1 minute read

The word ‘sales’ often gets a bad rap. Sometimes fairly, but either way it’s an area where many golf clubs in the UK are weaker than they realise.

Generating leads is great, but then what? More often than not, very little. Which means that whilst golf clubs are taking marketing more seriously than ever before, all that work done to generate interest is wasted.

Sure, you’ll see a spike. Some people are ready to join.

But without sales, you’ll be converting maybe 50%.

That isn’t conjecture, it’s counting, and based on real growth results from before and after golf clubs implemented a robust sales process alongside their membership drive.

Maybe ‘sales’ isn’t even the best description.

As membership ‘sales’ isn’t what most think of ‘sales’ as.

It’s not high pressure. There’s no hard sell. Cold calling doesn’t enter the conversation.

Instead, it’s a case of getting the prospect to ‘want’ to join.

Making them feel appreciated, like the club wants not just their money, but for them to be a part of their community.

Taking their enquiry seriously, and understanding that a simple ‘thanks for your enquiry, here’s some info’ email is not enough for most.

Instead, responsive comms and attentive interactions are what makes the difference.

Relationship building. Customer service. Experience Enhancement. Maybe these are more appropriate terms to describe the small corner of the ‘sales’ arena that golf membership occupies.

More golf clubs than ever are taking their marketing more seriously. Moving away from volunteers and hiring specialists. In the same way you would for agronomy, course redesign, or drainage.

Marketing used to be viewed in golf as ‘it’s just marketing, give it to anyone with some time or enthusiasm’.

This is where sales now sits.

But time is not a luxury most golf club staff have. And for the most part, sales expertise isn’t either.

For most clubs, marketing without sales is kinda like fishing without a hook.

You’ll see the ripples of interest, but the catch won’t match the hype.

Will 2026 be the year ‘sales’ (or whatever we choose to call it) enters the conversation?