NY Muni Course Bringing Golfers Into the Future

Technology is everywhere and, when integrated correctly, enhances the consumer experience. And golf isn’t immune to this. Indeed, a few years ago, a video was posted showing how Grove XXIII—a private course developed by Michael Jordan—was using drones to make mid-round food and drink deliveries.

Here’s video Caroline Wozniacki posted yesterday of the food and drink delivery by drone out at Michael Jordan’s newish golf course, Grove XXIII. (Also the scooters in the background) pic.twitter.com/QEAyUCI0yO

— Brendan Porath (@BrendanPorath) December 7, 2020

This much-needed development, however, is no longer exclusive to private facilities.

Starting this season, Harbor Links—a public course located in Long Island, merely 20 minutes from the infamous Bethpage Black—will be incorporating two, significant technological improvements.

First, the beloved snack cart will be put out to pasture and, in its place, will be automated robots that will deliver burgers, transfusions and other delicacies during your round. Similar to the Avride robots utilized by Uber Eats, golfers will be able to place orders from their phone, presumably through a Harbor Links app that will actively update the robot with your location as you progress from hole to hole—ensuring that food stays warm and drinks stay cold.

Harbor Links is touting this change as the “first in the world,” and stands to eliminate the all too frequent feeling of being abandoned without food and drink during peak summer season. Although I’m confident that everyone will appreciate the stale, questionable cart-girl jokes being put to rest, the ultimate question is whether the automated delivery robots will be a disruption, as no one wants their round interrupted by a fleet of robots cutting across the fairway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Second, Harbor Links will be updating its driving range. Previously adorned with the abused mats, metal stall separators and a ball machine that only accepted tokens, the new Harbor Links driving range will be full-covered and feature InRange Technology—which will not only provide you with invaluable data (ball speed, carry distance, etc.), but also allow you to gamify your practice time.

These changes can be attributed to the change in management; although Harbor Links is owned by Town of North Hempstead, Brooke Management Group—led by Kelley Brooke, a nationally recognized coach whose featured on Golf Academy—was tapped this winter to start managing the course (and will continue to do so for the next 20 years).

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Among the two significant changes to Harbor Links’ Championship Course, which will be reopening for play in just a few weeks (March 14), Brooke Management has also started making similar improvements to the neighboring 9-hole executive course, which will now be known as the “Lower.” Specifically, the Lower will be receiving a beer garden—appropriately named “Pour Decisions”—that will help promote a more relaxed, hang-out environment that is becoming more and more commonplace at courses across the country—Pinehurst’s Cradle, Bandon’s Preserve and Sand Valley’s Sandbox (among others).

Given the significant post-COVID boom that golf has been experiencing, it’s hopeful that other muni and privately-owned public golf courses will begin to incorporate similar improvements that will not only improve the experience, but also help drive new golfers to their facilities.

Cover Image via Harbor Links