UX Research Case Study
Golf Networking Membership Platform
Conducting User Research and making UX Recommendations to improve Conversion Rates.
UX Research | User Interview | Data Analysis | Conversion Optimization | Website Audit
The Goal
Identify issues contributing to low conversion rates and make recommendations on how to improve the site.
The Impact
Set the foundation for future site improvements by delivering a comprehensive research report.
My Takeaway
Successfully conducted, analyzed, and presented UX research within a tight time budget, proving that even lean research can yield high-value insights.
Overview
PrimeTimes.golf is a membership platform connecting golf enthusiasts for networking and play. Despite having a steady stream of 300 daily visitors, the platform struggled with a low conversion rate of only 3%.
Daily Visitors
300
Conversion Rate
3%
My client was aiming for a goal of 6% minimum monthly conversion rate.
Conversion Rate Goal
6%
The Project
My Role: UX Researcher
I was responsible for conducting a comprehensive website audit, user interviews, synthesizing insights, and providing actionable recommendations.
Scope of Work
Conduct a UX audit of the PrimeTimes.golf website to identify usability issues.
Perform user research to understand why potential members are hesitant to sign up.
Provide actionable recommendations to improve the user experience and conversion rates.
Challenges
Tight Budget
Limited time and fiscal budget for research.
Self-Sourced Participants
I needed to find interview participants independently.
Website Audit
Findings
I audited the site for usability and accessibility based on well-studied guidelines and principles. These are some of the issues I found.
Pricing Transparency
Critical Issue
Membership and event pricing was hidden behind multiple clicks, and unclear until user is already signed up - creating friction in the user journey.
Trust Building
Critical Issue
Overuse of AI images, and lack of testimonials, member counts, or social proof could create trust barriers.
Navigation
Major Issue
Confusing menu structure made it difficult to find key information, and user would need to rely on the footer to locate FAQs, contact info, etc.
Value Proposition
Major Issue
Benefits of membership were not clearly communicated on the homepage. This is a turn off to those who might want to sign up.
Group Filters
Moderate Issue
Filtering system was overwhelming and hard to understand. Users could be confused on which groups are relevant to them.
Homepage Overload
Moderate Issue
The homepage was too long and cluttered with information, making it difficult for users to quickly grasp what PrimeTimes.golf offered without excessive scrolling.
User Interviews
Sourcing
I needed to source my own research participants, and with basically no budget, I had to get creative. I needed to find participants who:
Play golf regularly
Live and/or golf at San Diego courses
Want to grow their career or business
Are interested in networking at golf events in groups curated to their career and interests
I decided to write a reddit post on r/golf and r/sdgolf outlining what I was looking for and why. I also asked my client if there was anything we could offer to participants to compensate them for their time, and we decided to offer a free month of membership (worth $20) to each participant. This benefited my client as well as the participants, because he gained new members as a part of the research.
The Process
Sourced 5 participants
30-minute remote interviews with screen sharing
Designed interview script to learn about first impressions, navigation experience, and sign up barriers.
Jacob, 33
Golfs weekly | Ed Tech Sales
"It should feel like I’m getting a deal, but instead, I feel like I’m getting charged extra."
David, 45
Golfs biweekly | Finance Marketing
"It doesn’t feel authentic. It just feels like an idea someone had to make money off golfers."
Gavin, 30
Golfs weekly | Tech
"I had no idea where to find event details—I just clicked around randomly until I found them."
Key Findings
Pricing Transparency
100% of participants cited hidden pricing as their primary reason for not signing up. Users expect to see pricing information upfront.
Trust & Authenticity
4 out of 5 participants questioned the legitimacy of the platform due to lack of social proof, testimonials, and member statistics.
Navigation Confusion
Users spent an average of 2.5 minutes trying to understand how the platform works, with 3 participants giving up before finding key information.
Unclear Value Proposition
All participants struggled to articulate the unique benefits of joining the platform after browsing the site.
UX Recommendations
Display Pricing Prominently
Add a clear pricing section to the homepage and include a "Pricing" item in the main navigation.
High Priority
2. Add Trust Signals
Incorporate member testimonials, display member count, and add social proof elements throughout the site.
High Priority
3. Simplify Navigation
Add a clear pricing section to the homepage and include a "Pricing" item in the main navigation.
High Priority
4. Clarify Value Proposition
Incorporate member testimonials, display member count, and add social proof elements throughout the site.
Medium Priority
Impact & Next Steps
Presentation
I presented findings to the client using a concise slide deck that highlighted key issues and actionable recommendations. The presentation focused on data-backed insights and potential ROI of implementing changes.
Next Steps
Client to implement high-priority recommendations with in house designer
Follow-up analysis planned to measure impact on conversion rates
Additional user testing recommended after implementation