Golf Course Association Europe

Strategic Planning – a path to success for golf club owners

Does your golf club have a strategy? Most owners would probably say so, but is it actually true? In order to answer that we first need to understand what strategy is. Simply defined, strategy is the overall plan to utilise resources to establish a competitive position in the market. The strategic plan is a document which should define your course’s purpose and major goals, such as where you strive to be in the upcoming few years in terms of membership, competitive position. It should also set out how are going to achieve these goals through a defined set of actions.

value-strategic-planning

In such conditions, carefully defined strategic plan helps clubs to stay afloat in times of financial turmoil and shrinking demand. Trying to establish a competitive position without a clear understanding of your club’s strengths, weaknesses and external environment, as well as clear direction of where the club is moving and what it is trying to achieve, is as good as trying to cross a storming ocean without navigation.

Despite the perceived simplicity of the strategic planning process, it is often much more complex to develop. One of the main issues is that it is frequently confused with budgeting. Some club owners edit their budgeting goals for the year based just on gut feeling, equating that to strategic planning, discarding non-financial aspects of performance and with disregard to analysis of the competitive environment.

It is important to realise that strategic decisions involve a significant commitment of resources and are not easily reversible. Therefore, careful analysis preceding decision making and rigorous implementation are stepping stones towards successful strategic planning. A variety of analytical tools can be used to evaluate your club’s position in the market, such as SWOT analysis – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, scenario analyses and market segmentation.

In order to develop a sound strategic plan, it is important to evaluate strategy from two perspectives: strategy as positioning and strategy as direction.

Strategy as positioning is concerned with where and how questions of competition, including location of your course vs. location of competitors and the basis of club’s competitive advantage.

Strategy as direction specifies what we want to become, to achieve and the ways to get there, in particular specifying mission and vision statements, performance goals, growth modes and capital expenditure priorities.

Strategic analyses is an essential first step in the strategic planning process. Initially, goals should be analysed, identifying mission and performance and establishing consistency between them in the key areas of analysis. Furthermore, the competitive environment should be evaluated. It is important to have a clear idea of who our competitors are, how they differ from us and what their strategies and expansion plans are. Then, resources and capabilities need to be analysed, identifying and exploiting them to design strategies that create competitive advantages. Last but not least, strategy requires thorough implementation. Therefore, all major decisions made with regard to club management should be tested against strategies, timelines and priorities outlined in the plan.

It is not completed overnight and usually requires 3 to 4 months to produce. However, despite being the major anchor for a company’s decision making, a strategic plan should not be set in stone and ought to be adjusted regularly for changes in environmental and economic conditions, such as change in number of players, consumer preferences or fashion.

The major benefit of strategic planning is that it serves as a source of superior profitability for companies who implement it successfully. It improves the quality of decision making, creates consistency and unity and improves performance by setting high expectations. It therefore helps your club to become the best in class in a specific market segment, putting your business in a beneficial competitive position. Clubs which are not the best shift to the middle of the market, which is a poor and costly place to compete in.

To conclude, strategic plan helps club managers to understand competitive position as well as its members’ priorities and financial situation. It specifically outlines club’s vision, mission and aspiration and sets out the steps required to achieve these goals. Proper preparation and execution is an elaborated and time consuming process which requires a high degree of strategic thinking and analysis. In unstable environmental conditions, it is strategic planning which gives the club the best chance to succeed and gain the most beneficial market position.

By Kamila Ishalina – Communications Intern

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Golf Insider

Golf Course Management & Strategy Tips

Golf course management header

Improving your golf course management is one of the easiest ways to improve your golf – no gym sessions, no expensive clubs, no hours at the range, just thinking a little differently about how you play golf and score.

First, let’s explain two key concepts:

Golf course strategy

Golf course strategy is an overarching plan that will give you the best possible chance of achieving your golfing goal. For example, how to break 80 , win the club championship, or beat your rival in a grudge match.

Golf course management

Golf course management relates to the decisions you make on each hole and every shot that will help you execute your strategy. Therefore great golf course management first relies on building a strategy.

The process is shown below:

Golfing goal > optimise strategy > optimise course management = lower scores

Golf strategy and course management – the golden rule

I only have one rule for you – optimising your scoring is not about how good your good shots are, but rather, how good your bad shots are and how many strokes those bad shots cost you.

Bear this in mind with your strategy and course management decisions. Tour players don’t play flawless golf, but those shots rarely cost them a double bogey. Great golf strategy and management is about hitting bad golf shots and them barely affecting your score. The golden rule is this:

Conservative strategy, cocky swing

You are far better off picking easy shots and making confident swings, than you are picking challenging golf shots that are outside your comfort zone. You’ll be amazed how easy scoring becomes with this approach.

Golfing goals and creating your strategy

I assume you have a golfing goal in your head – write it down. Next, work out ways you can achieve this outcome. Every golfing goal has an infinite set of strategies that could work, you just need to find the best strategy for you .

If your goal is to break 80, you could do this with 6 bogeys and 12 pars (78 for a par 72), or 5 birdies, 6 pars, 4 bogeys, 2 doubles and a treble (again 78) – both work equally well. You can’t control your scoring, but you need to choose the strategy that you think gives you the best possible chance of succeeding.

If you are new to competitive golf, feel free to play around with alternative approaches. Play overly aggressive and overly cautious and see what happens. Great golf strategy is something a player learns over years of competing.

Now you have a strategy, let’s apply it to your course management. If you are serious about performing well, grab a stroke saver or online guide of your golf course. I’ll run you through the key steps below, and your aim is to apply this approach to every hole on your home course or competition venue.

Course management – work backwards on each hole

The first place to start with your course management is at the end. What is the desired (realistic) outcome for each hole? Although there will be varying levels of golfers reading this, I feel general aims are follows:

  • Below a 18 handicap – give yourself a birdie putt on each hole.
  • Above a 18 handicap – give yourself a par putt on every hole.

Some holes will be special cases, but just look back at your strategy and create a plan that gets you through safely.

Once we know if we are looking for a birdie or par putt, we can carry on working backwards and break down each hole we play.

course management Hoylake

The example we have here is the 2nd hole at Hoylake (such a great course for strategy and management). It is a par 4, playing 372 yards from the back tees.

My aim is to give myself a birdie putt. To achieve this, I need to leave myself anywhere from 100 – 180 yards away from the green with my tee shot. Outside this range makes hitting the green too unlikely.

I need to hit the ball 192 – 272 yards off the tee, however we have some pot-bunkers to contend with.

The first right-hand bunker is 200 yards to carry, the left two are well placed at 235 and 270-ish. This is a sign of a great golf course, as there is no easy shot. I can lay up short of all the bunkers, but I’d have my maximum distance in. Or I could take on some of the bunkers and increase my chances of a birdie putt.

When I played this hole I opted for the latter decision. I carry my driver around 265. This eliminates the right-hand bunker and just leaves the left two bunkers.

To reduce the risk further I aimed down the right side of the fairway. This meant I may end up in the right hand rough, but I would only have a short club in. Aiming down the right edge of the fairway really reduces the chances of ending up in one of the graves… I mean bunkers down the left.

This is a great example of when hitting driver may seem like an aggressive play, but to me, it was the percentage play, in terms of maximising my goal of having a birdie putt.

For each hole you play, try this approach of working backwards. You’ll be surprised what conclusions you may draw. Sometimes a 5-iron off the tee may serve you well. Other times a driver, with a well-planned line, will be the best choice.

Course management – off the tee

Next up, let us look specifically at tee shots. Most golfers will look down the fairway, aim and pull the trigger. This isn’t terrible course management, but I feel we can squeeze a little more performance out of your game.

Once you have gone through step one in this article, you should have a set distance in mind that you wish to hit it off the tee. This should narrow your club selection down to a club or maybe two. The next step is to finalise your club selection and to hone in on an exact target .

As we covered in step one, your ideal choice is to hit the fairway, but also to take any big hazards – bunkers, water, OOB – out of play. When you can’t play short or long of serious hazards (such as deep bunkers or out of bounds) consider favouring the one side of the fairway that gives you a little extra room for error.

Course management off the tee at Hoylake

Secondly, understand your shot distribution and use it to your advantage. On the day I played Hoylake, I was steady off the tee, but a tad right with the majority of my drives (see below). Knowing your tendencies allows you to further refine your end target.

Course management shot distribution

The last step is to finalise your target off the tee and pick a small point on the horizon. This might be a distant landmark, a tree branch or anything that stands out on your desired line. Once you have your target, the process is simple – make the best possible swing you can towards this target. Don’t worry about bunkers, OOB or anything else at ground level. Just focus on your target on the horizon and make the best swing you can.

Course management – into the green

Course management green approach

Here we follow a similar process to our tee shots. It staggers me how often amateur golfers reach for a club and aim straight at the pin. Yet, great players I work with frequently aim away from flags and towards the centre of the green.

Look back at your strategy – if you are looking to make lots of pars, you should be very happy putting for the middle of the green. The middle of the green rarely leaves you a long putt.

Aim to get the ball as close to pin high as possible. Amateurs love to take dead aim at the flag, but they are often blasé about distance control. 135-ish may sound like a good course strategy. However, being five yards off with your planning means an extra 15-foot added onto your putt or chip. Distance control really does matter.

In my humble opinion, a rangefinder is far more valuable than rough estimates to the front and back of the green. Also, take time in practice to work out your golf club distances every 6-months or so.

The only time to shy away from being pin high is when the flag is dangerously close to the front or back of the green. In these instances, find out the distance to the pin, then pick a target distance 5 yards closer to the green centre. Making these small adjustments really adds up over the course of a round. Making two considerate decisions like this one is often the difference between being a 15 handicap and a 12 handicap player.

Lastly, consider your shot tendencies. TrackMan’s data (below) shows that ~80% of mid-iron shots finish short of the intended target for amateurs! I’ll say it again, ~80 percent of mid-iron shots!

golf club distances: This shows the shot distribution for a 15 handicapper. Most shots finish short of their intended target.

Unless you strike your irons like Justin Rose, you may want to consider hitting an extra club for every approach shot and just see what happens to your greens in regulation and scoring.

Course management – around the greens

Some golfers may be confused as they read this sub-title. Course management… around the greens? However, this is one area where the pros on tour seriously shine.

Firstly, be very clear with what is possible, if you have a simple chip inside 20-yards aim to hole it. You won’t hole it every time, but there is no reason why you shouldn’t try.

Golf Insider tip: Many coaches will suggest you aim for a dustbin lid around the hole when you play chips and long putts. However, the research suggests picking precise targets tends to minimise the error around that point. If you look at amateurs’ and pros’ putting stats we see a very clear trend – every additional foot they are from the hole leads to fewer putts holed.

If you have a terrible lie, a large bunker in the way and no green to work with, then you should aim 15-feet past the pin and make a positive pitch towards this spot. In this situation, you rarely end up hitting your pitch this far, but you minimise your chances of the dreaded double or triple bogey.

When chipping and pitching, visualise a landing spot and the roll of the golf ball as it tracks towards the hole. This ability come with lots of practice – here is an in-depth golf chipping guide and some great chipping games to help you improve.

Should you use an 8-iron, sand wedge or putter to chip with? My grand answer is this – practice with all of them and then choose the option you feel most confident with on the course. Never choose a club because you think it’s what most golfers should use.

Golf strategy and course management – summary

Great strategy and golf course management is a key ingredient in scoring. Be clear with your strategy, break down each hole and work backwards to come up with the best plan you can.

This approach doesn’t guarantee success, but it maximises your chances. Next time you head out for a game around your home course wipe the slate clean. Imagine you have never played the course before and see what happens when you apply this new approach to every hole.

I hope you have found this article helpful. If you would like a free article like this one posted straight to your inbox, come join the Golf Insider weekly post.

Happy golfing – Will @ Golf Insider.

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Will Shaw, PhD, MSc, PGA Pro

Will is a PGA golf professional, with a PhD in Biomedical Science and MSc in Sports Biomechanics & Psychology. He spent 10 years lecturing part-time at Leeds Beckett University and the University of Leeds in Biomechanics and Motor Control before becoming the Head of Golf for the University of Exeter. He currently runs Golf Insider UK, Sport Science Insider around wider consulting and academic roles in sport performance and motor control.

19 thoughts on “Golf Course Management & Strategy Tips”

Good Lord man, Edit! So many typos… really good info though!

Yep, sorry about this one particularly bad. I actually put an apology to my email readers this week. I try to get a post out every Monday, but this one was finished at 11:36pm in a hotel room. I shall amend tomorrow eve and hopefully turn most of it into english. Thanks for the feedback. Will

I found this article very insightful It makes perfect sense. BTW I could give 2 beans about typos, it’s about content.

Lower (best) scores for me are flukes of nature.. But a consistent lower score should be possible with good course management. Thank you.

I have a very wonderful person slowly working through all of the content to improve my terrible english. I’ll aim to keep building Golf Insider into the best resource on golfing performance that I can.

I hope the golf is going well.

So glad I read this! Currently preparing for club championship qualifier. I play off two and I have a tendency to switch off and be aggressive rather than playing within myself. This is a timely reminder to engage my brain. Many thanks keep up the great work.

A pleasure Craig,

Really glad you’ve found this of use – let me know how the club champs go.

Kind regards,

Another fine article. Simple and effective, yet so often overlooked. I’m off to plan out Wednesday’s round…from green to tee! Thanks.

Thanks for the kind words Matt. Would you mind if I email you a few questions regarding a future plan I have?

Many thanks,

Cheers Matt,

I hope it does the job.

This is just advice I am looking for and needing at the moment. As a new 12 handicapper I’ve come to the realisation that my course management is the next “low fruit” to pick. Voila – your email arrives – thank you Will!

Thanks Duncan,

Glad it is of use. Course strategy is an area that can keep being refined. I will try to add to this article in the future, but I hope it sets you off on the right track.

Keep up the fine golf.

Of course, go ahead.

I have a rising junior and it seems that we are loosing 1-3 strokes a round to “mental mistakes”. Do you have any advice?

Hi Jacob, thanks for getting in touch. I’m putting this together over 2019:

https://golfinsideruk.com/golf-psychology/

It isn’t complete yet, but hopefully that has some useful points. Secondly, if it is more course management/decision related, try creating fun games where you get points for hitting fairways and greens hit, rather than always playing for score. Lastly, let them have so much fun, they learn over time – the best way to get good at anything is to love doing it – this is never the shortest route, but making mistake after mistake and thinking about it is the most fundamental way to become an expert at anything.

I hope that is of some use.

Thanks Will. Just found your page and love how you simplify pretty complicated matters and make them more understandable. This is the perfect format for me. Whenever I raise a future trophy I will try to mention you as an inspiration. / P

Thanks for the nice words. Your last statement made me chuckle – maybe I should aim for 50 winner speech mentions in 2021?

All the best.

Hi Will. Maybe you should. Aim for the stars, spread your Gospel. Etc 🙂

Unfortunately I don’t play in sunny Yorkshire, so it takes some effort, but what don’t kill you makes you stronger. Right? I tend to draw the ball when I have more than four layers of clothes on. Maybe that is an universal problem?

And thank you again. I found your article on Swing Mechanics very useful/ Peter

Great article, the only thing I’ve observed about the Trackman data amateurs are short, greens are usually sloped back towards fairways, a lot of times I’d rather be short than say long with a tough downhill chip or worse. At least for me an uphill putt or chip is better.

Excellent content, Thought provoking and logical advice presented in laymans terms. your coaching is insightful and petinent

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Our Vision: 

We aim to be recognised as the leading golf club in the area for exceeding membership expectations and providing a socially enjoyable experience.

Our Mission:

We are committed to providing members and all guests with an outstanding golf, dining and social experience. We achieve this by maintaining a high-quality heathland course and golf club facilities, with excellent services. Our committee and staff are dedicated to these goals for all members and guests, regardless of their ability, background or gender.

Our Core Values:

• Responsive to Member’s needs: “Members first in everything we do”. • Welcoming, friendly, relaxed and inclusive. • Open, transparent and accountable decision-making. • Honesty, integrity and fair dealings with members, visitors and all stakeholders • Commitment to a safe and healthy environment. • Caring & considerate employer of well-trained and talented staff.

At the start of 2019 the Committee began work on a strategic review of the golf club, looking at current working operations, member benefits, and plans for future improvements. The committee listened to the ideas and wishes of our members and staff, and took advice from England Golf and other expertise. They looked at best practice in the golf industry to understand what the club is doing well and what needs to improve. 

For a golf club, best practice means having a 5 to 10-year plan, defining where we are now, where we want to be in the future, and how we are going to get there.

In the Autumn of 2019, the Committee published a 10-year strategic plan and 4 page summary.  The plan defines our Vision, Mission and Core Values along with 18 strategic initiatives and an outline timetable for the first 2 years. This provides clarity so that we all know where we are heading, and together how we plan to get there. 

Click  here to view the Summary Plan

golf course strategic plan

EXPLORE THE COURSE

The Links GC was first established in 1902, and later re-designed by the renowned golf architect Colonel S.V. Hotchkin, most famous for the ‘Hotchkin Course’ at Woodall Spa, the home of England Golf.

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Our membership spans all ages, abilities and backgrounds, sharing a common passion for golf. Members enjoy endless opportunities for social and competitive golf and an extensive social calendar. Membership provides exceptional value for money, with no shareholders we invest all subscriptions into the golf course, clubhouse and member services.

golf course strategic plan

VISITORS AND SOCIETIES

The Links GC is an ideal venue, providing visitors and societies with a memorable day, located adjacent to the famous Newmarket Racecourses.

golf course strategic plan

We aim to be recognised as the leading golf club in the area for exceeding membership expectations and providing a socially enjoyable experience. The Club’s 10-year Strategic Plan defines our vision, mission and core values along with 18 current strategic initiatives.

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Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is the basis for a club’s long term viability. A strategic plan provides a focus on the more important long term direction of the club. Golf Australia has a range of services and templates to assist your club to develop a strategic plan that is aligned to the Australian Golf Strategy.

Is your golf club seeking to develop a strategic plan that…

Aligns stakeholders to a set of common objectives.

Demonstrates a growth mindset for the benefit of all members and golf.

Focuses the energy of the board and staff into productive activities that set the club up for long-term success.

Aligns to the Australian Golf Strategy.

Golf Australia offers a comprehensive strategic planning service for golf clubs utilising our substantial resources, both internally and externally, to drive strategic plans for golf clubs that reflect the pillars of the Australian Golf Strategy and contain key objectives relating to areas such as financial sustainability, growing membership, increasing patronage, facility development and developing the workforce.

What are the strategic planning outcomes?

Golf Australia's stategic planning service produces:

A strategic plan for the club, aligned to the Australian Golf Strategy.

A comprehensive strategic action plan that prioritises actions of most importance and impact, clearly outlines areas where the club can leverage Golf Australia resources to aid in successful implementation.

A balanced scorecard tool to help measure strategic outcomes and boost engagement with stakeholders.

Golf Australia's purpose is to have more Australian’s playing more golf. The alignment of clubs and facilities around the country will not only prove beneficial for clubs and facilities in isolation but will help the sport as a whole work towards common positive outcomes.

What benefit does Golf Australia provide?

Golf Australia provides clubs and facilities exclusive access to the Players 1st surveying tool. Players 1st are the world experts in customer experience measurement with a focus on golf specific businesses. Though their partnership with Golf Australis clubs can access the Australian benchmark data and insights to compare the experience they provided to peer-set golf clubs across Australia.

With alignment to the Strategy for Australian Golf, Golf Australia will have an increased interest in the successful implementation of your strategic plan. Your local Club and Facility Manager will schedule regular strategic catch ups to understand how your success is tracking and provide additional resources to assist in the achievement of your outcomes.

Where the potential of aligned strategic outcomes is high, Golf Australia will look to co-invest with the club on those outcomes as part of our affiliation partnership.

As more organisations align to the Strategy for Australian Golf, Golf Australia will look to identify partnership opportunities between aligned organisations. This is value that until now, has been unimaginable in Australian Golf, and will only be achieved through genuine strategic alignment.

What is Golf Australia's strategic planning process?

GA Strategic Process

Due to the more intensive nature of the support offered through the strategic planning service from Golf Australia there are fees attached.

The strategic planning service for most clubs is $9,000 plus GST however this may vary depending on your specific circumstance.

Please contact your club & facility manager for more information.

Instruction For The Mental Game of Golf

10 Ways To Improve Your Course Strategy And Lower Your Scoring Average

  • October 15, 2018

David MacKenzie

  • Course Strategy

Whenever I give a playing lesson with a new student and I ask them about their targets and shot selection, it often becomes clear that they are losing several shots each round due to poor course strategy for golf. The good news about this, is that it becomes a very easy way to shave shots off their score almost immediately.

I’ve played with Tour players before, who on the face of it don’t look all that impressive until you see a 66 on their scorecard at the end. They’ve successfully plotted their way around the course to maximize scoring opportunities while limiting mistakes. Tour players miss their targets more than you think, but their misses are usually “good” and their shot selection and targets they pick gives them the best chance of getting up and down and ruling out the big numbers.

An improved course strategy for golf is about getting more from what you already have, which is essentially what a better mental game of golf is all about.

In this article we’ll take a look at 10 ways you can improve your course strategy for golf , and lower your scoring average.

10 Ways To Improve Your Course Strategy For Golf

1. know your distances.

This one sounds obvious, but it’s surprising how few golfers (even single figure golfers and better) know how far on average they hit the ball. Here’s a typical conversation about course strategy for golf with a new student:

Me: “How far do you hit a 7-iron?”

New student: “175”.

Me: “ Is that when it’s well-struck or on average?”

New student: [Pause] “Actually, when it’s well struck”.

Me: “So how far do the other 50% of your 7-irons go?”

With launch monitors becoming more accessible (your local pro will typically have a Trackman or Flightscope) and inexpensive (you can get something fairly accurate for less than $500 now), there’s no excuse for not knowing how far on average you hit each club. It’s well worth the investment of time to hit 25 balls with each club (with balls that you use on the course) and see what your average carry and roll is.

2. Know your Shot Dispersion

If you were to hit 25 balls with a 5-iron, do you know what the grouping of the balls would look like? Knowing how narrow or wide your shot dispersion is (left and right, long and short), will really help you make better misses. Using a Trackman or Flightscope can tell you this.

E.g. If you are faced with a shot from 190 yards with water to the right and the pin is on the right of the green (like in the photo above) and your shot dispersion (left-right) from that distance is 40 yards (20 yards left or right of the target), then clearly aiming at that pin is going to bring the water into play. However, if you were to aim 20 yards to the left of the pin, you can safely assume that you will not be in the water or short-sided right. You’ve immediately taken a step to eliminate a big number.

Tour players adopt a similar strategy. Despite what you might think from watching the TV coverage, they rarely aim at pins, especially if the pin is close to one side of the green. When you see those shots go close on TV, it’s usually because they’ve hit it to the very edge of their shot dispersion. Their actual target was probably the safe side of the green to avoid being short-sided or bringing a big number into play.

3. Know The Good and Bad Misses

The players I work with make good use of yardage books and Google Earth imagery as part of their prep for a round. Knowing where you can’t go on a hole is not negative thinking, it’s a key part of a good course strategy for golf. Obviously you rarely know where the pins will be located until the tournament day, but during your prep, imagine 3 possible pin locations and formulate a strategy based on those possibilities. Some of my students like a “Red, Amber, Green” approach where Red is a more conservative target and playing away from the pin and Green is a more direct shot at the pin. Put these notes in your yardage book to remind you when you’re on the course.

4. Get The Ball Into The “Scoring zone”

One strategy system that’s helped a number of my students is Will Robin’s “ Scoring Method ”. This system helps golfers better understand their game and formulate a strategy to limit mistakes and maximize scoring potential. It also helps each player figure out exactly what they need to work on during practice.

One of the key concepts is figuring out what you need to do to guarantee that you can get into the “Scoring Zone” in regulation (the size of the scoring zone varies for different levels of player). To learn more about “The Scoring Method”, click here .

5. Know How Lie Affects Distance

Are you aware of how different lies affect the carry of each club? It’s these details that the world’s best players are factoring into their decision making for every shot. From the fairway or tee box is where you’re going to get maximum compression of the ball with your irons (the ball gets squeezed between the club and the ground). From the sand or rough there is obviously less compression and therefore the ball is not going to travel as far.

6. Know Your Favorite Wedge Yardage

Another mistake I see players make, especially on short par 4’s or when hitting approaches into par 5’s, is trying to hit the ball as far down the hole as possible. When I see a player reach for a 3 wood for an approach into a par 5 and I ask them what yardage they expect for their next shot, the response I often get “I’m just trying to get it as close to the green as possible” . But If you feel less comfortable hitting a shot from 50 yards, than you do 100 yards, then why would you want to have the shorter shot in? Not to mention, a 3 wood has a higher dispersion than say a 5-iron and you’re more likely to be out of position.

Work your way back from the green and think about how to get to your favorite yardage and what angle you’d like to play the next shot from.

7. Know The Holes Where A Bogey Is An Acceptable Score

When you look at the scorecard before a round, take note of the lower stroke index holes. If you know that the average score on a particular hole is likely to be over par, then take a more conservative strategy on those holes. Lowering your expectations will take some pressure off you on those harder holes. You might be better off taking a shorter club off the tee to guarantee you keep the ball in play and in position and still give yourself a chance of making par (and bogey being your worst possible score), and at the same time, ruling out the big number.

8. Know When To Take Your Medicine

Too many golfers take on too much risk when they are out of position. On those days that you have your B or C game (which happens to every player from time to time), it doesn’t mean that you have to score badly. Those rounds where you aren’t as in control of the golf ball are not the time to be taking on risky shots. When you’re out of position, select shots that are going to get you back in play with a chance to score. Avoid shots that you don’t feel comfortable hitting – the additional pressure to execute them and any lack of commitment will more than likely result in a poor swing and more mistakes.

9. Improve Your Golf IQ

Your Bryson DeChambeau’s and Phil Mickelson’s of the world know exactly how a degree of air temperature change will affect the distance the ball will carry and roll. They are also great at being able to judge wind speed and they know exactly how much each mph of wind speed will affect the distance. Bryson Dechambeau was seen recently spraying his balls with water on the range  to simulate wet conditions and measuring the distance change using a launch monitor. I’m not suggesting you go to this extent, but at least understanding how different conditions affect distance and carry is an important factor of a good course strategy for golf.

10. Score Your Rounds By Factors Such As Your Course Strategy For Golf

All of my students use what I call a “Mental Game Scorecard”. When you are on the first tee, your technical skills are what they are. What will bring out the best in your game and help you access your best skills on that day is the mental game, and that’s what my students score themselves by. Course strategy is one of these factors and scoring yourself by it at the end of every round will make you more aware of it during your rounds. To get your free copy of my mental game scorecard, click below.

Get your FREE Mental Game Scorecard

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In 2021, the club commenced the construction of its vision for the future.

The Strategic Plan, published in 2022, defines that vision, and the values that Hallamshire Golf Club holds as the Directors, Management and Staff work to deliver a Golf Club membership experience that is second to no other within the region.

Hallamshire GC Strategic Plan .pdf

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Golf Retailing

Troon Launch First Indoor City Golf in Moscow

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Troon, the upscale golf course management company has once more demonstrated its ability to develop and grow the game of golf in all-new regions with the recent announcement that it will operate a stunning new indoor golfing facility, located in the centre of Moscow. Under the stewardship of the industry-specialists, City Golf offers a unique experience, committed to encouraging a family atmosphere throughout, with evening events and competitions specifically designed for golfers of all abilities and ages. Troon’s appointment adds further precedence to the development and builds on the market-leaders impressive academy portfolio within Europe and around the globe.

The indoor development, the first of its kind in Moscow, features ten state-of-the-art simulators making it the largest indoor golf facility in Russia. Located directly opposite the Kremlin and within Red October, the facility features amenities synonymous with all Troon Golf Academies, including tuition and custom fitting with dedicated PGA Professional golfers and the very latest in golf equipment. Coupled with an indoor putting green, a fully stocked professional shop and food and beverage services, golfers can take advantage of City Golf throughout the year and is open until midnight.  Adding further prestige to the venue, golfers will also be able to benefit from Troon’s exceptional membership benefits and loyalty schemes.

“This is an extremely exciting development for Troon as it adds an all-new option to our portfolio which is sure to appeal to travelling golfers looking for a unique experience along with the added benefit of year-round play,” commented Bruce Glasco, Senior Vice-President and Managing Director, Troon International Operations. “The Troon Academy brand has seen fantastic growth in the past year with owners continuing to choose Troon for our expert knowledge and guidance in order to deliver sustainable developments and encourage interaction with their facilities.”

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Strategic sports group, pga tour finalize $3 billion investment deal to create pga tour enterprises, share this article.

On Wednesday morning, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced to players the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), an outside investment group headlined by Fenway Sports Group and comprised of several high-level U.S.-based sports owners, has partnered with the Tour to create PGA Tour Enterprises.

The SSG will invest up to $3 billion, with an initial investment of $1.5 billion. The player grants will vest over time and will be based on career accomplishments, recent achievements, etc. Only qualified PGA Tour players are eligible.

A statement released Wednesday morning said that “nearly 200 PGA Tour members will have the opportunity to become equity holders” in the new for-profit entity. PGA Tour Enterprises “is also considering participation by future PGA Tour players that would allow them to benefit from the business’s commercial growth,” meaning players who return from LIV Golf or make it to the Tour from college will have access once they regain membership.

“Today marks an important moment for the PGA Tour and fans of golf across the world,” said Monahan in a statement.”By making PGA Tour members owners of their league, we strengthen the collective investment of our players in the success of the PGA Tour. Fans win when we all work to deliver the best in sports entertainment and return the focus to the incredible – and unmatched – competitive atmosphere created by our players, tournaments and partners. And partnering with SSG – a group with extensive experience and investment across sports, media and entertainment – will enhance our organization’s ability to make the sport more rewarding for players, tournaments, fans and partners.”

The release also stated that PGA Tour Enterprises allows for a co-investment from the PIF in the future, “subject to all necessary regulatory approvals.”

As expected… there wasn’t a ton from the player call that explained it more than the press release. It was an introductory call. SSG are investors to the pgatour. Players are equity holders. They will use the money to invest more into the pgatour and hopefully the fans will have… — Michael S. Kim (@Mike_kim714) January 31, 2024

Back on June 6, 2023, the Tour announced a framework agreement with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to create a for-profit golf entity known as PGA Tour Enterprises. Four months later, the PGA Tour’s policy board announced it had advanced discussions with the SSG and that it had not shut the door on the PIF.

The Dec. 31 deadline to come to a definitive agreement with the PIF was extended, and Monahan sent a memo to players that stated “active and productive” negotiations would continue into 2024 with the PIF based on the progress made to date. Monahan and Al-Rumayyan reportedly met last week in Saudi Arabia to continue negotiations.

Why bring in outside investors if talks with the PIF are continuing? One could argue that bringing in the SSG would dilute the Saudi investment and make the deal more palatable given the U.S. government’s various questions . On the flip side, such a move might be seen as a way for the Tour to have its cake and eat it, too, by pushing the Saudis out after ending the litigation with the framework agreement. The former seems more realistic and would be a step towards reuniting the game, while the latter would be another pivot from the Tour that would only lead to more battles with LIV.

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Moscow welcomes golf industry

12.21am 18th February 2009 - Exhibitions & Conferences

Golf Expo 2009, the sixth international exhibition in Russia, is a marketplace for the entire golf industry, including equipment, fashion and accessories.

Golf Expo 2009, the only exhibition on golf in Russia, opens the door to a market which is at the threshold of a boom. The potential is enormous: Belorussia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Ukraine and Russia itself are all moving quickly to adopt the game that is already the passion of 60 million players around the globe.

The exhibition will take place at the Radisson SAS Slavyanskaya from 15th to 16th May. With 145 million consumers and thousands of fast growth companies the organisers point up Russia as Europe’s largest, most dynamic market.

GolfExpo www.golfexpo.ru/eng/

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IMAGES

  1. Club Strategic Plan

    golf course strategic plan

  2. Golf Club Strategic Marketing Plan

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  3. PGA releases four-year Strategic Plan

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  4. strategic-plan

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  5. Master Planning

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  6. Strategic Plan

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF Strategic Plan

    The Strategic Plan is intended to serve as a framework to guide current and future Boards, Committees and Management as they carry out their governance and operational responsibilities. It is intended to be a living document, and will be updated in the future as conditions change within the Club or within the market in which we compete.

  2. PDF Strategic Planning: A Road Map to Club Survival and Success

    A strategic plan is the document that results from a strategic planning process and defines the following: On the subject of change, esteemed management consultant Peter Drucker once said: "It is not necessary to • The club's vision or purpose for being in existence.

  3. PDF Cavendish Golf Club 5 Year Strategy

    Strategic Plan 2020-2025 Executive Summary In March 2020, the then Board of Cavendish Club communicated to members that the Club was in dire financial straits with a real possibility that it would breach its lending limits and become insolvent.

  4. PDF STRATEGIC PLAN 2020

    STRATEGIC PLAN 2020 - 2024 "THE WAY AHEAD - DRIVING SUCCESS" Introduction The Market Where are we now? Where are we going? - Our Vision, Mission and Values How are we going to get there? - Core Areas Who is responsible? Golf Development How will we know we are there? Appendix 1 Introduction

  5. PDF Strategic Plan

    The Strategic Plan is intended to serve as a framework to guide current and future Boards, Committees and Management as they carry out their governance and operational responsibilities. It is intended to be a living document, and will be updated as conditions change within the Club or within the market in which we compete.

  6. The art of strategy

    A strategic plan evaluates market conditions and the wants and needs of members and customers to determine the club's or the golf facility's overall direction. A good strategic plan is succinct and outlines clear and actionable goals and objectives.

  7. PDF Dunedin Golf Club 2021 2023 Strategic Plan

    January 1, 2021 Club President's Introductory Comments On behalf of the Strategic Planning Committee and the Board of Directors, I am pleased to present the 2021-2023 Dunedin Golf Club Strategic Plan. The Committee and Board invested their time, experience, and best ideas into this guide for the Club's future success.

  8. How to Plan and Execute a Golf Course Strategy

    A strategic plan is a roadmap that guides your golf course towards its vision, goals, and objectives. It helps you align your resources, prioritize your actions, and measure your progress....

  9. PDF Strategic Plan

    Strategic Plan | 4 To create a prosperous and sustainable future for Long Reef Golf Club To maintain existing Membership, attract new people to the sport and enhance our 'links style' golf course To create a quality service culture that promotes a friendly and enjoyable experience for Members, visitors and the community

  10. Your most important function

    Here are three straightforward actions that will help club leaders execute their strategic plans: 1 Develop an action plan that complements your strategy . A strategic plan describes the primary goals and objectives for the club. Hopefully, the plan is supported with thorough market research and a genuine understanding of the club's needs and ...

  11. Strategic Planning

    The strategic plan is a document which should define your course's purpose and major goals, such as where you strive to be in the upcoming few years in terms of membership, competitive position. It should also set out how are going to achieve these goals through a defined set of actions. Is strategy important for a golf club?

  12. PDF Strategic Planning

    2. The golf course is rated highly compared to other clubs. 3. We have an actively golfing older membership. 4. Golf access is a key strategic challenge. 5. Golf related improvements are a priority for members. 6. We are positioned as a mid level country club in the Calgary market. 7. Our club management runs a lean, efficient operation. 8.

  13. Strategic Plan by Fircrest Golf Club

    Strategic Plan Fircrest Golf Club 2020-2029 STRATEGIC PLAN Table of Contents Mission Statement 3 Visions Statement 3 Introduction/ History 3 Background 4 Core Values 5 Strategic Pillars...

  14. Golf Course Management & Strategy Tips

    First, let's explain two key concepts: Golf course strategy Golf course strategy is an overarching plan that will give you the best possible chance of achieving your golfing goal. For example, how to break 80, win the club championship, or beat your rival in a grudge match. Golf course management

  15. The Barwon Heads Golf Club- Strategic Plan 2023-2027

    THE BARWON HEADS GOLF CLUB STRATEGIC PLAN 2023-2027 NOVEMBER 2022 our vision A unique golf club providing an exceptional links course and a quality hospitality experience for members...

  16. Strategic Plan

    Strategic Plan Our Vision: We aim to be recognised as the leading golf club in the area for exceeding membership expectations and providing a socially enjoyable experience. Our Mission: We are committed to providing members and all guests with an outstanding golf, dining and social experience.

  17. Club Support

    A strategic plan provides a focus on the more important long term direction of the club. Golf Australia has a range of services and templates to assist your club to develop a strategic plan that is aligned to the Australian Golf Strategy. Aligns stakeholders to a set of common objectives.

  18. 10 Ways To Improve Your Course Strategy For Golf

    4. Get The Ball Into The "Scoring zone". One strategy system that's helped a number of my students is Will Robin's " Scoring Method ". This system helps golfers better understand their game and formulate a strategy to limit mistakes and maximize scoring potential.

  19. Strategic Plan

    In 2021, the club commenced the construction of its vision for the future. The Strategic Plan, published in 2022, defines that vision, and the values that Hallamshire Golf Club holds as the Directors, Management and Staff work to deliver a Golf Club membership experience that is second to no other within the region. Hallamshire GC Strategic ...

  20. Troon Launch First Indoor City Golf in Moscow

    Troon, the upscale golf course management company has once more demonstrated its ability to develop and grow the game of golf in all-new regions with the recent announcement that it will operate a stunning new indoor golfing facility, located in the centre of Moscow. Under the stewardship of the industry-specialists, City Golf offers a unique ...

  21. New Golf Academy at Moscow's Olympic Stadium

    The golf academy will feature an innovative 9-hole par-3 golf course design, with six of the holes sharing two large splash-shaped greens, a driving range and a practice putting area plus a spacious clubhouse with indoor golf simulators. TPL principal Tim Lobb said: "To be working on a project that will add another dimension to an already ...

  22. Strategic Sports Group, PGA Tour finalize $3 billion ...

    On Wednesday morning, PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan announced to players the Strategic Sports Group (SSG), an outside investment group headlined by Fenway Sports Group and comprised of several high-level U.S.-based sports owners, has partnered with the Tour to create PGA Tour Enterprises. The SSG will invest up to $3 billion, with an ...

  23. Golf Business News

    Golf Expo 2009, the only exhibition on golf in Russia, opens the door to a market which is at the threshold of a boom. ... The Toro Company has reinforced its commitment to helping advance sustainability in and through golf by extending its ten-year strategic global partnership with the GEO Sustainable Golf Foundation. ... We cover the full ...

  24. PDF Strategic Planning and Solution Mapping for BWA

    Presentation_Moscow_OGonzalez_1. ITU-BDT Regional Seminar on Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) for European and CIS Countries. Moscow, Russia, 26 - 29 November 2007. Strategic Planning and Solution Mapping for BWA. Oscar González Soto ITU Consultant Expert Strategic Planning and Assessment. Strategic Planning and Solution Mapping.