Finally, A Product That Speeds Up Play

The doomsayers are suggesting all sorts of reasons why golf isn't as much fun anymore. 

Some say the courses are too long and difficult. Others point out Millennials have exceptionally short attention spans. And some say the next generation doesn't want to put in the time and effort to learn and play the game correctly. 

Those reasons all have a ring of truth, but, in the Guru's humble opinion, one of the biggest problems (especially with golfers who play frequently) is the pace of play. Nothing, and I mean nothing, ruins a round of golf when the pace of play is agonizingly slow. I can put up with howling winds, pouring rains and even infrequent beer carts, but I absolutely can't stand to play behind tortoise-slow golfers who channel PGA Tour chronic slowpokes like Ben Crane, Jason Day and Kevin Na.

Standing on the tee on every hole before you hit your drive is beyond annoying. Too many golfers mimic the dawdling PGA Tour players. Let's face it, five and six hour rounds are slowly eroding the fun factor in golf.

Luckily, somebody has finally come up with an answer to slow play. His name is Bodo Sieber, the CEO of an innovative company called Tagmarshal.

I met Bodo at the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando and we reconnected at this year's show at a party at Topgolf Orlando. At the '17 Show, Bodo had less than 20 golf courses utilizing his product. Today, he has more than 100 courses using Tagmarshal.

Bodo is passionate about his product and for good reason. It flat out works.

The Tagmarshal system  works like this:

--It uses a series of GPS "tags" the function with both cart and walking courses. You clip it onto one golf bag in a group or it can be installed in carts.

--It has simple-to-use pace analytics, weather data integration, utilization heatmaps and geo-fencing.

Tagmarshal's unique algorithms highlight risk groups allowing courses to provide concise, objective support to head off pace problems before they arise, which reduces average round times and improves the overall pace experience.

The Tagmarshal system has a 15-minute average pace improvement. Some courses improve by as much as 20 minutes. It can also optimize operational efficiencies and add revenue by reducing marshalling costs and by adding capacity and optimizing busy days.

Among the courses using the Tagmarshal system are daily fee layouts such as Erin Hills in Erin Wisconsin; The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Resort in South Carolina; Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona; and Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin and private courses like the Wisconsin Club in Milwaukee; Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Illinois; and East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

Erin Hills Golf Club

Sieber recently added Pinehurst Resort courses #2, #4 and #9 to his impressive list of clients.

Thanks again Bodo and Tagmarshal for helping make golf a more pleasurable experience.