Amplify the Fun

This week, I'm back with a nice reminder as we close out the year. Working in the golf industry is supposed to be fun, right?
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If you’ve ever run a golf event, you know the truth:

The fun everyone remembers happens on the course.
The stress no one sees happens behind the scenes.

Registration lists. Handicaps. Scoreboards. Calculations. Last-minute changes.
For decades, tournament golf ran on pen, paper, and patience.

This week on The Scorecard presented by Live Tourney, I sat down with Hogan Arey, second-generation golf professional at Trysting Tree Golf Club in Corvallis, Oregon, to talk about how if you can make a few specific changes to the way events are run, you're not just making operational changes, but likely emotional changes as well.

Because when operations and technology are done right, it doesn’t replace the golf experience...It amplifies it.

You don't have to run tournaments to learn something from this.

Let's Grow Golf.

Before you dig in, I 100% recommend you watching this video (90 seconds) giving a glimpse of life at Trysting Tree with Hogan. You can instantly tell he's a pro that loves his job.
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1. As a second-generation golf professional, you’ve seen events evolve over time. How has Live Tourney changed the way you and your team actually run events at Trysting Tree?​
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Hogan Arey:​
My experience watching tournament operations has grown from pen and paper to fully software-driven operations. When we used pen and paper, collecting player information was unorganized, often leaving missing details and sometimes even players left out of the field. Scoring during that time took long hours of tedious calculations and what felt like calligraphy training just to post scores to physical scoreboards. The process required a significant amount of time and extra effort.

Since implementing software-driven tournaments—particularly Live Tourney—the player registration process is smooth and efficient. When a player registers, the system automatically pulls their handicap from the WHS and populates their contact information. Scoring is now fully automated through Live Tourney and happens during play, allowing for much faster post-tournament results. Live Tourney also creates and displays electronic leaderboards in real time, making results easily accessible for everyone.

2. What are the little moments during an event—scoring, pairings, live updates—where you see members light up because of Live Tourney?

Hogan:​
The biggest moments I see players light up are during mid-round live leaderboard updates. When someone is playing their best golf, inputs their scores, and sees their current position in the field, they feel the same emotion you might see on Tour when a player checks the leaderboard on Sunday.

Those emotions—or nerves—are one of the most exciting parts of golf. Having to adjust a game plan or technique in real time is something very few amateur golfers get to experience in golf. Live Tourney provides the opportunity for those unique golf experiences.

3. Trysting Tree is known for having a strong community feel. How does technology like Live Tourney help you deepen that sense of connection?

Hogan:​
The ability to share tournament results not only with competitors but with the entire Trysting Tree community is one of the best aspects of Live Tourney. Each tournament creates its own independent web page that’s easily accessible through unique QR codes or hyperlinks shared via email or social media.

This allows fans, participants, and family members to view scores and results from any event, helping everyone feel more connected to what’s happening at the club.

4. Behind the scenes, what stress has Live Tourney removed from your events?

Hogan:​
The biggest stress that’s been removed is the search for player information. Prior to Live Tourney, I had to manually gather details like handicap index, contact information, and tee selection. Now, all of that information is captured through online registration.

For players who are unable to use the technology themselves, Live Tourney makes it easy for us as operators to register golfers, update information, and manage any registration needs quickly and efficiently.

5. What does a “fun” event look like at Trysting Tree—and how does Live Tourney help deliver that consistently?

Hogan:​
A fun tournament is one where the entire field is engaged with each other’s play and performance. That means mid-round banter, post-round stories over a beverage, and endless opportunities to revisit results and remind a fellow competitor about their success—or their beatdown.

With Live Tourney, tournament results never die. They’re accessible forever, allowing those stories to live on. From an operator’s standpoint, it’s also easy to have multiple tournaments created, registration open, and scoring active at the same time, even during our busiest stretches.

6. If you were talking to another head pro still running events the old way, what would you tell them?

Hogan:​
I would tell them that Live Tourney takes away a lot of headaches, organizes critical details, and makes tournament days easier and more enjoyable. The software is simple and intuitive, and questions are quickly answered by the Live Tourney team.

Live scoring is straightforward and requires just one player in a group to enter scores using a smartphone by scanning a QR code on the scorecard. Live Tourney also offers a variety of games and scorecard templates, and it’s easy to make adjustments.

For events focused on promotion and sponsorship, Live Tourney allows logos to be featured prominently within the live scoring experience—something every player sees and engages with throughout the round.

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What Any Golf Industry Should Learn From This
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At its core, this story is about how modern golf experiences are built — and there are three lessons every golf industry professional can apply, regardless of role.

1. Remove friction, and engagement follows

Whether you manage events, retail, instruction, marketing, or membership, friction is the enemy of experience.

When processes are clunky, manual, or unclear:

• Staff energy gets drained
• Members disengage
• Great ideas die under execution pressure

When friction is remove, professionals get their time back, players stay engaged, and experiences feel intentional instead of reactive.

2. Real-time feedback creates emotional investment

Live leaderboards don’t just show scores — they create emotion.

That same principle applies across the golf operation:

• Members respond to progress
• Players respond to visibility
• Staff respond to clarity

When people can see where they stand, they care more about the outcome. Real-time information turns passive participation into active engagement.

Ask yourself:​
Where in your operation could clearer, faster feedback improve buy-in?

3. Experiences shouldn’t end when the round (or transaction) does

One of the most powerful insights from this interview is that results live forever.

In golf today:

• Events extend beyond the day
• Stories extend beyond the score
• Communities extend beyond the clubhouse

Whether it’s a tournament, lesson series, retail drop, or member program, the experience shouldn’t disappear when it’s over. Build systems that allow moments to be revisited, shared, and remembered.

The Bottom Line

Technology isn’t replacing hospitality in golf.

It’s protecting it.

When systems run smoothly behind the scenes, professionals are free to do what matters most:

• Connect
• Serve
• Lead
• Create memorable experiences

That’s the real takeaway... and it applies to every corner of the golf industry.
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As always, thanks to Hogan and my friends at Live Tourney for your insights for this newsletter.

If you’re building something great in golf, my inbox is always open.

Let's Grow Golf,

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