What does effective Social Media Management for Golf Clubs look like in 2026? Well, for a long time, golf clubs have had to focus on their website as the online window for new members and visitors. In the current landscape, that window has changed. Where your website used to be the key digital platform, that title now arguably belongs to your social media channels.
This brings the key question for you to consider: Are you setting yourself up for success?
Well, this guide is designed to give you clear steps and actions to improve your social media management.
1. Move from a ‘Broadcast’ Mindset to a ‘Community’ Mindset
One of the biggest (but easiest to fix) mistakes we see golf clubs make is to use their social media channels solely for announcements and club news updates. “Greens undergoing maintenance” is a necessary update, but it doesn’t have to be shared on your social media timeline in this capacity.
Think instead about running a series to promote your green staff – this way the same message is displayed but it is done in a more natural and a more engaging way. You can still use club emails, apps and website notifications to give the simple update. Your social media content simply enhances this with the detail of the process.
You could think about implementing the 70/20/10 rule. There are variations of this of course, but the general idea remains the same.
- 70% of your posts are storytelling – you’re showing behind the scenes, history of the course, introducing key figures, praising member success stories, etc.
- 20% of your posts are based on education/information – you’re giving updates or educating members. You could include top playing tips from your head or assistant professional as an example.
- 10% of your posts are the hard sells. Push your memberships, your visitor opportunities or your open competitions. Try to convert.
2. The Rise of the Short-Form Medium
At this stage it should be no surprise that short form media content is proving that it’s got the legs to stick around. TikTok is no longer just a platform for famous footballers to perform dance routines (yes, we’re looking at you Robert Lewandowski) it’s become a go to location for the younger demographic.
Interestingly, the definition of the ‘younger demographic’ continually changes too as we see more and more evidence that TikTok’s age demographic is broadening and being used by a wider range of individuals. But, we get it, TikTok might not be right for the brand. You don’t necessarily need to jump on TikTok to see success with short form content, but you should acknowledge the lasting impact it’s had on how we produce media.
In our case, golfers want to see actual footage of the course and the clubhouse rather than static imagery and short form video content is your platform to do just this. Your videos could focus on:
- Course details – think about bunker shots or undulating putts.
- The ideal target line on the 1st tee – keep in mind different abilities and show a safe line, a moderate line and a ‘Tiger’ line.
- The clubhouse atmosphere – a short video of the perfect fourball post-match drinks? Choose four different products and encourage your audience to share their ideal round at the bar.
3. Build Hyper-Local Content for Social Discovery
There’s a lot of reports and opinions that traditional search ‘is dead’ – I don’t think it’s sensible to go that far, but usage reports are certainly showing that search is changing. Users, especially a younger demographic, are much more focused on using social platforms instead of search engines and so think about how your content is geared towards your local area.
Your tangible actions here:
- Use geotagging to your precise location
- Use local keywords in your captions, for example, “Introducing the best links golf in North Yorkshire.”
- Ensure you have a functional landing page with a bookable link within your social media platform bio.
4. Use Strategy to Become Proactive instead of Reactive
It’s time to stop posting ‘when you get a spare minute’ and start thinking more strategically about your approach.
Our background stems from strategic thinking and consultation and this is the biggest challenge we see golf clubs face not only in social media management but in their overall marketing.
Whilst building a strategic approach can be a more in-depth topic, some quick fixes here include:
- Using a content calendar to plan out your content a month in advance.
- Categorise your content into pillars – these could be ‘member spotlight’, ‘course’, ‘open day events’, ‘catering’ as some examples.
- Use data and social media analytics to find patterns in the best performing pillar so you can more strategically plan and produce the better performing material.
5. Find Your Identity and Stick to it
You should work strategically but you should do so in your own style and with your own voice. Which probably brings the question ‘how do I know what my voice is?’ Well, if you’re wondering that, I’ve got a simple answer for you… You create it yourself.
A good starting point is to choose three words which you think are recognisable for you. If I was to say ‘angry, TV, Chef. Who am I thinking of?’ I think you’d get that right… Now that could be perceived as leading, but it’s an emotion, a placement of experience and a profession. If I said ‘Happy-go-lucky, TV, Chef’ I think the answers would be more skewed and varied. To bring this back to golf though, your three words don’t have to be recognisable to millions across the country, but they should be recognisable to your members at the very least.
So, tangible steps to use your identity:
- Choose your three descriptive words (this is also a key factor and a good starting point for your brand identity)
- Determine how those three words translate into communications and content style
- Draft and schedule your content using the influence and newly created guide.
So, in summary, social media management for golf clubs in 2026 is not about being the loudest, it’s about being consistent and targeted to your audience. It’s about using the right media types and understanding how to do this in your own brand identity. Think longer term storytelling. The Covid boom has passed and we’re no longer seeing the surge of new members, but we should be working to continue our engagement with the older and newer members alike.
And of course, if you feel like your marketing strategy isn’t taking shape no matter how much you work on it, we’re to help. We function as a collaborative partner and can produce a detailed strategy as well as arrange ongoing coaching sessions and progress reviews to ensure it is delivered accurately.