key attraction at this month’s Golf Consultants’ Association ‘Profit From Golf’ Roadshow will be a 2007 Season Review, conducted by many of the industry’s leading figures.
The event, sponsored by Ransomes Jacobsen, will be held at Playgolf Northwick Park in Harrow, London, on the morning of Wednesday 19th September.
The 2007 Season Review – subtitled ‘How Was It For You?’ – will feature a presentation by Tony Scott from leading industry research analysts Sports Marketing Surveys. SMS will show rounds played and participation levels so far this year, as well as looking at the wider context of golf equipment sales and other key industry measures. Delegates will see how the UK golf industry has performed in 2007 compared with other recent years.
The Review is set to show the effect on the industry of the severe wet weather conditions which dogged golf courses during the first half of the season.
Another key member of the 2007 Season Review panel, John Weir, from the UK’s leading golf course owners Crown Golf, will give a view on the 2007 season from the proprietary golf club owner’s point of view.
Also contributing their opinions will be Rupert Price from leading industry suppliers Ransomes Jacobsen, and GCA chairman Ian Bulleid, whose company Impetus Golf and Leisure works with many UK proprietary owned golf clubs.
The 2007 Season Review will finish with a Q&A session, which is sure to become a lively debate at the event which is limited to 50 delegates.
Earlier in the morning, delegates will discuss presentations from several other leading industry figures, including:
• Norman Jackson (Metro Golf UK) and Jimmy Wallace (Playgolf Northwick Park) on the relationship between ranges and indoor golf simulators
• Gordon Miller (Sunningdale Corporate Finance) on attracting investment
• Ian Bulleid (Impetus Golf & Leisure) on whether golf clubs should contract out their F&B operation, or keep it in-house
• and Andy Hiseman (Hiseman Partners) looks at modern golf club marketing.
To attend the event, delegates should contact the GCA on 02476 414999 ext 207, or email gca@sportsandplay.com The cost is £35, with lunch included.
Afterwards, tee times have been arranged for delegates at Northwick Park’s ‘Majors’ golf course, which features replicas of Augusta’s 12th and 16th, and Royal Troon’s 8th ‘Postage Stamp’ short hole. The golf will cost just £10 per person, as Northwick Park has lowered its green fee prices while Home Nations teams survive in the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Ian Bulleid, GCA chairman, said, “It has been a terrible summer for many golf businesses and finding ways to recoup revenue lost to the ‘monsoons’ of June and July could be critical if they are to survive. The agenda for the second ‘Profit from Golf’ Roadshow has been deliberately constructed to enable golf course owners and managers to go back to their businesses armed with ways to boost the usage of their facilities.
“Following the success of our ‘Business Of Golf’ Conferences in 2005 and 2006, we decided to take the concept ‘on the road’ in 2007 to make its key message – that help is available to enable golf operators to make more profit from golf – as accessible as possible. Our first Roadshow in May was a total success and we look forward to another lively event in September.”
At each event, members of the Golf Consultants Association are on hand to offer their experience and expertise from a range of services – including marketing, online tee time booking, club house design, financing, golf development and operations.
Golf Consultants Association www.golfconsultants.org.uk