Club websites

[Jarro]

does your club have a website ??

Is it any good .. in your opinion ??

Nudgee doesn't have one as yet, but i'm hoping they'll get their finger out soon ..... online booking of tee times sounds like a great idea ;)

[Fishman Dan]

My club has one, but it hasn't really been updated properly for a long time. Same goes for Casino GC.

Problem is that a proper website (ie. cared for, maintained, updated) costs a lot of $$$, and clubs aren't prepared to fork out for it. An internet 'presence' is one thing, but ongoing sites aren't worth the money for them.

Online tee time bookings are tricky. For starters to implement a fair system, it would cost a lot of money (including testing), and secondly, a lot of members (especially board members) are older, and aren't regular internet users. You would never get buy-in from them (at my clubs anyway). It will be a long time before the pencil/paper booking sheet is done away with for the majority of courses.

Some 3rd-party mobs have tried online booking systems, but it has never taken off.

[Jarro]

well i for one am sick of all the old farts blocking the path of progress ....

[Fishman Dan]

Ditto for me, oh Goatee'd one.

I'm in a rut at the moment. I can only get arvo/late morning tee-times, and because i turn up mid-morning to get ready, all of the early spots on the new time sheet are taken up by the early players that day.

Online tee time booking would certainly help us young blokes play early...

[Jarro]

i hear ya ..... you wouldn't believe what we go through to get an early tee-time up here ;)

[jimandr]

To go back to the original question, my club, Camden Valley, has a website, but it isn't worth two cents.

Dan was spot on about the problems of maintaining golf club websites. The ones that go well are usually maintained/controlled by an internet savvy trainee or assistant pro, or a member of the office staff. Some lucky clubs have a volunteer member do the duty.

Most, like Camden Valley's, start in a blaze of enthusiasm, then fade away when the club realises they don't actually gain much by having it up to date. Most of the members don't even look at it, and casual internet searchers (like us) only want a course guide and basic details.

In an ideal world, there would be internet booking of comp tee times, but I can't see it happening in the next 20 years. By that time, all the committee members will finally be computer literate and be able to see the benefits.

[CobraSS]

well i for one am sick of all the old farts blocking the path of progress ....


get your butt on committee then :rolleyes:

[shavey]

I'm in the process of meeting with web designers for our website. I will let everybody know when it goes live.

[Fishman Dan]

Shavey - whats the demographic of your club? I'd say my club is predominantly aged 45+, and althought they're e-mail savvy, buying/booking anything online would be beyond them.

Like Jim said - starts off as a great idea that just gets overlooked after a while.

[Jarro]

get your butt on committee then :rolleyes:

nah ... i'm a lazy bugger ;)

saying that though, we've had a "younger" commitee elected recently, so hopefully some much needed changes will now take place.

[AndyP]

Nambour Golf Club's website has recently been updated again. It's a pretty good website for a country club, although sometimes a little out of date with information. We already had a course guide of sorts, the fixture is on there (very handy for me) and now comp results will be published on the web. I also provided some feedback yesterday, as I think the scorecard should be put back on, and maybe a links page to other golf sites (ozgolf.net ;) ) and possibly sponsors.
www.nambourgolfclub.com.au (http://www.nambourgolfclub.com.au)


Nudgee doesn't have one as yet, but i'm hoping they'll get their finger out soon ..... online booking of tee times sounds like a great idea ;)
Nudgee does have one, but it has practically no information on it.

[Jarro]

Nudgee does have one, but it has practically no information on it.

is it this one : http://members.optusnet.com.au/sample1/index.htm

[AndyP]

is it this one : http://members.optusnet.com.au/sample1/index.htm
No, this one:
http://nudgee.au-golf.net/

[Keza_G]

Riverlakes website is actually still under construction..... Our very Own Peter_rs is doing it.... Maybe Pete might let you all know the link for it, I've seen it... Come on Pete, show us your link ;)

Web site for cubs are only costly when you expect every whistle and bell.... I think online booking is a little over-rated... it can be a little unreliable, and as previously mention, them ol' farts can't internet themselves.

Our Timesheets come out 2 weeks in advance and yes, the same ol' buggers get the morning slots, but a few well placed beers can get you anytime... :)

Cheers

Keza

[Trung]

www.carnarvongolf.com.au (http://www.carnarvongolf.com.au)

[pt73]

Yes and it's quite good as members can check results of recent comps (around 6-7pm the same day) but we don't have online booking yet.


PT

[andylo]

Nambour Golf Club's website has recently been updated again. It's a pretty good website for a country club, although sometimes a little out of date with information. We already had a course guide of sorts, the fixture is on there (very handy for me) and now comp results will be published on the web. I also provided some feedback yesterday, as I think the scorecard should be put back on, and maybe a links page to other golf sites (ozgolf.net ;) ) and possibly sponsors.
www.nambourgolfclub.com.au (http://www.nambourgolfclub.com.au)


Nudgee does have one, but it has practically no information on it.

Hey P, just checked the nambour website and realise Logan City actually got reciprocal rights.... did I paid too much to play before?

[AndyP]

Hey P, just checked the nambour website and realise Logan City actually got reciprocal rights.... did I paid too much to play before?
Nambour has half reciprical rights at Logan, so you could probably assume that the reverse is true.
All open comps are charged at half green fee rate or less + comp fees anyway.
So the answer is no.

[andylo]

Nambour has half reciprical rights at Logan, so you could probably assume that the reverse is true.
All open comps are charged at half green fee rate or less + comp fees anyway.
So the answer is no.

Thanks ;)

Anyway, back to topic.

http://www.pacificgolf.com.au/

It was Kee's home club for a while. The website is very commercial... not many golf related topic in the site.

[Courty]

http://www.cairnsgolfclub.com.au/

It's not too bad, although they can be a bit slow with the weekly updates sometimes. There is a 'weekly' newsletter that gets emailed out as well.

I have heard whispers about an electronic tee time system, but I don't think it's going to be online.

[andylo]

http://logancitygolfclub.com.au/results.html

My home club... crap as the course itself :lol:

[BrisVegas]

http://www.robinawoods.com.au

just noticed that a "Mega Member" (ie. me) can bring 3 guests along at the same rate. So, if anyone wants to play Robina Woods on Wed 5th April for half-price, let me know....

[raidrboy]

www.wodongacountryclub.com.au

Still having items added to it but it is going to be okay when it is finished.

[peter_rs]

Jarro,

If your course wants a good website, the best option is to find a web designer that likes golf and offer them this-
-A initial Fee for the web site design ($1000 should cover it, If the guys is nice you may get it free)
-Then offer a membership (gold perferred ;)) as payment for ongoing updates to the site.
-Then the only real cost the club is the on going Hosting fees
-Make sure the club has soft copy of the site and all passwords, and hosting is in the clubs name.

A list of good things to have (i think)
-Intro/History
-proshop
-club house
-staff
-score card
-walk the course (pic of holes and description)
-costs to play
-membership details
-member benfits
-A online calander for up coming event
-online results from comps

The trade off is the more you have the slow the site is too load

As for online booking, it can only work is the same system is placed where the old time sheets were, and a staff member is willing to help the old farts use the computer. A great ideas is to use the Golf link card and touch screen to make it easy for them. They just select the time and number of players and swipe there card. Handling Social bookings real time is hard but with notice eg email confirmation of the booked time it can be done

You can have a look at the demo river lakes site www.riverlakes.com.au/index1.htm . Its not finish yet so comments welcome.

[AndyP]

http://www.robinawoods.com.au

just noticed that a "Mega Member" (ie. me) can bring 3 guests along at the same rate. So, if anyone wants to play Robina Woods on Wed 5th April for half-price, let me know....
Mmmmmmmm, Robina Woods.

Where did you see that, BV? I couldn't see anything about member's guests on their website.

[BrisVegas]

Mmmmmmmm, Robina Woods.

Where did you see that, BV? I couldn't see anything about member's guests on their website.

It comes up on the first page, scroll down a bit and it says....

MEGA MEMBER PROMOTION - bring 3 friends at the same rate !!!

http://www.robinawoods.com.au/customsidemenu/032347/home.cfm

[AndyP]

It comes up on the first page, scroll down a bit and it says....

MEGA MEMBER PROMOTION - bring 3 friends at the same rate !!!

http://www.robinawoods.com.au/customsidemenu/032347/home.cfm
So $70 or more each (if price goes up), unless it's Early Bird or Twilight for yourself (except birthday) and 3 guests.

Here's our links page by the way, which has temporarily been left behind.
http://ozgolf.net/links.htm

[Grunt]

Macarthur Grange Country Club has a web site, it is ok but could be better.

www.macarthurgrange.com.au (http://www.macarthurgrange.com.au)

[Fishman Dan]

Pete - you're right, it shouldn't cost a lot to start with, but it's still money that the club seems unwilling to part with.

Offering a membership only works if the web designer plays golf ;) But it's still not quite that easy - it doesn't pay the designers bills, and the club would prefer to have $$$ off a member, after all he/she is using club facilities. And who's to say what's the right amount of maintenance for the annual subs. It's the proverbial can-o-worms.

I think a club website should have a blurb, maybe an ad for the course restaurant, a scorecard and/or pics of each hole/course-guide, and membership info including a downloable form.

I think it's Windsor GC that has a downloadable membership form, but i've only ever seen one.

As for online/computerised tee sheet systems - time is money. No one at a club wants to spend their time doing Helpdesk for the blokes who can't use the system. In the end if it annoys them sufficiently they'll leave the club. So at the end of the day, you still can't beat pencil and paper!

[peter_rs]

I would say most clubs would be lucky is a designer takes up the offer of a corporate members-> that if he does not play can offer it to friends/clients to get other work.

Eg weekly updates of results 1 hr work (I would guess more) $100, so that’s $5200 in a year not many club dues are worth that. As a designer I’m happy to bill my time every week and then just pay for the members.

Its something you have to ask the member’s about- a one stage Toowoomba trailed the automatic score card system where you just colour a dot in for your score on each hole (10 was the highest score on any hole) no adding need. At the end of the day you scan you score card and the computer adds the score and has a rolling leader board on the computer. It was decide by the old members that to save a $1 per round it was not worth doing.

I think if you did it with a touch screen. Anyone could use the system, my dad can even follow a kiosk system

[drunken]

MY clubs website is pretty basic at the moment;

http://www.ballinagolfclub.com.au

But they do post comp results each day.
We are looking at introducing a computer based Tee time booking sheet in the near future. The new GM said they were looking at the possibility of linking this to the website once it's up and running.

[Moe Norman]

you can take them to colonial as well BV

[3oneday]

http://www.windsorgolfclub.com.au/

Works ok, updated every week...

Pete

[connico]

A website for a club is a great idea, and booking tee times is also a great idea...its all about how its been developed and deployed.

i have done consultancy work for a golf course that was looking to host a website, but when i quoted them a price for development and on going maintence fee they freaked. A website is only good as it remains online and the rate of growth it experiences.

if you want to know a website, say like concord http://www.concordgolfclub.com.au

can get expensive, its be nicely designed and its well maintained, websites like these dont come cheap. Still i can tell you less maintences goes into this site...then lets say the one below

http://www.cabragolf.com.au/

can be good, simple but ugly monsters...can cost very little, but will cost alot in maintence fees...

generally you'll be charged 80-150/hour on websites

[AndyP]

After speaking with the secretary manager, I have found out that a club member does the site for my club. I wonder if he is doing a deal similar to what Peter_rs is doing with Riverlakes.

I was told the results would be updated every Tuesday. They haven't been.....

[cazandpaul]

www.gcburleighgolfclub.com.au - only as good as the amount of time someone is prepared to put into it.

[shavey]

Apologies in the delay in replying to the thread..

Being semi-private, we have three distinctive areas of focus. Those being membership, corporate golf and functions/weddings.

After looking at the rates Pete dropped, I think he may be doing ours before he knows it :)

Our sister property North Lakes redid their site a few months ago and I decided it was about time we looked into it ourselves. I have received quotes for between $7K and $11K and have been interested to hear the ideas designers have.

The designer I am leaning towards specialises in empowering the admin staff to make the necessary adjustments themselves. Back of house will be all menu driven so a novice user with some basic Word experience will suffice.

Regular updates will consist of competition results, members functions, minutes from meetings and any press releases we have. Apart from that, we will enable direct downloads of menus, conference packages etc. which currently is handled manually.

Master plan will include a walkthrough of function rooms, golf shop and online shop.

Will keep you all posted as the site goes live...

[senecio]

I must be the only one here with on-line booking of tee times.

Nothing has chaged, time sheets are available from 6:00am two weeks before the date. Works out perfect for me. I have a regular group that I paly with at 6:40am. Log on 6am, book for two weeks from now, load up the ute and I'm there by 6:30am.

A mate of mine just asked me to help him out tomorrow (9:30pm). Not a problem. Just cancelled golf tomorrow and booked a time for Sunday.

Ryan

http://www.carbrookgc.ath.cx/

[Jarro]

sounds too easy Ryan 8)

i spoke with the guys in our Pro-shop yesterday and they told me our new website (when it's actually up and running) might very well have online bookings available :shock: I hope it does, this crap of having to fight your way thru a bunch of old farts to get to the timesheets is a real bore !!

[markTHEblake]

I have received quotes for between $7K and $11K and have been interested to hear the ideas designers have.


thats ridiculous.

a database driven website like Mambo, Joomla or PHPNuke can be knocked up in minutes, and just a couple of hours work for graphics and detail. Updates are so simple even your cleaner could do it.

contact Tony at www.Texhead.com