Smaller rural golf clubs without a pro shop have always had a problem with collecting green fees from visitors. The old honesty box and safe system common to most rural clubs only allows for the correct amount of cash, doesn’t accept credit or debit cards, and suffers problems with golfer payment tracking and dishonesty.
In what may be a first for smaller Australian golf clubs, Trentham Golf Club in Victoria has adopted an IT solution to the payment issue by adapting parking technology to green fee payments.
The club has installed a green-fee ticket machine, supplied and programmed by New Zealand-based company Integrated Technology Solutions Limited.
The machine accepts notes, Visa and Mastercard and can use modern Paywave technology for amounts up to $100.
Visitors can pay their green fees by selecting the number of players, whether adult or junior, the number of holes required (9 or 18), hire carts, hire clubs and pullbuggies, through the screen and keypad. The machine will calculate the cost and print a ticket showing the date, time, itemised payment details and the total amount paid. The ticket also acts as a tax invoice.
All golfers visiting the club will now need a valid printed ticket purchased through the machine before teeing off. While the main aim is provide better service to golfers and more payment options, the club also aims to reduce the number of nonpaying golfers and has instituted regular random course checks in conjunction with the ticket system.
Course marshals are able to instantly determine what payments have been made by checking the ticket. The theft-proof machine utilises GPRS technology via the mobile phone system to link to credit card payments.
While it is expected that the vast majority of golfers will pay with credit card, any cash is cleared daily and no money is stored overnight in the machine. The machine also incorporates an alarm system that activates if tampered with.
For further information please contact:
Colin Wilson via e-mail: info@trenthamgolf.com.au
Web site: www.trenthamgolf.com.au