"It's "Virtually" the Same Game?!

 

The business of sports is growing tremendously and it is fueled in part by athletes that take on celebrity status. None typifies this better than Tiger Woods. Tiger is a brand representing a multimillion-dollar entity unto itself. Traditionally, golf had a stigma of being for wealthy, stodgy, old businessmen who hardly knew how to have a good time. That image is common in many countries outside of the United States to this day. Companies like Nike and Callaway have invested large sums of money and effort to draw a different and more diverse demographic to the game of golf. 

 

With the changing demographic of the actual players comes a marketing challenge of just how to best meet the needs of these segments that are quite new to the game. For instance, indoor golf simulators have started to increase in popularity and offer a chance to play some golf even in an urban setting. These simulators have the distinct advantage of being able to accurately show the player's ball flight and ball spin, as well as the actual yardage the ball travels. A further advantage is that with these simulators, a foursome can finish an entire round of golf in just under an hour instead of four hours or more! Additionally, this round of golf can be played at St. Andrews or Pebble Beach without the expense and hassle of traveling to these mystical sites. 

 

Brian Scheler is the director of marketing for Frontier Golf Simulators, a San Antonio, Texas-based company that operates five state-of-the-art golf simulators. The pricing structure is either $30 per hour for "walk-ins" or a player can take a membership much like he or she might at a real golf club. In addition to the simulators, the facility has a restaurant and bar so that patrons can eat and drink while they tee it up. Brian has the unique challenge of marketing and ultimately selling time on these simulators. Unfortunately, Mr. Scheler is unsure how to best spend his very limited marketing budget. Mr. Scheler understands that the traditional golfer has different wants and needs than does the entertainment-seeking golfer. Does virtual golf offer value in the same way as real golf? If not, the simulators may not appeal to real or traditional golfers at all. 

 

Faced with not knowing exactly what people like most about the simulators, Brian decides to create a survey to determine what people like most about their simulator experience and how to most effectively market his product to maximize the customer's experience and ultimately create returning customers.

 

1. What are some of the issues Brian should consider when designing the survey?

2. What types of issues can be addressed with open-ended questions and what type of issues can be addressed with fixed-alter-native questions?

3. How would the structure of the survey change if Brian decides to administer the survey via the telephone versus face-to-face mall intercept interviews?

4. Develop a survey that will address Brian's need to better understand his customers."