Title: How Firerock and Whisky Run have optimized operations, enhanced the player experience and increased efficiency.

Expert guests: Amanda Cosentino, Director of Golf, Firerock and Luke Nieuwland, Chief Creative Officer, Whisky Run

Duration: 1 Hour

Title: How the Vancouver GC, Priddis Greens CC and the Donalda Club have created exceptional player experiences, while increasing operational efficiency

Guests: Sean Thompson, Director of Golf, The Vancouver Golf Club; John Wilson, Senior Associate Professional, Priddis Greens Golf and Country Club, and Andrew McCarthy, Head Golf Professional, Donalda Club

Duration: 1 Hour

Title: 5 ways Glen Oak CC is managing pace and flow exceptionally well – keeping members happy, during a busy season

Expert guest: Danny Mulhearn

Duration: 1 Hour

Title: How leading Texas courses use technology to create exceptional player experiences, while reducing labor hours.

Co-hosted by the Northern Texas PGA Section

Data has been called ‘the most valuable commodity in the world’ and its importance in effective golf course management cannot be overstated.

Courses that have embraced the increased use of technology will benefit from some operational benefits, but if the data gathered by this technology isn’t captured, a huge opportunity to drive further gains is being missed.

Data helps draw valuable insights, predict trends and guide better decision-making. Let’s look at 5 data sets your course shouldn’t go without.

You can also assign resources to busier, slower periods where they are most needed to ensure pace and flow are maintained.

PRO TIP: Using Tagmarshal’s Analytics Hub, you can set variable goal times for different periods of the day, based on their respective average pace data.

In the same way that a day’s average temperature masks the highs and lows, your course’s average round time doesn’t accurately tell you how many golfers are actually finishing on pace.

For example, even though you may only be a few minutes above your desired average goal time, this could be skewed by rapid morning rounds. Data may show that most of your rounds are still finishing over pace, negatively impacting the player experience.

Only once you understand your course flow better can you put in place plans to improve it.

PRO TIP: You get a full pace distribution breakdown in the Analytics Hub, illustrating the percentage of rounds that fall into each pace bracket.

Measuring starter accuracy is a key aspect of effective pace management, because groups consistently teeing off later than scheduled will have a cumulative effect throughout the day.

Tracking the data across weeks and months means you can set goals for your team to achieve, driving continuous improvement.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal automatically tracks starter accuracy via the Analytics Hub. The time each group enters the first tee area is measured against their tee sheet starting time.

An average round time is valuable, but having that broken down into time spent at each hole offers a far more granular understanding of course flow.

This data allows you to spot opportunities to tweak and optimize hole setups, ensuring a more consistent flow and preventing potential bottleneck areas.

On busier days, you may consider more straightforward pin placements at holes that traditionally play harder, with additional tips and insights on how to play these holes provided. 

Ideally, you would also have an understanding of how long groups are waiting on the tee box before they actually hit a ball, which is a major frustration for golfers.

PRO TIP: Via Tagmarshal’s Analytics Hub, you’ll be able to see the exact amount of time groups spend at the halfway house, to gauge whether any changes need to be made.

Research has shown that pace-based interventions with marshals can make or break the player experience. If these aren’t effective in getting players back into position, then you’re assuming that risk without any potential reward.

PRO TIP: Every discussion between golfers and player assistants shouldn’t be centered around pace. Friendly check-ins are a great way to establish trust, which in turn drives up pace compliance.

Optimal decision-making starts with understanding the nuances of how your course operates. 

“You can’t improve what you don’t measure,” goes the popular saying, and comprehensive data sets are the ultimate unit of measurement.

Utilizing the full insights that these 5 data sets offer to drive improvement in pace and flow of play will ultimately enhance the player experience, ensuring that members and guests leave your course happy.