Case Study Summary
Sittler Golf is a PGA-recognized golf retail and instruction business that implemented a mid-market golf loyalty program to transition from high-cost direct mail advertising to targeted digital communication. By using rewards as an incentive to capture customer email addresses and segment outreach, Sittler Golf improved engagement, repeat visits, and revenue performance.
Company Overview
Sittler Golf began as a golf range, miniature golf facility, and ice cream parlor and has expanded over 33 years into an award-winning PGA instruction and club fitting operation. The business recently relocated to a larger facility to support continued growth.
The new location includes a 9,500 square foot golf retail store, an indoor and outdoor driving range powered by TopTracer technology, and state-of-the-art club fitting bays using GCQuad technology. The operation employs six PGA golf professionals providing instruction and custom fittings.
Sittler Golf has been recognized by Golf Digest as a Top 100 Club Fitter in America since 2011.
At a Glance
| Insights | This case study shows how a mid-market golf loyalty program can improve engagement, visit frequency, retention, and revenue performance. |
| Client | Sittler Golf |
| Industry | Golf Retail and Instruction |
| Location | United States |
| Business Model | Golf retail store with indoor and outdoor range, club fitting, and PGA instruction |
| Loyalty Platform | Preferred Patron™ Growth Edition |
| Buyer Segment | Mid-Market Golf |
| Program Impact | 65% impact on visits, 60% impact on revenue, 45% improvement in engagement, and 50% improvement in retention. |
At a Glance: Mid-Market Golf Loyalty Program
The Challenge: Keeping Pace with Technology and Moving to Email
Before implementing a mid-market golf retail loyalty program, Sittler Golf was working to keep up with rapidly advancing technology, particularly in the areas of email marketing and rewards-based engagement. The team recognized that the customer communication environment was evolving and that traditional outreach methods were becoming less effective.
The greatest operational challenge was transitioning from direct mail to email communication. Direct mail campaigns and Yellow Pages advertising were costing thousands of dollars per month. However, without a reliable way to capture customer email addresses, shifting to digital communication was difficult.
Sittler Golf realized that if they could provide an incentive for customers to share their email addresses, they could reduce and ultimately eliminate high-cost direct mail campaigns while maintaining consistent communication with their audience.
The Solution: Golf Retail Loyalty and Rewards Program
Sittler Golf implemented Preferred Patron Loyalty™ as a centralized golf retail and instruction loyalty platform. Rewards encouraged enrollment and email capture, enabling targeted outreach based on retail purchases, range usage, fittings, and instruction.
The platform allowed communications to be filtered for different clientele groups while reinforcing repeat behavior through structured incentives.
Implementation Experience
Onboarding was described as seamless and straightforward. Setup was painless, and the team emphasized accessible, responsive support throughout implementation.
“We have appreciated the relationship that we have developed with the Preferred Patron team. They are very responsive and address any issues in a very timely manner.” — Patty Kline, Sittler Golf
Measurable Results from the Golf Retail Loyalty Program
After launching Preferred Patron Loyalty™, Sittler Golf reported measurable improvements across key performance areas.
Higher Engagement
Engagement improved by 45% through targeted email communication and reward participation.
Improved Retention
Retention increased by 50% as customers had clearer incentives to return.
Repeat Visits and Revenue Impact
The loyalty program had a 65% impact on visits and a 60% impact on revenue.
What This Means for Golf Courses and Driving Ranges
This case demonstrates how a mid-market golf loyalty program can help golf courses, driving ranges, retail shops, and instruction facilities modernize communication while improving repeat behavior.
A structured loyalty strategy reduces reliance on traditional advertising and supports measurable growth through segmented digital outreach.
Client Perspective
“We would highly recommend Preferred Patron’s solutions. It is not only a loyalty and rewards program but a highly effective and consistent form of communication with our customers.”
Key Takeaways
- 45% improvement in engagement
- 50% improvement in retention
- 65% impact on visits
- 60% impact on revenue
- Rewards supported email capture and reduced reliance on direct mail and yellow page advertising
Next Steps
Golf courses, driving ranges, and retail instruction facilities that rely on repeat visits can use a mid-market golf loyalty program to modernize communication and reduce traditional advertising costs. By incentivizing email capture and segmenting outreach, operators can increase engagement, improve retention, and drive measurable revenue growth.
To explore how a loyalty program can benefit your golf operation:
Learn more at Preferred Patron Loyalty™.
About Preferred Patron Loyalty™
Preferred Patron Loyalty™ provides customer engagement and retention software designed for mid-market businesses. The platform helps organizations increase repeat visits, strengthen customer relationships, and drive measurable growth through structured loyalty marketing. Learn more at www.preferredpatron.com.