ProTrac GPS opens 12th franchise

Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. – ProTrac Franchise Systems, Inc., a golf GPS systems company, has opened franchise territories in Jacksonville, Fla. and Hilton Head, S.C.

The company, in its first year of granting franchises, now has 12 territories open. The others are located in Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and Texas.

Tyce Fitzmorris, ProTrac chief executive officer, says the company has installed its GPS system, ProTrac GPS, at two courses that host PGA events, Mirasol Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens and Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.

“To have two courses of this stature choose ProTrac GPS over any other system on the market speaks volumes about ProTrac and the benefits it provides to both the course and its golfers,” says Fitzmorris.

The ProTrac franchise opportunity was launched in January at the PGA Show in Orlando.

“We timed the launch of the franchise to the introduction of our full-color touch screen system,” says Fitzmorris. “With its enhanced features and low cost, we were ready to begin offering ProTrac GPS to courses nationwide.”

Franchisees are able to provide ProTrac to courses with no upfront costs and no long-term commitments, and on a per-round fee basis.

“Combined with the recent announcement by the USGA regarding its decision to permit the use of GPS in tournament play beginning in 2006, we are more confident than ever that we are at the right place at the right time in this industry,” says Fitzmorris.

Fitzmorris says the company decided to franchise rather than attempt to operate markets as a corporate function “to ensure we had individuals operating each market that were more than employees.”

“We wanted people overseeing each territory that had a passion to make golf even better for both golf facilities and golfers, and a desire to provide the level of service we believe necessary to properly serve this industry,” he says.

ProTrac GPS features full-color graphics and a “no-touch” operating option that enables golfers of all ages and skill levels to benefit from GPS technology. ProTrac automatically displays a full-color overview of a hole when the golfer reaches the tee. In addition, distances to hazards and other reachable points from the tee are displayed without requiring interaction from the golfer. Upon leaving the tee, distances to the front, middle and back of the green are automatically displayed on the screen for easy viewing.

ProTrac GPS also provides advanced capabilities including the interactive “Virtual Caddy,” which offers a high-resolution, touch-screen color display of each hole that allows golfers to quickly determine distances to and over hazards, as well as ideal lay-up positions, to assist in their shot-making decisions. By simply touching any point on the hole, the distance from the golfer to that point – and from the point to the center of the green – are displayed. Also, hole and yardage information that helps with club selection and shot-making decisions, ultimately leading to lower scores and more enjoyable rounds.

In addition, the ProTrac GPS system offers wireless course management features including cart-tracking and instant messaging with the carts, which helps courses more easily manage the pace of play and communicate with golfers when necessary.