Golf is a popular recreational pastime in the United States and Canada, and has become a major entertainment industry in its own right. According to the National Golf Foundation, the sport has seen a 30% increase in engagement since 2016, and the PGA reports that the total number of active golfers could represent as much as 11% of the U.S. population. Traditional courses and casual golf like the Topgolf and Drive Shack experiences attract hundreds of thousands of people year after year; with so many people coming to fixed locations, there is an opportunity for unprecedented business partnerships and advertising.
Direct Fairways has done what any passionate business does and turned this opportunity into real value for its partners. Established in 2015, the leading advertising company is dedicated to connecting golf courses across the United States and Canada with innovative marketing solutions and partnerships. Their business model is based on mutually beneficial agreements that bring local businesses and communities together, and with over 3,000 courses in their network, it’s a model that has proven itself time and time again.
Direct Fairways prides itself on providing quality products to the golf courses in its network, whilst also giving local businesses the opportunity to advertise to a large, engaged and growing audience. Their high-quality advertising materials and services are designed to help courses increase visibility, attract new customers, and improve member engagement, all at no cost to the courses themselves. With a wide range of products and services available and community-focused advertising, Direct Fairways works by bringing businesses and communities together for mutual success.
“At Direct Fairways, our decisions and culture are guided by a commitment to empowering and inspiring our team members,” says [SPOKESPERSON]. “We foster a family-oriented environment that emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement and mutual support. These values shape how we approach our work, interact with customers and drive the business forward, ensuring that growth and success are achieved together.”
Quality products at no cost
One of the key unique variables to the Direct Fairways model and success is the choice to provide equipment to partner golf courses free of charge. By providing high quality printed products free of charge, golf courses are able to receive valuable promotional materials without impacting their budget, eliminating any hassles and leaving only good reasons to partner. These materials are professionally produced and include items including, but not limited to, scorecards, distance cards, course guides and information kiosks, all intended to enhance the on-course experience for golfers and provide space for advertisers and sponsors. Courses can, and often do, use these products to showcase their own offerings, from memberships and events to meals and tournaments, but these spaces can be used for purposes other than their own self-promotion.
“Ad placements allow small and medium-sized businesses to get in front of an engaged, high-value local audience they often struggle to reach at an affordable price” [SPOKESPERSON] explain. “Businesses gain visibility within their own community, supporting a local marketing ecosystem that benefits golfers, businesses and courses alike. »
By working with Direct Fairways, courses can promote their own events, memberships and facilities using quality materials received free of charge, and also offer partnership opportunities to local businesses. This creates a win-win recursive marketing ecosystem that brings communities together to benefit the course, the golfer, local businesses and Direct Fairways all at once. These advertisements are thoughtfully integrated into golfers’ everyday items, and the entire process is managed by Direct Fairways, from creative production to distribution, and is supported by a robust quality control process.
“Each department is supported by dedicated managers who oversee operations and maintain high standards,” says [SPOKESPERSON]. “Departments conduct weekly training sessions to reinforce best practices, and managers regularly monitor calls to ensure quality and consistency. Additionally, managers can participate in live calls as needed to provide real-time guidance and assistance, ensuring that every customer interaction meets our service standards.”
The Direct Fairways Process
The typical customer journey and relationship with Direct Fairways can begin in one of two ways: either they contact the company directly, or the Fairways sales team can make contact. Once interest is established and sponsorship agreed, sponsors then provide the necessary artwork and materials, branding and style guide information for their advertisements. Then it’s sent to Direct Fairways’ in-house graphic design team to create the ad, with proofs sent to the sponsor for approval; nothing is printed without sponsor approval, and they make up to four artistic edits per year to ensure their message is conveyed exactly how they want it.
Once everything is set and approved, the printing process begins. The created advertisements are printed on the selected course products (scorecards, distance cards, course guides, etc.) and the sponsor is notified once completed. Confirmation of delivered product and tracking information is also sent to the sponsor to ensure everything is transparent and traceable. Advertising time officially begins once the new ad hits the course, ensuring that sponsors only pay for the live exposure period. Throughout this process, the sponsor is supported by the Direct Fairways customer service team.
Speaking of customer service, Direct Fairways has recently implemented a number of improvements to improve the sponsor experience and streamline overall operations. Strengthened communications strategies provide sponsors with more proactive updates, shortened print times for faster launches, and extended operating hours for better support availability. Support has also been enhanced with additional customer service staff, an online chat function, and automated processes for artwork submission tasks, all aimed at making the process smooth and efficient from start to finish.
“In addition to these service improvements, Direct Fairways has introduced a new on-course kiosk designed to enhance the golfing experience” [SPOKESPERSON] adds. “This kiosk allows courses to showcase their equipment, incorporates GHIN rating, provides up-to-date weather information and features fully customizable tiles, giving each course the ability to tailor the display to meet their unique needs and offerings.
