Golf events are a great potential revenue source and no golf club manager should overlook it. 57% of millennial golfers say that socialization and events are an important part of their golf experience, so we need to include tournaments and golf event management in our portfolio in order to give to our clients what they want —and obtain profits in the process.
However, golf events are not the only type of activities you can host at your golf club. Due to the beautiful natural views that surround it, your clubhouse should be the perfect place to host banquets, bar-mitzvahs, birthdays, charity fundraisers, corporate meetings, corporate retreats, holiday events, member dinners, weddings, and many more!
Take also into account that those events should be memorable, so your customers will be willing to pay an extra to make it special. Therefore, it is only fair to say that a proper event management can be a very lucrative revenue stream.
The event coordinator role
Event management is not simple, especially when customers are worried about the outcome of their event. Then, you will need to rely on a good events coordinator. This person will be directly involved with any tournament or event hosted at your golf club, ensuring customer satisfaction. He (or she) will plan and execute tournaments, manage group bookings, coordinate with external services, schedule any event on your golf course, and coordinates with support staff, restaurant staff, and management as needed.
Hospitality skills are incredibly important for this role to directing guests, handling comments and criticism, and creating incredible experiences. The event coordinator will also be in charge of your event marketing strategy, including website pages, digital marketing, social media marketing, referrals, and word of mouth —which is the number one growth driver for your future events.
The importance of a solid booking policy
To eliminate any possible confusion as a source of event failure, you must create a bulletproof event space booking policy, which clearly lay out all of the terms and conditions for renting your event space. Booking policies may vary from event to event, but some terms should be present, such as:
- Alcohol permit requirements
- Cancellation procedures
- Catering requirements
- Check-in and check-out time
- Clean up rules
- Delivery instructions
- General health and safety
- Insurance requirements
- Internal employee requirement
- Legal disclaimers
- Maximum capacity
- Merchandise sales percentage
- Quiet time
- Ticket sales percentage
- Vendor requirements
Of course, some parts of the booking policy may be negotiable, but it helps to maintain your reputation and keep the quality of your events.
Events for club members
Even when you may rent your event space for other activities, keep in mind that the focus should be your club members, in order to provide them with a better experience and generate engagement. For them, you are expected to organize private and semi-private member events.
Private events create value and exclusivity, such as special evening dinners with activities after a golf tournament, while semiprivate —open to the public and members— help you to promote your golf course. Here are some examples:
- Annual championships
- Awards night and gala
- Charity opens
- Dinner in white
- Family day
- Holiday-themed events
- Lobster night
- Opening and closing night
Keep in mind that no matter what event you host, your goal is to increase member engagement. Members who attend repeatedly to your events are more likely to renew their memberships. Then, you have to make sure that they are appealing and fun.
