Online bookings, both desktop and mobile, have become the standard in the hotel, airline, rental car and cruise line industries. While only a small portion of golf tee times are currently booked online, if history repeats itself, over the next few years the percentage of golf tee times booked online will mirror the hotel industry.
To ensure you’re prepared for this online conversion, Scott Anderson, president of High Country Hospitality, offers these tips:
1 LEARN, LEARN, LEARN. Understand the terminology of online distribution, study the alternative ways tee times are distributed online, and examine the potential pitfalls and opportunities of online tee time booking.
2 COLLABORATE. Talk to your tee sheet software provider and understand their distribution policies and procedures. Make sure your interests are being addressed.
3 SUPPORT BEST PRACTICES. Earlier this year, the NGCOA released a comprehensive set of guidelines for the online distribution of tee time reservations. Take the time to read, understand and support the guidelines—they set forth a framework for online agents and golf course owners and operators to conduct business together.
4 BE PROACTIVE. Learn how to calculate your total cost of distribution, and educate yourself on dynamic pricing. Then, put that knowledge into practice at your facility.
5 EXPERIMENT. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. Things change frequently in the online world, so you’ll be able to quickly correct any missteps.