Club Car System Connects Course, Golfers

Have you ever thought about who – or in this case, what – spends the most time with your members during a round of golf? It’s not your golf professional or anyone on your staff for that matter. It’s one of your golf cars.

Think about it. After a golfer leaves the pro shop and heads for the first tee, he or she spends the next four hours in a golf car, out of contact with anyone from the club. At least that was the situation until earlier this year when Club Car introduced golf’s first mobile information system. Known as Visage, the system uses cellular, wireless and Global Positioning System technologies to connect golfers and course personnel throughout their round.

Through the golf car industry’s most extensive marriage of vehicle and technology, Visage is helping course managers address critical revenue and expense needs while enhancing customer satisfaction.

Visage allows golfers to contact the grill or mobile beverage vehicles at any time, increasing the potential for additional snack and beverage orders and giving the course the opportunity to make available higher margin menu items. Golfers can also book tee times before leaving the course. Courses can use the same functionality to send weather alerts and promote sales, special offers and lessons. What’s more, real-time positioning keeps the golf shop aware of each group’s exact location, making marshals more effective and improving pace of play.

“For 50 years golf cars were simply considered a form of transportation,” said Gary Michel, president and CEO of Club Car. “Visage broadens the role of the golf car by making it the delivery mechanism for tools and services that help courses operate more efficiently and make the game more enjoyable for their customers.”

Three-dimensional flyovers with audio (similar to network television coverage), tee-shot distance stats and scorecard and tournament management features that make it easy to keep up with scores of other players during a competitive event are among the features enabled by Visage that golfers will enjoy most.

Courses installing Visage are not required to purchase hardware or license software. Instead, they rent the equipment required and receive service and support as part of an annual agreement. The system, which is available on Club Car’s Precedent and DS electric and gas-powered golf cars, also can be installed on any brand of golf car.

Get Out of the Rough and onto the Green with Alsco

Boosting your facility’s image can be as simple as keeping your business healthy and going green. There are many ways you can green up your business – Alsco can be there with you every step of the way.

Linens & Uniforms
Did you know that paper typically makes up about 68% of a community’s landfill and incinerator capacity? No matter what color you choose, all linen or washable and reusable napery products are “green” when it comes to environmental friendliness. Studies show that the average diner will use three to four napkins per meal when provided with paper, but will typically use only one linen napkin. Employing reusable linen napkins and tablecloths in your establishment, as is recommended by the EPA, demonstrates environmental responsibility and shows respect for the customers that cherish the concept.

Choosing a linen and uniform program managed by Alsco’s energy-efficient plants is the smart choice for reducing your ecological footprint. Alsco’s state-of-the-art water re-use systems use up to 50% less water and 30% less chemicals when compared to home or on-site laundering in smaller machines. Plus, Alsco’s participation in the EPA’s Safer Detergents Stewardship Initiatives means that they’re eliminating nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs), a cleaning agent that can be harmful to the environment.

Facility Services
When it comes to maintaining your facility, it’s important to evaluate your suppliers – it’s no different at Alsco. They evaluate our suppliers based on a number of factors:

• Alsco’s paper supplier was recently ranked the 2nd Greenest Company in the World
• Alsco’s foam soaps meet the EPA’s Design for the Environment standards
• Alsco’s mats are 100% PVC free
• Alsco’s mops are made with post-consumer recycled products
• A wide variety of Alsco’s hygiene and well-being products are designed to work tough while being friendlier to the environment

So, Alsco is “greener” to do business with. After all, with Alsco it’s not just a green logo – it’s a green attitude.

Now is the Time to Partner with Bridgestone Golf

Spring is finally here and everyone will be looking to hit the links!  Bridgestone Golf remains to be a PROUD VGM Club partner in 2010, and they continue to rock the world of golf with innovative products and promotions!

Did you know…

• VGM Club members get the VERY BEST pricing from Bridgestone Golf
• Bridgestone Golf is now the #2 ball in golf
• Bridgestone Golf is #1 in consumer ball fitting, and they are driving consumers into shops nationwide, despite a very difficult economy
• They have some very exciting promotions for spring 2010, including a free Antigua shirt promotion for men and a Sun Dog eyeglass giveaway for the Ladies
• The Lady Precept ball is the #1 selling ladies ball in golf
• Bridgestone Golf has been the fastest growing ball brand in golf over the last 24 months
• The RX golf ball is the 3rd best selling golf ball in ALL of golf

Now is the time to partner with Bridgestone Golf, for better inventory turns and better margins!  REMEMBER: IT’S NOT ABOUT PROGRAMS. IT’S ABOUT SELL THROUGH AND CONSUMER DEMAND AND BRIDGESTONE GOLF CAN DELIVER!

Please call one of Bridgestone Golf’s Inside Sales Representatives today for all of the exciting details!

BRIDGESTONE GOLF 800-358-6319
Call Steve Pirring @ Extension 496, FOR: Iowa, Ohio, Met. NY, Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, Naples, Myrtle Beach, Costal NC/VA, Pinehurst, Raleigh, Pennsylvania, Chicago, Miami, Houston, New Mexico, Alabama, Arizona, Oregon, Colorado, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Kentucky and LA/Orange County.

Call Joel St. Laurent @ Extension 607, FOR: Tampa, Virginia, Michigan, San Diego/Palm Springs, Louisiana, Charlotte, Greenville SC, Charleston/Columbia SC, San Jose, Upstate NY, Orlando/Jax, Minnesota, The Dakotas, Idaho, Nevada, Missouri, Washington, Montana, Alaska, Indiana, San Francisco, Austin, Dallas, Massachusetts, RI, New Hampshire, Vermont, Eastern NY, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Arkansas.

Thanks for your continued support of Bridgestone Golf……we love our VGM Members!