Golf Empire - Charging for advanced search function

[Swango1980]

Noticed yesterday, I paid the £4.99 but really can’t understand why im paying to click on a link to golf club website. ? I’ve booked all the ones I want to play this year. I won’t be paying again. I’ll just think of the courses I want to play and enter through the clubs website.
Funnily enough you didn’t have to register at all at one point.

No really, why have I actually paid it?!

Did you get a membership pack and a special badge to wear (I got something similar when I joined the Dennis the Menace Fan Club)

 

[golfempire]

GE, I subscribed last year, I haven't renewed. The search function is not good enough.

For example team events, I would like to search Am-Ams only as Scrambles are now a farce under WHS, but that's not possible. The date search function is a nightmare to filter properly. There were other issues but as I don't have premium anymore I forget what they were. The idea is good, and if it worked well I'd pay for it, but it doesn't.

Hey @BanchoryBuddha, thanks for the feedback and sorry to hear you've not got on with it.

I'm conscious this forum isn't to flog products or services but I personally use it for my own golf and find it invaluable. I appreciate that it isn't for everyone though.

The date search actually works really well for me; choose a start date, choose an end date and see all the events in between or go via the "Calendar Tool" to see them all on a specific day. Drop us an email if it's not doing what you expected and we can try and resolve for you.

As you can see from this old thread it's nearly 2 years since we introduced it and pleasingly the vast (vast) majority who subscribed have renewed (and its not automatic renewal) but every event is still available via the free access so if you continue to use the site I'm sure you won't have a problem finding events. Nothing was taken away with the Premium Membership, just added new features.

It's absolutely not perfect and you are correct you cannot specifically filter for Am-Ams but ironically at the request of a visitor we added the ability to just see Texas Scrambles! So maybe we can add this in the future as we're continuously looking to improve it

Thanks again (Ed)

 

[Jacko_G]

After a lot of deliberation we introduced it on Wednesday.

Like others have said every event (over 10,000) is completely accessible for free on the website still, just like it always has been... for the last 23 years!

The "Advanced Search Area", which really is a fantastic tool to filter & drill down to find events, is an option which we feel is worth a small fee for the convenience. Some will no doubt disagree.

In many ways we have created a bit of a monster because we are charged on a 'per search' basis which is unfortunately unsustainable going forwards... so it came down to either having the feature and making a small charge for those who think it's worth it or not have it all.

(Ed)

£4.99 to search lol.

I'll do a really radical thing and go directly to the club website myself.

Then again I'm tighter than two coats of paint when it comes to things I can do myself.

 

[3offTheTee]

The price has increased but still excellent value.


The 2 main benefits for me are:

1. Recently listed. I therefore know what is available and at times this is before they are on the Club’s website!
2. The Date search although Happy Golf have something similar. E.g. if I am going to Scotland say 1st July I can check all the Opens PLUS any on the way.

It is perfect for my needs as I play around 20 Opens per annum but perhaps not for everyone

 

[Jigger]

I have no problem with this. We have a main booker in our group who uses the advanced and the rest of us just fiddle around on the free version.

They’re charging for a premium service, aimed at those who use it all the time.

Also, as people have said, they’ve built a unique service to centralise all opens in one place. That has costs that have to be covered.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Haven't paid for the advanced search but the main problem I've always had with their site is the inability to search for individual opens that women can play in. i.e. either women's individual or mixed individual. All the women's opens are lumped in together so it's pretty hopeless.

Doubt the advanced search would resolve that as the site's probably just using a poor data model with women's comps bolted on as an afterthought. Typical golf industry nonsense, sadly.

You can search on womens events just the same as mens. Individual, pairs, team, scratch, handicap etc. No difference.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Doubt the advanced search would resolve that as the site's probably just using a poor data model with women's comps bolted on as an afterthought. Typical golf industry nonsense, sadly.

You can search on womens events just the same as mens. Individual, pairs, team, scratch, handicap etc. No difference.

Yes paid version.

 

[Crazyface]

£4.99 to search lol.

I'll do a really radical thing and go directly to the club website myself.

Then again I'm tighter than two coats of paint when it comes to things I can do myself.

No heard that one before. Having a chuckle at that. I'm gonna use it.

 

[Crazyface]

PS... Golf Empire is a great site!

 

[evemccc]

Haven't paid for the advanced search but the main problem I've always had with their site is the inability to search for individual opens that women can play in. i.e. either women's individual or mixed individual. All the women's opens are lumped in together so it's pretty hopeless.

Doubt the advanced search would resolve that as the site's probably just using a poor data model with women's comps bolted on as an afterthought. Typical golf industry nonsense, sadly.

But….what IS a woman?

 

[Banchory Buddha]

In the paid version? You certainly can’t on the standard site.

Yes you can, here's a search for Ladies events in the north-east for eg https://www.golfempire.co.uk/county/scotland-north-east-ladies.htm

 

[Banchory Buddha]

£4.99 to search lol.

I'll do a really radical thing and go directly to the club website myself.

Then again I'm tighter than two coats of paint when it comes to things I can do myself.

So you've got to go through maybe 100 websites to find if they have anything on the date you need, or check GE in date order for every club in a certain area (with the proviso Ian pointed out that a lot of clubs in England don't post to GE, Scotland I think every club does, certainly NE & Highlands). If you play a lot of Opens checking each club's websites is not an option.

 

[KenL]

Just logged onto Golf Empire to search for a local open to play in. Been a registered user for some time. Today I can't access the advanced search function without paying for an upgrade.

When did this happen? I don't remember receiving a notification of this change.

It's only £4.99 p.a (discounted from £19.99) but I do feel this is a bit cheeky to introduce a charge for viewers of the site.

No way would I pay that. Would rather just go to the websites of the courses I would like to play.

 

[KenL]

why a bit cheeky? why shouldnt a company charge for its product and search functions? you can still use most of the site for free

if you dont want to pay it search manually

Are there any adverts? That's how they should make their money.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

No way would I pay that. Would rather just go to the websites of the courses I would like to play.

But it's not aimed at people like you, most folks who play opens (and will also pay for premium) play a lot of Opens, they are looking for what is on on date "x", not when is there an open at club "x"

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Nope that’s all women’s competitions. You can’t get a list of just women’s individual comps.

True, but the list isn't long, it's not difficult to scan that list is it?

 

[KenL]

Hopefully it's ok to post a link (admin - please remove if not) but there is a video that shows what you can do here. You can do what you require.

Is free advertising for the "pay per search" website allowed on here?

 

[KenL]

PS... Golf Empire is a great site!

Was..?

 

[KenL]

But it's not aimed at people like you, most folks who play opens (and will also pay for premium) play a lot of Opens, they are looking for what is on on date "x", not when is there an open at club "x"

People like me?

 

[golfempire]

So you've got to go through maybe 100 websites to find if they have anything on the date you need, or check GE in date order for every club in a certain area (with the proviso Ian pointed out that a lot of clubs in England don't post to GE, Scotland I think every club does, certainly NE & Highlands). If you play a lot of Opens checking each club's websites is not an option.

We would love to know about any clubs in England, Scotland or Wales where we don't have their opens listed. I'm sure there will be the odd handful but if we ever spot one where they haven't sent us the details (and we do keep our eyes wide open for them) we would just add them to the database and link to their website then speak to the Secretary for future years.