Designed in 1997 by Bill Newcomb, The Medalist Golf Club is a championship links-style course in the heart of south-central Michigan, boasting spectacular views within around 300 acres of rolling wooded land and wetlands.

This winning course streamlines their operations with Tagmarshal’s on-course optimization software and Golf Cart GPS  technology to enhance the player experience and boost revenue.

In our latest round of Quick 9’s, we get to know Lowell Weaver, Owner and Managing Partner, and learn more about how he has utilized Tagmarshal to optimize on-course operations at The Medalist Golf Club.

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

Depending on what time I have to be at work either scrambled eggs or a strawberry pop tart on the go.

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

Yes, started playing at the age of 5. 

What is your favorite/greatest round of golf experience?

My greatest round was a 61 on a par 71 so that is very memorable. Playing Pinehurst #2 was an awesome experience, getting to play a US Open course.

Tell us about your role at The Medalist Golf Club? Why is it important?

I am the owner/general manager. I oversee the entire operation and run the day to day in the pro shop. We have a staff of over 35 people that rely on The Medalist for their livelihood so it is important that we do well so they can do well.

Why has your course decided to invest in Tagmarshal?

After looking at various options, we went with Tagmarshal because we utilize ForeUp as our point of sale company and extensively use Golf Genius for all of our tournaments and Tagmarshal is integrated with both of them. We also use the delivery system for the food and beverage, with some days getting over 50 deliveries. It is a huge moneymaker for us.

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

It has been well received and everyone likes it.

Describe Tagmarshal in three words. 

Accurate yardages; slick.

What is your dream golf destination? Why?

Pebble Beach, it is a bucket list place to play for me.

Your best golf moment?

It has to be my only hole in one.

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

Freddie Couples. He comes off as a great guy with a easy going demeanor, but strives to be the best at the same time.

ABOUT THE WEBINAR

Watch this educational webinar featuring Expert Guest, Bodo Sieber, as he shares his unique insights on how multi-course owners (MCO’s) optimize their golf operations and the player experience.

Featuring our very own Joey Walters, Managing Director at Tagmarshal, as well as Alex O’ Connor, Manager, Marketing & Partnerships for the SWPGA section.

Topic: 5 Ways to optimize your operation – based on unique insights from multi-course owners!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from the best!

Tagmarshal partners with top multi-course owners (MCO’s) such as the Kemper Group, Advance Golf, Jemsek, and Kohler, as well as partnering with the NGCOA, whose members include many high profile MCO’s, providing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities the industry currently faces – and how optimization provides the tools to manage and leverage these, to achieve success.

Hosted in partnership with the Southwest PGA Section.

Expert Guest on the webinar, Bodo Sieber, was recently recognized as being one of the most innovative people in golf by Golf Inc. He has been a keynote speaker for innovation in golf at many influential industry conferences including Golf Business Conference, Golf Inc Innovation Summit, PGA Show, Golf Business Tech Conference, and was featured in several leading publications, including Forbes Magazine.

Tagmarshal partners with many private, daily fee, public and resort courses and several golf management groups including 30 of the Top 100 US courses, and over 500 course partners. Partners include courses such as Bandon Dunes, Baltusrol, Pebble Beach, Forest Glen, Whistling Straits, Cog Hill, Erin Hills and many $30-$50 green fee courses, who are all seeing excellent results using Tagmarshal’s optimization technology. Expert Guest on the webinar, Bodo Sieber, was recently recognized as being one of the most innovative people in golf by Golf Inc. He has been a keynote speaker for innovation in golf at many influential industry conferences including Golf Business Conference, Golf Inc Innovation Summit, PGA Show, Golf Business Tech Conference, and was featured in several leading publications, including Forbes Magazine.

Improve Pace of Play with Tagmarshal’s

On-Course Optimization Software

Golf operators can easily and affordably manage their course traffic and optimize on-course activities thanks to Tagmarshal’s pace of play technology.

Because it improves their experience, players love it. It’s also advantageous for a business because the club can cut expenses and increase revenue.

Pace and flow of play really matter – 82% of golfers believe that course conditioning is crucial to their enjoyment, and 74% believe that pace/flow/time is important to their satisfaction.

Good pace of play is an asset to a golf course, as it attracts members and impacts player experience.

Optimize On-Course Operation by Managing Pace and Field Flow Like a Pro

With Tagmarshal’s pace of play management solution you’re given the tool set necessary to accurately monitor and manage playing time on your golf course.

The management of a top US course was able to accomplish the following pace of play goals: decrease average round times, decrease number of slow rounds, improve the golfing experience, and unlock revenue by allowing for more tee-off times.

You can improve on-course efficiency and your players’ overall experience by using Tagmarshal’s optimization software.

Additionally, you will receive industry-leading reporting, real-time oversight, actionable data, and the ability to save money and generate additional revenue.

“We can see what’s going on, on the course at a glance. This has impacted efficiency, the guest experience and our day-to-day operations.”

Advantages of Improved Pace of Play Through Tagmarshal’s Optimization Software

Days spent on the course are valuable. Free time is valuable. Thanks to Tagmarshal’s golf course intelligence system, neither has to be squandered because of sluggish play anymore.

The Tagmarshal software quickens play while giving golf course management teams access to historical data and real-time monitoring. 

250 partner courses receive customized information from its program, which analyzes data from more than 10 million rounds. Just a few of the GOLF Top 100 Courses that currently use Tagmarshal are Carnoustie, Whistling Straits, Baltusrol, Kiawah Island, Bandon Dunes, Pinehurst, and Erin Hills.

Transmitters that track every golfer are put on carts or distributed to caddies after a course utilizes Tagmarshal. Following that, data is gathered on the cloud, and course management has access to real-time data. You won’t need to flag down a marshal to inform them of a concern because they’ll already be aware of it.

Save costs and generate additional revenue

Reduce labor costs with optimization technology, increase spend on F&B and in the pro shop, and generate additional tee sheet capacity and revenue.

“The Tagmarshal management system has enabled us to effectively implement our pace of play policy, assisting us in reducing playtime by more than 10 minutes.”

Heatmaps help to manage course maintenance

Give your course Superintendents the tools to manage maintenance better, and use the Heatmap feature to identify areas of wear and tear on the course accurately.

“As a private Club, our goal is to make the day as enjoyable as possible for our membership. By bringing Tagmarshal on board, we have accomplished this feat by effectively reducing our pace of play in a non-confrontational, professional way.”

5 Simple Ways to Improve Pace of Play

According to 84% of golf course owners, pace of play is a top three factor in creating a positive player experience for your golfers.

Improved pace of play is a win-win situation – it will help set your golf club’s service offerings apart from those of other clubs.

Golf management teams should give effective management of this asset top priority.

Positive pace of play enhances your course’s appeal and draws new customers, which boosts membership demand and encourages repeat business, which brings in more money.

Golfers have a memorable round of golf when they have an optimal player experience, and they will tell others about it, spreading good word of mouth and enhancing the course’s reputation for providing excellent golfer experiences.

The bottom line is that pace of play is a valuable asset that boosts your revenue

and retains members and visitors

Why? Each playing group is put at a disadvantage as soon as they lag behind since they must catch up to stay on pace.

Make starter accuracy a part of your team’s KPIs so that you can track and report on it on a weekly and monthly basis.

If starter accuracy is poor, identify the cause and make a plan to fix it.

With the use of Tagmarshal’s on-course optimization software, performance can be improved over time by tracking and measuring starter accuracy.

Why? The pace of play is slowed down by gap intervals that are too close together, whereas availability and course revenue are negatively impacted by intervals that are too wide.

To discover the one that fits your course the best, experiment with different gap lengths. Then monitor and measure these over time to make sure they’re functioning properly.

Gap intervals depend on the layout and type of course; they’re not “one size fits all.” Certain days and times, such as mornings, have a tendency to play quicker. This creates opportunities for tighter gap intervals with a revenue upside and no impact on the player experience.

Through the Gap Time Monitor, Tagmarshal’s software collects real-time gap interval data that assesses playing group performance in relation to gap intervals and identifies ways to improve these intervals for increased capacity and green fee revenue. 

Many courses that use these tactics increase their green fees by well over $500k each season.

To prevent slow play, take into account the pin placement and make it simpler on more challenging holes. This is an important factor to take into account on busy days, especially weekends, when there are players with verifying abilities.

The tee boxes allocated on particular days will follow the same logic.

Golfers can plan their shots and take better shots thanks to Tagmarshal’s 2Way cart and mobile screens, which show highly accurate “to the pin” yardage.

Why? You can take action before playing groups are negatively impacted by others if you have a clear understanding of which groups are beginning to affect field flow.

Ask players how you can help them to get “back into position”. By doing this, you become a service ambassador as opposed to a slow play enforcer. It enables the players to accept and strengthen their position without inciting hostility.

No one wants to be labelled “slow” since it simply makes the problem worse.

Using the pro shop PC or screen, a mobile device, or a tablet, Tagmarshal’s live Track Map provides managers and their teams with full, real-time operational line of sight, allowing them to quickly identify which groups are slow and impacting field flow versus groups affected by slow play. 

This opens the door for a pro shop representative to approach the group directly and offer to help them reposition. There’s no need for endless rangering because this is efficient and time-saving.

Why? Golfers will find it challenging to pace themselves appropriately if they don’t have a target time to work towards. They’ll see that you appreciate their time and experience on your course if you adopt a pace of play policy.

Set clear expectations for golfers and develop a pace of play policy. Golfers can “self manage” as a result, which enhances pace results.

Here lies the value of “ready golf.” It replaces the conventional farthest-from-the-hole method of assigning play orders. The first player who is ready to take their shot is allowed to play while ready golf is in effect.

Playing ready golf is intended to help maintain proper pace of play, but in a safe way.

No matter where you are on the course, ready golf applies to every part of the game. You can speed up your round and have more fun on the course by playing it safely.

Make sure to properly explain the policy on the website and elsewhere, such as the clubhouse, halfway house, and changing rooms.

Keep pace awareness top-of-mind for players by using course signage, social media, and newsletters. Share the findings each month as well.

Don’t forget to inform your players of the measures the course is taking to improve pace of play.

Pro tip: Use Tagmarshal’s alerts module to give golfers helpful pace of play advice while they’re playing to keep their awareness of pace high.

Time Waits For No One – Improve Pace of Play Today

Tagmarshal’s optimization software gives golf managers full operation line of sight and the tools to manage operations effectively, making it easy to manage pace and flow of play, regardless of how busy the course is!

With Tagmarshal’s on-course optimization software, golf courses of all levels can ensure that pace of play is always respected, creating a better experience for their golfers throughout the season.

Golf clubs increase their operational efficiency and provide a memorable golf experience that flows from the first tee shot to the last putt by implementing Tagmarshal’s optimization platform.

Tagmarshal adds material value to all types of courses, ranging from mid-level to major hosts, with affordable tiered pricing, walking and cart device options including 2Way Screens and Classic Installed devices and tags and industry leading software.

Learn more about the impact of on-course optimization and what Tagmarshal can do for your course by watching this short demo: www.tagmarshal.com/demo.

You can now watch this educational webinar featuring Expert Guest, Bodo Sieber, as he shares his unique insights on how multi-course owners (MCO’s) optimize their golf operations and the player experience.

Featuring our very own Joey Walters, Managing Director at Tagmarshal, as well as Alex O’ Connor, Manager, Marketing & Partnerships for the SWPGA section.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn from the best!

Tagmarshal partners with top multi-course owners (MCO’s) such as the Kemper Group, Advance Golf, Jemsek, and Kohler, as well as partnering with the NGCOA, whose members include many high profile MCO’s, providing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities the industry currently faces – and how optimization provides the tools to manage and leverage these, to achieve success.

Hosted in partnership with the Southwest PGA Section.