The Ohio Golf Course Owners Association (OGCOA) needed a complete digital overhaul — a website that could serve as both a public-facing marketing platform and a gated member portal for golf course owners across Ohio.
The scope covered everything: UI/UX design from scratch in Figma, full WordPress development with Elementor Pro, member login and restricted content areas, a course directory, job board, discussion forums, sponsor pages, and a blog. A genuinely complex multi-audience platform with both public and members-only content layers.
We started with Figma wireframes and high-fidelity designs to align the client on structure and visual direction before a single line of code was written — ensuring the build phase moved fast and without major revisions.
OGCOA | Association Website & Member Platform
A full membership platform and association website for the Ohio Golf Course Owners Association — designed in Figma and built with WordPress and Elementor Pro, serving golf course owners across Ohio.
What we built and why
Technologies used
The design across all devices
How we approached it
The OGCOA project started with a full Figma design phase — wireframes first, then high-fidelity mockups for every key page type: homepage, membership page, course directory, member dashboard, job board, and blog.
The visual direction was clean and professional with strong green and white brand tones — reflecting the golf industry's traditional aesthetic while feeling modern enough to attract younger course owners. We mapped two distinct user journeys: the public visitor considering membership, and the existing member accessing resources and the restricted content hub.
Navigation architecture was a key challenge — the site serves multiple audiences (course owners, vendors, sponsors, job seekers) and needed to route each one clearly without overwhelming the homepage. We solved this with a clear primary nav, contextual CTAs, and a dedicated members area separated from the public site.
Build highlights
Every page was designed to pixel-perfect fidelity in Figma before development began. This eliminated guesswork during the build phase and gave the client full visual sign-off before any code was written.
Built a restricted content system where members-only resources, downloads, the ClubEngine Room, and the Golf Course Data Center are hidden behind login — with different access tiers for different membership levels.
Developed a searchable directory of OGCOA member golf courses with Google Maps integration, course profiles, and nomination functionality — giving members visibility and public users a way to find Ohio courses.
Integrated a live golf industry job board pulling real listings from across Ohio — adding genuine recurring value for members and giving the site a reason for regular return visits.
Built a structured sponsor showcase system with dedicated landing pages for Premier Sponsors, enabling OGCOA to offer meaningful digital value to industry partners like Eagle Club Systems, Club Caddie, and GOLF.AI.
The entire site was built and tested mobile-first. Members access the portal from the golf course — often on phones. Every restricted page, form, and directory listing performs cleanly on all screen sizes.
Challenges & solutions
Designing for multiple user types on one site
OGCOA serves golf course owners, vendors, sponsors, job seekers, and the general public — all landing on the same homepage with very different goals and needs.
Segmented navigation and contextual CTAs
We designed separate navigation paths and CTA blocks for each audience type. The homepage surfaces the most important actions for each user — join as a member, find a course, view sponsors, browse jobs — without creating a cluttered experience.
Building a members platform without custom development
A gated member portal with multiple access tiers, restricted downloads, and a dedicated resource hub is typically a custom-coded build. The client needed this delivered on a WordPress/Elementor stack within budget.
Plugin stack + Elementor Pro dynamic content
We combined a restricted content plugin with Elementor Pro's dynamic content features and ACF custom fields to build a fully functional members platform — without a single line of custom backend code, keeping it maintainable by the client long-term.
Results & impact
OGCOA launched to strong member response. Within weeks of going live, member testimonials highlighted real business results — improved Google visibility, increased website traffic, and higher online booking rates — driven by the tools and resources the new platform made accessible.
The site now functions as a genuine business hub for Ohio golf course owners: a place to access industry resources, connect with peers, find staff, and stay updated on advocacy efforts. The Figma-first process meant zero major redesign requests post-launch — the client approved exactly what they got.
Final thoughts
OGCOA needed more than a website — it needed a platform. Figma-first design and a smart plugin stack delivered both, on time and on budget.
This project is a strong example of what a well-planned WordPress build can achieve. By investing in proper Figma UX design upfront, we eliminated the back-and-forth that kills timelines on complex builds. The result is a multi-audience membership platform that the OGCOA team can manage themselves — and that genuinely serves its members from day one.
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