As of right now, Internet Explorer 8 is behind the “8 ball” (no pun intended…). To get the best web experience we recommend almost anything other than Internet Explorer. Our favorites include:

Firefox
Safari
Chrome
Opera

Once you use one of those browsers, you will never use Internet Explorer again. Just so we don’t sound too bitter, there have been many really good things said about Internet Explorer 9 (currently in beta) so we will wait to see what the final version has to offer before we recommend “IE” as a safe and friendly web browser!

Best Reasons to ditch Internet Explorer:

1. Speed: Going from IE to Firefox is like trading in your minivan for a sports car.
2. Safety: Open-source security process means issues are addressed faster to keep you safer online.
3. Easy to Use: Cutting-edge features are so intuitive you won’t know how you lived without them.
4. Customization: Literally thousands of ways for you to adapt Firefox to meet your unique browsing needs.
5. Free: They say the best things in life are free, and Firefox is totally, 100% free of charge.

JP: The personal joy of providing golf instruction and the continual pursuit of becoming a better instructor led me to open my own golf instruction program.  It started in Palm Springs when I was approached by the Mizuno Japan Golf Company to open a school for Japanese golf students who would come to the US for periods of 3-weeks to 3 months.  I began this Academy in 1993 at The Westin Mission Hills Resort and soon became the full golf instruction provider of the resort.

GWD: Being an entrepreneur and self-employed has its advantages and disadvantages.  What challenges did you have along the way or do you currently have right now?

JP:  Book keeping and record keeping is the largest disadvantage…. It is time consuming.  After a full plus day on the lesson tee, it is difficult to make time to do the behind the scenes aspect of the “business”.  Growth in business means growing in student base and adding facilities.  But, with that growth comes a bigger business to manage.  So, I recommend to those who teach to hire and administrator or don’t grow beyond your time you wish to be on the tee.

GWD: You’ve done a great job at building your Systemgolf brand. I’m sure your teaching philosophy and business strategy has changed along the way too. What have you done to remain competitive in this market?

JP:  You must stay current with technology and you must provide quality instruction and a good value.  I am fortunate to have locations that are busy with traffic and we use our website to provide information and connection with our customer.  When you are busy on the tee, you do not have time to discuss with a caller the basic information they are seeking.  Therefore, an interactive website that allows the student to find all information, reserve a time, or even inquire for more information is critical.

GWD: What advice would you give to anyone that wants to start his or her own teaching academy?

JP:  The order of priority would be number one “Make sure you are committed to being a golf instructor”.  It is hard work both physically and mentally.  Begin your instruction at a high traffic facility so you may learn the skills of teaching.  Then organize your thoughts and get with a good website design team that can help you get on the web to market yourself.  Golf Web Design understands golf and golf instruction so their experience and understanding of what a golf instructor needs is essential.  Don’t get caught up in the flash but make sure it is user friendly and functional.

GWD: It’s important to stay ahead in this industry to keep a competitive edge.  How do you keep learning and adding to your knowledge of the golf swing?

JP:  I search the web, read everything, go to seminars on golf instruction, fitness, coaching and all avenues to make my instruction better.  You must keep learning and find better ways and methods of communication.  I also try to align myself with a top 10 teacher to learn more from some of the best.  I would never be where I am today if instructors like Ben Doyle and Mike Bender did not so selflessly share their thoughts on golf with me.

GWD: In this business, as in most, it’s all about WHO you know rather than WHAT you know.  Do you believe that networking is an important business tool in the golf industry?

JP:  Networking is important to get your name and brand out to the public.  But, WHAT you know is what got you to be a good instructor and WHO you know keeps you in the discussion circles.

GWD: We know you’re a great golf instructor, but what do you enjoy when not on the lesson tee?

JP: I still enjoy playing and competing myself.  I just turned 50 and will pursue some of the senior division events.  I also enjoy mountain biking and just spending time with my family.  They keep me grounded and help me get away from the work of golf.

These tips on public speaking can help you both when speaking in front of a crowd AND while giving a golf lesson.

• Tailor your content to the customer’s situation. Don’t talk over their head, but don’t treat them like they know nothing! Make sure to do your research on who your audience is and their level of knowledge on the subject matter.
• DO NOT read the slides verbatim from a powerpoint presentation. Your audience can read. You don’t need to read the slide aloud for everyone. (This will definitely put your audience to sleep if you do.)
• Get out from behind the podium and walk around. When giving a clinic, don’t just stand in one spot – move around and show the audience what you are talking about. Body language can be just as important as what you are saying.
• Ask the audience questions.  While you’re at it – ask something that will spark controversy.
• Vary the tone of your voice while speaking – a monotone voice is a sure-fire way to put people to sleep.
• Get people talking – a quite room can make people feel uncomfortable.
• Be visible while speaking. This may not apply in all situations, however if you are at a very large conference, then make sure to present yourself to everyone in the room.
• Good lighting.  It’s OK to be vain about you will look on stage. If light is casting shadows on your face, your appearance won’t look as professional.
• Stop regurgitating the same information! Be original in the content that you present. Try to give something your own spin if you have to copy. Your audience will appreciate it.
• Try something new, stand behind it, and voice your opinion. You’re much more likely to gain followers if you stop trying to cater to everybody. Don’t be vanilla!

When giving a clinic to a group of golfers, a golf professional is doing nothing more than public speaking. Great teaching professionals know how to speak in front of crowds, how to keep their interest, and how to engage everyone involved.

A golf professional should want to become “the” source of information when it comes to anything golf.  Becoming an AUTHORITY on the subject of golf is how you build your brand, build loyal customers, and achieve repeat business (plus a host of other great things). When you speak confidently you will earn the trust of your customers.

Hopefully this article has given you a few tools to put into your toolbox!

Calling All Instructors!

Do you have what it takes to be the next Golf Channel Instructor?

Create a video showing us what sets you apart as a golf teacher for your chance to be the Golf Channel’s next Golf Instructor. Four finalists will host their own half hour instruction special later this year and viewers will get to vote on who they believe should become the next Instructor on Golf Channel.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s get swinging!

Click here to view the Official Site

Well, Golf Web Design is committed to making it easier for our fellow golf professionals to bring in more business and present themselves more professionally. That is why we thought we needed to give out some free golf course marketing strategies to help drive more revenue and more customers through your door. We know golf and we know the internet – so through our experience in golf course marketing, we came up with a few ideas to help you gain more customers without breaking the bank.

Golf Course Marketing Strategy #1

Be Social
Right now, there are thousands of authors and so-called “Social Media Gurus” writing books on how to drive business through social media. Don’t buy any of them. We can tell you through our own experience that the best way to learn how social media can work for you is to actual create the accounts then start doing it. Get on Facebook, get on Twitter, get on YouTube, then start posting and finding your customers. Here are some actual strategies that will help you:

1. People love to see pictures of themselves. What about having an assistant professional take pictures of foursomes on the first tee, then post it on Facebook? (Just make sure they give you their consent, as some people might not want anyone to know they were on the golf course!)
2. After you create a social media profile, then fill in every ounce of information that they allow! The more information about your course that you can put on the web, the better.
3. On Twitter – follow golfers and they’ll follow you. Use the Geo-location feature that Twitter has to find people tweeting nearby and start following them.
4. Offer specials only on social media – BUT, wait until you have a decent following. Don’t just create an account and start offering specials for the heck of it.
5. Let everyone at the course know about the social media profiles. Post small flyers in the locker rooms letting everyone know about the new Facebook fan page. Put signs in the golf cars telling everyone about Twitter specials. Add your social media links to your email signature. Just let everyone know about it!

Golf Course Marketing Strategy #2

Collect Information
Building your email and mailing list should be the cornerstone of your online campaign. Email Marketing is NOT dead! This is actual the most effective and measurable way to increase your business. Here’s a few solid strategies on how to build your email list:

1. Offer some kind of incentive for joining your email list. Examples of incentives could be a $10 coupon for the golf shop, a free round of golf, a free cart fee, the list can go on.
2. After you get their email – send them a thank you email and let them know what to expect.  Tell the customer you will be mailing them frequent offers and specials.  This makes sure they stay subscribed to your list.
3. Try to collect a lot of information about the user – gender, birthday, handicap – but don’t make them have to fill out a huge form!  A lot of web marketing companies try to collect a huge form with 20 fields of information to input – this is a big turnoff for the user.  Just try to boil it down the most important information you will need about the customer.

Golf Course Marketing Strategy #3

Get Listed

Get your golf course listed in every directory possible! Make your information easy to find – and find everywhere. Here’s a short list of where to list online directories that are FREE to submit your golf course:

1. Google Business Listings
2. Yahoo Business Listings
3. Bing Business Listings
4. YellowPages.com
5. SuperPages.com
6. Golflink.com
7. TheGolfCourses.net

Golf Course Marketing Strategy #4

Paid Online Advertising

Explore the use of Google Adwords. Research the cost of specific keywords (ie. San Francisco Golf Instruction) and see if it fits in your budget. The cost per click is what you’re after. If you see that your keyword costs about 20 cents per click and you can afford to run a campaign at $5 per day – then you can possibly get about 25 clicks MORE per day to your website. If you’re in a competitive keyword market, then you may have to pay more per click, therefore your budget must be higher.  This could be a viable option if you believe that you have exhausted all your other options OR if you are just getting started with your website marketing.

The best Search Engine Optimization Strategy

Write good, solid content on your website!  If you want your golf course to start appearing in searches for keywords like ‘golf course San Francisco’ then you need those keywords somewhere in the content of your website.  And not just as standalone words.  You need actual paragraphs with useful information! Get the best writer on your staff and tell them to write an article per week with your keywords sprinkled in.  Put a blog on your website and keep it up to date.  You can write anything you want – keep members up to date with course conditions, golf shop specials, upcoming club events, and recent tournament results.  All of these articles go a long way to helping your website become a more credible source of information.  This is what search engines love!

If you have any questions about how Golf Web Design can help you with your online marketing strategy, please contact us.

Brendon Elliott, head professional at Winter Park Country Club and founder of Little Linksters Golf was touted for his social media prowess in the central Florida area. He truly does have quite an impressive social media outreach and his website reflects that. We incorporated Facebook into his website with a Fanbox that shows users all the latest Facebook updates and posts to the Little Linksters fan page. There are also several links to his other media outlets like Twitter and YouTube. We congratulate Brendon on his recognition in the magazine!

Our other client, who’s website is still in production is Mike Carbray, Director of Instruction at Butterfield Country Club in Oakbrook, IL. Mike just recently had a logo designed for his teaching business and he came to us for the website. We are working on a great new website for Mike’s business that will promote him and allow customers to get in touch and stay informed with all the latest.

The article about social media in the PGA Magazine was one you should check out if you haven’t already done so. We wrote a nice little article on Social Media and the Modern Golf Professional a while back and we’ve been working on a follow up to that, so stay tuned for it!

Video is a strong tool to use with when giving a golf lesson to the modern consumer. It is the most tangible item they can take away (via CD, DVD, e-Mail, etc…) from the lesson. They say “a picture is worth a thousand words”, so then what is a video worth? When a student can actually see what they are doing with the club they are more likely to make the connection to your instruction. Video has become king, for multiple reasons. With the launch of Apple’s iPhone 4, teaching with video has never been easier, or faster. Do you like to record golf tips for your students or the public, how about taking a video of yourself hitting a bunker shot and loading it to your website in TWO clicks! What if your prized student is at a major event and needs a quick check-up?

…the iPhone 4 has all of this covered.

The iPhone 4 and HD Video

The iPhone 4 records in HD. Yes, HD. The great thing about recording in HD is that you don’t get the “motion blur” effect as is the case when recording in Standard Definition. This is unbelievable, HD on your Smartphone – and easy to use at that. Once you record a golf swing you can view it, edit it, e-mail it or post it right to YouTube in 2 clicks! If you want further control right on the spot, you can download the iMovie App (one-time fee of $4.99) and have frame by frame control. View it with QuickTime on your computer and you will get Full HD frame-by-frame control that is out of this world.

Practical Everyday Uses

Scenario One: You are on the range talking with golfers and you spot John topping it

Grab your iPhone 4. “Hey John, let me see you hit one, I’m going to record this.” You record John topping yet another ball, and then you show him.

“You see how you are straightening your spine, you’re standing up.” John says, “I really don’t feel like I am, that is crazy!” You tell John to hit another ball and maintain that spine angle while you record it. “Wow that is a completely different sensation!”

With TWO clicks you send John both videos via e-mail, and tell him to call you for a lesson or two. The signature of your e-mail is already pre-programmed with all the ways to get in touch with you to schedule a lesson so there is no need to even type a thing, just hit send! That’s it, in a matter of a few minutes you were able to give a student a video lesson (that tangible item) and help him improve his game. You know he will be calling for a lesson!

Scenario Two: You are recording some Golf Instructional Videos

You like to update your website or YouTube channel with fresh new golf tips.

This one is easy. Record yourself giving a golf tip, and click on the “Send to YouTube” button. Your video is instantly posted to YouTube. If you have a website with Golf Web Design, we can integrate your YouTube channel directly on your website, so in essence you are updating your website with fresh new content right from the practice area!

That is just downright awesome.

Scenario Three: Your player is struggling with his stroke and you are far away

We have many clients who work with really good tournament players. Imagine that your player is overseas and needs you to take a look at his putting stroke. He can have his caddy record the stroke and send it directly to you. You can be on the phone with your player while watching his video he just sent you 2 seconds ago and walk him through how to adjust. If that is not a cool thing to offer your tournament players then I don’t know what is!

Whether you are just getting started in the teaching business or are a wily old veteran, use technology to your advantage. The iPhone 4 is so easy to use and can add so much value to your golf business. It is something that is not going away so embrace it, use it, and stay ahead of the curve. Today’s consumers love to talk and word-of-mouth is more important than ever, so give them something fresh to talk about.

We highly recommend you test this for yourself and enhance your business.