Golf Tourism, by Jeffrey Reed
As Published by BUSINESS MONDAY, The London Free Press
August 7, 2006

We’ve known for decades that London has been deserved of its unofficial title, Golf Capital of North America. Our participation rate shows that about 100,000 Londoners will golf this season, and that two-thirds are avid golfers as compared to recreational. In most other communities, the opposite is true. As well, southwestern Ontario boasts more than 100 golf courses – close to 50 within a half-hour drive of London’s downtown core.

Then there’s this statistic from Mike Olizarevitch, long-time head professional at Fanshawe Golf Club. He reported in his 2003 study that London and surrounding area boasts enough golf courses to support a population of 1,050,000 – more than three times London’s population.

Is it time, then, for London to tee up its golf status for the rest of North America to see, and therefore market itself as a golf destination? Is it possible for The Forest City to further drive local tourism during the summer months with golf as its vehicle?

Tourism London hopes to do just that, but officials admit it won’t be an easy task.

“We see the CN Canadian Women’s Open as an opportunity to catapult London as a golf destination,” says Tourism London general manager John Winston of the high-profile LPGA Tour event at London Hunt and Country Club this August. He adds, “We’re limited in our financial resources, but we will try to develop a partnership with local golf course owners.”

Tourism London’s first step was to link its website with the LondonOntarioGolf.com website. Says Winston, “(The website) is an absolute key to promoting and generating interest in London and area golf.” The website provides information about all southwestern Ontario golf courses.

Paul Hardy, London Tourism’s manager of sports tourism, says perhaps the key to using golf as an economic tool is to combine golf with other city amenities. Hardy says, “I think we have to sell London as a destination – a golf destination, yes, but a true destination, highlight the shopping, the restaurants, the attractions along with golf.”

Winston adds, there’s a lot of financial and strategic planning necessary before The Forest City is branded as Canada’s version of Florida, Arizona or South Carolina, which attract thousands of Canadian golfers each year with their tourist-friendly packages. And Winston says, there must be a working agreement with local course owners, with whom he has just begun to discuss golf tourism initiatives.

Neil Kapp is president of the Southwestern Ontario Chapter of the National Golf Course Owners Association, and part of the group which owns and operates three public London courses – East Park Golf Gardens, Maple Ridge Golf Club and Westminster Trails Golf Club. Kapp believes booking tee times will be one hazard facing local golf tourism.

“The complication I see, compared to a Myrtle Beach for example, is, if I book a tee time a year out, what kind of tournament business will I turn away? That could represent 100 people. London is more of a tournament-oriented marketplace. It’s hard to do both.”

Kapp concurs with Hardy in regards to beefing up the inclusion of local golf amenities in London’s overall tourism initiatives. Ironically, Hardy says because there is a great variety of golf courses in our area, that could handicap an effort to promote London as a golf destination.

“There is such a variance in prices, say from an East Park to a FireRock Golf Club. How do you build a consistent package? I think the lower-end golf courses would be quite receptive to it – it would be in their favour – but the upscale course has to realize we want people to come in for more than one day, play more than one course when they are here.”

FireRock owner Walt Spivak, also owner of neighbouring private club, The Oaks Golf and Country Club, already markets his public course to a large audience. National advertising, presence at the annual Toronto Star Golf and Travel Show, and golf package advertising helps lure avid golfers from Toronto and the northeastern U.S.

“Take a look at our parking lot in the summer,” explains Spivak. “A good percentage of the cars are from Michigan.” Spivak says FireRock’s green fee of $80, including cart and range balls, plus the fact renown golf course architect Thomas McBroom designed the upscale course are magnets for those looking for a southwestern Ontario golf destination.

Spivak advertises a $240 package which includes a room for two for one night at the Hilton in downtown London, plus one round of golf for two at FireRock. He sees this as a bargain. “For a foursome in the Toronto area to come down here, they’re saving $300. A group of four in the Toronto area to play a golf course like FireRock or (London’s) Forest City National (Golf Club), they’re paying $150 each, minimum.”

Forest City National, London’s only other upscale golf course, hooks golfers largely because of its carefully-groomed conditions and its challenge, characteristics which saw the club host high-profile events including the 1998 CPGA Championship and recent Great Lakes Tour events. Like Spivak, Forest City National director of golf operations, Brent Holmes, sees potential in marketing London as a golf destination.

“Londoners don’t know how spoiled they are,” says Holmes of the quality and quantity of local courses. “Londoners are also very spoiled in what they pay for golf. Every golf course has its place. There are some nice (public) courses, like Echo Valley (Golf Club), Oxbow Glen (Golf and Country Club) and Llyndinshire (Golf and Country Club) where, if you played them in Toronto, you pay upwards of $100.”

Forest City National green fees range from $42 to $67. Fees at courses like Echo Valley, Oxbow Glen and Llyndinshire average about $37 on weekends – basement bargain prices compared to comparative courses in the Greater Toronto Area. 

Londoner Len Foran markets his golf package to Canada’s most populous area, too, as well as throughout Ontario and the northeastern U.S. Foran knows golf. He’s a former Ontario Amateur champion who competed in that event for 17 straight years, and was rated among the Top 10 players in Ontario before surrendering his amateur status. He’s now a teaching professional at Forest City National, and along with partner, Randy Snow, owner of The Table and Chair Company, operates a company called, Golf The Package.

Initiated in 2005, Golf The Package is in its first full year of operation. FireRock and Forest City National are part of a London package, as are hotels Station Park and Four Points Sheraton. Recommended dining includes Chancey Smith’s Steak House, Fellini Koolini’s, Joe Kool’s, Marienbad Restaurant, and Tiger Jack’s Bar and Grill. The London package cost starts at $249 per person, which includes a round of golf at both courses, one night at either hotel, and one dinner at your choice of restaurant.

There’s a Kitchener package, too, with three upscale golf courses included, plus Delta Kitchener hotel and a group of restaurants. Foran’s game plan includes booking up to 400 packages between the two cities in 2006, and by 2008 operating in six locations, including Windsor and Grand Bend.

“I’ve been on several American packages, and thought there was a real void in southwestern Ontario of teaming up golf courses to lure travelers,” explains Foran, who says his ace in the hole is the first-class golf experience – something London Tourism would need in order to sell London as a golf destination.

“I need to send people where they will receive first-class treatment,” Foran explains. “A high-end customer out of Toronto will enjoy Forest City and FireRock. Look at the rest of my package, too. I’m using good restaurants and hotels. I want repeat business.”

Says Foran, if Tourism London markets local golf, it’s important to market the product as it deserves. That’s a challenge which Winston says is no easy birdie.

“The complexity of this is, everyone is doing their own promotion at their own club. It’s a question of, how do we harness all of those resources in order to come up with a cohesive initiative? I’m puzzled as to how you start. I think you need to brand it. FireRock is trying to sell itself, but we need to create some kind of lure that gives a community branding,” Winston says.

“Anyone who doesn’t realize that golf is a saleable entity has their head stuck in the sand,” says Claudio DeMarchi of Lakeview Productions. Lakeview has staged the annual London Golf and Travel Show for 12 years. The Nottawa, Ont.-based golf marketing company also markets golf packages in destinations including the state of Mississippi, and the town of Santee, S.C.

In late 2005, DeMarchi met with Winston to discuss selling London as a golf destination. DeMarchi recognizes huge potential for such an initiative, but cautions it won’t pay instant dividends.

“It takes about three years to build up a destination marketing plan,” DeMarchi explains. “London’s golf courses can attract any calibre of golfer. Most core golfers score anywhere from 85 to 105, so a challenging, high-end course isn’t going to appeal to everyone. They want something that is fair and enjoyable.”

DeMarchi believes a nice evening out after a round of golf, good restaurants, fair prices and a solid selection of good golf courses all adds up to successful golf marketing. In addition, he says it is important that “people answering telephones at hotels know something about golf.” Foran agrees. He says, “It helps my package that I can actually talk to golfers on the phone and offer some insight.” 

There’s another new initiative marketing a combination of local golf courses. Avid golfers Cameron Fowell of Ottawa and partner Matt Williamson of London have borrowed from a successful Ottawa-based business called, Executive Golf, and have formed, London Golf Club.

In its first year of operation, London Golf Club has purchased memberships at six local courses – Forest City National, Echo Valley, Strathroy’s Bear Creek and Caradoc Sands golf clubs, St. Marys Golf and Country Club and The Fox Golf Club – and offers three levels of London Golf Club memberships. A $1,199 Eagle membership offers seven-day playing privileges at member clubs, with advance tee time bookings, and requires no additional green fees, while the $299 Birdie, and $199 Par offer discounted green fees.

London Golf Club operates like a miniature ClubLink, created in 1993 and today counting more than 15,000 golf member and 30 clubs amongst its network of properties throughout Ontario and Quebec. London’s Greenhills Golf Club is ClubLink property.

Williamson says after initial market research, and upon Fowell’s recommendation, the duo decided to launch London Golf Club. He says, “We’ll continue to purchase more memberships as our membership numbers increase. People have been naturally cautious in our first year. It’s a new concept locally.” Adds Fowell, “We’re marketing to the avid golfer who doesn’t want to be tied down to one course.” 

In Ottawa, like London a golf hotbed, the Executive Golf group boasts 25 courses under its collective umbrella. As the nation’s capital, Ottawa already draws hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, and includes golf as part of its marketing strategy.

In Niagara Falls, one of the world’s top tourist destinations, golf has become big business. In addition to natural wonders and casinos, the Niagara area is now one of Canada’s top golf destinations, with scores of golf courses, many of them upscale. The latest addition is Thundering Waters, a John Daly design offering a first-class golf experience for $150

The Muskoka area, too, is a golfer’s haven, thanks to numerous golf resorts and cottage country. So, where does London fit into the grand scheme of things? According to Winston, that’s the million dollar question.

Says Winston, “Look at Michigan. The state spends a ton of money attracting golfers. We need to define how we are going to promote this, and then the second leg has to drop – cost.” Winston says golf is “an industry,” and if the local golf course owners combine their efforts with the city’s, in the long run everyone will benefit.