ATTRACTION

School Bulletin

I run a junior program in a small country town.  In the beginning, I contact all the schools and provide a notice which they all place in their school bulletins, this works as an advertisement for our junior golf program.  We invite all children from 8 to 17 years, all abilities from beginners to those with some experience to join our program.  In addition, our local high school gives the year 10 students an option of learning golf on the school campus. I often find these students joining our program because some of their school mates are already junior member at our club.

MYGolf Centre - Gatton Jubilee Golf Club, Laurie Didsman

Media

It is increasingly hard to find new students when you are in a small country town. However, one way is to ensure you are getting as much media coverage as possible.  Letting the media know your current junior players achievements is a great story for your local reporters in your newspapers and radio stations.  Keeping your website up-to-date is imperative as this can serve as a great source of information for the reporters who are always looking for a great story.

Get Parents Involved

Many parents will drop off and pick up their child from lessons, although they are supporting the child and your program, they are not involved.  Much of the time this is because they are actually not being asked to participate.  Ask parents if they would like to be a volunteer and provide free training, this might involve the basic golf rules, etiquette, and scoring so they can escort groups onto the course during competitions.  Once you have them as volunteers, offer some free lessons to get them started playing themselves and in no time at all, they will become members of the club.  In addition, parents can become certified community coaches in a one day program and help you with your junior golf lessons.

MYGolf Centre - Crows Nest State School, Clinton Watts

Invite a friend

This is a simple yet effective way to find new students and it’s free.  You simply ask your students if they have any friends, then you ask them if they would like to invite them for the next lesson which is going to be extra fun.  Create an invitation card that your students will give to their friend and parents.  This makes it official and gives them the details of the free session. During the lesson, give the new students information on your program so they can continue.    

MYGolf Centre – KDV Sports, Joel Mercieca

Birthday Parties

Community Coaches

I decided to contact Golf Queensland to see if there was any certified community golf coaches in my area who were teaching golf at local schools.  I then invited these three school teachers out for coffee to get to know them with the hope of transitioning all their students into my junior golf program at the course.  They were all very pleased to partner with me and provide a pathway to the course for their school students.  I now have a system that provides me with a steady stream of new students.  The community coaches have been so eager to help me that they also offer their time as volunteer coaches when needed; it has been great connecting with other community coaches.

SNAG – Start New At Golf

If you are serious about conducting school programs, consider purchasing SNAG equipment.  This innovative product is safe and can be played indoors in a gym or outside on an oval.  The equipment makes in especially easy and fun for anyone to hit a ball for the first time.

Make a Special Offer

Use an offer platform such as Scoopon or Living Social and make an amazing offer.  True, you won’t make much but it wont cost you anything either.  What you will do is create some new students who may have never come to your course before; your goal will be to create a raving fan who registers for your regular program long-term.     

Corporate Junior Discounts

Many of our golf courses are adjacent to large corporations who employ hundreds of employees. These employees represent families who reside in your community.  The human resources department is always looking for additional benefits they can give to their employees.  Offer a discount on your junior program for their children, the company will distribute the information for you.  Building a relationship with local corporations can lead to other opportunities like offering clinics and providing corporate tournaments and even sponsorships.  

School Flyer

This one takes very little time and can have a big pay back.  Here is what you do – call several schools in your area and ask them if you can add a flyer to their newsletter which you will email to them.  Make your flyer all about a free junior golf day for the students at that school.  The school will often love the idea and will make copies and distribute for you.  On the day, be sure to get their contact details, make it fun and educational. Importantly, make a special offer so they return.  

  

MYGolf Centre – KDV Sports, Joel Mercieca

4th Graders

Research indicates that a 10-year-old is a great age to start golfing, also indicating that at this particular age they are most open to learning how to play golf.  Consider conducting a free lesson at your local school just for 4^th graders.  Hand out an invitation card for a free golf clinic at your facility.

     

MYGolf Centre – Palm Meadows, Scott Priest

Walk the Range

On a busy day, we have a captive audience on our range to promote our lessons business.  Unfortunately, most of us are busy coaching so we don’t take full advantage of this traffic.  Because this is such a powerful way of getting new students consider scheduling your teaching staff to walk the range during the busy hours giving free swing tips, handing out brochures, and answering questions about your programs.  Provide some training for your staff if needed and provide a bonus to the staff member that can create the most new customers.

Golf Queensland    

Get Connected

The best way to drive kids to your junior program is to partner with teachers at your local schools.  The Golf Coach needs to a attract juniors and the school needs to have access to a course.  Once students access the golf course and find real meaning to their skill instruction they become much more interested.

MYGolf Centre - Crows Nest State School, Clinton Watts

Offer a FREE golf club

Lessons once a week with equipment provided means your new students only get to practice their golf skills once a week. This is not enough to get excited about the game.  Offer a free junior golf club for all your first time students.  This way they have a club to practice with, the excitement will be in returning to the lesson to show you how much they have improved.  If the cost is prohibitive, offer it as a value add option at your first session.     

Golf Queensland

Golf Courses on the school grounds

Building a golf course at a school is actually very easy and is a fun learning experience for juniors.  All you need is cones for tee markers, ropes for greens, hoolahoops for a hole with a flag pole in the center.  Use the MYGolf clubs and balls and you are ready to go.  Give the students a few lessons first and make a scorecard so they can learn how to score.