Golf is a popular pastime throughout the United States and Canada, and has grown into a major entertainment industry in its own right. According to the National Golf Foundation, the sport has seen a 30% increase in participation since 2016, and the PGA reports that the total number of active golfers represents approximately 11% of the United States population. Both traditional courses and exotic golf courses like Topgolf and Drive Shack also bring in hundreds of thousands of people each year; with so many people coming to prepared areas, there is an opportunity for business partnerships and advertising unlike any other.
Direct Fairways did what any serious business would do, and turned that opportunity into real value for its partners. Founded in 2015, the leading advertising company is dedicated to connecting golf courses across the US and Canada with innovative marketing solutions and partnerships. Their business model is built on beneficial initiatives involving local businesses and communities, and with more than 3000 courses in their network, a model that has been proven successful time and time again.
Direct Fairways prides itself on bringing quality products to the golf courses in its network, while also giving local businesses the opportunity to advertise to a large, engaged, and growing audience. Their high-quality promotional materials and services are designed to help courses increase visibility, attract new customers, and improve member engagement—all provided free of charge to the courses themselves. With a wide range of products and services available, and a focus on community-driven marketing, Direct Fairways works to bring businesses and communities together so everyone can succeed.
“At Direct Fairways, our decisions and culture are guided by our commitment to empowering and motivating our team members,” he said. [SPOKESPERSON]. “We foster a family-oriented environment that emphasizes collaboration, continuous improvement, and support. These values shape the way we do our work, interact with clients, and drive the company forward, ensuring that growth and success are achieved together.”
Quality Products Without the Cost
One of the unique keys to the Direct Fairways model and success is the choice to offer amenities on shared golf courses at no charge. By providing high-quality printed products at no charge, golf courses are able to get valuable promotional materials without affecting their budget—eliminating any pain points and leaving only the best reasons for partners. These materials are professionally produced and include items including but not limited to score cards, yardage cards, course guides, and information kiosks, all intended to enhance the on-course experience for golfers and provide an authentic environment for advertisers and sponsors. Courses can, and often do, use these brands to showcase their offerings, from memberships and events to dining and contests, but those spaces can be used for more than self-promotion.
“Ad placement allows small and medium-sized businesses to get in front of an engaged, high-value local audience that they often find difficult to reach,” [SPOKESPERSON] explains. “Businesses gain visibility in their community, supporting a local marketing ecosystem that benefits golfers, businesses, and courses alike.”
By partnering with Direct Fairways, courses can promote their events, memberships, and facilities using quality materials obtained at no cost, and provide partnership opportunities with local businesses. This creates a win-win marketing ecosystem that brings communities together to benefit the course, the golfer, local businesses, and Direct Fairways all at the same time. These ads are carefully integrated into the products that golfers use every day, and the entire process is handled by Direct Fairways, from creative production to distribution, and is supported by a strict quality control process.
“Each department is supported by dedicated managers who oversee operations and maintain high standards,” it said [SPOKESPERSON]. “Departments hold weekly training sessions to reinforce best practices, and managers monitor calls regularly to ensure quality and consistency. Additionally, managers can join live calls when needed to provide real-time guidance and support, ensuring all customer interactions meet our service standards.”
Direct Fairways Process
A typical customer journey and relationship with Direct Fairways can begin in one of two ways: either reaching out directly to the company, or the Fairways sales team can initiate communication. Once interest is found and funding is agreed upon, sponsors then provide the artwork and materials, marketing, and style direction information for their ads. Everything is then sent to Direct Fairways’ in-house graphic design team to create advertisements, with proofs sent to the sponsor for approval; nothing is printed without the sponsor’s signature, and they have up to four art changes a year to make sure their message is delivered the way they want it to be.
After everything is set and approved, the printing process begins. The ad(s) created are printed on selected course products—score cards, yard cards, course guides, etc.—and the sponsor is notified upon completion. Product Delivery Confirmation and tracking information is sent to the sponsor as well to ensure that everything is transparent and traceable. Advertising time officially starts when a new ad hits the course, ensuring sponsors only pay for live exposure time. Throughout the process the sponsor is supported by the Direct Fairways customer service team.
Speaking of customer service, Direct Fairways has recently implemented a number of enhancements to improve the patron experience and streamline all operations. Enhanced communication strategies provide sponsors with proactive updates, shortened print timelines for faster launches, and extended business hours for better support availability. Support has also been enhanced with additional customer service staff, an online chat feature, and automated workflows for artwork submissions, all aimed at making the process smoother and more efficient from start to finish.
“In addition to these service enhancements, Direct Fairways has introduced a new kiosk designed to enhance the golf experience,” [SPOKESPERSON] he adds. “This kiosk allows courses to showcase their resources, aggregate GHIN scores, provide up-to-date weather information, and feature fully customizable tiles—giving each course the ability to customize the display to fit its unique needs and offerings.”
