People trust people more than ads. And when the right person shows off your course, your hospitality, your views… you’re suddenly on their followers’ radar (and bucket list). Influencer marketing isn’t about handing out free rounds to anyone with a following, it’s about strategic partnerships that pay off.
1 - Define Your Goals
Before you start sending DMs, get crystal clear on what you want out of this. Some example goals:
- Grow your social media audience
- Increase website traffic or tee time bookings
- Build brand awareness in a specific region Promote a new event, offer, or course update
- Capture high-quality user-generated content
Write it down. Your goals will shape who you work with and how you track success.
2 - Know Your Audience
Not every golf influencer speaks to the same crowd. Do you want to reach:
- Retired golfers?
- Travel-loving golf couples?
- Beginner women golfers?
- Local weekend warriors?
- High-income bucket-listers?
Get specific. The more you know about who you want to reach, the easier it is to pick the right voice to speak to them.
3 - Find the Right Creators
You want someone who:
- Genuinely loves golf (or golf travel, or leisure)
- Has a real and engaged audience (check their likes, comments, and authenticity)
- Creates quality content (especially video!)
- Matches your course’s vibe (laid back, family-friendly, luxury, etc.)
Where to look:
- Instagram (search hashtags like #GolfTrip or #GolfInfluencer)
- TikTok (use keyword search: “golf + your city/state”)
- YouTube (search golf travel vlogs) Local creators in your area
Pro Tip: Don’t chase follower count. Engagement rate and niche alignment matter more.
4 - Create a Collaboration Offer
Make it easy and exciting to say yes. What you might offer:
- Free round of golf (include cart) Free food or drinks
- Payment (depending on creator’s rate/value)
- A custom discount code or affiliate link
What you ask for:
- X number of reels, stories, or posts Specific tags & mentions (like @YourCourse + branded hashtags)
- Rights to repost their content
- A deadline to post within X days
Keep it clear, friendly, and in writing (email or contract). Use ourInfluencer Agreement Tool to make this easy.
5 - Setup Tracking and Metrics
You need to know what’s working. Track:
- Post performance: views, likes, shares, story views
- Website traffic (use UTM links)
- Bookings or inquiries (via custom links or codes)
- Number of new followers or mentions
- Content delivered vs. agreed upon
Use a simple spreadsheet or try our Influencer Content Tracker Tool for this.
6 - Repurpose and Repost
✅ Good content shouldn’t disappear after 24 hours.
✅ Repost their content to your own feed and stories
✅ Use the best clips in reels or highlight videos
✅ Turn creator quotes into testimonials
✅ Use content in newsletters or ads (with permission)
7 - Reflect and Refine
After the partnership:
- What worked well? What could be improved?
- Was the ROI worth it?
- Would you work with them again?
Start a simple document where you track learnings per creator. Over time, this becomes gold. P.S. - We already created this for you. If you haven't yet — you can grab it HERE.
Bonus Tip for Golf Courses
→ Host a “creator day” where several influencers play and post
→ Feature your creators on your feed and give them a spotlight
→ Try seasonal campaigns like “Fall Foliage Golf” or “Summer Getaway Series”
→ Collaborate with foodies, travel couples, or lifestyle bloggers (not just golfers)
Your Influencer Strategy Should:
✅ Align with your business goals
✅ Reach your ideal golfers
✅ Be built on clear, mutual expectations
✅ Track performance
✅ Leverage great content to keep the momentum going