The PGA of America Championship Team comprises highly skilled golf professionals who organize golf tournaments throughout the year. They consistently host events across the country, catering to all ages and genders, from professional leagues to Junior League Championships. The team is divided into two sides: Side A manages major championships, while Side B oversees events like the PGA Works Collegiate Championships, National Collegiate Club Championships, and Club Professional Championships.

Challenge

Beyond the major championships like the PGA Championships or Senior PGA Championships, the team typically has 1 to 2 days to prepare a golf course for a tournament. This involves setting up sponsor signage, new tee-markers, and various assets such as table covers, pin flags, range dividers, tents, flags, directional signage, and especially hole signage. There is a lot of work to be done before the players hit the course, and time is of the essence.

The focus for improvement for the championship team was on upgrading their Tee Hole Signs. These signs indicate the hole number, yardage, and feature the PGA Championship logo. While their current setup looked impressive from a distance, they were extremely heavy, weighing nearly 100 lbs each, and took 15-30 minutes to set up per pole. Setting up 18 holes could potentially take an entire day and require a forklift for maneuvering. 

When Chris from the PGA team reached out, time and weight were the two key areas for improvement. They often lacked a significant portion of their day to set up the tee hole signs and struggled with the weight of the old post system, which hindered mobility. Every event asset has a weight impacting transportation costs, all assets must fit into trailers post-event for the move to the next location. The heavier the assets, the more the trailers weigh, leading to increased transportation expenses. Therefore, an upgrade was needed to address the issues of time and weight.

Solution

To address the challenges at hand effectively, we aimed to create a visually appealing, easy-to-set-up, and lightweight solution that could be used both on the golf course and during travel across the country.

After several CAD drawing sessions, we redesigned the existing system with a more modern approach for production, delivery, and use. By opting for PVC posts and custom templates, we were able to streamline the channeling system and significantly reduce the weight from nearly 100lbs to 12lbs. To simplify setup further, we designed a custom travel box that allowed the arms and signs to remain assembled, making setup and teardown processes much smoother.

The final enhancement focused on the assembly processes. We improved the arm pin system by creating arms with custom printed PVC signs that were permanently connected. These arms could easily attach to the vertical posts using a pin system, reducing assembly time to 3-6 minutes per post. The main challenge now was determining the ideal placement for the posts on each tee box.

Conclusion

Sometimes, assets can benefit from a fresh perspective. By reimagining their construction, a few modifications might be all it takes to elevate them to new levels. Our approach involved updating an iconic design with modern components, carefully addressing each challenge with innovative solutions. We take pride in the outcome of the new tee hole signs; they align perfectly with our brand and seamlessly fit into the tournament setups. Utilizing PVC posts and sign options has not only significantly reduced setup time but also drastically decreased the overall weight. For more information on our customized tee hole signs, feel free to contact us at wingman@brandassetpartners.com.