Player experience and on-course optimization goal setting for a successful season utilizing pace of play management tools

A golf course should never become complacent regardless of it success, and staff should know exactly what is expected from them in each aspect of their duties. Adopting pace of play management software can actively assist in goal setting ahead of the season.

From the minute a customer steps onto the course their customer journey begins, and consistently maintaining the customer’s expectation becomes very important for management and staff to maintain.

Here are some tips your course can adopt. By incorporating Tagmarshal’s pace of play management software into the day-to-day running of your club, you can ensure that members enjoy an exceptional experience, while generating a healthy return on investment.

Understanding the golfer expectations around their experience

74% of players say the flow on the course, the pace of play, and respecting their time is crucial to their enjoyment of a round. Knowing what is important to your members then becomes significant part of goal setting.

By incorporating Tagmarshal’s pace of play management solution, marshals can constantly monitor the pace of play and the consistency of the field flow, and intervene by averting bottlenecks before they become an even bigger problem.

When members see a proactive approach by the club, they immediately feel like they are prioritized, and they also see more value in the membership fees and course fees that they have to pay for.

Empowering your set-up and staff to be aligned with the golfer experience you are looking to provide

Every member of staff is equally important in ensuring things run smoothly when it comes to pace of play, field flow and on-course interaction. Therefore, it is crucially important to ensure that they are trained to handle issues that arise, such as bad pace of play and flow challenges, in an adaptive and positive manner.

The system empowers managers and staff to set the pace and seamlessly manage expectations in a positive, non-confrontational manner, backed by intuitive data and analytics.

Should an on-course issue arise, the wealth of data allows staff to handle them immediately, offer members assistance, and follow up upon the completion of the round, all of which ensures an exceptional experience.

Smart starter processes set the pace and keep golfers accountable

Pace of play starts right from the first tee box, and the starter needs to hold members accountable. Teeing off at the prescribed time sets the right tone and makes keeping the intervals true throughout the rest of the day far easier.

Starters should also pay attention to factors that consistently affect pace of play, such as age, handicap, and mobility.

Once these groups are out on the course, Tagmarshal’s real-time data and golf cart GPS tracking software can keep tabs on each grouping’s pace of play and adjust accordingly.

The introduction of Tagmarshal’s next generation 2Way System gives added player value and self-management, and allows communication between golfer and course staff members giving both parties accountability in ensuring a consistently well-managed pace throughout the round.

Use accurate real-time field management to supports risk groups and ensure effective flow for the field of players

Using on-the-go, real-time data and industry-leading algorithms identifies risk groups and empowers courses to provide accurate, objective support to alleviate pace challenges before they arise. This reduces average round times and materially improves the pace experience.

Added features such as the geofence module gives staff and golfers the knowledge and awareness of any breaches and ensure players stay on course which is key to effectively maintaining a well-managed field flow.

Track performance by day, by week, by month

Averting player bottlenecks and improving performance with actionable data are a testament to the effectiveness of Tagmarshal technology.

Our Pace Distribution module allows staff a deeper look at the on-course pace and field flow per day, per week and per month. Staff use this data to identify areas that need attention, thus routinely improving their per-hole and overall goal times.

How better Player experience and on-course optimization impacts bottom-line results

Successfully run golf operations are ones that can strike a balance between maximizing revenue and maintaining a consistently satisfying golfing experience.

In a 2016 USGA survey, results showed that golfers under the age of 40 would pay 14.2% more for a better pace of play and shorter round times. With golfers between the ages of 40 and 59 willing to pay over 11.5%.

When customers are willing to pay a premium for faster round of golf, golf courses need to be better prepared and deliver efficient, accurate, data-driven support to members and guests to seamlessly manage their expectations and further add to a superior experience. Furthermore, alleviating pace challenges means golfers will have more time to spend at the pro shop and on F&B, ultimately boosting the bottomline for a golf facility in its entirety.

In conclusion, studies have shown how important golfers consider the pace of play and on-course flow as an integral part of their overall experience. It is, therefore, important for golf courses to align their season goals with the expectation of the players.

Investing in pace of play management platforms such as Tagmarshal can play an integral part in the planning and implementation of the goals before, during and post season. With this tool, golf courses can confidently promote and provide an experience that is over and above the customer’s expectations, while achieving maximum return on investment results.