Data-Driven Possibilities

Streamlining facilities to operate more efficiently

By Hunki Yun

Recreational areas bring communities together. They are shared spaces in which to play, to connect with each other, and to take a moment to slow down.

Image: USGA

While these sanctuaries are vital for the health of a community, they can be costly to maintain. However, the utilization of data and technology to make better decisions about the consumption of resources can improve the long-term sustainability of these spaces.

One promising technology is the ability to measure how residents utilize these spaces, allowing for the prioritization of resources to match the utilization. It is simply more efficient to maximize the deployment of expensive resources by focusing on the areas that impact users the most and undergo the most wear and tear.

“The USGA GPS Service offers facility managers a precise heat map of the traffic patterns of golfers during a round, which they can then visualize in the USGA facility app.”

To help golf facilities operate more efficiently, the United States Golf Association has introduced a new service that fosters a data-based approach in making informed decisions about the maintenance of expensive turfgrass. The USGA GPS Service offers facility managers a precise heat map of the traffic patterns of golfers during a round, which they can then visualize in the USGA facility app. Municipalities such as Miami-Dade County have used the technology to reduce their use of expensive inputs, such as water and labor.

While the technology was conceived for golf courses, it can be used for any outdoor space to allocate resources, preserve green spaces, and enhance user experiences.

Photo: © Can Stock Photo / monkeybusiness

How It Works

The key to the service is the use of small GPS loggers. The USGA rents the loggers to the golf facility, and over the course of several days all players carry a unit in their pocket or attached to their clothing. The loggers are not associated with any specific players, ensuring privacy and anonymity. They simply record the golfers’ positions; they do not transmit geolocation in real time.

The facility ships the loggers back to the USGA, which uploads the geolocation data for use in a web-based application. The USGA then provides the facility access to the tool’s various functionalities.

Customizable map: The digitized depiction of the course shows the different types of surfaces, such as tees, fairways, greens, and sand bunkers. Each surface is associated with a yearly maintenance cost, based on the area and the national averages for the inputs needed—water, labor, fuel, fertilizer, etc. The user can edit the map, and the tool makes corresponding changes in the costs. These “what if” calculations can assist in planning renovations or other changes by estimating the cost implications.

Heat map: The tool visualizes the GPS data on the map, showing where golfers travel on the courses and allowing facility managers to contemplate and reallocate resources based on the areas of highest interaction.

Pace-of-play report: The GPS data also help identify delays and bottlenecks, which is the first step toward implementing a solution that improves the customer experience.

Advanced weather: Accurate forecasts and precise information can help facilities manage their agronomic practices more efficiently.

Resource application and management: In concert with the map, facilities, in recording inputs and resources needed to maintain the course, can track their costs more effectively.

Case Study: Miami-Dade County

Miami-Dade County in South Florida owns and operates Crandon Park, a recreational complex in Key Biscayne that includes a nature center, marina, trails, tennis center, ball fields, and an 18-hole golf course, which is a popular destination for residents and tourists.

Despite its popularity, Crandon Park faced a threat to its long-term sustainability—the facility was spending more than $1 million a year to water the course. To alleviate this pressure, the county hired Sanford Golf Design in 2017 for a renovation that would reduce the acreage of maintained turf and reduce irrigation costs.

John Sanford, owner of Sanford Golf Design, contemplated a redesign that would convert 30 acres of thirsty turfgrass into low-maintenance areas. The challenge was to do so while minimally impacting the golfing experience. While low-maintenance areas cost less, they don’t present a good playing surface for golfers—a key to experience and revenue. Sanford would have to convert turf in areas of the course that don’t come into play.

Instead of guessing or estimating these locations, Sanford took advantage of the precise data offered by the USGA GPS Service. He and his staff analyzed the heat map and identified more than 40 acres of turfgrass that received little or no traffic.

Converting these areas to low-maintenance zones is anticipated to save nearly $350,000 annually in irrigation costs alone, in addition to potential savings in labor, fertilizer, fuel, and other inputs.

“The USGA heat-map data, coupled with the irrigation-pattern representations provided, clearly identifies areas where we can take immediate steps to improve our conservation efforts.”

“The GPS information is invaluable to our efforts to reduce irrigation costs at Crandon,” says Steve Jablonowski, Miami-Dade’s region manager for golf and destinations. “The USGA heat-map data, coupled with the irrigation-pattern representations provided, clearly identifies areas where we can take immediate steps to improve our conservation efforts.”

The Future Of GPS Technology

As urbanization continues unabated, the pressure to preserve green spaces accelerates. While the GPS Service was envisioned and developed for golfers and courses, understanding how people utilize spaces is critical for future development.

There are thousands of municipalities around the country that own and operate golf courses. Supporting this segment of the industry is an important part of the mission to ensure the long-term health of the game.

For more information, visit rm.usga.org.

Hunki Yun is the USGA’s Director of Partnerships, Outreach and Education. Reach him at (908) 326-1879, or Hyun@usga.org.