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By Design
INNOVATION
A
ny parent of a teenager fully
understands that the world is
changing. Smart devices and
social media play, to those brought
up pre-Internet, what seems like an
extraordinarily significant part in young
people’s lives. Everything is shared,
from the trivial to the momentous.
In business, Internet-connected
sensors can be attached to anything,
generating mountains of data, from
which information can be extracted
that improves business processes and
decision-making.
Such cultural change is already
having an impact on golf,
gradually for now, but it could be a
groundswell as those who have been
brought up in the connected world
enter the workforce and become the
driving force of the economy.
The impacts are uncertain, but
what is clear is that the golf industry
is more likely to thrive if it copes
well with change. Golf’s leading
businesses recognize this, and are
working hard to understand the
key drivers for change and to foster
innovation in their organizations.
New dynamics
The changing dynamics of family
life—with activities increasingly
prioritized towards the young—is
clearly altering the thinking of
golf businesses. “New household
composition and changing lifestyles
offer an opportunity for golf to
regain some ground by becoming
more inclusive in their offerings,”
says Scott Lamont, principal
at development planning and
landscape architecture firm EDSA.
“This means incorporating an
improved variety of activities to
complement golf offerings—from
fitness, spa/wellness, and family
activities to casual dining and
community gathering places.
“Golf facilities need to be family
oriented, offering activities that
appeal to multiple age ranges and
abilities. Mom can enjoy a fitness
class, Dad and a child may putt a few
holes or practice on the range, while
other family members might try a
water activity and all meet back for
lunch as a group.
“Part of the market’s fluctuating
preferences includes a move toward
casual socialization and a workforce
with a tighter timetable. With this
in mind, facilities can reinvent their
traditional 18-hole course with a
shorter version that gives the ‘total
golf experience’ without the usual
time allotment. Make time spent on
the course—whether that is an exec
course, or practice on the range—
thoroughly enjoyable from start
to finish.”
Adapting to a changing market can
be challenging. “I do not think baby
boomers and traditionalists are going
to push for the change we need to put
golf in a growth mode again,” warns
Dana Garmany, chairman and CEO
of leading club operator Troon Golf.
Thriving
on
change
The Donald Ross Roundtable meeting at the
2016 ASGCA Annual Meeting brought golf leaders
together to discuss innovation. Toby Ingleton spoke
with some of the participants to discover their views
on the forces driving change in the industry, and how
they are fostering innovation in their organizations