Posted in Harry's Blog - Archives

Every year, Fore! Reservations participates in the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando. With a large booth and a bunch of electronic equipment to transport, we usually drive a large trailer down with all of the essentials. This year it was my turn to drive, and about two-thirds of the way down something struck me; I rely on Google. I mean, I rely on Google a lot. Where should I stop and get gas? Google Places. Where is the closest Home Depot and how do I get there? Google Maps. Driving directions around the construction in Georgia? Google Navigation. They seem to know the traffic, the location, and the basic information of everything, everywhere, every time. So what does this have to do with golf?

I think that with such a powerful force at work, it is critical to examine your business through the eyes of somebody using Google. I believe that a golf course operator should go through the following steps as it relates to Google:

1.    Google Your Course Name and See What Comes Up – Google search your course and all of the potential variations and check the results. What are the top websites that come up (hopefully your own)? What else comes up in that “organic” list of 10 pages? Did Google Maps come up, and if so is the location correct? Did any sponsored links show up on the right side that relate to your course’s name? If so, it is possible that another business is using your golf course name in their “ad word” buy to help sell their products and services. I believe this is equivalent to brand hijacking and should be stopped at all costs. Why should your business and its name help benefit other businesses that aren’t yours?

2.    Click Around on the Search Results – Spend a little time “venturing down the rabbit hole” and see where these different pages take you. What are the pages that link to your course? What is being said about your course? Remember, your customer or potential customer is visiting this site, so you need to be aware of how your course appears to these visitors.

3.    Rectify or Correct False Information – Whether it’s incorrect demographic information or somebody slandering the condition of your course; contact the website and fix the problem. For a reputable site, there are usually responsive measures you can take if somebody is bad-mouthing your course. For example, on TripAdvisor they allow businesses to respond to negative criticism with any corrective actions they took, and those responses are listed next to the guest’s criticism. I believe this helps you keep out in front of any potential attacks on your brand name. It may be impossible to keep every customer happy every time, but if you can address those “squeaky wheels” on the Internet, it will help keep your course’s brand name in high regard.

4.    Think About How YOU Can Leverage Google to Increase Your Business – I am by no means a Search Engine expert, but golf course operators should be aware of different techniques they can use to make sure their website is at the top of the Google search list. Start with your website provider to get their feedback and opinion. See if it makes sense for your business to invest in Google Ad Words. If your course is still spending money the “same old way” with phone books, directories, etc. you could be missing out on an avenue that consumers use to find local businesses.

Even though I’m not a Google expert (and I’m sure there are a bunch out there), I think it is important for golf course operators to get informed about their golf course’s brand name and how is being viewed through the eyes of Google. It’s too prevalent to ignore, and your course’s reputation could be at stake.

Harry Ipema
CEO, Fore! Reservations