What is the benefit of golf clubs in promoting e-bikes?


By: June 14, 2018


For many years I have heard that cycling is the new golf as road cycling is becoming the preferred way of networking for the modern professional. Some believe it is a more effective way of building lasting working relationships or landing a new job.

For some people, long-distance group cycling is considered as a shared experience.

Personally, I have to argue with this since if somebody is cycling in a group for a longer distance (e.g. over 100 km) he does not have that much time and opportunity to talk during the cycling unlike in golf where you much more opportunities.

What I can accept is that it is:

  • a good way to show off your fitness and your fitness equipment;
  • likely to have a better ROI on bicycle purchase from a customer perspective.

E-bikes are gaining momentum

Meanwhile, the modern format of bicycles, e-biking is booming. With 720,000 e-bikes sold in Germany in 2017, there’s been a spectacular growth of 19% compared to the previous year.

We can see this also in terms of searches on Google. On the worldwide level, Germany is leading in searches for e-bikes, while:

  • #2 – Switzerland,
  • #3 – Austria,
  • #4 – The Netherlands,
  • #5 – Luxembourg,
  • #6 – Belgium,
  • #7 – Hungary.

E-bike is tested

E-bike sales in the four main markets (France: 50%, Italy: 25%, Germany: 19%, The Netherlands: 9%) of Europe soared in 2017. The growth rate stood at a big 21%!

On the other side of the pond, between 2002-2013 the USA Cycling saw 76% growth of bicycle licenses. In spring 2017, the number of people who have been cycling within the last 12 months amounted to 66.21 million.

In 2014, the global bicycle industry was estimated to be worth $51bn and is set to reach $65bn by 2019 – representing a compound annual growth of 3.5 percent.

Roughly a third of the riders have household incomes exceeding $100,000 a year, a rate 63 percent higher than 10 years ago, according to the National Sporting Goods Association.

E-bike test in Golfclub München Eichenried

The Leading Golf Clubs of Germany & e-bikes

It seems to be proved true again the old saying ‘if you can’t beat them, then join them‘. If we look at the e-bike statistics in Germany, it is really obvious, why should golf clubs consider e-bikes as a business opportunity to attract and at the same time retain golfers. Especially when so many people are looking for fitness-focused spare time activities and vacations.

In the last couple of years, health & wellness became a status symbol according to Trendhunter.

The Leading Golf Clubs of Germany (with 33 member clubs in Germany) became recently an exclusive consulting and distribution of the most awarded e-bike in the world the Pininfarina E-VOLUZIONE.

The Pininfarina E-VOLUZIONE won several international awards, among them the iF Design Award 2017, the German Design Award 2017 and 2018, the Red Dot Award 2018 and many more!

From now on every member of the Leading Golf Clubs of Germany will receive 3 Pininfarina e-bikes each year from the manufacturer, one for exhibition purposes and two for testing for members, guests and others who are interested in it.

There will be brand ambassadors in every Leading Golf Clubs of Germany member clubs who will represent this e-bike brand. The very first Pininfarina e-bikes were tested in Golfclub München Eichenried (see pictures above).

Before, you would jump on this opportunity, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Have you got bike trails near your golf club or golf resort? If you don’t have then it is time to consider building bike trails.
  • Are you prepared for healthier business travelers and local people? (E.g. “Power breakfasts”)
  • Don’t neglect the insurance aspect.