Club Website Review

[Coffey]

Most of it is ok and what you would expect... I generally don't delve in the detail when looking at club sites, but think it needs more to make me want to go there!

- I am sure the club isn't called "Coventry Golf Club No Joining Fee" (put the special offer on a banner)
- The pictures would not inspire me to go there. (Taken at time of year when no clear fairway definition etc etc) Mullion is a good example and we ( Newport Golf Club ) had a pro do the photos and one of the members is a drone video geezer, so he did that.
- The flyovers are helpful, but not sure about how they were done..


It's a functional site, just needs a bit more sparkle.

It is a very good point about the photos, they need to be taken in better weather when the course is at its best. Fairway definition and no leaves lying on the ground.

 

[Robster59]

Have a look at my old club back in the Uk’s Homepage, simple, great pics and just makes you want to go and play the course. I live in Australia now with great courses. But looking at that homepage back there in Cornwall still makes me realise how much I miss it. www.mulliongolfclub.co.uk

That looks very similar to the layout at our club http://www.eastrengolfclub.co.uk/
We upgraded it about 3 years ago. The old website was very old-fashioned and the new layout is a lot fresher which has gained quote a bit of praise and actually got people to join the club without even playing it.
Ease of use is critical, but just as important is the Members section which needs to contain enough in there to keep members logging in for information, etc.

 

[Coffey]

That looks very similar to the layout at our club http://www.eastrengolfclub.co.uk/
We upgraded it about 3 years ago. The old website was very old-fashioned and the new layout is a lot fresher which has gained quote a bit of praise and actually got people to join the club without even playing it.
Ease of use is critical, but just as important is the Members section which needs to contain enough in there to keep members logging in for information, etc.

That's because it is the same company who makes it.
Look at the company who makes it and they are all basically the same. All made from the same template and just different info added in.

 

[Slab]

There's a lot to like about that Mullion website, very nice

Personal preference means there's still things I'd change (like having the pro's tips/comments played over during the hole flyovers instead of the elevator musac) If pro's voice is good enough or using voice talent if pros voice is not suitable
I also like to see more use of contractions (we're instead of we are) where suitable, as I think it helps to speak directly to the visitor on a bit more personal level

I really like how so many of the photographs evoke an emotional reaction when viewing them & that they have a 'mood/atmosphere' to them that makes you want to go there and see it for yourself (and clearly illustrates the difference to the OP's course images)

 

[Deleted member 25172]

http://www.golfworking.co.uk/ created it.

Says at the bottom of the page, most websites say who created it at the bottom.

Well, there we go then.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Need to decide what market you are trying to appeal to first and then design the website around that.

If you are trying to get more casual players or members or society days, than that should be the main focus. But lots of quality pictures are a must irrelevant of focus.

Depending on that would depend on what to show most(a lot of the pictures on the website are not great, scorecard, actual flyovers/photos of holes, information of society packages(couldn't find any details?) and there is to much writing on the website.

Requiring handicap certificates as stated on the website does put off quite a number of potential visitors and perhaps look to remove that requirement, with a should be able to play the game to a suitable standard of say 36? (I comment on this, as I never use to hold a valid handicap and used to stop me play courses on a green fees basis and stops me taking my corporate days to certain golf courses)

Looks like you use IG like Beau does, who I think websites is better (think some parts could showcase the course better tho and am missing scorecard as well) :-

https://www.bdgc.co.uk/

 

[Marshy77]

Main thing - it’s boring , functional and does what it says on the tin , the colours are dull and the picture doesn’t grab

The information is good , missing a scorecard

Flyovers are good

It’s a standard IG website looks like

So you need to refresh the front page , make it less “busy” more and better pictures in better light to try and grab the attention

Ignoring that it’s Royal St George’s look at how many words are on the front page

https://www.royalstgeorges.com/#section3

It entices you to log into the place and explore

We have the same problem with our website but they won’t listen

Pretty much sums it up for me. The front page pictures do nothing to want to make you play there.

The content on a whole does what it needs to do but maybe it just needs an update/fresh look/feel.

 

[garyinderry]

When we changed our company website our web designer told us you have 5 seconds to grab someone before they move to another site. Hold that thought when you look at your front page, does it grab? Same with the other pages.

I deliberately looked via my tablet so that may affect the view I had, the layout. Bear that in mind though, the website has to suit all formats, lots of people view via tablets or phones now.

I found too much of each page taken by text. Your course looks lovely, show it off. On my tablet the pictures are small and the text dominates. Every course website tells you it is nice, pictures prove it. Lovely holes make me want to play a course, show them. Same with the clubhouse. It is a long distance picture, what does the bar look like? That is what I care about.

I think the current site has fallen into the trap of trying to give too much information and it drains the joy from the site.

In summary, far more pictures of the course on the main pages. Don't rely on people going to the gallery or hole by hole section. Reduce the dominance of the text and ideally reduce the amount of text. Make the text more efficient.

Good to see your club is taking this seriously. My clubs website is terrible with no interest in updating it.

Completely agree. Pictures speak a 1000 words. Get great eye catching images as peoples attention when browsing internet sites is very limited.

Loads of droney text doesn't excite.
A drone image captures the imagination

 

[Deleted member 21258]

For a local parkland golf club, I think this is a nice website(pictures, course details, layout) :-

https://www.shrewsburygolfclub.co.uk/

Still missing society packages pricing.

 

[Robster59]

That's because it is the same company who makes it.
Look at the company who makes it and they are all basically the same. All made from the same template and just different info added in.

Correct. No point in inventing the wheel when there are good templates out there. You see this with other sports websites as well. Rugby League teams as an example.

 

[TheJezster]

Main thing - it’s boring , functional and does what it says on the tin , the colours are dull and the picture doesn’t grab

The information is good , missing a scorecard

Flyovers are good

It’s a standard IG website looks like

So you need to refresh the front page , make it less “busy” more and better pictures in better light to try and grab the attention

Ignoring that it’s Royal St George’s look at how many words are on the front page

https://www.royalstgeorges.com/#section3

It entices you to log into the place and explore

We have the same problem with our website but they won’t listen

I see where you are coming from but for me, websites like the Royal St Georges one do my head in! It's pretty but there's nothing there, you need to scroll all over the place just to find something. The Wentworth site was bit like that too. I want information, pictures are nice but its the information I want. The current Coventry one at least does that. You know where to click.

Be careful you don't take it too far and people complain they cant easily find things, that will turn more people away.

 

[TheJezster]

For a local parkland golf club, I think this is a nice website(pictures, course details, layout) :-

https://www.shrewsburygolfclub.co.uk/

Still missing society packages pricing.

This is a good one

 

[ADB]

Agree with lots here - my one real pet hate is digital fly overs of holes, they do nothing for me and feel very impersonal.

Simple quality photos showing tee box view and green/approach are much better imo

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I will have a deeper look - but on clicking your link my absolute first and immediate thought was 'why are they splashing NO JOINING FEE' as the main piece of information on the home page after the club name.

Yes of course I know why you'd want that known straight away to me if I were thinking of membership - and so would want it prominent - but for me not looking for membership it risked shouting 'WE NEED MEMBERS' - and that might raise questions as to why...? Sorry as that is a bit negative - but it really was my very first thought as the page opened. I appreciate it is a close call that one though.