Ferndown Golf Club 2013

Harborne Golf Club, UK, 2013

“I trust intelligentgolf to deliver. Its web-based system is fantastic and very easy to use; I now manage every aspect of our golf club using intelligentgolf.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

BACKGROUND

Harborne GC lies just three miles south west of Birmingham city centre. The 120 year- old club – which welcomes visitors – is full of tradition yet commercially active and modern-minded. Like many clubs these days it has an active functions business and runs a full calendar of both internal and external events throughout the year. Its striking pavilion-style clubhouse is home away from home to around 600 members, all of them proud of the club’s reputation as having among the best greens in the county.

BEFORE INTELLIGENTGOLF

Adrian Cooper arrived in 2006 on a mission to make the club more businesslike. At the time the club’s website had been built by one of the members; the membership and competitions system was supplied by a Company working within the golf industry; and the till system was by another supplier.

“We usually had to pool information from three different sources to get anything done. I wanted everything in one basket, if you like. When you’re trying to run a successful club, and reporting to committees, one system just makes life a lot easier.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

THE DECISION TO CHANGE

After working with his incumbent suppliers for three years, Cooper decided to take steps to integrate the club’s systems into a single supplier. He first met with intelligentgolf in 2009.

“I wasn’t after a system adapted for golf. On meeting Jamie Abbott from intelligentgolf, I felt that he was a golfer who understood what a golf club needed, and his company was growing at the same speed as we were. It felt like a good fit at the time, and happily history has proven that my judgement was sound.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

The golf club and intelligentgolf agreed to introduce a range of products on a gradual basis: Cooper was initially attracted by intelligentgolf’s promise that one day, all activities at Harborne GC would be booked online via its web-based system.

“At first, our only intelligentgolf system was the website, with a members section, where people could book tee times. Now, years later, Jamie’s promise has come true and we now book everything at the club online – even the snooker table! We didn’t force online booking overnight – we introduced it gradually. But now, almost everybody at the club has embraced it fully. Almost all of our members are fully comfortable with the online tools which intelligentgolf has given them.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

THE SWITCH TO INTELLIGENTGOLF

Cooper agreed that Stage One would entail building a new intelligentgolf website for Harborne, with an email based member communications system and the integrated competitions and handicapping system with the highly-acclaimed intelligentgolf player analysis software.

Stage Two added more planning functionality, with the ability to post forthcoming functions on the website.

Stage Three gave members the ability to book tee times, and to enter club events, online. Since it introduced online event booking, Harborne GC reports that 25-30% more members now play in in club competitions. Monthly medals now consistently attract 140-150 entrants.

Stage Four added everything else, including memberships and subscriptions renewals; outbound email marketing and the till system.

“Before intelligentgolf we weren’t getting the best for our money. But now, we are. The information which management and members have to hand in the Player Analysis software alone is simply amazing.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

Intelligentgolf staff trained Cooper and other club officials to use the new system, in a short series of training sessions.

“Very little training was needed actually. Intelligentgolf is all web-based, which is fantastic – no software needs to be installed."

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

The launch of the full-service Stage Four, in February 2012, was the realisation of the all-in-one-basket scenario which Cooper had envisaged years before. Old suppliers departed, and the transition to intelligentgolf across the board was complete.

 “I have seen intelligentgolf grow steadily since 2010, and the company has worked

hard to ensure that early customers like ourselves do not suffer from a lack of continuity.”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC

SUMMARY

As of Autumn 2012, Harborne runs its entire golf club management system through intelligentgolf’s web-based technology. 

“intelligentgolf is a user-friendly management system which fully integrates with the tills. The company is forward-thinking, innovative and hard-working. With other suppliers in my experience, you feel that once they’ve got your order, they lose interest in you which is simply not the case with the team at intelligentgolf. I am happy that we made the switch, and I think that intelligentgolf is going to be a major player. ”

Adrian Cooper, General Manager, Harborne GC