19th Hole Media Top 10 of 2017 – The Best in Golf for 2017

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Zeb Welborn

Corey, Lacey and I sat down to go over an amazing year for 19th Hole Media. And we wanted to share the top 10 things that happened in 19th Hole Media in 2017. Thank you for being a part of it.

Here is our top ten from 2017!

#10 Palm Springs Golf Trip

We made several trips to Palm Springs in 2017, but Zeb got the chance to spend three days in Palm Springs, playing and visiting some great golf courses including Indian Wells Golf Resort, PGA West, Desert Willow Golf Resort, Monterey Country Club, Shadow Mountain Golf Club, Indian Springs Golf Club and several others. It’s never a bad thing to play three rounds of golf in three days in Palm Springs.

#9 Great Players at Great Courses

Two of our clients have some golfers who have been making waves on the PGA tour and beyond.

This year we signed on Bernardo Heights Country Club who boasts Xander Schauffele, 2017 PGA Rookie of the Year, and winner of the 2017 PGA Tour Championship.

Our longest tenured client, Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club is home to Michael Block who has been winning tournaments left and right getting the opportunity to play in numerous PGA Tour events including the upcoming Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

We also interviewed Michael Block several times throughout the year about his golfing successes and career. You can check those videos out on the video section of Arroyo Trabuco’s Facebook Page – https://www.facebook.com/pg/ArroyoTrabucoGolf/videos/

#8 Shooting GolfBoard Videos at Indian Wells Golf Resort

Indian Wells Golf Resort approached us just prior to 2017 to help them market GolfBoard via social media. One of my greatest golfing moments of the year was playing a round with Corey and shooting some GolfBoard videos which got some major traction throughout the year.

The golf season for Indian Wells lasts about six months during the winter. We did so well promoting the GolfBoard they doubled the size of their GolfBoard fleet and brought us on this season to do Facebook posting for their golf course, restaurant and wedding venue.

Check out one of their most popular GolfBoard videos here – https://www.facebook.com/IndianWellsGolfResort/videos/10155673915042366/

#7 GolfChat

A few years ago Zeb Welborn started #GolfChat, a twitter chat for golf fans and golfers.Who knew it would grow on to become its own wonderful little corner of the internet. #GolfChat took place every Tuesday on Twitter at 5PM PST with the help of @golfbandwagoner and @ConnectGolf. If you’re invested in golf, you should join us in 2018.

The chat has sparked some great conversations and debates prompting the establishment of #GolfChat Authors. #GolfChat Authors have contributed articles on golf to give their thoughts and opinions on ways to improve golf. #GolfChat is the place for knowledgable and thoughtful golf experts to share their insights on the golf industry. Check out GolfChat Authors, Click Here.

One of the highlights of the year was having Ron Sirak, award winning golf writer and, Brandel Chamblee, analyst at the Golf Channel, jump into the chat. Looking to make 2018 another great year for #GolfChat.

#6 The Social Golf Course in Scotland

No one has been more supportive of us and this business than our parents. They are the best! This year they had some wonderful adventures including a trip to the very heart and soul of golf, Scotland. They brought copies of the book The Social Golf Course written by Zeb Welborn and delivered the book to key individuals at St. Andrews, Royal Dornack, Brora and Elie.

It’s great to see The Social Golf Course at the Home of Golf.

#5 Working with NextLinks

We started working with NextLinks when they first began as REALiTEE Golf in the beginning of 2015. We have been fortunate enough to be involved with a company leading the pack on integrating technology and golf.

NextLinks is providing technology solutions for golf courses and venues to help incorporate golf and technology and are doing in a variety of unique ways.

Early in 2018, the Indian Wells City Council approved a plan to have NextLinks design a one-of-a-kind putting experience at Indian Wells Golf Resort. Their plan is to use lasers to create a nighttime experience for golfers and non-golfers in the Indian Wells area.

To see their plan watch their video – NextLinks – The Future of Indoor Golf – Goes Outdoors.

NextLinks is also working with the Silver Reef Casino in Washington to develop a unique golf experience and with the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. It’s going to be a great year for one of our favorite customers.

#4 Wedding Video Promotion for Riverwalk Golf Club

At Riverwalk Golf Club we helped identify and reach out to a wedding videographer who allowed us to use a wedding video to promote the Riverwalk Wedding Venue. With paid advertising, the post itself had:

179,247 impressions
80,286 people reached
28,000+ video views
3,016 clicks
251 likes
21 shares
37 comments

But the best part about the video was the shares and comments. Commenters suggested the wedding venue to friends, expressed their desire to have a wedding there and, probably most importantly, received social proof from commenters who used the venue before and loved it. These comments can then be used to continually market the wedding venue at the golf course.

Here are some examples of the comments left by Facebook users who saw the video ad we identified, posted and advertised for on behalf of Riverwalk Golf Club:

We are creating a package specifically for wedding golf course venues. If you’d like to learn more about our golf course wedding venue marketing packages sign up for our email list here – http://eepurl.com/OTrhf

#3 19th Hole Media Clients Win CGCOA Awards

Sometimes businesses think social media is just a marketing tool, but it’s so much more than that. It helps with customer service, customer retention, customer feedback, develops new business opportunities, creates PR opportunities, etc.

We are proud to announce that the California Golf Course Owner’s Association’s Awards were won by several organizations involved with 19th Hole Media. You can watch videos of these CGCOA Award Winners here:

#2 Viral Golf Videos

Several golf videos we created this year went viral. One was a video of Zeb Welborn interviewing John Powell, from Los Serranos Country Club, about his world record-breaking round of golf where he shot 22 strokes under his age.

John Powell’s video was picked up by several major golf publishers throughout the country and he got lots more publicity for his remarkable accomplishment.

It was great helping get John Powell be recognized, he loved the attention he got from our video.

The second viral video was an interview I had with Bruce Loman, one of the first members of the Callaway Golf team. He’s seen Callaway become one of the biggest brands in golf and he shared the story regarding his experience with the company.

The interview came about purely by chance as Bruce recognized me coming off the 18th Hole at Strawberry Farms Golf Club. He was open to doing an interview right then and there.

Want 19th Hole Media to shoot and promote videos like these for your golf course? Sign up for our email list here and we’ll be in touch – http://eepurl.com/OTrhf

#1 Southern California Charity Golf Classic

The 3rd Annual Southern California Charity Golf Classic was held at Los Serranos Golf Club on July 29.

This year we had 132 golfers play in our golf tournament and raised $14,401.87. Combined, we have raised more than $33,000 in the three years we’ve hosted the Southern California Charity Golf Classic. Thank you to everyone who organized, sponsored, donated and played in the SCCGC!

In more exciting news, we wanted to share some new things that happened in our personal lives in 2017 too.

Birth of Our Darling Niece

Just about a year ago our brother Rocky became a father and we got to meet our niece. She is simply amazing. An animal lover who enjoys food, she is already very good at sharing. We are so excited to see her grow and to be a part of her life!

New Baby Coming in 2018

We’re happy to announce that Cindy, Zeb’s wife, is pregnant with their second child – a girl. 2018 is going to be another great year full of joy, laughter and excitement. Sebastian is super excited to become a big brother.

Sebastian’s Getting a Little Sister

It is not lost on us how fortunate we are to be able to do the work we do with people who never fail to be interesting and passionate. So many people have helped us get to where we are.

We have a lot of plans for 2018 and are looking forward to another memorable year. We hope you all have an absolutely amazing 2018!

Thank you all for everything!

Zeb & Lacey Welborn

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7 Quick Tips to Add Followers for Your Golf Courses Social Media Accounts

Posted on April 26, 2017 by Zeb Welborn

Gaining followers on your social media accounts is no easy task.

You need to set up your account, post regularly and follow along with comments. Most importantly, you need to have a strategy to add followers to your page.

Here are some quick tips on ways your golf course can add more followers to your social media channels:

On-Course Social Media Promotions

The easiest way to get followers to your social media accounts is to tell your golfers to follow you with on-course promotions. Some ways you can create on-course promotions to get golfers to follow you on social media are:

Clear Signage – include signs on your course, in the clubhouse and in the golf shop that tell your golfers you’re using social media.
Selfie Spot – Identify a popular picture taking spot on your golf course and include signage letting your golfers know this is a great spot to take a photo to share on social media. They will likely follow and share their experience at your course with their friends too.
Photo by Tom Prince
At the Point of Sale – Train your staff to let your golfers know to follow you on your social media channels for special offers, updates and course conditions.
Include a Scrolling Feed: Use a scrolling feed to show your golfers what you’re posting and what your golfers are posting on social media in your golf shop or clubhouse.

Engage on Other Social Media Pages

With more than 1.1 billion users, it’s possible to reach and connect with people from all walks of life, especially golfers. Local community pages, local golf-related pages, and local business pages are a great way to reach out and connect with your community and get more people following you on social media.

Local Community Pages: Regardless of where you live, there are social media accounts set up to engage your local community. In my town, Chino Hills Connections is a go-to resource for members of our community. Be sure to engage in local discussion to raise the profile of your social media pages.
Local Golf-Related Pages: You may have seen golf trick shot videos, golf equipment review sites, and golf course aficionado social media posts all over the internet. Connect with these influencers to raise the profile of your golf course and add to your follower count.
Local Business Pages: Local businesses are a great resource for golf courses to reach out to. Not only are they great prospects for events and tournaments at your golf course, but the people that visit those pages are likely people in your community.

Social Media Advertising to Target Golfers

An easy way to add followers to your social media channel is to use Facebook Advertising. With Facebook Ads, we recommend targeting golfers who live within 30 miles of your golf course.

Ads for Likes: You can run ad campaigns to target people who would be most likely to like your page. This will help increase your follower count.
Ads for Sales: We typically don’t recommend using ads for likes unless you’re just starting your social media account. What we suggest instead is using Facebook Ads to drive potential customers to a sale. While doing this they will be aware of your social channels and be more likely to follow.
Ads to Your Prime Market: With Facebook Ads, you can target golfers who are on your email list, who have visited your website in the past 90 days, or are the most engaged on your Facebook page. This high level of targeting insures that you’re reaching the right customers at the right price.

Use Hashtagging

Most social media sites use hashtags to help identify topics of conversation or categories of posts. Using hashtags in your posts will help add followers, specifically on sites like Instagram and Twitter.

Straight-Up Hashtagging: Example = #Golf – Using a hashtag like this makes your content usable on the various social media search engines. #Golf in Instagram as an example has more than 10,717,779 posts.
Local Hashtagging: Example = #SoCalGolf – Want to be searchable for a higher target market. Use local hashtags to be found by golfers who are more likely to play your course. #SoCalGolf in Instagram as an example has 7,304 posts.
Golf-Related Hashtags: Example = #GolfLife – There are tons of golf-related hashtags that can help your golf course get found by golfers all over the world. #GolfLife in Instagram as an example has 476,967 posts.

Run Social Media Contests

Run contests through your page to help spread word of mouth. They can get golfers to share your posts which can drive new golfers to your social media accounts. Some examples of contests you could run to gain followers are:

Photo Contest – Have your golfers submit a photo to your social media channel. The photo with the most likes wins. This will encourage your golfers to take a picture at your course, share it with their friends and invite them to your page to see it.
Share This Post with Your Friends Contest – Ask your followers to share a post. Randomly choosing a winner from the participants.
Majors Contest – Host a social contest during the major golf tournaments. Give your golfers a contest they’re happy to share with their friends.

Use Emails and Website to Promote Social Media Channels

Include your social media accounts in your emails and on your website. You can do this by:

Including your social media accounts in all employees’ email signatures
Sending an auto-responder email when they complete a round to ask them to follow your social media accounts
Having social media buttons on your website
Including a live social media feed, showing your actual social media posts, on your website.

Post Authentic, Engaging Social Media Content

The more engaging and authentic the content on your golf course is, the more likely you’ll have people want to follow you.

Think of your social media accounts as your own personal newspaper. The more subscribers you have, the more customers you’ll get.

Want more tips on how to get more golfers playing your golf course more often using social media? Sign up for the 19th Hole Media email list.

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19th Hole Media’s Top 10 of 2016

Posted on January 3, 2017 by Lacey Welborn

At our end of year meeting each year we go over a lot of material, make a lot of plans, and do a lot of business stuff. But, we also make a point to look back over the previous year and celebrate our victories.

We have come a long way since we started. Here is our Top 10 of 2016.

Top 10 of 2016

10. Speaking Gigs

This year Zeb spoke with the California Golf Course Owners’s Association and the National Golf Course Owner’s Association Arizona on digital marketing for golf courses.

9. Visiting New Client Courses in Chicago and San Jose

One of the coolest things we did this year was add new client courses in Chicago (Village Greens of Woodridge) and San Jose (Cinnabar Hills Golf Club) . . . and, as a result, visiting those courses during the year to take social media pictures, videos and discussing how to best implement our plans for 2017.In September, Zeb brought the family for an amazing trip to Chicago and played Cog Hill, Cantigny, Village Links of Glen Ellyn and, of course, Village Greens of Woodridge. Thank you Brandon Evans for a memorable trip.In November, Zeb headed up to San Jose for the California Golf Course Owner’s Association Annual Meeting and to play/shoot social photos and videos at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club. Cinnabar Hills is a beautiful 27-hole golf course and includes the impressive Brandenburg Historical Golf Museum.

8. #GolfChat Authors

Zeb started #GolfChat in 2015 and since then it has taken on a life of its own.The Twitter chat (which takes place every Tuesday at 5PM PST) now has it’s own Author’s Group.Each month a topic is explored by golf bloggers and their articles are shared on the #GolfChat website.

We have to thank #GolfChat legends Jeremy White for orchestrating the authors group and Cassie Norris for hosting #GolfChat. As well as Pete Flanigan, Tiffany Chiasson, Todd Marsh, Tony Dear, Anne Foley-Smith, Dave Hill and Jim Burton for being #GolfChat Authors. And everyone else who has participated in #GolfChat.

Congratulations to the 2016 #GolfChat Award Winners – @Front9Back9, @golfbandwagoner, @ShawnBell, @h2cgolf, @GolfUnfiltered, @1beardedgolfer, @bowdo83, @tiffchaisson and @JDres15.

Follow #GolfChat in 2017 with the new #GolfChat Twitter account – @realGolfchat

7. GolfBoard

We first saw the GolfBoard in action early this year at the Golf Industry Show.Since then we’ve played it at Maderas Golf Club, Los Serranos Country Club and Candlewood Country Club.Maderas is one of the most popular GolfBoard destinations in the country and new partner, Corey Ross is solely using social media to promote it. General Manager, Michael Flickinger said their original GolfBoard fleet of four has already paid for itself.

This year we created marketing packages specifically for the GolfBoard. The GolfBoard is a great social opportunity to help attract followers and online conversations about your golf course. Our marketing packages help to leverage social media to drive new golfers to your golf course.

6. Social Media Golf Course Marketing Column and Sponsorship for California Golf Course Owner’s Association

Zeb has starting writing a column for the California Golf Course Owners Association regular newsletter. The column will share the benefits and best practices of online marketing with golf course owners.Check out his first contributions here:

19th Hole Media became a sponsor of the CGCOA this year and will be helping them recruit new members in 2017.

5. Game 7 – A Night to Remember

Game 7 of the World Series was one of the best baseball games I’ve ever seen. The game ended up being even more memorable for Zeb.Zeb watched the Cubbies break their curse with Steve Plummer, Ron Zraick, Michael Lautenbach – the past, current and future California Golf Course Owner’s Association Presidents – and Executive Director Marc Connerly while eating the best steak he’s ever had.

4. REALiTEE Golf

At the beginning of 2017, we were introduced to Dave Shultz and REALiTEE Golf.REALiTEE Golf is a majestic real golf experience that takes place indoors with a fun social atmosphere. It’s a big idea with a big personality launching it.In February we went with REALiTEE Golf to the Golf Industry Show in San Diego. There we saw founder Dave Shultz in action. He’s incredibly passionate and enthusiastic. We’re looking forward to being a part of REALiTEE Golf in 2017.

Learn more about REALiTEE Golf.

3. New Golf Clients

This year has been amazing for 19th Hole Media.We’ve added several new clients including Cinnabar Hills Golf Club, Desert Island Golf Club, Indian Wells Golf Resort, REALiTEE Golf, Riverwalk Golf Club, and Village Greens of Woodridge.We’ve also taken on bigger roles at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, and Los Serranos Country Club and continue to work for Anaheim Hills, Dad Miller, Greenskeeper.org, Robinson Ranch, San Dimas Canyon, and Strawberry Farms.

2. Southern California Charity Golf Classic

We hosted the 2nd Annual Southern California Charity Golf Classic at Los Serranos Country Club in Chino Hills, CA on July 29.With help from many in our community, the tournament met it’s goal and raised over $12,000 for Boys Republic, the Chino Rotary Club, the Chino Valley Fire District, the Love Them All Foundation, Priceless Pets and The Let It Be Foundation.The event was a ton of fun and we have already begun planning the 2017 SCCGC.

1. Corey Ross Joins 19th Hole Media

This year we added Corey Ross to the 19th Hole Media Team. Corey is the owner of Southern California Golf and Travel Blog, contributor to Southland Golf Magazine and Director of Digital Marketing and Social Media at Maderas Golf Club.

He obviously has great experience and our shared mission make Corey the perfect addition to 19th Hole Media.

Read more about our partnership with Corey Ross – Corey Ross Joins 19th Hole Media.

Thank you all for everything! We hope you all have an amazing 2017.

As we plan for 2017, we’re preparing to send out marketing tactics and tips for golf courses coinciding with the CGCOA newsletter. If you’d like to learn how to better market your golf course in 2017 sign up to get our emails – 19th Hole Media Newsletter

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