Steve Outlaw is the PGA golf operations manager at The Els Club Teluk Datai in Kedah, Malaysia.
Here at the Els Club we are in very close proximity to several top-notch, five-star restaurants, so we must do our very best in retaining players to utilize our food & beverage operation during and after tournaments. We recently installed Visage GPS (GPSI) units in all of our golf cars allowing us to advertise food & beverage, as well as merchandise, in addition to its measuring/tracking capability. When players are on holes 7 and 15 they have the option to order food as well as drinks. Upon arriving in the clubhouse their order is waiting for them. This touch has been highly prized by all players visiting The Els Club.
Due to the severe terrain at The Els Club, all players are required to take a golf car. As mentioned we just recently installed Visage GPS, so the true effect is still in development. Thus far, we can attribute 10 percent additional food & beverage sales during our tournament and outings due to the newly installed units. We have also been advertising balls and gloves, which has driven retail sales another 10 percent higher. In this day and age having technology in golf cars is a must, as it also helps keep my staff connected with me and our guests playing the event. Additionally, if there are any emergencies, lost clubs or pace-of-play issues, it all can be tracked through the GPS unit. By installing Visage GPS we have taken our customer service and tournament and outings experience to the next level while driving revenue in several different categories.