Did Someone Say Free Golf?
May 27, 2009
By Ken Young, Golfing Magazine
They say there is no such thing as a free lunch. On Long Island, though, there is such a thing as free golf.
“We’ve been running the Free Golf program for a number of years now,” said John Glozek, the longtime publisher of Golfing Magazine. “It’s a great way for local golfers to sample some of the finest courses in the country, and it’s also a wonderful opportunity for the golf courses to attract new golfers to their facility.”
The program is simple. When golfers subscribe to Golfing Magazine, they receive a certificate entitling them to free rounds of golf on courses that span Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. In total, 45 courses can be played for free this year, including nine on Long Island. For the golfer, this is enough to play one free round a week for the entire golf season, all for the low price of $49.
Long Islanders, especially, will love what this year’s program has in store. Courses that can be played for free include Brentwood, Dix Hills Park, Great Rock, Gull Haven, Harbor Links, Holbrook, Island’s End, Rock Hill, and Swan Lake. That’s 144 holes of golf for free!
Ten years ago, owners of most golf courses would have been reluctant to participate in a program that gave rounds of golf away for free. Truth be told, they had little reason to want to participate. At that time, nearly every course on the Island enjoyed a surplus of golfers, with tee times booked well in advance. Since then, the number of golf courses on Long Island has grown beyond demand, spreading the existing pool of golfers thinner and thinner so that it has become more difficult than ever for courses to maintain a profitable business model. Add to that the prospect of an uncertain economy, and it’s easy to see why golf courses today have constantly had to seek new ways to stand out from the crowd.
“You have to market your golf course in these difficult economic times, which was practically unheard of in the 1990s,” said George Dixon, the head professional at both Crab Meadow Golf Course and Dix Hills Park Golf Course. “The Free Golf program gives us exposure in a great golf magazine and also brings us new golfers that will hopefully return to us again and again. It’s a win-win for both the golfers and the participating golf courses.”
As Dixon points out, the Free Golf program doesn’t just help the golf courses. It is also a godsend for the golfers of Long Island. With the program, subscribers can drastically increase their number of rounds played for the year, with no out-of-pocket expenses outside of paying a cart fee. The Free Golf program is also an excellent way to share the game of golf with friends or family, whether it is by introducing new players to the game or experiencing a new course with your existing foursome.
Golf has always played an important role in not only establishing new business relationships, but in strengthening existing ones. In today’s economy, the Free Golf program may be just what some golf courses need to close the deal with the thousands of Long Island golfers that take to the fairways each week. “Playing golf is always great,” said Glozek, “but playing golf for free? There is nothing better.”
To find out more about the Free Golf program, please call 516-822-5446 or visit www.golfingmagli.com.
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Sports
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