Club Car has been making a big splash in the world of golf carts by adopting some of the latest and most powerful technologies on the links today. One of the new Club Car accessories that have received the most attention is the Visage Mobile Golf Information System developed by GPS Industries LLC (GPSI) in Sarasota, Florida. This device enhances the experience of golfers by providing up-to-date information and live communications with the clubhouse. With Visage, players can view 3-D course diagrams with yardage and distance, email their scores to friends and enjoy dozens of other functions.
Visage Mobile Golf System for Fleets
The Visage Mobile Golf System was designed primarily for golf clubs and other private and public golf organizations to increase revenue, raise productivity and protect assets before, during and after each player’s round of golf. The best part is that it only costs about $1.87 per round to operate a fleet of 70 golf carts playing 22,400 rounds, so it delivers a fast return on investment.
Pre-Game Benefits
The features and benefits of these new Club Car accessories begin before the first rounds of golf are played for the day. The Visage Command Center allows the grounds team to view the condition of each golf cart and run diagnostic tools to detect whether a problem is likely to occur that would impact the player or his or her game and experience on the course.
When Visage is in Staging Mode, it continually keeps track of every vehicle in the fleet, so the club knows exactly where each golf cart is at any given moment, which significantly decreases vandalism and unpaid phantom rounds. In addition, the system limits each vehicle’s speed to 2 mph while in this mode.
Once it is time to open the course, Visage can be used to assign carts to individual golfers and teams. The clubhouse retains the ability to control the speed of each cart, track where it goes and set electronic perimeters.
On the Links
The features of Visage really come through during the course of a round. The system can be used to set what are known as geo-fences to keep cars out of restricted or dangerous areas, such as lakes, overgrown rough, parking lots and utility zones. Even if a golfer tries to steer the cart into a forbidden area, it will stop in its tracks to ensure the driver stays on the designated path.
As the golf cart is tracked from the clubhouse, the entire course can be viewed to determine when and where extra groups can enter the course, which maximizes the number of playable rounds. Some clubs say they are able to get up to two extra groups on the links every day. This ability also solves bottlenecks by helping controllers discover when they are likely to occur and take corrective action, such as decreasing or increasing the maximum speed of select golf carts. In addition, setting a maximum speed is a great way to keep players in check when they display potentially rowdy, rude or disruptive behavior.
A major feature of Visage is its messaging system, which permits two-way communications between each car and the clubhouse. Private lines can be open to give personalized instructions or answer individual questions, or course-wide messages can be broadcast to every vehicle. In addition, an audible alarm is available for priority messages.
The messaging system of the Visage is the backbone of its feature for ordering food and beverages. Players simply have to make choices on the screen, and items can be delivered to their exact locations. The system also helps clubs boost profits by recommending items with high margins.
Finally, the Visage helps players keep score with an electronic scorecard, which can be emailed to any address at the conclusion of a round. This feature also helps drive the tournament leaderboard, so that players in tournaments can view the standings in real time.
At the End of the Day
When a round of golf is completed, the Visage continues working. It can send thank-you messages to players as they exit the 18th hole, which is a perfect time for clubs to send suggestions and offers at the clubhouse or for future rounds.
As cars are prepared for the night, the clubhouse can automatically download the usage history and other reports for each vehicle, and Visage can detect when golf carts are missing. The system will use the course maps when possible, but if the golf cart is located off the grounds, Visage can locate it through Google Earth.
Finally, Visage can put the fleet in Lockdown Mode at the end of the day to lock the wheels, prevent the motors from starting and keep would-be vandals and joyriders at bay.
Visage at Casa de Campo Resort
One of the first establishments to adopt these Visage Club Car accessories for its golf courses and a total of 7,000 acres of property is the Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic. The resort operates a fleet of 300 golf carts and electric shuttles, and 80 of them are four-passenger Club Cars with the Visage Resort Edition installed.
Casa de Campo is nestled on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic, and the grounds include a polo and equestrian club, a yacht club, a tennis complex and an artisans’ village. In addition to this are five 18-hole championship golf courses, and these 90 holes are where the Visage system gets most of its use. Resort guests drive the Club Car golf carts to and from the living villas and around the links.
About GPSI
GPSI was founded six years ago, and Visage is now used on championship golf courses throughout the U.S. and around the world. A few of the other major courses that have adopted the system include Trump National in Miami, The Polo Club in Boca Raton and Desert Mountain in Scottsdale, Arizona. However, the company plans on taking Visage into new segments, such as manufacturing plants, university campuses, and master-planned communities.
“It is the launch of a new commercial segment for GPSI and our exclusive partner, Club Car, that expands our collective fleet management and telematics into non-golf applications and is GPSI’s introduction into additional commercial opportunities,” said Ben Porter, CEO of GPSI.
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