Golf PR campaign for a luxury UK leisure destination
Ramside Estates Ltd, one of the largest privately owned hospitality groups in North East England, opened a new 18-hole championship golf course, health club, luxury spa and hotel wing in 2014.
Objectives
- Position Ramside Hall Hotel & Golf Club among the top-three golf destinations in North East England and attract 200 new golf members
- Secure national media coverage for the resort and golf facility raising awareness of Ramside Hall Hotel and Golf Club as a luxury UK golf destination
Strategy
- 12 month media relations campaign
- Breaking ground & launch media calls, feature interviews with course designer Jonathan Gaunt and owner John Adamson, drip-feed of press releases and media briefings
- Media visits and press familiarisation trips with influential golf media (Golf Monthly, Yorkshire Post, National Club Golfer, Northern Echo and Northern Golfer)
- England’s newest championship golf course and England’s ‘Amen Corner,’ were key media narratives as several of the golf holes were inspired by Amen Corner at Augusta National Golf Club, home of The Masters Tournament
- Ramside’s oldest and original golf club member Bill Allchurch, aged 96, a decorated World War II paratrooper; was photographed & filmed hitting the first drive to officially open the new Cathedral Course
RESULTS
- 45 pieces of print and broadcast media
- DPS profiles in Golf Monthly (Play It) and Today’s Golfer (I’d Rather Be Playing)
- Cover profile – Golf Course Architecture & Northern Golfer
- Golf World – 52 things to make golf memorable in 2014
- News package – BBC Look North TV and BBC Newcastle Radio, Sun FM and Durham FM
- Extensive hospitality trade press and regional business coverage
- Membership at Ramside surpassed 600 for the first time in a decade in 2015
- Both Ramside championship courses were ranked in the North East’s Top-10 Courses by Top 100 Golf Courses