How to Construct a DRIVING RANGE

oil GOLFDOM How to Construct a By Walter Keller DRIVING RANGE CO you want to open a driving range! range has to offer, and who find it natural ^ All right, that's fine, and it's a pretty to want to go there the next time they line business to be in, after you're really get the urge to practice their shots. 'in' it—and have gotten the ideas you Now, having set down the above might have had about big money quickly, thoughts, on which 1 recommend your out of the way. I've heard a lot about serious consideration if you contemplate what the driving ranges need to make getting into this business in the future, I more money, and I've tried some of these will list the physical requirements that arc ideas, and others, myself—some working, necessary, I've found, to successfully in- a few proving Mops—and after ten years stall a practice layout: in this business I've come to some pretty location—well traveled street in or close definite conclusions. to city, Taking it for granted that in order to Space—400' by 600', with fence in rear. succeed and make money you have, to begin with, a reasonably good location, Parking Space—ample parking space is sufficient equipment, enough driving tees, necessary because you have a lot of people lights, etc., let me suggest a few addi- who like to come and watch the players, tional things that I believe will go a long and who in time become customers. way toward making better conditions, and Building—build a fair-sized building, as more money, for the driving range opera- a small one will defeat your purpose, and tors, First, I believe that where there are will allow no room to sell equipment. a sufficient number of driving ranges in Lights—install lights when you feel a community, the operators, for their own business warrants it. This is your largest protection, and because of the opportunity item from a standpoint of expense. Light to get greater protection at less cost, poles should he at least 20' high with a should take advantage of group insurance play-area floodlight on top, and two flood rates, which are considerably lower than lighting projectors at the 15' level on each the cost to individuals. pole; set 5' in ground in concrete. Light Secondly, I helieve that driving range poles should be 50' apart, and 25' in back operators should cooperate with one an- of tee line. Illumination is the greatest other to the extent of doing group buying medium of advertising that you can have. of balls, dubs and tees. The ball problem, especially, is one of the range owner's The Fairway— major headaches, and often times he finds (a) Drainage—make wide shallow himself down practically to the last few ditches for water to drain off quickly, pails, so to speak, because the sources of otherwise in rainy weather halls will supply have been diminished by too much sink in ground. buying by certain individual operators. (b) Mowers—any well known Group buying of balls, too, would open up make of new or used three gang new sources of supply of balls. The needs mower. of a whole group would make a proposi- (c) Mowing—keep grass cut tion attractive, whereas what one operator short; it will also make it easy to pick may need might not interest. up the balls. Shot Exhibition* Are Helpful (d) Greens—one or two greens should be built on an incline to pitch Another thing, I think we driving range to, with white board in back. operators should take advantage of the (e) Yardage m a r k e r ft—erect publicity value of any important tourna- wooden signs with numerals from ment to be held in the vicinity, and make 50 yards to 250 yards painted on them. arrangements with the manufacturers to (f) Flags—install bright colored have one or two or more, of the star per- flags for fairway and greens—such formers put on driving and shot demon- as red, yellow, blue, and white. strations at our practice ranges. Exhibi- tions of this kind always attract large Tee-Line—If you are in a part of the crowds, who get acquainted with what the country where there is much rain, the tee- oil GOLFDOM line must be built about one foot above factor in the distribution of golf goods. ground level, and situated so that players Advertisements in the campaign already do not shoot into the sun. have run in GOLFING, Life and Time. ' (a) Platforms—make of boards 3' by In telling advertising men of the cam- ZW and covered with heavy roof- paign Printers' Ink says; ing paper. The average professional is a represen- (b) Mats—use heavy leather belting tative for the top-ranking merchandise of (5 or 6 ply) 30"xl2" or 15", to all leading golf equipment manufacturers, shoot from; put small slits in selling, for the most part, from sample them so that tees ean be placed. displays. His market is relatively small, (c) Tee arrows—boards shaped like being limited, as a rule, to some three or arrows 1" by 8" by 3V>' brightly four hundred club members. He can't af- painted, and pointing toward ford to advertise, of course, and he natur- fairway. ally can't be overly aggressive in his sell- Golf Balls and Clubs—have good golf ing approach to memhers. Further, he is halls and clubs, and a sufficient number of rarely possessed of the salesman's tem- each, as they are 'the backbone' of the perament, for his basic qualification for business. (A 'sufficient' number of balls his job is his athletic prowess. would mean approximately 100 balls per At the same time, from the standpoint tee.) of the golf equipment manufacturer, the Com pet i tore—One of the Golden Rules golf pro in the aggregate is a very im- of us operators in the Chicago District is portant figure in the distribution picture. never to irritate your competitor; he can He is the sole factor in equipment sales- do you more harm than any group of cus- manship at what is often the point of tomers. Also, when the customers tell you greatest consumer accessibility and lowest how to run your business, you had better sales resistance—that is, on the actual look for a new business, as you will never premises of the golf club. Moreover, he is make money in this one. You must re- particularly important in the sale of the member you have to live for 12 months higher quality of golf equipment, since from the proceeds of this five-month busi- members of private clubs usually possess ness, so you must save money whenever a higher buying power than the average you can. Ours is a strictly cash business run of golf addicts. with no reductions, and we operators must Through the new advertising program all stick by it. L. R. Icely, president of Wilson Sporting Driving range operators, if they are Goods, proposes to build up the golf pro's wise, will never 'fight' another in the same business—to move his market in through business. We should all strive to help one the front door and up to the counter. another so that lhe public will patronize The job is a broad one and the benefit us more often. I would appreciate hearing to the company will necessarily be in- from other range owners, or prospective direct, but Mr. Icely is satisfied that the range operators, on this subject. We need advertising investment will bring definite all the good ideas we can get because we're returns. A wider appreciation of the pro's in a tough business—-but one that pays out importance to the golfer will inevitably if it's worked right. broaden his opportunity to sell to a greater number of those who compose his market. And insofar as the advertising Wilson Ad Campaign "Sells" messages and the pro's coaching opera- tions help to increase golfers' pleasure in Golfers on Pro Services the game, the combination will naturally pRINTKRS' INK, famous weekly of the favor the sales of quality merchandise. As advertising profession, featured in its a leading manufacturer of golf equipment, March 8 issue a story on the Wilson Sport- Wilson naturally figures to come in for ing Goods Co. 1940, golTer player cam- its share of the increased volume. paign. Under the head "Promoting the Further, the activity is not going to do Pro," Printers' Ink tells how lhe Wilson Wilson any damage in the pro's eyes. campaign running in national magazines, The fact that the company is conducting mentions no merchandise, but sells services a major promotion effort in the pro's direct of the club professional to golfers. and exclusive behalf will inevitably create The advertising journal marks the Wil- plenty of good-will. The advertising will, son campaign as a notable contribution to of course, be thoroughly merchandised to pro development as a powerful and popular professionals throughout the country. .

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