Expensive Golf Cart GPS

[iacas]

Pace of play is an issue at Whispering Woods. It's a somewhat odd course to play the first time and a lot of new players to the course are often fooled as to where their ball actually ends up. They hit what they think is a good shot, then find that it's in the scrub or something...

I suggested to the course that they consider getting those GPS systems, not so much for the on-course GPS stuff, but more so they could help push pace of play. Most of those systems have the ability to tell golfers if they're on pace, to pass on messages from the pro shop.

$850k at a minimum. Wow. For a fleet of about 72 carts (the maximum any course really needs, plus a few spares). That's $12,500 per cart, basically.

With hand-held GPS costing $200 to $300, that's amazing. Seriously, how has someone not come up with a system that costs half as much by now? They'd rule the market. GPS chips cost almost nothing (ten cents or thereabouts).

Wow.

[/mini-rant]

[Dub]

It's gotta be an expensive proposition.

I'm shocked that our course has them...I truly am.

It does speed things up nicely, though. They monitor carefully from the pro shop.....example...cart path only days when it's wet.....they are quick to flash messages to carts that are off the paths.....big brother is watching.


Depending on how their system is set up you can quickly send (menu driven )messages to the pro shop by pushing two buttons.

My group had a cart die on us....sent the corresponding message and a cart was delivered prior to us finishing hole.

Safety.....you can request medical assistance.


Safety......you can see the exact yardages to other golf carts in your vicinity...even though you may not have direct line of sight to them.

It's my understanding that the cost of these units is recovered by on-screen advertising that is available. Local business by screen time to show their add a couple of times per round. It flashes up....and stays there until you press a button to return to the previous screen.


It can speed up the after round calculations for tourneys, too. Groups can punch in their scores on the units as they go......the pro shop can keep a running score which is accurate and completed as soon as the last group punches in their scores.

[Cooker]

One way a lot of my local courses are offsetting the cost is to sell advertising space on the GPS screens. On each hole a different company would have an ad that would show up on the screen. Not sure if they have these everywhere yet?

[Pinseeker81]

Our city course got them recently. Man are they cool. They even have a readout on the back of the roof so you can see it while you're pulling a club out of your bag.

[iacas]

It does speed things up nicely, though. They monitor carefully from the pro shop.....example...cart path only days when it's wet.....they are quick to flash messages to carts that are off the paths.....big brother is watching.

I think a lot of that can be set up automatically. I know some courses have restricted areas (hills near water) where the carts will shut off or only go in reverse if you get close to them, things like that.

Safety.....you can request medical assistance.

Oh, I know they can be used for a lot. But c'mon, it's a GPS and a text messaging system that doesn't need to cover more than a one mile line, basically. Walkie Talkie radios can cover that much distance easily unless the course is cut through metal canyons.

All yours for a cool million. Heck, years ago I thought I'd read that they were $5k/cart and thought it was expensive back then. $12.5k/cart!

It's my understanding that the cost of these units is recovered by on-screen advertising that is available. Local business by screen time to show their add a couple of times per round. It flashes up....and stays there until you press a button to return to the previous screen.

I'm sure that's how it works at the courses that see fit to do it. But it likely takes a LONG time to recoup $1M, and if it doesn't increase the rounds played, there's NO real incentive to do it. Then courses are trying to sell ads rather than provide a good golf experience - not their core task at all.

[Eeryck]

With hand-held GPS costing $200 to $300, that's amazing. Seriously, how has someone not come up with a system that costs half as much by now? They'd rule the market. GPS chips cost almost nothing (ten cents or thereabouts).

I suspect a fair bit of the additional price is the screen cost. While LCD displays have come down signifigantly in cost in recent years, there is still a fair markup as you increase in size.

LCD displays in general are sold on a fairly tight margin. Until recently the manufacturing process failure rate was astronomical. It was what kept the cost of laptops high in the early '90s. -E

[Pinseeker81]

$12.5k/cart!

They could just duct tape Sky Caddies to the front post for a heck of a lot cheaper

[ryohazuki222]

I'm surprised there's not more issue taken with the price (aside from the OP).

Just think about it for a second.....$12,500 per cart.

I can buy....
like 125 lcd computer monitors for that.
over 30 netbooks.
over 20 cell phone plans pair for a year.
30 or so GPSs!!!

And that's just for the price of ONE cart.

No, I don't get it at all. I hope someone can explain it..... you should call the company and ask them to expain why the price is worth it! I'd love to hear how you justify that much per cart.

[perfectsim]

I wonder if that includes fees for mapping out the course on GPS? It still shouldn't be that high.


In reality, somebody owns a patent (which might not even hold up in court!) and the litigation costs are higher than the profit potential for another firm to come in and compete.

[mad max]

I'm surprised there's not more issue taken with the price (aside from the OP).

We do live in a capitalist society. If someone could do the job for cheaper they would and they would make lots of money. The real cost of new technology is the initial setup and the maintenance. I doubt the cost of the screen and chips is more than $400-$600 per cart, what the courses are paying for is for people to do an excellent job of mapping the course including where you are not allowed to drive, another group to get the pro shops computers linked up with the carts. I will admit 850K sounds like a lot but I would like to know who was giving this information about how much it costs, was this from someone you trust?

[madcityscott]

They had these at La Quinta when I was down there last weekend. The coolest part is they show you the distance to the carts in front of you, so you know when it's OK to hit away.

On the other hand, the unit in my cart the second day needed to be rebooted at least twice.

[HSip]

Boy that really does sound like $$$. The superintendent at a local course told me that the wiffle ball they use on the flag stick to indicate hole location costs them almost $20. If you extrapolate that to the cost of a cart I guess it can get pretty outrageous. So it sounds like its the typical "gouge" when selling to a golf course.

[ryohazuki222]

We do live in a capitalist society. If someone could do the job for cheaper they would and they would make lots of money. The real cost of new technology is the initial setup and the maintenance. I doubt the cost of the screen and chips is more than $400-$600 per cart, what the courses are paying for is for people to do an excellent job of mapping the course including where you are not allowed to drive, another group to get the pro shops computers linked up with the carts. I will admit 850K sounds like a lot but I would like to know who was giving this information about how much it costs, was this from someone you trust?

I understand that....

But lets say it took a whole month of full time work to get it up and running. You're paying the firm/person almost 80 bucks an hour... which is like a 160k per year salary. That's for ONE cart. I think its absurd still. Though now I'm wondering if the price includes a cart, or is just an addition to already owned carts. I'm assuming it's 12.5k to add on to an already owned cart....... which is why I find the whole thing so unbelievable.

[Lemay427]

A lot of the courses around St. Louis use the handheld GPS devices that are attached to the cart. They are the same units you buy only they are set up for that particular course. I would suggest that route as I can't see this option being more than 500 to 1000 dollars per cart.

[mkrolewski]

I'm surprised there's not more issue taken with the price (aside from the OP).

Well there are a few things. You are buying a hardened system: it is sitting outside in all kinds of weather, occasional hosing down with soda, beer or the hose when the cart is washed, punches from fists, hands, clubs and who knows what else. Given a warranty, it really should be able to handle all of this. The other thing is the radio to the club house. The other end -- the base station includes the receiver in the pro shop, maybe the kitchen, computer to record information, send ads, software, etc. This alone could really raise the costs. Even when average over all the units. Since the market is pretty small ( and that price is making it smaller ), there are production costs -- manufacturing equipment, labor, etc. -- to be divided by only a few units. Obviously, this is a high profit item!! Having said that, it still is a pretty high priced item. Personally, I would rent uPro or hand held GPS or lasers on a credit card (full price -- you will return it) If the course really has that kind of money, hire fore caddies or caddies. Give them free to everyone. Maybe try a very detailed audio (video) description of the course with appropriate course books. Something like a master caddy pre-recorded. Ever with production costs, it would not be that high. Make it for PDA or cell phones, and everyone is happy.

[Incognito]

that $12,500 figure seems ridiculously high. I believe the gps unit that attaches to the golf cart is $500 - $1000. Include the price of new electric carts and you shouldnt be looking at more than $3000 per cart. Something with those numbers seem off.

I heard these are popular.

www.tothegreen.com

[goblue107501]

A lot of the courses around St. Louis use the handheld GPS devices that are attached to the cart. They are the same units you buy only they are set up for that particular course. I would suggest that route as I can't see this option being more than 500 to 1000 dollars per cart.

I think most of the courses in the Springfield area probably use the same thing. They are on all three of our city maintained, park board courses, so their has to be a cheaper alternative. I am friends with the pros at one of those courses, I'll ask him how much it is this weekend. The same unit is on a few other courses I play as well.

One private course in the area has a GPS system that has about a 8 inch monitor attached to the cart (leaderboard system maybe?). That one will give you a reading to the pin as there is a sensor in the pin that tells the GPS where it is. It can send messages to the clubhouse, and you can see where other carts are in the area. If you put it in 'marshal' mode you can see where every cart is on the course. They also have a monitor in the clubhouse where they can use that to keep track of play. I would have to think that this model is quite expensive. There seem to be many alternatives that would be less than $850K.

[iacas]

I will admit 850K sounds like a lot but I would like to know who was giving this information about how much it costs, was this from someone you trust?

The Director of Golf via the vendors. They went to the PGA Merch show to look at this and some other options.

On the other hand, the unit in my cart the second day needed to be rebooted at least twice.

Yeah, that's the downside. Sometimes they might slow down play while you fiddle with ordering or trying to get the view you want or who knows what else.

I have a laser rangefinder, of course, and wouldn't ever use it, but I thought that for perhaps first-timers they might be a good option.

Though now I'm wondering if the price includes a cart, or is just an addition to already owned carts. I'm assuming it's 12.5k to add on to an already owned cart....... which is why I find the whole thing so unbelievable.

It's the

additional cost. The carts would still be extra.

A lot of the courses around St. Louis use the handheld GPS devices that are attached to the cart. They are the same units you buy only they are set up for that particular course. I would suggest that route as I can't see this option being more than 500 to 1000 dollars per cart.

I think this might be a decent option, and I'll suggest it. First timers might really like having rental units and I almost wonder if SkyGolf wouldn't sell rental units to golf shops at cost or something because it helps to promote their product and potentially lead to more sales. i.e. "Wow, this SkyCaddie was so helpful, I should buy one for myself!" Probably not.

Remember, I don't really care about the GPS functions as far as pace of play goes. I was asking mostly for the communication with the pro shop type issues, or the basic pace-of-play measuring (i.e. "You're 15 minutes behind pace. Please play more quickly.").