Every day, thousands of golfers search Google for golf courses near them. They check tee times, compare ratings, browse photos, and decide where to play—often based solely on what they see in a course’s Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business or GMB).
That’s why smbGOLF created the GMB Profile Grade Card, a standardized scoring system that evaluates how well your course shows up—and stands out—on Google.
Why Your Google Profile Matters
Your Google Business Profile is now more important than your website. It’s what shows up on search. It’s what displays in Google Maps. And it’s where golfers see your star rating, your tee time links, your photos, and more.
When your profile is optimized, you get more clicks. More clicks lead to more bookings.
But most golf courses have incomplete or poorly optimized profiles. And until now, there was no easy way to tell how your course is doing—or how to fix it.
“BrightLocal data shows that reviews and review responses account for roughly 16 % of local search ranking factors—and Google confirms that interaction with reviews is explicitly used to assess business credibility.” goodmancreatives.com
We created a scoring system that evaluates ten key components of your Google profile
🧭 How the “Grade Card” Supports Real Business Gains
Your Grade Card’s ten scoring elements align directly with proven ranking and engagement factors:
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Verification ✔ Visibility
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Review Rating ✔ Reputation signal
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Review Volume ✔ Ranking factor
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Category Completeness ✔ Relevance & algorithmic accuracy
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Booking Link ✔ Direct conversion channel
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Description ✔ Engagement & information depth
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Website Link ✔ Traffic & attribution tracking
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Sentiment in Reviews ✔ Qualitative trust signal
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Photo Count ✔ Engagement driver
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Category Accuracy ✔ Search relevance
By benchmarking state/province peers, smbGOLF is giving courses measurable, data-driven goals.
Each factor is worth 100 points. Your course receives a numerical score out of 100, and a letter grade on a curve based on how you compare to other courses in your region.
“A BrightLocal study showed that businesses with more than 100 photos get 520 % more calls, 2,717 % more direction requests, and 1,065 % more website clicks than the average business.” wordstream.com
Service + Reporting = Real Improvement
This isn’t just a report. It’s a service.
If your course adds smbGOLF as a manager to your Google Business Profile, they will correct the errors, optimize your listing, and help you climb the rankings. They send you monthly reports showing your grade, your detailed scores, and the specific improvements made.
Why does an A matter? Because better profiles get better visibility, better click-through rates, and better tee time conversion.
And if you’d like smbGOLF to manage review responses from golfers on your behalf, they offer that too—because timely, professional replies show you care and can even improve future ratings.
“Responding to reviews, whether positive or negative, signals to Google that your business is engaged and customer‑focused—and that engagement further boosts credibility in the eyes of both users and the search‑engine algorithm.” taggbox.com
What It Costs
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Monthly Reporting + Optimization: $395/year
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Add-On Review Response Service: $995/year
✅ Free for OGCOA Members
The monthly reporting and optimization service is provided by smbGOLF and is complimentary for all current members of the Ohio Golf Course Owners Association. It’s one more way OGCOA is working to protect and grow golf course businesses in Ohio.
Who Can Enroll?
Any public or private golf course in the U.S. or Canada can subscribe. While this initiative was born in Ohio, the service is provided by smbGOLF, a golf industry consulting and data firm that services businesses throughout North America.
To ensure fair comparisons, we’ve established state- and province-level benchmarks, so every course is scored relative to its regional peers. Whether you’re in Texas or Ontario, your GMB Profile Score reflects the competitive landscape around you.
Want to See Your Grade Card?
Let’s have a look together. We’ll show you how your course stacks up and how much you could improve.
👉 Click here to schedule a free 15-minute meeting
💡 Final Take
All key educational elements in your blog—visibility, engagement, optimization, and conversion—are strongly supported by third-party data and industry trends. Courses that actively optimize and manage their Google presence, especially by integrating booking links, gain a measurable advantage in traffic, call volume, and tee-time bookings.