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Is Increasing Tee Time Intervals the Answer to Better Pace of Play Management in Golf?

Is Increasing Tee Time Intervals the Answer to Better Pace of Play Management in Golf?

Pace of play management is a critical player enjoyment factor and there is a rising tide in players demanding consistent round times and quicker pace. Operators look to improve excellence in service delivery. What is the answer? More Marshals? Changing set ups? Stricter rules?

One option is to increase tee time intervals for instance from 8 to 9 minutes. Ideally even 10 minutes. Sounds easy, right?.

The problem with that is that you run the risk of significant revenue loss. The capacity reduces approximately 9% to 18%

Switching from 8 to 9 minutes can cost a course up to $124 000 in green fees in an 8 months season at $65 fee with a full field 3 days a week – because the tee off times decreased from 53 to 48 a day.

Suggested solution

Increase the green fees to balance loss in capacity and revenue. Will this work? Certainly not.

Instead, why not look at optimising efficiencies at the existing intervals using Tagmarshal’s FastLane Golf solution?

“With 74% of golfers believe PACE IS CRUCIAL to the enjoyment of a round, golfers are willing to pay up to 25% more for a faster, more consistent round of golf.” – USGA

FASTLANE GOLF powered by Tagmarshal

FastLane Golf gets set up on a course for two or more mornings a week. The system analyses optimal tee times, interval and goal times and provides a complete, turn-key package to be sold via tee sheets.

Not only does it improve service delivery and the player experience, it generates revenue but does not place a cost burden on operations.

With tee-time slots for instant player attraction, at premium rates, courses can create an opportunity to maximise the return on investment in such a way that your course can achieve the following:

  • Smarter and efficient operations – The course commits to proactively manage the FastLane Golf tee times with the help of the system to provide an optimal outing for the players.
  • Adding capacity – Utilising pace improvements and pace distribution patterns, operators routinely add capacity to their busy days.
  • Pro shop and food/beverage spend – course managers confirm a faster and consistent pace increases the available time budget to be spent in the pro shop and restaurant/bar.

Benefits and ROI

  • Golfers commit to playing more golf – in a shorter / dedicated time – ie. before or after work
  • Operators give dedicated faster players an experience that matches their expectations
  • Operators charge a premium for the dedicated FastLane rounds

“Our players love it! We have a lot of dedicated golfers who prefer faster rounds, FastLane Golf is the perfect fit. It is easy to manage and generate extra revenue,” says Cassie Viljoen, General Manager at Royal Cape Golf Club.

The outcome is you are effectively charging a premium green fee with a commitment from golfers to play at a dedicated time, achieving a much improved pace and experience.

Give players what they want and turn it into a revenue and profit centre.

About Tagmarshal

Tagmarshal is a golf course intelligence and pace-of-play management solution that turns pace into an asset. The system uses small “tags” clipped onto golf bags or installed on carts which transmit geolocation data. Industry-leading algorithms identify risk groups with accurate, objective support to alleviate pace challenges before they arise. Public, private and resort courses using Tagmarshal realize substantial returns on investments through improved on-course experiences achieved with less staff as well as increases in daily rounds. Impactful and easy-to-use data analytics, weather data integration and geo-fencing complete the offering.

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Understand your Course’s Behavior with Golf Management Software Heatmap

Understand your Course’s Behavior with Golf Management Software Heatmap

Tagmarshal’s golf management software, utilization heatmap, tool is a graphical representation of the golf courses data, in real-time, to give courses an in-depth understanding of the golfers behavior on the course.

This feature assists courses in making better decisions on course set-up, wear patterns, maintenance and cart path policing.

Utilized by superintendents and management, the heatmap is a great way to monitor the activity on your course over a period of days, or just follow up on where your players spending time throughout the day.

Staff and management can see all collected geolocation data by carts and or walkers that the Tagmarshal’s golf management software has tracked.

The map allows for detail zooming in and out of areas for instance down to green or fairway level and visualizes usage hotspots.

This visualization helps course managers and superintendents get a better picture on course usage and allows them to check against assumptions on common paths and stop zones which informs decisions and planning around maintenance and wear patterns.

With the data collected trends can be identified where you can see players tend to move around the course, allowing greenkeepers to reduce irrigation, reduce fertilizer spend and manage maintenance in line with actual course usage, significantly saving costs.

Utilization heatmaps also works well together with Tagmarshal’s Geofencing module and assists in policing cart paths as well as improving and checking on signage requirements.

Essentially, this golf management software solution serves as a key component for golf courses in improving profitability, enhancing effectiveness and significantly reducing operational costs, all while providing a memorable playing experience.

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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A Quick 9 With Benjamin Hoffhine – Westchester Country Club

A QUICK 9 WITH BENJAMIN HOFFHINE – WESTCHESTER COUNTRY CLUB

Benjamin Hoffhine is the Director of Golf at Westchester Country Club, a world-class New York facility rated among the top private clubs in the United States. Hoffhine shares his love for golf and why pace of play management is critical to the on-course experience.

1. What was your favorite Major to watch this year and why?

Normally the British Open is my favorite as I like the way the R&A sets the course up and then lets the quality of play or weather dictate the winning score. In 2018, the US Open was my favorite as Shinnecock Hills is one of my favorite courses in the world.

2. Who was your golf hero growing up?

Growing up in Ohio, it was hard not to be drawn to Jack Nicklaus.

3. If you could be a Professional Caddie on the PGA Tour, who would you like to caddie for and why?

Tiger, just to get a front row seat.

4. Has golf always been your first love? What other sports are you passionate about and do you participate in any other sports besides golf?

Growing up I was a basketball, baseball and football player. I didn’t start playing golf until I was 12.

5. Where does Pace of Play rank as an industry priority? Top 3?

Pace of play is a top 3 industry priority. As a father of three young children I understand better than most the value of time. Spending four to five hours on an activity away from family is a big commitment.

6. Why has your course decided to invest in Pace of Play?

We do 45,000 rounds a year and one slow group can adversely affect 400 other players’ experience.

7. What are the top benefits about having technology to manage the field, efficiencies and the pace of play?

It’s twofold. Firstly, we can pinpoint groups and areas of the course that need attention and secondly, the data provided to us helps to inform decisions going forward.

8. How easy is it to manage/utilize Tagmarshal?

Extremely easy!

9. How responsive are Tagmarshal Customer Experience Agents have been to questions or concerns about our product?

Very!

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Tagmarshal 2Way’s Geofence System brings added value to Golf Management Software

Tagmarshal 2Way’s Geofence System brings added value to Golf Management Software

Golf management software has been at the forefront of advancements in golf course operations for added player value and self-management, and Tagmarshal’s 2Way system aims to be the solution that assists golf courses to stay ahead of the game.

Among its many great features, the next generation 2Way system features an accurate, automated geofence system which displays real-time notifications and alerts that dynamically and pre-emptively address any breaches in and around a course, with an added golfer front-end interface.

Unlike Tagmarshal’s classic geofence module which was initially developed for course management and staff, the new front-end user interface generation gives golfers the knowledge and awareness of any breaches.

This golf management software feature allows for management and staff access to real-time insight to pre-emptively address on-course issues and provide non-confrontational support, as well as golfer accountability.

What’s new?

Providing smart management tools to communicate effectively, to ensure player safety, player compliance and reduced damaged areas or areas under maintenance, and cart security from theft, remain the primary goals.

Previously, a course manager, for example, who used the system for oversight, but was not necessarily at their desk all the time, may have selected text messaging or even an automated alert call for key geofence zone breaches, or if a cart ignores multiple zones. With the updated system, messages are now automatically sent from the system notifying golfers if they are breaching a geofence zone. Golfers can then respond to whether they have seen it and acknowledge it and whether or not they need assistance, sending a text message or a modal pop up to every operational staff user.

Here are some of the feature benefits:

  • Allows for provisional geofencing to help protect damaged areas, caused by rain or drought, high traffic areas or areas under maintenance.
  • Geofences automatically activate at certain times of day or on certain days of the week.
  • Create zones based on a course’s criteria and monitor carts entering and exiting geofenced area
  • Prioritise geofenced zones with low, medium or high notification alerts
  • Increased safety and security over cart fleets and minimize theft and abuse
  • Tags are able to receive real-time automated updates allowing course managers to amend geofenced areas, as required

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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Attending the 5h USGA Golf Innovation Symposium – Tokyo

ATTENDING THE 5TH USGA GOLF INNOVATION SYMPOSIUM – TOKYO

On March 12th / 13th golf operators, facilitators and organizers across the globe were in attendance at the 5h USGA Innovation Symposium held in Tokyo, Japan. An event that has a significant impact on the future of the game, hosted by the USGA and JGA.

The USGA has set a challenge for the golf industry:

  • A 25 percent reduction in the consumption of key resources; and
  • A 20 percent increase in golfer satisfaction by 2025.

The Symposium is a key platform for sharing the most innovative and most impactful advances in support of this mission.

“At Tagmarshal we are firmly aligned with this challenge. Our mission and the value we are adding to the industry is a strong fit.” explains Tagmarshal CEO Bodo Sieber, who is one of the guests invited to the Symposium.

“We are honoured to attend this important event, especially since our team have assisted the USGA on two exciting research projects in recent months, both of which will be presented at the Symposium.” adds Sieber.

The agenda featured these research projects:

  • “New View of Data: USGA GPS Service case studies” at Kasumigaseki CC and Crandon Golf FL, presented by Scott Mingay, USGA, Ryoichi Ohno, Kasumigaseki Country Club and John Sanford, Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne.
  • “Defining Golfer Experience: First look at new research that identifies the most important factors impacting satisfaction” presented by Eric Brey, University of Wisconsin-Stout and Kris Schoonover, University of Wisconsin-Stout.

Professor Schoonover also works with Erin Hills Golf Club, a long term Tagmarshal golf course management software partner and stand-out facility as far as optimization, pace of play management and player experience are concerned.   

Tokyo of course hosts of the 2020 Olympic Games with the Olympic Golf competition played at Kasumigaseki Country Club just North of the impressive Japanese capital city, so it was a fitting venue for the gathering of some of the top international innovators and custodians of the game.

Key highlights

ABOUT TAGMARSHAL

Tagmarshal, the market leader in on-course optimization technology, provides courses with full, real-time operational oversight and reporting, giving golf operators the tools to manage pace and flow of play effectively, resulting in enhanced player experiences, increased efficiency through automation, and additional revenue generation.

Tagmarshal’s technology has collected over 1 billion data points from more than 50 million rounds of golf and has relationships with in excess of 500 partners, including Hazeltine, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Fieldstone, Bandon Dunes, Serenoa and Erin Hills.

Tagmarshal partners with several golf management groups, private, daily fee, public and resort courses, including 35 of the Top 100 US courses, as well as many $30-$50 green fee courses, which are seeing excellent results using the system.

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