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Article

Analysis of Relationship between Service Quality of Food and Beverage and Customer Behaviors for Sustainable Golf Course Management

by
Ryang Suk Lee
1 and
Sheng Yen Lee
2,*
1
Graduate School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
2
Department of Human Healthcare, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju-si 52725, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2023, 15(14), 11207; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411207
Submission received: 24 May 2023 / Revised: 8 July 2023 / Accepted: 13 July 2023 / Published: 18 July 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability and Consumer Behavior in the Service Industry)
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Abstract

:
This study verified the analysis of the relationship between service quality of food and beverage and customer behaviors for sustainable golf course management. This study employed triangulation design, a mixed methods research framework that compares the results of quantitative and qualitative investigations. The quantitative study verified the effects of service quality of food and beverage on customer loyalty and willingness to recommend online. The subjects of the quantitative study analyzed the responses of 372 golfers over 20 who use driving ranges in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The results of the quantitative study were as follows. First, reliability and responsiveness among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on customer loyalty. Second, empathy among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. Third, customer loyalty had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. Fourth, customer loyalty had a mediating effect on the relationship between reliability among sub-factors of service quality and willingness to recommend online. For the qualitative study, six research participants were selected, and in-depth interviews were conducted on golfers’ preference and non-preference factors for food and beverage services at golf courses’ clubhouses. The qualitative research results are as follows. First, golf participants recognized that the speed of food preparation and prompt provision of food and beverages were significant. Second, the food flavors and the clubhouse restaurant’s physical environment were also deemed important. Third, poor quality of food and beverage facilities and meals negatively affect the reliability and willingness to recommend the golf course. This study is unique in that it adopted a mixed methods approach, which has not been done in related previous studies.

1. Introduction

Formerly recognized as a sport of the wealthy few, golf became popular after the mid-2000s. There has been a steady increase in the number of people enjoying the sport. According to the 2021 Korean Golf Index by the Korea Golf Association, the population enjoying golf has increased rapidly over the last 15 years, from about 2.5 million in 2007 to approximately 11.7 million in 2021, and the number of golf course visitors has been estimated at more than 30 million per year [1].
The pursuit of higher living standards and changes in the perception of the quality of life and leisure can be attributed to the increasing popularity of golf and, in turn, a surge in the number of golf courses. The number of golf courses in Korea began to increase rapidly in the early 2000s, and as of 2021, more than 500 regular golf courses are in operation. There are approximately 9000 indoor and outdoor golf practice facilities as of 2021, accounting for nearly 20% of all the 44,168 registered sports facilities [2].
The golf-related infrastructure, such as golf courses and practice facilities, has recently expanded. However, the increasing number of golf courses and subsequent oversupply has led to a decline in profitability; this situation has resulted in intense competition among golf courses managers to market their golf courses. In particular, golf courses outside Seoul metropolitan area have been experiencing difficulties attracting new golfers. According to data from the 2021 Sports Industry Survey Report [2], the sales of golf courses stood at approximately KRW 6.1 trillion as of 2021. This shows over a 100% increase in sales from the sales of golf courses, approximately KRW 2.9 trillion in 2012. However, as of 2015, the growth rate began to diminish and stagnate. This stagnation in sales can be attributed to overseas golf travels, such as those to China and Southeast Asia. These active golf destinations have been offering a better golfing experience at a lower cost and thereby shifting the demand from South Korea. Although lucrative in the past, South Korean golf courses require new breakthroughs in the form of innovation, which can satisfy customer needs and contribute toward business sustainability [3].
The South Korean golf course operators are making diverse efforts to attract customers, including the expansion of facilities. To diversify the customer base and absorb the demand for overseas golf travel, these operators are building more golf courses with better leisure and lodging facilities; this has been complemented by cultural projects such as exhibitions utilizing golf course spaces [4]. Golf is heavily characterized by socializing, and hence a golf round is often followed by mutual exchanges over dining. Given this, the presence of food and beverage facilities is often considered an infrastructural necessity; these facilities also provide refreshment and satisfaction to golfers and their guests during long golf rounds. Previous studies [5,6] suggest that these food and beverage facilities affect the selection and satisfaction of golf courses; the quality of services offered by these facilities can alter customer behavior.
Hutchinson et al. [6] presented that the food and beverage services provided by the golf course’s clubhouses play a critical role in forming the golf course’s reputation-satisfactory services can increase the number of customers and contribute toward the profitability of the golf courses. Kim and Hwang [5] showed that since service quality of food and beverage is key to the success of social events, it is crucial for golf courses to offer high-quality food and beverage services on golf courses. Specifically, the golfing community attaches high importance to socializing; the service quality of food and beverage provided by golf courses determines service use satisfaction and can affect sales growth and revisits [5]. Food and beverage services at golf courses can work as highly feasible marketing tools, given the necessity for measures to reinforce competitiveness to enhance operational stability and profitability. Related research [7,8] demonstrates the significance of strengthening intangible service quality to improve the competitiveness of food and beverage services on golf courses.
Other studies reported that effective customer communication provides a better understanding of customer requirements and contributes to service customization, increasing customer satisfaction [9,10]. Improving service quality also plays a key role in maintaining customer relationships. An evaluation of service quality may have varying impacts on product value, corporate profits, and customer loyalty [11,12]. In the social media age, customers publish their evaluations of food and beverage services online, and this electronic word-of-mouth marketing causes a sharp increase in participation in golf courses [13]. Service quality of food and beverage and online marketing measures enhance the profitability of golf courses, and hence such measures should be analyzed comprehensively and objectively. However, previous studies have not conducted a detailed and focused analysis of the food and beverage facilities of golf courses. Most related studies have been intensively verified only on physical and human services related to the game of golf courses [14,15,16] or examined the service quality of food and beverage in the context of the dining service industry [17,18].
Lee et al. (2019) [9] divide service quality at sports facilities into sports factors and non-sports factors. Food and beverage facilities at golf courses are subsidiary facilities and may be deemed a non-sports factor. These Food and beverage services on the golf course are a non-sporting factor and have hardly been verified compared to their importance in golf course operation. Thus, conducting a detailed and professional analysis of customer needs is important to continuously attract customers and generate profits in the intense business environment. Therefore, this research raises the necessity of an in-depth analysis of food and beverage services that can practically respond to customer needs.
This study aims to contribute to the establishment of specialized management strategies in relation to the characteristics of South Korean golf courses by verifying the impact of non-sports factors, such as the effect of service quality of food and beverage on customer behaviors and willingness to recommend online word-of-mouth to golfers. Therefore, this study aims to identify the importance of food and beverage facilities in golf courses, a non-sports factor, regarding the social characteristics of golf, instead of the physical or human services involved in golf games as conventionally studied. To this end, this study comprehensively verifies the impact of food and beverage service quality on golfers’ loyalty and willingness to recommend online golf courses. This study also aims to provide detailed and empirical data that can serve as the basis for golf course operation. Hence, we employ a mixed research method that involves in-depth qualitative interviews of selected research participants and a comparison between the results of the quantitative and qualitative research.

2. Theoretical Background

2.1. Service Quality of Food and Beverage at Golf Course

Studies identify service quality as a major factor affecting customer satisfaction. Service quality includes evaluation of the services received and the service delivery process. Service quality can be evaluated by comparing the delivered with the expected services [19]. Service quality is difficult to objectify and is highly abstract [20]. Therefore, its evaluation often leads to a more subjective opinion. This characteristic reflects the intangible aspect of service quality. This evaluation may have varying impacts on the value of goods or company profits [21] as well as subsequent customer behaviors [22]. In particular, service quality plays a key role in maintaining customer relationships, such as by promoting revisits [21]. It implies that the human aspects play a major role in service quality [12]. Intangibility and concurrency are key factors in determining the nature of service quality [11]. Hence, the evaluation of service involves direct service delivery and personal expectations, and the evaluation of service quality is influenced by the extent to which providers meet these expectations [23]. Based on the services presented, customers communicate their experiences to others; these experiences are indirect experiences.
Given the intense competition among golf course owners to attract customers, it is increasingly important to provide satisfactory experiences to visiting customers [24]. Among them, food and beverage facilities, their associated physical environments, and service quality at golf courses are considered key influencers [25].
The service quality of food and beverage on golf courses is divided into materials (facilities) and human (customer service) aspects. Most studies have accounted for and measured product characteristics. The main items for measurement were based on the food provided at food and beverage facilities [26]. In this case, the measurement of the service quality depends on the product quality, which captures only the benefits of the product and does not accurately address the overall feature of service quality, evaluating the benefits provided. Related studies assert that the service quality evaluation should focus on the products in food and beverage facilities [18]. Llosa et al. [27] also argued that the evaluation should focus on the industry or the product. However, such an evaluation, assessing the benefits received, is unlikely to cover the overall service quality offered. Therefore, it is crucial to represent the characteristics within the basic scope of the service quality evaluation to enhance its accuracy. It is more difficult to evaluate service quality than product quality because of the unquantifiable nature of subjective elements such as intangibility, non-separability, and perishability [11,12]. Therefore, the excessive focus of service quality evaluation on product quality may lead to an inaccurate measurement of the service quality. Several studies have used the SERVQUAL model as a service quality measurement tool for golf courses. This model categorizes service quality into the following five types: tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and assurance. Tangibility evaluates external aspects such as facilities, reliability refers to the trust in the delivered services, responsiveness evaluates the delivery of accurate and prompt services, empathy refers to the agreement with customers’ needs, and assurance refers to quality certainty [28]. Some studies have also used the DINESERV model to measure the service quality of the restaurant [29]. It is largely similar to SERVQUAL in terms of tangibility, reliability, empathy, responsiveness, and assurance. Therefore, it is considered reasonable to modify and supplement SERVQUAL to suit the characteristics of each industry [30]. Previous studies have demonstrated high service quality leads to customer satisfaction [31]. It also contributes toward increased awareness and brand attachment.

2.2. Customer Loyalty

Loyalty is a positive and favorable attitude toward a product or service, demonstrated by recurring purchases of a specific brand or product [32]. This customer loyalty is generated from the repeated purchases of highly satisfied customers [33]. Customer loyalty may be deemed present if a customer repeatedly purchases a specific brand and has a stronger attachment to it than that to others [34]. Hence, loyalty refers to a favorable attitude toward and repeated purchases of a particular product and service. Loyal customers can also refer the products and services to others [35]. Hence, word-of-mouth recommendations or marketing can be a good indicator of loyalty [36]. The greater the loyalty, the greater the probability that the brand information will be disseminated and passed along by word-of-mouth with positive implications [11].
The measurement of loyalty is traditionally based on human behavior. Repeated purchases are used as an important indicator for such measurements. However, these behavioral indicators alone are inadequate to explain the positive sentiments and favorable attitudes generated through word-of-mouth [37].
Previous studies categorize loyalty based on the approaches of behavior, attitude, and cognition. The behavioral approach is based on customers’ purchasing behavior; loyalty is deemed present when customers make repeated purchases [38]. The attitude approach examines how the customer perceives the product or service, and loyalty is deemed present among customers who exhibit a favorable attitude. General loyalty was determined based on actions such as purchase frequency; however, such a method of measurement overlooked factors such as the customers’ favorable attitude. Some studies also show that loyalty can be determined on the basis of the various aspects of behavior and attitude [39]. In terms of attitude, loyalty is recognized to be important in terms of disseminating positive information by word-of-mouth, in addition to the current frequency of purchases.
Loyalty is important in that it is highly likely that a particular brand will be used despite the introduction of similar products or brands [40]. Hence, loyalty can play a role in stable customer acquisition, and an increase in potential future customers can generate stable revenue. Loyal customers can act as marketers by spreading and recommending relevant information. The higher the customer’s loyalty, the higher the marketing effectiveness, such as advertising [41]. Such loyalty plays a major role in reducing company costs by enabling effects at a relatively low cost. Loyalty is considered important in terms of maintaining long-term rather than temporary ties. Continued favorable attitudes toward a brand can positively influence purchases and recommendations [42]. Thus, it can streamline the financial costs of identifying and attracting new customers. The more loyal the customers, the more likely they are to spread favorable information and significantly impact service loyalty [43].

2.3. Willingness to Recommend Online

Other people’s evaluations play a vital role in establishing a purchase plan, and hence they exert considerable influence [44]. Businesses pay attention to people’s purchase experiences to reduce trial and error and collect information. Therefore, the diversity of information is an important factor in selecting quality products [45]. Online word-of-mouth significantly affects the selection and purchase of goods [46]. The active online research of similar online experiences and an acknowledgment of their authenticity and reliability maximizes the positive effects of online word-of-mouth [47].
Reliability is also improved when the public disseminates unprocessed information by word-of-mouth [48]; reliability increases when users respond favorably to online information such as reviews or likes. Potential customers tend to examine other people’s experiences before purchasing [49]. Online information is utilized to increase the exchange of information and thereby minimize trial and error when purchasing [50]. Therefore, it has become routine to search online reviews before purchasing a product.
Online word-of-mouth allows users to configure and validate the content independently [51]; this real-time feature positively influences all network-connected users. Online recommendations, such as comments and reviews, significantly affect the processes associated with product purchases [13]. Recommendations based on personal experiences, such as online product reviews or positive social media comments, demonstrate high information confidence [52]. These reviews also stem from emotional satisfaction; it is an important part of post-consumption customer behavior. The higher the psychological satisfaction, the higher the user’s tendency to share experiences online or write reviews [53]. Products with several reviews, such as online comments, even if negative, often become prominent. Recommendations can be both positive and negative, though previous studies suggest that negative word-of-mouth creates a greater ripple effect [54]. Hence, blocking negative information and promoting the spread of positive information is critical to maintaining a stable revenue structure because negative word-of-mouth affects behavior [55].
In service-oriented businesses, such as food and beverage facilities on golf courses, intangible services are perceived to be more important than tangible products; in such cases, recommendations, such as anecdotes of experience, serve as critical information sources and determine purchase behavior [56]. Previous studies show that service or product use satisfaction induces recommendations [47,57]. The higher the satisfaction with service quality, the higher the willingness to recommend [58].

2.4. Sustainable Management of Sports Facilities

Sustainable management refers to a management method that actively participates in creating corporate sustainability [59]. Sustainability becomes the company’s goal, and management activities are carried out for it. It is a concept that considers the entire range of issues in corporate management from an integrated perspective, including the impact and relationships of businesses, consumers, and society [60].
From a business management point of view, for sustainable management, a company differentiates itself with excellent value that it can provide to consumers or seeks to do better than competitors and creates value for customers to gain a competitive advantage [61,62]. Sustainable management is so important in a management strategy to secure competitive advantage, and it needs to be actively introduced to create new customers and markets [60,63].
León-Quismondo et al. [64] emphasized that for sustainable management of sports facilities, it is necessary to accurately grasp customers’ needs from the user’s point of view and for business operators to realize customer value through service quality management. Other previous studies related to sports facilities [65,66,67] also suggest service quality management as a core competency to provide customer value. These capabilities are essential for business stability and sustainable management by providing value required by customers using sports facilities and securing high competitiveness compared to competitors.

3. Research Methods

3.1. Research Design

To conduct an empirical analysis of the relationship between service quality of food and beverage and customer behaviors for sustainable golf course management. This study employed Creswell and Clark’s (2017) [68] triangulation design, a mixed methods research framework that compares the results of quantitative and qualitative investigations.

3.2. Quantitative Research

3.2.1. Establishment of Hypotheses and Research Model

This quantitative research confirmed the effect of service quality of food and beverage on customer loyalty and willingness to recommend online. To this end, based on a literature review, we formulated the following hypotheses and presented the research model. Figure 1 presents the research model.
Hypothesis 1 (H1).
Service quality of food and beverage (empathy, assurance, responsiveness, reliability, and tangibles) has a positive effect on customer loyalty.
Hypothesis 2 (H2).
Service quality of food and beverage (empathy, assurance, responsiveness, reliability, and tangibles) has a positive effect on willingness to recommend online.
Hypothesis 3 (H3).
Customer loyalty has a positive effect on willingness to recommend online.
Hypothesis 4 (H4).
Customer loyalty has a mediating effect on the relationship between the service quality of food and beverage (empathy, assurance, responsiveness, reliability, and tangibles) and willingness to recommend online.

3.2.2. Quantitative Survey Method and Demographic Characteristics of Subjects

We conducted a quantitative survey from 1 April to 31 May 2021. The questionnaire was formulated using a nominal scale for demographic characteristics and a 5-point Likert scale for all other items. The survey comprised 400 golfers who had experience playing golf for over six months in the golf practice ranges in Seoul and Gyeonggi province and visited golf courses past the age of 20. We analyzed 372 effective copies of the questionnaire, excluding 28 copies owing to inadequate responses. For the analysis, we utilized AMOS 22.0 and SPSS 22.0 for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis and other statistical analyses.
The demographic characteristics were identified by frequency analysis, the validity and reliability of each variable and correlation analysis were verified, and subsequently, the hypotheses were verified by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis. Table 1 presents the following characteristics of the participants surveyed for the quantitative research.

3.2.3. Operational Definitions of Variables

We defined the concepts of variables and, accordingly, developed the items for measurement. Based on previous studies, the survey on service quality of food and beverage consisted of 20 questions, with 4 questions for each of the 5 types of service quality measures, and 6 questions on customer loyalty and the willingness to recommend online. Demographic characteristics included questions related to gender, age, education level, occupation, and residential area. The operational definitions of the variables are presented in Table 2.

3.2.4. Validity and Reliability Analysis for Variables

A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to verify the feasibility and adequacy of each variable. The goodness-of-fit was determined by reviewing the values of χ2, CMIN/df, RMR, RMSEA, NFI, CFI, GFI, and AGFI derived from the confirmatory factor analysis. RMSEA and RMR should be below 0.1 and 0.05, respectively. The goodness-of-fit is deemed to be high when NFI, CFI, GFI, and AGFI are 0.9 or higher; if these values are higher than 0.8 and lower than 0.9, then goodness-of-fit is determined after a review of the overall figures of the other indices [70,71]. Table 3 and Table 4 present the results of the goodness-of-fit index of the constituent concepts and the results of the validity and reliability analysis for each variable, respectively.

3.3. Qualitative Research

As part of the qualitative research, we performed eight in-depth interviews once a week for eight weeks, from 11 June to 30 July 2021, to analyze the relationship between service quality of food and beverage and the customer behaviors of golf courses. Additional qualitative research was conducted to compare the results of the quantitative research. The qualitative research comprised six persons—one golf course manager and five golfers. Table 5 shows the general characteristics of the participants for the qualitative research. Using semi-structured and unstructured interviews for qualitative research surveys, this study analyzed the relationship between the service quality of food and beverage and golf participants’ customer behavior. An emphasis was placed on drawing sincere ideas from the participants [72]. Before seeking consent for participation, in order to secure ethicality, we explained to the participants about the objectives and contents of the study as well as how the findings would be used. All the interviewees agreed to participate in a recorded interview. All the participants agreed in advance that they would use aliases and not disclose any information that might expose their identity. Participants were asked to refrain from providing information they might be reluctant to share during the interview. We informed the participants could also refuse to participate in the study [72].

4. Results

4.1. Results of the Quantitative Research

4.1.1. Analysis for Construct Validity

To verify the construct reliability values and the average of variance extracted (AVE) values were derived to review the convergent and discriminant validity. All factors had a factor loading of 0.5 or higher and a construct reliability value of 0.6 or higher, indicating convergent validity for all factors. Discriminant validity is recognized only when the AVE value is higher than that of the square value of the correlation coefficient between each factor. The correlation analysis demonstrated that the AVE value was higher than that of the correlation coefficient between the factors derived, indicating discriminant validity [70,71]. Table 6 presents the results of the correlation analysis.

4.1.2. Analysis for Hypotheses Verification

Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted to verify the hypotheses. The measurement model demonstrated values of χ2 = 893.773 (df = 384, p = 0.000), CMIN/df = 2.328, RMR = 0.065, GFI = 0.847, AGFI = 0.804, RMSEA = 0.091, NFI = 0.807, and CFI = 0.879, indicating the goodness-of-fit [70,71]. The validated model of this study is shown in Figure 2.

Verification of Hypotheses 1–3

The verification of Hypothesis 1 showed reliability and responsiveness among sub-factors of service quality of food and beverage had a positive effect on customer loyalty. The verification of Hypothesis 2 showed that empathy among sub-factors of service quality of food and beverage had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. The verification of Hypothesis 3 showed that customer loyalty had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. The verification results of Hypotheses 1–3 are presented in Table 7.

Verification of Hypothesis 4

Hypothesis 4 showed that customer loyalty had a mediating effect on the relationship between reliability among sub-factors of service quality of food and beverage and willingness to recommend online. Since Hypothesis 2 did not present a direct relationship between reliability among sub-factors of service quality of food and beverage and willingness to recommend online, it showed that customer loyalty has a complete mediating effect. The results of the verification of Hypothesis 4 are presented in Table 8.

4.2. Results of the Qualitative Research

Qualitative research was conducted to compare and analyze the results of the quantitative survey; to this end, we conducted an empirical analysis of the service quality of food and beverage and customer behaviors in golf courses. As for the verification method of customer behaviors, the preference and non-preference factors of food and beverage services in golf courses were subdivided prior to the qualitative research. The research participants were selected on the basis of the categories of weekday and weekend golfers. This study sought to verify the results of the quantitative research according to the preference and non-preference subcategories, which comprised sub-factors such as food and beverage facilities, human expertise, menus, and operational processes. The contents of these subcategories are presented in Table 9.

4.2.1. Preference Factors

Interviews were conducted on the preference factors recognized by the participants to analyze customer behaviors regarding food and beverage services in golf courses. The results are as follows.
“I usually tee off before 9 am on weekdays. Since I depart from home early in the morning, I prefer a golf course with a simple, quick-dining menu. I always come to the golf course on a tight schedule. I tend to visit courses where they prepare food as soon as possible. The more time I save on my meal time, the better I can play golf because a quick mealtime gives me enough time to practice putting and warm up.”
(Golfer C)
“I usually play golf on the weekends for business, and hence I eat with clients after golf. I prefer a golf course where the food is well-presented and delicious because I want to provide a pleasant experience to the clients with whom I play golf. It would be even better if there were a system where we could preorder the desired menu.”
(Golfer E)
“I usually play golf on weekends using corporate membership. The company owns several memberships for the business. Of all the clubs, one golf course has a pleasant clubhouse restaurant that serves excellent food. I also tend to visit certain golf courses where I can choose various wines. I prefer to visit a golf course that I can trust, rather than one I know little about in terms of inviting guests.”
(Golfer F)
“Our golf course only accepts online and mobile app reservations. We allow golfers to view reservations on all dates and times. In particular, we offer free breakfast at very early hours during the weekdays on our public golf course depending on the time, which pleases our customers. I think it is one of the reasons we have more customers compared to other nearby golf courses. We implemented a system of offering discounts on green fees upon installing our golf course mobile application. After golf, meals for more than one team can be ordered in advance, where a set menu can be presented at a desired time.”
(Golf course operator A)
“At a golf course, the concepts of meals before and after golf are different. Since I teach golf, I visit golf courses with a variety of people. Before golf, golfers often eat simple meals separately on arrival. To play golf well, it is essential to warm up and practice putting, and hence meals are often eaten quickly. However, after golf, most people who play together prefer to eat delicious and good food as a group. I tend to visit golf courses that provide meals before and after golf to meet my needs because it is important that the people who learn from me are pleased.”
(Professional golfer B)
The above subcategories of preference factors related were found that golf participants recognized that the speed of food preparation and prompt provision of food and beverages were significant. The food flavors and the clubhouse restaurant’s physical environment were also deemed important. This feature demonstrates the variety of participants’ perceptions regarding meals before and after golf. Golfers often need to finish a simple meal before preparing for golf. As mentioned by golfers E and F, the reason behind visiting a golf course is to have meals for socializing with guest golfers. As mentioned by golf operator A, it is also necessary to increase the convenience of golfers by enabling providing reservations, discounts, and promotions at golf courses using mobile applications and maintaining the number of visitors even during the less favored hours by meeting the needs of golfers seeking refreshments.

4.2.2. Non-Preference Factors

We conducted interviews on non-preference factors recognized by participants to analyze customer behaviors on food and beverage services in golf courses; the results were as follows.
“I usually go to the golf course for taking lessons, which entails a lot of packing. Before playing, when I visit a golf course where the meal preparation time is long, I tend to eat elsewhere and play golf. I think speed is very important in a golf course restaurant.”
(Professional golfer B)
“I think it is essential to be fast at preparing meals at golf courses. A quick meal allows more practice time before the commencement of the game and it is necessary to save time after golf in order to return to work in the afternoon. I do not visit golf courses that are not fast at preparing meals. I tend to eat outside if there is a delay in food preparation.”
(Golfer C)
“I usually go to the golf course with my friends during the week. I visit various courses since I golf during the week. Before I visit the golf course, I review the course information and meal menu of the golf course on the Internet. However, if enough information is not available online, then I tend to be less confident about the golf course. It is probable that I will visit the golf course where information is readily available.”
(Golfer D)
“I sometimes find it difficult to choose what to order in case the golf course menu is unfamiliar. In particular, an unfamiliar menu causes embarrassment when I come to the golf course with clients. I think it is very important to provide photos or detailed ingredient information on the menu. I would more likely visit a golf course where meal information can be accessed on the Internet in advance.”
(Golfer E)
“As I play golf for business, I think the atmosphere of the golf course restaurant and the quality of the meal is just as important as the environment of the golf course. I always choose a trusted golf course and invite guests there to play golf. However, I have been invited to restaurants that have a bad ambiance and serve inferior quality meals. I do not think I would ever revisit a golf course where I have had such an experience or recommend it to anyone else.”
(Golfer F)
The above subcategories of non-preference factors related to food and beverage services in golf courses may be summarized as follows. As mentioned by professional golfer B and golfer C, a slow meal preparation is a non-preference factor. The importance of quick meal preparations is intensified by the need to secure time for practice before playing golf and the level of immersion in golf. As mentioned by golfers D and E, the lack of information about the tangibility of food and beverage services is a non-preference factor for golfers. Often, golfers decide to visit a golf course after accessing online information about a golf course restaurant. The revisits are associated with the subsequent sufficient provision of information, which substantiates intangible features and enables the selection of preferred menus. Finally, since golf is often associated with business and fitness needs, an excellent physical environment and quality of meals increase visitors’ trust in the golf course, as mentioned by golfer F, and have been shown to increase trust in the golf course. Poor quality of food and beverage facilities and meals negatively affects the reliability and willingness to recommend the golf course.

5. Discussion

This study sought to present methods for improving golf course operations, which are crucial in enhancing the competitiveness of domestic golf courses. These improvements could absorb demand from low-cost overseas golf destinations such as China and Southeast Asia and curb the losses from the increasingly competitive discounts offered by a rising number of golf courses in South Korea. This research sought to identify the causal relationship between service quality of food and beverage and customer behaviors for sustainable golf course management, based on the triangulation design of Creswell and Clark (2017) [68] and a mixed methods research framework that compares the results of quantitative and qualitative investigations. The qualitative study identified the subcategories of preference and non-preference factors associated with golf course food and beverage services, based on in-depth interviews with participating subjects. Therefore, the discussion compared the results of the quantitative research and the results of previous studies according to the sequence of the hypotheses. Subsequently, the preference and non-preference factors were empirically analyzed to present empirical measures that can be applied to future golf course operations as per the objective of this study. The analyses are presented in the following section.
First, Hypothesis 1 was partially accepted. Reliability and responsiveness among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on customer loyalty. Of the five sub-factors of service quality, reliability is a belief in the services provided, and responsiveness is an evaluation of the service’s accuracy and speed [11]. These findings suggest that, based on golfers’ experience, the reliability of the golf course menu, food quality, and overall employee service performance are the most important factors. Responsiveness is also believed to affect customer loyalty, as golfers consider fast and accurate service performance crucial to the provision of adequate practice time. These findings are in line with those of Bowen and Chen [37] and McMullan [39], who studied loyalty by comprehensively identifying customer attitudes and behaviors, thereby corroborating the results of this study. Reliability is the recognition of the services provided and an indicator of service quality based on specific actions such as speed [38]. The qualitative research also showed that responsiveness, such as prompt food preparation, is a preference factor, while the lack of responsiveness was a non-preference factor. These findings reflect a unique feature of golf, and the results indicate that golfers have different perceptions of meals before and after playing. Before playing golf, there is a strong tendency to allocate more time to practice to play better. However, since many participants visit the golf course for business or social purposes, the physical environment of the food and beverage facilities and the taste of the meal were also preference factors. Contrarily, dissatisfaction with such conditions was a non-preference factor. In particular, it was found that the physical environment and quality of meals suitable for business circumstances increase golfers’ trust and promote positive word-of-mouth. Therefore, prompt service is the most critical factor, as per this study’s quantitative and qualitative results. Further, this study confirms that it is essential to establish physical environments for food and beverage facilities that are appropriate for social and business events.
Second, Hypothesis 2 was partially accepted. The results of the verification demonstrated that only empathy among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. Williams and Joseph [73] and Checchinato et al. [74] note that online recommendations refer to the personal thoughts and opinions of individuals on the information disseminated through online communities such as those of social media. Empathy indicates agreement and respect for other people’s thoughts and emotions; it is more emotional and subjective than objective. In fact, when evaluating various information posted on online communities, such as those on social media, expressions of personal thoughts are not based on objective standards but on subjective perspectives; they include comments like “agreed,” “recommended,” or “liked,” and evaluations are made based on the number of such positive expressions. Online communities or social media are personal spaces, and the contents published in these communities display strong personal characteristics—content that entertain and stimulate emotions are favored. Thus, information that stimulates emotion rather than rational judgment is more effective in obtaining positive reviews online. The results of this study accurately represent the characteristics of online information presented in the studies. This study differs from previous studies in regard to the service quality related to food and beverages [18]. Specifically, we verified the relationship between service quality and online recommendation, which has rarely been studied. We also showed that accurate services and those satisfying subjective aspects such as customers’ tastes and emotions can induce positive online word-of-mouth. The results of the qualitative research showed that using applications enabling reservations, discounts, and promotions to operate golf courses can increase golfers’ convenience and effectively increase their visits. The lack of information on golf courses was a non-preference factor. These findings are attributed to golfers’ use of the Internet and applications to search for information before visiting the golf courses. As golfers actively use the Internet to search for information, it is necessary to utilize various promotional content on golf courses that can induce empathy from golfers. It is also important to provide detailed and specific information such as information on courses, food and beverage facilities, available menus, and unique promotions.
Third, Hypothesis 3 was accepted. The result of verification shows that customer loyalty had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. These findings corroborate those of Lee et al. (2018) [75], who verified the causal relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in golf practice ranges and reported that customer loyalty has a static effect on the customer’s willingness to re-register or provide positive recommendations. Likewise, the study by Lee (2018) [76], which verified the factors for the selection and recommendation of participatory sports facilities, demonstrated that a satisfactory experience in aspects such as price, expertise, and physical environment had a static effect on the willingness to recommend online. This study confirmed that customer loyalty improves when the service quality of food and beverage is considered satisfactory. It may be deemed that such customer loyalty, as noted by previous research on participatory sports facilities, has a static effect on positive willingness to recommend online. Unlike previous studies, we show that golfers with satisfactory experience convey positive word-of-mouth both offline and online. The results of the qualitative analysis demonstrated that visitors actively search for information before visiting a golf course, and the lack of information presented by the golf course is considered a non-preference factor for potential visitors. In this case, a golf course is not solely used for fitness purposes; golf courses are also widely utilized for social and business events; hence, golfers make efforts to acquire information about the golf course. Therefore, detailed and accurate information to meet these needs may increase the willingness to recommend online.
Hypothesis 4 was partially accepted. The results of the verification demonstrated that customer loyalty had a mediating effect on the relationship between reliability among sub-factors of service quality and willingness to recommend online. Lee et al. (2018) [75] and Lee (2017) [77] studied the causal relationship between service quality and customer loyalty to participatory sports facilities, such as golf courses, and concluded that customer loyalty has a mediating effect on the causal relationship between service quality and customer behavior. While these previous studies verified the mediating effect of customer loyalty on the causality between service quality and customer behaviors regarding the sports factors of participatory sports facilities, this verified the mediating effect of customer loyalty on the causality between service quality and customer behavior regarding non-sports factors. The results of this study confirm that reliability among sub-factors of service quality does not directly affect willingness to recommend online. However, reliability among sub-factors of service quality positively affects online word-of-mouth owing to a mediating effect on customer loyalty. These results suggest that since golf courses are used for socialization, business, and fitness for various purposes, more than merely reliability is required to produce the positive effects of word-of-mouth. Trust and loyalty must be simultaneously stimulated in order to induce positive word-of-mouth as well as online recommendations. The qualitative analysis of this study also demonstrated that, for business situations, visitors seek golf courses that are reliable; they seek information about such golf courses online, which determines their visits. As such, the results of the quantitative and qualitative approaches were consistent. Ultimately, in regard to social and business events, golfers visiting golf courses explore diverse information and consider several factors before arriving at a decision. Hence, it is necessary to examine ways to increase the number of loyal customers along with food and beverage services that enable reliability.

6. Managerial Implications and Proposals

6.1. Managerial Implications

This study verified the effects of service quality of food and beverage on customer loyalty and willingness to recommend online. Based on the comparative analysis of the results of the quantitative and qualitative research, the following empirical implications were drawn for sustainable golf course management and customer value improvements.
First, customers who use golf courses obtain detailed information before visiting, using media such as the Internet. Therefore, it is important to provide detailed information that customers need to arrive at a decision to visit golf courses. Hence, it is important to promote the use of mobile applications among prospective customers and provide them with accurate information on promotional content and other related information via websites and mobile applications.
Second, the nature of meals on golf courses varies before and after golf. Before golf, customers eat quick meals and secure time for practice before the game, and after golf, they prefer meals for socializing or business. Therefore, the menu composition should consider such attributes of meals before and after golf.
Third, the analyses demonstrate the criticality of the speed and responsiveness related to service quality of food and beverage on golf courses. This feature secures time for practice; before golf, traveling to the golf course and playing golf is time-consuming, and hence efforts are made to save time spent on services related to food and beverages. In this regard, this study proposes saving customer time by focusing on simple menus and serving them before golf games. Therefore, golf courses also need a system for pre-ordering and ordering during golf through mobile applications and other methods.
Fourth, the reliability of food and beverage services does not directly affect the willingness to recommend online, but it has a static effect thereon by the mediating effect of customer loyalty. The qualitative analysis demonstrates that golf courses that have not earned consumer trust through experience are not visited or recommended for business events. Therefore, golf courses must utilize programs such as the issuance of online coupons based on the frequency of visits as well as customer-level systems to increase the number of loyal customers.

6.2. Proposals

First, future studies should research the analysis of selection determinants for golf courses by verifying the causal relationship between the golf course selection attributes and customer behaviors. As mentioned above, these studies can help prepare practical measures for golf course operation.
Second, the diminishing profitability of golf courses is attributed to the continuous construction of golf courses and the increasing frequency of overseas golf travels. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the reasons behind visiting overseas golf courses and the preference factors for such selection attributes. In particular, the lengths of stay of overseas golf visitors differ depending on various purposes, such as serious golf travels and practice or golf leisure travels and the rests. Therefore, qualitative research through in-depth interviews will be very useful in understanding the preference factors of golfers visiting overseas golf courses for various purposes.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, R.S.L. and S.Y.L.; methodology, R.S.L. and S.Y.L.; formal analysis, R.S.L.; investigation, S.Y.L.; writing—original draft preparation, R.S.L. and S.Y.L.; writing—review and editing, R.S.L. and S.Y.L.; visualization, R.S.L.; project administration, R.S.L. and S.Y.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

This study was conducted in accordance with the Bioethics and Safety Act (Ministry of Health and Welfare) [Enforcement 2021. 12. 30.] [Ministry of Health and Welfare Ordinance No. 852, 2021. 12. 30., partially amended] Article 13 (Research on human subjects exempt from deliberation by Institutional Review Board).

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Sustainability 15 11207 g001 550
Figure 1. Research Model.
Figure 1. Research Model.
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Figure 2. Validated Model. * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.
Figure 2. Validated Model. * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.
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Table
Table 1. General Participant Characteristics.
Table 1. General Participant Characteristics.
VariablesClassificationsFrequencyPercentage (%)VariablesClassificationsFrequencyPercentage (%)
GenderMale20355OccupationStudent195
Female16945Office worker16745
Age20s5715Self-employed113
30s14238Professional worker10528
40s12534Businessman6417
50s≤4813Others62
Educational levelHigh school graduates or below6417Golf course visits/Annual10 times≥20154
College graduates
(2–4 years) 		2576911–20
times		12433
Graduate school graduates or above511421–30
times		257
31 times≤226
Table
Table 2. Operational Definitions of Variables.
Table 2. Operational Definitions of Variables.
VariablesConceptsPrevious StudiesQuestions
Service qualityEmpathyPositive agreement with the needs of customers or congruent feelings.Chand; Brandy & Cronin; Smith & Brynjolfsson [22,23,25],
Oyewole; Parasuraman et al.; Vandamme & Leunis [26,28,30]		4
AssuranceTrust in the provision of high-quality services.4
ResponsivenessEvaluation of the delivered services in terms of service accuracy and promptness4
ReliabilityPositive feelings emanating from the trust in the services provided.4
TangiblesEvaluation of external aspects (e.g., facilities)4
Customer loyaltyA positive and favorable attitude and behavior toward the subject.Parasuraman et al.; Hellier et al.; Sasmita & Mohd Suki; Dick and Basu [11,32,34,69]6
Willingness to recommend onlineThe intention is to present positive comments on online communities and social media, among others.Sparks & Bradley; Chatterjee; Anderson & Narus; Xiang & Gretzel; Ghose et al.; Wang & Stefanone [13,47,49,50,52,53] 6
Table
Table 3. Results of the Goodness-of-fit Verification of Constituent Concepts.
Table 3. Results of the Goodness-of-fit Verification of Constituent Concepts.
Constituent Conceptsχ2DfpCMIN/dfGFIAGFICFINFIRMRRMSEA
Service quality203.396125 ***1.6270.878 0.833 0.968 0.922 0.044 0.063
Customer loyalty 14.271 9***1.586 0.971 0.933 0.988 0.969 0.029 0.061
Willingness to recommend online31.7809 ***3.5310.935 0.848 0.955 0.939 0.033 0.096
*** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 4. Results of Validity and Reliability Analysis for Variables.
Table 4. Results of Validity and Reliability Analysis for Variables.
FactorVariableStandardized CoefficientS.E.C.R.pReliability
ResponsivenessQuestions were answered elaborately0.704 0.829
The staff’s explanations were comprehendible.0.651 0.111 7.481***
The services were promptly delivered. 0.856 0.123 9.401 ***
The staff responded promptly even during busy hours.0.752 0.1268.543 ***
EmpathyWhen ordering, customers’ preferences were taken into consideration as much as possible.0.801 0.899
Answers and actions were presented from the customer’s point of view.0.843 0.08712.148 ***
Customer’s needs were well understood.0.818 0.09011.663 ***
Customer complaints were noted and corrective actions were taken.0.865 0.083 12.591
ReliabilityEmployees have expertise.0.930 0.957
Employees provided accurate services.0.948 0.04223.788 ***
Employees acted responsibly. 0.940 0.04523.089
The staff responded courteously.0.958 0.04024.862
AssuranceI assume that the staff is well-trained0.944 0.835
I assume that an experienced chef will cook.0.928 0.08212.811 ***
I assume that fresh ingredients are used.0.526 0.0697.105 ***
TangiblesThe facilities are clean and well-maintained. 0.904 0.902
The clubhouse and shade structures were well-furnished.0.885 0.05916.344 ***
The order and payment systems were convenient.0.828 0.06514.279 ***
Customer loyaltyI intend to visit affiliated golf courses (affiliated companies).0.675 0.869
I will revisit it often in the future. 0.776 0.172 8.723***
I am not considering using other golf courses.0.505 0.1155.907***
I believe this golf course is better than those similar.0.893 0.155 9.726***
I want to give positive reviews about this golf course. 0.834 0.1469.261***
I will visit this golf course to socialize with friends in the golfing community0.668 0.153 7.646***
Willingness to recommend onlineI will search for related information on the Internet. 0.761 0.880
I will express my empathy for the related information on social media by means such as “likes.”0.811 0.09810.436***
I will share photos or videos with my followers.0.719 0.105 9.135***
I will give positive comments on a mobile application or website bulletin board. 0.835 0.09910.777
I will send promotional coupons to my friends.0.739 0.095 9.415***
I will encourage downloading the golf course app.0.706 0.0918.949***
*** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 5. General Characteristics of Participants for Qualitative Research.
Table 5. General Characteristics of Participants for Qualitative Research.
Participant GenderAge Preference Visiting TimeOccupation
Golf course operator AMale55Not applicableGeneral manager
Professional golfer BMale45Weekday/weekendGolf instructor
Golfer CMale52WeekdayBusinessman
Golfer DFemale38WeekdayHousewife
Golfer EMale40WeekendProfessional worker
Golfer FFemale49Weekend Professional worker
Table
Table 6. Results of Correlation Analysis.
Table 6. Results of Correlation Analysis.
Factor1234567
11
20.5081
30.2620.3881
40.0030.0010.0141
50.3140.6510.4660.0031
60.5590.5640.6330.0070.5701
70.6840.6460.3360.0010.4290.5251
AVE0.7110.7090.8800.6750.7650.5920.641
Construct Reliability0.7020.7450.8860.7100.7880.6090.701
The square of each correlation coefficient has been entered. 1. Responsiveness; 2. Empathy; 3. Reliability; 4. Assurance; 5. Tangibles; 6. Customer loyalty; 7. Willingness to recommend online.
Table
Table 7. Results of Verification of Hypotheses 1–3.
Table 7. Results of Verification of Hypotheses 1–3.
HypothesisPathStandardized CoefficientS. E.C.RpResults
1-1Reliability → Customer loyalty0.657 0.048 8.034***Accepted
1-2Tangibles → Customer loyalty0.121 0.073 1.0730.283Rejected
1-3Responsiveness → Customer loyalty0.359 0.0814.308***Accepted
1-4Assurance → Customer loyalty−0.019 0.022 −0.488 0.626Rejected
1-5Empathy → Customer loyalty−0.019 0.096−0.152 0.879Rejected
2-1Reliability → Willingness to recommend online−0.668 0.257 −1.860 0.063Rejected
2-2Tangibles → Willingness to recommend online−0.204 0.136 −1.181 0.238Rejected
2-3Responsiveness → Willingness to recommend online0.223 0.267 0.987 0.324Rejected
2-4Assurance → Willingness to recommend online−0.024 0.037−0.441 0.659Rejected
2-5Empathy → Willingness to recommend online0.394 0.1632.207 0.027 *Accepted
3-1Customer loyalty → Willingness to recommend online1.121 0.6572.071 0.038 *Accepted
* p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.
Table
Table 8. Results of Verification of Hypothesis 4.
Table 8. Results of Verification of Hypothesis 4.
HypothesisPathS. E.Standardized CoefficientIndirect CoefficientpResults
MinMax
4-1Tangibles →
Customer loyalty →
Willingness to recommend online		0.7510.136−0.298 2.7430.440Rejected
4-2Assurance →
Customer loyalty →
Willingness to recommend online		0.093 −0.021−0.4810.0440.401Rejected
4-3Reliability →
Customer loyalty →
Willingness to recommend online		1.517 0.7360.11210.6870.026 *Accepted
4-4Empathy →
Customer loyalty →
Willingness to recommend online		0.755−0.022−1.3980.9530.964Rejected
4-5Responsiveness →
Customer loyalty →
Willingness to recommend online		0.685 0.403−0.0952.9490.116Rejected
* p < 0.05.
Table
Table 9. Subcategorization of Food and Beverage Services for Qualitative Analysis.
Table 9. Subcategorization of Food and Beverage Services for Qualitative Analysis.
FactorSub-Factor
Preference factors(Preferred) Food and beverage facilities
(Preferred) Expertise of personnel
(Preferred) Menu
(Preferred) Operational process
Non-preference factors(Non-preferred) Food and beverage facilities
(Non-preferred) Expertise of personnel
(Non-preferred) Menu
(Non-preferred) Operational process
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Lee, R.S.; Lee, S.Y. Analysis of Relationship between Service Quality of Food and Beverage and Customer Behaviors for Sustainable Golf Course Management. Sustainability 2023, 15, 11207. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411207

AMA Style

Lee RS, Lee SY. Analysis of Relationship between Service Quality of Food and Beverage and Customer Behaviors for Sustainable Golf Course Management. Sustainability. 2023; 15(14):11207. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411207

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lee, Ryang Suk, and Sheng Yen Lee. 2023. "Analysis of Relationship between Service Quality of Food and Beverage and Customer Behaviors for Sustainable Golf Course Management" Sustainability 15, no. 14: 11207. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151411207

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