Golf Range Magazine and the Golf Range Association of America (GRAA) have collaborated with and highlighted the esteemed professionals at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, California for many years. Their golf facility is second to none:
two 18-hole courses
three-hole academy/par 3 course used primarily for instruction, junior programming, beginner clinics, adaptive veterans program and lessons
nine-hole artificial turf putting green
94-bay double-sided driving range
Mike Woods has been with the company since 1990 and entered the golf industry somewhat unexpectedly after being encouraged to try it for a year. Today, Woods is the PGA of America Director of Golf, a Morton Golf Partner and the Vice President of the Morton Golf Foundation.
Of course, there are many stellar golf courses and ranges that offer some of the same amenities that Haggin Oaks does, but it’s the expertise and forward thinking of the Morton family, Woods and their team that has given us at Golf Range Magazine so many industry topics to write about — special events, innovative marketing ideas, award-winning professionals and a focus on the customer…every single day.
According to Woods, “Haggin Oaks was the first facility to install uncovered outdoor Toptracer monitors, with more than half of our hitting bays equipped with this technology. The back side of the range is kept more subdued for coaching and programming purposes. Although we went from a 24-hour operation before the pandemic to closing at midnight, the driving range has evolved into a major entertainment and revenue center.”
With the shear volume of business conducted on the range at Haggin Oaks, they use high-quality hitting mats, rather than maintain a grass hitting area that would constantly need usage rotation. Woods says they’re considering adding a second level to the range with heated bays for year-round climate-controlled practice and entertainment. The range has already become the facility’s greatest revenue source; with golf ever growing, Haggin Oaks is doubling down on its practice amenities and entertainment offerings.
Woods explained a shift in clientele that occurs at around 7:00 p.m. each evening, from traditional golfers working on their game to entertainment-focused visitors, including families, couples and groups of friends. After dark, many guests arrive without clubs, rent equipment, share hitting bays and treat the experience like a social outing.
To support that entertainment atmosphere, the facility has added:
Major League Baseball-style seating behind hitting stations
A food trailer serving pizza, tacos, sliders, gourmet hot dogs and ice cream
A full bar with themed drinks and event nights
Concerts one to two times per month
Putting competitions and tournaments
Nighttime demo days with golf manufacturers
TVs, couches, full bathrooms, music systems and social gathering areas
Woods emphasized that guests sometimes wait up to 45 minutes for a hitting station at the 350-yard range, so the facility intentionally provides other activities to keep people engaged and spending time on-site.
After all, in addition to its world-class reputation, Haggin Oaks’ marketing efforts include heavy use of segmented email marketing, which Woods says performs best, an active social media presence on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok and on-property signage.
With the health and vibrancy of driving ranges and alternative forms of golf post-COVID, Woods says range rates have gone up faster than those on his golf courses. With golf shoes gracing the range during the day and jeans and sneakers at night, Woods and his team at Haggin Oaks have figured out a way of maximizing revenues and usage on their range, short course and practice putting green. They ensure customers are having a good time and enjoying an exceptional experience, regardless of the time of day.