ORLANDO, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2021) – The recently opened The National Golf and Country Club at Ave Maria in southwest Florida has chosen GolfNow as its technology and services partner, incorporating GolfNow’s industry’s leading technology and tee-time marketplace to help drive rounds and revenue.
The National opened its 18-hole championship design on Jan. 15 in the award-winning Ave Maria master community, located minutes from the beaches and cultural attractions of Naples, Fla. The course is using EZLinks-branded technology by GolfNow, including the EZSuite management system and EZTeePro electronic tee sheet, to manage its operations. Also included in the partnership are all the elements comprising the GolfNow Platform, including custom website design and development, a white-label booking engine, and a showcase to the millions of golfers who regularly use GolfNow 24/7 to search for and book tee times.
Area golfers quickly discovered the ease and convenience of booking The National via GolfNow. In just a week from the course’s opening day, GolfNow.com had facilitated nearly 500 rounds of golf, accounting for more than 35 percent of the overall rounds booked by the club during that time.
With 47 percent of courses responding to a recent GolfNow survey considering technology investments a “high priority,” The National’s Head Golf Professional Ryan Hagerman, PGA, recognized the steps necessary to give his golf course every advantage from the start.
“Opening a new club in the heart of Florida’s peak golf season has been very labor intensive but with the assistance of GolfNow and their wonderful staff this process has been much smoother,” he said. “The EZlinks management platform has already helped us in creating more efficient ways of doing business. With their marketing capabilities and online booking system we now have the time to focus our efforts on customer service and other operational duties at hand.”
“We’re excited to be partnering with The National team on their new venture and to be providing them with the tools needed to create the ultimate booking and customer service experience,” said Joe Del Rossi, national director of sales, GolfNow. “Today’s golfers are engaging with the game more and more through technology, so helping our new partner nurture that connection is paramount.”
The par-72 National Golf and Country Club course was designed by award-winning golf course architect Gordon Lewis, and is complemented by a chipping area, driving range, putting green and pro shop.
About GolfNow
GolfNow is an innovative technology company that creates seamless ways for golfers and golf courses to better connect. GolfNow operates the largest online tee-time marketplace in the world, offering 3.5 million registered golfers a variety of ways to stay connected to their favorite courses and the ability to easily book tee times online and via mobile devices any time of day. GolfPass members receive special playing perks through GolfNow, including tee time credit and rewards. GolfNow, part of the NBC Sports Group with offices in Orlando, Fla., and Belfast, Northern Ireland, also provides technology, support and marketing services to more than 9,000 golf courses in 24 countries around the world.
-NBC Sports Group-
Dan Higgins
NBC Sports Digital
Dan.Higgins@nbcuni.com
407-496-8107