Golf Club websites

[krokodil]

In this time of economic woe and tightening belts, I was thinking of the different ways clubs are trying to attract new members: suspended joining fees, opening days etc...but I wonder how much value the quality of the website has both for potential members and visitors?

I've had a look at several links to other forumers respective clubs and generally the websites are very snazzy and hold my interest.
The first thing I do is look for picture galleries to give me a flavour of the course, then I look at the ££, if the galleries are non existent or poor, then I look for the red x at the top right of the screen.

My own club are doing great things to attract new members but I feel it's not doing the club justice with it's dated layout and picture gallery.

Any thoughts on the importance of this?

 

[KeefG]

I think its of high importance in this age, I'd hazard a guess that most homes have access to the interweb these days, and if I was thinking of joining a club the first thing i'd look at would be the website....and a poor website would put me off straight away.

It costs pennies to get a decent website knocked up, and if a club cant be bothered/afford to do this what hope do they have in other areas?

Take a peek at this disgraceful effort!!

 

[krokodil]

Keef, that's err...basic! My first impressions of that course is that it's welcoming club, not too stuffy, but the course will be fairly standard.
Is that your club?

 

[Dodger]

There was a great article written by Jezz a couple of issues back highlighting the importance of a good website and how good pictures can make an ordinary track look great and poor ones make a great track look ordinary. When I look to play somewhere it is my 1st port of call and I really do not think that all clubs committees realise just how seductive a good website really can be.I have been a strong critic of my own but I am glad to see they are making progress with it....I would still like to see the pictures that sit on our hole descriptions bigger as they are terrible....just a simple option where by when you click on it the picture then fills the screen.

One example would be Dunbars website which if you were visiting it without prior knowledge of what a good track it is it would leave you thinking twice on whether or not to visit as the course descriptions/pictures are almost non existant.

 

[bobmac]

I agree. woeful.
The web site is like the shop window for a high street store. V.important
I played Beau Dessert on Wednesday and what a nice course as shown on their website.
I have my own awful home made web site, hint but I still think its better that Derby.....and only £25 a year to maintain.
Come on guys, if you think your club's web site is boring, get out there with your camera and start snapping.
Maybe your club could offer a free dinner for 2 in the club's restaurant for the best picture submitted and used on the site? just a thought.

 

[krokodil]

Bob, I actually plan to get snapping at my course over the summer. The pics they use are brutal and yet we have such a stunning course.
That idea of yours could have some mileage-will speak to our GM!

 

[KeefG]

this is a website I knocked up back in 2005/06 for the golf society I used to be in.

Admittedly, its crap when you look at the flash & java sites we see now, but i'm sure you'll agree, its better than Derby's lame effort!!

And it took me less than 30 mins a week to update!

If I can do it.....

 

[krokodil]

There was a great article written by Jezz a couple of issues back highlighting the importance of a good website and how good pictures can make an ordinary track look great and poor ones make a great track look ordinary. When I look to play somewhere it is my 1st port of call and I really do not think that all clubs committees realise just how seductive a good website really can be.I have been a strong critic of my own but I am glad to see they are making progress with it....I would still like to see the pictures that sit on our hole descriptions bigger as they are terrible....just a simple option where by when you click on it the picture then fills the screen.

One example would be Dunbars website which if you were visiting it without prior knowledge of what a good track it is it would leave you thinking twice on whether or not to visit as the course descriptions/pictures are almost non existant.

Dodger I agree completely. I just wonder if committees are populated too much by the older members who maybe don't recognise the importance of the internet.
I have a hankering that our club thinks that because it's a Mackenzie design that'll be enough. Not in my mind.

 

[Dodger]

Agree entirely....that is exactly where the problem exists in most clubs.

 

[monkeyallen]

Take a peek at this disgraceful effort!!

Thats hilarious. Just in case anyone looked at the homepage but didn't delve any deeper, take a look at their individual hole descriptions, masterfully drawn in MS paint

http://www.derbygolfclub.com/html/holes_1_to_3.html

 

[KeefG]

It is disgracefully shocking isnt it?

It looks like they've given a load of crayons & paper to some infants and asked them to design the course on paper, then they've built the course on what the kids have drawn!!

I'd be embarrassed to call myself a webmaster the sad *** who designed & built that

 

[krokodil]

this is a website I knocked up back in 2005/06 for the golf society I used to be in.

Admittedly, its crap when you look at the flash & java sites we see now, but i'm sure you'll agree, its better than Derby's lame effort!!

And it took me less than 30 mins a week to update!

If I can do it.....

Keef, that's the thing, you've put together a solid website-which is a mile better than the Derby site. So it's not a major piece of work and I'm guessing wouldn't be overly expensive?

 

[Paul2009]

that is awful! how bad can you get lol

 

[Macster]

I dont think my own Club's site is bad, but then again, I think its all down to what kind of Club it is and perhaps how much they are looking to attract visitors and/or members etc.

I know my own place doesnt seem to try/need to attract 'lots' of societies, or even new members perhaps, so altho the website is ok, it certainly doesnt need an all-singing window on the Club.
Perhaps lots of others are drastically different, and clammering for the income, and in that case, yes, a fab website would be a huge plus, in particular good on-course photo's etc.

Here's mine : http://www.brough-golfclub.co.uk/index.asp

Some great photo's on the 'Course' page, 2/3 of every hole from every angle etc, and possibly taken last summer before our Pro-Am early every June.

Like this: Tee shot on 18

And the particularly tricky tee shot on 5, a nice draw around the tree's

 

[golfnut18]

You lucky swine chris!!! thats a gem of a course and the fees are good too! brb moving near to that course

 

[krokodil]

Chris, cracking website. I look at that and think yep I fancy that. Some great looking holes.

 

[Spoff]

So far I have found over 50 courses of various standard withing 20 miles of me at home.

I've listed them in excel and am visiting their websites to note green fees and the like.

A lot of websites are very bad indeed!!!

 

[Paul2009]

Lovely course there m8.

Heres my course - only 9 holes though Im leaving soon though I think

http://www.greenislandgolfclub.co.uk/


^^ click on 'the course' there is trees everywhere. Look at the 8th hole by the way lol its easy but cool looking

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I happen to think my club has an OK site (maybe 7/10) but Derby looks like it was knocked up by 4th form IT students on their first lesson. Very poor. That said it is still better than the yardage charts at Lydd which was hand drawn!

 

[viscount17]

this, however, is at the other end of the scale.

http://www.lesbordes.com/main.php?sound=true/

the sad thing is that it is now impossible to play it unless you know one of the very few members.