It’s that time of year again where the winter chill in the air makes it hard to get motivated to play golf.  However, there is no need in packing up the clubs for the season.  Maybe a golf vacation to Arizona will help fight off the winter golf blues.

When it comes time for me to get away and play some memorable winter golf I head straight to Arizona..Phoenix or Scottsdale to be specific.    No matter if it is the dead of the HOT summer or the middle of their gorgeous winters, there is no better Golf than Phoenix Golf . Of course, if you are looking for breath taking golf, Scottsdale Golf has few competitors.

Either location is a safe bet for some exceptional and off the chart exciting golf courses. Phoenix Scottsdale Golf has some of the best Arizona Golf Packages available.  Some of the golf courses they have access to are McCormick Ranch, Starfire, Orangetree, Arizona Grand. At Phoenix Scottsdale Golf, they take pride in providing discount Arizona golf vacations that focus on finding the best golf and lodging deals in Arizona.

They take the time to listen to your needs and understand your golfing style in order to make the best possible accommodation and course recommendations for you.

Phoenix Golf Packages include golf course like Golf Club of Estrella, Pointe Golf Club – Lookout Mountain, Rancho Manana, Kierland Golf Club. Scottsdale Golf Packages include golf courses like Grayhawk, TPC Scottsdale, Wildfire, Talking Stick.

How can they do it?

Well, …

1. The folks at Phoenix Scottsdale Golf live in Phoenix and regularly play golf courses allover Arizona.  This personal touch insures you to have a quality experience.
2. They have access to the latest tee time sheets and accommodation promotions to find the best package deals, enabling them to provide complete custom Arizona golf vacation planning at low package prices.
3. They help you tee it up at some of the finest golf courses in Arizona and enjoy first class hotel and resort accommodations for much less than you think!

Phoenix Scottsdale Golf prides themselves in providing detailed information and insider secrets to help make your Arizona golf vacation an unforgettable experience. So, save yourself the time and hassle of planning your Arizona golf vacation. Let Phoenix Scottsdale Golf plan it for you.

Recently, I attended PodCamp here in Dallas.  A great event showcasing the advantages of podcasting.  During the day I was interviewed by Mason Pelt of Clever Name Studio.  Following is Mason’s show.

Pocasting is just one way of getting a message out to people through the internet.  Videocasting is the next step up and is the most effective way to get a message broadcasted since it can offer multiple levels of information all at once.  If you are just blogging, podcasting should be your next step to take to establish a greater presence online.  After podcasting, videocasting or Vlogging, is a natural step to attracting more people to hear your message.

Attend the PodCamp near you….it is a great experience.

Let me know how I can help.

As MOST of you know, I took a short break vacation sabbatical from social networking to reorganize my office and studio to get ready for the next stage of life business.  Well I am almost back to normal operations. 

I still have a few technical glitches to work out and a lot of testing to do, but overall I am functional enough to get back working on the backbone of my current business’ operations…BLOGGING.

What’s NEW!

So, what was all this remodeling for?????  Well…In a couple of weeks I hope to be back to producing at least one of my podcasting shows..if not all of them. 

As I get cranked up I will be bringing online my new Internet Radio programs.   Yes, Programs!!!… that is plural,  since I have a few things in mind to do as far as a radio program.  So stay tuned.

Then..as I get the tech issues solved I will be going online with videocasting or Vlogging..to start off with.  Then add the video to my radio programs.  I’ll be at PodCamp here in Dallas if you want to MeetUp.

Going Back to Work!

Of course, I will also be working the other parts of my IBGS company as well as now opening the door to go ‘In House’ as an operations manager, project manager, conference coordinator, event coordinator or community manager.  If you have a position..LET ME KNOW!

So, I’m rested up and ready to get after it.. Let me know how I can help.

I was leaning on the fence one evening talking to a few of the golfers on the fairway waiting on the two groups ahead of them on the par four to clear so they could play.  Naturally, Pace of Play was the topic for the day. 

However, since there was more than a 15 minute wait until they could shoot, they just pulled their carts up to the fence and we had a decent conversation about the State of Golf today.

Discount Golf Causing Problems

In asking this foursome of 40 something men and women golfers what they thought was causing the slow play on a private country club they where very quick to list a few issues.   All seemed to agree it was due to the club doing a number of things to boost revenue which just does not work for private golf clubs. 

Some of the reasons they readily offered were:

• opening up their doors to non-members to play golf
• promoting discount green fees
• selling discounted or trial membership packages
• club signing on with online tee time sites
• handing out free guest fees to members

All of these they felt was resulting in the club placing “too many golfers on a course that is not easy for a below average golfer to play in less than 5 hours”.   Seems this club is doing what many private clubs are doing to survive, but obviously is backfiring for this club.

Wrong Message Being Made

This group of private club golfers, who report to have been members of the club for over 15 years, all feel the new ownership of the club has lost site of the club being a private club and who is paying their bills. Even though the member’s do not own any equity in the club they do provide for the club’s operation’s operations budget..including salaries and profit for the owners..through their monthly membership dues.

Comments made..  The clubhouse has a “resort” look that is very uncomfortable. “The look and feel give me the impression they don’t want us staying in the bar very long”.   “The focus of the club is to get more members which is OK, but this means more demands on the tee time availability which makes it hard to get on the course on the weekend.”  “Having a full roster of members is good, but how they manage a large number of members is driving many of the current members to think about continuing to be a member.”

This group sited things like:

• Onslaught of promotional emails sent to them from the club, or other members of the club for the club, announcing bargain membership packages and soliciting members to solicit their friends.
• Newsletters placed in their bill from club manager and board of governors reporting how well the club is doing financially but not addressing making any major capital improves to the club infrastructure.
• Overpricing of food and beverages served by over stressed employees
• No personal contact by the club ownership with “full” membership

From what I gathered there are some morale issues developing to a fevered pitch which, along with bad management decisions, are proving to not be very productive. 

State of Golf

Truly the state of Golf in general is making operating a Private Golf Club very stressful.  With discretionary funds drying up, uncertainty in the stock market and golfer’s incomes at risk many people’s livelihoods are being threatened for the fist time EVERY.

What is a Private Club, whose soul function is to service the Golf market, to do?  The golfers I had the privilege in interviewing seem to feel the ownership of the club treating the current membership like people would be a start.  From there, trust can be built in the management of the club knowing what they are doing.  It was also mentioned the need for the club’s ownership procuring good outside advice on how to go about building, rebuilding or maintaining trust amongst the membership, cannot hurt.

Listening Works

A lot can be learned about how well Golf is doing by taking the time to get out on the golf course and ask golfers what they think.  Most of the time, golfers are never lost for words. 

For you golfing members of a private club, ask your general manager to join you for a round of golf.  If he/she obliges you then take the opportunity to casually get to know what he/she is thinking and get the point of view used to guide the club into the future. It’s your money that is paying the GM’s salary..at the very least they should at sometime get out on the golf course with you.  If he or she does not play golf..well, then..I think you might see where the problems begin.

It probably would be good for your club’s management to get out and find how the membership feels about things.  It would be good for them to see how the golf course plays during a peak period instead of residing on what the golf director or course superintendent reports.  In this uncertain economy, maintaining a private club’s membership, or customer base,  is solid advice to follow. 

I got a lot out of the few minutes I had to talk to a group of fellow golfers.  I wonder how many club managers take that amount of time to talk to their members?

Let me know how I can help.

Back in May of this year I posted a blog on the aspects of Empire Avenue I really did not know what to expect.  Today, how I feel abut EA is even more important. 

First of all, Empire Avenue is not just a game and it is not a waste of time.  Actually, the more time you spend on EA site the more influential you become.

As far as an evaluation of your influence in the social spaced, Empire avenue does the trick. 

The basics are:

1. Fill out all of your Profile and BIO
2. Connect all your social spaces to Empire avenue
3. Connect to others in EA with common interest.
4. Develop a strategy on who you are going to invest in and post that on the site.
5. Then write a blog about EA and post it.

This will get you started.  Meanwhile, be on the look out for people using Empire Avenue who are producing a hefty dividend.   Don’t get in a hurry..this is a marathon not a sprint.  The more your stock value goes up the more influential you become.  Hang in there and you will see more people investing into you and posting something about you.  Make sure you post your link to your blog.

If you are looking to improving your results from social media you need to invest in Empire Avenue.

Is there a Dr in the House?

A husband and wife are on the 9th green when suddenly she collapses
with a heart attack!
   "Help me dear," she groans to her husband.
The husband calls 911 on his cell phone, talks for a few minutes, picks
up his putter and lines up his putt.
His wife raises her head off the green and stares at him.
   "I’m dying here and you’re putting?"
"Don’t worry dear," says the husband calmly, "they found a doctor on
the second hole and he’s coming to help you.
   "Well, how long will it take for him to get here?" she asks feebly.
"No time at all," says her husband. "Everybody’s already agreed to let
him play through."

As the many debates on the merits of the Tee It Forward program the USGA has developed to improve the appeal of playing golf, the question I have been trying to figure out is..

Will it help Golf Grow?

The entire concept of what the Tee It Forward program is really designed to accomplish is clouded with suspicion.  Sure, if every golfer played from the tee box matching their golf skill everyone would enjoy golf more, but aren’t their other solutions to getting golfers to enjoy playing golf?

Basing what tee a person should play from the distance they hit their driver is also questionable of really working to improve a golfer’s pleasure in golf or to speed up play. We all know dozen of people who can hit the ball over 300yds, but then they take 10 shots..not counting the penalty shots..to get the ball in the hole.  I also know a large number of people who can’t drive the ball further than 200 yards, but they carry a scratch handicap.

It seems what the purpose of the Tee It Forward program is really wanting to happen is to get more people to pay a green fee.  True, without golf courses there would not be golf, so supporting the operations of a golf course would keep golf courses open so people can play the game.

However, isn’t the USGA missing something here?  The high costs to play golf has to reckon with to produce a greater interest by more people in playing Golf.  This has to be the hardest problem to solve for which Tee It forward is not going to help.  Golfers are not going to be overwhelmed in joy to pay inflated green fees to not be allowed to play the course they want to play it.  It’s recommended that you take Skiing lessons before taking on the mountains, why not recommend lessons that shows people how to play so they can enjoy the full length of the golf course.

Given the fundamental problems of the weak golf economy are not total deterrents for many people to playing golf, isn’t the real problem golf has to overcome in the difficulty of learning to play golf.  Wouldn’t it be a better approach to improving the appeal and pleasure of playing golf by having everyone who plays golf learn to play Golf before they PLAY Golf?

This is just one of the debates going on today in the world of golf.  Dave Bisbee, Krista Hartman and I are going to discuss the Tee It Forward issue in the coming weeks on the Mr Business Golf Show .  There is a strong feeling in the business golf community that the point of the problem golf is having with it sagging popularity is not from where a person tees the ball to play.  Many of the problems golf is having with attracting more golfers could be outside of golf.

Make sure to stay tuned into the Mr Business Golf Show so you can find out more of what is really going on with the Tee It Forward program.

Let me know how I can help

Wrapping up the long week at 2011 The Nelson I sat down with fellow golf blogger and social mediaist Tony Korologos, the creator of the Hooked On Golf Blog and The Golf Space social network, for a chat about a number of things going on inside and outside the 2001 HP Byron Nelson Championship.  Here is our chat…

Download this MP3 – (Right Click)

Yes, that is right, the Mr Business Golf Show podcast is returning to the ClamBake Cafe.

Press Release:

Addison, Texas: May 21, 2011

Innovative Business Golf Solutions is excited to announce the return of the Mr Business Golf Show which will be posted as a podcast on the ClamBake Cafe web-site and other related/affiliated blogs and web-sites.  The first show will be posted June 1, 2011 on the ClamBake Cafe www.clambakecafe.com and Mr Business Golf blog www.mrbusinessgolf.com.

Background:

The Mr Business Golf Show, originally launched in 2007, revamped in 2009 and produced in Video format in 2010, features a talk show format where information on Golf, Business and Business Golf is passed on to listeners.  The weekly program will be in a Podcast format.  Video casting is being developed for the show and plans are to launch the MBG Vlog in the 3rd or 4th quarter 2011. The MBG Show is based out of Addison, Texas. The show will be recorded both in the IBGS Bagroom Studios in Addison, TX and at remote locations around the Dallas, Texas area. 

The Mr Business Golf Show features discussions related to the business of golf as well as reports on events, tournaments and other related  subjects.

“We will be offering our listeners information on All Things Golf.  Our mission is to bring to our listeners information about golf in hopes it will bring more people to playing golf. ”, said Scot Duke, CEO of Innovative Business Golf Solutions. 

New Face

  Scot Duke, aka Mr Business Golf, will again be the host of the weekly podcast.  Mr. Duke has been blogging on the subject of business golf since 2005.

Joining Scot as co-host of the New Business Golf Show will be Krista Kramer Hartman of She Kan Golf!.  Krista is a business performance coach and owner of She Kan Company.  Ms. Hartman is also active in the Executive Women’s Golf Association and is very passionate about the game of golf. Krista will bring her views of golf, women businesses and business golf to the show.  You can find out more about Krista at www.shekangolf.com or www.shekancompany.com

"I’m committed to giving back to golf, and committed to keeping golf and business connected by providing and finding neat opportunities to talk about golf or simply play golf with friends of golf, clients, potential clients, synergetic business partners, and people in the golf business.” ,said Krista Kramer Hartman, Owner of She Kan! Kompany.

The revised Mr Business Golf Show will be a weekly podcast using an informational talk show format to highlight the advantages and productive aspects golf can offer business people.  Krista and Scot will discuss between themselves the things ‘happening in golf and business’ as well as having interviews with guests who will be on the show from time to time.

Vision:

IBGS’s mission is to help the golf industry find solutions to the challenges facing its success.  IBGS does this through services and strategic partnerships with luminaries both in the golf and non-golf business world.  The Mr Business Golf Show, ClamBake Cafe, Business Golf Country Club, Mr Business Golf Blog, and the Business Golf Advisory Group all are part of the Innovative Business Golf Solutions, LLC, effort to help business people improve their business operations.

The purpose of the Mr Business Golf Show’s is to offer its listeners viable information and thought provoking ideas on solutions to the many issues facing the Golf Industry’s as well as offer insight into why Golf is more than a ‘frilly’ recreational activity. 

“It has been my personal and professional mission for over 8 years to do what I can to get more people playing golf. The more people who play golf the better the golf industry will become.  I hope I can get more people to understand what golf is all about so they will take up playing golf. ”, said Scot Duke

The Mr Business Golf Show podcast will be posted on the following sites:

• ClamBake Cafe
• Mr Business Golf Blog
• Business Golf Country Club
• Biz Golf Guru Blog
• She Kan Golf! Blog
• Mr Business Golf Facebook Page (Under Construction)

More information can be obtained by contacting: Scot Duke Email: Mrbusinessgolf @ gmail (dot) Com or 214 549-0306

Information on sponsorships and advertising space is available by contacting: Scot Duke Email: Mrbusinessgolf @ gmail (dot) Com or 214 549-0306

It is hard to image what $195 Billion really looks like, but four years ago that was the impact the Golf Industry had on America’s economy.  I am sure it has gone up since.  If you look at the economy as a whole, the Golf Industry impacts is more than the Motion Picture Industry.  That probably is surprising to many people who go to the movies,  but how does Golf impact you and your local economy?

Country Club

The local golf economy is driven mostly by golf facilities..i.e. golf courses, driving ranges.  The places where golfers play golf drive the spending on golf equipment to the retail level.  However, have you ever thought of all the non-golf related industries golfers touch when they go to play golf?

The businesses that facilitate the playing of golf sit in the mainstream of the local golf economy. However, Country Club’s, especially private golf clubs, impact more than just the golf economy.

Country Clubs as a facility also develop into social centers for the communities they reside.  Sometimes this is by design and naturally would have a internal social aspect its members bring to the club.  Fortunately, there is more going on at a private golf clubs and Country Clubs than just people playing golf.  Each day at a Country Club anywhere in the nation there are business meetings, local civic group gatherings and family weddings being conducted.  Sometimes the Country Club’s clubhouse is the only meeting place within the community.  All of these functions generate huge amounts of revenue.

Also, these non-golf external services employee hundreds of people from the community who spend their wages in the community.  The outside events held at country clubs are supported by vendors who employee many people of within a community.  This makes theses non-golf events’ financial impact on the local economy tremendous.

So, when you take the fact country clubs employee hundreds of people and support hundreds of vendors combined with the non-golf functions the country club manage, the impact to the local economy is very significant.

When a Country Club Closes

What happens when a Country Club closes for business?  The local economy will feel the blow first.  In places where the Country Club is a major employer the impact to the community will be devastating.  The trickle down of the unemployment of the club’s staff will add to the already troubled national economy.  Generally the people let go by a country club will be forced into moving to another region which will add burden to that community’s unemployment.

The impact on the vendors of a country club is also great.  Sometimes the country club is some vendor’s main account and when the doors to the country club close so does the vendors.  As a result even more people are placed on the unemployment role.

Millions of economic dollars are lost when a county club closes.  It is estimated a private country club that employees 150 or more employees generates over $1 million in sales taxes and another $1m in income taxes to the federal level.  Taking that there are thousands of private country clubs across the nation this quickly adds up to billions of dollars of economic impact.  Since reports are showing that nearly 10% of these clubs will be forced to close due to economic issues the impact would result in hundreds of millions of dollars lost forever from local sales.

Naturally there are going to be country clubs that fail due to bad management and other non-economic related issue.  However, many country clubs running in the red have ways of avoiding the worst case scenarios.  What causes most golf facilities to fail has to do with their resisting change or trying to adapt to something new using old methods.

Since the golf industry will be one of the last industries to improve when the economy improves they need to move quickly to solving their financial issues.  Some of the solutions to country club’s problems will result in major changes needing to be made and old ways of thinking done away with.  This does not necessarily mean country clubs should run out and hire a young staff to manage their club, but a younger mindset of the current management will be needed to make the changes coming in the economy’s recover.

The Golf Industry should be strapped in tightly since the economy still has a lot more jerky adjustments to make to find its new center.  Having a new way of seeing things will help country clubs survive and keep from closing their gates forever.

Let me know how I can help.