By Brian Moore, Director of Sales at Eagle Club Systems
After 24 years in the golf industry, including the last 11 focused on golf course management software, I have seen a lot. One of the biggest ongoing challenges has been working with courses still using pencil and paper. Without any technology in place, the idea of transitioning to software can feel overwhelming. For operators, it often seems like an impossible task. For me, as someone passionate about helping courses run more efficiently, it has always been surprising just how many are still managing their entire operation manually.
That is why my time with Eagle Club Systems has been so rewarding. Over the past four years, we have helped more and more courses make the transition. Between my own background and the decades of experience brought by our CEO and PGA professional, Tyler Arnold, we understand both the operational side and the importance of keeping software simple. That combination has made a real difference.
A recent example we are especially proud of is Thorn Apple Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. This public golf course has been around for 59 years and was operating with a paper tee sheet and a basic cash register the entire time. That changed in March 2025 when Anthony King purchased the course. His first priority was implementing a modern golf course management software system. We had a front row seat as Eagle Club Systems was installed on day one, and the impact was immediate.
Having managed and worked at busy golf courses in places like Phoenix and Orlando, I thought I had seen it all. But I had never heard a golf shop phone ring as frequently as it did that first weekend. Director of Golf, Curtis Swartzman, shared, “As you can imagine, the number of phone calls we used to handle was overwhelming. It was not unusual to have customers on hold for several minutes.”
That Saturday went smoothly because the weather was still a bit cool. Most of the calls were for the following weekend, when a warm and sunny forecast had golfers eager to secure their times. I decided to return the next Saturday to help out and ensure the system was running smoothly.
The difference just one week later was noticeable. The phones were still ringing, but the volume was more manageable. Thorn Apple had already started booking nearly 20% of their rounds through the online booking engine. For a course that had never taken an online reservation in its history, that was impressive.
Then came April 12. Just under a month into using Eagle Club Systems, the course was now booking 40% of all rounds online. The transition was working, and golfers were loving it.
Curtis summed it up well: “Let’s start with the increased convenience for our customers. The ability to book tee times online, anytime, has been a game changer. We used to have no way for customers to book outside of business hours.”
And the momentum kept building. Looking ahead to Father’s Day 2025, 70% of the tee times are already booked online. In about 90 days, Thorn Apple went from no online tee times to having a majority of their rounds scheduled that way. That shift has made the staff’s job easier and improved the experience for golfers across the board.
The benefits did not stop there. Curtis also noted improvements in daily operations. Eagle Club Systems replaced both the paper tee sheet and the cash register with one easy-to-use solution. “Being a public course with a membership base, the software has made check-in simpler for both members and guests. Employees can quickly identify members in the system, which improves the experience. Inventory tracking is also much better. We used to write down every sale by hand, which gave us no real insight into what needed to be reordered. Now we can see exactly what is selling and when.”
These are the kinds of stories we love to hear. Taking a busy public golf course with loyal customers and helping them adopt a modern, integrated system is what we are here for. At Eagle Club Systems, we have stood on the other side of the counter. We know how tough it can be to adopt new technology, especially during the golf season. That is why we focus on making the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Whether you are coming off pencil and paper or looking to leave a legacy provider behind, our team is here to help. Visit our website at www.eagleclubsystems.com or schedule a personalized demo at calendly.com/eagleclubsystems/eagle-club-systems-ogcoa.