Driving the Green: Benefits of Offering EV Charging at Golf Courses

Golf courses are known for their commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. By embracing electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, golf courses can further enhance their eco-friendly reputation while enjoying a range of significant benefits.

Let's explore why offering EV charging at golf courses is beneficial:

1️⃣ Catering to EV Owners: The number of EV owners is rapidly increasing, and many of them are keen to explore outdoor recreational activities such as golfing. By offering EV charging stations, golf courses attract these environmentally conscious individuals, providing them with a convenient place to recharge while enjoying a round of golf. This enhances the golf course's appeal and contributes to the overall customer experience and satisfaction.

2️⃣ Attracting a New Customer Base: EV drivers actively seek destinations with charging infrastructure, and golf courses can tap into this growing market segment. By providing EV charging stations, golf courses can attract a new customer base of EV owners who specifically choose destinations that support their charging needs. This presents an opportunity to expand the reach of the golf course, attract more visitors, and potentially increase revenue.

3️⃣ Strengthening Sustainability Credentials: Golf courses are already known for their commitment to sustainability, and offering EV charging further solidifies their green credentials. By embracing electric mobility and providing renewable energy-powered charging stations, golf courses demonstrate their dedication to reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainable practices. This reinforces their environmental stewardship and positions them as leaders in sustainable recreation.

4️⃣ Diversifying Revenue Streams: Installing EV charging infrastructure at golf courses opens new revenue streams. Golf courses can charge a fee for EV charging services, providing an additional source of income. Moreover, EV drivers tend to spend more time at charging stations, presenting opportunities for increased sales in pro shops, restaurants, or other on-site amenities. This diversification of revenue contributes to the financial stability and long-term viability of the golf course.

5️⃣ Partnerships and Sponsorship Opportunities: Offering EV charging at golf courses create opportunities for partnerships and sponsorships. Charging infrastructure providers or renewable energy companies may be interested in collaborating with golf courses to install and maintain charging stations. These partnerships can result in shared marketing initiatives, sponsorships, or even revenue-sharing arrangements, further benefiting the golf course's bottom line.

By embracing EV charging infrastructure, golf courses align themselves with the evolving needs of environmentally conscious individuals while capitalizing on the benefits of electric mobility. By attracting new customers, reinforcing sustainability efforts, diversifying revenue streams, and exploring partnerships, golf courses can position themselves as forward-thinking destinations that combine recreational enjoyment with a commitment to a greener future.

Generating revenue is an important criterion when deciding to install EV chargers.   Let's explore some direct and indirect revenue opportunities for golf courses that arise from offering EV charging infrastructure, along with some hypothetical calculations to illustrate their potential impact:

1️⃣ Direct Revenue from Charging Fees: Golf courses can charge EV owners for utilizing their charging stations. Charging fees can be structured based on time, energy consumption, or a flat rate. Let's assume a golf course charges $0.30 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for EV charging, and on average, each EV driver consumes 30 kWh to charge their vehicle fully.

Example Calculation: If five EV drivers charge their vehicles per day, and they consume an average of 30 kWh each, the daily revenue from charging fees would be: 5 EV drivers x 30 kWh x $0.30/kWh = $45/day

2️⃣ Increased Revenue from On-Site Spending: EV drivers tend to spend more time at charging stations, presenting an opportunity for increased sales in on-site amenities such as pro shops, restaurants, or other facilities. Let's assume that, on average, each EV driver spends an additional $20 on-site during their charging session.

Example Calculation: If five EV drivers charge their vehicles per day, and they spend an additional $20 each, the daily revenue from on-site spending would be: 5 EV drivers x $20 = $100/day

A golf course could expect to generate approximately $52K/per year in new revenue.

These are simplified examples for illustration purposes. The actual revenue potential will vary based on factors such as the number of charging stations, charging fees, customer demand, and on-site spending patterns.

It's important to consider that these revenue opportunities are in addition to the indirect benefits of attracting new customers, strengthening sustainability credentials, and fostering partnerships, which can have long-term positive effects on the overall revenue and brand image of the golf course.

By combining these revenue streams, golf courses can generate additional income that contributes to financial stability, investment in further sustainability initiatives, and the continued enhancement of the overall golfing experience.

Let's drive the green together and tee up a sustainable future on and off the golf course!