3 Keys to Membership Success…

retention, retention, retention

The old business adage says that it takes seven times the time and expense to attract a new customer as it does to retain an existing one. The golf business is no different. We surely agree that retaining golfers is important to our overall success.

Over 3,000,000 golfers are leaving the game each year. While we work hard to replace these golfers with new recruits, there is tremendous pressure to add new golfers just to stay even.

All Golfers Are Not Alike

Senior golfers play, on average, three times as often as other golfers. Retired seniors have the time to play seven days a week. Many have moved to golfing communities in the Sunbelt. Senior golfers also tend to include golf in their travel plans.

When the average senior golfer leaves the game, he or she must be replaced by three average non-senior golfers in order to maintain the same level of rounds. This is an important point. Not all golfers are alike.

The #1 Reason Seniors Leave the Game is Poor Health

Senior golfers are very committed to the game. Golf is often the center of their social, recreational, and physical lives. Their quality of life is often dependent on their ability to play golf on a regular basis.

Of the estimated 1,500,000 seniors who leave the game each year, a sizable percentage are still capable of playing golf but lose the stamina to comfortably navigate the golf course. Even in a standard golf car, the golfer must take many steps during a round. Some of these steps are on uneven turf or on the slopes of tees, greens or hazards. Many can continue to execute the golf swing but find the course too perilous to enjoy. Others must reduce their frequency of play to account for general fatigue.

By keeping these seniors in the game an additional year or three, we can greatly improve their quality of life and generate rounds, revenue, and profits for golf facilities.

How Many Members Have You Lost Recently?

If your membership is full and you have a waiting list, congratulations. Even so, you have likely lost a number of seniors during the past three years. Some have downgraded to a social membership and others have left the club completely. With the addition of SoloRiders, you may be able to entice these old, and loyal, golfers to return to the club. You may also reduce the number of seniors who will leave in the future .

Retain only 1 member and you have
more than paid for your SoloRider.

 


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