Troon Golf‘s latest “trophy” is Red Hawk Golf and Resort in Sparks, Nevada just outside of Reno. It is a semi-private facility.
Through Red Hawk’s semi-private designation, the club is open to full golf members, daily-fee play, annual pass holders, group events, and resort guests.
The Villas at Red Hawk, a collection of nine suites of varying sizes, provide a luxurious lodging alternative to Reno’s casinos while allowing guests effortless access to the property’s golf, event, banquet, food and beverage, and fitness facilities.
Red Hawk Golf and Resort features two 18-hole golf courses:
- The Lakes Course, which opened in 1997, and The Hills Course, which opened for play in 2005.
- The Lakes Course is a 7,410-yard Robert Trent Jones Jr. design that winds through natural lakes and mature cottonwood trees.
- Meanwhile, the par-71, 7,106-yard Hills Course is a Hale Irwin design known for its small greens, dramatic elevation changes, and big sky views.
The Red Hawk Golf and Resort has got:
- a robust food and beverage operation with David’s Grill offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily;
- its wedding and event center can accommodate up to 330 guests;
- a variety of outdoor venues are surrounded by water features and trees and can seat between 250 to 500 guests;
- swim and fitness center complete with an array of fitness equipment; a seasonal multi-lane swimming and recreational pool and related facilities; outdoor pavilion/lawn game area; and a splash pool for kids.
What already works well at Red Hawk Golf and Resort?
I am very pleased to find the following:
- Multigenerational offer (e.g. splash pool for kids);
- Mobile application (iOS, Android) – at the same time I miss the menu where the user could order drinks or food or even new golf balls (=new source of revenue!).
- Social proofs are displayed on the website (I would cooperate with influencers too to build trust and relationship with potential guests and members + to incite WOM conversations about the resort);
- Presence on the most relevant social media platforms (FB, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter). However, I have got the feeling that instead of engaging with the followers they still advertise to their followers. It should be the other way round!
- A blog on the website could be a great way to convey the experience available in a golf club if it is written regularly. It can also help you in search engine optimization of your website.
What I missed were:
- Usage of real-time messaging applications. In the U.S. Facebook Messenger is #1. We should try to engage and facilitate a conversation with our prospects and members.
- The information available about the resort and its services is so basic that can cause a high churn rate plus people will go to other places to spend well their spare time or holiday.
- What they are doing for the sake of sustainability?
These are my first impressions I hope I can add more to it soon…