Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017

In Case You Missed It: Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017
Golf has a big problem.

It’s the pervasive – and lazy — narrative that the sport is dying. It’s not just misguided, it’s wrong.

But it’s a story often regurgitated because golf is an easy target, with detractors saying it’s too slow, too expensive and too exclusionary. The naysayers insist the sport must be in its death throes because participation is down, more golf courses are closing than opening, Golfsmith filed for bankruptcy and Nike stopped making clubs. Those things clearly aren’t positives, but the issue is that they never seem to come with proper context.

The reality is that the good in the game right now far outweighs the negatives, which is why – during the week of a PGA Merchandise Show that draws more than 1,000 passionate exhibitors to Orlando – we should be bullish on golf in 2017. There are, in fact, plenty of reasons for optimism.


Is This The World’s Smartest Caddie? Arccos Teams With Microsoft On New Golf Course Analyzer

For several years now, Arccos Golf has been helping amateur golfers lower their handicaps by delivering tour-quality shot-tracking data in real time. Now, Arccos wants to give amateurs the world’s smartest caddie.

As part of a new partnership with Microsoft Corp., Arccos is set to launch an innovative course management platform called the Arccos Course Analyzer. The system layers a user’s data on top of millions of data points to provide personalized recommendations for optimal strategy on almost every golf hole in the world. It’s essentially a caddie in the palm of your hand or on your wrist.

For those unfamiliar with the Arccos system, it consists of 14 ultralight sensors that attach to the grip of a player’s clubs. The sensors sync with the player’s smart phone or watch, recording every shot (completely unobtrusively) and delivering real-time data such as club distances and directional tendencies along with GPS mapping. For golfers who love to track their stats, it’s a must-have.

So how will the new course analyzer work?

Read more.

Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017

In Case You Missed It: Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017
Golf has a big problem.
It’s the pervasive – and lazy — narrative that the sport is dying. It’s not just misguided, it’s wrong.
But it’s a story often regurgitated because golf is an easy target, with detractors saying it’s too slow, too expensive and too exclusionary. The naysayers insist the sport must be in its death throes because participation is down, more golf courses are closing than opening, Golfsmith filed for bankruptcy and Nike stopped making clubs. Those things clearly aren’t positives, but the issue is that they never seem to come with proper context.
The reality is that the good in the game right now far outweighs the negatives, which is why – during the week of a PGA Merchandise Show that draws more than 1,000 passionate exhibitors to Orlando – we should be bullish on golf in 2017. There are, in fact, plenty of reasons for optimism.

Women’s Golf Day

Join the Women’s Golf Day Movement!

June 6, 2017 – A Unique Four Hour Experience
Same Day Everywhere Around the World
Engage | Empower | Support


What began as a simple idea has turned into a global movement that is growing every day! Women’s Golf Day, June 6th, has grown to over 600 locations in 30 countries and will be going continuously for 24 hours around the globe!
Women’s Golf Day is a four-hour event where women and girls can experience golf for the first time, and where current and former golfers can play and engage with others interested in golf. The event is about inclusiveness, and you, along with other locations can host the event on Tuesday June 6, 2017 for 4 hours.
Quick Tips for a Successful Event
  • Send a welcome e-mail and invite prospects
  • Post an announcement on your facility’s webpage
  • Fuel your social media platforms with inviting posts and photos
  • Ask current customers and/or members to introduce others to the game
  • Include key members of your team
  • Display and promote your existing programs and initiatives.
  • Have loaner clubs available.
  • Encourage attendees to come back for lessons, golf, to dine or to shop and/or get properly fitted for clubs
  • Reach out to organizations, businesses, health clubs, and schools in your local community and invite them
  • Wear RED on event day! Take photos of the participants and share on social media
  • Encourage participants to also share their WGD experience on social media
  • Use the official #womensgolfday hashtag to connect the community

Suggested Formats for Locations
Women’s Golf Day is a four hour experience. The suggested time block is from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Golf Courses & Clubs
From 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., participants have the option of:
  • 2 hours of lessons – 1 hour on the driving range and 1 hour chipping and putting or
  • 2 hours of play – A 9-hole scramble, play your own ball, completed in two hours
From 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.:
  • Socialize, network and provide info for lessons, league play, & ways participants can get involved in golf  
  • Some venues may include a facility tour or a special guest/speaker

Retail & Educational Locations
  • Suggested Time: 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Experience driving in the simulators
  • Review short and long game tips
  • Putting on an indoor green
  • Learn the basics about gripping the club as well as set-up
  • Think about fun activities like a putting contest!
  • Socialize, network and provide info fir lessons, league play, & ways participants can get involved in golf
  • Some venues may include a facility tour or a special guest/speaker
Learn more about Women’s Golf Day!

The ORCA Report Teams With NVGCOA

The ORCA Report Teams With NVGCOA To Provide Its Membership With Valuable Golf Course Reporting Data And Metrics

Service provides tool to measure success against competition

NVGCOA has reached a sponsorship agreement with The ORCA Report to provide member golf courses The ORCA Report for a significant discount from the retail price.

The ORCA Report is an acronym for:

Occupancy – the number of golf rounds sold as a percentage of rounds capacity
Revenue per Available Round – the capture of revenue related to capacity
Channel Mix – where golf rounds come from, including direct, internet, 3rd Party resellers, call center, barter, etc.
Average Rate per Round — the average rate the golf course receives based on daily sales

The ORCA Report helps golf course owners and operators in three distinct ways:

Explaining performance without bias
Managing 3rd Party marketing or barter relationships
Comparing occupancy and rate performance between competitive courses at the day and day-part level

NVGCOA follows a similar sponsorship arrangement made in 2016 by The ORCA Report and NGCOA California.

“The ORCA Report is superbly aligned with the mission of NVGCOA and allows the industry to have timely, accurate rounds and revenue data from public access golf courses in the state,” says ORCA Report co-founder and president Mike Loustalot. “This data helps NVGCOA tell the story of performance in an accurate, timely way.”

The sponsorship agreement will provide The ORCA Report to NVGCOA members at a 30% discount from retail price. It will also help grow the NVGCOA member base by including a membership to NVGCOA in the retail price of the report for those courses not currently members.

Read more. 

2017 Golf Business TechCon by NGCOA

Time to download your golf facility’s technology upgrade at the NGCOA’s inaugural Golf Business TechCon.

Join fellow course owners, operators and other industry professionals in Las Vegas, Nevada, for an innovative two-day event designed to spotlight some of the cutting-edge tools and revolutionary tactics that are transforming golf course operations.

While there you’ll gain valuable hands-on experience with an array of technology solutions during an interactive demo day, then participate in a day filled with educational sessions in which experts share strategies and insights to utilize high-tech innovations in real-world applications. There will also be ample time for networking with colleagues, as well as an evening filled with fun at Topgolf Las Vegas, a venue where technology and golf intersect in the most unique of ways.

Whether you’re looking to bring your marketing into the digital age or use technology to streamline and automate your operations, TechCon’s two-track educational line-up promises to offer the training you need to create an integrated facility positioned for success in the modern age.

Learn more.

Welcome Club Car as our new NVGCOA Bronze Sponsor!

For 35 years, Club Car has embodied craftsmanship, exceptional design, and cutting-edge engineering for utility and transportation vehicles. With more than 600 suppliers, dealers and factory branches, Club Car is your industry-trusted manufacturer of exceptional golf utility vehicles. Whether for grounds maintenance or recreational use, they provide the value and efficiency you need for your electric, gasoline, or diesel utility vehicle. Club Car “prepares you for tomorrow,” making your transportation tasks energy-efficient and cost-effective.

Learn more about Club Car here.