As winter approaches, many golf clubs may wonder if it’s time to wind down their membership drive and hunker down in the warmth of the clubhouse. The days are shorter, the weather colder, and golfers tend to play less. But is your membership season truly over just because the temperature drops?
The answer is a resounding, absolutely not!
In fact, winter can be an ideal time to maintain and even grow your membership. Here’s why and how you can keep your members engaged through those colder months.
While it’s true that winter months may see fewer golfers on the course. However, it doesn’t mean prospects are any less interested in being a part of a golf club community. In fact, with fewer distractions, golfers are more likely to focus on long-term goals and look to put something in place ready for when the weather turns warmer. It is all about being prepared for Springtime. Now this may not mean golfers will sign up straight away. But, they will know more about the golf club, and you have already “warmed” them up. This is the power of steady marketing and ensuring when the golfer is ready to make a decision, your golf club is front and centre.
Think about it: winter is often associated with New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s improving fitness, learning a new skill, or committing to a hobby, winter is a perfect time for people to refocus and commit to personal goals. Let golf be “that” goal!
The holiday season offers plenty of opportunities for membership promotions. Consider offering a gift voucher membership, or limited-time discounts for the new year, create some FOMO (fear of missing out). People are always looking for meaningful gifts during this time, and offering memberships as a gift is a fantastic way to both maintain and grow your member base in the quiet months.
In addition, the post-holiday season is a great time to reach out to people with new year deals, encouraging them to join or renew as they work towards their goals for the coming year.
This is so vital in today’s golf industry, and all clubs are looking to ensure their golfers renew. Winter can be an excellent time to strengthen relationships with existing members. Instead of focusing all your energy on acquiring new members, use the colder months to build member loyalty. Organise member events or winter-specific fun golf competitions. Send personalised messages or celebrate member milestones, whatever it may be, create that sense of community.
By keeping your members engaged with the club, you’ll ensure they’re still excited about being a part of the golf club once spring rolls around and those renewal letters are sent.
One fun and effective way to maintain engagement is to introduce a winter-themed golf competitions. For example, winter order of merit or match play events.
The key is to build a sense of camaraderie, competition and achievement, giving members something fun to look forward.
Finally, use the winter as a time for planning and reflection. Survey your members to find out what they enjoyed about the past year and what they’d like to see in the future. Take stock of your successes and challenges and make plans for the coming spring and summer. All feedback, both positive and negative is so important to the golf club, use it to your advantage.
Winter downtime is the perfect opportunity to assess your golf club strengths and areas for improvement. This will ensure that when your busiest season arrives, you’re prepared to offer even more value to your members.
Don’t let the winter months fool you into thinking your membership season is over. With the right strategies—focusing on member retention, leveraging seasonal marketing and promotions, and offering winter-friendly golf events — you can keep your golf club thriving even when the temperature drops, and staying ahead of your local competitors.
Winter is a season of opportunity, so take full advantage of it to engage your members and prepare for future growth!