FloridaGolf Course Promoter: ‘ More Than Our Share’
The promotion of North Florida golf courses continues to be a success, says the man who coordinates most of it. And, he adds, golf tourism is a key to keeping rates low for local players.
“We see a major increase each year,” said Dave Reese, the president of Florida’s First Coast of Golf, which brings together courses and hotels for common promotion. “There’s a lot of competition out there for the Florida travel golfer and it looks like we’re getting more than our share.”
Reese, a former convention bureau staff member, has been with FFCG for 10 years and can arguably claim to be an expert on golf tourism. He attends golf shows across the nation to promote the area and is the clearinghouse for statistical information that his members can use.
“Here’s a good one,” he says, pulling out a number-laden sheet of paper. “This is the number of golf bags which go out of the Jacksonville International Airport each year. How many do you think it would be?”
Uh ... 15,000?
JIA’s statistics: 84,466 golf bags were checked last year.
“That’s largely tourism play,” said Reese. “Our demographics don’t indicate a large amount of tourism golf by people who live here, so most of those bags are owned by people who flew in to play.”
FFCG has 30 courses - almost all daily fee courses in the area - plus 16 hotels. Through a website a brochure, media trips and golf show visits, Reese and his staff promote group and individual play.
“Each member pays a fee and we use that to promote the area,” said Reese. “We’re looking for additional revenue and one way may be to include businesses other than courses or hotels. Golf shops, for instance, or restaurants.
“I think we could become a golf Chamber of Commerce, branching out to include others. Not as full members, perhaps, but on some sort of associate basis.
“I’d also like to get every club involved as a member, even some private clubs. Everyone has ‘down’ time on the first tee. We can help fill those.”
Reese and the organization are working on various projects in hopes of adding more business.
“We’re upgrading the website to add links to our members,” he said. “Lots of travelers feel more comfortable if they deal directly with someone, rather than going through a third party.
“We also are expanding our outreach to women golfers. That’s a growing market and we’re advertising in Golf for Women magazine to see what that produces.
“We need to take advantage of whatever changes come because The Players Championship is moving to May. We bring in lots of people around the tournament now. We have to keep that March business and bring up the May business.”
Among Reese’s statistics:
• Jacksonville is the No. 5 metro area for golf after Washington, Boston, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
• Couples make up 37 percent of travelers. Families and one adult come next at 24 percent each.
• The average golf tourist spends 1-3 nights here.
• The average age of the golf tourist: 46 years old.
• Over 50 percent of the visitors claim a household income of $75,000 and over.
• The highest number of visitors is in the winter season from December through February, but not by much. That time gets 29 percent followed by 27 percent between March and May, 26 percent between June and August and 18 percent between September and November.
• According to the Florida Sports Foundation, a state agency, golf travel’s economic impact here last year was $95.7 million, a seven percent increase. Rounds played here increased by five percent. Play on a Florida golf course!
“We see a major increase each year,” said Dave Reese, the president of Florida’s First Coast of Golf, which brings together courses and hotels for common promotion. “There’s a lot of competition out there for the Florida travel golfer and it looks like we’re getting more than our share.”
Reese, a former convention bureau staff member, has been with FFCG for 10 years and can arguably claim to be an expert on golf tourism. He attends golf shows across the nation to promote the area and is the clearinghouse for statistical information that his members can use.
“Here’s a good one,” he says, pulling out a number-laden sheet of paper. “This is the number of golf bags which go out of the Jacksonville International Airport each year. How many do you think it would be?”
Uh ... 15,000?
JIA’s statistics: 84,466 golf bags were checked last year.
“That’s largely tourism play,” said Reese. “Our demographics don’t indicate a large amount of tourism golf by people who live here, so most of those bags are owned by people who flew in to play.”
FFCG has 30 courses - almost all daily fee courses in the area - plus 16 hotels. Through a website a brochure, media trips and golf show visits, Reese and his staff promote group and individual play.
“Each member pays a fee and we use that to promote the area,” said Reese. “We’re looking for additional revenue and one way may be to include businesses other than courses or hotels. Golf shops, for instance, or restaurants.
“I think we could become a golf Chamber of Commerce, branching out to include others. Not as full members, perhaps, but on some sort of associate basis.
“I’d also like to get every club involved as a member, even some private clubs. Everyone has ‘down’ time on the first tee. We can help fill those.”
Reese and the organization are working on various projects in hopes of adding more business.
“We’re upgrading the website to add links to our members,” he said. “Lots of travelers feel more comfortable if they deal directly with someone, rather than going through a third party.
“We also are expanding our outreach to women golfers. That’s a growing market and we’re advertising in Golf for Women magazine to see what that produces.
“We need to take advantage of whatever changes come because The Players Championship is moving to May. We bring in lots of people around the tournament now. We have to keep that March business and bring up the May business.”
Among Reese’s statistics:
• Jacksonville is the No. 5 metro area for golf after Washington, Boston, Atlanta and Philadelphia.
• Couples make up 37 percent of travelers. Families and one adult come next at 24 percent each.
• The average golf tourist spends 1-3 nights here.
• The average age of the golf tourist: 46 years old.
• Over 50 percent of the visitors claim a household income of $75,000 and over.
• The highest number of visitors is in the winter season from December through February, but not by much. That time gets 29 percent followed by 27 percent between March and May, 26 percent between June and August and 18 percent between September and November.
• According to the Florida Sports Foundation, a state agency, golf travel’s economic impact here last year was $95.7 million, a seven percent increase. Rounds played here increased by five percent. Play on a Florida golf course!
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