Upper Arlington, OH — The latest episode of the Tech Caddie podcast features Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA). Karen joined host Mike Hendrix to discuss the state of golf course ownership, membership growth, and how booking engine data and artificial intelligence are reshaping the way operators run their businesses.
In the episode, “Jay Karen talks challenges and tech for the NGCOA,” Hendrix and Karen explore how NGCOA has grown from roughly 3,000 to more than 4,200 member golf courses since 2015, why education and advocacy remain the association’s twin priorities, and how operators can begin using the data already sitting inside their booking engines to make better decisions.
Rethinking What Operators Measure: A central theme of the conversation is the gap between the data golf operators collect and the data they actually use. Karen and Hendrix discuss how most course operators track basic metrics like rounds and revenue, but rarely dig into booking engine performance—who visits, what they click, and where they abandon the process before buying a tee time.
This shift reflects a broader industry trend where:
- Conversion rate and drop-off data go largely unexamined across the industry
- Traditional benchmarking has struggled to feel “actionable” rather than merely “interesting”
- Operators increasingly look to consumer platforms like Airbnb for lessons on hosting and dynamic pricing
Putting AI to Work on Existing Data Karen shares how NGCOA is positioning artificial intelligence not as a new system to buy, but as a tool to unlock information operators already have. Rather than asking course owners to adopt an entirely new platform, the conversation highlights how AI can summarize booking engine performance into something operators can act on daily—without adding time to their schedule.
This approach allows operators to:
- Turn raw booking engine data into daily, digestible reporting
- Understand conversion and drop-off patterns without new software overhauls
- Apply lessons from dynamic pricing pioneers like GolfNow’s early automated engine
Education, Advocacy, and the Road Ahead With a membership base spanning municipal, private, and daily-fee courses, NGCOA has built its strategy around two pillars: education and advocacy. The episode outlines how the organization:
- Delivers ongoing education through webinars, conferences, and peer networks
- Advocates on behalf of operators in dealings with technology and supplier partners
- Balances relationships with vendors while holding the industry accountable to its members
This approach has allowed NGCOA to grow its membership while continuing to push the industry toward better data practices.
A Real-World Framework for Golf Operators The conversation offers a practical starting point for golf course owners and operators looking to get more value from the technology they already use. As booking engines and AI tools continue to evolve, the episode highlights a clear message: success isn’t about collecting more data—it’s about measuring what actually matters and turning it into action.
Listen to the Full Episode 🔗 https://www.golfcoursetechnologyreviews.org/podcast-episodes/jay-karen-tech-caddie-podcast
About Tech Caddie Tech Caddie, hosted by Mike Hendrix, explores the technology, trends, and strategies shaping the future of golf course operations. The podcast features conversations with industry leaders, operators, and innovators focused on improving the business of golf.
