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To all PGA WEST Members,
I want to offer each of you an encouraging update on the progress being made to revise the EZLinks Tee Time Reservation System. Our goal is to make more tee times available while giving every Member an equal opportunity to reserve a tee time. I want to thank the Golf Access Committee, the Advisory Board, my Staff, and those Members who have thoughtfully presented ideas for consideration to resolve this very challenging and critical issue. All ideas proposed have been considered, and many were given a detailed evaluation.
The basis for the system currently being tested is inputting the names of the golfers during the reservation process. Additional options that will further compliment the system being tested remain under consideration. We are all committed to implementing these positive changes once the revised reservation system has been thoroughly tested and we are convinced that more tee times will be available. Please let me reiterate that I value groups, as well as individuals and am looking for the most effective system that will provide everyone with a fair and equitable process to obtain a desirable tee time.
Let’s begin with some factual system data confirming that tee time utilization is clearly not maximized, and that a significant number of available tee times exist and go unused. We reviewed cancellations on all six courses and found similar cancellation numbers on each course. For the following review, please note we used our findings from the Weiskopf Course.
¨ Cancellation Review:
i. From December 20th, 2008, thru January 20th, 2009, 867 tee times were cancelled.
ii. Of those 867 tee times, 519 were cancelled 3 days after the tee time was reserved, meaning those times were held out of circulation for a minimum of 3 days before being released back to the general Membership.
iii. 50% of those 519 tee times, or 259 tee times, were not released until the day of play time and therefore may not have been available for use by another Member at all. Those tee times were held for the full 5 days before being released.
iv. It is also regularly observed that a tee time is not cancelled at all, or is a no-show, which means there is no opportunity for that tee time to be utilized.
The following outlines the steps taken to revise and test the EZLinks software and where we currently stand:
¨ EZLinks Software/hardware evaluation: September-Present –
PGA WEST Staff, the ABG President and the Chairman of the Golf Access Committee have been working closely with EZLinks to modify the software coding to meet the stated goal within the functional system constraints.
¨ Information gathering / evaluation: Throughout January- Thoughts, ideas, and concepts were gathered from Members, group leaders, and non-group players to assist and aid us in formulating and confirming an appropriate approach to modify the Tee Time reservation process.
¨ Beta –Testing: January-
Initial Testing of the revised EZLinks Reservation process began on January 28th, 2009. The testing is designed to identify issues and challenges with the revised software and reservation process. We have assembled a diversified test group that broadly represents the Membership: Men, Women, Group Leaders, and Non-Group Players, with computer skills ranging from low to high. This group will continue “live” testing over the next 2-3 weeks. These test results will determine the next step toward implementation. Our intention is to implement the revised EZLinks system when the test group feels strongly that the revised system will be more effective than the current one. Through their thoughtful and detailed input in several meetings, the group has identified and helped eliminate many potential problems to seamlessly implement the revised system.
¨ Implementation Process: To Be Determined-
Once the revised EZLinks system is fully tested, we will invite all golf group leaders, and non-group Members to an informational meeting. The meeting will include a power-point presentation to review the process, question and answer session and a hands-on opportunity to personally use the revised reservation system. We want this to be as fluid a process as possible, understanding that to some degree, we will continue to modify and improve the revised reservation system. We also want to continue to hear from the Membership about routine failures of the EZLinks system where/when it fails to operate as it is supposed to, i.e. inability to confirm a time you have made, failure to receive a confirmation e-mail in your inbox, etc.
Everyone involved in this project sincerely thanks you for your patience. I believe we have the basis of ideas and software changes to provide PGA WEST Members with a better way of reserving a tee time whether as an individual or group player. Please know that the Membership test group, Golf Access Committee, PGA WEST staff and EZLinks are working diligently to finalize the most effective solution and process possible. I will be updating you again in the next few weeks with more details about when we can expect to implement the new system.
Sincerely & Respectfully,
Mike Kelly - Executive Director of PGA WEST
Don Shoffstall - ABG President
Carl Brooks - Golf Access Committee Chairman
Brad Benkey - Director of Golf
Jerry Eye - Golf Professional/EZLinks Coordinator | 
