WHEN you ask golfers to pay $175 for a round of golf, you know you just have to give them something out of the ordinary.
At Pelican Waters, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, they refer to it as providing an ‘all round golfing experience.’
Firstly, the golf course is special. Recent renovations to the Greg Norman-designed layout have improved it to such an extent it is now arguably the region’s finest golf facility.
Then, the green fee covers the cost of a golf cart and provides access to a state-of-the-art driving range and world-class short game facilities. There are 12-minute gaps between groups teeing off, ensuring the fairway ahead is almost always clear.
And, remarkably, the team at Pelican Waters has virtually eliminated slow play – the bane of many golfers, and an issue on the agenda of golf clubs throughout the world.
For the past six months, the club has been using Verifeye’s On-Pin smart marshalling function to ensure everybody gets around the course in a reasonable time.
Verifeye’s On-Pin smart marshalling provides a live map and detailed information as to the pace of play.
When Pelican Waters purchased a new fleet of stylish carts late last year it installed the On-Pin technology in each one. Staff are able to track the pace of play and identify any issues that may arise
Monitors in the golf shop and on the desk of Operations Administrator Jeremy Morris display a live map, indicating every group on the course. If players are moving at an appropriate pace their group appears in green, if they begin to fall behind it turns to yellow, and if they’re too slow, the colour is red.
Because the green fee includes carts, few visitors choose to walk the course at Pelican Waters but, if the situation ever changed, Morris said they would use radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, attached to golf bags or buggies, to monitor the movement of players.
Morris is delighted with On-Pin, saying it not only allows staff to monitor the progress of players, but provides a means of communication with them.
“Each cart is fitted with its own monitor, which provides graphics of the hole being played and things like distances to the pin,” he said. “The technology allows us to send text messages – to individual carts or to everybody at once.
“So, if a group is falling behind, we can advise them with a text message which appears on their screen only. If it’s a warning, say about lightning in the area, we can message everybody at once.”
The technology also provides analytical information, including about cart usage.
“Look here,” Morris said, indicating his monitor. “Cart No 33 has done 18 rounds in the past three weeks, while cart No 7 has done only three.” Armed with that information, he said staff would ensure the carts were rotated more efficiently.
But On-Pin is primarily about eliminating slow play and reshaping the on-course experience.
The On-Pin technology also provides in cart messaging during a round.
Rather than reacting to slow play after it becomes a problem, the system is designed to manage it from start to finish – before, during, and after each round.
AI-driven prediction tools analyse historical data to establish an optimum pace of play and identify potential bottlenecks allowing staff to adjust tee times, spacing, and on-course management strategies proactively.
Post-round, the system delivers detailed analytics, highlighting trends and offering practical insights to improve future operations.
From tee sheet optimisation to more effective marshal deployment, the data provides a clear pathway to better flow and a more enjoyable experience for members and visitors alike.
Morris, who joined Pelican Waters late last year after a stint with the Sunshine Coast Lightning netball franchise, is excited about the club’s future and the quality of its facilities.
He said the club would be hosting this year’s US Kids Tour Australian Open in July and hoped to attract other significant golf events in the future.
The post On-Pin and Pelican Waters winning the war against slow play first appeared on Inside Golf. Australia's Most-Read Golf Magazine as named by Australian Golfers - FREE.
Article Link: https://www.insidegolf.com.au/golf_industry/golf-industry-news/on-pin-and-pelican-waters-winning-the-war-against-slow-play/