From bulk booking tee times to handling budgets and finances, the challenges of running a golf society can be overwhelming. There are many things to consider when starting your society, but with the right approach and tools, these hurdles can be turned into opportunities for society success. This article will explore 9 challenges golf society organisers often face and propose solutions to overcome them.
When organising events and competitions, society organisers often take on too much responsibility. This can be time-consuming, especially for volunteers balancing it with their personal lives. However, new technology can help solve this. For example, Quick9 is an app designed specifically to help golf societies manage events and coordinate with society members more easily, allowing societies to effortlessly organise events, schedules and logistics, as well as share event details and easily track participation.
During peak season, finding and booking suitable golf courses at times that work for your society can be a major hurdle—particularly if you organise a large golf society. It is therefore important to build strong relationships with local courses, book well in advance, and consider flexible options such as mid-week events to secure better rates and availability.
Attracting new members and keeping existing ones engaged can be difficult, particularly with competing activities and busy schedules. New society members may also find it intimidating to join established group chats, which is another area where Quick9 can help. Why not offer incentives such as discounted membership fees for referrals, or organise social events beyond just golf to broaden the membership appeal.
Budgeting for events, collecting membership payments, and ensuring transparency in financial matters can be time-consuming and difficult to for society organisers. Nominating someone as a treasurer is a common solution to this, alongside implementing online payment systems and the use of budgeting and financial tools to simplify the process. Remember, there are better ways to handle finances than an Excel spreadsheet!
Joining a society as a beginner can be daunting, so it’s important to create a welcoming environment for all skill levels. However, balancing the experience for both beginner and established players can be a challenge to ensure everyone has a good time without feeling out of their depth or bored. To overcome this, think about organising events with handicapped scoring, offer coaching sessions for beginners, and consider mixed-ability pairings.
Keeping members informed and engaged can be a challenge, but is essential to a successful society, particularly in larger societies where members may not know each other so well. Dedicated apps, such as Quick9, can help solve this by sending regular notifications, allowing group members to communicate around an event, as well as updating groups with a leaderboard and the results of each round.
Balancing the desire to keep traditional aspects of the society while introducing new ideas or technologies can create friction—particularly where older members are concerned. One way around this would be to gradually introduce changes with member input and blend new ideas with established traditions to create a fresh yet familiar experience. Remember, most people are open to change if the benefits are clearly explained and they are brought along on the journey.
The logistics of ensuring a smooth golf trip for large societies can be tough but there is plenty of help available. Websites such as Golf Societies UK regularly update special offers for groups, while operators including Your Golf Travel and Golfbreaks provide exclusive group discounts and extras. Group discounts can significantly lower the overall cost for each member, making the event more affordable and attractive. A key tip is to plan well in advance to secure the best rates and availability for both travel and accommodation.
Society members will always have differing priorities. To cater for this, societies should organise a mix of serious tournaments and casual events and find a balance between competition and socialising to satisfy all members.
Whilst organising a golf society has challenges which may seem daunting, having a willingness to adapt and leveraging technology to help event coordination and management can turn these obstacles into a successful society.
About Quick9
Quick9 is a new app that empowers golf societies, groups and communities to take control of their golf experience. With Quick9, your group can find and coordinate matches and games, organise leagues, track performance and keep the focus where it belongs—on the game.
