Bruce Gerlander, PGA,General Manager,Walt Disney World Golf,Lake Buena Vista, Florida
When Bruce Gerlander arrived at Walt Disney World Golf in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, in 2016, one of the first things that caught his attention was a subscription offering that seemed, at face value, almost too good to be true. The Player’s Club was priced at $29 per month and included free range balls, complimentary daily clinics and discounted afternoon golf car fees.
“My first thought was that we were giving away far too much value for the price,” Gerlander says.
But instead of rushing to judgement, Gerlander took a step back and studied its broader impact. What he found reshaped his view on pricing and engagement in daily-fee golf operations.
It delivered something most facilities struggle to achieve: predictable monthly revenue. Regardless of weather, seasonality or fluctuations in demand, the subscription created a consistent financial baseline. It also reduced the need for constant marketing to fill slower tee times. Members gravitated toward traditionally off-peak periods, turning a challenge into a built-in advantage.
“That consistency changed how we thought about demand,” Gerlander explains. “Instead of chasing tee times, we had a community that wanted to be here.”
Recognizing the opportunity, Gerlander evolved the original single-tier into a three-tier subscription model – $29 per month silver, $39 gold and $69 platinum. Each level added incremental benefits, including guest passes, retail discounts and exclusive tournaments. The result has been increased enrollment, higher monthly revenue and deeper engagement from golfers who now felt invested in the facility.
The business impact extends beyond dollars at the Player’s Club. Subscription members have played more frequently, brought guests and developed stronger loyalty. Players became regulars and regulars became advocates.
For Gerlander, the lesson is less about copying a specific program and more about challenging long-held assumptions.
“Sometimes the most powerful innovations aren’t new technology or big capital projects,” he says. “They’re proven business models applied thoughtfully to golf’s real operation problems.”
