As you know, I love golf. As you might not know, I also love skiing. My study of resort marketing in this sport is only eclipsed by that of the colder, mountain ous, snow-covered counterpart.

And if there’s one thing that ski resorts do almost ubiquitously that golf resorts don’t it’s this: web cams.

Web cams are an incredibly powerful (and popular) way to give cubicle-dwellers a chance to check in on their favorite places, vicariously experience a few minutes outdoors, and daydream of taking yet another trip as they do.

The Big Problem
For ski resorts, it’s tricky. The biggest problem being how rapidly conditions can fluctuate. One minute it’s sunny (a good marketing message) the next the trees are whipping in the wind and the light is as flat as a pancake (not such a great message).

To compete with that, ski resorts have adopted web cam technology like Prism that detects conditions and automatically adjust camera settings for a variety of lighting, weather, and time-of-day situations.

Yes, all of those were taken automatically by the same web cam. Impressive, no?

But golf has a leg up on ski for one very simple reason: conditions are much more consistent and images are much brighter and positive on a consistent basis.

Nice work, Pebble>
That’s not to say golf resorts should skimp on web cam technology – Prism’s golf clients capture some of the most incredible images you’ll see – but it does mean that there may be an even bigger opportunity for golf than there is for ski.

Which is why I love what Pebble Beach has done.

Focusing on the most famous, picturesque scenes, Pebble has invested in high-quality, live-streaming web cams that give anyone, anywhere a chance to go to their “happy place” for a few minutes and, in turn, be slightly more motivated to enjoy the real thing.

Web cams may not be the first thing golf resort marketers think of adding to their arsenal, but with the right cam constantly creating powerful, inspiring stories that anyone can be inspired by on their own time? Well, it shouldn’t be the last either.

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