Cruden Bay's new approach is paying dividends

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY CRUDEN BAY GOLF CLUB
A quiet revolution has been going on at Cruden Bay Golf Club, with membership numbers growing, membership satisfaction improving and visitor income increasing.
The recent appointment of Robbie Stewart, the former Club Professional, as the first PGA Director of Golf led to a new approach to business planning and marketing of the club. For the first time the Club introduced a marketing plan for both members and visitors and participated in the Scottish Enterprise ‘’On The Tee’’ initiative, which helps golf clubs realise the benefits of golf tourism.
Golf tourism is worth £220 million p.a. for the Scottish economy, with about 70% of golf visitors to Scotland being from the UK (200,000 people). The largest overseas market is the US with 14% of visits. US golf visitors stay an average of 10 days compared to five days for UK golf visitors, and spend an average of three times as much on their trip.
Robbie Stewart, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, said;
“We quickly realised that to obtain some of this revenue and sustain facilities for members we had to match our priority, which is to serve our members, by inviting new players to come and experience this outstanding golf course.
“We have had tremendous support from club members for what we are trying to achieve, and have also had a great reaction from our regular tour operators. The messages in our visitors’ book would suggest we’re on the right track and the important thing is that everyone loves the course”.
“The approach is to invite new players to become members too, with access to excellent club house facilities and tee times, all for an annual membership subscription which equates to around only £10 per week”.
+It is claimed that golf was played in the village of Cruden Bay as early as 1791. The present lay-out of the course is a result of it being redeveloped by Tom Simpson and Herbert Fowler in 1926, although many of the original Old Tom Morris greens and basic routing are still in evidence.
+Cruden Bay is one of the best links courses in Scotland, confirmed by the fact that it is presently ranked number 30 in the top courses in Britain by ‘Top 100 Courses’ and has been in the top 100 courses in the world by ‘Golf Magazine’.