Golf Pro Advisor: Who Are Your Best Customers?

You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 rule. That’s where 80% of a business’ revenue comes from 20% of its customers. That 20% is a customer segment. And those customers need special attention. Golf operations have customer segments, too. Most head golf professionals have a mix of customers (members). Some spend a lot of money on lessons…

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How Much Money Can You Make in 2017?

In the January issue of the Golf Pro Advisor (Are You Ready for the 2017 Season?), I discussed the importance of setting both “performance” goals and overall financial goals. A performance goal, for instance, would be the number of lessons you want to generate this year. That in turn drives your overall lesson revenue (financial goal). In…

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Are You Ready for the 2017 Season?

It’s January. You are probably busy planning for the upcoming season. Your highest priority may be completing the items on your checklist: Hiring assistant pros and shop assistants Scheduling vendors to visit at the PGA show later this month. Purchasing equipment and merchandise Setting fees for lessons, tournaments, driving range, and bag storage Developing promotional…

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Prepare for Your 2017 Contract Negotiations

It’s that time of year again – time to negotiate your contract for next year. You want to enter into contract discussions armed with the following: Financial Info – Accurate information about your earnings. Performance Metrics – Stats on the golf program (number of rounds, lessons, etc.). Comparables – Head pro compensation at comparable clubs in your area.…

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Growing Your Junior Golf Program

As readers of The Golf Pro Advisor know, I regularly stress the importance of increasing your value to your club. This can, in turn, increase your job security, your income, and your marketability (to other clubs). One way to increase your value to the club is to create a vibrant, growing youth program. This offers several advantages:…

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Mike Heisterkamp Cracks the Code

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with PGA Pro Michael Heisterkamp. Mike has been the head golf pro at Chagrin Valley Country Club in Chagrin Falls, OH for the past 22 years. He seems to have cracked the member retention code. Mike Heisterkamp’s job is to run a golf program. But his mission is to attract and retain members for…

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Are You Teaching the “Mental Game?”

“Golf is 80% mental, 10% ability, 10% luck” – Jack Nicklaus Mind over Body If so much of the game is mental, as so many top touring pros contend, why do so few club pros teach the mental game? Many focus almost exclusively on the physical game: swing, stance etc. I’ve been wondering about this for…

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