Page 8 - GBC English Winter 2022

Message From The CEO, NGCOA Canada • Jeff Calderwood
Pace of Play Returns to the Forefront
Afull tee sheet certainly has its rewards, which is generally something to celebrate. But, too much of a good thing can ruin the party if we’re not careful!
Back in the previous golf boom, some of you will recall the NGCOA Canada’s focus on pace of play. We conducted numerous conference sessions, regional workshops, magazine articles and created templated golfer communications because slow play was such a critical concern.
Over time, most courses did improve their management practices accordingly. Simultaneously, most tee sheets softened somewhat as new golf courses were opened throughout the country while growth in golf stagnated. So, our focus on managing pace of play may have shifted to other priorities.
The recent resurgence in the demand for golf has been accompanied by a renewed attention to the risks of slow play. The stakes are so much higher once again.
The First Tee
In this issue of Golf Business Canada, we return to pace of play with a cover story that provides some recent research by the USGA and updated strategic perspectives for your consideration. Written by Matt Pringle PhD, Managing Director of the Green Section, USGA, the article takes a data-driven approach to understanding the challenges and solutions that ought to be considered.
Of particular note, Pringle clearly establishes that an effective pace of play is the result of the proper operating procedures, as opposed to individual golfer behaviour. It is, in effect, your responsibility to get it right. From the potential traffic jam to a reasonable flow rate throughout the course, and from frustrated golfers to a customer experience that delivers full value, you will read of debunking some of the myths of slow play.
The recommended solutions should help you find the optimum balance between tee time intervals and the typical time that golfers will complete each hole. From there, establishing your policies, effective communications, diplomatic enforcement, and ongoing monitoring of the key data points should combine for a very effective pace of play management system.
Your golfers will appreciate any improvements to their pace of play and your pathway to justifying higher prices, and perhaps differentiating your golf course from others, will be a smoother one. In addition, avoiding slow play is so important to growing the future of the game and sustaining Canadian golf’s status as the #1 participationsport.Thegolferexperienceisattheheartofthatsuccessandpaceof play ranks highly in terms of customer satisfaction.
Enjoy this issue of Golf Business Canada, and I look forward to seeing many of you at our Golf Business Canada Conference & Trade Show in Vancouver!
Jeff Calderwood, CEO NGCOA Canada jcalderwood@ngcoa.ca
8 Golf Business Canada