The Golf Gadfly

My wife Betsy and I spent the first half of September on the East Coast helping with some family business, so the 2nd most important family member (our dog Beckett, who ranks just below Betsy and just above me in the family pecking order) needed some accommodations for a few weeks. When I glanced at the receipt that they gave us when we picked Beckett up, I got a good chuckle… Betsy had chosen the accommodations that the kennel referred to as “Selectively Sociable”.  It is a perfect description of Becket… she is frequently friendly and playful but there are social situations… most noticeably when another dog gets a nose …

Just when I thought things couldn’t get any weirder, they have!

Data privacy is an important issue. How carefully has your organization thought about your policies? Here’s some food for thought that might help.

Doubles Golf® is a branded version of an old format… the two-person scramble. Read about why this format might more than double the level of fun for golfers… including the Golf Gadfly.

Here were the 3 biggest takeaways the Apparation team took out of Orlando this year… what did you learn?

Several months ago I wrote to you about the rumors that GolfNow, the largest golf course management software company, was in negotiations to buy #2 (EZLinks). This week the other shoe dropped… NBC Sports (parent of GolfNow) announced that they have acquired EZLinks. What does this mean for course operators? #1 – My sources are pretty good… if I tell you in the future that I’m hearing rumblings about a significant change… don’t doubt me. #2 – Don’t worry… the GolfNow/EZLinks combination will not result in a monopoly in the golf course management software market.  Click here to read the analysis of the situation we wrote in June (“Monopolies Suck… and Then They …

Have you noticed the game of SurveyMania that consumer services companies are engaged in these days? Every time I take an airline flight, I get an email survey asking me to rate the experience.  The same is true for hotel stays, car rentals, automobile repair/service visits, doctor and dentist appointments, etc.  EVERY TIME. Many call centers employ the same strategy, trying to get me to stay on the line to answer a few questions after a call to make a reservation or get an answer to a question. I’m receiving the surveys from both giant companies (e.g., Delta Airlines) and small ones (my local car dealer).  I thought it …

If you’re a course operator in my neck of the woods, the snow is on the ground and 2019 is in the books… no one will be putting a peg in the ground on your first tee until well into 2020. It’s that time of the year to sit back and THINK for a bit and formulate your plans for 2020 so you’ll have time to implement your changes before spring.  Some would argue that December is the most important month of your year… good planning now could make a substantial difference in your results next year. One decision that every Upper Midwest golf course operator faces this time …

Monopolies are not built to last. No matter how strong a position a competitor may hold at any point in time… staying on top is often harder than getting there in the first place.

We continue to watch the evolution of the golf course management software market… here are the results of our most recent research… with much more coming in September.