Page 38 - GBC summer ENG 2023

either. “There are courses running some great adult beginner programs across Canada right now,” says Miller. He views Welcome to Golf as a steppingstone that can be used to attract new golfers to the course and feed into existing course programming.
WHY NOW?
Although we are currently experiencing a participation surge and facing factors such as a tight labour market, now is the time to act. “If we don’t act now, we as owners run the risk of losing all the momentum gained over the past 3 years,” says Balmoral Golf Course owner, Lesley McMahon. “We can’t repeat the same mistakes that were made 20 years ago”.
Lesley wisely advises courses to be proactive and the National Golf Foundation’s (NGF) new golfer data is painting a similar picture of opportunity. At present, 75% of all new golfers are over the age of 18. Golf is also uniquely positioned as a sport that can be learned at any age and is a primary reason for the current levels of latent demand. However, only 13% of new adult golfers currently participate in some sort of beginner programming, representing a significant opport- unity for the industry. Welcome to Golf has been developed as one such solution.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Welcome to Golf is a national initiative with a weeklong focus from May 22-28, 2023. During this week, participating courses across Canada will host open house events for new adult golfers, guiding attendees through the typical golfer experience at the course. Courses will be encouraged to continue to run Welcome to Golf events throughout the golf season. The walkthrough can be broken down into two distinct parts:
1. The pre/post round experience: From the moment golfers arrive in the parking lot, Welcome to Golf course representatives will act as the facility tour guide. They will provide useful information such as check in procedures, necessary pre-round purchases, bathroom locations, restaurant facilities, practice area and driving range usage, bag placement, and timing for heading to the first tee, etc. Representatives will also be available to answer questions along the way. The goal is to instill confidence in new golfers so they feel comfortable returning to play on their own and to highlight the various amenities of your golf course that can be enjoyed post round.
2. The in-round experience: Upon arriving at the first tee, the goal is to guide new golfers through navigating the hole from tee to green. Instead of delving into the intricacies of the golf swing, the focus is on simple DO’s and DON’Ts while on the golf course.
The perception amongst many new golfers is that there is a lengthy list of DON’Ts that must be rigidly followed, causing unease and anxiety about potentially breaking rules, which can negatively affect their overall enjoyment on the course. In reality, two main DON’Ts need to be communicated to golfers: respect the golf course and respect others around you playing the golf course. Period! The official rules of golf are not something that need to be strictly adhered to when learning the game. In fact, this is where the DO’s should be reinforced:
• DO feel free to start the hole from a shorter distance than the tee box.
• DO tee up your ball from fairway or rough to provide a better likelihood
of making good contact.
• DO move your ball from a difficult to hit area.
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Golf Business Canada