Some golfers see the sport as a total escape from the world around them. That means phones off and no carts -- only walking with friends and clubs and being at one with nature. And I can completely appreciate and want that sometimes.
Other times? I want golf to be a little more rock-and-roll and a little less Thoreau. I want to listen to some music, keep up with sports and not have to wait until the turn to get a drink or a snack.
It's for that version of me and that type of golfer that Greg Norman has teamed with Verizon and Club Car to create what is dubbed the Shark Experience. In short, the Shark Experience will be a 10-inch connected screen with Bluetooth connectivity and 4G LTE broadband providing access to live sports, golf tips from Norman, streaming music and more.
Norman showed off the concept, which will be fully unveiled at the PGA Show in January, which will include Bluetooth speakers as well as a GPS unit many golfers have come to expect in carts.
The access to these features will depend on what the golfer wants, and they'll pay accordingly with a fee tacked onto their cart fee -- either $5, $7 or $10 for the round. Golfers will also be able to have a cashless experience on the course, using a special card to order food and beverages, then pay for that with a credit card on file. It'll be like having an account at a private club.
Yes, this won't be for every golfer or every facility. But that's not the point. Having the option to keep connected on a bigger screen than your phone without having to lug a wireless speaker, a phone and tablet around is a convenient option a lot of golfers might embrace.
