Customer Stories & success cases
See how golf organizations around the world use Sweetspot to optimize revenue, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional player experiences. From boosting bookings to making data-driven decisions, these stories showcase the real impact of finding your sweet spot.
Customer Stories & success cases
See how golf organizations around the world use Sweetspot to optimize revenue, streamline operations, and deliver exceptional player experiences. From boosting bookings to making data-driven decisions, these stories showcase the real impact of finding your sweet spot.
More Members, Less Admin: Arbroath’s Data-Driven Shift with Sweetspot
More Members, Less Admin: Arbroath’s Data-Driven Shift with Sweetspot
More Members, Less Admin: Arbroath’s Data-Driven Shift with Sweetspot
More Members, Less Admin: Arbroath’s Data-Driven Shift with Sweetspot
Founded in 1878 and set against Scotland’s rugged east coast, Arbroath Golf Links is a classic championship links course shaped by legends like Old Tom Morris and James Braid. When Director of Golf Craig Knowles saw their legacy system holding them back, he led the push to modernize with Sweetspot.
Founded in 1878 and set against Scotland’s rugged east coast, Arbroath Golf Links is a classic championship links course shaped by legends like Old Tom Morris and James Braid.
When Director of Golf Craig Knowles saw their legacy system holding them back, he led the push to modernize with Sweetspot.
Founded in 1878 and set against Scotland’s rugged east coast, Arbroath Golf Links is a classic championship links course shaped by legends like Old Tom Morris and James Braid.
When Director of Golf Craig Knowles saw their legacy system holding them back, he led the push to modernize with Sweetspot.
Founded in 1878 and set against Scotland’s rugged east coast, Arbroath Golf Links is a classic championship links course shaped by legends like Old Tom Morris and James Braid.
When Director of Golf Craig Knowles saw their legacy system holding them back, he led the push to modernize with Sweetspot.
The Challenge
The Challenge
Despite its history, Arbroath relied on outdated software for core operations. Membership management was slow and manual—paper forms, spreadsheet tracking, and activation delays didn’t align with the modern experience they wanted.
Key issues included:
Limited pricing control: “I didn’t want to be giving away cheap tee times on a high-quality course.”
Opaque membership data: “At one point, we were basically running from a spreadsheet.”
Unresponsive support: “We tried to see their membership module… I don’t think they ever got back to us.”
Despite its history, Arbroath relied on outdated software for core operations. Membership management was slow and manual—paper forms, spreadsheet tracking, and activation delays didn’t align with the modern experience they wanted.
Key issues included:
Limited pricing control: “I didn’t want to be giving away cheap tee times on a high-quality course.”
Opaque membership data: “At one point, we were basically running from a spreadsheet.”
Unresponsive support: “We tried to see their membership module… I don’t think they ever got back to us.”
The Solution
Sweetspot delivered a data-driven platform with flexibility and instant insight:
Membership visibility at a glance: “Now I can view all the membership categories and numbers at the click of a button, and share financial projections instantly with our accountant.”
Easy online joining: “People can sign up and pay for season tickets without ever speaking to a person. That’s helped us pick up new members for sure.” In fact, online membership sales grew by 46% in year two compared to year one – a strong sign that the system resonates with a new generation of digital-first players.
Sales made seamless: From studio reservations to purchasing memberships, everything is now accessible via app or desktop. “We’re one of the few places where it’s genuinely easy to join. I get notifications at 10 p.m. from people signing up for memberships. That’s definitely not how people bought memberships a couple of years ago but it is today, and they love it.”
Sweetspot delivered a data-driven platform with flexibility and instant insight:
Membership visibility at a glance: “Now I can view all the membership categories and numbers at the click of a button, and share financial projections instantly with our accountant.”
Easy online joining: “People can sign up and pay for season tickets without ever speaking to a person. That’s helped us pick up new members for sure.” In fact, online membership sales grew by 46% in year two compared to year one – a strong sign that the system resonates with a new generation of digital-first players.
Sales made seamless: From studio reservations to purchasing memberships, everything is now accessible via app or desktop. “We’re one of the few places where it’s genuinely easy to join. I get notifications at 10 p.m. from people signing up for memberships. That’s definitely not how people bought memberships a couple of years ago but it is today, and they love it.”
+46%
+46%
+46%
Online membership sales
Online membership sales
Online membership sales
Online membership sales
+45%
+45%
+45%
Online visitor bookings
New money
Online visitor bookings
Online visitor bookings
"I get notifications at 10 p.m. from people signing up for memberships. That's not how people bought memberships before but it is today – and they love it!"
"I get notifications at 10 p.m. from people signing up for memberships. That's not how people bought memberships before but it is today – and they love it!"
"I get notifications at 10 p.m. from people signing up for memberships. That's not how people bought memberships before but it is today – and they love it!"
Craig Knowles, Director of Golf
Craig Knowles, Director of Golf
Craig Knowles, Director of Golf
Craig Knowles, Director of Golf
The Results
Adopting Sweetspot has had a tangible impact on both operations and member engagement:
More online bookings: “I definitely see more online visitor bookings now. I often notice a tee time and think ‘I didn’t take that one.’ And I see it was booked via the app.” This shift reflects the broader trend toward digital convenience – spring 2025 saw a 45% increase in online visitor bookings compared to spring 2024.
Improved member experience: “We’ve had Sweetspot for 18 months, and still ask visitors how they found the booking process. 99 times out of 100, they say ‘yeah, it was great – really easy.’”
Faster onboarding, less admin: “Sweetspot takes away a lot of manual work, especially on the membership side. It’s just simpler.”
Adopting Sweetspot has had a tangible impact on both operations and member engagement:
More online bookings: “I definitely see more online visitor bookings now. I often notice a tee time and think ‘I didn’t take that one.’ And I see it was booked via the app.” This shift reflects the broader trend toward digital convenience – spring 2025 saw a 45% increase in online visitor bookings compared to spring 2024.
Improved member experience: “We’ve had Sweetspot for 18 months, and still ask visitors how they found the booking process. 99 times out of 100, they say ‘yeah, it was great – really easy.’”
Faster onboarding, less admin: “Sweetspot takes away a lot of manual work, especially on the membership side. It’s just simpler.”
Conclusion
By replacing its legacy system with Sweetspot, Arbroath Golf Links has achieved exactly what every club aims for: smoother operations, happier golfers, and a foundation for future growth. Most importantly, the shift to a flexible, data-led platform is helping Arbroath stay competitive in a modern market.
By replacing its legacy system with Sweetspot, Arbroath Golf Links has achieved exactly what every club aims for: smoother operations, happier golfers, and a foundation for future growth. Most importantly, the shift to a flexible, data-led platform is helping Arbroath stay competitive in a modern market.
At the end of the day, people just want the experience to be easy, and Sweetspot makes it easy. For them and for us.
At the end of the day, people just want the experience to be easy, and Sweetspot makes it easy. For them and for us.
At the end of the day, people just want the experience to be easy, and Sweetspot makes it easy. For them and for us.
At the end of the day, people just want the experience to be easy, and Sweetspot makes it easy. For them and for us.
Craig Knowles
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Do you want to sell more golf?
Business Areas
About Us
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Do you want to sell more golf?
Business Areas
About Us
Quicklinks
Do you want to
sell more golf?
Business Areas
About Us
Quicklinks