How can our golf course benefit from digital mapping?
Golf course development and management is challenged by ever increasing competition, costs and regulations. New information technologies in mapping and land data acquisition are enabling more efficient course planning and operations, and more enjoyable play.
What do you mean by ‘digital mapping’?
Computer-based instruments are used to map land resources and to collect attribute information about those assets. This information is organized in a Geographic Information System
(GIS) - essentially a map plus a database - with robust analysis, data conversion and publishing capabilities.
Is this the same as GPS-mapping?
Global Positioning Systems (GPS), which use satellite signals for
earth navigation and measurement, are one of these new tools. (It is important to note that there are different grades of GPS instruments and GPS mapping services). A complete golf course information solution may also include the use of laser-based
totalstations, aerial photography, and software for mapping, design, visualization, and publishing in hardcopy and digital media.
We already have maps of our course, why should we pay for new ones?
Just as in other industries, digital technologies are allowing us to obtain more accurate data, with richer content, and which is more easily shared and more widely used, than previous forms and processes. The investment in digital mapping returns immediate budget savings and establishes a dataset with broad ongoing utility.
How can new digital maps benefit management of our existing course?
Accurate area measurement is a significant benefit. Traditionally, golf courses have overestimated the areas of course features by 10-20%. There are immediate budget saving opportunities in recalibrating material budgets and contractor bids. Digital maps provide an accurate and reliable measurement baseline to adjust management regimes upon.
How can a digital mapping approach benefit our course renovation?
These new tools allow us to produce highly detailed topographic maps, previously impossible, and now economically. This provides golf course architects the best possible dataset for analysis, design and presentation. Also, these precise as-built plans now give us the ability to restore the course to its original design
when doing restorations.
Are there additional benefits for new course development?
There are significant economies when mapping tasks are planned and coordinated throughout the planning, construction, and operation of the facility. Employing digital mapping from the start of a new project will support improved design and construction, helping to keep the project on time and in budget. The resulting maps and data can then be used to create products for use in marketing, maintenance, and play.
How can our membership appreciate this investment?
In addition to supporting high quality course conditions and controlling costs, digital mapping provides a source for distinctive graphics in marketing media and player materials. The digital map dataset is also a pre-requisite to implementing GPS-yardage software.