Paul Gibbons, owner and Chairman of Leaderboard Golf, has announced that his new tee-time marketing platform, Leaderboard Last Minute Golf, can be used by any golf club in return for a nominal flat-rate fee.
Leaderboard Last Minute Golf was launched by Leaderboard Golf earlier this year. The company has a portfolio of five golf facilities including The Oxfordshire; the Sir Nick Faldo-designed Chart Hills Golf Club in Kent; and the Ian Woosnam designed Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club, East Sussex.
The concept was originally intended as a way for Leaderboard to avoid paying large commissions to third-party tee-time sellers.
“We were paying up to 30% commission and this is a significant amount,” Paul Gibbons told GBN.com. “We concluded that the only alternative was to develop our own platform and Leaderboard Last Minute Golf was launched in April 2012.”
Having already covered the development costs of the new site, Paul Gibbons is now inviting other golf courses across the UK to share in his initiative.
“I want all golf courses to join us,” he says, ”because with a sufficient number of leading golf businesses and clubs involved, we can bypass third parties and get back to the business of investing in our courses and offering our players the best possible experience – both now and in the future.”
Leaderboard Last Minute Golf offers:
- Courses pay £6 + VAT per week for a unique page on the site – no commission is payable on bookings secured through Leaderboard Last Minute Golf. This rate is fixed and guaranteed for two years.
- Leaderboard Last Minute Golf is offering the first six months (or until 1 February 2013) free of charge.
- A golf club’s name, logo and full contact details will appear at the top of their unique page, with a banner space directly below, allowing for special promotions, all within the Leaderboard Last Minute Golf site.
- Each club will be able to change the copy on their page, free of charge, without service or management charges.
- Each club will receive the entire revenue from rounds sold through Leaderboard Last Minute Golf.
- Courses can advertise an unlimited number of tee times and prices up to eight days in advance
Already strongly endorsed by both Foremost Golf and Callaway, last week the initiative also received the backing of the UK Golf Course Owners Association (UKGCOA), the country’s leading authority on the business of golf facility operation.
Jerry Kilby, UKGCOA Executive Director, said: “Our members recognise the significant value a third party assisting with sales can bring, but it is crucial that golf courses not only set the green fee that they believe is right for their course, but also are able to secure the best revenue yield from their available tee times.
“Paul is a respected member of the UKGCOA and it is pleasing to offer our support of his exceptional new service, which will provide substantial assistance with green fee sales across the country.”
All golf clubs – member-owned as well as proprietary – can take advantage of the service offered by Leaderboard Last Minute Golf and clubs from countries outside the UK are also eligible.
Any golfer can register online at www.leaderboardlastminutegolf.com to use the service and to receive a weekly email detailing the latest offers. Such offers can include hotel and spa breaks as well as tee-times. Other benefits from registration will also follow – a facility for individual swing analysis for example – as the site develops over time.
“A significant Marketing and PR campaign is planned as the site gathers critical mass,” says Paul Gibbons. “I urge golf course owners and operators to get behind the cost-effective solution to tee-time reselling that Leaderboard Last Minute Golf offers. After the initial free introductory period, we offer a guaranteed fixed rate for two years of just £6 per week. Together we can stabilise green fee prices and drive membership back into the clubs.”
Leaderboard Last Minute Golf www.leaderboardlastminutegolf.com.
UKGCOA www.ukgcoa.com