How can golf turn casual players into life-long customers?
The number of golf entertainment venues in urban areas will double in the coming years – and green grass courses need to ‘bridge the gap’ through closer connections or investing in their own simulators.
That’s the view of Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), speaking exclusively to Syngenta Golf’s latest Changing the Business of Golf podcast.
“We’ve got millions of people trying golf by hitting into screens,” says Karen. “We’ve got to create connective tissue somehow.
“We’re at 2,300 facilities right now, and it’s foreseeable that in ten to 15 years’ time it could be double that.”
Attracting younger golfers to the game
Karen also sees growth potential in younger generations, many of whom lack access to public golf courses. He views this as a major opportunity for the industry’s ‘explosive growth.’
To take advantage of this opportunity, golf course businesses can:
- Partner with Parks and Recreation departments. This makes golf more visible in local communities and creates easy entry points for new players.
- Make golf ‘open source’ by inviting outside facilitators to host first-time golf experiences.
- Learn from other sports. Golf should borrow ideas from activities that already engage younger audiences to help the sport become more approachable from day one.
“There are thousands of communities that don’t have golf courses,” he tells host Gary Firkins.
“But they have programming, which is where 90% of parents take their kids. If golf is not found there then we are missing a huge opportunity.”
Changing the Business of Golf with Jay Karen
In a wide-ranging discussion, Karen outlines the further changes he would like to see in the industry.
He explains that golf businesses should be more proactive in telling their sustainability story and engaging local governments to improve public perception and policy support.
He also highlights the evolving landscape of tee time marketing and sales, stressing the importance of golf course owners maintaining control over bookings, payments, and customer data amid the rise of third-party digital platforms.
The episode is now available to listen or watch on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
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