Royal Portrush Golf Club, host venue for the eagerly anticipated 2019 Open Championship, has teamed up with leading online golf provider GolfNow to enable visitors, for the first time in the famous club’s illustrious history, to book their golf rounds online via internet, mobile phone or app. Pictured celebrating the announcement (L-R) are Wilma Erskine, Chief Executive of Royal Portrush Golf Club and Ryan Bell, Market Sales Manager Ireland, GolfNow.

ROYAL PORTRUSH GOLF CLUB, host venue for the eagerly anticipated 2019 Open Championship, has teamed up with leading online golf provider GolfNow to enable visitors, for the first time in the famous club’s illustrious history, to book their golf rounds online via internet, mobile phone or app.

Previously, visiting golfers would have had to contact the club directly via phone or email to book a tee time but the new partnership withGolfNow is set to open the club’s two courses – The Valley and The Dunluce Links – up to a new global audience.

“We are extremely proud to be working with Royal Portrush Golf Club, one of the finest golf courses in the world, as interest in the course increases in the run up to the 2019 Open,” said GolfNow Vice President Brian Smith.

“We look forward to taking the Royal Portrush brand to a global audience with particular exposure to the United States golf audience through our various channels including GolfNow, the Golf Channel and Golf Advisor.

“One of our core goals at GolfNow is to grow the game of golf by getting golfers off their sofas and onto the fairways, and we now work with 230 courses in Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, generating more than half a million pounds last year for the clubs involved.”

Wilma Erskine, Chief Executive of Royal Portrush Golf Club, added:  “We are delighted to extend our global reach through our partnership with GolfNow.  The potential in terms of taking our brand to new customers and new markets, and ultimately increasing sales from tourists and travelling golfers, is hugely exciting.  GolfNow‘s worldwide platform will not only make it easier for customers to book a round at Royal Portrush but it will also ease pressure for our staff and free up time spent on phone calls and emails.”

 Last year, GolfNow reported an impressive 33 per cent increase in tee time bookings across Ireland, generating a total of £510,000 for more than 230 courses in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The Belfast-based company, which is owned by the Golf Channel, enables golfers to easily book tee times online or via their mobile devices, whilst providing technology, support and marketing services to golf clubs using the platform to help boost sales.

Whilst GolfNow is still a relatively new side of the business, its technology platform and support team at BRS Golf has been supporting golf clubs and facilitating member bookings for years.  Indeed Royal Portush has already been using the BRS Golf booking engine for membership administration.

Last year alone, BRS Golf helped to facilitate a staggering 3.56 MILLION golf club member and visitor bookings in Ireland – an increase of more than 150,000 year on year.

 Founded in 2001 with headquarters in Orlando, USA, GolfNow operates in more than 16 countries and provides tee-time access to more than 9,000 courses for more than 3.5 million registered users worldwide.

BRS Golf was founded in 1995 by Northern Ireland golf fanatics and IT experts Brian and Rory Smith, and was acquired by GolfNow in June 2013.

 This strategic alliance gave the local company global status, becoming a division of the Golf Channel television network and positioning it as one of the leading providers of golf technology in the world.

The company is based in Belfast where it employs more than 70 staff.