Since last year, his business has grown 30 percent. Marketing is a necessity in the No. 1 state for new golf-course openings. That's where Dave Richards enters the scene of lush fairways and manicured greens. His Bloomfield Hills-based consulting company, Golf Marketing Services, helps owners plan, build, advertise and photograph their courses. The business of golf has become much more competitive and sophisticated over the past several years.
Proper management is crucial.
When Golf Marketing Services was founded in 1990 it worked only on Michigan accounts. From 1993-98, Richards expanded GMS to Florida and worked on national projects. Last year, however, he returned his focus only on Michigan golf courses. Since then, business has grown 30 percent, with five to 10 new projects a year. There's other people in the business, but no one with the professional expertise and the contacts.