“You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”
It’s a phrase we all know, and in the golf industry, it rings especially true.
At 59club, we regularly hear clubs talking about the importance of the on-course experience, the clubhouse atmosphere, and the quality of hospitality. But what about the moment a visitor, or a potential member for that matter, first interacts with your team, often long before they’ve even set foot on-site?
For many, that first point of contact is the tee time reservation call. While the main goal of that call might be to secure a booking, the opportunity it presents is far greater. It’s your chance to set expectations, build rapport, and create excitement about the visit ahead. It’s the first layer of your customer experience. Too often however, it’s underutilised and sometimes underwhelming.
Before we dive into the data, it’s important to consider one initial question: Is your call routing system set up with the end user in mind? Press 1 for the office, press 2 for reception and press 3 for the golf shop … but how do I book a tee time? Each and every club, is different and unique – we need to make things as easy as possible for our customers.
What the data tells us
Don’t just take our word for it, the data speaks for itself:
✅ Only 55%** of 59club venues ask whether the caller has visited or played the course before. Non 59club affiliated venues only ask this question 19% of the time.
🍽 Only 25%** of 59club venues communicate kitchen opening/closing times during the call. Non 59club affiliated venues only provide this information 5% of the time.
👕 Only 15%** of 59club venues mention dress code expectations. Non 59club affiliated venues only provide this information 5% of the time.
These may seem like small details, but they can significantly impact how a guest perceives your venue and the overall enjoyment of their visit.
Why is this important?
Let’s look at a real-world scenario:
A group of golfers call to book a game for the weekend. They arrive, enjoy the course, and after 18 holes, they’re ready to finish their day with a nice cold drink and something to eat… but the kitchen closed 10 minutes prior. No one told them. No additional plans are in place at the club. Sound familiar? The disappointment is immediate. Furthermore, the staff then have to manage that disappointment.
Or imagine a guest being pulled aside on arrival by a member or member of staff for wearing the wrong socks…because they weren’t made aware of your dress code policy.
These are avoidable moments that cause frustration, all stemming from a simple lack of communication, often at the first point of contact. This is not about changing hours of operation or about throwing away years of history and tradition. This is all about managing expectations and being pro-active in our approach.
If we don’t ask whether someone’s been before, how do we know what information we need to provide or what they already know about the club? Are they aware of what practice facilities we have on site (especially if we have just invested significantly in this area), or how early they should arrive? If we don’t know, we can’t guide them. Consequently, if we don’t guide them, we increase the risk of a poor experience irrespective of how good your course may be. The potential negative impact on revenue, both on the day and across future visits, is also very real here!
Make the most of the moment
Here’s how to turn your tee time reservation calls from transactional to transformational:
- Ask the right questions
Always ask: “Have you played the course before?” This one simple question unlocks the door to personalised service and tailored information. Asking this question alone however, is simply not enough. Just because someone has visited before, doesn’t mean it was recent or that they used all of the facilities that you have on site, which may have changed, either slightly or significantly over time. - Be proactive
Make it standard practice to mention kitchen opening hours, buggy availability, course restrictions, or any ongoing work. Things that could lead to disappointment if discovered too late. These factors will inevitably bring into question whether the guests are likely to return. - Be proud of your standards
Sharing your dress code should not be perceived as a negative…it’s about helping guests feel confident and prepared. Position it positively: “Just so you’re aware, if you are looking to wear shorts on the day, our policy is white socks only.” - Train for consistency
Your team is only as good as your weakest member of staff. Members and guests deserve and expect consistency. Membership fees and or green fees aren’t pegged to the level of service on offer, nor should they be dependent on the staff member that serves us. Give your teams the tools and resources that they need to succeed.
Final thoughts
When someone picks up the phone to book a tee time, they’re already interested. But what you say in those 2–3 minutes can make the difference between a one-time visitor and a loyal, returning guest. The cost of playing golf, being a member of a club has risen significantly over the past several years. With that, our customers, have heightened expectations. This begs the question now whether being good is good enough? Focus on the complete customer journey and make service your differentiating factor.
Customer experience isn’t a moment, it’s a journey. And it starts long before the first tee.
**59club industry average statistics – year to date 2025