Golf clubs interested in signing up to National County Card have been given an added incentive to join the innovative new concept by being offered a free advertising campaign.
Private member clubs across the United Kingdom who join National County Card will receive their own tailor-made advertising campaign at a nearby driving range with the aim of increasing memberships and visitor levels.
The new scheme, which is free to join, is available to all private golf clubs and allows private golf club members to play courses all over the UK at favourable rates. And, with nearly 400 partner-driving ranges, National County Card is hoping to offer an advertising campaign within the proximity of most clubs in a bid to generate more income for them – also at no cost to the club.
Rob Sutton, managing director of National County Card, said, “The EGU’s web site states that 87 per cent of clubs need new members and it is proven that our driving range advertising generates new members and visitors for golf clubs.
“Through our advertising we can reach around 1.8 millions golfers. There are no costs to your club and the free advertising will enable clubs to reach thousands of potential new members and visitors.”
All private member clubs will be entitled to the advertising as a National County Card member and Sutton revealed that he has already been inundated with enquiries about the revolutionary new scheme.
The new concept will be available to all private golf club members with a valid handicap certificate for the cost of £25 per year and cards are due to go on sale in the Spring.
Each club that enrols in National County Card will receive a payment of £5 for every one of their club members that joins – which will be repeated on an annual basis when the person renews their membership. All cards are bought online meaning no administration for any golf club.
Under the terms of the scheme, clubs will be free to dictate the green fee rate for National County Card holders and the times when the card can and cannot be used, ensuring maximum revenue during quiet times without interfering with member and club’ requirements.
In time, this should reduce the tee time availability for other schemes which offer cheap green fees at private member clubs for non-golf club members, ultimately the company believes that this reduced availability will entice many such golfers into private golf club membership.
National County Card will be backed in 2008 by a mass targeted national advertising campaign throughout their golf ranges and clubs as well as a national radio campaign.
Sutton added, “With National County Card, we hope to address the issue of club-discounted green fees, to drive fuller memberships and address some of the imbalances within the golf industry.
“The card is not restricted to areas or counties and, in time, we expect tens of thousands of private club members to join the scheme, which will not only reward the golf clubs but also greatly increase course-loading profitability.”
Sutton is also joint managing director of Hi-Tech Media Limited, a media company based in Sale, who are reaching more than one million golfers per month via ‘Get Noticed‘ poster sites in golf clubs, ranges, bars and offices and last year brought in £300,000 of new revenue into golf clubs and ranges.
National County Card www.nationalcountycard.co.uk