Club owners and operators across the US are facing inflationary stresses, with a sharp rise in the cost of running a golf club over the past few years.

Interest in the sport has also never been greater and as the high volume of off-course golf (real club, real ball, full-swing driving range or simulator-related) being played translates into on-course golf, operators are under pressure to get the most out of their team.

In addition, clubs are finding it difficult to hire qualified staff for open positions and wages have soared, meaning that many clubs are having to do more, with smaller teams.

Fortunately, technological advancements are changing the way clubs manage their on-course operations, and being able to automate what were once very time-consuming tasks plays a large part in this.

Below, we will discuss 5 ways you can use Tagmarshal’s on-course optimization technology to automate and get the most out of your team, while improving the player experience.

1. PLAYER ASSISTANTS

Tagmarshal’s Live Map feature gives operators real-time, full line of sight of each group on the course. This means player assistants no longer need to patrol the field to find groups that are out of position, as the technology does this for them.

The system also allows managers to set up pace-based alerts for staff, which are automatically triggered when a group falls out of position by a specified number of minutes.

For example, an alert can be sent to your player assistants notifying them that a group on hole 7 has fallen 8 minutes out of position so that the issue can be addressed before it impacts the rest of the field.

PRO TIP: Alerts can also be set up to display on Tagmarshal’s 2Way screens, letting players know they are behind pace. This drives compliance on the part of the players.

“Tagmarshal allows us to more or less eliminate player assistants on certain days. The idea of aimlessly driving the golf course looking for issues seems like a nightmare now.”

Andrew McCarthy
Head Golf Professional, Donalda Club

2. GEOFENCING

Geofencing helps to prevent golfers from entering protected or prohibited areas of your course and technology makes this easier to manage and gain compliance.

Use Tagmarshal’s technology to set up geofencing for your facility. When setting up your geofence borders, you can draw a number of preset options – suitable for cart path only days or adverse weather days, for example.

These can be toggled on and off as needed and automatic alerts set up for your team to be notified whenever a breach occurs.

Your team will save hours that would otherwise be spent patrolling the field, receiving alerts directly to their computer, tablet or phone in real-time.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal’s system allows for different priority alerts to be set up for players, ranging from a message displayed on the 2Way screens to an audible alert.

“I’ve noticed a marked improvement in compliance. The geofencing is very easy to draw and can be turned on and off depending on weather conditions.”

Eric Schwab
General Manager, North Kent Golf Course

3. F&B ORDERS

Prompting F&B orders before players arrive at the halfway house or clubhouse will help generate additional revenue, as well as free up labor hours.

At courses using Tagmarshal’s 2Way screens, automatic prompts can be set up to trigger at strategic locations using GPS technology, encouraging players to complete an order before reaching the halfway house.

These orders are then automatically fed through to your kitchen staff, who can prepare the order to be ready upon the player’s arrival, increasing efficiency and reducing turn times.

PRO TIP: Use the alert system to keep players informed about any F&B specials you are running. You can also promote upcoming events and deals at the pro shop.

“Our F&B menu pops up on the 2Way screens on our 8th hole and it speeds up the turn time, preventing any backup. This improves course flow and boosts our revenue.”

Kris Dennis
General Manager, Tierra Rejada Golf Course

4. STARTER ACCURACY

Ensuring that your playing groups tee off on time is the first step in managing pace of play. However, measuring starter accuracy with pen and paper is extremely labor-intensive and often inaccurate. With GPS tracking technology, the precise moment a group enters the first tee area is automatically recorded. Tagmarshal’s Analytics Hub stores this information so that performance can be tracked and reported on over time to drive improvement.

Each group’s actual tee time also reflects in the Track Map, informing any post-round conversations you may need to have with players.

PRO TIP: Tagmarshal’s Auto Assignment functionality automatically assigns the nearest tee time recorded on the tee sheet to a round as it starts. Your team only needs to monitor those assignments, which will be flagged by the system if the timing goes out of alignment.

“Through our partnership with Tagmarshal, we have consistently improved pace of play. The Analytics Hub eliminates pace discrepancies, providing precise data down to the second.”

Tahlon Sweenie
Director Of Golf Operations, Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

5. ALERT MESSAGES

Alongside automated alerts to groups that fall out of position, with escalating alerts following before a player assistant is sent to the group, valuable information can be shared with players.

Let players know where the drinks cart is at any time, or a rules official during tournament play.

Towards the end of each day, tee up an automated message triggered at a specified time telling players when the last cart must be in and where carts must be parked.

PRO TIP: In the case of approaching bad weather, a message can be sent to inform players where they can take shelter, or to let them know they must return to the clubhouse.

“The 2Way feature is fantastic. We can see who is out on the course and send messages directly to groups. That gentle nudge tends to work really well.”

Allison George
General Manager, Toad Valley Golf Course

CONCLUSION

Golf continues to embrace the use of technology to optimize on-course operations and provide the best player experience possible.

Every hour your team saves by automating tasks that were previously time-consuming
is not only cost-efficient, but also allows for more time to be spent offering exceptional service.

This helps drive repeat play and positive word of mouth, helping to ensure the long-term success of your operation.