When you review the landscape of sports as influenced by technology, it’s difficult to find a history as storied – and convoluted – as golf. Steeped in historical ties to rules, conduct and behavior, the game avoided and often fought against technological advance, regardless not only of potential benefit but also of the intended target.
For the fortunes of us all, some tech advances (and the innovators behind them) refuse to let the forces of tradition win. It’s a rare occasion, but from time to time, we get a true game changer.
Such is the case with GolfLogix. Before smartphones put GPS in every palm across the land, this golf-obsessed group had already envisioned the day, with hopes they would all be driving golf carts with that free hand. Fourteen years later, GolfLogix is celebrated as the most popular sports app ever, touting over three million loyal users spanning a multitude of nations across the globe.
It’s a unique journey traveled by an extreme minority, a startup turned success in a world that values a time void of startups. Peter Charleston, President of GolfLogix, has been there through it all, and he was kind enough to sit down and tell us all about it.
SportTechie (ST): GolfLogix has been around for so long, and in the golf community, you are known and adored for the services you’re providing via mobile platforms. Most startups who follow this path experience one (if not multiple) major pivots, turning from the initial plan to promising opportunities. How has the journey progressed for GolfLogix, from the start of the company to today?
GolfLogix (GL): We started in 1999, my partner Scott (Lambrecht, co-founder and CEO) and I, with a patent for a few simple ideas that resulted in the first of three major pivots for GolfLogix. The patent was for software that would log and record various stats associated with GPS positioning, club selection and the course. It also included details for several reports we would offer and later included images.
The goal was, in truth, an online golf community collaborating over their handicaps, efforts to improve, and the love of golf… a golf Facebook, five years before Facebook launched. We wanted to enable golfers to form groups, organize tee times, and share war stories.
Unfortunately, we found the technology wasn’t really there. The online communities weren’t enabled to organize and share beyond simple chats, and we had obvious work to do in innovating the applications to bring those golf records into play.
In late 2000, we launched with GolfLogix software running on Garmin hardware, pushed on some of the best golf courses in America via kiosks on the course. It was a challenge as we had to manipulate our software to work with someone else’s hardware, but it worked, making us the first GPS system designed specifically for golf. We had to simplify, which was truly our first pivot… we had the same goals, but the focus became the software and how it would be delivered.
This led to the obvious challenge: mapping the golf courses of the world. If we’re making the software the focus, this was clearly a need of enormous undertaking. We were also living in a world that failed to support technology. The USGA would not accept electronic measures or recordings for use in official handicaps.
Rule 14-3 was a significant issue, but we still had loyal supporters asking for more, and that group was growing exponentially. We continued to see rising numbers in orders, our software was evolving, and we were putting a significant portion of those profits into the growth of our course map database. However, we were still working primarily with courses. We were available on some of the best courses in the US, but we were restricted as a tool for reference when we wanted to help golfers do much more.
In January 2006, that changed. The USGA removed the rule from the books and allowed electronic measures for handicaps. That was a tremendous event for us, officially opening our abilities to develop for and serve the consumer.
That led to our second pivot: marketing. In 2007 we revealed our first consumer product at the PGA Show. SkyCaddie was there with similar offerings, but they couldn’t compete with our recording features and reports to help the dedicated golfer work on their game and lower their handicap. In early 2008 we released our first GolfLogix-specific Garmin unit, a campaign that featured national ads with Peter Kostis and Gary McCord. It’s was a tremendous time for us, liberated to finally let our developers experiment and push the envelope while our revenues grew to support them.
That led to our third pivot: smartphones. In the late fall of 2008, the world was introduced to the Blackberry. It was the first device of its kind, a phone capable of computer functionality. We jumped on the opportunity to transform our applications immediately… and to be honest, we suffered for a bit as a result. Most were resistant to smartphones at first, but we recognized the potential these devices held for GolfLogix. We put almost all of our developers on it, and as you might expect, our current systems suffered a bit while we worked on systems utilized by a small (but growing) group.
It was all worth it. In July of 2009 we launched “Blackberry Turf”, the first ever golf app for smartphones. We quickly became the #1 sports app on the market, and we’ve stayed there since. Today we have over three million users via the mobile apps.
It’s been an unbelievable journey.
ST: The third pivot – moving from customized platforms to mobile smartphone applications – is of particular intrigue. Considering the control GolfLogix earned over the experience through the earlier years of the product’s evolution, the move to smartphones – an environment that seems to take a sharp left away from control – must have been a significant challenge for the company… yet GolfLogix has enjoyed industry-wide praise and support throughout, and today ranks as one of the most popular sport-related mobile apps on the market. Tell us about this transition for your team and the challenges of this evolution.
GL: The effort to move into mobile applications and away from the customized Garmin units was, primarily, a development issue… and resulted in a large-scale renovation of that team. It was a stressful time for our team, but we were blessed with our place in the market when it arrived.
GolfLogix was one of the early mobile adopters. Our first app launched in iTunes when there were less than 30k apps available. However, we were also one of the few companies seeking top developers that was established as a viable venture. We were able to find and hire some amazing developers, and more importantly, we were enjoying the freedom to develop an application that was enabled with the powers we desired most: updates. In the past we were looking at a product that would hit the market and enjoy a shelf life of one year or more.
Updates were a reality, and our creativity was somewhat restricted as a result. We’d have ideas come and go without ever giving them a true chance with golfers, and we had one true shot a year to give those golfers something new.
With the arrival of the Blackberry, we could push updates any time we wanted. We could encourage and gather real-time feedback from real users. Best of all, we could give ANY idea we had an opportunity. We also found freedom via the new approach to memory. Moving to subscription models gave users the freedom to bring courses in as needed or desired. We didn’t have to force them into uploads via USB or to eat up memory keeping them. Smartphones allowed users to download courses in real time, and that allowed us to move to a subscription model that works well for our users while helping us build loyalties providing premium services that match our users’ needs as they grow with the app.
These phones are truly the most amazing gift.
In truth, the Blackberry and the arrival of the smartphone gave us true patent freedom… all of those aspects of our original patent were finally given an optimal host, and our dreams were finally finding the tech to make them a reality. It was a challenging experience, but the rewards… I cannot express that enough. It changed our business, our process and our goals, all for the better.
And today, Android is progressing this further. Now we are capable of developing one application that works on a multitude of platforms, and it works well. It’s proving to be the perfect match for GolfLogix, and we’re excited about where this is going.
ST: Many of the golfers I engage with that utilize GolfLogix are quick to praise what may be the most powerful aspect of the effort: the database of golf course maps. No matter where you go, users find magnificent detail in the construction of the course, and over recent years GolfLogix has developed an impressive list of functions to empower the user to interact with those course maps. How does GolfLogix achieve this level of intimacy with so many courses, and how does that challenge influence the GolfLogix effort?
GL: The process… how can I say this… its laborious and expensive. At first, it was simply a matter of contracting proper agencies to map courses and provide digital mapping. It was a necessity and a factor we held supreme to many others. It was key to our success, and thus it was worth the expense.
We talked about that second pivot, pushing GolfLogix into retail space. We launched that retail product with 12k courses available. While much of that was built by our own process, the true event that made such a large database a reality was the opportunity to connect with a satellite imaging company also working with the US Federal Government. It was insanely accurate imaging, giving us 1-3 yard accuracy. We used to joke about the ability to see a golfer’s cap logo in those images.
That was the start of an expansive effort to cover the courses of the world. The mapping was there, we simply had to put it to use. We started with the basic features golfers would appreciate, measuring yardage to major hazards, greens, and such. Later we evolved that into more specific golf analysis, integrating club selections and other features to increase the connection with the individual golfer.
Today, its insane. We cover over 33k courses in the United States. That’s 99% of the courses out there. More importantly, golfers are empowered to manipulate their club selections via user-selected distances. If you are a short hitter and know your irons typically work to shorter distances than most, you can select the distances you want to measure rather than relying on those requisite distances provided in the past. We’re still using that same service for mapping today… it’s NOT Google Maps. It’s top of the line imaging driven by progressive features… we want to serve every golfer out there, and no matter your style or ability, we want our features to work at a supreme level no matter where you choose to tee it up.
ST: This golf season (for most Americans) is winding down, and I’m wondering about the development process at GolfLogix. You’ve heard feedback on your current system and I was hoping you might have some insights – maybe even some insider info – on the process utilized in putting that feedback (as well as new ideas and creation from your team) into motion for the next iteration of your service, and what we might be looking for from GolfLogix next season.
GL: In terms of features… I don’t really know! We don’t really know. Here in Arizona, golf season never really ends. We’re still going strong, but October is typically the time we use to sit down, review, discuss, and consider experimentation. We’ll have some ideas down by the holidays, will test late this year and early next year, and then release new features once we develop them to the point of satisfaction.
We call it our “feature creep”, and you can bet the feedback of our users plays a tremendous role in the process. Our most loyal users know they are heard, and we are constantly evolving to meet and exceed their dreams.
I will say this. The continued evolution and appreciation for statistics has been an undeniable focus for us for many years, and now that the golf community is working – on all levels – to speed the advance of statistical analysis… we’re working hard to insure our users are on top of that evolution.
After all, I feel its fair to say GolfLogix played a big role in tearing down those walls. We’ve been dedicated to the role of innovator for the game of golf, and we continue to hold those values and goals on high.
ST: One of the most overlooked aspects of the GolfLogix system is the data tracking and analytic services this system provides. You noted the original GolfLogix patent included the report of various golf components for users looking to put numbers behind the effort to improve, and today’s emphasis on analytics has allowed GolfLogix to finally enjoy overdue praise for the effort to support those desires. How has the demand for statistics influenced the evolution of GolfLogix development, and how are users putting those offerings into action?
GL: For our team, it’s always fun to revisit the old patents and compare to what we’re doing today. We’ve been in pursuit of advanced statistical application since that very first patent… we just had to wait for the market to catch up with us. It’s been a process to get from the early versions of the GolfLogix to the apps of today, and our users’ comfort with those advanced features has grown along the way.
We’re finding more golfers are utilizing statistics for efforts to improve the handicap, and this really gets us motivated to push that envelope. It’s one thing to review the round and marvel at the numbers. It’s another to put them to use. We’ve developed tools and features not only to ease the process of analysis, but to help the average golfer understand the importance of gathering it and putting it into action.
It’s a simple idea: we want golfers to golf. Golfers will golf more when they improve. They get out, they work on their game, they chase lower scores. The better they get, the more they play… and the more you play, the better that is for GolfLogix. THAT is our goal. We want to encourage that process and encourage golfers to golf. It’s a responsibility we take seriously, and we work to develop and evolve to do just that.
I’ll say this… if you are a stat tracker, the scorecard will seem silly after using GolfLogix. Analysis becomes a convenient reality, our user interface is simple and intuitive, and our app has evolved into a platform that can help you right now.
That’s where the new partnership with Golf Digest really kicks in. It’s a huge step in that same direction, and it really takes that effort to help each and every golfer RIGHT NOW to a new level.
ST: That provides an excellent bridge into the latest and (potentially) greatest innovation from the GolfLogix team. Your team has partnered with Golf Digest to integrate the publication’s vast library of golf tutorial into the user’s experience via real-time opportunity to enjoy expert assistance with your game. What can you tell us about this feature, how it came to be and what the future might bring from this powerful golf partnership?
GL: One of the most basic goals of our mobile strategy is rather simple: the user should get out of the app what he/she wishes to put in. In the game of golf, you have a passionate, dedicated foundation of users who will seek and utilize anything you can give them. You also have the most casual of golfer who hits the links once or twice a year, and they’d like to enjoy the experience as much as they can. We want to give both golfers, and every golfer in between, all they could want from a mobile, tech-enhanced round of golf.
Golf Digest works with the same principle, and their brand is as established as any in the game. Their publications are renowned for quality, potency and function. They truly target EVERY golfer out there, casual or dedicated, and they do so within the instructionals they provide. It’s one of the defining aspects of the publication, and it’s a call for a partnership that’s truly made in golf heaven.
They invited us to visit the office, we sat down, and they made a very simple suggestion: let’s give golfers what they want and need right now, and golfers need help. No one does help like Golf Digest, and from there the conversation exploded. It was such a simple concept, a true inspiration for our team… and again, it led to some small challenges via development. Once an idea sparks so much vision, we want to get everyone involved. This idea controlled us for a long time as the idea inspires and grows, and we tend to let it consume us.
We also wanted to insure we hit this out of the park. It’s such an amazing step for everyone involved, we wanted to get it right… and I think we’ve done well. Users are given the opportunity to match their position on the course with a video lesson from Golf Digest, giving users instant help at the moment they need it most.
Growing automation options, easing distribution to the user’s desires… we have some immediate goals, but this feature and the partnership with Golf Digest just continues to sharpen our offerings. Since launch in August, feedback has been outstanding.
ST: The rise of biometric tech has created and encouraged a direct connection between the human and the technology, and while GolfLogix isn’t gearing towards those health-related integrations for their users, it’s clear your company values the opportunity to provide evaluation and support for each and every specific user, bridging that same gap leveraged by rising biometric tech. In terms of that connection, how will GolfLogix evolve moving forward?
GL: To be a successful app, you must have user engagement. You have to produce a direct correlation between the user and the game.
Likewise, you have to help golfers understand the direct correlation between rounds played and your score. No matter your skill level, it’s the undeniable truth: you get better when you play more. We want you to play more. We want you to get better. We want to help you get better, and to play more, and keep getting better and better. There’s more enjoyment found in shooting lower scores. That’s undeniable, yes?
(ST: I agreed at this point, and believe anyone would.)
Our goal is to enable that. To enable the love of golf, and the desire to play more, and to get better by playing more. We give you the tools to build confidence and to prove that undeniable truth. We’re here to give our users a return on the investment in the app and in the game of golf. We’re trying to engage users and build confidence in those users, by any and all means we have to do so.
Anything we can do to promote that, and to promote the game of golf, that’s our future. Use our app, play better golf, then play more golf. We want to grow the game. It’s our ultimate goal.
Once it’s got it’s hooks in you, it’s got you.
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A tremendous note of thanks to Peter and the entire team at GolfLogix. You can find their apps via the Google Play Store and/or iTunes, you can connect with them via Twitter and Facebook, and you can visit their website to learn much more. We cannot recommend it enough… a common problem with an industry’s top-rated app.
Thanks for reading.