The background

Kingsway Family Golf Centre, in Cambridgeshire, was developed in the 1980s and acquired by the current owners in 1996. It has a 9-hole golf course, Par 3 pitch and putt, FootGolf, heated 40-bay driving range, indoor coaching area, American Golf Store and a small café/bar.

In 2017, after drawing up a business plan,

the manager James Watts and professional

Chris Hattersley, saw the potential for

expanding their already successful coaching

and beginner activity.

They met with England Golf staff to discuss

the opportunity and develop a marketing

strategy as well as seeking advice on their

local demographics which highlighted that a

substantial group of people living within a short

drive of the club fitted a ‘Casual Fun’ profile.

People in this group typically enjoy the social

side of golf, especially spending time with

family and friends, and playing informal and

varied formats. They have an above average

response to marketing such as direct mail,

email and social media. Their average age is

42; 30% are women – and cost is their main

barrier to playing golf.

Kingsway Family Golf Centre Cambridgeshire

SUCCESS STORY

Successfully attracting new women golfers by understanding the market and offering a great coaching programme

Action The club used this information to target

women in this group and created an

attractive Get into Golf coaching pathway

for them. It offered free initial taster

sessions, low cost four-week beginner group

sessions including coffee, and learn to play

afternoons finishing with Prosecco! Next was

intermediate four-week follow-on coaching

courses and weekly roll ups.

This was marketed with a flyer drop based

on England Golf’s catchment data, use of Get

into Golf marketing materials at the centre,

emails to the database of the club and the

Professional, and a social media campaign

across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. This

included paid for advertising, post boosting

and outsourcing.

Kingsway Family Golf Centre Cambridgeshire

SUCCESS STORY

By taking part in an

introductory coaching

course between April

2017 and September 2018.

Almost all of them went on

to take further coaching at

the club.

An average of £242 per

person. This included

lesson fees, refreshments,

range balls, equipment and

green fees, which 74% of

ladies purchased.

Social media marketing

proved successful and

helped to attract both

females and younger

golfers, with some signing

up their kids for the junior

academy, generating

additional revenue.

The centre launched a new website in spring 2019, has big redevelopment

plans for 2020 and has developed their women’s pathway to include a new

six-month academy membership for 2019, consisting of Par 3 membership,

9-hole vouchers, monthly coaching clinics and bi-weekly fun competitions.

Results

The Future

WOMENINTRODUCED TO GOLF

SPEND AT THECLUB IN 6 MONTHS

WOMEN & CHILDREN ENGAGEDTHROUGHSOCIAL MEDIA

87 = £20KEXIT

EXIT

EXIT