For many years, golf courses and country clubs were seen as exclusive, elite locations where only rich people could enjoy themselves. They were also seen as something more geared towards older people. Today, golf clubs and country clubs have become more accessible to people from different walks of life, but at the same time, new challenges have cropped up.
The COVID-19 pandemic has of course impacted the recreational business industry. Golf courses, rec centers, fitness centers, and country clubs all had to deal with lockdowns, as well as post-lockdown wariness of customers later on.
On the positive, sports like golf became more appealing during the time of COVID because golf can be played with social distancing, no problem. But in order to attract new customers during the time of COVID, a lot of golf clubs needed to lower their membership fees or prices.
Bringing in new clientele is of course a positive overall, however it also means that many golf clubs and country clubs need to find ways to reduce costs while serving more people. Without a better business model, many golf clubs, rec centers, and country clubs could be in danger of closing permanently.
Still, there’s a lot of opportunity for golf courses and country clubs these days. Both Generation X and Millennials have embraced golf, with 6.8 million GenX golfers and 6.4 million Millennial golfers compared to 5.4 million Baby Boomer golfers, according to the National Golf Foundation. Women are also becoming more interested in golf.
These younger golfers tend to favor lower rate membership plans with a reasonable social fee offering full club access and pay-per-use golf rates.
To best reach these new golfers, golf courses, rec centers, and country clubs need to be proactive with their marketing. This is where a good modern printer such as a wide format printer can help. With a wide format printer, for example your club can print signage, informational labels, banners, and other marketing materials to increase participation and even inspire membership.
There are two main types of printers that we recommend for golf courses, rec centers, fitness centers, and country clubs. One would be a multifunction printer that would allow your club to print, photocopy, fax, and scan. These come in different sizes with different integration capabilities.
Another type of printer is the wide format printer. (By the way, some wide format printers also have multifunction capabilities, so it’s not necessarily an either or.) A wide format printer is especially useful if your club needs to print out large signs, posters, and banners. This will save money in the long run because then you don’t have to go to an outside print shop to print these materials.
With the right printers, your club can reduce costs and improve efficiency. It takes time and money to farm out printing jobs to outside commercial print companies. Once you have more capabilities in-house, you can print things easily and much more cheaply.
Additionally, with the help of our Managed Print Services (optional), you won’t need to worry about maintaining your printers. You can also potentially lease instead of buying your printers, which is also very effective.
A high-quality printer can make a huge difference in your recreational business. Whether you run a golf course, rec center, fitness center, or country club, having a high-quality on-site printer can be a huge boost to your marketing and retention efforts. Whether you are interested in a wide format printer to print your own signs and banners, or you need a multifunction copier printer combo, Blue Technologies can help. We carry the top brands in professional printers and can help you select and maintain a strong printer fleet for your recreational business.
Your country club, golf course, or rec center can take things to the next level with a top-notch printer. Blue Technologies can help. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant to schedule a print assessment today.