The aim was to provide an easy to use, up-to-date, one-stop shop for golfers and after a lot of development and great support from clubs EGU Golf Central is certainly meeting that aim.
EGU Golf Central is the only online club directory that is endorsed by the English Golf Union and it provides golfers with the opportunity to get outstanding value at many of the 1900+ courses throughout England in just three clicks.
Just over six months ago clubs were invited to attend a series of seminars around the country to ensure they were familiar with the service and could get the most out promoting their special offers, membership vacancies and open competitions. By the end of January this year a milestone was reached when the 1000th club registered to participate in the service.
Windmill Village Golf Club in Allesley, near Coventry is now using EGU Golf Central to promote their facilities to a worldwide audience, free of charge.
Marci Hartland, golf & leisure manager at Windmill Village said, “This is a great opportunity for clubs. EGU Golf Central is simple to use, is free of charge and provides us with 100% control over what we want to promote and when we want to promote it and there’s a great potential audience from golfers, in England and overseas, linking from the main EGU site as well.”
All clubs can dynamically update their own page, which ensures that the highest quality of information is available for those golfers using Golf Central, but it is those clubs that have added extra information such as deals on green fees that are really benefiting. In only three clicks, golfers can see special offers on individual green fees, group and society packages, entry forms for open competitions and identify clubs that have membership vacancies.
Initial indications are that the service is going to be a great success. Since its launch last year thousands of golfers have accessed the website and requested details of special offers being offered by clubs countrywide, entered open competitions and made membership enquiries. Golf Central already has 10,000 registered users and as the season draws ever nearer these numbers are only going to increase. There were 1.6 million hits in January alone.
Colin Spurr, EGU chairman, commented, “I have always believed in the potential of EGU Golf Central. It was important that our clubs supported the website and from the start we made sure we got as many club secretaries and managers involved in its development. We have been delighted with the response from clubs and it’s great to celebrate the 1000th milestone at Windmill Village.”
Golf Central is also gaining momentum in Scotland. In advance of the launch of SGU Golf Central at the Scottish Golf Show, 31st March to 2nd April, the Scottish Golf Union is focussing efforts on building on the success of last year and is running a series of seminars across the country in March to train and update clubs on the services provided by the SGU Golf Central website. They will also look for input from the clubs as to the clubs’ future requirements for the service.
The regional seminars kick-off on the 1st March at Whitecraigs Golf Club in Glasgow and the road show will take in thirteen different venues, the length and breadth of Scotland, finishing at Monifieth Golf Club in Angus on Friday 23rd March. The seminars are free-of-charge for all SGU affiliated golf clubs and are available for club secretaries, captains and appropriate convenors, with many clubs now having a website or marketing specialist on their committee.
Natalie Ling, the SGU’s website administrator, said, “The Golf Central seminars provide a great platform for the SGU to speak directly with clubs and help us understand their business needs. SGU Golf Central is a superb tool for marketing Scotland’s golf clubs, whether you are looking for new members, attracting visitors or promoting your major open competitions.”
“The seminars will also give the clubs a chance to debate what opportunities lie ahead for on-line golf business,” she added. To book a place contact the SGU Golf Central team on 01382 549500 or download the registration form from www.golfcentral.co.uk/sgu/seminar.asp.
Golf Central employs unique technology using maps to search for clubs, in addition to the usual alphabetical search. This makes it really easy to find clubs within a 10, 25 or 50 mile radius of any point. At a glance golfers can see which clubs have special offers, open competitions or vacancies and get general information including directions, sat-nav. coordinates and local weather.
Scotland and England have some of the best courses in the world and Golf Central provides golfers with the opportunity to get outstanding value for money at many of these courses either though special offers or by entering any of the 3,200+ open competitions which clubs have added to the site.
Golf Central www.golfcentral.co.uk