Kraig Feighery is the PGA general manager at Alico Family Golf Center in Fort Myers, Florida.

Kraig Feighery on the importance of including choices in an event offering:
Wanting to do our part to help grow women’s golf, we began a “Saturday Night is Ladies’ Night” program this summer. For $15, it features two beers or two glasses of wine along with the option of hitting a large bucket of balls, a round of mini-golf or a round on our 9-hole short course. We thought up the idea earlier this year as a way to offer reduced rates and a possible entrance to the game for women golfers. We also liked the concept of giving choices, so that participants didn’t feel cornered or forced into doing any one thing.

Kraig Feighery on the business impact of including choices in an event offering:
The successes have been wide and varied. We have seen a 10 percent increase in women golfers. We’ve seen a 30 percent increase in women instruction, including five independent groups of women that take group instruction from our PGA professionals on a monthly basis, with the “Ladies’ Night” being the impetus that started it. Some of the husbands have joined them as well, which further expands our consumer base. I would estimate a 15-20 percent increase in golf equipment sales, along with a 25 percent increase in foot traffic during the summer, which is not our peak season. Additionally, on our 9-hole short course, we have seen total rounds increase by 20 percent, as the women find out that the short course is a fun, quick, and good option to both enjoy the game and work on their short game. Couple in a food & beverage increase due to the foot traffic and additional lessons and this program has been a nice success for us.

If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email kraig@alicofamilygolf.com