Strategic marketing practices as drivers of successful business performance in British, Australian and New Zealand golf clubs

Abstract

Little is known about the uptake of strategic marketing planning in golf clubs. Thus, based on a sample of 307 Australian, New Zealand and British golf clubs, this study examines the application of the normative model of strategic marketing planning and its associated marketing practices to golf club administration. Using information derived from golf club managers/secretaries, it investigates both the extent to which strategic marketing practices have been adopted as well as their contribution to golf organisation business performance. The results are highly supportive of the conventional wisdom as to the ingredients of strategic marketing success. Compared with their lower performing counterparts, the higher performing golf clubs are clearly more active in executing a wide range of strategic marketing practices. However, the results also indicate that there is much scope for golf clubs to do more and better strategic marketing. In the face of a challenging operating environment golf club management can take heart from these results: embracing strategic marketing planning is a beneficial business practice that can help improve long-term club viability.