2015-2019

City of London MUNICIPAL GOLF BUSINESS PLAN

CITY OF LONDON

MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSES

2015 / 2019 BUSINESS PLAN

Contents

DEVELOPMENT OF THE 2015-2019 BUSINESS PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 5

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE 2015-2019 BUSINESS PLAN.......................................................................................................................... 5

OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6

FIT WITH THE CITY OF LONDON STRATEGIC PLAN RESULTS ........................................................................................................................ 6

SERVICE OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................................................................... 6

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS ............................................................................................................................................................................ 6

INCREASE PARTICIPATION ........................................................................................................................................................................... 7

REVENUE GENERATION FROM ALL SOURCES .............................................................................................................................................. 8

IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE....................................................................................................................................................... 9

2015-2019 MARKETING PLAN .................................................................................................................................................................... 10

CAPITAL PLAN ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 11

LONG-TERM CAPITAL PLAN........................................................................................................................................................................ 11

MARKETING SAMPLES

Who we Are Page 13

2015 City of London Golf Membership Early Bird Gift, Page 14

2015 Golf Lessons Page 15

2015 Junior Golf Program Page 16

Tournament and Group Packages Page 18

DEVELOPMENT OF THE 2015-2019 BUSINESS PLAN The upcoming Golf seasons will see staff continue to implement strategies from the previous Municipal Golf Business Plans that have

worked to date. Green fees will require some minor changes to right size the fees to be competitive with comparable golf courses in

the London area and to achieve revenue targets set out in the budget. Delivery of pro shop and food and beverage services will continue

to improve our customer service in those areas. Improved playability, conditioning and presentation of our golf courses will continue

to be our main priority in delivering a customer experience appropriate for our customers.

The following strategies will be implemented in the 2015/19 Plan:

Ensure the availability of motorized carts to meet customer demand for tournaments and everyday play at all courses.

Maintain fees and offer more variety and flexibility in fees for everyday play and tournament volume purchases.

Continue to implement the revenue generating and expense control aspects of previous plans

Continue to grow contributions to the reserve funds to meet the needs of capital golf course developments as laid out in the Golf

Capital Plan.

Maintain contingency fund of $50,000 in the golf reserves to deal with emergent issues over the years.

MISSION STATEMENT OF THE 2015-2019 BUSINESS PLAN

Our goal is to maintain the municipal golf system at an affordable level. The city provides quality municipal golf facilities and services

to attract and develop a loyal following of golfers, while striving to be self-sustaining as a municipal system of golf.

The City will continue to develop and implement a plan of continuous improvement for the municipal golf system, focusing on revenue

streams, cost management and an “At Your Service” attitude that will provide an amazing golf experience for London.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives are to:

1. Continue to follow the principles of the previous Municipal Golf Business Plans.

2. Implement strategies to stimulate participation and increase revenues for the upcoming golf seasons across the golf system.

3. Continue to operate all courses as part of an overall Golf system that utilizes resources to help all courses achieve a sustainable

future.

4. Continue to consult with golfers on a regular basis to solicit feedback.

Ideally we can:

Maintain golf courses at an appropriate level that retains existing and attracts new and former members and players;

Keep golf affordable and consistent with a quality municipal system of golf ;

Generate sufficient revenues to cover the direct annual operating costs.

Generate enough revenue to maintain a reserve account that will allow implementation of a Long-term sustainable

golf capital plan

The specific objectives related to this goal include increasing participation as driven by both membership growth and green fees players.

FIT WITH THE CITY OF LONDON STRATEGIC PLAN RESULTS

Strengthening our Community

Building a Sustainable City

Growing our Economy

Leading in Public Service

SERVICE OBJECTIVES

Improve the golf customer experience

Increase participation (rounds played)

Increase revenues from all sources

IMPLEMENTATION PLANS

Implementation strategies have been developed and characterized into three areas. Each area will be looked at separately.

The three areas are:

Increase Participation

Revenue Generation from all sources

Improve the Golf Experience

INCREASE PARTICIPATION

Sell More Memberships & Green Fee Rounds Rounds Targets

System Balance: Target to achieve system rounds upwards of 125,000

Green Fees Position the golf pricing to reflect its appropriate position in the London golf market recognizing the value of location and the perceived value of comparable local product.

Provide a competitive fee structure that allows customers to choose a course that provides challenge, playability and value for the fee.

Provide a fee that is competitive in the appropriate market place.

Provide an early and late season rate appropriate to the reduction of service/maintenance levels.

Investigate Yield Management Software

Rates Promotional Membership Drives – Early Bird, Summer pro-rated July 1, and Late season

Early and Late Season reduced services and course condition

Fees which includes the cart – Cart /Golf Package

Introduced a payment plan for unlimited memberships

Play it Forward Program

Research Customer Service satisfaction surveys

Best Practices in customer service and maintenance practices

NGCAO Memberships

Youth Adults

Take a Kid Promotion NGCAO

Continue to support high school golf programs

Further develop “junior” golfers programs with reduced rates, lessons, and national promotional programs.

Provide fun, interactive learning opportunities through a variety of camps

Utilize social media to attract kids to the game

Work with Golf Association of Ontario to provide developmental events

Market golf to new Canadians

Group lessons

Member Bring a Friend and other promotions

Special Events Pro shop staff and members work together to further develop golf committees and events.

Continue club events at all locations/Thames Valley Invitational/Senior Invite/etc.)

Tournaments/Leagues Golf tournament package and recruit corporate and charity golf tournaments.

Continue popular tournaments like the Thames Valley Classic Invitational

Continue United Way Fundraising Event

REVENUE GENERATION FROM ALL SOURCES Increase revenues through increased spending by participants each and every time they play.

Tournaments Cart Rentals

Promotion of additional corporate and charity tournaments

Promote packages including cart, food and merchandise

Promote memberships and return visits

Re-book tournaments for following years during current event

Increase the availability of carts and ensure they are in good working order, are visible and ready for use.

a cart/green fee package rate

Encourage tournament packages

Lessons Continue to offer Spectrum introductory lesson programs to Juniors and new golfers.

Promote lessons to New Canadians

Review SPECTRUM and all other program offerings to expand opportunities to develop skills and learn the game at municipal golf locations.

Place posters around the clubhouse as reminders of April/May and July/August SPECTRUM offerings and consider: “Let us help you play even better!”

Remind players that they may consult with the club’s golf Pro

Food & Beverage Review and ensure that prices are consistent with value and adjust accordingly.

Offer affordable menu items to encourage clubhouse dining as the first choice for golfers before and after a round.

Demonstrate that we are open for business by being visible in the clubhouse and on the course.

Ensure the variety and quality of menu items are attractive to customers and are consistent in their preparation and presentation.

Timely, accurate and friendly service in the clubhouse and on the course.

Advise staff how to promote food and beverage sales before, during and after play.

Ensure on course service is consistent and available at appropriate times.

Ensure clean and open at half-way points

Pro Shop Further develop and implement a training program including monitoring of Pro Shop and Clubhouse staff to improve their “sales” techniques for promotion of goods and services available.

Promote special event sales to market the merchandise.

Continue to maintain Membership reward program

Pro shop staff will take steps to inform patrons of the various types of golf course etiquette to be expected by fellow customers. This will improve speed of play and course conditioning

3rd Party Agreements Sponsorships and Advertising

Continue to work with London Golf Club

Follow NGCOA principles when working with re-sellers

Protect membership to ensure member’s pay best rate

Sell “empty” seats (underutilized times) with yield utilization software

Introduce sponsorship opportunities for tee signs, carts, benches, scorecards, flags

Junior program sponsorships

Tournament and league sponsors

Foreign language newspapers

IMPROVE THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE Continue to Improve the customer experience from arrival to departure. Create an Impressive Customer Experience Every Time: We are “At Your Service” Customer Service Quality experience from arrival to departure.

Make every guest feel welcome

Friendly courteous staff, knowledgeable and available to greet and provide services to enhance the overall golf experience

Enhance the clubhouse experience by improving the amenities to make the atmosphere more welcoming.

Beautification efforts throughout the properties with manicured gardens, quality amenities, benches and accessories to improve the overall enjoyment and create a park like setting.

Program for commemorative Trees and Benches

Exceed guest expectations

Way Finding signs

Information signage

Web-site accuracy

Newsletters Bookings

Booking tee times and registration process will be monitored to improve accuracy, availability and speed of process at the golf counter.

Continue to Improve the on line booking system with latest technologies

Maintain 7 day booking

Playability / Grounds Golf Course conditioning, maintenance and design should be improved with playability and a wide variety of playing abilities considered.

Golf courses manicured to a price appropriate level

Improve sand traps and general maintenance including aerating , overseeding and drainage

Better signage between holes and at teeing grounds

Continued tree/bush removal – safety, playability, design

Tree management

Staffing Speed of Play Customer Feedback

Continue to provide a supportive workplace that provides staff with the skills and training necessary to achieve service excellence for our customers. Make the work environment enjoyable to facilitate happy productive staff

Timely, accurate and friendly service in the clubhouse and on the course.

Provide quality and valued services and products.

Provide tips and etiquette from the pros – pamphlet/include with tournaments

Monitoring of conditions,

Proper tee time spacing to fit the course play and demand

Optimize course rangers,

Ability to adjust course routing

Play it Forward

Continue to engage the golfer in customer satisfaction and improvement surveys

Listen to every complaint and do our best to solve the issue promptly

Listen and respond to suggestions

2015-2019 MARKETING PLAN Implement and refine the Marketing & Advertising Plan to increase visibility through a variety of methods and communications. All marketing will drive people to the City of London golf web page for information on pricing and specials. Every communication and promotion is intended to inform, seek repeated participation and provide reasons to patronize. Target Audience Short term:

New members and new daily green fee paying players.

Existing Municipal Players encouraged to play more often

Youth Mid to Long Term: New Demographics

Youth

Women

Seniors

New Canadians

Beginners

Initial Membership Drive Promotions should focus on the following themes and messages:

Affordability and pricing structure that differentiates our product by golf course and time of day.

Golf Show Promotions

Membership

Tournaments

Juniors

Who we are

Themes & Messages City of London pricing advantages and scheduling features

Affordability for youth and Junior Golf Promotions

Non Member youth 9 - 14 year olds play for free on Saturdays and Sundays this summer at various courses when playing with a fee paying golfer – NGCOA’s “Take a Kid to Golf Week”

Spectrum Junior Camps (See: Spectrum)

Club Events

Special offers and promotions for green fees, memberships, merchandise and food and beverage

Corporate/Charity tournaments

The value of the municipal golf experience for the price

Five great courses – One Amazing Membership

Commitment to service (web page and demonstration in the clubhouse)

Promote course/clubhouse improvements at all courses

Marketing Channels Effective, dynamic and current municipal golf webpage

Radio spots, print/hot spot ads, on-line, social media, and email blasts

Local media spots: Opening day, Masters connection, Men’s Invitational Tournament

Co-promote with other City of London Parks & Recreation teams, London service organizations, area practice facilities, post-secondary schools

Posters at all community centres and libraries promoting the golf courses

Window posters at clubhouses regarding special retail promotions

Improved social media plan

CAPITAL PLAN

The capital expenditure plan is designed to work on features of the golf course and clubhouses that will enhance the playability and

experience of the golfer while creating opportunities for increases in revenue in the cart sales and food and beverage offerings.

The capital reserve fund will retain a contingency fund of $50, 000 for any emergent needs. The 2013 plan is designed to cover all

direct operating costs to a neutral financial position. Any surplus revenues will be placed in the reserve fund for future capital

development.

The fund will be assessed at the end of each year and a Capital Improvement Plan will be established based on funds available.

LONG-TERM CAPITAL PLAN

The infrastructure of the City of London Golf Courses is strong featuring state of the art irrigation systems, a fleet of well maintained

turf machinery and clubhouses that have seen recent life cycle renewals to improve the customer experience and structures of the

facilities. No significant golf course layout changes are planned in the next ten years. In order to improve the golf product, life cycle

renewals are required in several key areas based on recommendations from the Ian Andrew golf course study and facility condition

assessment on a course by course basis.

Teeing grounds will be evaluated with a focus on increasing the teeing options for the changing demographics of the modern

golfer. Tees will be required to be expanded and renovated to better manage wear and tear to provide level quality teeing

surfaces for all levels of players.

The cart path system needs to be overhauled. This includes resurfacing of existing paths, preparation and asphalting of

proposed new paths, removal of paths that are obsolete and no longer required, paving of entrance roadways and

resurfacing parking lots as necessary.

Major forestry projects will continue with removal of dead trees, trimming of dead, diseased or dangerous branches,

removal of stumps and replanting of young trees. Operational budgets will continue to address annual tree maintenance.

The sand traps on all of the courses will be evaluated to determine the scope of renovations required over the lifetime of the

plan. Traps will be evaluated for their congruency of design and necessity. Drainage is required on many of the traps,

particularly those on the Quarry and River Road.

The clubhouses have received life cycle maintenance improvements over the past few years but will continue to require

maintenance and upkeep from the capital budget. Clubhouse furniture and equipment will need to be repaired and

replaced.

The irrigation systems are currently in excellent condition but will require major maintenance including lifecycle

replacements of pumps, replacement of electronic components and computer software upgrades.

MARKETING

SAMPLES

SAMPLE 1– “EARLY BIRD SPECIAL”

2015 City of London Golf Membership

SAMPLE 2 – “LESSONS”

SAMPLE 3 – “JUNIOR GOLF PAMPHLET”

SAMPLE 4 – “TOURNAMENT BROCHURE”

SAMPLE 5 – “MEMBERSHIPS, GREEN FEES & CART PACKAGES”