This came up in a meeting yesterday, with a client who said that Paul Cowley's boss told him that "if you get good players out there with some buzz, you get the other players."
First, is that correct, in your opinion, as to what generates play? Obviously, Davis Love III has the good players perspective, but is he on the money, given how few of them there are relatively? (For the record, I have always thought so, but am wondering)
I'm not sure I agree with the assumption. I think generating word-of-mouth buzz has more to do with golfers' personalities than with their handicaps. I'll take the word of a passionate mid-to-high-handicapper who plays all kinds of different courses than the opinion of a boorish low-capper who'd I just as soon never play golf with again. Just because the low-handicappers shoot well doesn't mean they are mavens about golf courses, have the abilities to sell their opinions, or even know enough people to get the word out in the first place.
To really generate buzz, I think they have to appeal to the average yet avid player. That means providing good conditioning, good aesthetics, reasonable prices, and a friendly and courteous staff - in short, providing a good overall experience.
Without good conditioning, the average golfer won't like the play of the course. Smooth greens are more important than their speed. Golfers always seem to rave about pretty courses with some variety, while none care to reminisce (let alone revisit) the plain and ugly courses out there. I think it's a good idea to block out views of people's back yards with trees or other natural features. Certainly, most golfers don't want to pay through the nose to play - rates should be comparable to the average in the area.
I think the cheapest and easiest way to provide a good experience (and to generate repeat visits) is through good service. I want a friendly and attentive greeting at the pro shop, a gracious and respectful starter, a marshall who kindly keeps the pace of play clipping along, and groundskeepers with enough presence to idle their noisy equipment when I'm putting. I would never recommend a course where it seems like the staff is haughty, unconcerned, or peeved at having to inconvenience themselves to do anything remotely welcoming or pleasant for the customer. I hate giving my money to rude people.