In Dublin, Ireland, a conventional golf course with an on-site driving range was facing a familiar challenge: how to grow beyond its dedicated base of traditional golfers. The goal was ambitious: boost revenue by attracting a broader leisure and entertainment market, integrate this new demographic, and, crucially, create a pathway to 18-hole golf.
This wasn't a call for a simple refresh. It was a call for a total reinvention. The answer was Swingyard, a new brand and strategy to transform the facility into a vibrant, multi-faceted destination for golfers and non-golfers alike.
The team's vision was clear: create a unique active leisure and entertainment destination. This required a three-pronged strategy.
It began with choosing a strategic technology partner, not just a supplier. The team selected Inrange® for a key reason: the ability to provide a playing experience and data infrastructure to serve three distinct customer types:
That Inrange® could cater to these diverse profiles was the perfect engine to deliver Swingyard's vision, ensuring every guest from scratch golfers to a first-timer on a night out had an experience that felt relevant to them.
The vision was brought to life through a distinctive new brand identity.
Creative, cool, and playful, Swingyard’s bold and energetic identity was crafted to create an immediate sense of fun that stood apart from traditional golf brands and the adjacent 18-hole course.
The facility underwent a major transformation, with extended bays, new ball machines, and the addition of a kitchen, themed café, and bar to deliver a complete and memorable brand experience.
A seamless customer journey was achieved through the integration of online booking, digital food and beverage ordering, and personalised marketing systems, creating a unified view of each guest across all operations.
Next, a marketing strategy was needed to attract new audiences.
The launch featured brand teaser campaigns and data-capture incentives to build awareness and a database of golf enthusiasts. This was followed by a wider promotional programme in broader leisure markets, targeted advertising and strategic partnerships with Dublin-centric websites catering to both tourists and locals.
A social media strategy prioritised lifestyle influencers with strong engagement and active communities over just large follower counts.
Finally, the operation itself was restructured for group and event entertainment. Tellingly, the new operations team was recruited for brand alignment, energy, and hospitality experience, rather than golf expertise. A dedicated Leisure and Events Manager was also appointed to drive large group and corporate bookings.
In its first year, Swingyard has delivered and its strategy to attract a new social demographic has paid off. Monthly customer surveys revealed 48% of visitors came primarily for the social experience, and 60% of guests purchased food and drink.
The new experience was a hit. Based on over 2,000 customer surveys, the venue achieved an average satisfaction score of 8+/10 across all KPIs and a world-class NPS score of +56.
By the Numbers:
Crucially, the new range operation didn't just create a new business; it supercharged the traditional one. The halo effect on the golf course was significant and measurable:
Swingyard proved that by embracing a new audience, a modern entertainment range can be a powerful engine for growing the entire game, creating a prosperous, sustainable future far beyond the traditional fairway.
