PR case study of brand development and customer building for Black Mesa Golf Club in La Mesilla, NM

1. Black Mesa Golf Club
“Building a Reputation and Customer Base”
Case Study
Prepared by Hamilton Public Relations
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2. Background
> Black Mesa Golf Club is an 18-hole daily fee golf course located 25 minutes north of
Santa Fe, New Mexico on the Santa Clara Pueblo
> The course is operated by Edward Peck in a co-ownership agreement with the Santa
Clara Development Corp., the business entity of the Pueblo
> Black Mesa opened in the Spring of 2003 to great reviews including “Best New
Affordable Public Course” by Golf Digest and one of the “2003 Top Ten (New Courses)
You Can Play” by GOLF Magazine
> However, once the initial hype died down Black Mesa realized they needed a strategic
marketing communications plan going forward
> In May, 2009, Black Mesa announced plans to develop a second course as well as a
small on-site hotel, casino and spa
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3. Challenges
> THG conducted extensive research of Black Mesa’s customer
database, Santa Fe and New Mexico tourism data, media
coverage and surveys of current staff and customers revealed the
following challenges:
– While golf can be played year round at Black Mesa, the “high” season runs
from May through September
– The majority of rounds were played on weekends rather than weekdays
– Black Mesa charged much higher greens fees than other courses in the
immediate area
– There were a limited number of golfers in the Greater Santa Fe area
– New Mexico and Santa Fe were not known as “golf” destinations
– For out-of-state golfers, traveling to Black Mesa required flying into
Albuquerque and then driving 90 minutes past several competing courses
– Black Mesa did not have a hotel on-site nor a quality hotel in the
immediate area to make it a destination
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4. Strategies
1. Develop marketing plans for out-of-area and local customers
1. Out-of-Area
1. Capitalize on Santa Fe as a desirable vacation destination
2. Market New Mexico and Santa Fe as a “new” golf destination
3. Use low greens fees, moderate temperatures, New Mexico culture, highly
regarded courses and ease of getting tee times as selling points
2. Local
1. Develop a program for most loyal/frequent customers
2. Develop low cost incentives to attract new or value-driven customers
2. Generate greater awareness among media and course raters to continue
stream of positive reviews
3. Develop ongoing methods to keep customers engaged and informed
4. Seek and develop partnerships with local entities to increase marketing
opportunities
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5. Tactics
1. Capitalize on Santa Fe as a desirable travel destination and make it a “new” golf
destination
– Developed relationships with the state and local tourism boards to co-
promote New Mexico as the “new” golf destination
– Also developed relationship with partner Santa Clara Pueblo’s casino to build
revenue through gaming customers
– Also worked with local hotels to develop “stay and play” packages that could
be advertised to prospective visitors
– Segmented audience into four classes
• Local
• Drive markets
• Short flight
• Long Flight
– Key messages include the course’s low greens fees, moderate
temperatures, unique New Mexico culture, highly regarded courses and ease
of getting tee times
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6. Tactics
2. Branding
– Develop unique and memorable brand identity to tie the golf course to the land and
the area’s history and culture
3. Develop a promotional plan to generate additional revenue in the low season and
weekdays when business is slow
– Developed Black Mesa Association and Players Club to reward most
frequent local players
• Benefits included:
– Tiered discounts on greens fees
– Free GHIN fee to track member’s handicap
– Free round on member’s Birthday
– Twilight fee starts 1 hour early
– Discounts on Twilight and Weekday Nine Hole greens fees
– Discounts on pro shop purchases
– Access to special tournaments and promotions
– Developed a full year calendar of promotions to drive weekday play
• Ranged from discounts to free food and drinks in the course grill
• Were tied to holidays both legitimate and made up, days of the week, jobs, style of dress, etc.
• Customers required to submit a coupon or use a code word in order to receive discount
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7. Tactics
3. Generate greater awareness among media and course raters to continue
stream of positive reviews
– Started semi-annual media familiarization trips to bring media and
course raters to Black Mesa and New Mexico to experience the
culture and golf course first-hand
– Writers represented national or key market publications
4. Greens fees were higher than other local courses.
– Decided to maintain fees to differentiate brand experience from local
competition
– Developed Black Mesa Association to reward our most loyal
customers
• Most local “frequent players”
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8. Tactics
5. Develop methods to keep customers engaged and informed
– Develop a full year marketing communications plan
• Includes promotions and public relations initiatives
– Newsletters
• Monthly and Quarterly
– For long lead planning and features about Black Mesa
– Social Media
• Short term communications for highly engaged customers
– Public Relations
– Advertising
• Airport panoramas
• LINKS Magazine promotion
• Direct Mail
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9. Results – Media Coverage
LINKS Magazine Names Black Mesa Golf Club
“One of the (Ten) Most Spectacular Courses in the World”
One of four located in the United States and one of two not located on a body of water
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10. Results - Media Coverage
> Black Mesa has appeared in the three major top 100 public golf course rankings since it opened.
– Top 100 You Can Play No. 40 (2010) - GOLF Magazine
– America’s Greatest Public Courses No. 59 (2009) - Golf Digest
– Top 100 Modern (post-1960) Courses No. 87 (2010) - Golfweek
> Four and a Half Stars (out of five) - T + L Golf
> Editors’ Pick: Top U.S. Golf Courses - Celebrated Living
> “One the ten most spectacular courses in the world” – LINKS Magazine, Winter, 2011
> "Top 10 New Courses You Can Play – One of the finest public-access courses that opened their gates in
2003"
Golf Magazine
> “Black Mesa ranks among the very best minimalist layouts in America. It's on a par with Tom Doak's
Pacific Dunes…”
Golf Digest
> “One of the premier American layouts built in the past 25 or 30 years.”
Golf Today Magazine
> “Calling it great only scratches the surface of what this marvelous collection of 18 holes is all about.
You’ll love it and will want to return for more.”
Southern California Golf News
> "a true femme fatale: gorgeous, tough, enigmatic."
T&L Golf
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11. Results - Media Coverage
> “Respecting Mother Earth: It is arid Southwest architecture of the highest order.”
Golf Digest
> “Black Mesa is one of the more spectacular courses anywhere, with holes climbing, diving
and weaving through massive sandstone formations. With no sign of civilization other than
the clubhouse, Black Mesa can look like the moon, but the golf is heavenly.”
LINKS Magazine
> "Classic architectural features abound with the twist being the stunning New Mexico setting"
Golf Club Atlas
> "Astounding high desert layout thrilling, humbling"
TravelGolf.com
> “A walk through Black Mesa is simply awesome. Tucked within canyons and valley of the
Santa Clara Pueblo, Black Mesa may be the best course filmed within the GTW series in
2003.”
Golfingtheworld.net
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12. Results
> Media Familiarization Trips
> Arizona ,The State of Golf > Hookedongolf.com
> Arizona Fairways > Jersey Golfer
> Celebrated Living > Midwest Golfer TV
> Colorado Golfer > Michigan Golf Live!
> Cybergolf.com > New York Post
> Desert Golf > NJ Golf News
> Fairways > Ocean State Golf
> Florida Golf Central Magazine > Redanman.com
> Golf Chicago! Magazine & TV Show > Southern Arizona Tee Times
> Golf Journeys > Southern California Golf
> GOLF Magazine > Southland Golf Magazine
> Golf Minnesota > Travel and Leisure Golf
> GolfObserver.com > Travellinggolfer.com
> Golf Today > The Back 9 Radio Show
> Golf Vacations > The Elevated Tee Radio Show
> GolfChannel.com > The Met Golfer
> Golfing Magazine > WorldGolf.com "Golf for Beginners"
> Hemispheres > West Coast Golfer Magazine
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13. Results
> Brand Identity

14. Results
> Outdoor Advertising

15. Results
> Direct Mail
– Sent to more than 30,000 who like to travel and play golf who reside in
three key markets
• Denver, CO
• Dallas, TX
• Houston, TX
– Package included a brochure and a letter with a sweepstakes promotion
– Initial effort yielded nearly 900 responses
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16. Results
> LINKS Magazine Promotion
– Ran a cross promotion with LINKS Magazine to give potential
customers a free subscription to the magazine

17. Results
> More than 6,600 opt-in subscribers to the Monthly and Quarterly
newsletters
> More than 2,500 fans of Black Mesa’s Facebook account
(launched 6/5/09)
> More than 225 members of Black Mesa Association frequent play
program
– comparable in size to mid-size private country clubs
> Yearly rounds played have increased year to year
– Increased 20% in 2009 alone and 5% in 2010-11 despite the economy
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