If you’ve spent any time on golf social media lately, you’ve probably seen a skit lampooning the ridiculous calls that pro shop staff field each day. “What time does the sun set?” “Is it raining there right now?” “Are people wearing shorts today?” Parody videos like these have racked up millions of views, and even helped Hermitage Golf Course in Tennessee gain 100,000 Instagram and TikTok followers, by turning golf’s phone culture into comedic relief.
It’s easy to laugh at them, but those of us who’ve worked in a pro shop and managed the phone lines know there’s an uncomfortable truth and frustration behind these reels, and that the humor distracts from a not-so-funny industry problem: golf facilities hemorrhaging resources on avoidable (and often trivial) calls, diverting staff from higher-value touch points and revenue-generating activities.
Our team has been digging in on the issue over the past month – surveying golfers, interviewing operators and analyzing phone logs from facilities across the country – to assess the true cost embedded in golf’s daily operations.
Based on our research and modeling efforts, we’d estimate that U.S. golf courses have collectively burned through more than 6 million phone hours over the past 12 months, equating to over $100 million in staff time when applying conservative wage data for shop employees and assistant professionals, who field most calls.
It may not seem like much on a per-facility basis – about 40-50 calls and a little over an hour per day – but these annualized figures mask significant seasonal variation, and the fact that smaller facilities are bringing down the overall average, with busy courses and those offering multiple amenities handling much higher volumes during peak months. Either way, what matters most is that every minute spent answering routine questions represents opportunity cost that facilities simply cannot ignore.
The industry shoulders some blame here. The fact that two-thirds of calls are about reservations and pricing, and only 40% of golfers are booking tee times exclusively or mostly online – compared to 80-90% for flights, hotels, and rental cars – speaks not to consumer limitations, but to inadequate technology infrastructure, poor user experience and gaps in available information online. Almost a third of golfers explicitly cite course websites and booking systems as difficult to use, unreliable, or simply not as convenient as other online booking platforms.
But website and information deficiencies don’t tell the whole story. Almost every golfer we surveyed indicated having called a pro shop in the past year, with the majority admitting they could have accomplished what they needed – at least for some of their calls – without ever picking up the phone. Of those, 20% confessed that ‘most of the time’ their calls weren’t necessary at all. Challenged on their calling habits, the top rationalization was behavioral autopilot, with more than a third saying it’s “just what [they’ve] always done.” This acknowledgement makes the waste particularly frustrating, and helps explain the popularity of those pro shop sketches.
The reliance on phone calls has real consequences for operators and customers alike. The majority of golfers report some kind of negative experience over the past year – waiting on hold, getting busy signals, being ignored while staff handle calls, or, perhaps worst of all, giving up and taking their business somewhere else, which more than 10% claimed to do in the past year.
Golf operators clearly recognize the issue. Seventy percent agree that phone calls consume staff time better deployed elsewhere. But far fewer have taken action to solve it – less than a quarter are currently using or exploring technology solutions (automated systems, AI chatbots) that could deflect unnecessary calls and free up staff.
The solution is not about eliminating golf’s personal touch, rather redirecting some of that $100 million investment toward more premium customer interactions that create real value and drive loyalty and additional revenue.
About the Author
David Lorentz
David Lorentz has served as Chief Research Officer at the National Golf Foundation since 2019, after joining the organization as an analyst in 2012. Lorentz leads a team dedicated to empowering golf business leaders through data-driven insights. Known for his rational thinking, economic mindedness, and human-focused approach, he brings valuable perspective and foresight to understanding the evolving business and consumer. Industry leaders rely on Lorentz's original research and insights to inform strategic decisions across both commercial and industry levels. He holds an M.S. in Applied Economics and Statistics from Clemson University and a B.A. in Economics from Xavier University. Lorentz is also a very proud native of Cincinnati, Ohio.