On today’s episode of the Golf Industry Podcast, Matt Welliver talks to Paul Armitage, the general manager of Le Golf National, the venue that hosts the Ryder Cup. He shares his insight on how he runs a world-class golf course and his vision for the future.
Le Golf National is a 3 course facility, offering two 18-hole courses and one 9-hole course. The Ryder Cup will be played on the prestigious Albatros course, next week.
Paul started his job in 2014, a time when the French golf course was going through a complete overhaul of its business plan. During that time, golf in France was not well recognized. Le Golf National was a high level facility but it was facing the issue of not being a very viable business. It was operated in a way that allowed it to preserve a traditional golf experience for its regional players instead of focusing on creating a real identity that would appeal to an international crowd. All three courses were being marketed and operated in the same way, even though they all had the potential to attract different customer groups.
Positioning the different courses to attract different markets was crucial to maximizing the number of rounds played. One of the main issues was that, prior to the big changes, the facility’s only focus was building and maintaining the physical grounds of the courses. Obviously, this is a crucial area to focus on when managing a golf course, but in order to really create a successful business that golf enthusiasts will put on their bucket lists, an enhanced customer experience needs to be created.
Paul and his team began putting more effort into serving the customers, including:
-Adding golf carts
-Changing pricing
-Hiring English-speaking staff
-Revamping the website
-Introducing mobile applications
-Creating a web store
These changes have paid off immensely. Since 2014, international guests have increased by 15x and merchandise sales for the Ryder Cup and the Le Golf Nationale have increased dramatically. This growth stems from the new brand image, the addition of services, and the accessibility of products through the eCommerce website.
Of course, Le Golf National receives a huge boost in visibility from having players like Tiger Woods play on their course for the world to see. But there are still some key takeaways that golf course managers at much smaller facilities can take from Le Golf National’s strategy. The French golf facility is a prime example of how a golf course can maintain a high class reputation while modernizing its processes.
The innovation process at Le Nation is not over. Soon the 9-hole course will make a push towards automation when it comes to tee time reservations, payments, check-ins, and pro shop purchases. Using progressive golf management software, Le Golf Nationale will be able to remove much of the staff needed, leaving only a starter on the first tee. The physical pro shop is only going to be open a few days a week, but their online store will allow players to shop 24/7. The decreased money spent on staffing can then be invested into improving and maintaining the grounds.
The 9-hole course will be able to achieve a low price point while offering a much higher quality golf experience than other courses in the price range. Le Golf National will be to target both casual golfers and serious golfers who may not have the time to play a full 18-hole round. Golf managers around the world can leverage new golf software technology to implement a similar business plan at their operation. Being an early adopter of this new philosophy will allow you to penetrate a new market of golfers, who you can turn into loyal customers.
