Winter Is Coming! But are you prepared?

Winter Is Coming! But are you prepared?

We still see many club websites in July advertising winter rates and opening times. Booking confirmation documents are talking about winter wheels in June. How many clubs have two booking documents, one for winter and one for summer? Or two website templates that can be switched over when the last leaf falls and the evenings start drawing in?

Winter isn't just about changing the green fee price or putting winter wheels on the trollies. It is about looking at the entire visitor journey and asking:

What needs to change, and what doesn't?

From what we see, pricing and opening hours are the most common pieces of outdated information.

Do your published prices match what you're actually charging? Are you still advertising your summer menu and hours of operation?

And what about the things that aren't quite as obvious?

If your golf course is partially closing for a period over the winter due to a winter project, how are you communicating that to visitors? If you don't have their phone number, and this isn’t communicated at the point of booking, how can you ensure that they are aware to prevent any issues on the day? Is it included in the booking confirmation? Has this been communicated to any third party tee time re-sellers/operators that you work with?

The same applies to driving range changes.

Are you closing the range temporarily so the team can hand-pick or recover range balls? Does that affect access to the range? Is this information easy to find before someone arrives expecting to warm up before their round?

These small details matter because expectations are created long before a golfer arrives at the club.

Imagine a golfer who visited your club during the summer.

The halfway house was open. The drinks buggy was out on the course. The clubhouse was busy. The pro shop was open all day.

They return in November expecting a similar experience, unless anyone tells them otherwise.

But… the halfway house is now closed, the drinks buggy isn't operating, the pro shop closes at 4pm and the clubhouse kitchen stops serving food at 3pm.

Where not here to comment on your hours of operation but, if the golfer isn't aware of them, their expectation and your reality are going to collide.

Have you clearly communicated your winter halfway house opening hours?

Is the drinks buggy operating? If not, is that explained?

Does the golfer know what food and drink options will be available when they finish their round?

These are simple pieces of information, but they can make a significant difference to how the overall experience is perceived.

What happens when the pro shop is operating on restricted hours?

Winter opening hours can also change the booking journey.

If the pro shop is only open for part of the day, are more golfers being directed towards booking online?

If so, is the online booking journey easy to navigate?

Does it contain the information a golfer actually needs?

Can they easily find the current green fee? Course conditions? Winter wheel policy? Fairway mat requirements? Temporary greens? Restrictions on the driving range?

And when they book, does the confirmation document reinforce all of this information?

The online booking journey isn't simply a sales tool. During the winter months, it can become one of your most important communication channels.

Is your pro shop ready for winter?

The same principle applies once the golfer arrives.

If your club has a policy requiring winter wheels or fairway mats, is the pro shop stocked with the products that support that policy?

It sounds obvious, but are you making it easy for the golfer to comply?

If fairway mats are required, can they buy one?

If winter wheels are required, are they available to buy? Are your rental trollies fitted with the correct winter wheels?

If the answer is no, what happens when the visitor arrives and discovers they can't play in the way they expected?

Again, it comes back to communication and expectation management.

Don't forget F&B

Winter should also change the way we think about the food and beverage experience.

If the golfer has just spent four hours outside in cold, wet and windy conditions, what do they want when they walk through the clubhouse doors?

Does your seasonal menu reflect the time of year?

Are there good quality hot drinks available? Are there appetising, warming options such as soups or other dishes that will appeal to golfers coming off the course?

And is the clubhouse itself warm, comfortable and inviting?

The experience doesn't stop at the 18th green.

Take a look at the locker rooms too.

Do they look the best they can? Are they clean, warm and inviting? Do they encourage golfers to shower, change and spend a little longer in the clubhouse rather than getting straight into the car and heading home?

Winter can be an opportunity to encourage golfers to stay longer and spend more, but only if the environment gives them a reason to do so.

Course conditions – communicate, communicate, communicate

Then there are the ever-changing course conditions.

Is it easy for visitors and guests to find this information, without the need to call up the club to double check before they jump in the car?

Is there a link in your booking confirmation that takes them directly to the latest course update?

For clubs that also send tee time confirmations to members, should those communications include a link to current course conditions?

Should they contain reminders about opening and closing times?

Can you ever over-communicate with your members and visitors, or are these simply additional layers of protection to ensure nobody falls through the cracks?

At 59club, we measure the booking confirmation experience as part of our mystery shopping programme.

Did the booking confirmation even arrive?

Many clubs assume these communications are being sent with every tee time booking, but more often than not, technology lets them down in some way. Without realising it, guests receive an experience that falls short of what the club intended to deliver.

Mystery shopping starts a conversation.

It gives clubs the opportunity to look at the experience through the eyes of the customer and ask: What are we telling them? What are they expecting? And what are they actually experiencing – is this the journey and the experience that we think we are delivering?

And finally… the team

Perhaps the biggest question of all is whether your team understands that winter can require them to try a little harder.

When the course isn't at its best, the weather is poor and the clubhouse is quieter, it can be very easy for staff to switch off and disengage.

But this is exactly when the human element of the experience becomes even more important.

If the golfer has battled through cold and rain for four hours, the welcome they receive in the clubhouse matters.

A warm greeting.

A genuine conversation.

Offering another drink.

Checking whether they enjoyed their round.

Making sure they have everything they need.

These things cost very little, but they can completely change the way the experience feels.

Slow and quiet days shouldn't mean lower service levels.

In fact, they can be the perfect opportunity to deliver the little extras that show you care.

So, what can you put in place to ensure your team continues to go the extra mile when the course isn't at its best?

Are managers leading by example?

Are teams being reminded of the standards expected? Are consistent standards in place for that matter?

Are you using training and mystery shopping to keep everyone focused?

Because when the weather turns, the standard shouldn't.

Fail to plan, and you plan to fail

Get winter-ready now so you can continue delivering the level of service your members and guests expect.

Before the first frost arrives, review the entire customer journey:

• Green fee pricing
• Winter wheel policy
• Fairway mat policy
• Catering hours
• Winter and seasonal menus
• Halfway house opening hours
• Drinks buggy availability
• Pro shop opening hours and stock
• Driving range availability
• Course closures and temporary changes
• Winter projects with prolonged partial course closures/re-routing
• Course conditions
• Website information
• Online booking journey
• Booking confirmations
• Member communications
• Locker room and clubhouse presentation
• Staff engagement and service standards

If you get the communication, the environment and the people right, you can continue to deliver a great experience – even when the weather isn't doing you any favours.

Winter is coming. Are you ready?