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In October of last year, I had the opportunity to play rounds at some of the major golf clubs in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

From the world-ranked 3rd course, Royal County Down Golf Club, to Portmarnock Golf Club recommended by Rory McIlroy as an Open Championship venue, and Ballyliffin Golf Club, Castle Rock Golf Club, and others, I experienced a total of 8 diverse courses.

Among them, the most impressive was Royal Portrush Golf Club, ranked 14th in the world.

This course gained worldwide recognition as the host of The Open Championship in 2019, with over 230,000 spectators during the first round, setting a record for the largest gallery since the 2000 Old Course at St. Andrews in Scotland. Due to its global reputation, booking a tee time here has become increasingly difficult.

Upon checking in at the Royal Portrush Pro Shop, a variety of logo merchandise that befits the club's prestige tempts you to make purchases.

In addition to the mental satisfaction of having played at Royal Portrush, the best souvenirs to show off to those around you would undoubtedly be the logo merchandise. I found myself spending more on pro shop logo merchandise shopping than on green fees.

In fact, the variety of Royal Portrush logo merchandise is so extensive that it surpasses Trump National Golf Club's pro shop, one of the most commercially successful among major U.S. courses, and accounts for nearly 40% of the green fee revenue.

If it's your first round on the Royal Portrush Dunluce course, I recommend playing with a club caddy. Like links courses in general, it can be quite easy to lose your way during the play, but having a professional caddy's assistance is crucial for navigating the course and staying focused on your round.

The terrain and course layout are such that any ball that strays off the fairway can have a significant impact on your next shot, big or small.

As for myself, I requested a club member at Royal Portrush to serve as my caddy, and I received a lot of help with explanations and strategies for each hole. Throughout the round, I was in awe of the beauty of

the course and its dramatic layout, and before I knew it, the round had come to an end.

It was truly a unique experience, distinct from the overwhelming experiences at courses like Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes GC, both ranked among the top 100 courses in the world, located in Oregon, USA.

After the round, I entered the clubhouse's second-floor restaurant, which was packed despite it being a weekday with rainy weather. I had the opportunity to enjoy Guinness stout, a representative Irish product, while listening to various stories about the club's history and its membership composition from the club manager and members.

Golf cultures vary from country to country, and each club has different operating styles and objectives. However, in order to secure revenue, differentiation or brand recognition is essential.

Royal Portrush's differentiation strategy has been threefold. First, it consistently maintained its position in the world's top 100 golf course rankings, elevating its brand recognition as a global golf destination. It transformed Royal Portrush Golf Club into a pilgrimage site for golfers worldwide, making it a must-visit destination, rather than just any small rural Northern Irish golf course.

Second, it enhanced global marketing through hosting one of the four major tournaments, The Open Championship. The final round of The Open in 2021 was watched by a staggering 7.1 million people worldwide. If all these viewers consider it their "bucket list" golf course, one can only imagine the excitement it generates. At least for several decades, they are unlikely to face issues with membership or visitors.

Finally, they generated additional revenue streams using the "Royal Portrush" brand. Considering that the revenue models for many European golf clubs are limited to green fees and food and beverage income, Royal Portrush, thanks to its sophisticated brand marketing, generates higher green fee revenue, significant food and beverage group income, and more than expected pro shop sales.

In addition to this, they were also selling Royal Portrush logo merchandise through an online shop targeting golfers worldwide who couldn't visit the golf course.

So, the question is, why aren't we doing it? Or can't we do it?

Sources : Golf Industry Newspaper (http://www.golfin.co.kr/)

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