From AI to younger golfers, Allison George shares what operators should be paying attention to now.
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The future of golf operations may not hinge on massive renovations or expensive technology investments. According to Allison George, owner and general manager of Toad Valley Golf Course in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, some of the biggest opportunities come from improving small touchpoints, embracing smarter systems and understanding how the next generation of golfers thinks differently.
What’s one inexpensive change a golf course can make tomorrow that would immediately improve the customer experience?
Golf courses tend to focus on course condition, and that matters, but what golfers remember is how the golf course made them feel. Creating a welcoming environment will always be the cheapest advantage. It’s in the little details: staff who welcome them and thank them for coming, asking about their game at the turn, clean bathrooms, organized traffic flow from the parking lot to the first tee and a confirmation email or text that helps first-time guests know what to expect. Small touchpoints add up to a much better overall experience.
Operators hear a lot about AI right now. What’s a realistic, practical way golf courses should be using AI today?
I use AI to automate the systems I used to hate doing, especially staff training. Golf has constant turnover, so we are always training. I used to spend hours every winter updating a handbook with everything from how to wash bathroom mirrors to where to place tee markers, and then no one read it. Now AI helps me turn those procedures into simple SOPs and step-by-step instructions. We use those SOPs to feed a staff chatbot that can answer questions.
I also use AI in marketing. It reads my calendar of events and emails me once a week with what should go in my newsletter. The best place to start is by looking at the jobs you are already doing and asking how AI could make them easier. Superintendents can use it for application plans or cost analysis. General managers can use it to analyze pricing changes. Marketing teams can use it to stay organized and relevant. The possibilities for improving efficiency are endless.
What’s one trend in golf operations or consumer behavior you think owners should be preparing for now?
A major trend in golf operations is the shortage of superintendents. Golf courses need succession plans and should be working with local schools to build interest in the profession. It is a difficult job that requires science, plumbing, electrical, water management, managerial and organizational skills. As an industry, we need to create a pipeline now, because daily fee courses are going to be in a world of hurt if they can’t find qualified superintendents.
Courses also need to demand more from their technology providers. Golfers expect the same convenience they get from airlines, movie theaters and other industries: real-time updates, clear expectations, upgrade options and ways to skip the line. Golf software needs to catch up.
Younger golfers are entering the game differently than past generations. What do operators still misunderstand about them?
More than any other time in history, I see a generational gap in understanding the next generation. Younger golfers like gamification, social content and experiences that feel fun to share. The challenge is preserving golf’s traditions while leaning into where the next generation is pushing the game. Maybe that is a reel challenge where golfers create social content and the most-liked reel wins. Maybe it is a league designed for younger golfers with more gamification and social elements built in.
What’s the smartest thing you’ve done at Toad Valley in the past five years?
The smartest thing I have done at Toad Valley is give the next generation a voice. We are a multi-generational business. I am the third generation, and in the past five years my children have joined the management team. They challenge me, push me to review our systems and make me better. Most importantly, I listened to them, just as my parents did for me. Giving the next generation a voice has led us to add Toptracer, indoor simulators, autonomous mowers, better training and updated systems, all of which improved the golfer experience.
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This article originally appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Golf Inc.
