Established in 1979, North Kent Golf Course has built an excellent reputation for boasting spectacular views, with fast greens providing fun and challenging play for golfers of any skill level.

Since taking over ownership of this highly reputed golf course, Nic Lapienski has been making waves in the Michigan region. North Kent GC has undergone some major upgrades and transformations as of late – through the proactive implementation of golf technology solutions.

On that exciting note, let’s get ready to dive into our latest round of Quick 9 interviews with the President of North Kent GC, Nic Lapienski, to find out more about how he has leveraged Golf Cart GPS Optimization technology to improve efficiency and enhance the player experience at his course.

How would you describe your morning routine to kickstart your day?

Wake up! Shower 1st! Snag a snack 2nd! Starbucks trip 3rd… Then off to whatever operation I’m needed at!

Has golf always been your first love? What other sports/team are you a fan of?

No. Basketball has and always will be my first love for sports, then football. I grew up playing basketball competitively and did so successfully, until the day I ruptured my Achilles tendon.

What is your favorite/greatest round of golf experience?

The greatest golf experience for me is playing a round with my boys on a great Michigan summer’s day. A few cold drinks, some music, a cigar, and laughs. It’s all about making memories that will last a lifetime.

Tell us about your role at North Kent GC? Why is it important?

Owning and being the President of 2 golf courses has been a learning curve. Having a limited background in the golf industry has definitely been challenging. But through proactive learning, I am able to continuously identify effective processes and enhance my understanding of on-course optimization.

I’ve spent the last 3 summers at each of the courses with a very hands-on approach to gain knowledge. I worked side-by-side with all of the employees to show that if staff are expected to perform certain duties, I am more than capable of doing the same.

I believe that you have to be relatable to the people you serve. By serving my employees and customers, I not only gain their respect, but more importantly, I get to hear their feedback first-hand and leverage their knowledge to implement improvements.

Why has your course decided to invest in Tagmarshal?

We wanted to bring technology to a course within a country setting, with a ‘big city’ country club amenity, and give the locals something they are not used to.

We also wanted tools to improve our overall course management and streamline pace of play. Tagmarshal has given us a better understanding of our issues and helped to make a positive change. It has also helped significantly with our rangering and alleviated the negative connotation that rangering has on a golf course. So the more we can do from an office, the better the golf experience is for the golfer. Happy golfer + happy golf course = Great profits.

Since the implementation of the Tagmarshal system, how have your customers responded to the on-course experience?

Players love it. Plain and simple. Bringing a GPS with a great presentation makes for a happy player experience. We are also able to “spotlight” local business owners by offering ads which also attracts people itself.

Describe Tagmarshal in three words. 

Technology, Adoptive, Driven.

What is your dream golf destination? Why?

Augusta National Golf Club – I love history and the history within that course, the clubhouse, etc… just screams to me with attention.

Your best golf moment?

My best golf moment would have to be with my wife at the country club, smiling, laughing, enjoying the sunshine, and being able to spend quality time together playing a sport that we will be playing until the day we rest.

If you could be a caddie on Tour, whose caddie would you like to be and why?

Mr. Tiger Woods – To be standing next to a living legend would just be amazing! To be able to learn from him in every aspect possible – his emotions, his composure – and chat about the past/present/future would be priceless.

It’s all about what you do with the knowledge and information that you learn, and by always striving to be a better version of yourself for the next person that may come your way.