The influence of brand experience on satisfaction, uncertainty and brand loyalty: a focus on the golf club industry

PurposeUnderstanding the advantages of brand experience is important for brand managers to more effectively grow satisfied and loyal customers. To date, little research has examined the relationship between brand experience and customer satisfaction, uncertainty, and brand loyalty with sport products. Therefore, this study examined these relationships with golf club products in the golf industry.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from golf players in South Korea (n = 386) through online surveys. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to examine the relationship between the variables.FindingsThe results revealed that brand experience influences golfers' uncertainty toward other brands. In other words, doubts about the brand will decrease when consumers experience sensory, affective, behavioral, and intellectual interactions with a brand. Interestingly, brand experience does not influence golfers' satisfaction as indicated by previous studies. Also, findings showed that just having experience with a brand does not lead to golfers' loyalty.Originality/valueThis study helps to understand how consumers' direct experiences influence brand beliefs and attitudes. Moreover, this study is significant for sport marketing practitioners since it explores an alternative marketing approach to brand differentiation, which has the potential to attract and retain more customers.

The National Golf Foundation Top 100 Businesses in Golf: Investigating the Portfolio Returns vs the Market Portfolio

In early 2018, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) presented their inaugural list of the top 100 businesses in the approximately $70 billion golf industry. Six sectors of the U.S. Economy are represented by the following breakdown of companies: Equipment (22 firms); Turf and Course Supplies (18); Apparel and Accessories (13); Course Management (13); Media/Technology and Associations, Retail and Other (23). The purpose of our research is to determine if an investor could generate above-market returns by investing in a portfolio of the publicly traded firms that are part of this initial list. Our results, indicate that over the entire sample period, three golf related stocks outperformed the overall market index after adjusting for risk.

Analysis of loyalty and future intentions of the users of the golf courses in Andalusia, Spain

Spain is a European leader as a golf tourism destination, and Andalusia is the region that receives the most tourism in this sector, boosting not only the golf industry but also the percentage of income overall. Thus, user loyalty and knowing the future intentions of users is a matter of vital importance in these sports organizations. This study analyses 636 users of 17 golf courses in Andalusia –73.43% men and 26.42% women– and with an average age of 50.2 ± 15.6. The results show that more than 70% of users would encourage their families to play on the golf course and recommend it in more than 75% of them. In conclusion, this study emphasises the need for the use of the adapted tool, as it is a valid and reliable instrument that guides on the aspects demanded by the user as well as how to build loyalty.

The Uniqueness of Revenue Management Approaches in Nontraditional Settings: The Case of the Golf Industry

This study focuses on two demand and supply characteristics that may affect the transferability of revenue management (RM) practices from traditional (e.g., hotels) to nontraditional (e.g., golf, restaurants, entertainment venues) RM settings. Consumption within many nontraditional RM settings is largely discretionary in nature, with the potential to affect how demand and price should be managed across the booking horizon. Equally, operators are often challenged with a high degree of time-based inventory complexity, which may require that price and inventoried demand are managed at a greater level of granularity than traditional RM applications dictate. Using longitudinal golf reservations data, we found that superior revenue performance was associated with capturing a higher proportion of demand early in the booking horizon, rather than protecting inventory at higher prices for late bookers. Competitive price positioning in which price was higher than the competition during within-day peak-demand tee times also shaped revenue gains. Similarly, conversion management was found to be most critical during within-day peak demand periods. These findings suggest that traditional RM strategies may not apply in nontraditional RM settings where one or both of the demand and supply characteristics of interest is present. The implications of these findings for practitioners are explored.

2018 International Consensus Statement on Golf and Health to guide action by people, policymakers and the golf industry

Scientific and public interest relating to golf and health has increased recently. Players, potential players, the golf industry and facilities, and decision makers will benefit from a better understanding of how to realise potential health benefits and minimise health issues related to golf. We outline an International Consensus on Golf and Health. A systematic literature review informed the development of a survey. Utilising modified Delphi methods, an expert panel of 25 persons including public health and golf industry leaders, took part in serial surveys providing feedback on suggested items, and proposing new items. Predefined criteria for agreement determined whether each item was included within each survey round and in the final consensus. The working group identified 79 scientifically supportable statement items from literature review and discussions. Twenty-five experts (100%) completed all three rounds of surveys, rating each item, and suggesting modifications and/or new items for inclusion in subsequent surveys. After three rounds, 83 items achieved consensus with each with >75% agreement and <10% disagreement. These items are included in the final International Consensus on Golf and Health. The final consensus presented here can inform scientific knowledge, and action plans for (1) golfers and potential golfers, (2) golf facilities and the golf industry, and (3) policy and decision makers external to golf. These outputs, if widely adopted, will contribute to an improved understanding of golf and health, and aid these groups in making evidence-informed decisions to improve health and well-being.