Support your Pro in Febriuary

[Slab]

I'm not suggesting charity or buying something you don't really need and whether or not the pro is competitive in his pricing. Was myself really only thinking myself of buying a couple of gloves and dozen balls. Don't need them today but will later in the year. And if buying a new club - saving of £20 over your pro by buying on internet - then maybe you could buy through your pro just this time - but that's not really what I was getting at.

But then again I value our pro for more than his shop - many don't seem to and take a much harder view. Which is fine if you never need a bit of support from others to help you through a difficult time.

To be honest I think this initiative would've been better posted prior to Christmas when gloves/balls/tee's etc were filling hundreds of thousands of stockings... and if the pro was doing his part then no member would have failed to get at least an e-mail or two that month with stocking fillers listed with pics/prices etc (not an e-mail he knocked up himself) also with gift vouchers for lessons, fitting details, range prices/hours, special end of year clearance of brand new stock etc etc etc

You know the kind of thing, we all get them from the national suppliers after one purchase, easy to forward to a spouse with a hint to what you'd like blah blah... put the pro has to be the one the kicks it off

Edit to add: if he did Nov/Dec properly and professionally there's a good chance they've spent the last 4-6 weeks staring out the window at the rain while counting a big pile o'cash

 

[Alex1975]

Absolutely - I'm not talking kindness or charity - I'm thinking such as bringing forward a planned purchase - or maybe making a purchase that you don't need at the moment but know you will need later in the year. BTW - I'm not suggesting for a second my pro is struggling - but given he's probably had a big hit on his business over the last 6 weeks due to the dreadful weather maybe I'll return some of the favours he's done me over the last 10 yrs.

I'm not for a second suggesting that if you don't, then somehow you are a bad or inconsiderate person. I'm just planting a seed of thought.

I take your point and I really respect it. I however as a consumer will go to the cheapest place, I want more for less, I want the best service and so on. Its not about supporting for me, its about being the best retailer and there for winning the business. It sounds cold but if we all thought like this we would get better prices and service.

Again I respect your outlook as a human.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I take your point and I really respect it. I however as a consumer will go to the cheapest place, I want more for less, I want the best service and so on. Its not about supporting for me, its about being the best retailer and there for winning the business. It sounds cold but if we all thought like this we would get better prices and service.

Again I respect your outlook as a human.

Which is absolutely understandable. But if you buy balls or gloves from your pro maybe you bring that purchase forward - that's the sort of thing I was suggesting. Or if you always buy a Mars bar and a bottle of skoosh before you head out - maybe you buy a couple of dozen of each

 

[Slab]

To be honest I think this initiative would've been better posted prior to Christmas when gloves/balls/tee's etc were filling hundreds of thousands of stockings... and if the pro was doing his part then no member would have failed to get at least an e-mail or two that month with stocking fillers listed with pics/prices etc (not an e-mail he knocked up himself) also with gift vouchers for lessons, fitting details, range prices/hours, special end of year clearance of brand new stock etc etc etc

You know the kind of thing, we all get them from the national suppliers after one purchase, easy to forward to a spouse with a hint to what you'd like blah blah... put the pro has to be the one the kicks it off

Edit to add: if he did Nov/Dec properly and professionally there's a good chance they've spent the last 4-6 weeks staring out the window at the rain while counting a big pile o'cash

I’m sure it must be a major breach of etiquette to quote one’s own post and I’ll put the internet into meltdown or something but...

Who actually got a marketing e-mail from their pro shop in December (not a comp or results mail, or a mail saying the course was open/closed) but a no holes barred marketing mail that was well designed and promoted the stocking fillers we all needed at Christmas plus end of season bargains and pro services?

I got several each week from online/national retailers that I’d shopped with previously... but not a one from the pro shop!
(and yes I’d also bought from the pro shop on more than one occasion in the preceding months)

 

[Fish]

I’m sure it must be a major breach of etiquette to quote one’s own post and I’ll put the internet into meltdown or something but...

Who actually got a marketing e-mail from their pro shop in December (not a comp or results mail, or a mail saying the course was open/closed) but a no holes barred marketing mail that was well designed and promoted the stocking fillers we all needed at Christmas plus end of season bargains and pro services?

I got several each week from online/national retailers that I’d shopped with previously... but not a one from the pro shop!
(and yes I’d also bought from the pro shop on more than one occasion in the preceding months)

I fully understand where your coming from.

I was saying to my pro the other week when I collected my shafts, that as an ex-retailer myself I would at times have a book on my counter and when customers came in we'd ask them what else they bought from elsewhere and what we'd have to do to win that business. OK, some things you might be able to do and some things you might not, but at least you got a feel for what you might need to stock or have more on show or priced more competitively.

Some pro's might be good overall pro golfers and teachers, but that doesn't make them good business people, I think some think that everything should just fall in their laps because they are the clubs pro with hundreds of members that they feel should use them, but that's a very naive attitude and one that will contribute to them failing.

The Pro will have access through the secretary of everyone's email, and yet, as you rightly state, how many promotional emails do we receive?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I fully understand where your coming from.

I was saying to my pro the other week when I collected my shafts, that as an ex-retailer myself I would at times have a book on my counter and when customers came in we'd ask them what else they bought from elsewhere and what we'd have to do to win that business. OK, some things you might be able to do and some things you might not, but at least you got a feel for what you might need to stock or have more on show or priced more competitively.

Some pro's might be good overall pro golfers and teachers, but that doesn't make them good business people, I think some think that everything should just fall in their laps because they are the clubs pro with hundreds of members that they feel should use them, but that's a very naive attitude and one that will contribute to them failing.

The Pro will have access through the secretary of everyone's email, and yet, as you rightly state, how many promotional emails do we receive?

I receive a weekly club Email newsletter from our pro - what's going on, updates, what's happening, plus news of comps, new members, events - that from the pro - and onthe back of that he gives details of offers and stuff that he's doing.

Plus - and this in the latest - he's now posting short instructional videos he's had made - now that a good pro and why I give him my business whenever I can...selling his services and giving some tips

http://www.robcolborne-pga.co.uk/Custom_RM.aspx?pagetypeid=6&pageinstanceid=659405

 

[GB72]

I’m sure it must be a major breach of etiquette to quote one’s own post and I’ll put the internet into meltdown or something but...

Who actually got a marketing e-mail from their pro shop in December (not a comp or results mail, or a mail saying the course was open/closed) but a no holes barred marketing mail that was well designed and promoted the stocking fillers we all needed at Christmas plus end of season bargains and pro services?

I got several each week from online/national retailers that I’d shopped with previously... but not a one from the pro shop!
(and yes I’d also bought from the pro shop on more than one occasion in the preceding months)

I have to say that this is one area that our pro has really improved on. The members get an email from him every month with a short letter about something that you could work on then a list of deals and new releases.

Our pro has really upped his game on the retail side over the last couple of years and so I am far more inclined to spend money there (if only he would stock Wilson Staff balls I could spend a bit more).

That said, I must have led a pretty sheltered golfing existence as I am yet to meet this wonder pro that others speak of who offers free tips, shows and interest in your game and your gear etc. All the pros at clubs I have been at have been helpful etc but I have never felt that I get anything more from them than any other retailer.

At the end of the day, the pro is like any other independent retailer who has to compete with bigger fish. The advantage is that his potential customers have to go into his shop every week. If he cannot convert enough of that trade into sales then perhaps retail is not the right area for him.

 

[Rooter]

The Pro will have access through the secretary of everyone's email, and yet, as you rightly state, how many promotional emails do we receive?

Lots as per the tweet you commented on last week robin, my place are very proactive and are doing well i believe.

 

[moogie]

I’m sure it must be a major breach of etiquette to quote one’s own post and I’ll put the internet into meltdown or something but...

Who actually got a marketing e-mail from their pro shop in December (not a comp or results mail, or a mail saying the course was open/closed) but a no holes barred marketing mail that was well designed and promoted the stocking fillers we all needed at Christmas plus end of season bargains and pro services?

I got several each week from online/national retailers that I’d shopped with previously... but not a one from the pro shop!
(and yes I’d also bought from the pro shop on more than one occasion in the preceding months)

NONE -- ZERO -- ZILCH

No Contact whatsoever

And as we have BRS in place at the Club , its a 'doddle' to send emails out to members , so I was fully expecting this year to be different with shop offers/deals or info/offers on lessons

But , NO ....... NOTHING .....!!!

 

[Alex1975]

I receive a weekly club Email newsletter from our pro - what's going on, updates, what's happening, plus news of comps, new members, events - that from the pro - and onthe back of that he gives details of offers and stuff that he's doing.

Plus - and this in the latest - he's now posting short instructional videos he's had made - now that a good pro and why I give him my business whenever I can...selling his services and giving some tips

http://www.robcolborne-pga.co.uk/Custom_RM.aspx?pagetypeid=6&pageinstanceid=659405

If this were my situation I think I would be more open to supporting and being loyal...

 

[One Planer]

Our club doesn't have a pro?

What do I do? :lol:

 

[Fish]

Our club doesn't have a pro?

What do I do? :lol:

Stick at 13.8

:smirk:

 

[One Planer]

Stick at 13.8

:smirk:

I travel to see a decent pro, just that our club doesn't have one. Just curious as to what to do

 

[Alex1975]

I travel to see a decent pro, just that our club doesn't have one. Just curious as to what to do

Go into competition with him selling reasonably prices premium balls?!

 

[One Planer]

Go into competition with him selling reasonably prices premium balls?!

:rofl: :clap: :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Our club doesn't have a pro?

What do I do? :lol:

If you don't have a club pro then this suggestion doesn't apply in quite the same way - but if you use pro of another club for lessons etc and they have been affected by their course being shut and the weather - then you might...

 

[Jacko]

I suspect it's more about supporting the club as much as anything.

It's been noticeable at our club, during this run of poor weather which has left the course waterlogged in places. The front nine has hardly been open since christmas and the back is open as often as possible but only once round. Strangely enough on the wet days the car park is largely empty to the point where you can tell whether the course is open or not by the number of cars in the car park.

The staff, however, are still all on duty, with perhaps very little income coming in. To this end, I've been using the range and the clubhouse a lot more to the tune of around £40 a week rather than my normal £6 each round for a pint and bacon roll.

There are enough clubs about that are just making ends meet and if we don't do our little bit during times like this there'll be a lot more closing later in the year.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I’m sure it must be a major breach of etiquette to quote one’s own post and I’ll put the internet into meltdown or something but...

Who actually got a marketing e-mail from their pro shop in December (not a comp or results mail, or a mail saying the course was open/closed) but a no holes barred marketing mail that was well designed and promoted the stocking fillers we all needed at Christmas plus end of season bargains and pro services?

I got several each week from online/national retailers that I’d shopped with previously... but not a one from the pro shop!
(and yes I’d also bought from the pro shop on more than one occasion in the preceding months)

Weekly email and in December got a couple a week advertising sale or stocking fillers :thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I suspect it's more about supporting the club as much as anything.

It's been noticeable at our club, during this run of poor weather which has left the course waterlogged in places. The front nine has hardly been open since christmas and the back is open as often as possible but only once round. Strangely enough on the wet days the car park is largely empty to the point where you can tell whether the course is open or not by the number of cars in the car park.

The staff, however, are still all on duty, with perhaps very little income coming in. To this end, I've been using the range and the clubhouse a lot more to the tune of around £40 a week rather than my normal £6 each round for a pint and bacon roll.

There are enough clubs about that are just making ends meet and if we don't do our little bit during times like this there'll be a lot more closing later in the year.

I am right with you @Jacko - though others will ask why they should support their club in this way as they pay their subs (for views on this sort of stuff search for car park members)

 

[stevie_r]

(for views on this sort of stuff search for car park members)

massive yawn