Membership boom for Scottish club

Northern star: Highland venue Fortrose & Rosemarkie is reaping the rewards of a membership drive

Proactive marketing strategy has Fortrose & Rosemarkie celebrating 

Highland links Fortrose & Rosemarkie is celebrating after a recent membership campaign added over 70 new recruits to the club; proof that clubs in Scotland can attract new members through effective marketing, even in these difficult economic times. 

Thanks to a structured marketing plan, including an Open Evening at the end of June, Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club have added 75 new members with further enquiries coming in on a daily basis.

New members have been attracted from as far afield as the United States, Switzerland and England, with an enquiry only last week coming in from Canada. As a result, the club, a classic Scottish links course located on the Chanonry Peninsula in the ‘Black Isle’ with breathtaking views over the Moray Firth, has increased its total membership to 834.

For a limited period only between June and August, the club waived their joining fee, allowing golfers to become a member for just £275 for the remainder of the 2012 season. Country/overseas membership (anyone living 50 miles out with the club) was offered at £175, with junior membership £30 and social membership £20.

While budgets remain tight for the vast majority of golf clubs, Fortrose & Rosemarkie agreed to invest funds in an organised campaign. Distributing glossy flyers in the area via a local supplier and advertising their Open Evening on the official SGU website and other online sites, the club spread their net far and wide.

The Open Evening at Fortrose also allowed potential members the chance to sample the facilities and experience a warm welcome with a free welcome drink and complimentary canapés. They could also talk to committee members and the club secretary to have any questions answered.

Whilst practice facilities at the club are fantastic – a 300-yard long practice area, driving bays, practice nets, practice bunkers, and short game practice area – the real ‘gem’ is the course itself. Situated amid stunning scenery just 15 miles north east of Inverness, the course was re-designed by the five-time Open champ James Braid in 1932.

Next year is the 125th anniversary of the club and such is the popularity of the course that Fortrose & Rosemarkie will host three national tournaments next year, including the Loretto Scottish Boys & Girls Under-14 Championship from the August 11-12.

The club also has reciprocal agreements in place for all playing members, featuring discounts at Royal Dornoch, Brora, Moray, Nairn Dunbar, Golspie, Tain, Inverness and Forres. This entitles each playing member to play up to three rounds of golf at these other courses at considerably reduced rates just by being a member of Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club.

Each member also receives a membership loyalty card which entitles them to a 10% discount off all products purchased in the bar, shop or for any catering at the club.

Mike MacDonald, club secretary at Fortrose & Rosemarkie, said: “We’ve had great success with our membership campaign. The best kind of advertising is quality.

“With the uniqueness of the course and setting not really found anywhere else, in addition to the course condition and facilities on offer we feel we have that quality in abundance for any new prospective members wishing to join a links course with year round playability.”

Reflecting on the membership figures, MacDonald added: “We have now increased the membership by 75 bringing the total membership to 834.  Further enquiries are coming in to me all the time which is a sure sign the product we are offering is a good one. We’ve also had new members who have recently joined from the United States.

“The reciprocal agreements we have with other courses in the area are certainly an added bonus for new members so it gives something back to them too and there is no doubt it’s a big plus for overseas members, especially.

“We are such a unique Scottish links golf course and despite the economic downturn more visitors are coming to visit the course. Being so close to both Royal Dornoch Golf Club and Castle Stuart Golf Links, we are certainly worth a visit as we really do offer true value for money and our popularity and status is growing with the Club hosting three national tournaments in 2013 in what will be the Club’s 125th anniversary.

“Thanks to all involved for helping our club prosper through this campaign, including the support from the Scottish Golf Union.”

Ross Duncan, marketing and sponsorship manager for the Scottish Golf Union, praised the work being done by the Highlands club.

“We are delighted to see the efforts of Mike and his team at Fortrose & Rosemarkie being rewarded with a significant increase in membership,” Duncan said.

“This highlights that a proactive approach to marketing can help attract new members and provides a great example to other clubs looking to implement their own marketing campaigns.

“The SGU and SLGA continue to support clubs in this area and we invested increased resource in our national membership awareness marketing activity this year to highlight the benefits of being a golf club member to an even wider audience.”

Bryce Ritchie is the Editor of bunkered and, in addition to leading on content and strategy, oversees all aspects of the brand. The first full-time journalist employed by bunkered, he joined the company in 2001 and has been editor since 2009. A member of Balfron Golfing Society, he currently plays off nine and once got a lesson from Justin Thomas’ dad.

Editor of bunkered