Jay Karen talks challenges and tech for the NGCOA

Host: Mike Hendrix (smbGOLF) Guest: Jay Karen (CEO, National Golf Course Owners Association) In this Tech Caddie episode, Mike talks with NGCOA CEO Jay Karen about the realities of running a national association, the role of technology and booking engines in golf course operations, and how AI is reshaping what operators can measure and manage. They discuss NGCOA’s growth from roughly 3,000 to about 4,200 courses, membership penetration across municipal, private, and daily-fee facilities, and why education and advocacy remain NGCOA’s two “crown jewels.” The conversation then shifts to the “Measure What Matters” webinar, the importance of booking engine data (visits, clicks, drop-offs), and why conversion rate should be a core metric for every operator. Mike and Jay also preview the upcoming AI workshop in Atlanta, where operators will learn how to use AI to read booking engine data and produce daily performance summaries without adding time to their day. They explore dynamic pricing, legal concerns around AI and competitive data, and compare Airbnb’s smart-pricing tools to what golf operators should expect from their software partners. Later, Jay walks through NGCOA’s internal tech stack (Salesforce-based AMS, Higher Logic community, and the Rossi AI assistant) and the strategic challenges of prioritization and growth on a modest budget. Mike shares his work with Ohio and Pennsylvania associations, including HubSpot + WordPress integrations and digital branding designed to create FOMO and drive membership. If you’re a golf course owner, operator, or marketer who wants to get more out of your booking engine, understand your data, and start using AI in practical ways, this episode is for you.