Watch March webinars on demand!

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News

NGCOA Arizona Members, you can now view recordings of our recent webinars Longleaf Tee Initiative: Increasing Golfer Enjoyment and Course Playability For All Ages and Skillsets and The New Tax Code: Your Guide to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 in our Members Only section here.

Additional resources related to each webinar are also available.

If you have any questions regarding The New Tax Code, please directly contact Ron Zraick, Director, Petrinovich Pugh & Company LLP, at rzraick@ppandco.com or (408) 200-9024.

If you have any questions regarding the Longleaf Tee Initiative, please contact Peter Kaufmann, Program Coordinator, American Society of Golf Course Architects Foundation, at Peter@asgca.org or (262) 786-5960.

Please note:

In order to access the Members Only section of the website, you will need to be an active NGCOA Arizona member and log in with the email address associated with your NGCOA Arizona membership. If you have issues or need help, please contact NGCOA Arizona Executive Director Marc Connerly at mconnerly@connerlyandassociates.com to check on your membership status.

Westin Kierland Golf Club is our 2017 Arizona Golf Course of the Year!

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News

The National Golf Course Owners Association of Arizona (NGCOA Arizona) is pleased to recognize Westin Kierland Golf Club in Scottsdale as the 2017 Arizona Golf Course of the Year.

Exceptionally managed by Troon Golf, the justifications for Westin Kierland’s selection are numerous. From its upper echelon rankings in several national golf publications to its innovation programs and amenities, the 27-hole course was a clear choice for Course of the Year.

Among the many innovations in place are a variety of methods for navigating the terrain. In addition to traditional golf carts, the club offers golf bikes, Segways and GolfBoards to golfers seeking a new way of getting around on the golf course. In 2017, Westin Kierland also introduced the TurfRider, which is part scooter, part motorcycle, and part single rider golf cart.

Westin Kierland’s programs include family-friendly “Friday Night Lights” activities, “Nine and Wine” social events, very active Junior Golf leagues, and the Fore-Max golf fitness program.

“Staying fresh and embracing innovation are key elements in golf’s endeavors to attract new golfers and appeal to broader segments of the population,” stated NGCOA Arizona Executive Director Marc Connerly. “Westin Kierland management should be applauded for their willingness to innovate and test drive nontraditional golf course amenities.”

Additionally, Westin Kierland’s contributions to the community figured in the award decision. Fundraising events hosted at the course in 2017 raised more than $1.2 million for charities, including the Children’s Cancer Network, the Bruce Arians Foundation and Folds of Honor, benefitting military families.

The course has demonstrated exceptional water stewardship practices, converting more than 30 acres of turf to drought-tolerant plants and landscaping, native trees, and 3,000 tons of decomposed granite.

Westin Kierland was recently ranked by Golf Advisor among the Top 10 public courses in Phoenix/Scottsdale, and was ranked the 4th best Scottsdale course by USA Today. The course was also ranked 4th on Golf Digest’s “9 Most Cheerful Courses in America.” Kierland’s Director of Golf, Nancy Dickens, was recently recognized by Golf Inc. with its operator of the year award.

The NGCOA Course of the Year award honors an Arizona golf course, and is based on exceptional quality of the course, exemplary water stewardship practices, exceptional quality of ownership and management, outstanding contribution to the community, and significant contributions to the game.

The National Golf Course Owners Association of Arizona (NGCOA Arizona) represents over 400 golf courses in Arizona, responsible for the employment of more than 41,000 Arizona citizens, with wages in excess of $1.5billion and a statewide economic impact exceeding $3.9 billion.

New NGCOA Arizona Sponsor: Club Prophet

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News

We are proud to announce our newest NGCOA Arizona Bronze Sponsor, Club Prophet!

For over 25 years Club Prophet Systems continues to design fully integrated Golf Management Software systems for the golf industry. Point of Sale (POS), Food and Beverage (F&B) for Snack Bar to Fine Dining, Customer History and Member Management with Billing and Online Statements, Tee Time and Online Reservations, Email Marketing, Mobile Solutions, Integrated Credit Card Processing, Reporting, Inventory, and much more.

Sponsor Representative:

Tom Robshaw
President
Club Prophet Systems
Phone: (800)793-1872 ext. 7002
tom@clubprophetsystems.com
clubprophetsystems.com

Learn more about Club Prophet here.

Rescheduled: NGCOA Arizona Meeting – September 18

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News

NGCOA Arizona Meeting
Insights on Food & Beverage
Monday, September 18, 2017, 11:00 a.m.
McCormick Ranch Golf Club
7505 E McCormick Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85258

Dear Arizona Golf Industry Members:

The National Golf Course Owners Association of Arizona (NGCOA Arizona) welcomes you to attend our upcoming meeting, “Insights on Food & Beverage,” which will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Monday, September 18 at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale. Featuring several experts on food and beverage operations, the meeting will provide you with numerous takeaways and ideas for improving the profitability and success of your course’s food and beverage operations.

Feature presentations include:

  • How renovation and a menu overhaul made a difference in member satisfaction and increased participation at Desert Highlands Golf Club
  • Leasing of food and beverage operations: Is it a viable option for your course?
  • Current food and beverage trends and tips for increasing profitability and consumer enthusiasm

Additionally, EZ Links will be on hand to demo the new NGCOA Arizona tee-time alternative, Golf4Arizona.com, and explain the features and benefits intended to provide courses with an option that protects their customer data, maintains rate integrity, and offers courses control over the booking process.

All attendees will also receive copies of the NGCOA Arizona “Guide to Running a Successful Golf Tournament,” a new tool being distributed to associations, charities, event planners, travel and convention bureaus, and chambers of commerce, and designed to promote more tournament business at NGCOA Arizona member courses.

You can register online here.

Is This The World’s Smartest Caddie? Arccos Teams With Microsoft On New Golf Course Analyzer

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News

For several years now, Arccos Golf has been helping amateur golfers lower their handicaps by delivering tour-quality shot-tracking data in real time. Now, Arccos wants to give amateurs the world’s smartest caddie.

As part of a new partnership with Microsoft Corp., Arccos is set to launch an innovative course management platform called the Arccos Course Analyzer. The system layers a user’s data on top of millions of data points to provide personalized recommendations for optimal strategy on almost every golf hole in the world. It’s essentially a caddie in the palm of your hand or on your wrist.

For those unfamiliar with the Arccos system, it consists of 14 ultralight sensors that attach to the grip of a player’s clubs. The sensors sync with the player’s smart phone or watch, recording every shot (completely unobtrusively) and delivering real-time data such as club distances and directional tendencies along with GPS mapping. For golfers who love to track their stats, it’s a must-have.

So how will the new course analyzer work?

Read more.

Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News
In Case You Missed It: Here’s Why We Should Be Bullish About Golf In 2017
Golf has a big problem.
It’s the pervasive – and lazy — narrative that the sport is dying. It’s not just misguided, it’s wrong.
But it’s a story often regurgitated because golf is an easy target, with detractors saying it’s too slow, too expensive and too exclusionary. The naysayers insist the sport must be in its death throes because participation is down, more golf courses are closing than opening, Golfsmith filed for bankruptcy and Nike stopped making clubs. Those things clearly aren’t positives, but the issue is that they never seem to come with proper context.
The reality is that the good in the game right now far outweighs the negatives, which is why – during the week of a PGA Merchandise Show that draws more than 1,000 passionate exhibitors to Orlando – we should be bullish on golf in 2017. There are, in fact, plenty of reasons for optimism.

Women’s Golf Day

On by wpadmin Posted in Latest News
Join the Women’s Golf Day Movement!

June 6, 2017 – A Unique Four Hour Experience
Same Day Everywhere Around the World
Engage | Empower | Support

What began as a simple idea has turned into a global movement that is growing every day! Women’s Golf Day, June 6th, has grown to over 600 locations in 30 countries and will be going continuously for 24 hours around the globe!
Women’s Golf Day is a four-hour event where women and girls can experience golf for the first time, and where current and former golfers can play and engage with others interested in golf. The event is about inclusiveness, and you, along with other locations can host the event on Tuesday June 6, 2017 for 4 hours.
Quick Tips for a Successful Event
  • Send a welcome e-mail and invite prospects
  • Post an announcement on your facility’s webpage
  • Fuel your social media platforms with inviting posts and photos
  • Ask current customers and/or members to introduce others to the game
  • Include key members of your team
  • Display and promote your existing programs and initiatives.
  • Have loaner clubs available.
  • Encourage attendees to come back for lessons, golf, to dine or to shop and/or get properly fitted for clubs
  • Reach out to organizations, businesses, health clubs, and schools in your local community and invite them
  • Wear RED on event day! Take photos of the participants and share on social media
  • Encourage participants to also share their WGD experience on social media
  • Use the official #womensgolfday hashtag to connect the community

Suggested Formats for Locations
Women’s Golf Day is a four hour experience. The suggested time block is from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Golf Courses & Clubs
From 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., participants have the option of:
  • 2 hours of lessons – 1 hour on the driving range and 1 hour chipping and putting or
  • 2 hours of play – A 9-hole scramble, play your own ball, completed in two hours
From 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.:
  • Socialize, network and provide info for lessons, league play, & ways participants can get involved in golf  
  • Some venues may include a facility tour or a special guest/speaker

Retail & Educational Locations
  • Suggested Time: 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Experience driving in the simulators
  • Review short and long game tips
  • Putting on an indoor green
  • Learn the basics about gripping the club as well as set-up
  • Think about fun activities like a putting contest!
  • Socialize, network and provide info fir lessons, league play, & ways participants can get involved in golf
  • Some venues may include a facility tour or a special guest/speaker
Learn more about Women’s Golf Day!