Mike Kramer, PGA,Head Professional,Fox Hollow Golf Course andHomestead Golf Course,Lakewood, Colorado
When it comes to course renovations, most fa cilities lean on a familiar mix of agronomic needs, architectural vision and member feedback. At Fox Hollow Golf Course and Homestead Golf Course in Lakewood, Colorado, PGA of America Head Professional Mike Kramer added another powerful tool to that list: GPS golf car data.
Kramer, a former Colorado PGA Section Junior Golf Leader and Assistant Professional of the Year, kicked off a renovation project on Fox Hollow in partnership with Thad Layton Design in September of 2025. The updates will address many of today’s common priorities – irrigation improvements, strategic bunker adjustments, selective tree removal and playability enhancements for golfers of all skill levels.
But the foundation for those decisions didn’t come from guesswork. It came from data.
And specifically, the same USGA GPS cart loggers golfers use every day.
“The devices that help with yardages, pace of play and halfway house orders also give us a tremendous amount of insight,” Kramer says. “If you’re approaching a renovation, that data should be one of the first places you look.”
Working alongside superintendent Mark Krick, Kramer used GPS heat maps to understand exactly how players interact with with Fox Hollow Golf Course (pictured): where traffic bottlenecks form, which bunkers actually come into play and which areas slow golfers down or diminish enjoyment.
That objective view changed the conversation. Instead of assuming a bunker influences strategy, they confirmed whether players were even reaching it. Instead of relying on anecdotal pace-of-play issues, they pinpointed the exact choke points. And instead of maintaining hazards no one touches, they targeted improvements that directly impact flow and experience.
“In one case, a bunker was so deep that players struggled to get out, which slowed everyone behind them,” Kramer explains. “The data confirmed it, and it became part of the renovation plan.”
The business implications are significant: lower maintenance costs, improved pace of play and a better on-course experience for all golfers. Prior up grades have already brought rounds under five hours, and this renovation, which aims to be ready for the start of the 2026 season, should push that even further.
“Remember, when in doubt, go to the data,” Kramer says. “It tells the story of how golfers actually use your course – and it leads to smarter decisions.”
