Following a successful pilot programme, Players 1st and Wales Golf have entered into a new partnership that will provide Welsh golf clubs with access to the Players 1st customer experience management platform as a key support tool.
During the six-month pilot, Welsh clubs used the Players 1st platform to survey their members, enabling them to gain a clearer understanding of member experiences and specific needs. This customer-centric approach to feedback exceeded expectations and directly led to the formal partnership between Players 1st and Wales Golf.
Insights generated through the platform allowed clubs to identify the areas that matter most to their members, giving club management the confidence to implement data-led changes. Participating clubs, including Pyle & Kenfig, Carmarthen and St Mellons, were able to assess concerns around pace of play, visitor bookings and other operational areas, helping to highlight priorities for future improvement.
At Carmarthen Golf Club, survey feedback supported key operational decisions, with Club Manager Sarah Jones choosing to franchise the club’s catering services and appoint a new head greenkeeper after reviewing member responses.
“I particularly liked the comments feed, which included all comments provided by members. This gave a great overview to feed back to the directors.”
Sarah Jones, Carmarthen Golf Club Manager
Across the 10 clubs involved in the pilot, the surveys achieved an average response rate of 59%. This level of engagement has enabled the establishment of both local and national benchmarks, creating a growing and comprehensive picture of satisfaction levels among Welsh golfers.
According to Wales Golf Club Governance Manager Sophie Brisland-Hancocks,
“There are plenty of survey tools out there, but Players 1st are specifically designed for golf clubs and also have the background knowledge to help interpret the results in a golfing environment. We have already seen plenty of demand from other clubs, so we have signed a 12-month partnership. We will work with clubs to help them use the platform, as well as including the case studies on our club hub and highlighting the work at our governance workshops.”
Sophie Brisland-Hancocks, Wales Golf Club Governance Manager
This next stage of collaboration represents a significant step forward in supporting golf clubs across Wales to enhance member experience and strengthen retention, with the combined expertise of Players 1st and the Wales Golf club support team.