Fox Hollow Golf Course and Training Center

Facility Amenities:

• Grass tees (20)
• Bays with Mats (64)
• Heated Bays (10-20)
• Accurate yardage measurements from tees to targets
• Short game practice area
• Fairway bunkers
• Lighting for night use
• Synthetic Putting Green
• Grass Putting Green
• Covered Areas
• Golf shop (640 sq. ft.)
• Food & beverage
• Ball flight monitor

Type of Range Targets:

• Flags
• Bunkers
• Built-up greens
• Fairway Cuts
• Target net

Instruction provided.

Number of PGA Professional Instructors: 4

Number of LPGA Professional Instructors: 1

Clubfitting services provided.

Number of range balls dispensed per year: 3,000,000 +

Number of range balls in inventory: 40,000

New balls are acquired: Annually

Best range promotion:  In early 2013, Fox Hollow launched a promotion centered around a Free 15 Minute Swing and FlightScope X3 Analysis. On Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m., golfers were invited to sign up for appointments (or walk up) to have one of our PGA Professionals briefly analyze their swing and to get feedback on their ball flight and swing speed via the FlightScope X3. Our new Custom Fitting Specialist, Vince Geppi, worked with golfers to examine if their current equipment was truly helping to maximize their potential. When appropriate, Vince made some equipment recommendations and let golfers try new clubs that may suit their swing better. Vince would also share Flightscope data on shots hit with the new club vs. the existing club and help golfers compare the advantages of both.

Initial interest was strong in this promotion. Golfers craved the swing tips from the pros and enjoyed getting the data from FlightScope. We promoted it using our broadcast email program, social media platforms, fliers and small signage in carts, on course, and some paid advertising. After the first few months of the season, the slots on Wednesday evening began filling up routinely and our staff began offering the sessions other times during the week.

While our main goal with this promotion was to fulfill Fox Hollow’s ongoing mission to be a valuable resource to golfers throughout the region, we also hoped the free analysis would drive more lessons and equipment sales.
We saw a definite increase in golf lessons and clinic participation this year as well as a 54% increase in equipment sales at Fox Hollow in 2013 compared to 2012. There is no doubt our Free 15 Minute Swing and FlightScope X3 Analysis played a role in these increases.

Special programs: A new special program for 2013 that helped us connect with the community was Golf Fest. We created this event and hosted it the weekend of May 4-5 at Fox Hollow. We lined up several major golf equipment manufacturers to come out and host demo days at the range that weekend. We had a “hit the net” and putting contests for golfers of all ages. Our PGA Professionals offered free 15 minute golf lessons and beginner clinics all weekend long and we had a “dare to compare” FlightScope promotion where golfers could compare their swing speed and distance with their existing driver to the latest new driver from TaylorMade, Callaway, Nike, or Titleist.

Junior golfers could hit balls at no charge all weekend. To cap things off, we offered door prizes and enhanced food and beverage service to add to the “golf carnival” atmosphere. We promoted the event via traditional methods such as broadcast email, newspaper and radio advertising, social media, fliers at the course, etc. We also printed several hundred coupons good for a free bucket of range balls at Golf Fest. In the weeks leading up to Golf Fest, several of our professionals took the coupons and fliers for the event and canvassed businesses and organizations within a 10 mile radius of the course to let them know about the event and to invite their employees and customers to come join in the fun.

The response was very positive and several new potential partnerships were identified with local businesses.
Attendance for Golf Fest was strong and we brought in PGA Professionals from other courses in our system to keep up with demand for lessons and to man the contest stations. We were most gratified to see many people who were totally new to the game of golf come out to the event, as well as many families coming out together.

Golf Fest was not designed to be a huge financial success, but it drew people out to the facility early in the season and showcased all of the resources we have for area golfers. Immediately after the event we did an analysis of the weekend and took a hard look at what could be done to improve the event for next year. We are excited to make Golf Fest bigger and better in 2014.