Watch our latest webinar, “5 Ways Terravita uses tech to improve the player experience, while saving labor hours”, on-demand and in your own time!

In the webinar, Matt Kloppenburg, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Terravita Golf Club, details how the course utilizes technology to provide the optimal player experience for members while operating at maximum efficiency.

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

Webinar Topic: 5 Ways Terravita uses tech to improve the player experience, while saving labor hours.

Expert Guest: Matt Kloppenburg, PGA, Head Golf Professional, Terravita Golf Club

Tagmarshal was proud to attend the exclusive Multi-Course & Resort Operators Retreat 2023 (MCOR23) in July, with the two-day event taking place at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa in beautiful Monterey, California.

In attendance were CEO Bodo Sieber, VP of Business Development David Hamilton and GM Joey Walters, who joined many leading figures in the golf course and resort business, sharing insights and ideas and forging new connections with those at the forefront of the golf industry.

As a presenting sponsor that has worked closely with the NGCOA for a number of years, MCOR23 was a great opportunity for Tagmarshal to listen to the needs and concerns of course owners and top executives of golf management companies.

For Hamilton, who has a long and storied career in the industry, it was also a chance to reconnect with old friends. “There’s a reason MCOR has been so successful over the past 28 years. Gathering this volume of expertise and having those present share their knowledge and insights is invaluable, with the added benefit of seeing so many familiar faces.”  After an initial registration and meet and greet on Monday, July 17, Tuesday kicked off with a golf outing at Quail Lodge & Golf Club, followed by the Toptracer Opening Reception and a Q&A with award-winning golf writer, Alan Shipnuck.

Wednesday saw an official welcome from Host and Master of Ceremonies, Suzy Whaley, as well as addresses from NGCOA CEO Jay Karen and Greg Nathan, the President and COO of the National Golf Foundation (NGF).

The foundation’s data showed that, for the first time ever in the US, the volume of off-course golf (real club, real ball, full-swing driving range or simulator-related) being played is higher than that of on-course golf. What was clear was the openness of the off-course audience to technology as part of their experience and their expectation that this extends into the on-course environment.

This presents an exciting opportunity for the industry to connect with an already enthusiastic and tech-savvy market segment, and pull them onto the golf course itself, unlocking on-course opportunities like gamification and shorter formats of golf.

There is also a persisting trend of the number of midweek rounds increasing due to hybrid work models freeing up more time and flexibility, with the market adjusting to better utilize off-peak tee times.

Closing remarks came from Dr. Tyler Goodspeed, the former Chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers, who shed some light on the multitude of factors that make up America’s current financial climate.

The prevailing consensus is that the golf industry is in very good shape across all aspects, including investment, growth of the player base, and the number of rounds being played.

“We pride ourselves on being proactive when it comes to the market needs,” said Sieber. “It was a privilege to attend MCOR23 as the feedback and insights help us to innovate and lead the way in on-course optimization technology.”

As the golf industry goes from strength to strength, Tagmarshal looks forward to continuing to work with the NGCOA and the best in the golf course and resort business to help grow the industry.

Reading Time: 8 minutes

PGA Magazine’s Senior Editor Don Jozwiak said recently that the pace at which golf has embraced technology “would have seemed unlikely or even impossible less than a decade ago,” and clubs that aren’t adapting to this future run the risk of being left behind.

With clubs coming under increasing inflationary pressures, finding ways to boost the bottom line has never been more important.

Technological advancements aimed at optimizing on-course operations are changing golf as we know it. Here are 5 ways technology will help your club generate additional revenue.

1. MANAGE PACE OF PLAY EFFECTIVELY

Recent research conducted by the NGCOA and USGA found that 84% of course owners and 74% of players rate pace and flow of play as a top 3 player experience factor.

Consistent pace and course flow increases the likelihood of a positive player experience which in turn boosts the chances of the player spending additional funds at the pro shop, clubhouse and other facilities. Reduced round times also mean they have more time to spend at the facility.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal uses automation and powerful algorithms to proactively manage pace and flow of play, ensuring that pace-based on-course interventions can take place before bottlenecks occur and flow is negatively affected.

“Having Tagmarshal help us with our pace program and enhancing the experience for all of our members has been a key part of our success. We’re always aware of what’s going on entirely, with a great macro view of the course.”

Danny Mulhearn, Head Golf Professional
Glen Oak Country Club

2. DRIVE REPEAT PLAY

Effective management of the player experience includes setting achievable round goal times, which are communicated to players, and monitoring on-course flow.

When players know that pace and flow are being prioritized and they can count on finishing their round on or below the stated goal time, there is real value in that.

Consistently positive golfer experiences increase loyalty across players and members alike, drive repeat play and ensure positive word of mouth – the most cost-effective and trustworthy form of advertising – to drive additional revenue generation.

PRO TIP: Clubs using Tagmarshal have full line-of-sight of the entire course and those with Tagmarshal’s 2Way devices can send messages directly to a playing group that has fallen out of position, offering a gentle nudge before a team member intervenes on the course.

3. OPTIMIZE TEE SHEET CAPACITY

Measured across times of the day, days of the week, or even a specific course setup, clubs can use the data technology has gathered to pinpoint exactly where opportunities exist to tighten gap intervals. During periods or setups that play quicker, gap intervals can be tightened to create additional tee sheet capacity while still providing an optimal pace of play for golfers, ensuring their experience isn’t compromised.

The obvious revenue gain here comes via additional greens fees, but there are also secondary revenue gains from getting more players through the course, such as increased spend at the pro shop and on food and beverages at the clubhouse.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal identifies optimal gap intervals that support an exceptional player experience based on course data. Without technology, shortening gap intervals too much may drive revenue gains, only for on-course pace and flow of play to suffer.

“The data has helped us to gain tee times and increase our capacity. That’s incredibly valuable to us.”

Devin Gee, Head Golf Professional
Oakmont Country Club

4. IMPLEMENT DYNAMIC PRICING

Variable pricing, where the price of a specific tee time is based on the day of the week or time of day, remains static over time. Dynamic pricing, an increasingly popular way for courses to grow their revenue, uses automation to adjust the cost of a round in real-time as supply and demand shifts.

Courses that are able to guarantee excellent average round times with good pace and flow of play are also able to charge more for the experience.

Dynamic pricing software is most effective when it collects and analyzes large data sets from tee sheet providers and other course management software.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal integrates seamlessly with a wide variety of software solutions and also provides benchmarking data on round times across times of the day and days of the week.

5. SELL CART SCREEN ADVERTISING

Clubs using Tagmarshal’s 2Way screens have the option to sell advertising space on those screens, generating additional revenue. Serving ads at strategic locations around the course to an engaged audience means that a premium can be charged. This revenue can be used to reduce the cost of their 2Way screens.

Clubs can also keep some advertising space for their own use to boost sales at their facility, such as showing food and beverage order prompts as a playing group nears the halfway house or clubhouse and advertising pro shop specials.

PRO TIP: Clubs can sell the advertising space themselves or they can join the Tagmarshal Media network, with Tagmarshal managing the entire process and offering a yearly rebate.