January 15, 2014, New York – Play18 Solutions, one of the golf industry’s fastest growing marketing and technology companies and the SPORTS ILLUSTRATED GOLF GROUP (Golf Magazine, SI Golf Plus, Golf.com) today announced a media, marketing and commerce pact that will see Play18 Solutions become the official Tee Time service provider for GOLF.COM.
Beginning in 2014, visitors to Golf.com’s home page will be able to buy Tee Times from one of Play18 Solutions’ quickly expanding roster of courses and resorts. As part of the collaboration, the SIGG will provide marketing support for both Play18 Solutions and its golf course clients via its portfolio of print, digital, mobile and tablet products.
“This agreement is not only an incredible opportunity for Play18 Solutions but also for the golf course industry as it provides a much-needed remedy to the reliance on third-party distribution channels that are based on barter rounds,” said Brett Darrow, founding partner and CEO of Play18 Solutions and founder and former CEO of GolfNow. “Now Play18 Solutions courses can sell their tee times through the world’s most visited golf website, regain control of their pricing, customer data and substantially increase their marketing effectiveness while protecting their brand.”
“We are excited about our partnership with Play18 Solutions,” said Dick Raskopf, Publisher of SI Golf Group. “We have had the opportunity to partner with a variety of companies to provide a tee time booking solution on Golf.com. We have been hesitant up to this point because we wanted to partner with a company that not only could provide tee times but that would also help golf courses improve their financial position. We think we have found a great partner in Play18 Solutions. They are committed to the same ideals that we are. We look forward to working with Brett and his team.”
About Play18 Solutions
Play18 Solutions is a data-driven marketing and operations solutions company serving the semi-private, resort and daily fee golf course industry. The Play18 Solution helps golf courses utilize their own customer data to drive increased rounds and revenue and significantly increase ROI from marketing. Play18 was created by the consolidation of IBS and Quick18, two software companies specializing in management solutions for semi-private, resort and daily fee golf courses. IBS, Inc., is a Richmond, Va.-based leader in club management software and Quick18 is a Phoenix, Ariz.-based leader in data-driven marketing with mobile, social and web-based solutions. For more information on Play18 Solutions visit us at www.play18solutions.com.
About SI Golf Group
The SI Golf Group, the most powerful media company in the game, consists of the combined resources of GOLF Magazine, SI Golf Plus (the No. 1 golf weekly publication) and GOLF.com (the highest-trafficked golf website), delivering to a monthly audience of more than 12 million avid golfers and fans. The magazine delivers a monthly circulation of 1.4 million golf enthusiasts and a readership of nearly 6 million, provides the best instruction, equipment reviews, and travel coverage in the category. Golf Magazine is published by Time Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.
Contact:
For More Information on Play18 Solutions, Contact: For More Information on SI Golf Group, Contact:
Erin Barrett, The Brandon Agency, (843) 916-2000 Scott Novak, Time Inc., (212) 522-2687
ebarrett@TheBrandonAgency.com Scott_Novak@timeinc.com
