Meet Tagmarshal’s CEO – Bodo Sieber

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BACKGROUNDER —

Bodo Sieber is the CEO of golf course optimization and pace of play management system Tagmarshal. An experienced solutions architect for software systems, he has been recognized for innovation in golf and has spoken at Golf Business Tech Con, as well as being quoted in Forbes, Golf Digest, USA Today, Compleat Golfer and PGA Magazine among others.

Before focusing on golf, the German national and former rugby player was a successful start-up founder focusing on business intelligence, GIS and process optimization for international logistics and cellphone network operators with extensive international experience spanning over a decade across Ireland, Germany, South Africa and the USA.

With Tagmarshal, Bodo and his team have been bringing extensive data and geomatics experience into golf operations for five years. The company’s focus is on creating the best possible way to manage the on-course experience and flow of golf for improved player satisfaction and increased profitability. The concept behind what is now a ‘golf course intelligence’ data platform, perhaps unsurprisingly started on a 15th hole that had three playing groups backed up, at the end of a long, frustrating round of golf.

Having collected over 1 billion data-points, by tracking over 8 million rounds of golf, Tagmarshal adds value to 8 of the top 10 US Public courses, a number of US and international top 100 private clubs with rapid adoption in the mid tier of the market.

Bodo is 40 years old, married to Amanda, a film director and a father of two young boys.

THE SIEBER STORY —

How I got into golf was as follows: My now business partners played a Saturday round and were stuck on the 15th hole with three other groups – on a beautiful day, on a well-conditioned golf course, playing with good friends. Blood pressures were on the rise, their round was going on 5 hours, with continued waits, scores dropping alongside their play rhythm and they called the club to send a Marshal who was ‘probably on the other 9, or at lunch’. Sound familiar?

In charge of a software engineering business, was then contacted as the resident geek. Could we not think up a system to do on-course golf management better with technology and save everyone’s love for the game. As a golfer, I have barely graduated from TopGolf and my team loves to tease me about this. I am in many ways a personified challenge to the golf industry, married to a talented wife, building a business and raising two kids – in short, strapped for time. The value I bring to the industry is that of an outsider who can see processes and operations differently and apply learnings and experience from industries that are relatively advanced into what is a traditional space.

You wake up in the morning — what’s the driving passion? 

I am a builder — driven to build solutions that solve problems and have a significant and continuous impact on how people work and succeed. Software systems with sound efficiencies and data at their core are a fantastic, scalable way to positively impact millions of rounds of golf and millions of people. I am also grateful to be touching on, and working with positive, talented, quality people every day. Helping and watching them grow as part of our journey is highly rewarding.

What was the genesis for Tagmarshal? 

The concept behind what is now a ‘golf course intelligence’ data platform, perhaps unsurprisingly started on a 15th hole that had three playing groups backed up, at the end of a long, frustrating round of golf. The company’s focus is on creating the best possible way to manage the on-course experience and flow of golf for improved player satisfaction and increased profitability.

How long from original concept to actual prototype? 

Myself, our head engineer Thomas Davies and our team had the advantage of extensive experience in the GIS, data visualization and telematics space. So we were able to go from concept to minimal viable product in the space of less than a year – including multiple iterations and many, many hours of testing of course. We introduced the system at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show and shortly after that at Erin Hills (US Open 2017 site) signed with us.

In what specific ways does Tagmarshal outperform your competition? 

Tagmarshal is a data platform first and foremost and we are the firm authority when it comes to on-course optimization. Our key competitive advantage is the data-power our system unlocks for the operators, and the optimization this brings – to service levels, efficiencies and revenue opportunities. For the clubs to measure, benchmark and improve with an easy to use system that keeps getting smarter, is a true game changer. We also pride ourselves in our service and that we stay close to the market. We work closely with 25 of the top 100 US and 250 other leading clubs globally, so our system and strategies are very much informed by the best operators in the industry. It is a brag list of top clubs we are very grateful for.

What’s the best example — from a club that’s private and one public — in terms of overall cost savings derived specifically from usage of Tagmarshal? 

The revenue and savings benefits of data empowered on-course management are material. They range from savings – doing more with less labor, via tee sheet optimization, improved loyalty and repeat play revenue, freed up time and dollars spent in F&B, all the way to maintenance savings. Mike o’Reilly, the Head Golf Pro at 2020 Ryder Cup hosts Whistling Straits says it very well “Our goal is to improve the experience for our guests while maximizing our revenue potential and Tagmarshal has helped us to do both.” – Erin Hills for instance booked $140 000 in additional green fee revenue based on Tagmarshal optimization last season, that excludes the considerable resort revenue from the additional feet.

The private club space has been our fastest growing segment, here the player experience is the number one priority. Good clubs use our system to stay far ahead of the competition and happy members make for improved retention and positive member growth, especially in the time sensitive younger player segment. If a member is worth $12000 a season and a club gains five and does not churn three, that is a bankable $100k budget swing – it is amazing how pace of play is such a highly charged, emotional element of golf and to daily see the management risk and opportunity it holds.

Time spent on a golf course is a key factor for both players and facilities. How does Tagmarshal prompt players to pick up their pace specifically — and how does that translate into reticent clubs actually taking proactive action in identifying the tortoise-like players? 

According to Professors Brey and Schoonover’s extensive “Defining the Player Experience” — research presented at the 2019 USGA Golf Innovation Symposium, the most polar – absolute delighted vs extremely unhappy – experience factors in golf, are pace of play and marshall related. It is something golf needs to do much better, if it is to improve retention and attract new players. The time it takes to play, is a big risk to participation.

Tagmarshal’s system gets fed positional data of playing groups by unobtrusive tags or interactive 2Way screen units. The technology materially improves the course flow, both with advanced live data oversight that allows for automated or personal non-confrontational assistance to players who are out of position and, of course, via smart reporting and analytics insights for continuous improvement.

If you could change one thing in golf unilaterally – what would it be and why? 

It is not what I would do, it is what golf needs to do. The traditional marshal and ranger role needs to change. It is the single most negative experience factor in the game. It needs to be turned on its head, away from the legacy, confrontational, policing function by a person that is often not service minded – a role that players hate due to it being based on opinion and limited facts. Here a system like ours can empower positive on-course interactions that players love and the efficiencies it brings speeds up the game and has a material revenue effect on clubs.

Pebble Beach’s pace guidelines stipulate: our team can “identify issues as they develop. As a result, our player assistants are now able to dedicate nearly all of their time to helping, rather than identifying, the groups in need.” An experience enhancer, that allows not only for measurable results and a positive business impact, but management in a non-confrontational, professional way that works and that players truly appreciate.

The major golf organizations — USGA, R&A, PGA of America, PGA Tour, LPGA — are all seeking ways to attract new players — specifically from Millennials, women and minorities. If you were counseling them what would you advise they be doing to achieve their objective?

The research is overwhelming in that the industry has an obligation to use flow, time of play and the general on-course experience as a key strategy to delight players and create loyalty, repeat play and optimize revenue opportunities. Golf needs to evolve further. Its willingness to do so will determine its future.

While tradition is part of the undoubted character and charm of the game, golf has shown that it can adopt change successfully. We are in fact working with some of the most traditional clubs on the planet. The stakeholders who shape the game of tomorrow are the players of the future, the girls and boys born in 2005, 2015, 2025. They demand flexibility, fun, high service-delivery levels, accessibility, inclusiveness and for the game to fit with their available spend budgets and , most importantly, time budgets. The future of golf delights its players when it is quicker, mindful of time and a high value experience.

What’s the biggest challenge facing Tagmarshal — short and long term? 

We have been growing at 100% or more, year on year, since 2015 and the measurable results our customers achieve, keep building exciting momentum for us. Growth is also a challenge, as operations and service levels need to be scaled in line with demand, so we are expanding our global structures, operational backbone and investing in learning management systems for instance. Our key opportunity is to use the data learnings and power, from millions of rounds of golf tracked, and take them into the future. Overall any business success gets measured on one thing: successful customers that confidently refer their peers. This is always key to our strategies and priorities.

Best advice you ever received — what was it and who from?

I could easily quote a few important people in my life, I am very grateful to and some might even be genuinely flattered. However, one of my key teachers has been the game of rugby.

Rugby, they say does not build character, it reveals character. It has been hugely influential in my life and has taught me lessons and values of respect, discipline, teamwork, grit, determination, trust, good basics, hard work, humility, integrity, patience and leadership.

I also learnt there will be no results, greatness or championships without a clear, common goal and purpose. Plus, and I’m just going to leave this here – to create something truly special, it helps to always believe in magic — you should try it.

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How the Tour Championship hosts optimize the player experience with Tagmarshal

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Tour Championship hosts East Lake, have partnered with golf intelligence software leaders Tagmarshal, since 2017. This has allowed them to be at the forefront of advancements in golf course operations, improving their player experience, and allowing them to optimize operational efficiency. Adopting Tagmarshal’s 2Way system, assists golf courses like East Lake, to stay ahead of the game.

The 2Way System features a smart golfer facing front-end. Its accurate automated marshaling based on Tagmarshal’s proprietary pace algorithms displays real-time alerts that dynamically and preemptively address golfers slowing off the pace. 

PGA Head Professional, Drew Dunn, is pleased with the club’s advancements saying, “Tagmarshal’s 2 Way system has modernized the golf operation here at East Lake. We can now monitor the pace of play for every group on the golf course in real-time and have a way to directly communicate with them via the 2 Way device.”

Data transmission from the devices and handhelds provide a wealth of information that allows course staff to decisively monitor golfers’ on-course positions, prevent bottlenecks and accelerate flow and pace of play. Faster golfers mean shorter tee-time intervals, streamlined staffing, and greater golfer enjoyment and member-guest lifetime value.

“Tagmarshal has been the most popular addition to our operation amongst our members and guests because of the direct result it has on their experience. I would recommend Tagmarshal to any course looking to streamline their operation and improve golfer experience,” Dunn concluded.

Tagmarshal’s Tournament Track – the pace of play management solution

There is no doubt that pace of play has been a hotly contested topic in golf, with players voicing out on the issue to explore ways to address these issues in various areas. Some major tournament committees have shown a keen interest in taking on new initiatives.

“The pace of play intelligence software leader” (Forbes), Tagmarshal, in 2018 launched its tournament track solution to provide tournament operators with golf tournament analytics and pace of play management.

Golf tournament operators can achieve the following with Tournament Track: 

• Save costs by identifying operational efficiencies: Tagmarshal’s unrivaled features identify opportunity for efficiency and give hidden insights into untapped cost benefits.
• Pace tracking: Provide round timing analytics, discern between delayed and slow players and create pace of play profiles for each player.
• Gap time management: Plays an integral role in successfully run tournaments. Provides tournament operators real-time insight into field pace management and gap time management between groups.
• Reports and analytics: Enables tournament operators to gain an extensive understanding by streaming pace tracking and course optimization data into custom reports and personalized dashboards.
• Player profiles: Provides tournament operators the power to have historical data and an analytical oversight of a player’s pace management, during tournaments as well as at a course level.

Tagmarshal recently had the opportunity to offer its services on a trial basis at The Womens Amateur Championship at Royal County Down and The Amateur Championship which took place at Portmarnock and The Island Golf Club. Tournament officials had full oversight of the entire field and they were able to effectively manage the flow and pace of play.

In a step towards advancing the game, The European Tour will be trialing a pace-of-play system to be used at next month’s BMW PGA Championship. This system will provide tournament referees with the times for every group playing through every hole. This is to make sure that no gaps are missed. 

In an innovative development, on-tee displays on a minimum of three holes will provide players with information as to their position in relation to the group ahead.

European Tour committee chairman, David Howell, has embraced the opportunity stating that “We have had some very interesting and robust debates in the process of agreeing on the new initiatives. But with a combination of education, deterrents, technology, and modifications to the fields, we believe we have arrived at a set of fair and proportional measures to improve the experience for everyone involved in the game.”

Golf Course Management Software Partner Hosts The Tour Championship 2019

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The top 30 in the final FedExCup standings, this week, head to East Lake Golf Club for the Tour Championship – the last event of the 2019 PGA Tour season and the final leg of the FedExCup Playoffs.

East Lake Golf Club has been the home of the Tour Championship since 2005. Although the FedExCup is only a part of the club’s story, the club has also hosted the Ryder Cup and US Amateur championships.

Tagmarshal is a proud golf course management software service provider to East Lake, offering pace of play management and optimized operational efficiencies solutions. 

With USGA research showing that 74% of golfers say pace of play and field flow is critical to their enjoyment of the overall experience, courses like East Lake have invested in pace of play management software to run smarter operations to ensure player expectations are met.

Golf courses have realized that there is a need to improve the player experience to better serve and retain the current player base and, importantly, to attract new and younger players; golf course management software has a big role to play in both, on-course as well as with the golf course management team.

PGA Head Professional, Drew Dunn, had this to say about their recent upgrade to the golf course management software’s next-generation 2Way system:

“Tagmarshal’s 2 Way system has modernized the golf operation here at East Lake. We can now monitor pace of play for every group on the golf course in real-time and have a way to directly communicate with them via the 2 Way device.” 

“Tagmarshal has been the most popular addition to our operation amongst our members and guests because of the direct result it has on their experience. I would recommend Tagmarshal to any course looking to streamline their operation and improve golfer experience,” continued Dunn. 

Golf management software at tournaments

The golf course management software also provides a Tournament Track solution which enables tournament operators to track the field flow and pace of play of the entire field. 

Tournament Track provides in-depth analytics and puts field management at operators’ fingertips. Developed with input from professional golfers, it is the leading tournament golf course management software available today.

Tagmarshal has partnered with PGA sections such as the Carolinas, Metropolitan North Florida and South Florida, as well as the PGA Euro Pro Tour’s annual tournament roster.

Make sure to stay glued to your screens this weekend as The Tour Championship promises to be a spectacle. Who do you think will be the FedEx Cup champion?

Podcast: FUTRSPRT with Bram Weinstein

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Tagmarshal’s CEO and co-founder, Bodo Sieber, chats to with Bram Weinstein on the FUTRSPRT show. Sieber discusses how the pace of play management and operational efficiencies optimization platform empowers management and staff, at courses globally, to better serve players for improved player experiences and revenue generation.

Host Bram Weinstein interviews sports and tech industry leaders to discuss the modernization of the sports experience from branding, team building, connectivity to fans and content creation.

Listen to the full conversation here:

Tagmarshal Supports Brooks Koepka and Others in Pace of Play Initiative

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Tagmarshal, the golf course intelligence and pace-of-play management system trusted by public golf courses, private country clubs and resorts globally, supports the sentiments of world #1 golf professional, Brooks Koepka, in his calling for improvement of pace of play on the PGA Tour.

“Professional golf is certainly not the only venue where pace of play needs to be a first priority. Golf courses everywhere have this challenge and Tagmarshal is providing a proven solution to improve operational efficiencies and to turn pace into an asset for golfers as well as for each facility’s professional and management teams,” said Bodo Sieber, CEO.

“We fully support Brooks Koepka in his effort to improve the movement of players and to do it in an objective method,” Sieber added. 

Tagmarshal is a positive force in this effort and offers a clear solution to this challenge. While optimizing the experience of playing 18 holes of golf for each player, Tagmarshal’s system also has a significant impact on unlocking revenue flow. Results at private clubs, public courses, and resorts have demonstrated significant increases in the number of rounds played, as well as increased revenue in the pro shop and food and beverage facilities, due to consistent and reduced playing time for golfers.

“There has been increasing commentary among players including Tiger Woods as well as officials from various professional tours and golf’s governing bodies such as the PGA of America, USGA and the R&A, who recognize that pace-of-play is the most critical factor in obtaining a positive experience among golfers. Proactively improving playtime and flow of play is the single biggest opportunity for golf to improve retention and attract new golfers,” Sieber said.

Tagmarshal’s system uses small “tags” clipped onto golf bags, or 2Way screens installed in carts or offered as handheld devices, which transmit geo-location data to the pro shop. Industry-leading algorithms identify risk groups enabling accurate, objective support to alleviate pace challenges before they arise. Accurate data around pace, hole-by-hole performance, starter accuracy, risk times and area, as well as geofencing and alerts empower course optimization and results that are great for golfers and great for business.

Importantly, Tagmarshal eliminates subjectivity allowing for non-confrontational, fact-based on-course interaction with groups needing to improve field flow for the benefit of all players. Backed by over eight million golf rounds tracked, and with its on-course data accumulation, movement of course play is balanced and golfers enjoy an excellent playing experience.

Sieber also noted that Tagmarshal is in use at numerous courses where major championships have been held including private clubs such as East Lake Golf Club (PGA Tour Championship), Valhalla (2014 PGA Championship), Quaker Ridge (Walker Cup), and top daily fee courses including Whistling Straits (2020 Ryder Cup), Erin Hills (2017 U.S. Open), Pinehurst Resort & Country Club (2019 U.S. Amateur Championship) and Carnoustie, site of the 2018 Open Championship, among many others.  

“We commend Brooks Koepka and other influential players as they call attention to this topic as Tagmarshal recognizes the challenge in professional golf while we continually expand our reach to improve everyone’s golf experience,” Sieber said. 

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