What makes a good golf club/course website?

[edingc]

Posing this question because I've been asked to help improve the website of my home course. Currently, the owner has a really basic Shopify template with nothing more than a few pictures, phone number and rates that aren't even up-to-date. 

What does everyone here look for when visiting a course's website? A quick list of "must haves" for me:

1) At minimum, a scorecard. Hole layout is a bonus, description and strategy is a nice-to-have, anything beyond that (drone flyovers, etc.) are nice but not necessary.
2) Some semi-professional looking pictures of the course.
3) Rates that are accurate/up-to-date.
4) Food/drink information. 
5) Contact information.

There are other things that I love to read as well, such as a history of the course, but at a basic minimum I think the above five are necessary.

The course currently has a Facebook page but it is rarely updated. We are one of the lowest priced courses in the area (but well maintained for that price, in my opinion). There is another local course of similar design/condition/maintenance that absolutely kills it on social media, and as such they are routinely full even at prices that are $10-15 higher per round than our course.

With COVID increasing the interest in golf, plus a few of the other similarly-priced courses in our area either closing or in really rough shape, our course has had its best year in a long, long time. I'm hopeful that a more useful website might help expand upon that even further next season.

[Thin2win]

I think you hit a lot of the main points. When I go to a website for a course the 3 big things I'm looking for are rates/scorecard/tee time booking portal. 

The drone fly by is definitely becoming more common and is nice. But really, unless it is some fancy resort course I never make it through watching more than the first 2 holes. 

I guess the one thing you didn't cover, is the practice areas. Driving range? Chipping areas? Sq Ft of practice greens? Are there good lesson packages or driving range deals? One of the area courses does beer and a bucket of balls for $5 one night a week. 

But also as you said, its the age of social media. Accept it, embrace it and click like. (said by someone that doesn't have any SM influence). 

[THEZIPR23]

 Good stuff there. And you hit main points. One thing that I love is the ability to make a tee time online. Easier for customer and should be easier for employees as long as software is decent. 

[edingc]

1 hour ago, Thin2win said:

I think you hit a lot of the main points. When I go to a website for a course the 3 big things I'm looking for are rates/scorecard/tee time booking portal. 

The drone fly by is definitely becoming more common and is nice. But really, unless it is some fancy resort course I never make it through watching more than the first 2 holes. 

I guess the one thing you didn't cover, is the practice areas. Driving range? Chipping areas? Sq Ft of practice greens? Are there good lesson packages or driving range deals? One of the area courses does beer and a bucket of balls for $5 one night a week. 

But also as you said, its the age of social media. Accept it, embrace it and click like. (said by someone that doesn't have any SM influence). 

I love that driving range promotion idea. Such a great way to get business onto an other underutilized part of the property. Besides the occasional outing where range balls are provided, our course's range rarely gets used (I think he only operates it because we are the "home" course of a local high school that needs a practice area.) Alcohol is a huge part of his revenue, however, so this seems like a natural extension of that to bring in a few more dollars.

18 minutes ago, THEZIPR23 said:

 Good stuff there. And you hit main points. One thing that I love is the ability to make a tee time online. Easier for customer and should be easier for employees as long as software is decent. 

This is something I wish we could do, but given that they are still on an old school cash register and paper tee sheet, it's probably a ways off in the future. 

Thanks for the ideas!

[Chip Strokes]

i think what’s important to think about when you’re designing a site is that you’re really designing it for the golfer who’s never been to the course before.  your usual clients know where everything is, where to check in, where to find the range and the practice areas, etc. 

give a clear layout, let people know everything you offer and where they can find it. list fees and rates for all services available. that way people aren’t flying blind when they show up 

and even though you can’t yet - (user friendly) online booking is the single best thing you can offer 

[MadMex]

SIMPLICITY

Some of the best sites I have seen are very simple, an ICON for RATES, you clink on it and it has all the rates to include range fees, on this same page an icon or link to make a tee time.

They also have icons/links to score card, bar/lunch room hours, menu, area information and other information and finally directions for those from or coming from out of town