5 Things to Remember when Building a Golf Course

There has been a countless number of golf courses that have been built over the years that have failed to reach expectations. People may say that golf is not growing and it is nowhere near as big as it was in the 70s and 80s; however, there is always an underlying reason to why a newly built golf course have failed. I am going to give five recommendations to take into account that could make the course successful or bankrupt.

1. Don't Make it Feel like a Business
   Some golf courses nowadays feel like they are trying to make money from the golfer at every opportunity and it makes it unenjoyable for the golfer. firstly, have a halfway house at the 10th Hole but do not have a catering buggy pestering the golfer every three holes asking. Secondly, complimentary range balls are a nice touch for the golfer to experience for such a low cost.
2. Drainage
   Make sure before building the golf course if it will hold up the elements if necessary. There have been many inland courses that experience rain shower and the course is unplayable. If a course is closed due to flooding, then a golfer will tend to not even attempt to play there again.
   
3. Unique Name for the Golf Course
   Many golf courses, especially in America, have names that have just not been thought out. From a marketing perspective, the name is everything. If a course is called "Pebble Creek", "Eagles Landing", or even ""The Plantation Course" then it is not going to be successful. Simple as that. The Home of Golf, Scotland, have thought about the name of their golf courses. Askernish, Muirfield, and Kingsbarns just to name a few. Unique names make the course just that bit more special.
4. Location
   
   A large population with a high demand for golf in the surrounding area is vital. Many golf courses have been built in places that are too rural as the land was cheap, however, people don't want to drive over an hour to play golf. Another big success factor when discussing location is the seclusion of the golf course/resort. A long road leading up to the clubhouse creates a climax for the golfer and a feeling of privacy from everything else. The plot of land where the golf course will be built should have either old tree, old dunes or something else that will make the course look like it has existed for over 100 years. Trump International Golf Links in Scotland, pictured above, is a great example of this as it was built in 2013.
5. The 19th Hole
   A clubhouse is the heart of the golf course. Good food, a lively pub, and luxury locker rooms definitely will not hurt the golf resort. 

Trump's Presence in The Golfing Industry

Donald Trump is one of the most talked about individuals in the news today and many people do not realize exactly what The Trump Organization is; they just knew about Donald as “that guy” on The Apprentice. The Trump Organization owns some of the most stunning buildings in the most prime properties imaginable from Fifth Avenue, Manhattan to The Great Dunes of Scotland. From luxury sky scrapper condominiums to the most lavish chain of golf resorts. Trump is not only a name, but also a brand that exceeds every expectation.

For the most part, Trump buys a plot of land and builds a golf course, however, there have been several occasions where he has bought an existing golf course. Nevertheless, the golf course still gets “Trumped”.

What will you find at a “Trumped” golf course you may wonder?

• The Grand Clock
• An 80ft Flag that bears the flag of the nation where the golf course is
• A Roman Water Fountain in front of each clubhouse
• Lush green grass pathways
• Venetian Chandeliers throughout the buildings
• Black and Gold being the main colours
• An increased amount of natural day light in his buildings 
• For anything to be as symmetrical as possible 

I know this as I was a Golf Operations Intern at Trump Turnberry over the past two summers. A golf course that was tired out before Trump's purchase. I have truly witnessed the real contrast between a normal golf resort and a magnificent one with thanks to The Trump Organization. 

Nike has Left the Building

             In August, the sports giant, Nike, announced that they would no longer be producing golf equipment. This comes as a big surprise as Nike Golf has been a huge part of many major victories over the past 20 years. Having two powerhouse players such as Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy under their belt, you would assume they were in safe ground. However, with Woods' injuries and absence in tournament play for over a year now, this may have contributed to Nike’s decision.

            Nike released big profits overall in the last year, however, the one thing that stuck out was Nike Golf’s $91 million loss: the loss that has been continuous throughout the years. The general public are just more interested in purchasing Titleist or Taylormade clubs than risk changing to Nike equipment. Nike has also been known for vibrant coloured equipment from red to blue to lime green. I personally found the colour schemes for their clubs to be too obnoxious and tacky for the golfing industry…maybe the colours are more suited for the soccer or basketball industry, but not golf.

            One of the biggest golf club equipment companies, Titleist, have a common routine on how they market their golf clubs. They find young players who have potential and get them signed up for a low cost. Nike, on the other hand, wait for the players to become established within the golfing world and then sign them with a lot of money involved. For example, Rory McIlroy signed with Nike Golf when he was right at the top and then when he started using Nike Golf Equipment, his game deteriorated rapidly, which was very bad publicity for Nike Golf.

            Nike is going to continue selling and marketing golf clothing which the article below will illustrate. However, this leaves Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods now open to sponsorship for golf clubs. Which company will sweep them up?

http://www.golfdigest.com/story/report-world-no-1-jason-day-to-sign-apparel-deal-with-nike