Whether it's holding down prices, announcing new events, explaining changes or speaking about continued improvements, Pearse is willing to tell all.
First, and maybe most important, is the fact that Pearse is well aware of high fuel prices and a poor economy.
"Golf is a discretionary dollar. You don't have to play golf," he said late last week. "You have to buy food and pay for medical goods and your kid's education, but golf is not a mandatory thing. We have to be smarter on how we run our business."
Pearse said Trempealeau Mountain has maintained the same membership fees for six or seven years and that won't change. There won't be any increases in green fees or cart fees, either.
Pearse said their business philosophy is if you provide a quality product and quality service, people will come and play, and then return to play again. However, he is quick to point out that you must also be very competitive with pricing.
"We're taking a very strong position to earn a bigger portion of seniors play in the area this year, too," he said. "We're introducing a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday anytime of the day special for $25 for golf and cart for 18 holes. That includes tax." The age 55-and-older special falls in line with a trial run last fall.
"We saw a lot of people we haven't seen before and they came back several times," Pearse said. "With the right price, quality product and quality service, we know we'll grow our business instead of raising our prices."
Pearse also hopes to build upon senior men's day on Monday. The weekly event is open to non-members as well as members. Golfers can play any time of the day as long as they play with another member of the Seniors Club.
Trempealeau Mountain's Men's Club, for members and non-members, plays on Thursday.
Pearse also is adding free cart Friday for all golfers. The weekly special features 18 holes of golf and cart for $26, including tax.
"Friday is a pretty popular day to take a half day off work and come out and play. We think this will be very popular," said Pearse, adding that punch cards, for 10,
18-hole rounds without cart, are also available for $150.
Tournaments and events are also important pieces of the business plan. Trempealeau Mountain will play host to a pair of new events this summer. The Mutual of Omaha Drive, Chip & Putt Local Championship for juniors is scheduled June 24, four days before the McGladrey Team Championship.
The McGladrey tournament is a three-person low net best ball for amateurs only. Pearse, stressing that it is not a scramble, becomes a member of the winning team qualifying for the state event with the eventual championship team
advancing to the national level at Pinehurst, S.C.
Pearse also is tweaking the annual Trempealeau Match Play Championship. He admits entries have declined in the past few years because of the time frame for qualifying and playing matches.
"This year, we've removed those issues. Now from April 15 through May 18, a person can sign up and basically declare a day to play his
qualifying round and make his own tee time anytime from Monday through Friday," he said. "We also expanded the time frame to play a match. It used to be two to three weeks for matches, now it's four weeks."
While Trempealeau Mountain features GPS systems in their carts, Pearse also is offering free use of a pair of hand-held demo SkyCaddie GPS units for golfers walking the course. The units are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Pearse said owners and brothers Jimmy and Eric Wilber will be familiar faces at the course again this year. So will course superintendent Casey O'Connell.
"We're so fortunate that Casey is coming back for his fourth season because of the wonderful job he does as well as working so well with customers," Pearse said.
"We also just bought two new greens mowers. It's important to keep your equipment up to date, too," he said. "Without question, we're excited for a terrific year."
Pearse opened the practice range at 1 p.m., on Friday, the back nine at
11 a.m. Saturday and the front nine later Saturday.
MASTERS MANIA: The third annual La Crosse Tribune "Masters Mania" contest information and entry form will be published in next Sunday's Tribune and also on Tribune's Web site, www.lacrossetribune.com
Last year's contest attracted more than 200 entries.
Bob Lamb can be reached at (608) 791-8228, or at blamb@lacrossetribune.com
To see more of the La Crosse Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.lacrossetribune.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, La Crosse Tribune, Wis. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
More News:
Market Updates |
Stock Alerts |
All Trading News |
Stock Index
|
|
