Tag Archives: Golf Course

Episode 120: Break the Rules If There is a Compelling Reason To Do So | Jay Blasi

*Jay Blasi was on the Robert Trent Jones II, RTJII design team at Chambers Bay Golf Course.

During this episode, Jay Blasi shares his experience working on the design team at Chambers Bay Golf Course, the home of the 2015 U.S. Open.  One piece of advice Jay shares about golf course design is to break the rules if there is a compelling reason to do so.

Jay Blasi Break the Rules

Jay Blasi

Jay Blasi spent his initial years at RTJ II assisting the design team on dozens of projects around the world. His first opportunity to serve as one of the lead architects on a project team came at Chambers Bay, a true links layout on the shores of Puget Sound, in University Place, Washington. Blasi fell in love with the property on his first site visit, and spent the majority of his time on the project from 2004 to 2007.

Jay Blasi on Chamber's Bay Break the Rules

Chamber’s Bay

Following its debut in June of 2007, Chambers Bay was named by GOLF Magazine, Golfweek, Travel + Leisure Golf, and Golf Inc. as the number one golf course to open that year. In February of 2008, the USGA awarded Chambers Bay the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship and the 2015 U.S Open Championship, making it the first course built since the 1960s to receive the latter honor. The announcement also made the RTJ II team the only living architects to have designed a U.S. Open course.

Jay says he deals with others in a variety of different ways, he draws plans, communicates and works with others on developing a game plan to create a golf course.

Success Quotes:

  • “The number 1 rule is break the rules if there’s a compelling reason.”
  • “As golf architects we’re artists tasked to create this landscape painting.”
  • “Two people can look at the same thing and see something different.”
  • “Know your audience.”
  • “If the golfer uses every club in their bag, that’s a success.”
  • “Ask the golfer to think, rather than just execute.”
Jay Blasi Break the Rules

Jay Blasi

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Episode 108: From Scarcity to Abundance | Ellory Wells

Ellory Wells From Scarcity to Abundance with Zeb Welborn on the Defining Success Podcast

Ellory Wells

In Episode 108 of the Defining Success Podcast, Ellory Wells shares how he lost his job and took up a career in online marketing.  Learn about his transition and how he’s living in a world that’s  transitioning from scarcity to abundance.

Ellory Wells was born and raised in north Texas. He loves technology, gadgets, cool toys, video games and movies. He often writes his blog posts while sitting on my back porch overlooking nature and the golf course.

In addition to writing and coaching, he enjoys reading, watching TV and movies, playing golf and spending time with his wife.

Ellory Wells has a blog, a podcast – The Empowered Podcast, he provides one-on-one coaching, he organizes a a mastermind group and wrote a best selling ebook titled, How to Start Your Professional Podcast for $200 or Less.

In his one-on-one coaching, Ellory helps his clients get clarity.

Our world is shifting from scarcity to abundance.  Ellory believes the world used to be more cut-throat, but in today’s innovative society, there is room for everyone to grow.

Ellory’s most popular blog post is 7 Types of People Successful People Avoid.

Ellory Wells From Scarcity to Abundance

Ellory Wells

Shout Outs:

  • Flight of the Buffalo
  • Jim Caviezel
  • Chris Cerrone
  • Vernon Ross
  • Christina Canters

Quotes:

  • “If you expose yourself to a new normal, it’ll change you.”
  • “The best, most successful people think in a mindset of abundance.”
  • “If you want to make a million dollars, help a million people.”
  • “If you have ten ideas, see one of them through to completion.”
  • “You don’t have to be across the finish line to help someone else.”
  • “Success is not hating what I do every single day.”

Check Out:

Ellory Wells The Empowered Podcast From Scarcity to Abundance

Ellory Wells The Empowered Podcast

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Episode 72: The Social Golf Course Part 2

The Social Golf Course was written by Zeb Welborn and John Hakim.

The Social Golf Course by Zeb Welborn and John Hakim

The Social Golf Course

In Episode 72 of the Defining Success Podcast we go through our book chapter by chapter and discuss the ideas presented in the book. At the end of each chapter we present a question in our book, which we encourage readers to engage with on our website, SocialGolfCourse.com.

In Part 2, we discuss Chapters 9 – 14.

‘The Social Golf Course’ with John Hakim, Part 2

Chapter 9: How to Become a Social Golf Course
Basically, in this chapter we walk through each platform and the basics of how to use each platform. Create a social culture and reflect that culture online through your website, email list/newsletter, Facebook, Blog, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. Social media is constantly evolving and each platform will offer different ways to reach out and encourage golfers to play your course.

Which platform is the most important for golf courses to utilize to reach more customers?

Chapter 10: Greenskeeper.org Golf’s Social Network
In this chapter we discuss how golf courses can leverage Greenskeeper.org. How they can use it for free, and why Greenskeeper.org is a media buy.

How do I get more GK’ers playing my golf course? More ideas!

Chapter 11: Creating Content to Build a Golf Community
Creating content for social media is not easy. In this chapter we have lots of ideas and examples for creating content that will resonate with your golfers. Macro content is larger pieces of content designed to educate, entertain, or help tell the story of a golf course. Including 19th Hole Stories, the golf stories you share in the clubhouse before and after a round of golf. Micro Content can be posted more frequently. It is smaller pieces of content that are designed to build engagement.

What is your favorite 19th hole story?

Chapter 12: Implementing Social Media: Getting Your Staff Involved
To transform your course into a social golf course it’s important to have several members of your staff contributing. Staff members from marketing, top level management, turf management, the pro shop, tournament organization, event planning, and outside services can all be a part of your course’s social media presence.

What ideas do you have to get golf course staff more involved in the social media presence at your golf course?

Chapter 13: Managing Your Reputation
Today, customers naturally filter sales messages because the internet, search engines and social media provide a more accurate representation of your golf course. Properly handling negative and positive reviews on your social networks can not only bring more golfers to your course, they can help you make your business better.

How do you handle positive or negative reviews at your golf course? Have any examples?

Chapter 14: The Social Golf Course
Creating the social golf course will take hard work commitment and dedication. The social golf course is proud of their product. They strive to give the best golfing experience to every golfer that visits the course and then work to share that experience with as many people as possible.

Use social media effectively and turn your golf course into The Social Golf Course.

Do you have questions about how to turn your golf course into a social golf course?

Visit www.SocialGolfCourse.com!

Check out the book on Amazon.com, The Social Golf Course: Increasing Rounds with Social Media. Available for Kindle (you can download the kindle app for free on most smart phones, tablets, and computers!) and as a paperback.

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Episode 68: The Social Golf Course Part 1

The Social Golf Course was written by Zeb Welborn and John Hakim.

The Social Golf Course by Zeb Welborn and John Hakim

The Social Golf Course

In Episode 68 of the Defining Success Podcast we go through our book chapter by chapter and discuss the ideas presented in the book.  At the end of each chapter we present a question in our book, which we encourage readers to engage with on our website, SocialGolfCourse.com.

In Part 1, we discuss Chapters 1 – 8.

Chapter 1: The Death of the Traditional Golf Course. When I think of the glory days of golf, I think back to the time my grandfather played the game as the men’s club president at his local golf course.  The times have changed and we must think about the game differently. The local golf course must take the responsibility for developing and enhancing their local communities — online and offline.

Question: When were the glory days of golf?

Chapter 2: An Industry in the Rough Golf has been in decline since 2005.  It’s been a scary time in the golf course industry with more courses closing than opening and the outlook doesn’t look pretty.  Golf courses need to take a much more active role in promoting the game.

What is the biggest problem facing golf today?  How can we fix it?

Chapter 3: The St. Andrews Model St. Andrews is the undisputed home of golf, but it is not by luck.  St. Andrews marketed themselves and their golf course to the world which has made St. Andrews the most recognizable golf course in golf.  The most important thing golf courses can do is to market their golf course effectively.

What are some interesting ways you’ve seen golf courses market themselves? How do/would you market your golf course?

Chapter 4: The Mulligan Tee time wholesalers have been detrimental to the golf course industry.  Social media has created an opportunity for local golf courses to eliminate the need for tee time wholesalers and create a strong personal brand for themselves.

Are tee time wholesalers good or bad for the golf course industry?

Chapter 5: Golf is a Social Game Golf is a social game.  It’s a no brainer that social media and golf go together.

What makes golf special?

Chapter 6: Marketing in Today’s Economy Effective marketing methods change all the time.  Right now, social media is outperforming all other forms of advertising methods.  We all must learn how to market effectively as technology is changing the way we live and the way we consume information.

What is the future of marketing in the golf course industry?

Chapter 7: The Golf Niche Golfers are really easy to reach through social media.  Targeting features on different social media platforms offer a great opportunity to connect with your target market.

Who is your ideal customer? How can you get them?

Chapter 8: How Being Social Can Increase Profits at Your Course The big question is, how can social media make money for your golf course.  In this chapter we go in detail about how social media works and how you can profit from using social media at your golf course.

How has social media impacted your relationship with your customers?

Part 2 will complete our discussion on The Social Golf Course.

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Bunkers Paradise Charity Golf Tournament at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course

Bunkers Paradise held their first annual Bunkers Paradise Charity Golf Tournament for the Special Olympics of Southern California at San Dimas Canyon Golf Course on Sunday, October 13.

For a first year tournament, Bunkers Paradise had close to 50 golfers playing for the Special Olympics of Southern California, including two previous guests of the Defining Success Podcast, Ken Lee (Episode 9) and Kate Hughes (Episode 26).

Ken Lee is the Editor-in-Chief of Bunkers Paradise and worked with San Dimas Canyon Golf Course to help put on the event.  Welborn Media and 19th Hole Media are currently working with San Dimas Canyon Golf Course on their social media presence.  Check out the San Dimas Canyon Facebook page to see how we can help build and grow the online presence of any golf course. Kenny Donovan Zeb Welborn Mike Quiroz Gary Christman Surprisingly enough, with the help of Gary Christman, Kenny Donovan and Mike Quiroz, the Welborn Media and 19th Hole Media ended up shooting a 14-under par to tie for the lead at the tournament and each of us won brand new Cleveland XL Drivers thanks to the folks at Bunkers Paradise.

Kate Hughes was in attendance as a contributor to Bunkers Paradise and an advocate of the Special Olympics and golf.  All in all, the tournament was a great success and we were happy to be a part of it!  Even happier that we ended up winning the first ever Bunkers Paradise Charity Golf Tournament!

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New Client! Greenskeeper.org Facebook Page

We’re very excited to announce that we were recently hired by Greenskeeper.org to help manage the Greenskeeper.org Facebook page.

John Hakim from Greenskeeper.org on the Defining Success Podcast with Zeb Welborn Know Before You Go

Greenskeeper.org

After appearing as a guest on the Defining Success Podcast, Johnny and I have become great friends and are even working on a book together on how golf courses can use the Internet to reach more golfers and encourage more golfers to play at their golf course more often.

Johnny is the owner of Greenskeeper.org, a website made for golfers with an almost unlimited amount of features that golfers can use to enhance their enjoyment of the game.  Golfers can post scores, review golf courses, learn of golf course conditions and interact with others in the Greenskeeper.org community.

The members who use the site regularly refer to themselves as GKers and even have regular golf outings where GKers can interact, get to know each other and play some golf.  As a lover of golf and promoter of the game, I am extremely excited to be working with Johnny to help more people interact in the GK community, reach more golfers and give golfers a better experience when they do decide to get out and play.

Johnny Hakim | How to Make Your Customers Become a Part of Your Business | Greenskeeper.org

Johnny Hakim

Many of you may remember Johnny Hakim as our guest in the 35th episode of the Defining Success Podcast.  His episode was titled, Episode 35: Making Your Customers a Part of Your Business | Johnny Hakim from Greenskeeper.org where he talked about how he’s been able to build a community around Greenskeeper.org and get more members active and involved in the GK Community.

We’re really excited to be managing the Greenskeeper.org Facebook page and encourage all of you to visit the page, like it, and interact with other GKers.

If you have any questions about how we can help you reach more customers, encourage customers to buy more and build a strong online presence for your business, please visit Welborn Media or contact me by email – Zeb@WelbornMedia.com

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Episode 35: Making Your Customers A Part of Your Business | Johnny Hakim from Greenskeeper.org

Johnny Hakim from Greenskeeper.org shares his insights on how to make a customer feel like they are a part of your business and how he uses that to keep customers for longer and become active promoters of his business.  Learn how to create raving fans by making your customers become a part of your business and learn how to manage your online reputation in Episode 35 of the Defining Success Podcast.

Johnny Hakim | How to Make Your Customers Become a Part of Your Business | Greenskeeper.org

Johnny Hakim

Johnny Hakim (JohnnyGK) is the owner of Greenskeeper.org.  Greenskeeper.org is a free online community and golf social network providing golf course review, aeration alerts, overseeding schedules, photos, specials, tee times, score tracking, outings, product reviews and more.

Greenskeeper.org started back in 2000 and Johnny was doing record promotion and he was always golfing on Wednesdays.  There was too many times where he encountered golf courses that were doing aeration that he decided to see if there was any place online that was giving golfers aeration alerts.  He couldn’t find anything.  While he was doing this record production he decided to make his own website and wanted to do more with it.  He interviewed some programmers and found what he was looking for.  He’s been inspired ever since.

His website started working in Ventura County, Los Angeles County, Orange County, and once he put those up other places were asking for it including San Diego County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County.  A lot of people highlighted their appreciation of the program and loved what Johnny has been able to do at Greenskeeper.org.

Johnny has set up his website and it has pretty much spread organically since its inception.  People come up to him all the time and tell him how wonderful the site is and how much they love what he is doing with Greenskeeper.org.

When Johnny started his website, he just wanted to let people know about the aeration schedules at golf courses.  But, he knew that the website was a work in progress.  The users have helped determine the direction of the website and all the things you see on the Greenskeeper.org website comes from the users themselves and suggestions from golf course owners.

Right now, the website revolves around the “GKer” the people who are giving back and helping others understand the condition of local golf courses.  Johnny’s website gives people an opportunity to share their experiences at golf courses, for the benefit of those who are involved in the game.  Most people come to Greenskeeper.org to read the golf reviews.  People use Greenskeeper.org for aeration alerts, they use a score tracker, they are now using the community forums where people can discuss and share their thoughts about golf and local golf courses.

One of the biggest challenges Johnny had faced in building his business was actually making money. When he started the site, he was hoping that golf courses would be eager to advertise on his platform where he was reaching enormous amounts of golfers.  The problem was that the golfing industry was way behind the times when it came to their online presence.

The biggest problem Johnny sees in the golf industry is that they are not adapting to the changing world.  They are still marketing traditionally and are not investing in the online world and are losing to competitors who are taking advantage of the opportunities available online.  In order to succeed golf courses need to control their online presence and promote themselves online.

The people who are going to succeed are the ones who are looking into the future and not the ones who are holding on to the past.  This is probably the biggest reason why golf courses are failing today.

On the Greenskeeper.org website golfers can leave reviews on golf courses all over the United States and one of the things Johnny has had a hard time doing is convincing golf courses to reach out to the people that are playing their course and say thank you.  By being proactive on the Internet and thanking those people who have played the course, you are creating an opportunity for massive word of mouth promotion.

By responding to criticism or thanking people for using your business.  You are now able to show that you are being authentic and that you genuinely care about your customers.  Before the Internet, each customer was valuable, but now, other customers can see how you treat your customers in a public forum and they can connect with that.

The large majority of people who visit Greenskeeper.org are not the people who are leaving the reviews.  They are what Johnny calls, lurkers.  They visit the site to get information about golf courses and then make decisions about the golf courses they plan on playing from there.  So, even though there are only a few recommendations on the golf course pages themselves, those reviews are being seen by hunderds and, in some cases, thousands of golfers.

Monetizing Greenskeeper.org has been no easy task.  Johnny has spoken with golf course owners and decision makers for years trying to understand their needs and figure out how he can service those needs with his website and it has been a struggle, but he has come up with a solution that works.  Golf courses are now using Greenskeeper.org to highlight their golf courses on the website for a small monthly fee and the golf courses who utilize these features have experienced a lot of success.

One of Johnny’s greatest moments working at Greenskeeper.org was recently when he set up his first golf outing for golfers in Central and Northern California.  Many people in the GK community took part in the tournament.  They came together and had a great time.

John Hakim from Greenskeeper.org on the Defining Success Podcast with Zeb Welborn Know Before You Go

Greenskeeper.org

Engaging Discussion Questions:

  • How do you make your customers feel like they are a part of your business?
  • Do you think the Internet and online marketing can help in word of mouth marketing?
  • How do you handle reviews about your business?

Links to Great Stuff:

  • Greenskeeper.org – “Greenskeeper.org is a free online community, golf social network, providing golf course reviews, aeration alerts, overseeding schedules, photos, specials, tee times, score tracking, outings, product reviews, more.”
  • Gary Vaynerchuk – “I love to hustle!”

Success Quotes:

  • “Success is inspiration.”
  • “When you’re following your heart or passion, you’re successful.”
  • “When you’re inspired, you’re successful.”
  • “To be a GKer is to be someone that appreciates the site in general and is a part of the community concept.”
  • “To be a GKer is to be active in writing reviews and a part of the community.”
  • “Every time we do one of these GK events there is just a good vibe.”
  • “The most active pages on Greenskeeper.org get 1,000’s of views a month.”
  • “When a golf course is being authentic and thankful, golfers will see that as that’s how they treat their customers.”
  • “Just saying thank you can make all the difference in the world for a golf course.”
  • “It boils down to word of mouth.  That’s what drive most business.”
  • “Golf courses need to take their online presence seriously.”
  • “They are getting the pants beat off of them by the wholesalers and they weren’t identifying that there customers were going online.”
  • “The golfing industry is way behind the times when it comes to their online presence.”

Special Requests:

Zeb Welborn Golf, Defining Success Podcast Golf and 19th Hole Media Golf are offering you a free 3-month membership to Golf Card International

Free 3-Month Membership to Golf Card International

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Episode #14: Build Your Business with Friendliness and Hospitality | David Kramer from Los Serranos Country Club

Teaser: David Kramer discusses the importance of friendliness and hospitality to help build your business. His passion and devotion to his craft shine through as he’s able to demonstrate how being kind and hospital has helped his business grow.

Thank you for visiting the Defining Success Podcast. Please download, subscribe and rate our podcast on iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-success-podcast/id619459909 Thanks for listening!

 

David Kramer from Los Serranos Country Club - Build Your Business

David Kramer from Los Serranos Country Club

Recap:

The son of tennis legend, Jack Kramer, David is the Senior Vice President of Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills, CA which recently won the 2012 Golf Course of the Year by the California Golf Course Owner’s Association. He’s a lover of golf, tennis, sports, and recreation, but most importantly, he’s a lover of people.

David got his first set of golf clubs when he was 10 or 11 and he was fortunate enough to play golf 3 or 4 times a week when he accompanied his father on a trip to play in the Davis Cup in Australia. His father then got involved with Los Serranos Country Club of which David became a part in.

As a young man, David was interested in all kinds of sports and he was able to play any sport he wanted to. David worked at Los Serranos Country Club when he was 13 and 14 years old. He became General Manager in 1997 and was Assistant General Manager in 1992. He worked as a tennis professional and helped manage some tennis colleges and schools and has been very fortunate to be involved in recreation his entire life.

David talked about his dad, Jack who was a great father and a great parent. Jack lived a charmed life and he did what he loved to do and he became the top tennis player from 1947 to 1954 and after that he gave back to the game in a variety of different capacities. But his greatest accomplishment was that he wanted to make tennis more available to the public.

The best place to transfer values is through the family where there is love for that tradition or profession.

David still communicates with friends that he met in the second grade and his group of friends still have a large impact in his life today. In 1965, there were 51 people who graduated in his class and he still communicates on a regular basis with close to 25 of them. He’s been able to share a lot of experiences, stories and ideals with his childhood friends.

The advice David would give to someone who wanted to start a goal would be to work hard to become a better person and to grow as a person. And if you work hard at becoming a better person you will become better in business.

David and Andrew Kramer at St. Andrews Golf Course - Build Your Business

David and Andrew Kramer at St. Andrews Golf Course.

David loved working at Los Serranos Country Club because, as he says, “People come happy,” and he was just happy sharing and participating with the people who visited his golf course. He feels very fortunate doing something that he really enjoys and he truly feels that he’s living his passion.

You really have to find out what your duty is and what your skills are that you can use to deliver the goods. If you’re struggling at work then you’re probably not doing what you’re supposed to do.

Golfers have been coming to Los Serranos since 1925 and in 2012, Los Serranos Country Club was recognized as the Golf Course of the Year by the California Golf Course Owner’s Association for their contribution to the game. They are very involved in the community, youth, service organizations and their ability to manage a golf course to provide championship conditions at reasonable prices and provide valuable services to the members.

David feels success is a culmination of factors that basically comes in to finding the “sweet spot.” Meaning that when you’re doing great things and helping others a person can be successful. He advises others to use friendliness and hospitality in order to build your business.

Engaging Discussion Questions:

  • How can being friendly and hospitable help your business?
  • Do you think family has a role in the professions we choose?

Links to Great Stuff:

  • Los Serranos Country Club – “Set amidst 300 lush acres on the historic Don Lugo Spanish Land Grant and convenient to Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties, Los Serranos Country Club offers an unparalleled Country Club experience at affordable prices. The two 18 hole golf courses are certain to appeal to players of all levels and ages. The world class facilities include championship golf, full practice areas, golf school and lessons, new Kids Course, and an award winning Clubhouse that features our elegant Montebello Ballroom, restaurant & lounge in the Racquet Room, locker room ammenities and Golf Shop. Los Serranos Golf & Country Club is the perfect complete Country Club experience for the entire family.”
  • 19th Hole Media – With 19th Hole Media, we’re trying to grow the game of golf.  Many golf courses are behind the times when it comes to marketing the game and we’re trying to build it at a grass roots level by helping golf courses develop a strong online presence for their business in order to attract more customers and encourage more golfers to visit their golf course and to do so more often.
  • Welborn Social Media

Success Quotes:

  • “Hospitality and friendliness comes from within.”
  • “The world is my family.”
  • “It’s good to know who you are. It’s good to know where you’ve come from. And it’s good to know where you’d like to go.”
  • “If you learn to love something as much as your mother and father loved something, that’s a great place to start.”

Special Requests:

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