From Golf to Disc Golf: Make your golf course profitable in a beat

Golf is rapidly becoming a dying sport. Why? Much of this has to do with the excessive costs and maintenance necessary to keep the green looking excellent. The equipment used in golf is also extremely expensive, which often deters new prospects from joining the game. Also, golfing clubs are often exclusive, preventing the sport from becoming an any-man or -woman sport. It is a shame to put those perfectly manicured courses out to pasture and even a disaster for those who have their livelihoods tied up in the sport.

Disc golf has become a viable alternative to raising golf club fees and prices to play. In fact, this simple addition to any golf course can raise the revenue dramatically, even in the first year of implementation. Though ball golf courses are slowly but steadily decreasing, managers and owners of private and public golf courses can take advantage of the easy increase of revenue that disc golf provides.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

You have likely heard of this term many times if you are a financial wizard. Even if you are not, this term represents the bread and butter of developing a sound business structure. Every action you make in a business has a corresponding reaction, so it only makes sense to invest in something that will more than just pay for the additional costs.

Disc golf provides an excellent alternative to a major makeover of your disc golf. Disc golf essentially only needs the use of baskets made for disc golf and the aid of a professional to give your course that extra umph. Creating courses is fairly cheap, and the professionals at RAD Creations do all of the work for you.

But let’s get down to money. If you are already struggling, what gives us the right to say that adding a disc golf will solve all your problems? Well, it won’t. Not at first. However, you will see a significant increase in sales from revenue that comes just from a golf course. 

A golf course near Rochester, New York were heading for bankruptcy when the managers heard about disc golf, back in 2011. Though there were a few regulars who attended weekly, most players found that they could not keep up with the financial strain, and quit coming. The courses were searching for new sources of income when they decided to add disc golf to their courses. With the low cost of installation, it seemed like the perfect solution to compensate for the drop in revenue.

They began to charge the customers $5.00 to attend the disc golf course. Though the price for attending the exclusive disc golf course could not equal of the revenue made from ball golf courses, they were able to make an additional $9,000 that year with very little advertising. The cost for creating and maintaining the disc golf course in conjunction with its new disc golf course was far below the price for which it was constructed.

Likewise, three disc golf courses were also feeling the strain from many years of lowered revenue. They, however, decided to create their own disc golf courses from traditional ball golf courses in the early 2000s. Nearly ten years later, they saw a wide upswing in prices. They charged only $3.00 for entrance into any of the three parks, but by the end of the tenth year, they received over $92,000 in additional revenue.

It is important to remember that neither of these businesses received that sort of funding over night. In fact, they had to advertise for the space and encourage others, both young and old, to try something they would enjoy.

LAUNCHING YOUR COURSE

Though there are many success stories when converting a traditional golf course into a dual-function course, remember that there are several obstacles to overcome to begin taking in revenue, just as there is for any profitable enterprise. The setup requires a fair bit of thought, from design to implementation to operation. Luckily, we are here to help you get started.

Design: Australia has some of the best disc golf designers in the world, and they are absolutely necessary to create a disc golf course that will keep people coming back again and again. Professionals work with your landscape and make the land work for you. From challenging aerial shots to conservation of independent disc golf and traditional golf games, RAD Creations gives your golf course more of what makes it great.

However, before construction can begin, a professional team must visit and survey your land to avoid possible pitfalls on the land. Safety is one of the top priorities to any RAD Creations professional, so they make the best of the already beautiful landscape.

Disc and traditional golfers also do not get along at first. When someone encrouches on your territory, it is difficult to shrug off the intrusion. Disc golf course designers look for the best way to allow both disc golfers and traditional golfers to play according to their preferences. Professional designers look for ways to prevent game interruption from either side.

Implementation: Luckily, implementation of disc golf courses are easy. In fact, your disc golf course designers will point you to the costs and the locations for installation. The majority of this work was already done in the design phase. However, remember that you may have to close down the golf course (or at least sections of it) while you prepare to install the equipment.

Operation: Once you have successfully completed the installation of the disc golf course, the next step is to begin operations. Start small by charging your customers low costs to interest those who are new and entice those who have been playing for a long time. Most disc golfers will not pay above $7.00, so be aware of the prices you charge.

Begin to market by sharing information on Facebook, Instagram, and any other social media you already use. Encourage tournaments, and set aside part of your traditional golf shop for disc golf. You may be surprised how many people lose their discs and are itching for others.

Creating a disc golf course will ultimately draw in a new line of people with little or no cost to you. Disc golf is not just for people who are already fanatics. Make the most out the rising trend of disc golf and follow your passions!