Page 44 - GBC Fall 2024 ENG

At the 2023 Golf Business Canada Conference & Trade Show, delegates submitted ideas that showcased their best proven money-saving and revenue-generating ideas. The top 11 semi- finalists presented their ideas during the event with delegates voting for their favourite ideas.
It was a competitive process with many creative and impressive ideas from members across the country. The top 4 finalist ideas will be featured in the Golf Business Canada magazine. Compliments of Tee-On Software, each of the 4 finalists received a gift card from Home Hardware, with the winner walking away with a cool $5,000 gift card!
Finalist Idea: Gimme Sticks
2023 Winner : Staff Wellness Jason Porter, Riverside Golf Club, NB
Finalist: Gimme Sticks Kevin Graf, Woodside Golf Course, AB
Finalist: Power Cart Advertising Brian Schall, Copper Point Golf, BC
Finalist: Welcome To Golf Day Blake Clayton, Blue Devil Golf Club, AB
This year, we focused on addressing two issues with our leagues: pace of play and cheating. In previous years, pace of play reached 2.5 hours for 9 holes consistently, making it tough for the later times to complete the full nine holes for scoring.
As far as cheating, we received several complaints of gimme lengths stretching further from what would be acceptable in a normal league setting, where score counts and prizes are awarded. Conversely, we had people grinding over putts that were a few feet, missing the putt, and grinding over the comeback putt, which did not help pace.
This is why we implemented the Gimme Stick. The Gimme Stick was a sticker wrap that we attached to the bottom of our pin flags. It had a 2-foot Gimme line, as well as a 3-foot Gimme line. It was a simple black and white sticker so it was not flashy, but it was clear where a gimme could be awarded.
We used the 3-foot gimme line as our league line and allowed anyone in our league to take a gimme when their ball was inside 3 feet. This leveled the playing field for both sides of the spectrum of people taking longer gimmes and people not taking a gimme at all. The cheating complaints went away because we had a clear outline of what was acceptable. We also noticed a pace of play improvement immediately.
Our improvements spread to public play as well. We informed our weekend golfers about the gimme stick on the first tee before the round. It was their choice if they wanted to allow gimmes at all, and if so, if they used the 2-foot or 3-foot outline on the pin.
As far as cost, the wrap cost us $3 per pin. It was an inexpensive and effective method to help with a few of our biggest issues.
Golf Business Canada
44 Golf Business Canada
Kevin Graf, Woodside Golf Course, AB