(Image: Swoop)
US golf technology firm Swoop is preparing to enter Scotland, promising to help clubs communicate more effectively with golfers, generate additional hospitality revenue, and eventually even explore on-course drone deliveries. Co-founder Ryan Donovan explains the opportunities the company sees in Scotland and how the concept could work beyond the country's best-known resorts.
(Image: Damian Shields)
What problem is Swoop trying to solve?
The company really started from my own experiences as a golfer. Clubs want to provide a great experience, but there can be gaps between getting golfers onto the course and serving them throughout their visit.
We started with food and beverage ordering, but we've evolved into something broader. Today we're focused on helping clubs stay connected with golfers before, during and after their round. We want to bring together information from tee booking systems, food and beverage operations and other club systems so clubs can communicate with golfers more effectively and provide a more personalised experience.
The company was founded in 2019, but it still feels relatively new. Is this effectively your launch phase?
That's fair to say. We spent a lot of time working with a small number of clubs and learning before taking the product more widely to market.
We're now working with clubs in the United States, Portugal and the UK. Our goal is to move into a broader commercial launch from early next year and build awareness of the brand across the industry.
Why does Scotland appeal to you as a market?
Scotland is the birthplace of golf. Every golfer feels that connection.
I've been fortunate enough to spend time around St Andrews and Edinburgh, and there's simply an incredible history there. It's somewhere I've always wanted to spend more time.
But it's not only about history. Golf is evolving. New golfers are entering the game through indoor golf, entertainment venues and different formats. Golf is cool again, and Scotland sits at the centre of that conversation.
People care deeply about golf there. They respect the traditions but they also want the game to continue evolving.
Are you actively talking to Scottish clubs?
We are. I've made two trips over already this year and we've been building relationships for several months.
We're speaking to a number of clubs and working through potential partnerships. These early relationships are very important because they have to be successful for everyone involved.
We're excited about where those conversations are heading and I think you'll start to hear more publicly quite soon.
When people hear about golf technology companies entering Scotland, they immediately think about major destinations such as St Andrews or Turnberry. Is that the market you're targeting?
Those clubs are certainly interesting, but I actually think there's a significant opportunity among daily-fee clubs.
Ryan Donovan says Swoop aims to help golf clubs strengthen relationships with golfers through personalised messaging, hospitality services and on-course ordering (Image: Supplied)
The cost of playing golf has increased substantially in recent years, but in many cases the level of service hasn't necessarily increased at the same pace. Clubs are often operating with lean staffing levels and trying to do more with the people they have.
We want to help those clubs know more about the golfer before they arrive and communicate more effectively throughout the visit.
What might that look like in practice?
Imagine arriving for a round and receiving a message before you get there asking whether you need anything prepared for your visit.
Or perhaps you're running late and can send a quick message to the club without having to make a phone call.
The idea is to make communication easier for both the golfer and the club.
At the same time, staff gain a better understanding of who is coming through the door and what their preferences are. We see that as improving hospitality rather than replacing it.
Does that require every golfer to download another app?
Not necessarily.
We learned pretty quickly that people don't always want another app on their phone. We can work through text messages, WhatsApp and web-based tools.
Our role is really to sit behind the scenes as a connection layer between the golfer and the club.
Swoop says its technology can help golf clubs extend food and beverage services beyond the clubhouse, allowing golfers to order while on the course and receive deliveries through a connected hospitality platform (Image: Swoop)
A lot of the early publicity has focused on robots and drones delivering food out on the course. Is that genuinely part of the future?
Potentially, yes, although it's not really the core of what we're doing.
The drone side originally came from conversations with golf facilities that had difficulty reaching certain areas of their property.
It's certainly eye-catching, and there's a bit of a novelty factor to it, but we're also looking at practical applications. Could technology help staff operate more efficiently? Could it help serve places that are difficult to reach?
Those are the questions we're exploring.
So when might Scottish golfers actually see Swoop in action?
I think you'll start seeing announcements connected to Scotland fairly soon.
We're already in deep discussions and working through integrations. The focus now is on making sure we launch properly and demonstrate value for the clubs involved.
Scotland is hugely important to us and we're very excited about building something there for the long term.
(Image: Damian Shields)