golf instructor business plan

How to Start a Golf Instruction Business

Well over 20 million people golf, and many people who enjoy the sport would like to improve their game. A golf instruction business offers golfers individual and group lessons. Business owners may offer lessons at public or private courses, driving ranges or students’ homes.

Learn how to start your own Golf Instruction Business and whether it is the right fit for you.

Ready to form your LLC? Check out the Top LLC Formation Services .

Start a golf instruction business by following these 10 steps:

• Plan your Golf Instruction Business
• Form your Golf Instruction Business into a Legal Entity
• Register your Golf Instruction Business for Taxes
• Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
• Set up Accounting for your Golf Instruction Business
• Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Golf Instruction Business
• Get Golf Instruction Business Insurance
• Define your Golf Instruction Business Brand
• Create your Golf Instruction Business Website
• Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your golf instruction business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas .

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

What will you name your business?

• What are the startup and ongoing costs?
• Who is your target market?

How much can you charge customers?

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Golf Instruction Business Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship , you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name , we recommend researching your business name by checking:

• Your state's business records
• Federal and state trademark records
• Social media platforms
• Web domain availability .

It's very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

Want some help naming your golf instruction business?

Business name generator, what are the costs involved in opening a golf instruction business.

The startup costs of a golf instruction business are relatively minimal.  Although the application and testing fee for certification are fairly standardized, the cost of certification can vary. Some business owners may need to attend specialized clinics in order to perfect certain skills, take an exam several times if they don’t pass or travel to testing sites. The PGA has an online fee calculator , but business owners should budget a couple thousand dollars more than the calculator notes for other expenses associated with becoming certified.

Other startup expenses include the cost of clubs and video analysis equipment, which can be high. For example, Waffle spent $4,500 on a video analysis system. Business owners who are on a tight budget, though, can use clubs they already have and a basic video recorder.  Business owners will also need to pay access fees to a club or driving range, but these should be covered by the cost of each lesson.

What are the ongoing expenses for a golf instruction business?

The primary expenses of a golf instruction business include:

• PGA association fees, which vary by region but typically total a few hundred dollars (and include insurance)
• the cost of replacing lost golf balls
• course and driving range fees, which should be built into lesson pricing or directly paid for by students

For most businesses, these costs are minimal.

Who is the target market?

A golf instruction business’ ideal customer is either an aspiring golfer who hopes to play professionally or a wealthy retired individual who enjoys the sport. An aspiring golfer will need regular lessons to continue advancing their skills, while a retired individual has the time and money needed for multiple lessons.

How does a golf instruction business make money?

A golf instruction business makes money by charging students for golf lessons. Students may be charged on a per-lesson basis, or they may pay for a set number of lessons in advance.

CostHelper reports that golf instruction businesses typically charge between $50 and $60 for private lessons that last 30 to 45 minutes. Group lessons are much less expensive, with golfers often paying just $25 per lesson for group lessons with five golfers. These lessons can be more lucrative for a business, though, as more students are paying. When pricing lessons, business owners should first survey the going rates for golf instruction in their area. If it’s different from these averages, owners ought to adjust their prices accordingly. Golf is a discretionary expense, and people will consider the cost of lessons during an economic downturn.

How much profit can a golf instruction business make?

A golf instruction business’ profit potential depends a lot on where the business is located. Businesses in the Northern United States typically only make a portion of those in the Southern U.S., because most people stop golfing when the weather gets cold.

If teaching 40 private lessons per week, a business owner could bring in between $2,000 and $2,400 each week, according to the above figures. Most of this would be profit, as the ongoing expenses are minimal.

How can you make your business more profitable?

A golf instruction business can increase profits by focusing on group lessons and offering weekend clinics that attract lots of golfers. Business owners might also be able to create a series of online instruction videos, which they could make available for a subscription fee.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC's free Small Business Startup Guide - a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship , partnership , limited liability company (LLC) , and corporation .

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your golf instruction business is sued.

Form Your LLC

Read our Guide to Form Your Own LLC

Have a Professional Service Form your LLC for You

Two such reliable services:

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

Recommended: You will need to elect a registered agent for your LLC. LLC formation packages usually include a free year of registered agent services . You can choose to hire a registered agent or act as your own.

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It's really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website . If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil .

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

• Separates your personal assets from your company's assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
• Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

• Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business' expenses all in one place.
• Build your company's credit history , which can be useful to raise money later on.

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from Divvy and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a golf instruction business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits .

In addition, certain local licensing or regulatory requirements may apply. For more information about local licenses and permits:

• Check with your town, city or county clerk’s office
• Get assistance from one of the local associations listed in US Small Business Associations directory of local business resources .

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses .

Release of Liability

To avoid liability and potential lawsuits, golf instruction businesses should have their clients sign a release of liability. Here is an example of one such form.

Recommended: Rocket Lawyer makes it easy to create a professional release of liability form  for your golf instruction business when you sign up for their premium membership. For $39.95 per month, members receive access to hundreds of legal agreements and on call attorneys to get complimentary legal advice.

Services Contract

In business where services are provided on an extended basis, a services contract is often put in place outlining terms and conditions of service. 

Golf instruction business should require clients to sign a services agreement before starting a new project. This agreement should clarify client expectations and minimize risk of legal disputes by setting out payment terms and conditions, and service level expectations. 

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance . This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance . If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers' Compensation Coverage.

FInd out what types of insurance your Golf Instruction Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Golf Instruction Business.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you aren't feeling confident about designing your small business logo, then check out our Design Guides for Beginners , we'll give you helpful tips and advice for creating the best unique logo for your business.

Recommended : Get a logo using Truic's free logo Generator no email or sign up required, or use a Premium Logo Maker .

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator . Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a golf instruction business

There are many ways to promote a golf instruction business. All of the following can be effective means of advertising a business:

• posting pamphlets on public bulletin boards
• running advertisements in local publications
• purchasing short commercials on the local sports radio station
• creating advertisements for social media

How to keep customers coming back

There are three ways a golf instruction business may set itself apart from similar businesses. Business owners can:

• specialize in a particular aspect of the sport (e.g. putting)
• obtain advanced certifications from the PGA
• Use technology that other instructors don’t utilize (e.g. Aimpoint or TrackMan )

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business .

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

• All legitimate businesses have websites - full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
• Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
• Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended : Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders .

Other popular website builders are: WordPress , WIX , Weebly , Squarespace , and Shopify .

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2023 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it's fair pricing.

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Welcome to the Startup Savant podcast , where we interview real startup founders at every stage of the entrepreneurial journey, from launch to scale.

Is this Business Right For You?

Anyone who enjoys golf and likes interacting with people may be well-suited for owning a golf instruction business. In order to teach the game, it’s necessary to be highly accomplished at it. It’s also helpful to be a people person, as business owners are frequently interacting directly with students.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a golf instruction business?

Golf instruction business owners spend much of their time instructing students, which may involve:

• modeling swings for students
• analyzing and adjusting students’ swings
• videoing students
• reviewing videos with students
• recommending drills for students to practice

When not instructing students, business owners may spend time refining their own golf skills and marketing their business.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful golf instruction business?

Golf instruction business owners may have a difficult time attracting students without becoming a certified PGA golf pro. There are nine steps to becoming certified, including passing qualifying tests. Once certified, the PGA has several advanced certifications that pros can attain. Gaining the skills necessary to become certified by the PGA takes years. Most business owners start out as amateur golfers themselves, taking lessons until they have the skills required for certification.

What is the growth potential for a golf instruction business?

Most golf instruction businesses operate from one or two areas, but they may have regional or national influence. For example, Start to Finish Golf Academy has two locations, one in New York and one in Florida. Pro Justin Waffle started a golf instruction business in Hilton Head in 2009, which he hoped to grow into a regional and then national school.

TRUiC's YouTube Channel

For fun informative videos about starting a business visit the TRUiC YouTube Channel or subscribe to view later.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor.

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a golf instruction business?

Business owners may have a hard time finding a location to instruct students where there isn’t already an instructor, for most golf clubs already have certified golf teaching pros. Owners who aren’t able to find a course to teach at can initially break into the industry by focusing on either driving or the short game (chipping and putting). Driving can be taught at driving ranges, while the short game can be taught right in students’ front or back yards.

How and when to build a team

Local golf instruction businesses are usually one-person operations and don’t have employees. Businesses that grow into regional schools may need one or two additional instructors, and those that become national programs often need three or more instructors.

Useful Links

Industry opportunities.

• Professional Golfers' Association of America

Real World Examples

• Mike Bender Golf Academy
• Start to Finish Golf Academy

Further Reading

• Tips From a Man Who Started His Own Golf Instruction Business
• 9 Steps to Grow Your Golf Instruction Business

Have a Question? Leave a Comment!

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Golf Course Training Center Business Plan

Start your own golf course training center business plan

Greek Golf Training Center

Executive summary executive summary is a brief introduction to your business plan. it describes your business, the problem that it solves, your target market, and financial highlights.">.

Greek Golf Training Centers will be a full-service sport complex situated in Athens. There are currently no other golf facilities like this one anywhere in or around Athens. This plan will be used to define the scope of our services, as well as a means of gaining the necessary investments to open the facility. It will also be used on a continual basis in the evaluation of Greek Golf Training Centers mission, goals, and objectives.

The key to success for Greek Golf Training Centers is the ability to market effectively, creating an unmatched “cool” atmosphere where people enjoy themselves, and hiring qualified and knowledgeable staff to aid in the running of our programs and leagues.

The Golf industry is a booming business that will dramatically be expanded in Greece within the next years. Greek Golf Training Centers is conservatively projecting a modest net profit in its first year of operation with this  increasing steadily by the end of the third year.

1.1 Objectives

The main objectives for the Greek Golf Training Centers are:

• Sell 200 memberships in year one, 300 in year two and 400 by the end of year three.
• Organize and develop various teams, depending on level, business type, available time, etc., so as to fill them to capacity.
• Sponsor and/or support one event in year one, two in year two, four in year three.
• Show a net profit margin in the first year of operation.

1.2 Mission

The Greek Golf Training Centers is a single sport and fitness complex designed to be used by the residents of Athens and the surrounding areas.

It is our mission to provide the best programs, staff, and equipment to fully meet the various sport and fitness needs of our members, while generating a profit for the owners and investors.

Besides providing an excellent value to our customers, the Greek Golf Training Centers is determined to create an unmatched sporting atmosphere that will add to the enjoyment of every member and employee of the facility.

Dedicated to the community, the Greek Golf Training Centers strives to support and sponsor community events, as well as host them whenever possible. Our hope is that through the use of our facility, members’ enjoyment and appreciation for golf, fitness, and for life will be enhanced.

1.3 Keys to Success

• Marketing : We must make the Greek Golf Training Centers a distinguished name in Athens and creatively market our services to each of our market segments.
• Atmosphere of facility : By creating an unmatched “cool” atmosphere in the Greek Golf Training Centers through the use of first class equipment and targeting facilities, elegant and comfortable lobby, showers and changing rooms, floors, colors and decoration, people will want to frequent our facility often and recommend it to their colleagues and friends. Furthermore, our ability to retain members will be enhanced.
• Knowledgeable/qualified staff and management : By providing the users of the facility with knowledgeable and qualified staff who show genuine concern for the patrons, people will feel comfortable and confident that the Greek Golf Training Centers can meet all of their golf and fitness needs.

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Start A Golf Instruction Business - Business Ideas

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

Starting a golf instruction business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion .

If you're interested in how to sell golf instruction service, or selling golf instruction service online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Startup Costs

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Pay It Forward Golf (PIFG)

Welcome to Pay It Forward Golf, a non-profit professional development resource to Assistant Golf Professionals. Established in 2009, PIFG is designed to bring to the table real issues that are relevent to Assistant Professionals, as well as to provide them with a source for direction along a rewarding yet difficult career path.

Starting You're Own Teaching Business featuring Justin Waffle Golf

Paying it forward.

• CAREER DEVELOPMENT
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• IN THE MEDIA

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Get your tools of the trade at:, relevent links:.

• Golf Business Network
• Club & Resort Business
• John Maxwell on Leadership
• The Successful Pro Shop

Instruction

9 steps to market and grow your golf instruction business.

I’m often asked by up-and-coming golf teachers for advice on how to set up their instructional programs to create more demand and increase revenue. My answer? Look at the market you’re in .

If you pay attention to the market and add in some critical thinking, it will give you all the answers you need. You’ll learn to make the proper adjustments to your program to reach the next level in golf, or any area of business you choose.

Here are my nine steps to set yourself up for success:

• Understand the market.
• Focus on filling the demands of your market based on your current skill set.
• Set your program apart from the masses.
• Create programming using your technology/training to better fill the demands of your current market.
• Develop programs with a proper price point.
• Use social media to your advantage.
• Chart and analyze your revenues by month, time and hour.
• Use a spreadsheet to adjust your programming or price points.
• At the end of each peak season, go back to Step 1 and start the process all over again.

As you can see, there are many steps to become a top teacher within your market, but I promise if you follow these nine keys you will make better business decisions and your bottom line will improve.  

So let’s take a few seconds to analyze each of these in more detail.

No. 1: Understand the market 

Have you ever stopped and really looked at where you live, the demographics and economics of the people within your area?   Have you noticed any geographic or socioeconomic consistencies that are more common than in other places?  

Every place is different and every market is unique; demands of the people in Beverly Hills versus people in Memphis are very different.   It could be age, weather patterns, course designs, disposable income, etc. Have you taken the time to see what your competitors are doing to combat the above?   If you have not done either you are just following the trend. That’s not the way to become successful.

Create your OWN trends by knowing your market.

No. 2: Focus on filling the demands of your market based on your skill set

Now that you understand your market, you must look at the skills you currently possess.   Can you fill these demands with your current business?   Do you have the skills?   The patience?   Do you enjoy teaching in this manner?  

All these questions form the basis of what you do and where you should go as a teacher.   Case in point, I have never been good at teaching younger kids, because their natural lack of attention and focus has always been a sticking point.   So if I analyze my market and see that there is a void in junior instruction, it would NOT be in my best interest to try and conquer it because it’s not my professional passion.   The best thing I could do in this case is find another focus, or hire the most motivated junior instructor I know.  

We ALL have weaknesses as instructors; identify yours and either fix it, or work around it as I explained above.

No. 3: Set your program apart from the masses

So you’ve found your market’s void and you’re set to take the world by storm… but how do you provide a unique service?   The answer is simple: offer instructional training and/or technology that others do not.

The world of golf instruction is on fire with new technologies like AimPoint and Trackman. If you believe that putting is your calling, then you need to have the necessary training (since few people do), thus reducing your competition.   Investing in yourself and your business is a necessary cog within your instructional wheel.

This is where I see 99 percent of young instructors fail, as they don’t spend the time or money to better themselves on the technology and/or training side.   If you won’t do anything different than the masses, why would anyone come to the new guy on the block?   Technology and training are always great long-term investments for your business. 

No. 4: Create programming using your technology to better fill demands of the market

So you’ve found the void and invested in yourself. Now is the time to arrange programming around your strong points that your competitors do not possess.  

When I first started teaching in Memphis back in the early 1990s, there was only one guy who was using video (single-view only) within his lessons. I decided that since I didn’t have his experience, the only way to gain market share was to buy a split-screen video system so the better players could see themselves from both angles. This was revolutionary at the time.  Then, I  created a swing-view program so that players taught by other teachers could come by and see their swing in my studio. I gave them a print out of their swing from both views as well.  

It wasn’t long before they were my students.  

I never “sold them” to come over to see me; I just exposed a weakness within my current market and filled it with technology and unique programming that subconsciously sold them on my academy.

No. 5: Develop programs with a proper price point

This is something that teachers at ALL levels fail to understand, costing them money on the backend. Please take this point to heart so you don’t make the same mistake!  

Every area has unique trends and shifts within its local economy that can end up costing you in the end if you don’t focus on what your clients really want.   For example, if you live in a community with people that are mostly on a fixed income, then you must pay attention to the stock market and the real estate trends, as these investments are the ones that usually govern these types of clients spending habits.   When the economy is down, price will become a factor, and if you do not have programs that cover all price points then you will lose a segment of your market for no other reason than you are now too expensive based on their retirement setup.  

So make sure you set up programs that focus on the individual and group programs that will help make you money when simple shifts in the economy happen. If you don’t, you will be left with an empty lesson book.

No. 6: Use social media to your advantage

Putting your ideas out there is a scary thing for many golf instructors because it cannot be taken back, but I think writing is a MUST for all young teachers.   Why?   Because it forces you to make thoughts simple for the layperson to understand, and this will help make your in-lesson delivery more concise.   Start with blogs, then move to regional publications and try to work your way up to the national golf magazines. It will increase your credibility as well as your business.

The next area of focus is one that’s new to me as well, but it’s a VITAL area moving forward for the younger teachers.   Do you have you own web site, YouTube channel, professional Facebook page and Twitter account? Do you use these tools to interact with people who can help your business?   Networking is so important, and if you don’t interact through all possible outlets you’ll lose a piece of the pie you didn’t even know was there.  

Social media can open doors to relationships with people from across the world. Think about it: What do you do when you want to find out about anything in your world? You go to the web and run a search. Why should you be any different as a golf instructor?

Use these (almost) free tools to your advantage and you’ll be glad you did.

No. 7: Chart and analyze your revenues by month, time and hour 

Do you know which days of the week are your most productive or which hour of the day provides you with the most revenue consistently by month?   What is the return rate of your customers and what packages do you sell the most?   

These are the questions that most instructors can’t answer with specifics.   Do you know any truly successful company in the world that doesn’t have an accounting department?   I can’t think of one that doesn’t know what their revenues are or what products sell the best.

Time is your asset and you only have so much of it to sell daily. If you move a program to the wrong hour or book a school during the wrong month you are wasting necessary time and expenses that you could use for yourself and your family.   The more you know about your business, the better decisions you can make as to what programs to add, subtract, or move.

Here’s an example of a spreadsheet I’ll use to track daily/monthly revenues:

No. 8: Use the spreadsheet to adjust your programming or price points 

Now that you have charted data for a season or two, you’ll have an archive of data available when making decisions.   This way you are using facts to base your answers upon, not just guessing!  

Having facts gives you the best chance to be instantly successful in adjusting price points or programs that can instantly improve your bottom line.   Face it, you will make mistakes with your programming over the course of your career that you’ll have to alter, but use data as a roadmap and don’t make the same mistakes twice.   Each down period costs you and your business revenue, not to mention how it affects your own personal bottom line.

No. 9: At the end of each peak season, go back to Step 1 and start the process all over again

I always sit down at the end of two seasons and introspectively reflect on the job I did.   Doing this helps me to figure out what parts of my operation need work, which programs worked well, and helps me to determine areas in which I need to improve on personally.   It’s these quiet times that really make you get better as an instructor.   The only thing I wish I had done years ago is use Survey Monkey to help me to REALLY understand what my clients think of my work and my operation. 

Hopefully by now you have a better idea on how to set up your instructional business; if not, please do not hesitate to contact me.

A guide to golf fitness for elite players

Swing factors that determine how you release the golf club

Tom F. Stickney II, is a specialist in Biomechanics for Golf, Physiology, and 3d Motion Analysis. He has a degree in Exercise and Fitness and has been a Director of Instruction for almost 30 years at resorts and clubs such as- The Four Seasons Punta Mita, BIGHORN Golf Club, The Club at Cordillera, The Promontory Club, and the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. His past and present instructional awards include the following: Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, Golf Digest Top 50 International Instructor, Golf Tips Top 25 Instructor, Best in State (Florida, Colorado, and California,) Top 20 Teachers Under 40, Best Young Teachers and many more. Tom is a Trackman University Master/Partner, a distinction held by less than 25 people in the world. Tom is TPI Certified- Level 1, Golf Level 2, Level 2- Power, and Level 2- Fitness and believes that you cannot reach your maximum potential as a player with out some focus on your physiology. You can reach him at [email protected] and he welcomes any questions you may have.

Jul 11, 2015 at 8:08 am

Ah looks like a Shank for melonhead

Jul 2, 2015 at 6:28 am

Nice article , would be good to do more of these for instructors, good that seminars/articles for marketing etc. are starting to pop up more and more these days . Are the any other similar articles that have already been posted ?

Tom Stickney

Jul 2, 2015 at 12:49 am

There are plenty of young professionals who want to teach and want to get better. Most people aren’t lucky enough to know it all from day one as you seem to…

Foot in mouth

Jul 2, 2015 at 3:35 am

Not a great comment nor attitude from a supposed Teacher who wants to let everybody know what he knows about the game, who needs everybody else’s money to continue teaching, don’t you think, Tom? You just put your foot in it, I reckons

Jul 2, 2015 at 8:07 am

No..as you seem too

Jul 1, 2015 at 11:48 pm

Unreadable, who cares? This is a movie you walk out on.

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Clement: don’t overlook this if you want to find the center of the face.

It is just crazy how golfers are literally beside themselves when they are placed in a properly aligned set up! They feel they can’t swing or function! We take a dive into why this is and it has to do with how the eyes are set up in the human skull!

Clampett: Why golfers aren’t improving

The average golf score in the United States is still 100 and has been for over 50 years, despite better equipment, improved technologies, and course conditions. Touring pros continue to improve. Seemingly every week is a new tournament scoring record, despite courses getting longer and tougher. So why doesn’t the average golfer improve?

Two major problems exist, and when combined, set the perfect “stymie,” preventing game improvement. Sadly, it’s hurting the game and is responsible for why four million golfers quit every year and why 10 million want-to-be golfers lie waiting, wondering how to learn. The Five Golf Powers, which form the World Golf Federation, have done little to address this problem.

Style-based instruction is the predominant form of golf instruction and continues to confuse golfers. This epidemic has stifled game improvement and established a landscape of frustrated golfers. The search for the perfect style of swing and the desire to create certain “good looking” or “preferred styled” positions has led to countless books, videos, and teachers who taught their “ideal” style of swing. “Stack and Tilt,” “Single Plane Swing.” “Natural Golf Swing,” “The A-Swing,” “The X-Factor Swing,” “The Morad Project,” “The One or Two Plane Swing,” “The Gravity Golf Swing,” and the list of style-based teaching methods go on and on… Meanwhile, the best golfers in the world don’t subscribe to any of these swings.

Television adds to the confusion. An analyst may express his or her opinion about the best grip, setup, backswing, plane, downswing, follow-through, etc. One teacher says to do one thing, and the other contradicts it. Confusion abounds everywhere.

One day while on air at the Golf Channel, I had just finished discussing how to hit a bunker shot by keeping the same swing, just changing the set-up; when another instructor, with little playing credentials, followed me and shared with the viewers an entirely different swing that included throwing away clubhead lag and flipping at the bottom of the swing to hit a bunker shot. The poor viewer who watched that day and who couldn’t interpolate which way was better. How many viewers were confused? My goal is to eliminate the confusion, not be part of it. So, I refused to join the Golf Channel on TV in that capacity anymore.

Today’s average golfer gets much of their information online, surfing the internet and watching YouTube videos while being bombarded with countless emails produced by golf instructors who deliver “swing tips” to promote their business. Contradictory views confuse undereducated golfers searching for clues to playing better golf. Desperate, they head to the driving range, ready to apply whatever they just read, but it rarely helps and never lasts.

Since I left the PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions in 2014, I’ve gotten a rare insider’s look at the green grass golf business. I’ve witnessed a second problem that contributes to golfers not improving. A war has developed between golf club staff and professional golf instructors, who dedicate their careers to just teaching golf. Head and assistant professionals, who are underpaid, make much-needed additional income through golf instruction. The additional supplemental income is vital to their survival. They are not trained to teach golf per se, most learn to instruct through shadowing another club professional, or they read books, watch some videos, and learn much as the average golfer does. I was shocked to hear that the PGA does not train golf professionals to become teachers or directors of instruction, though they have just begun offering golf instruction as a track in the PGM College programs. Initially, when this track system began three years ago, the PGA estimated that only 20 percent would choose golf instruction. They were shocked to discover that 50 percent chose the track for golf instruction in their first year. It makes sense to me; golf instruction pays better, has more flexible hours, and, if you’re good at it, brings a smile to people’s faces.

Club staff professionals find it hard to compete with a competent golf instructor who has dedicated their livelihood to instruction. It’s a separate profession that requires a separate set of skills and specific training. It’s not easy to be a good golf instructor. Many full-time professional golf instructors have difficulty finding a job because staff professionals feel they will lose their business. Staff professionals often make their feelings known to management and owners and declare the club “their territory” for golf instruction. They often give the ultimatum and threaten to leave if management hires a professional golf instructor. With so few young people filling the needed gap of golf professionals, the staff usually gets their way. What is left at the club then are under-trained staff professionals teaching golf for the money and ill-equipped to give quality lessons.

No wonder recent statistics show that 70 percent of golfers who take lessons don’t improve. Additionally, 38 percent of private golf club members in the United States want a game improvement program, but their club doesn’t provide a satisfactory solution. One of America’s largest golf management companies; just discovered that clubs with a high-end golf instruction program reduce member attrition rates by 75 percent a year. The Proponent Group, the leading organization for professional golf instructors, reveals that the value of good golf instruction is much larger than most club owners and managers think. In fact, for every dollar an instruction program earns, the club benefits $1.75. Additionally, the lesson takers spend 78 percent more money at the club than non-lesson takers.

Management, to appease the staff’s request to earn an extra $20,000, costs the average club over $1 million per year, though they don’t yet realize the cost. The sadder picture is that most clubs generate less than $50,000 in golf instruction when a $1 million yearly program is available. The market is large; the eager golfers are plentiful, and golfers are starving for good instruction. History suggests that ownership and management don’t value good golf instruction. That’s why it’s unheard of to track instructors’ key performance indicators. But once ownership discovers this, they will emphasize member services and develop good golf instruction programs.

The answer to both problems

Style-based instruction is opinion-based, a failed attempt to find a perfect swing that doesn’t exist. Everyone is different, built differently, coordinated differently, skilled differently, with different natural propensities and learned behavior. Attempting to put them all in a box has proven disastrous.

Arnold Palmer once said, “Swing your own swing; I sure did!” Arnold had it right; style is individual, just like one’s signature, though I admire Arnold’s signature the most. But that’s my opinion. I have his signature on a picture of us hanging in my studio after our last round of golf together. The common denominator of all the best players in the world is impact. It’s the only thing that matters in the swing. Find your way to get there and make it consistent. That’s the name of the game. That’s why I developed “Impact-Based Teaching,” Learning to work from impact, backward, rather than swing-style, forward, is the key to quicker learning, improved instruction, happier golfers, and more golfers getting and staying in the game. Impact-based instruction is the vaccine to the “style-based” teaching methodologies epidemic.

The answer to the second problem is training staff professionals in Impact-Based Teaching and teaching them how to build their business. Track KPIs, improve their closing of new student assessments, and increase their retention, referral, and closing rates. Staff professionals can be successful in instruction once they are trained. It’s not their fault! The fields are ripe, and the harvest is plentiful for good golf instruction.

Good golf instruction is needed and can make a tremendous difference in the game, bringing more golfers, filling up club memberships, driving revenue, supporting junior golf, and more. It’s time we band together for the good of golf. Improve golf instruction and make it available.

The Wedge Guy: Why you aren’t a “right-handed” or “left-handed” golfer

Editor’s note: The featured image is of Alex Noren ‘s heavily calloused hands.

I’ve made a life out of watching so many recreational golfers struggle to achieve a measure of proficiency and consistency in their basic ball-striking skills. Statistics indicate the vast majority of golfers have never broken 90, and far too many are stuck with average scores even higher.

Today’s post is mainly for those golfers who fall into that category, but I think the rest of you might find this interesting as well.

For the past two years, I’ve spent some time with new high-handicap friends who are in various stages of golf skill, from relative beginner to decades-long struggle. I am always amazed at how golfers can play this game for years and never achieve a reasonable measure of ball-striking consistency.

I firmly believe from those observations that most mid- to high-handicap players fail to achieve the consistency they desire because they are trying to “hit” the ball by manipulating the club with their master hand, instead of swinging the club with their body core and arms.

And I just had an epiphany of sorts. So, hear me out and think about it this way…

My years of observation convinces me that the reason golf is so darned difficult just might be this: regardless of whether it’s a drive or a short chip, the most basic error is believing you control the strike of the ball with the hands. I was taught early in life that the most basic fundamental of all is that the golf swing is a rotational move of the body core, with the hands and club following that rotation through the impact zone.

And this just dawned on me, maybe the challenge for golfers to completely grasp and adopt this basic fundamental lies in the notion that we play golf either “right-handed” or “left-handed”. If you are generally right-handed in your everyday skills, and you play golf in the manner we have always called “right-handed”, then you stand on the left side of the ball (facing the target). You have your weaker side leading the swing, and you are probably trying to “guide” the club to the ball with your master hand. After all, you are playing “right-handed” aren’t you?

The opposite is true of those who approach the game from the right side of the ball, which we call “left-handed.” I contend that the skill of striking a golf ball consistently isn’t any kind of “X-handed” game. So, what if you change your thinking that if you stand on the left side of the ball (again, facing the target), then you are playing the game “left-sided.” And if you stand on the right side of the ball, then you are playing “right-sided.”

Thinking about it that way, if you are left-sided, then it stands to reason that your left side leads the body core, arms, hands, and club through impact – in that order. You’re not a “right-handed” player, you are a left-sided player. And as a left-sided player, you must set up in your address position with the left side of your body in a strong position to push the club back on the takeaway and pull the club through on the downswing through impact.

Here’s why this is so important.

The golf swing is essentially a chain with multiple reasonably rigid links. The body core links to the shoulders, which link to the lead arm, which is connected to the club with the hands, and the club is the last link in the chain. So, if you were moving a length of chain that was too heavy to pick up, would you pull it or try to push it? Obviously, you cannot push a chain, but when you try to control the swing with your right hand, you are literally trying to push this chain from the middle.

I believe that there is no reason for any golfer to be “stuck” with abilities that keep their scores in the 90s to 100s, but I also feel certain that it would take extraordinary eye-hand coordination for any hand-dominant player to achieve a measure of consistency in scoring in low single digits.

Many years ago, I would do seminars for golf club fitters, and developed a convincing “show and tell” to prove just how difficult it is to control a golf club with your hands. I would have a volunteer from the audience come up and sign their name on my flip chart with a Sharpie. Isn’t signing your name one of the most familiar eye-hand activities you do?

Then I would hand that volunteer a wedge with a Sharpie taped to the hosel and have them attempt to sign their name again. The result was usually a nearly illegible hen scratch of a scribble.

So, if you can’t sign your name from the end of a wedge, what chance do you have of making a consistently solid strike of the golf ball?

Right-sided or left-sided, no matter which you are, I hope you get the same epiphany from today’s post as the one that inspired me to write it.

More from the Wedge Guy

• The Wedge Guy: Engage your core for better wedge play
• The Wedge Guy: What is a “wedge” anyway?
• The Wedge Guy: The case against set-match wedges

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Korn Ferry Tour pro disqualified while warming up on the practice range

‘It’s awful’ – Brian Harman offers fascinating explanation for why he waggles so much before a shot

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Golf Course Business Plan

Are you an avid golfer dreaming of owning a golf course? Solid plan.

Investing in a golf course has several of its own benefits, like personal satisfaction and huge profit potential, but it’s a big-ticket investment, and you need a solid business plan to succeed.

Need help writing a business plan for your golf course? You’re at the right place. Our golf course business plan template will help you get started.

How to Write A Golf Course Business Plan?

Writing a golf course business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan:

1. Executive Summary

An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and summarizes each section of your plan.

Here are a few key components to include in your executive summary:

Introduce your Business:

Start your executive summary by briefly introducing your business to your readers.

Market Opportunity:

Products and services:.

Highlight the products and services you offer your clients. The USPs and differentiators you offer are always a plus.

Marketing & Sales Strategies:

Financial highlights:, call to action:.

Ensure your executive summary is clear, concise, easy to understand, and jargon-free.

2. Business Overview

The business overview section of your business plan offers detailed information about your business. The details you add will depend on how important they are to your business. Yet, business name, location, business history, and future goals are some of the foundational elements you must consider adding to this section:

Business Description:

Describe your business in this section by providing all the basic information:

Describe what kind of golf course you run and the name of it. For instance, here are some of the most common types of golf course businesses:

• Public golf course
• Indoor golf course
• Private golf club
• Resort golf club
• Executive golf course
• Championship golf course
• Describe the legal structure of your golf course business, whether it is a sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or others.
• Explain where your business is located and why you selected the place.

Mission Statement:

Business history:.

If you’re an established business, briefly describe your business history, like—when it was founded, how it evolved over time, etc.

Additionally, If you have received any awards or recognition for excellent work, describe them.

Future Goals

This section should provide a thorough understanding of your business, its history, and its future plans. Keep this section engaging, precise, and to the point.

3. Market Analysis

The market analysis section of your business plan should offer a thorough understanding of the industry with the target market, competitors, and growth opportunities. You should include the following components in this section.

Target market:

Start this section by describing your target market. Define your ideal customer and explain what types of services they prefer. Creating a buyer persona will help you easily define your target market to your readers.

Market size and growth potential:

Describe your market size and growth potential and whether you will target a niche or a much broader market.

Competitive Analysis:

Market trends:.

Analyze emerging trends in the industry, such as technology disruptions, changes in customer behavior or preferences, etc. Explain how your business will cope with all the trends.

Regulatory Environment:

Here are a few tips for writing the market analysis section of your golf course business plan:

• Conduct market research, industry reports, and surveys to gather data.
• Provide specific and detailed information whenever possible.
• Illustrate your points with charts and graphs.
• Write your business plan keeping your target audience in mind.

4. Products And Services

The product and services section should describe the specific services and products that will be offered to customers. To write this section should include the following:

Describe the Golf Course:

Golf equipment and cart rental:, customer support & maintenance, additional services:.

In short, this section of your golf course plan must be informative, precise, and client-focused. By providing a clear and compelling description of your offerings, you can help potential investors and readers understand the value of your business.

5. Sales And Marketing Strategies

Writing the sales and marketing strategies section means a list of strategies you will use to attract and retain your clients. Here are some key elements to include in your sales & marketing plan:

Unique Selling Proposition (USP):

Define your business’s USPs depending on the market you serve, the equipment you use, and the unique services you provide. Identifying USPs will help you plan your marketing strategies.

Pricing Strategy:

Marketing strategies:, sales strategies:, customer retention:.

Overall, this section of your golf club business plan should focus on customer acquisition and retention.

Have a specific, realistic, and data-driven approach while planning sales and marketing strategies for your golf course business, and be prepared to adapt or make strategic changes in your strategies based on feedback and results.

6. Operations Plan

The operations plan section of your business plan should outline the processes and procedures involved in your business operations, such as staffing requirements and operational processes. Here are a few components to add to your operations plan:

Staffing & Training:

Operational process:, equipment & accessories:.

Include the list of equipment and accessories required for your day-to-day business operations, such as golf clubs, balls, tees, and other golf-related accessories.

Adding these components to your operations plan will help you lay out your business operations, which will eventually help you manage your business effectively.

7. Management Team

The management team section provides an overview of your golf course business’s management team. This section should provide a detailed description of each manager’s experience and qualifications, as well as their responsibilities and roles.

Founders/CEO:

Key managers:.

Introduce your management and key members of your team, and explain their roles and responsibilities.

Organizational structure:

Compensation plan:, advisors/consultants:.

Mentioning advisors or consultants in your business plans adds credibility to your business idea.

This section should describe the key personnel for your services, highlighting how you have the perfect team to succeed.

8. Financial Plan

Your financial plan section should provide a summary of your business’s financial projections for the first few years. Here are some key elements to include in your financial plan:

Profit & loss statement:

Cash flow statement:, balance sheet:, break-even point:.

Determine and mention your business’s break-even point—the point at which your business costs and revenue will be equal.

Financing Needs:

Be realistic with your financial projections, and make sure you offer relevant information and evidence to support your estimates.

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9. Appendix

The appendix section of your plan should include any additional information supporting your business plan’s main content, such as market research, legal documentation, financial statements, and other relevant information.

• Add a table of contents for the appendix section to help readers easily find specific information or sections.
• In addition to your financial statements, provide additional financial documents like tax returns, a list of assets within the business, credit history, and more. These statements must be the latest and offer financial projections for at least the first three or five years of business operations.
• Provide data derived from market research, including stats about the golf course industry, user demographics, and industry trends.
• Include any legal documents such as permits, licenses, and contracts.
• Include any additional documentation related to your business plan, such as product brochures, marketing materials, operational procedures, etc.

Use clear headings and labels for each section of the appendix so that readers can easily find the necessary information.

Remember, the appendix section of your golf course business plan should only include relevant and important information supporting your plan’s main content.

This sample golf course business plan will provide an idea for writing a successful golf course plan, including all the essential components of your business.

After this, if you still need clarification about writing an investment-ready business plan to impress your audience, download our golf course business plan pdf .

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you need a golf course business plan.

A business plan is an essential tool for anyone looking to start or run a successful golf course business. It helps to get clarity in your business, secures funding, and identifies potential challenges while starting and growing your business.

Overall, a well-written plan can help you make informed decisions, which can contribute to the long-term success of your golf course business.

How to get funding for your golf course business?

There are several ways to get funding for your golf course business, but self-funding is one of the most efficient and speedy funding options. Other options for funding are:

• Bank loan – You may apply for a loan in government or private banks.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) loan – SBA loans and schemes are available at affordable interest rates, so check the eligibility criteria before applying for it.
• Crowdfunding – The process of supporting a project or business by getting a lot of people to invest in your business, usually online.
• Angel investors – Getting funds from angel investors is one of the most sought startup options.

Apart from all these options, there are small business grants available, check for the same in your location and you can apply for it.

Where to find business plan writers for your golf course business?

There are many business plan writers available, but no one knows your business and ideas better than you, so we recommend you write your golf course business plan and outline your vision as you have in your mind.

What is the easiest way to write your golf course business plan?

A lot of research is necessary for writing a business plan, but you can write your plan most efficiently with the help of any golf course business plan example and edit it as per your need. You can also quickly finish your plan in just a few hours or less with the help of our business plan software .

Business Planning Guide & Resources

We have plenty of  free business planning resources  available to help you with your planning. You can download our resources to learn all about business planning.

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Free Golf Instruction School Business Plan

If you are setting up a Golf Instruction School business then it is practical for you to write down a Golf Instruction School business plan. If you require finance for your business this will help you with it and even if you are fortunate to have sufficient funds to start-up your own business then a business plan will assist you in your business approach. This will enhance the likelihood of your business being a hit, which cannot be a bad thing.

Your plan ought to involve the following...

Golf Instruction School Executive Summary

Your Golf Instruction School executive summary should be written last after you have done all the ground work in preparation of your business plan - it is after all meant to be a summing up of your business. This is the page that should grab the awareness of the reader and make them grasp what your Golf Instruction School business is about. Commonly it ought to provide the person who reads it three years highlights of your business or longer if you possess a more long term business plan - i.e. when the backer(s) are expected to start seeing some earnings on their investment. The Golf Instruction School executive summary ought to state the main protagonists who are going to help run the business and produce the returns for the investors and if any new management will be required in the procedure. Click here for more free advice on how to write your executive summary .

Golf Instruction School Objectives

As the executive summary customarily includes the breakdown of the first 3 years - your objectives should also be set out for your first three years of operation - this could be a handful or may well be to a large extent more exhaustive - it's entirely down to you, on the contrary having unrealistic goals to achieve for your Golf Instruction School business in an unrealistic timeframe will put likely investors off considerably than them being impressed at your haughty objectives.Read more about business objectives .

Golf Instruction School Mission

Some people see objectives and mission as identical things but they aren't - objectives are there for you to meet your mission. The final mission of any business ought to be to sell it! If you can build your Golf Instruction School business up to sell it whilst keeping a quantity of shares then you will have done well. To reach your ultimate mission you will in all probability need some smaller missions - these may well be to attain a certain amount of earnings, to reach a certain quantity of customers, to sell a certain number of units of a product or service and your objectives are there to meet this mission.

Check out some of these example mission statements before you have a go at writing your own mission statement .

Keys to Success

You need to advise people how and why your Golf Instruction School business is going to be a hit - if you cannot think of something to write here then you are doomed. Even if your solution is purely that you are going to put more effort in than your competitor - then at least that is something...but you will need to back it up with some proof especially if you are looking for funding in your Golf Instruction School business.

Company Summary

Here you should write a basic construct of your business over the next three years unless you have a long term plan.

Company Ownership

In basic terms write who is going to own the Golf Instruction School business and allocation of share ownership and voting rights for and allocation of share ownership and voting rights for the shares - it is fairly common for somebody to have possession of part of a company but hold no say in how that company is run. You need to declare if the business is a limited company, private, public or if you are a sole trader.

Not sure which business structure to go for?

Location(s) and facilities

Where is your Golf Instruction School business going to be trading from and why are you going to be trading from this locality - you may not be able to give a pinpoint address at this near the beginning stage but you have to narrow it down as much as you can, as obviously this will have a crucial impact on your business. It is frequently easy to get premises for any Golf Instruction School business more than ever in this climate with so many businesses going out of business, but getting the proper business premises for the right money is a different prospect entirely.

Read more about business premises .

Start-up Summary for your Business

Before you start trading it's a good idea to have a business bank account and you are also going to have to choose a new name for your Golf Instruction School Business .

Before you can sell any services or products you ought to record accurately all of the equipment you are going to require and if you are going to need any capital in order to pay for all of these things. You may require to change your start-up summary depending on your economic situation - so you may have a preference for specific Golf Instruction School equipment but not be capable of buying it until you have sold several units of product / service.

Golf Instruction School Start-Up Costs

This is a uncomplicated inventory of stuff you need to buy or things you can bring into the business if you already be in possession of them before your Golf Instruction School business can come into being. If you do not have enough funds you should also include who is going to present this resource to get your Golf Instruction School business going.

Visit this page for more typical start up costs .

Golf Instruction School Investment

If you don't have sufficient money you ought to incorporate the full amount of investment you are going to require and in addition involve the breakdown of the parties that are going to fund the investment. Add in the equity being given away to fund this or loan agreements in order to finance the deal. Will you require a small business bank loan ? If you cannot get a bank loan don't worry there are alternative methods for funding your Golf Instruction School Business .

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How to Write a Golf Club Business Plan

• Small Business
• Business Planning & Strategy
• Write a Business Plan
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How to Bring Customers to a Sports Bar

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• How to Make Money Growing Vegetables in Greenhouses
• Suggestions on How to Increase Revenue for Golf

Golf clubs, both public and private, are part of the leisure and recreation industry. Success depends on maintaining the high level of customer service expected by golfers. Customer retention is critical to a golf club’s bottom line. If the golfers are satisfied with their experience at the golf facility, they will keep coming back. You want your customers to play more often and spend more money each time they visit. A golf club’s revenue streams include green fees or membership dues, golf cart rentals, fees for golf instruction, equipment and clothing sales, and food and beverage sales.

Review past performance. Analyze the previous year’s financial results, and determine which revenue streams met or exceeded a forecast and which fell short of the plan. Analyze the reasons for either outcome. Take a critical look at the overall quality of your service offering. You may find that the course itself needs updating or upgrading to compete with newer facilities.

Evaluate the competition. Have staff members visit your major competitors’ facilities to compare their total service offering to your own, including the quality of the facilities, customer service and the prices charged. Determine what your competitors are doing well and where you have a definite competitive advantage.

Analyze golf industry trends, and trends in the local economy. Obtain National Golf Foundation data on current trends in the golf industry. Forecast whether the number of golfers in your area is likely to increase. Look at the economic conditions in your local area and how that will affect the growth of your customer base.

Set departmental goals. Make them aggressive but realistic. You may decide to emphasize increasing the course’s occupancy during weekdays when play is normally light. Or you might set a goal of increasing clothing sales in the pro shop by 25 percent.

Tie the goals to strategies. If your goal is to increase weekday play, a strategy could be to set up twilight golf leagues to get business people out on the course after work. To increase the number of new customers, obtain press coverage about the course's beauty and challenge.

Create a profit and loss statement forecast. Take your revenue goals and convert them into a forecast for each business segment. Forecast the expenses necessary to attain these goals. Add the departmental plans together into a consolidated plan.

Review and modify the plan. Check the plan for reasonableness and make adjustments. Scale back revenue assumptions that are too aggressive. Make sure your marketing budget is sufficient to generate the increases in customers you have forecast.

Make it an ongoing process to obtain feedback from customers, and take note when they say something disappointed them about your facility. You may find their chief complaint is something you hadn’t thought of, such as the condition of the golf carts.

• Keep the restaurant menu simple to keep food costs low. Golfers are looking for reasonably priced, good quality food but not necessarily a large menu of gourmet fare.

Chronic slow play has a serious negative impact on potential revenues because you can’t get as many players around the course per day. Provide tips and reminders to players prior to their tee-off times about ways to speed up play and be more courteous to the players behind them.

• "Supertendent's Handbook of Financial Management"; Raymond S. Schmidgall; 2003
• National Golf Foundation
• "Attracting Capital From Angels"; Brian E. Hill and Dee Power; 2002
• "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital"; Brian E. Hill and Dee Power; 2001
• Make it an ongoing process to obtain feedback from customers, and take note when they say something disappointed them about your facility. You may find their chief complaint is something you hadn’t thought of, such as the condition of the golf carts.
• Chronic slow play has a serious negative impact on potential revenues because you can’t get as many players around the course per day. Provide tips and reminders to players prior to their tee-off times about ways to speed up play and be more courteous to the players behind them.

Brian Hill is the author of four popular business and finance books: "The Making of a Bestseller," "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital," "Attracting Capital from Angels" and his latest book, published in 2013, "The Pocket Small Business Owner's Guide to Business Plans."

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