by Darren Warren
I definately understand your difficulties, and they are the same as many other clubs trying to grow the game of golf by trying to 'lure golfers to the golf course'. But I think there is one thing you have overlooked. Thanks to new 'off course safe' golf balls, you can now take golf off the golf course and to your customers. I learned this because it hit me that kids don't have cars, so if I wanted to grow my golf programs I had to bring golf on campus.
As a high school math teacher and golf coach, we are now using a new golf ball made by the almostgolf company. It flies a playing field distance (1/3 distance) and doesn't break windows or dent cars. And it flies true. How great is that. It has allowed me to bring golf education into my school. It's a whole lot cheaper for me to have my girls golf team practicing on campus once or twice a week than to drive them all to a range and pay for range balls. Best of all, within two weeks of starting our on campus practice on one of our playing fields we doubled the size of our team because the other girls saw that we had a golf team. We also eliminated our mid season attrition because the team members no longer felt isolated from other friends and athletes.
I highly suggest you create off course clinics and tournaments. There are a lot of new golfers out there that would play if it was as convenient as playing basket ball.
As per Europe, a ball that fits into a five acre course should do a great deal better than one that requires 150 acres.
Best of luck.