Grand Strand Tee Time Network To Move Forward With A Variable Rate Model On The Heels Of GolfNow Announcing Changes To Its Myrtle Beach Business Model
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., March 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Grand Strand Tee Time Network (GSTTN) announced today that GolfNow will be changing its business model in the Myrtle Beach market. This change leaves GolfNow without a member-provider relationship within the GSTTN to process tee time inventory. GSTTN will move forward with selling tee times using a variable rate model to visiting tourists. This announcement comes after GolfNow elected to change its business model from selling Myrtle Beach tee times on a commission basis, to its standard barter compensation model.
The GSTTN variable rate business model is similar to those used by hotel and airline booking systems. This model allows visiting golfers to pre-book tee times up to 12 months in advance or same day at participating golf courses. This change gives golfers the options to book when they decide they want to play golf. The GSTTN system also allows golfers to book multiple tee times in one transaction, reflecting a significant change to the current industry standard that has allowed golfers to only book one tee time per transaction.
GolfNow representatives met with the GSTTN membership to discuss the GolfNow model this past week. Prior to this meeting, the all-inclusive inventory of Myrtle Beach area golf course tee times was taken down from the GolfNow platform. After the presentation and a Q&A session, the membership discussed the value of creating a barter model that conflicts with the golf package business model made famous in the Myrtle Beach market. Currently only 2 Myrtle Beach area courses (one being a GSTTN member) are available on GolfNow's online tee time booking platform.
"After reviewing their performance with the Myrtle Beach business model GolfNow decided to change from a commission-only revenue program to their standard barter model," said Tracy Conner, general manager of GSTTN. "GolfNow's revenue model across the country is for the golf courses to give them one or more tee times a day in exchange for the ability to sell tee times through the GolfNow portal. GolfNow can then sell those barter tee times at pricing they determine will move the trade- and course-owned inventory on the GolfNow platform. As a result of GolfNow's decision to change the business model, access to the entire market's tee time inventory will now be negotiated with each course individually. Moving forward, individual courses will have the opportunity to create a tee time-provider business relationship with GolfNow under the normal Grand Strand Tee Time Network rules of business practices."
The Grand Strand Tee Time Network has been the Myrtle Beach area's tee time technology provider for over 20 years, enabling golf courses, hotels, third-party and out of market providers the opportunity to access golf course tee sheets to book single and multiple tee times up to twelve months in advance in real-time on Myrtle Beach Area courses. GSTTN is responsible for determining and controlling access to the tee time inventory in the Myrtle Beach market. The GSTTN courses process over 3 million rounds annually on the TLinks platform.
About Grand Strand Tee Time Network
Established in 1991, the Grand Strand Tee Time Network was created in order to provide and manage a technology platform that would allow Myrtle Beach Area member golf courses, hotels and package providers access to golf course tee sheets in order to plan and book golf packages. The GSTTN's current system is operated using the T-Links Web-based tee sheet solution.
SOURCE Grand Strand Tee Time Network
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