Do you consider your golf club to be an integral part of the community? Does it engage with non-golfers? It may seem like an odd question but the harsh reality is that, in the main, the answer is resounding “No”! And for the life of me it is something that I simply do not understand.
Golf courses are located in towns, cities and villages. Very few of them are isolated.
But how many of them engage with local people? The golfers who join those clubs are a captive audience and will use the facilities on offer. I am not talking about them. I am referring to non-golfers.
Make no mistake, there are some so-called “exclusive” clubs who would throw up their arms in horror at the very idea of having “ordinary” people in their clubhouse. I am sorry, but in 2025 there is absolutely no excuse for such an attitude.
I know that we are supposedly enjoying a boom in our sport but courses continue to close while many, many more struggle to balance the books – and wonder why.
To my way of thinking, golf clubs have two valuable assets – the course and the clubhouse. The course will attract members and visitors. By and large, the clubhouse will see golfers maybe buy a pint of beer or a coffee and perhaps a bite to eat. And when the golfers go home, the clubhouse stands empty.
Last year I played a course on the banks of Loch Tay in Scotland where they employed a manager who relaunched the clubhouse as an Indian restaurant. And guess what? The locals came in their droves, along with tourists who got to hear about the incredible food.
For the life of me, I will never understand why more clubs do not follow this model. A pub that serves good food at sensible prices will thrive no matter where it is located. Why are so many clubs so reluctant to offer that service outside their normal operating times?
As Kevin Costner was told in Field of Dreams: “If you build it they will come.” So here’s the hot news – it’s already been built. Get the food offering right and price both that and your drink offerings correctly and there is every chance that your local community will come.
Most clubhouses also have the advantage of being pretty big and that means they are ideal for live music, discos and quiz nights. These do not have to be staged purely and simply for profit – get local charities involved. I promise that if you tell a charity you want to have a fund-raising evening for them they will help you to spread the word.
Outside space with tables and chairs are perfect for barbecue evenings.
There are many ways of engaging with the community. We all know that golf faces a serious problem in terms of attracting a younger audience so why don’t more club pros get out into schools to teach pupils this wonderful game of ours?
When was the last time your club staged an open day, designed to attract new members and new golfers alike?
Of course, one of the biggest problems with our clubs is a continued reluctance to engage with social media. Active Facebook and Instagram accounts are not rocket science – there must be SOMEBODY at the club who can take it on. Why do websites focus almost exclusively on the course and the golf? Get your social calendar out there, tell them about your wonderful food and introduce some offers to get the community through your door.
You just never know – if they like what they find they just might consider learning how to play golf and they just might actually end up joining your club.
Community engagement? It’s easy!
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