Japanese Summit Looks to the Future

For decades, Japan has been at the forefront of technological advances, management discipline, and operational efficiencies. Tokyo also is the host city for the 2020 Summer Games, featuring the second-ever Olympic golf tournament.

So, it was only fitting that this year’s fifth USGA Golf Innovation Symposium was co-hosted by this innovative, golf-mad nation and the Japanese Golf Association last March in Shinjuku, Tokyo. As it turns out, the main challenge U.S. course owners are facing in growing the game is no different in Japan – where an aging population continues to outpace the number of younger people picking up the sport.

According to Tagmarshal CEO Bodo Sieber, whose course optimization and pace-of-play management system has tracked seven million rounds and growing, one of the main takeaways from this year’s symposium might be a familiar-sounding narrative for most operators: Run “smarter, leaner operations to counter escalating costs and position oneself for a sustainable future-proof” business.

The other key message that came out of the conference was a need to better understand the player experience from both “revenue and growing the game opportunities.” Consequently, the USGA set a challenge for the industry to achieve a 25 percent reduction in the consumption of key resources and a 20 percent increase in golfer satisfaction by 2025.

“We need to improve the player experience to better serve and retain the current player base and importantly attract new and younger players,” says Sieber, whose company was featured at the Tokyo symposium. “Technology obviously has a big role to play in both, on-course as well as in the back office.”

For instance, Tagmarshal has collected nearly one billion data-points through its various mid-tier and upscale golf partners like Whistling Straits, allowing operators to better manage pace of play and field flow time, which, turns out to be one of the two most “important factors crucial to players’ enjoyment,” according to a 2016 USGA study discussed at the summit. Course conditioning, not surprisingly, was the most important factor to golfers (82 percent) with time being second (74 percent).

Interestingly, these two factors are more important to golfers than course design and clubhouse amenities, the study added, which might surprise some course owners placing more marketing efforts into these latter elements of the business. That disconnect in understanding what golfers really value and need as “consumers” is critical to golf’s future as much as anything.

Perhaps that is one reason the U.S. golf industry has a distinctively low 69 percent satisfaction score in the eyes of consumers, according to Rand Jerris, USGA senior managing director, public services. That puts golf course experiences at the low end of 48 industries polled – in the same family as airlines and the post office.
“Full-service restaurants, on the other hand, are highest ranked at 82 percent,” Jerris added. “This is where we need to get to as an industry to retain existing players and attract new ones.”

Basically, one of the paramount messages shared at this year’s USGA innovation summit isn’t all that innovative after all. Instead, it’s just simply embracing tried and true practices from so many other successful hospitality and retail-oriented businesses where a warm, welcoming environment and personal attention goes a long way.

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Women’s Golf Day: Debunking the myths about women are slower than men

On June 4th, golf facilities around the world will come together for a four-hour experience where women and girls will participate in golf for the first time. The day will also serve as a platform for current players to play and engage with women interested in golf.

Women’s Golf Day is a global community dedicated to engaging, empowering and supporting women through golf. The initiative was founded by Elisa Gaudet for women to enjoy golf and learn the skills that last a lifetime.

Participation in sport is one of the most important socio-cultural learning experiences for many people, and this is a great initiative which aims to future proof the game, make it inclusive and tackle golf’s perceived diversity challenges.

One of the many common misconceptions about women in golf is that they are slow around the course. In support of Women’s Golf Day, we would like to debunk the myth that females are slower golfers than men.

Here are a few facts:

• Women are more likely to play appropriate tees.
• Women are more likely to be mindful of etiquette and pace awareness.
• According to USGA Golf Innovation Symposium research, gender is NOT a typical attribute of pace variations.

Women are no slower than men and generally more mindful of playing appropriate tees. As leaders in golf course intelligence and pace of play management, Tagmarshal has tracked the pace and field flow at golf course facilities and tournaments worldwide. One of Tagmarshal’s leading partner courses dedicates Thursdays to women’s golf, and so we decided to compare Thursday to an alternative regular club day.

The data showed that there was no significant difference in the average round time. Using Tagmarshal’s pace of play management system, the women playing groups average round time was 04:32:02, while on a regular club day, players averaged 04:34:41 while the goal time is 04:35:00.

However, a deeper look at the data using the pace distribution feature shows that on the regular day on 31% of the field is on pace and 76% within 10 minutes if the goal time. On Thursdays, however, 51% of the field is on pace and 100% of the field is moving within 10 minutes of the goal time which shows that women are more mindful of golf etiquette and pace awareness.  

So… it’s in the data! We can clear that misconception up – women are NOT slower than men!

Used by golf courses globally, Tagmarshal’s revolutionary pace of play management software improves the playing experience by giving management and staff up-to-the-minute insight, automated notifications and alerts, at the click of a button, to manage the flow of the field effectively and provide objective support to alleviate pace challenges before they arise.

Slow play is a pandemic that affects every golfer. Spreading greater awareness about understanding universal pace-of-play principles and the use of pace of play management tools is the key to resolving the problem and ensuring an enjoyable golf outing.

A QUICK 9 WITH FRANCISCO CADETE – WEST CLIFFS GOLF LINKS

West Cliffs has been regarded as one of the best golf courses to open in Europe in recent times. Managed by Praia D’el Rey, one of the best resorts in Portugal and a Tagmarshal partner course, West Cliffs is a world-class facility that offers an eclectic and ever-growing range of services and activities in terms of accommodation, golf, food and beverage, and leisure.

We get to know Francisco Cadete who is the Director of Golf at West Cliffs and Praia D’el Rey. He shares why pace of play management is critical to the on-course experience and how Tagmarshal is helping to provide an exceptional experience.

1. Who was your golf hero growing up?

My first hero was Sir Nick Faldo, but then Tiger came up.

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

I only started playing golf at the age of 28. In Portugal, there are not many players, but at the time we knew all of them. I came into golf after I got married because it was a family sport.

My wife has never played and, of my three kids, just one of them plays golf. My favorite sport at the time was motor racing – I followed all kinds of races. I also enjoy running from time to time.

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

Pedro Figueiredo, on the European tour. He’s Portuguese and I have known him since he was 12.

4. Who’s the Slowest / Fastest player on tour?

There are a lot of slow players on Tour. It’s not a pleasant sight to see pros take 4 to 5 hours playing in a two-ball. It’s not a great example to set for amateurs, young golfers and for the future growth of the game.

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

Pace of play is absolutely a top-3 industry priority.

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

To have better control and understanding of what is happening on the course, better service and to be known as a course with a fast pace of play.

7. So far, what have been the top benefits about having Tagmarshal to manage the field, efficiencies and the pace of play?

Tagmarshal has given us the ability to have a line of sight and full control on the course. It allows us to know where the players are, when they finish etc. We can now provide an exceptional on-course experience to our members and guests.

8. How easy is it to manage/utilize our product?

Although some of the staff is used to working the old fashioned way, Tagmarshal has been easy to use and we’re still learning more about the great features it offers.

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

Can’t be better!