The golf sector continues to lead in the development of a national contactless check-in system with the UK roll out of the GoPlaySafe smartphone app developed during lockdown.
A successful trial at 10 Lancashire and Oxfordshire clubs throughout July and August saw more than 1,500 registrations and more than 15,000 check-ins.
Participating golf clubs praised the app for its ease of use by both golfers- member and non-member, and busy golf club administrators and PGA Professionals.
Following the Government’s announcement that it is now a legal requirement for hospitality businesses to collect data of visitors, the app is now ready for a national roll-out with every golf course added.
The app works with both with geolocation and QR scanning. Once they have downloaded the app, a golfer can visit any golf club and check-in safely and efficiently, maintaining social distancing. The date, time of visit is logged in a secure database, making monitoring, contact tracing and secure storage of the data easy for club officials and fully GDPR compliant.
The app is focused on the growing number of independent golfers – now estimated to be more than 1.5 million playing regularly – who will no longer have to download a multitude of apps to sign in at individual golf clubs but can register every time using one app, knowing their data is being stored safely and securely on a central database.
Jane Carter, Director PGA One Golf Network, the company behind the app, said: “We have been delighted with the results of the trial which have proven that it is no barrier to people playing but that they welcome the ability to simply and safely check-in, knowing they can be contacted if there are issues in the future. With the uncertainty of the months ahead, the sporadic lockdowns measures and now the legal requirement for hospitality sectors to collect data, the need for one app and one check in method has never been more pressing.
“Golf is the only sector to recognise that constantly asking people to sign in, download a multitude of apps or signs forms, is not a great customer experience. Whilst the GoPlaySafe app won’t capture all of the details all of time, it will be a valuable tool for the industry now and in the future.”
The company is embarking on a national social media campaign for golfers to download the app and use it every time they play. Every visit at every golf club is logged on a central database and a golfer can be automatically informed if the golf club reports a case of Covid-19 or has to close for any reason.
Carter added: “If a golf club does not have the resource to maintain data collection then we can act as their central collection point. Whilst coronavirus has presented enormous challenges for the game, and will continue to do so, the opportunity now to legitimately collect visitor data as legally mandated by the Government should be embraced by the golf industry. The GoPlaySafe app sends a clear message to customers that we have the best interests of the workforce and customers at heart.”
Importantly for participating golf clubs, each golfers receives a welcome message at check in and invites the golfer to sign up to marketing communications from the golf club. The app not only addresses the challenge of data collection but will also offer a low-cost public liability insurance scheme, so that every golfer playing at a golf course is insured, rather than having to rely on the golf club’s own insurance cover.
Clubs and PGA Professionals can find out more about GoPlaySafe app and how to register by visiting https://goplaysafe.co.uk/, or by contacting Jane Carter at jane.carter@golfconsulting.co.uk. Costs are minimal for both golf clubs and golfers. The GoPlaySafe app is currently free to golf club members to download and available on the App Store and Google Play.