The broad expanse of the extraordinary, technologically driven practice facility at The Club at Ibis, in West Palm Beach, Florida, is a testament to the commitment of a forward-thinking Board of Directors and membership in a highly competitive golf marketplace. It's also proof that TurfHound Inc., the leader in premium dynamic synthetic golf tee systems, should be a critical element of any club or course that's driven to dramatically enhance the overall enjoyment of the golf experience for its players.
Last November, after a one-year overhaul of its massive range, which PGA director of golf Ben Bauer said had previously been, essentially, "an open field," since the club was launched in 1991, Ibis celebrated the $3 million investment with a grand opening that featured World Golf Hall of Fame member Annika Sorenstam and PGA Professional Martin Hall, who has hosted hundreds of Golf Channel instruction segments at Ibis.
Bauer said the 700 Ibis members who watched the talented pair from bleachers set up on the back end of the range, were immediately captivated by Callaway Golf's Toptracer Range Technology. The six Toptracer units -- Ibis is the first private club in Florida to utilize Toptracer -- provide immediate feedback (launch angle, carry distance, spin rate, etc.) for golfers who are using a mobile app on the range and who are hitting shots at synthetic target greens with exact distances provided from keypads on each of the combined 85 hitting stations on the two ends of the range.
The immediate impact has been significant -- Bauer said that while some 50,000 range balls previously would be hit on "the busiest of days," Ibis members and guests now average hitting between 70,000 and 80,000 range balls daily. What's more, Bauer reports that lessons given by the 12 full-time PGA and LPGA instructors on staff has increased by 20 percent, and Ibis already has sold two new club memberships solely based on the visual presentation of the range.
Furthermore, Bauer said that there have been more than 800 downloads so far of the Toptracer app at Ibis. All the while, four robotic range pickers are programmed to pick up balls on a range ringed by TurfHound hitting systems.
"The club looked at how it could substantially differentiate Ibis from the many other private clubs here in south Florida and give our members even more reason to use the range, whether by warming up on the front part or working on their games on the back of the range," Bauer explained. "TurfHound has been a big reason why people are hitting more balls and spending more time on the range. The product is phenomenal, and people are excited to hit off the TurfHound tee systems because of the consistency of the hitting areas and the aesthetic look of the stations."
Brian Golden, a PGA member for 25 years and the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for TurfHound Inc., said he's inspired by the transformation at Ibis.
"We could not be any happier to be involved with such a progressive model as the one that Ibis has produced on its range," he said. "I know that Ben is excited to see the increased engagement he and his staff are having with Ibis members who are embracing this incredible technology. That aligns perfectly with our goals at TurfHound -- to give golfers the opportunity to enjoy the game more.”
The pioneering company is coming off its best year ever, and TurfHound tee systems can now be found at more than 900 customers in North America, including 65 of the top-ranked courses in the United States. As Ibis continues to learn, TurfHound hitting systems provide a great return on investment for any facility that is using creative ways to get more golfers to their ranges.
Said Bauer: "We're very pleased with TurfHound because we're trying to create the best possible experience for our members, and TurfHound allows us to do just that."
For more information, visit TurfHound.com, follow TurfHound on Instagram and Twitter, and call Brian Golden at 877-377-3100.