In the ever-evolving world of golf, PGA of America General Managers are increasingly leveraging technology to enhance operational efficiency and elevate the member experience. Technology is transforming how golf facilities operate - from sophisticated management software that streamlines scheduling and billing to advanced data analytic tools that provide insights into member preferences.
Today's general managers must understand the game and have an aptitude for the digital landscape. Innovations such as mobile apps for tee time reservations, social media platforms for member engagement and advanced irrigation systems for course maintenance are becoming commonplace. These technologies improve operations and foster connections between the club and its members.
One PGA of America General Manager who embraces technology to facilitate club operations is Keith Reese. Reese has overseen one of the games’ most prestigious facilities, Valhalla Golf Club, since 2013. During his tenure, Keith has relied heavily on technology and recently shared why he believes others in similar management roles should do the same. Let's take a brief look at his journey in the industry and some of his many accomplishments before diving into his thoughts on technology.
Keith Reese hails from Augusta, Georgia, where golf is ingrained in residents' DNA. However, he somewhat stumbled into the golf business. A good friend, Mark Winkley (now a PGA of America Golf Professional in the Southwest PGA Section), arranged a summer lifeguard position for him in Cape Cod between their junior and senior years of college. That summer, Reese and Winkley befriended Ron Hallett, the PGA of America Golf Professional at the resort. When Golf Digest Instruction Schools needed help managing students and the practice tee, the two young men eagerly volunteered, marking the start of their careers in golf. After assisting with two weeks of Golf Digest Schools, they returned home to complete their studies.
Keith and Mark returned to Cape Cod the following summer as Assistant Golf Professionals. They continued to help with the Golf Digest Schools, and by summer's end received an invitation to accompany the schools to Florida for the winter. Reflecting on his time at the Golf Digest Schools, Reese views it as an incredible educational opportunity, having learned from some of golf’s greatest instructors, including Bob Toski, Davis Love Jr., Peter Kostis and Jack Lumpkin. However, the relentless pace of moving every few months eventually took its toll, prompting Reese to explore other opportunities.
Then, Mark Wood from Golf Digest Schools received a call from his friend Tony Pancake, the then head golf professional at Valhalla Golf Club, who was in search of an assistant golf professional. Reese would be that professional. He relocated to Louisville, Kentucky and Valhalla Golf Club in 1989. Working under Pancake, a notable PGA of America Golf Professional and mentor and the 2024 PGA of America Golf Professional of the Year, was a stroke of good fortune for Reese.
As he progressed as an assistant professional, Reese became a PGA Member in 1992. By 1996, he secured his first head professional position at Lake Forest Country Club, just down the street from Valhalla. After Pancake left Valhalla following the 1996 PGA Championship, Reese was fortunate to be hired as his replacement in 1997. He served as the PGA of America Head Golf Professional until 2013 when he transitioned into the role of PGA of America General Manager, a position he still holds today. Reese reflects on his career journey with gratitude, noting that few PGA of America Golf Professionals have the chance to be involved in three PGA Championships, two Sr. PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup.
Beyond championship golf, Valhalla is a true golf club. It offers simple yet quality dining for breakfast and lunch, without amenities like a pool or tennis courts that are found at many private clubs. Despite this, the club is multifaceted, with many moving parts, and Keith Reese relies on technology to provide an outstanding experience.
"Our overarching goal as a small golf-only facility is to provide a championship experience with warm southern hospitality you can only find in Kentucky,” Reese says. “Knowing members’ and guests’ names and managing players around a difficult golf course are all part of providing a quality experience. To help us achieve our goals, we lean on technology.”
One example of technology Reese has used for several years is Tagmarshal, a GPS pace of play management system. Players’ names are logged into the system as they go out, whether in a cart or walking with a caddie, which allows Reese and his team to know where members and guests are on the golf course at any given time. It is not only a valuable pace-of-play tool for golf operations but also a great tool for their F&B and locker room teams to know which members and guests will finish next and approximately how long.
“Another technology we are currently implementing, to go fully live in spring 2025, is the Pacesetter Technology app,” he adds. “This is the most robust app we have seen in our industry, and we are looking for this app to help us up our game in communication and member recognition. The app features geofencing, which triggers alerts when a member enters the property. We have tablets in our key areas (F&B, outside services and locker room), alerting staff when members enter the property. The alerts pop up with the member's photo, preferences, locker number, bag storage number and more.”
Reese says the communication side is fantastic, allowing push notifications and messaging capabilities from members to various departments to request their clubs and much more. On the member recognition side, it offers training aids such as quizzes for team members to test their knowledge of member names and photos in a multiple-choice quiz that managers can monitor. For Reese’s team at Valhalla, these tools are tremendous assets in helping provide a top-notch experience.
As the industry adapts to a rapidly changing landscape, the role of PGA of America General Managers is paramount in implementing these tools effectively, ensuring that golf clubs remain competitive and appealing. With a focus on delivering exceptional service and maintaining the integrity of the game, technology plays a crucial role in shaping the future of golf club management, allowing PGA of America Golf Professionals to focus on what they do best - cultivating a thriving golf community.