GOTL using social media to pitch golf course to players

THE village’s golf course is employing social media as part of its effort to attract golfers.

Village Council member Matt Caudill said he is posting live pictures on Facebook to show off the course’s sweet spots. The social media campaign started May 1, he said.

“We have started a Facebook campaign to promote our golf course,” he said. “We are going to attempt social media advertising this year to drive customers to the course.”

He said so far the campaign has seen a good response.

“We have already received 359 shares and comments on a free golf giveaway alone,” he said. “The promotion has reached over 35,000 people.”

John Bowler, clubhouse manager, said it has been a slow start to the season, with about 130 people who have hit the links so far.

Geneva- on- the- Lake Mayor Dwayne Bennett blamed the rain and bad weather for the sluggish beginning to the season.

Over the last several years revenue has been a concern for the golf course. Village officials have been looking at ways to make it more profitable, and the Facebook campaign is part of those efforts.

Bennett said there were some poor earnings years in the past, but over the last three years there’s been an increase in people playing the course.

Right now the golf course is running an 18-hole special with cart for $ 15 on Monday and Wednesday. As for the social media campaign, Caudill said the village has been working hard to improve the course and he wanted people to see what has been done.

“We’ll be putting specials out there that all our followers will be able to see right from their phones,” he said.

He said some of the videography to be used in the various Facebook promos will be drone footage and pictures of events as they occur.

“The Facebook ads are done so that they can only be seen within a 20-mile radius of the course,” he said. “Users could be made aware of specials as they near the village.”

He said the course will also be doing some regular giveaways for followers.

Bennett was optimistic the Facebook advertising campaign -- coupled with recent course improvements -- should attract plenty of local golfers.

“We’ve got a new parks board committee with plenty of good new ideas, especially with using social media,” he said.

Along with Caudill, who “owns a drone and can take some great footage for Facebook,” Bennett credited council member Gary Himes, a golfer who chairs the board committee, and Jen Allison who he called “very skilled with social media.” Council member PJ Macchia orders supplies for the clubhouse and resident Duane Feher is also on the board.

”The increase in players has a lot to do with work done by our new groundskeeper Terry Hamilton and our clubhouse manager John Bowler,” he said. “They’ve cleaned up greens, tee boxes and sand traps and overall made it a great course.”