Largo Golf Course has made some changes in the wake of a critical consultant's report, but golfers may have to wait a while before they see physical changes in the course.
After months of criticism from golfers, the city of Largo is implementing some changes proposed by sports marketing firm Golf Strategies LLC, Paladin Golf Marketing.
Service and perception improvements, rather than a much more expensive course facelift, are priorities over the next six to 12 months. Improving the course itself could cost the city up to $1-million, a consultant reported this year.
City leaders and golf course managers are starting with changes that don't cost any money. The City Commission is expected to discuss what to do with the course at a work session Sept. 28.
This summer, Commissioner Charlie Harper suggested a jazzier name for the course, such as Largo Country Oaks, to attract more golfers and establish a new identity. That idea may be discussed in the work session.
The city consultants raised complaints about golf staff telephone skills, pro shop service and marketing.
In response, managers and staffers have stayed after hours for courtesy classes based on the book 108 Ways to Walk the Customer Service Talk, by Eric Harvey. Additional special events and customer incentives are on the drawing board, including a Halloween "glow in the dark" golf tournament.
Also under consideration is a computerized 24-hour phone system that allows golfers to call in the middle of the night to schedule a tee time.
At the consultants' recommendation, a staffer concentrates on generating golf round sales to hotels, civic groups and condominium associations. And a golfer seeking Professional Golf Association status could be recruited to run tournaments and help market the Largo facility.
"When somebody is becoming a PGA professional, they have certain requirements they need to complete, including that kind of work," said Joan Byrne, Largo's recreation, parks and arts director. "It could be a win-win for a PGA pro to run some of the tournaments and junior golf and help us as well to provide that kind of person power."
Byrne sees major physical changes done as a package - a package that won't be undertaken any time soon.
"If you do them incrementally, nobody notices them and it doesn't make a difference," she said.
"The most important things that we are going to be concentrating on this year, for the new season in the fall, are things that relate more to the service end of the golf course."
The creation of a golf course advisory committee, made of up young and older golfers, league members and nongolfers, also looms on the horizon.
Golfer John Romaine of Largo would like to serve on that committee.
He has met with Byrne to air complaints about the Largo course and plans to meet with her again.
Maintenance and attitude are major issues, Romaine said. He criticizes Largo for charging a $1 key fee for golf cart rental and claims management told him golfers aren't trusted to return carts.
Romaine plays on golf leagues at the Largo course Tuesdays and Fridays.
He thinks summer leagues should be given price breaks because they support the course during the otherwise lean summer months.
He said two greens are unplayable.
"They don't do anything to try and promote the golf course or specials," he said. "When we are finished with the league, no one is coming out to play open golf. We feel in temporary situations they should at least give us a break on the greens fees because of the terrible conditions the course is under right now."
He doesn't think a name change will make a difference.
"With golfers, very simply we are going to look at the condition of the golf course," he said.
Declining revenues fueled the golf course marketing study. The course generated $799,705 in fiscal 2002 but spent $869,905, according to the consultants' report.
But business currently is looking up, manager Don Brannon said. The former St. Petersburg deputy city manager acknowledges year-round golfers but sees the November to Easter season as the course's bread and butter.
"The primary time to make money on a Florida golf course is in the winter," he said.
"November to Easter is the time we need to make hay while the sun shines."
Current figures show 33,288 rounds were played from November 2003 to this past April, compared with 32,487 for the same period a year earlier.
Golfers pay $11.75 for nine holes from October to April and $9.65 from May through September.
Dick Casey of Indian Shores plays golf at the Largo Golf Course on Friday. "The course is in nice shape," Casey said. "They just need to let people know that it's here."
Source: St. Petersburg Times (Florida)