Every Thursday and Saturday from May through September, West Bend (Wisconsin) Country Club is abuzz with league play. It was a tradition that began even before current PGA of America Head Professional Jim Kelly stepped into his role in 2018. However, since coming on board, he’s implemented a new shop credit strategy that keeps the members engaged while adding a reliable source of retail income.
“Those weekly leagues (pictured) have excited our members for years,” says Kelly. “They build camaraderie and competition, which creates club loyalty. For an added element, I have one of my assistants posted on the first tee taking reservations and facilitating the competitive aspect of play.”
Another example is 10-week men’s league that has skins and a running points system that keeps the members’ competitive juices flowing. This, too, brings in golf shop revenue through winnings awarded in shop credit. Furthermore, the club hosts 11 outdoor special events annually that also benefit the club via the credit strategy.
All and all, credit booked from leagues and special events represents about 10 percent of the shop’s annual revenue, which has increased dramatically since the pandemic, says Kelly.
“Half of our sales are attributed to hard goods, whereas the other 50 percent is soft goods and corporate sales, which continue to increase year over year – another effort to guarantee a certain level of revenue while alleviating the pressure of daily sales goals,” he explains.
“Many members build their credit balances, choosing to save for big ticket items such as when we host fitting events throughout the year. Our golf shop (pictured) is also open through December, and we drive additional member engagement and revenue via our golf simulator in the winter.”
Kelly understands the importance of having a diverse portfolio of revenue streams, and golf shop credit is a vital cog in the wheel. In addition to driving sales, the approach also highlights the importance of creating engaging events and leveraging member participation to maintain a thriving golf shop business.