UKGCOA

BGIA
Presentation

Woburn
April 2012

UK Golf Course Owners Association

I have been asked to give you an
overview how the UKGCOA is trying to
combat the decline in golf club
membership.
Colin Mayes, Chairman UKGCOA


» Objectives:
» To promote, develop and represent the interests of golf course
owners in the UK

» To grow the game of golf

» To act as a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences

» To professionalise the golf business

The UK Golf Course Owners Association

» Golfers in the UK

» Frequency of play by regular golfers has reduced

» From an average of 21 rounds a year in 2005
(84 million rounds)

» To an average of 18 rounds a year in 2010
(72 million rounds)

» 14% reduction in the numbers of rounds


» Golfers in the UK

» Trends are away from being a club member
» 43,000 reduction in club members across UK in 2011

» To being a „Nomad‟ or floating golfer
» Numbers of rounds are up but „yield‟ is down

» But this brings challenges for golf course owners and managers
» Green fee revenue reliant on good weather and major
sporting events often bring negative results


THE “OLYMPICS EFFECT”

ROUNDS PLAYED & RETAIL


“THE OLYMPICS EFFECT”

We all know the
impact that weather
can have on Rounds…

But what about
sporting events…


Average number of Rounds Played per course
in each month ~ 2007 - 2008
4,500
2007
4,000

3,500
2008
3,000

2,500

2,000

1,500 At an average loss of over 300 rounds per
course, it is calculated that circa 900,000
1,000
rounds of golf were lost throughout Great
500 Britain in August 2008.
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

• UK Rounds Played is heavily reliant on external factors
such as weather, economic situation and sporting events.


Golf Ball Sales
August – 2007, 2008 & 2009

Aug-07 Aug-08 Aug-09
• In a direct relationship with a loss of rounds played, golf ball sales throughout August
2008 were also affected witnessing a 13% drop year-on-year compared to 2007.
• Interestingly, ball sales in August 2004 (the previous Olympic Games in Athens)
witnessed a even greater fall of 19% compared to August 2003.


Conclusion
The stats should have us worried about the business
We all know the time arguments
We all know the rules and stuffy club image factor
We all know that its not cheap
We all know that it‟s a game of skill & therefore not learnt tomorrow

But many of us are doing well, even in these difficult times and
all the above against us……………..

How and why is this the case?

As in most difficult business scenarios the answer is pretty
simple…………


Why are the good clubs doing well?
Answer: Simplicity and focus
The following are at the top of every good Golf Clubs agenda
1. Understand your customers key needs.
2. Know your customers & how to keep in touch & what interests
them.
3. Deliver consistent standards to meet their needs, communicate
with them & monitor them as if your life depends on it.
4. Ensure your teams are clear on what the customers want & their
part in delivering the standards they expect.
5. Ensure that a sensible commercial return is provided from your
service & you control the sales input and cost output.
6. Keep investing in your product & people & just keep repeating
the process.


Abbey Hill Golf Centre
Schools Partnership


“When we advertised an after school Golf
Club our children were very excited and
the club was over subscribed.

All the children who attended thoroughly
enjoyed the experience. Comments from
the teaching staff highlighted improved
motivation and, for some children,
improvement in gross motor control and
eye-hand coordination.

We would certainly welcome the
opportunity to further develop the teaching
of golf in school.”

Jan Kennington, Headteacher,
Bradwell Village School


Mascot „Chip the Bear‟ is the
special guest at many family open
days and children's golf birthday
parties.


Making teaching fun at summer camps


National junior tournament aimed at all abilities


Tri-Golf target practice and Halloween Spooky Night Golf –
fun for all the family!


» Overview of the Industry - 2011
» Its tough out there
» We must recognise that our core customer is in decline
» A clear difference is developing between the professional
operators v others, this will continue
» Look forward with confidence, UK and European golfers are
doing well and creating exposure for the industry
» Strong interest in our junior programs, we must all build upon this
» The industry must develop best practice throughout all of our
businesses to win and delight our customers
» Investment in our facilities, people and promoting the game for
all is critical to our future success
» Sharing our successes and failures is good for us all

Partnerships

» Home Unions:
» Close partnership agreed with the English and Scottish Golf
Unions and the Golfing Union of Wales

» OGRO
» Collaboration on services to the commercial sector

» Grow the Game
» PGA
» The Golf Foundation
» EGCOA Grow the Game Website

» Education:
» Club Managers Association of Europe

Membership current status

» Current membership:

» 74 owners, who between them are responsible for
» 136 golf facilities
» 4 x 9-hole courses
» TOTAL 160 x 18-hole golf courses

Corporate Partners

Diamond: Purchasing
Partner:

Silver:


» Taxation in the UK Golf Industry

» UKGCOA stated objective is a level playing-field for taxation of all
types of golf courses across the UK

» The UKGCOA are working with England Golf on this project, as
they share our objective

» Two tribunal hearings in the next few months will hopefully give
some clarity to the current situation:


» Bridport & West Dorset Golf Club
» Over 600 member-owned clubs in this case
» Claim that Green Fees are „core‟ revenue and should be exempt
from VAT
» HMRC disagree and UKGCOA agrees with HMRC
»Chipping Sodbury Golf Club
» Over 300 golf clubs behind CSGC, both member-owned and
commercially-owned
» Claim that membership of a golf club includes the ability to
„participate in sport‟ and thus should be partially exempt from VAT
» HMRC disagree and UKGCOA agrees with Chipping Sodbury GC

Golf Business & Industry Convention - GolfBIC

» Forest of Arden – March 29/30
» 250 attendees over 2 days
» 180 stayed both days
» Charity dinner raised £4,500 for The Golf Foundation

» 65.5% of delegates stated that they were „extremely satisfied‟ with
their participation in GolfBIC

»75% of exhibitors stated that GolfBIC turned out to be „better than
they expected‟

Sports Marketing Surveys Inc

UK CONTACT DETAILS

The Courtyard, Wisley,
Surrey GU23 6QL, UK
info@sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com
Tel: + 44 (0) 1932 345 539

RICHARD PAYNE – SPORTS ACCOUNT
MANAGER
richard.payne@sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com

TAN DANEE – SPORTS AUDIT MANAGER
tan.danee@sportsmarketingsurveysinc.com
© 2012 SPORTS MARKETING SURVEYS INC.
No part of this report may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, without the written permission of Sports Marketing Surveys Inc., any
application for which should be addressed to Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. Written permission must also be obtained before any part of the report is stored in a retrieval system of any
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Disclaimer
Whilst proper due care and diligence has been taken in the preparation of this document, Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information contained
and does not accept any liability for any loss or damage caused as a result of using information or recommendations contained within this document.

UKGCOA

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