SC golf pros working to the keep the good times rolling

Greg McBride can identify with Charles Dickens’ best-of-times, worst-of-times theme in the golf industry. In his career, “I’ve probably seen it all,” the long-time PGA of America professional at The Spur at Northwoods said.

He can talk about taking in $114 on a day he needed $3,000 in business just to break even and keep creditors at bay. And he can look at the business report this month and grin like a guy who hit the lottery.

McBride ran the family-owned layout in Northeast Columbia for years. After Joe Rice’s Empire Sports Management bought the public course, McBride remained the head pro and has seen increases “eight straight years in rounds played and the average price per round.”

And the momentum carries on into 2023.

“We’re doing that again this year,” he said, noting the club is on pace to outdistance last year’s 10% to 15% boost in January-February rounds despite a wetter-than-usual winter that has restricted some play.

“The temperatures have been mild enough that we didn’t get shut out (from play) this year,” he said. “Last year, we had snow and ice a couple of times in January. This weekend, we’ll be packed” with temperatures unseasonably warm.

Golf has benefited during the COVID outbreak. A non-contact sport played outdoors, the game attracted both former players and new set of golfers.

“It’s fun for an old golf pro to see young people in the game,” McBride said. “We’re seeing more college kids than ever and a lot of players under 35 overall. There’s just a lot of new energy.”

He remembers having eight youngsters at his summer camp prior to COVID. The number grew to 32 last year.

An unexpected turn, McBride said, came in how players secured tee times. Before the pandemic, probably 60% of players used the internet for bookings. Now, “the phone rings off the wall,” he said. “Maybe 20% on the internet now, and that’s great from my perspective. I want to talk to players, interact with them, see what’s good and see what we can do better.”

Experience tells him that good times are not forever and he expects the game will lose some of the current players. Maintaining momentum after the bloom is off the rose will be vital.

“The game’s on a two- to three-year high,” McBride said. “What will the future be? Well, in a couple of years, we’ll find out how we did now. If they’re still playing, we’ll have done well.”

With that in mind, he emphasizes service, catering to his clientele rather than taking customers for granted. If a college foursome arrives with one bag of clubs, he provides another set or two. If players violate the dress code, he tells them to enjoy themselves and gently suggests, “Next time, you might want to leave that tank top at home.”

The goal now, he said, “is to point them in the right direction and let them discover what a great game golf is and how enjoyable it can be. We want every player to have a great experience.”

Judging from the overflowing tee sheets throughout the state, golf will continue to flourish in 2023 and beyond. McBride’s initiatives show that clubs are looking to the future in attracting — and maintaining — new players.

“The situation is very different now,” McBride said. “Players come in after a round, and say something like, ‘Hey, I had a great time. Can I get 9:30 (tee time) next Saturday?’ Unlike the old days, they’re not asking about price. They just want to play and understand they have to plan ahead.”

That’s the best-case scenario in the world of golf, and pros like McBride are working to the keep the good times rolling. As he said, check back in a couple of years and see how the plans worked.

The veteran pro who has “seen it all” likes the possibilities.

Chip shots. West Columbia’s Jensen Castle, a senior at the University of Kentucky, earned the SEC’s co-player of the week honors after a tie for fifth in the Therese Hession Regional Challenge that featured 10 top-25 teams. The 2021 U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, she has led the Wildcats in her fourth straight starts and owns a 70.4 scoring average. ... Clemson’s men placed ninth in a strong field in the Watersound Invitational in Panama City, Florida. Andrew Swanson led the Tigers. ... Clemson’s women finished sixth in the Moon Golf Invitational in Melbourne, Florida. Savannah Grewal tied for 17th to pace the Tigers in individual competition. ... The Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, one of the premier events in women’s college golf and set Monday-Wednesday at Long Cove Club on Hilton Head Island, will be televised 2:30-5:30 p.m. each day on the Golf Channel. Hosted by USC, No. 2 Wake Forest and the No. 4 Gamecocks head the field that includes eight of the top 20 teams in the Golfstat poll.