Club websites

[Holty]

I, like many on here I suspect, was planning to play this morning until the snow knocked that on the head - or so I thought!

Quick check outside this morning and there is only a light dusting of snow - thought it wise to check the club website to see if there was any update on there as to course conditions. It trumpeted:

"Despite the current weather, we are proud to say we are still open as normal. Our excellent team of green keepers are working very hard to ensure the course stays in a good and playable condition with NO winter tees"

Brilliant, I thought, I can get out and have a good bash today! Fortunately, I had to phone the pro shop to check something with my tee time, when I was told that the course was most definitely closed.

This got me thinking - what irritates you most about your club's website (or club websites in general) and what would you want fixed/implemented?

(And if anyone knows anywhere open in NW Kent, please let me know!)

Personally, I think daily course updates should be a bare minimum - it can't take too much effort!

 

[Imurg]

There is a complete lack of ability to notify us, via the website, of the status of the course. Pain in the bum.
Yesterday we were due to play and I knew the course was closed as I got an email via the BRS booking system telling me that our names had been removed from the start list - at least I assumed that's the case - we weren't going anyway and I was about to cancel the booking.
I think clubs should make more effort to show the status of the course - I know some do this very well but a quick check on the website - or even better an email sent (doesn't take much to gather addresses) - should be enough

 

[brendy]

Our website is updated daily with a time stamp for validity and we get emails several times a day should the course be closed and require inspection at lunchtime. Club pro also usually mentions on twitter too with the odd pic too.

 

[Garush34]

My clubs only just started to update the website in general and nise to see they have put a weather/course update on there, normally just have to phone and they have a bit there that states course conditions.

unfortunity course is closed untill further notice so no golf for me for a while.

 

[DCB]

Sorry, but on a day when half the country has ground to a halt, who really expects their club to update the website ? Who within the club would normally be responsible for updating the info ? If they are not at the Club today and don't have remote access to the web server, how else is it going to be done?

Given that there is snow on the ground is it really that important ?

Personally I don't think so in these conditions.

 

[Imurg]

Sorry, but on a day when half the country has ground to a halt, who really expects their club to update the website ? Who within the club would normally be responsible for updating the info ? If they are not at the Club today and don't have remote access to the web server, how else is it going to be done?

Given that there is snow on the ground is it really that important ?

Personally I don't think so in these conditions.

Not necessarily in these conditions I'll grant you but day-to-day it has to be worth it.
It's not just snow that closes a course........

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My club is getting much better at updating the front page with the course status. However in the members only section it has sub-directories (comp times, catering news, greens news etc). All great but all the information is in date order and no-one has thought to sort it so the latest news is at the top. It meanshaving to scroll down in every section to see what the latest new is. Its these small niggles that over time put members off using the site

 

[DCB]

Day to Day in normal conditions when you're faced with normal problems like wet fairways, temp greens and winter tees it'd be great to have a daily update. Even then, someone has to do it and update the site.

 

[Dodger]

My home club does not have anything.Nothing on the website,Facebook or Twitter....shameful for a club that sees itself as the premier in the North East.

The club I work for doesn't either but does through Facebook and Twitter but will have a new website fairly soon that will have the course conditions on.

Dave,I am sorry but I see it as a crucial part of communicating with your members.

 

[Imurg]

Day to Day in normal conditions when you're faced with normal problems like wet fairways, temp greens and winter tees it'd be great to have a daily update. Even then, someone has to do it and update the site.

This is another gripe I have with my club - obviously there's nobody capable of updating the site as it doesn't happen. It's not rocket science and anyone can be trained to do it pretty quickly. We also have the issue that there is 1 person capable of inputting cards after a comp - all done in the office - so if this Guy is off for a week we have to wait a week for comp/handicap results.....

In this day and age it shouldn't be difficult, even when the weather is like it is........

 

[Dodger]

This is another gripe I have with my club - obviously there's nobody capable of updating the site as it doesn't happen. It's not rocket science and anyone can be trained to do it pretty quickly. We also have the issue that there is 1 person capable of inputting cards after a comp - all done in the office - so if this Guy is off for a week we have to wait a week for comp/handicap results.....

In this day and age it shouldn't be difficult, even when the weather is like it is........

100% correct,any sit worth it's salt can be updated from home or indeed a phone never mind from an office at the club.

Members,golfers in fact are expecting more and more from clubs,customer service and care just like all other walks of life and rightly so.

 

[MadAdey]

Our website is kept up to date with course closures and we also get an automated E-mail telling us of when the situation changes.

The only gripe I have with our website is that they have the facility to allow competition entry but do not use it so I have to still go to the pro shop in person to enter which is very inconvenient.

But all in all I think it is the best private club website I have ever used. Easy to navigate and when you go into the members area it becomes fantastic. You get access to all of your performances in competitions and how you have performed on par 3's, 4's and 5's. you can even enter any knock about rounds you have and put on info like how many putts, sand saves, wether you hit the fairway, or missed it to the left or the right along with other important game info.

If your club are looking to set up a new website one of these is well worth looking into.

 

[Fish]

Our club web site has improved greatly over the last few months.

It states on the home page if the course/s are open or closed and when the next inspection is. We also have a course information number we can ring as the green-keeper reports on the course every morning giving further information such as temp greens, mats, holes closed etc so we have full disclosure.

My only gripe is I would like to see a hole-by-hole gallery with the pro's tips underneath each picture & layout rather than it being spread over 3 separate pages which aren't linked!

 

[Holty]

Sorry, but on a day when half the country has ground to a halt, who really expects their club to update the website ? Who within the club would normally be responsible for updating the info ? If they are not at the Club today and don't have remote access to the web server, how else is it going to be done?

Given that there is snow on the ground is it really that important ?

Personally I don't think so in these conditions.

Well, given that the site in question was boasting how the course was open despite the conditions, I for one would expect it to be updated to reflect that it's closed.

It's not a bind to provide a one line update - even if it was just a twitter post that takes 20 secs

 

[pbrown7582]

Ours is very good updates when required of course conditions and if on temps or not.
It does all that we need and all comps are booked via BRS online 3 weeks ahead.
They are now enter the world of social media withba Facebook page.
Also a dedicated course conditions phone line straight to Greenkeepers hut.

 

[brendy]

Whatever happened to a simple phonecall?
Does the site in question have a date that the announcement was made?

Well, given that the site in question was boasting how the course was open despite the conditions, I for one would expect it to be updated to reflect that it's closed.

It's not a bind to provide a one line update - even if it was just a twitter post that takes 20 secs

 

[Holty]

Whatever happened to a simple phonecall?
Does the site in question have a date that the announcement was made?

Yes, it was yesterday.

As previously stated, I did call.

 

[Jungle]

Probably one of my only gripes with my club although it is getting better.

My club is less than five miles away but as I live right next to the sea. What I see when I look out the window can be deceiving.

 

[Wayman]

My home club does not have anything.Nothing on the website,Facebook or Twitter....shameful for a club that sees itself as the premier in the North East.

The club I work for doesn't either but does through Facebook and Twitter but will have a new website fairly soon that will have the course conditions on.

Dave,I am sorry but I see it as a crucial part of communicating with your members.

Totally agree with you about goswick should be on there website specially when t.hey have a lot of members travelling from far away

My home club is crap for it you need to ring up and only one inspection a day
Website gets updated every 2 months or something

 

[Toad]

Ours has a course status that is updated regulary, funnily enough one course open with wintyer greens and 2in off snow!!!! other two are colsed due to snow lol