Plan in motion: new vehicles, technologies meet a variety of club needs.

Each year in the Palm Desert region of Southern California, the residents of this prestigious golf community dress up their privately-owned golf cars as themed floats and showcase them in the annual "Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade."

While this year marks the 38th consecutive year for the event--the first stretching back to 1964--the popularity of the parade emphasizes the current explosion of private golf communities across the United States. As a result, in places such as Palm Desert and Boca Raton, FL, the clubs in these areas have been forced to embrace a unique set of challenges when it comes to the issue of transportation and the vehicles they use.

In Palm Desert, for example, there are no less than 100 golf courses and a seasonal population of around 32,000. According to information from the National Golf Foundation, you can expect 20 percent of residents in a golf community to be active golfers. Given these circumstances, the popularity of privately-owned golf cars--as opposed to fleet cars--in the city is unprecedented.

"Without question, the demand for these vehicles has increased in recent years," said Ron Skenes, communications manager for E-Z-Go Textron. "The main reason is that you get the special features like head lights and turn signals that you won't find on a standard fleet car."

Touted as the "only city where golf cars are street legal," Palm Desert's local government has legally expanded the right of drivers to use their private cars as transportation to and from schools, shopping centers, parks, and anywhere else residents may need to go.

Private Golf Communities, Private Golf Cars

The Boca Raton Polo Club in Boca Raton, FL is a private golf community that, according to Tom Haase, director of golf, has "350 privately-owned golf cars that people use to golf and get around the community in." Contrast this with the fact that the club only uses 100 fleet cars--the conventional golf car found at most clubs.

"You could say it's just another toy for them to play with," Haase explained. "But the private cars are really the only way they have of getting around the club. We don't have shuttles, and outside of valet parking, this is how most people get from place to place."

E-Z-Go, one of the leading manufacturers in the golf car industry, has just introduced their own private model line, with production beginning in July 2002: the 2003 Freedom, Freedom SE, and Freedom LE. "The private cars have really become an essential component to life at these communities," Skenes said. The Freedom is the entry level model in the line, with standard features such as a four cup drink holder, center storage basket, head lights, tail lights, and horn.

For those that wish to step up the customization of their golf car, the elite Freedom LE is E-Z-Go's premium product. With this model, drivers can choose from multiple paint color options, a solid woodgrain dashboard, and aluminum mag wheel tires. And with a list price coming in at just under $8,000, the line between the golf car and the standard automobile is becoming increasingly blurred.

Satellite Systems

While the proliferation of private golf cars may be a novelty to certain club settings, new satellite-based GPS (global positioning satellite) technology--installed on both fleet and private cars--shows tremendous promise for clubs of all sizes.

GPS technology, now used on golf courses across the country, first began as a project of the U.S. Department of Defense during the Cold War in the latter days of the arms race. Because most of the nation's intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) were mounted on submarines, the Navy needed an accurate way of determining the position of ships at any point in the world. Additionally, the submarines required the ability to target Soviet land targets with pinpoint accuracy. The government spent $12 billion to send up a network of 24 satellites and their ground systems that now forms the backbone of today's GPS systems. This web of satellites is now used in everything from weather forecasting, farm machinery, and film making to improving the way golf is played. Advanced forms of GPS can now locate any spot on the planet to within one centimeter.

"For the club manager, the use of GPS means that they can see at a glance where every car on the course actually is," Skenes explained. "And when you see a particular car, the car's number is on the screen right beside it."

Two companies have moved to the forefront in providing GPS technology to clubs through partnerships formed with the major golf car manufacturers. ProLink has been affiliated with E-Z-Go since 2000. Conversely, UpLink became a part of Club Car's Solutions Network in July 2001. Since then, clubs across the country have gradually been reaping the benefits of GPS technology through steady implementation.

Boca Raton Polo Club ranks as the largest club in the country to have their golf cars wired with GPS technology, installed by UpLink. "We are definitely the biggest, considering we have 350 private cars and 100 fleet cars, all carrying the GPS technology onboard," Tom Haase said.

In a club situation, GPS can be used for a variety of purposes, not the least of which is the management of the golfers and their cars on the course. However, those that use the systems from UpLink or ProLink also gain increased food and beverage sales. That is because the full-color monitor installed in each car can also be used to place a food order remotely before the golfer completes the round.

"We wanted to get the system for course control purposes, considering we have 36 holes of golf here at our club," Haase explained. "But the most popular feature around here is that they can call the beverage cart while they're playing."

Ron Skenes also sees the GPS system as providing an important differentiation factor between courses. "Clubs are looking for a way to set themselves apart from other golf courses. There's an increasing amount of competition out there, and the GPS system is another added convenience to help set the golf experience apart," he said.

In choosing a GPS system, it is important to consider what features your club actually needs. Many of the systems available today are loaded with a dizzying array of features and extras that can be overwhelming to members and staff. Some of these include golf tutorials and beginners tips, as well as animated course introductions--all viewable from the GPS's monitor.

At Boca Raton Polo Club, Haase wanted a system that would not overwhelm his membership--a group of avid golfers who already knew the course well and didn't require any further introductions. "We went with the UpLink system because it provided us with the basic package we were interested in," Haase said. "Our members play the course all the time, so we were primarily interested in speeding up the pace of play."

On the other hand, clubs that see a lot of tournament play and guest traffic are likely to benefit from the added features designed to make the novice golfer feel more comfortable on the course.

Cost Benefits

In spite of the initial cost of retro-fitting existing cars in a fleet with GPS monitors, there can be a high return on the investment if the system is used as a complete product offering.

For example, at Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club in Sandia Park, NM, the club has seen a 35 percent increase in food and beverage sales since installing the ProLink system, with a 215 percent return on investment. At Paa-Ko, the use of the system is optional, and carries with it a $5 charge. The club has seen a 9.7 percent increase in revenue just from the ProLink fee. For the club, the 35 percent increase in food and beverage is a direct result of members ordering higher-ticket menu items from the golf car's system than they would ordinarily at the counter.

Similar results were found at Tiffany Greens in Kansas City, MO. As a Robert Trent Jones II-designed course which plays host to the Senior PGA Tour's TD Waterhouse Championship tournament, Tiffany Greens faces stiff competition from other upscale private courses in the area. Tom Aikus, head professional at the club, has noted that the GPS system used there has given Tiffany Greens a distinct point of differentiation in terms of the golf experience offered.

Tiffany Greens, which also charges a $5 fee for use of the system, has seen a 244 percent return on their investment. They also cite an increased number of golf outings--up to around 7,000 per year--after the implementation of the GPS system.

"These systems are a lot more than just a digital yard book," Skenes said. "Let's say you have a tournament going and you have a lot of first time players in attendance--you can easily set up tournament scoring for corporate outings with the ProLink system."

To set up your club with a GPS system, the provider will have to come and make a map of your golf course in order to render it into a computer model. In order to do this, the provider will charge a fee. After that, your existing fleet of golf cars will need to be fitted with the separate GPS units. Usually, this is merely a matter of replacing the top of the old car with a new top that has the monitor molded into it. The GPS system will work best for your club when every car is required to have the system on board, as it is at the Boca Raton Polo Club.

"All 450 cars on our course are fitted with the GPS system--it is mandatory," Haase said.

Customized Solutions

In addition to the growing trend of GPS systems, many courses around the country are continuing to embrace specialized vehicles that fit certain needs at their clubs, all in the interest of appealing to a larger group of potential customers.

Fairway Golf Cars, the company that has taken the industry lead in manufacturing single-rider golf cars for disabled golfers, has continued to expand their market base in response to the growing popularity of golf with all segments of the population.

The company has added to its standard Single Rider 8000 car with the new Spirit Adaptive model that further accommodates special needs golfers with an extremely lightweight, manueverable design that causes less turf damage than traditional dual-rider golf cars.

"The biggest struggle is getting those in the golf industry to realize that cars designed for disabled people aren't something they should just purchase to avoid legal action," explained Cole Braun, president and CO0 of Fairway Golf Cars.

"There are seven million potential golfers out there who aren't playing golf simply because there hasn't been a product available to enable them to play. That number adds up to one-third of your current total golf market," Braun said. "Think of the opportunity there is to expand that area of the industry."

All clubs, according to Braun, should at the very least look into adding four specialty cars to their current fleet. Lady Lake, a private golf community in Florida with 30,000 residents and 278 holes of golf, recently purchased a small fleet of adaptive cars from Fairway.

Club Car has also realized the importance of offering a single-rider golf car with the manufacture of their 1-Pass Single Rider Golf Car. The vehicle is designed to comply with the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and is currently in use at a number of prestigious courses nationwide.

Realistically, each club has its own mobility issues that can be immediately satisfied with a variety of practical solutions that have been available for years. However, by implementing modern transportation options that satisfy a group of needs, such as GPS, a club can meet a wide range of goals that would probably never be met individually--such as increasing food and beverage revenue while at the same time increasing the pace of play.

In today's competitive hospitality industry, having a point of differentiation is a club's best chance at member satisfaction and retention. But with new technologies and careful planning, those goals can be transformed into bottom-line realities.