Jon Last

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Jon Last

• Vice President, Corporate Marketing Research
• Golf Digest Publications

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(No Transcript)
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Introduction Methodology

• Last year The Golf Digest Publications Research
  Resource Center conducted the largest and most
  comprehensive study ever done on Golfs Best
  Customers
• This year, The Research Resource Center once
  again turned to Golfs Best Customers to gauge
  their opinions on the golf industrys
  communication efforts to increase participation
  and grow the game.
• To ensure that all respondents fit the profile
  of best customers they were required to have
  played at least 12 rounds a year on a mixture of
  public and private/semi-private courses. They
  were a total of 600 respondents to this survey,
  which was conducted online from October 16th to
  October 22nd 2006.

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Objectives Looking To Our Best Customers

• For detailed understanding of their awareness of,
  familiarity with, and opinions on the golf
  industrys communication efforts
• Encompassing, but not limited to
• How aware are best customers of efforts to
  promote growth
• What groups do they believe are being targeted
• How is the game being positioned to encourage
  growth
• How would the game be best positioned and what
  groups are the best targets
• Does the golf industry effectively communicate a
  unified message for growth

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Who Are Best Customers?

• Golfs Most Dedicated Players
• Core Golfers 8 to 24 Rounds a Year
• Avid Golfers 25 or More Rounds a Year
• But, many are Maxed Out and are Having Trouble
  Increasing Play
• 49 say theyre currently playing the same amount
  of golf as they have over the past two years
• 57 expect to be playing the same amount over the
  next three years
• 63 plan to spend the same amount on golf over
  the next three years

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Why Ask Best Customers?

• Still The Bedrock of Our Industry
• Core and Avid Golfers play the most rounds
• Average 64 Rounds a year
• They are increasingly engaged with the game
• 29 plan to spend more on golf over the next
  three years

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Best Customers Are In Tune With the Ways the Game
is Changing
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These Guys Are Good Golfs Best Customers
Recognize Athleticism of Todays Pros
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7

Mean Score 4.5
Fewer kids are committed to golf
1
7

Mean Score 4.5
1
7

Mean Score 6.1
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Best Customers Are Aware of the Efforts to
Increase Golf Participation
I have a clear understanding of how the game of
golf is being promoted in the US today
65
I have seen advertising about playing golf and
promoting the game of golf in the last six months
65
I am aware of the golf industrys efforts to
increase golf participation
71
that indicated some level of awareness on a 7
point scale (4)
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Efforts Targeting Kids, Women and Minorities Have
the Most Resonance
Which of the following strategies do you think
defines how golf is currently being promoted in
the United States?
Getting More Kids to Play Golf
Getting More Women to Play Golf
Top Tier
Increasing Minority Participation In Golf
Demonstrating that Golf Gives Back to Charity
Making Golf More Accessible
Middle Tier
Saying How Golf is a Great Way to Make Connect
with Friends
How Professional Golfers Are Good Athletes
How Golf is Aesthetically Pleasing
Environmentally Sensitive
Bottom Tier
Making Golf More Affordable
Getting Golfers to Play More Rounds of Golf
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Best Customers Believe that the Industry Should
Focus on Youth Involvement, Affordability
Accessibility
Please indicate the three statements you
personally think are most effective for promoting
growth in golf participation
Top Tier
Middle Tier
Bottom Tier
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A Comparison Of Perceived Current Focus With Best
Customers Recommendations Shows A Lack Of
Alignment
STRATEGY PERCEIVED CURRENT FOCUS DESIRED FOCUS
Getting More Kids to Play Golf 1st 1st
Getting More Women to Play Golf 2nd 4th
Increasing Minority Participation in Golf 3rd 6th
Demonstrating that golf gives back to charity 4th 8th
Making Golf More Accessible 5th 3rd
Saying how golf is a great way to make and connect with friends 6th 5th
How professional golfers are good athletes 7th 10th
How golf is aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sensitive 8th 9th
Making golf more affordable 9th 2nd
Getting Golfers to Play More Rounds of Golf 10th 7th
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Analyzing Gaps in Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
Assessments of Desired Communication Strategies
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Analyzing Gaps in Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
Assessments of Desired Communication Strategies
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Analyzing Gaps in Descriptive vs. Prescriptive
Assessments of Desired Communication Strategies
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Who Should Participation Growth Advertising
Target?
Who do you think advertisements promoting golf
ARE most targeted to?
Who do you think advertisements promoting golf
SHOULD BE targeted to?
Vs.
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Who Should Participation Growth Advertising
Target?
Should Be Targeted More
Opportunities / Groups With Upside
Casual Players
Kids 12 - 17
Young Adults
Currently Targeted Less
Currently Targeted More
Women
Kids Under 12
Families
Baby Boomers
New Golfers
Avid Golfers
Business People
Less Focus / Message Saturated
Seniors
Club Members
Other
Should Be Targeted Less
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Which Messages Most Effectively Promote Growth?
Selected as Top 3 Message
Mean Score 7-Point Scale
Most Effective Messages Golf is great way to make and connect with friends 70 5.9
Most Effective Messages Golfs values and sportsmanship make it a great game for kids 64 6.0
Most Effective Messages Golf embodies strong values 50 5.8
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is for everyone 30 4.9
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sensitive 19 5.2
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is steeped in tradition 17 5.2
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is more accessible than ever 15 4.8
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf gives back to charities and the community 13 4.9
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf courses are a positive addition to the environment 10 5.2
Least Effective Messages Golf is affordable 11 4.2
Least Effective Messages Professional golfers are good athletes 2 4.3
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While They Agree Focus Should be on Less Engaged
Players, Best Customers Can Help to Grow the Game
As Well
Focus should be on getting existing golfer to
play more rounds
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Focus should be on getting new players into the
game

• Recall, when asked to indicate most effective
  growth strategies for golf participation, only
  15 of golfs Best Customers agree that getting
  current golfers to play more rounds should be one
  of the industrys top strategies

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What Messages Would Encourage Best Customers to
Play More Rounds
Selected as Top 3 Message
Mean Score 7-Point Scale
Most Effective Messages Golf is about sharing time with friends 53 5.8
Most Effective Messages Golf values sportsmanship make it a great game for kids and adults alike 32 5.9
Most Effective Messages Golf the game for life. One good shot will make a memory for a lifetime 31 5.6
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is about the beauty of being outdoors in nature 30 5.3
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is the ultimate challenge 27 5.2
Somewhat Effective Messages Relax. Play Golf. 21 5.3
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf. You dont have to be good to have a good time. 21 5.1
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is great exercise 18 4.8
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is about competition 16 4.6
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is a great family activity 13 5.0
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is fun and is a guaranteed good time 12 5.0
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is interesting enough to try once, and challenging enough to keep trying 10 5.3
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf is an acquired taste and the more you try it, the more you enjoy it 8 4.9
Somewhat Effective Messages Golf courses are an asset to the community 4 5.2
Least Effective Messages Golf is more accessible than ever to everyone 3 4.4
Least Effective Messages Golf is cool 2 4.4
Least Effective Messages Professional golfers are good athletes 1 4.5
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Messaging Should Also Appeal to Best Customers
Key Drivers
How important are the following items in terms of
your enjoyment of a day of golf? Mean Score
(7-point Scale)
Nicely maintained greens and bunkers
Nicely maintained fairways and tee boxes
The people you play with
Playing well on the course
Fast pace of play
Beautiful surrounding and scenery
Scoring well
Practice facilities, including ranges, chipping
areas, and putting greens
Courteous and knowledgeable marshals and starters
Challenging course
Well run and full service pro shop
Attractive clubhouse and amenities
Availability of beverage carts on both the front
and back nine
Leisurely pace of play
Well stocked 19th hole
After golf events like clinics, barbeques, and
putting contests
Less challenging course
On course contests like closest to the pin and
long drives
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Final Implications and Takeaways

• Best Customers may be currently maxed out in
  terms of increasing their play and look to more
  casual / newer golfers to drive participation
  growth
• Best Customers have mid-level awareness of the
  industrys promotion message points, but they are
  not necessarily consistent with their thoughts on
  what would be most effective

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Final Implications and Takeaways

• Messages Should Emphasize

Youth Accessibility Affordability
Camaraderie
Most Potentially Powerful Messages, According To
Golfs Best Customers
Connectivity Camaraderie Values
Sportsmanship Enduring Memories
Top Tier
Golf is for Everyone Aesthetics/Environment Tradit
ion
Also Effective