What's In Golf?

[JJOrana]

I am watching a Golf channel (for the first time) as I write this post.

Golfers are known as rabid buyers.

For all golfers or at least in that niche, why are golfers rabid buyers?

There are tons of sports out there that are as difficult and as competitive as golf.

Thanks!

[TrafficGuy Claude]

In order to play Golf you need a lot of money, and people with a lot of money tend to spend their money on things they like. I think thats why so many golfers are rabid buyers because money isn't a big deal to a lot of them.

[Eric Land]

Basically the reason golfers are such rapid buyers is because golfing is such an expensive sport. Meaning the people who play it are more often people with more money so they have more money to spend on golf. This makes it better for people who sell golf proucts. But I have found that trying to sell in the Golfing Niche is hard because most people will only buy from well know golfing sites.

[Rebtl]

Yea I agree with eric, golfers are known as buys because dollar for dollar golf is EASILY the most exspensive mainstream sport to be involved in.

Imagine if you had to pay 25-200 dollars or more EVERYTIME you want to go play baseball on your local field.

If you want to market to golfers I would suggest selling things that they already know about and are just looking for a place to buy (i.e. well know club brands or clothing brands)

The only other way would be to invent some stupid product that "Takes X number of strokes off your game" or even XX strokes. Those stupid things sell like hotcakes for a short period of time. I would imagine if you are watching the golf channel for more than 10 minutes you have already seen a commercial for one.

Rebtl

[JohnMcCabe]

Speaking as a golfer, not as a marketer...

One reason golfers are so passionate about the sport is that the game itself is so easy to play, yet so hard to play well.

It seems so simple - just whack a ball with a crooked stick until it goes in a hole, right? But for most golfers, what happens after they hit the ball is a continual source of surprise. Will it go straight, or slice off into the woods? Will it go in the hole, or veer off at the last second?

But sometimes...

Everything comes together, and the game is effortless. When you hit that perfect drive and watch that little ball soar through the air, straight and true and absolutely beautiful, it's a rush. It's absolutely addictive - we want to feel that rush over and over again.

But most of us can never do it. We have other obligations, and some of us just plain don't have the talent. We look at Tiger Woods, and forget that playing golf is the only thing Tiger has ever tried to be good at in his life. All we see is a guy that must have some secret edge over the rest of us.

So we do the same thing Internet marketers do - we go looking for the magic set of clubs, box of golf balls or training aid that will let us feel the rush whenever we want. We keep buying, because the magic has to be out there.

And it has nothing to do with having a lot of extra money laying about that we're eager to dispose of. Granted, having disposable income helps - a lot. Especially if you prefer the country club to the local muni course, disposable income makes a difference in the amount a golfer will spend.

But just about any golfer will scratch up the $37 for that DVD that will cure his slice and let him be the envy of his foursome. The trick is to make us believe that what you have will work.

That's why so many touring pros have instructional books and videos. And why their swing coaches can fill a training course at thousands of dollars a head. We can turn on the TV any weekend and see their success.

Anyway, I'll unwind now. Done talking golf. Maybe the fish are biting...

Edit: Here's a short clip from one of the best golf movies of all time...

YouTube - Tin Cup

[Bryan Zimmerman]

Golfers are a lot the neighbors that have to "keep up with the Jones'es" so to speak. Any time there is a new product or ball out it's a mad dash to have it. It's almost like a status symbol to have a new set of Ping's in your bag.

They just had the PGA Merchandise show here in Orlando a few weeks ago. It's a million square feet of nothing but golf merchandice and it is packed with people. The general public is not even allowed to get tickets, it's just reps and buyers for proshops.

The funny thing is the good players are the ones who play the same set of clubs for years on end. It's the ones who want to be good that do all the buying

[alyoung]

As a golfer, it is an addiction to try to get better. If you can convince a golfer that something can improve his performance even a little, they will buy. That's why golfers have far more clubs than they will ever need or use.

[michael_nguyen]

I tried mini golf, loved it! I've yet to play real golf though.

[sylviad]

Anyone can play golf. That's what makes it so fascinating. It's ingrained into our culture like no other sport simply because many business deals are made over a round of golf.

It can be played in solitary or with a group, by men and women, by young and old, which opens it up to millions of people. As far as I know, it costs very little to get started. You can play a cheap round with the guys from work or your beer buddies and celebrate afterwards.

It's a social event, unlike many other sports. In some circles, if you don't play golf, you stick out like a sore thumb. You're left on the sidelines while your mates hit the links.

Once you get started and feel the challenge to improve, you begin spending money on training - books, videos, special equipment and instructors. Each step along the way, you strive to become even better. You constantly challenge yourself.

Besides. It's a lot of fun! And then there's all that fresh air and peaceful greens that take away the stress after a chaotic day.

I played a few times with the gang from work and had a blast. Even though I'd never played in my life, I felt invigorated as I gradually improved on my very first day. When the ball sailed between two trees on a distant hill and landed within 20 feet of the hidden hole, I was beside myself with glee.

It's that easy to get hooked on golf, and apart from what's already been said, that's why it's a hot niche.

Sylvia

[Jared Alberghini]

I just couldn't resist sharing this as an avid golfer myself:

YouTube - Robin Williams - Golf

[opportunitiesaplenty]

It's strange, because many of the same things that apply to golf also apply to snow skiing. It is very expensive to do, and the people who do it tend to be very passionate about it. It seems that skiing doesn't have the same niche potential as golf. Is that because you've never heard of a "golf bum", yet many of us have been (or aspired to be) ski bums?

Just a question.

[simpleonline1234]

lol...golf seems so easy but it's actually not...you see alot of old farts and women out there but on the weekends the "weekend warriors" come out of the woods to play...

People will spend endless amounts of money to improve their game...people seem to think that the game comes down to the equipment so they will spend $300 on a driver that will give them a few extras yards.

Not only is the equipment fooling but expensive at that....now i will say that if you know what your doing then ya the clubs will give you an edge but alot of golf noobies will run out and drop half a grand on some clubs that don't really give them anything more than hope...if you want to target this group then focus on the middle age, married man that is new to the game and wants to "give it a whirl" because some of the guys at work are starting to do it....

[Chuck Evans]

The only other way would be to invent some stupid product that "Takes X number of strokes off your game" or even XX strokes. Those stupid things sell like hotcakes for a short period of time.

Not necessarily! One of our products has been the #1 training aid in the HISTORY of golf for the past 18 years and STILL sells dozens of units a day!

Yes MOST training aids etc have a short shelf life but ours last a bit longer!

chuck