An enormous advantage with by using a golf simulator in your business is… “the sun never sets on a simulator”. Golf courses are always influenced by the next thunderstorm to interact personally and when sunshine sets the day is over. This is not the case on a simulator, schedules may well be more indoor golf simulators for sale consistent and total billable hours can be extended, while using a golf pro. With a golf simulator you can determine how late you want to stay open. If your establishment provides refreshments, you can anticipate your web visitors staying around longer, while they play a round or get a lesson after normal golf courses are closed.
The history behind golf simulators is important to understand. Golf simulators have inspired the creation of from it’s infancy as a golf training tool, providing a way to play in the house and also receive feedback on a players shot. This same training aspect is still the underlying advantage to the majority of golf simulators. Now with the progression of software and sensor technology, these training tools have become much more… they have become an entertainment experience. An experience people are willing to pay for. The key to driving customers to your golf simulator and thus revenues to your business; is understanding these two important components: training and entertainment.
Training:
Players are always looking to improve their game. A golf simulator can help greatly with this pursuit, by providing swing analysis, club fitting and the advantage of playing in the house year round. So you need to open your business to the people who are looking to improve their game. The best way to do this is to work with or hire a golf professional. A golf pro can charge their client for time on the simulator and use of the sophisticated training tools which are offered on most of the golf simulators on the market. Many golf pros are turned off by the simulators, because they think it will steal their normal business clients. The truth is a golf simulator can help a golf pro to better understand where the problem areas are with a client’s game and in turn make them a more effective teacher. And at the same time allow golf pros to work year round and charge the same if not more money for an indoor lesson. Do you offer club fitting? With most golf simulators, an expert is given the feedback required to offer club fitting to your customers, thus increased sales to your pro shop.
Teaming with a golf pro is the easiest way to generate revenues on your golf simulator. I would recommend working with the pro to create programs which incorporate both indoor and outdoor lessons. Check with your local golf courses to see what golf pros are charging for lessons and use that information to price your packages competitively.
Entertainment:
This is the element of your simulator which can drive revenues through repeat business. Offering your web visitors an authentic entertaining experience will have them coming back for more (and with their friends). Using your simulator to create entertainment is easy. You are offering your web visitors the ability to play some of the mobile phone industry’s best golf courses all from the comfort of your establishment. Players love to try out new courses; a golf simulator gives them the ability to play a round in California, the next round in New Zealand, or exactly where they choose to play from your course library. Marketing this feature will create a buzz for your business, create a little league, host a tournament, and hold battles: “like longest drive” or “closest to the pin”. All of these are easy ways to drive individuals and teams of players to your system. Again this is a great way to extend business hours. A two-some will play 20 holes of golf on a simulator, in about an hour and fifteen minutes, so host a little league night of eight players and you could have players at your establishment; eating, drinking, and playing golf, well into the wee hours of the night, if you choose.
I would recommend surveying your web visitors to see how much interest there is in specific events. If you currently run a summer little league, I would roll that little league into an indoor fall or winter little league. Talk to your sponsors and see if they would offer prizes for a “closest to the pin” fight as well as to the winner team of a tournament. Market the idea of being able to play a different golf course every week, incorporate this into your leagues and tourneys. I recommend setting up nine hole leagues and have the little league last no more than eight weeks.
By creating a few simple programs and working with a golf pro, you can easily set up your golf simulator to start generating revenues for your business. One last little bit of advice: Market your programs! Let your current and potential customers know about your system and programs, this will greatly increase player contribution and customer awareness. These are simply suggestions and performance will change on location, market competition and other factors. When setting up your programs keep in mind the two key factors: Training and Entertainment. Please feel free to contact me through my website if you have any questions on generating revenues with your golf simulator.