The 4th of July has come and gone and summer is officially in full swing – and so are golfers. Dedicated golfers and weekend enthusiasts aside, golf courses are serious business and require intensive management regimes including securing and controlling the dozens of keys used throughout the property.
Whether public or private, a key control system helps the golf property maintain control of valuable assets. For example, keys used by the grounds crew can be kept securely locked in the key cabinet at the end of the day rather than an employee taking them home. Similarly, keys for golf carts, cash boxes or closets storing retail goods can be secured in the key cabinet when not needed rather than being held by an employee. Without adequate key control, opportunities for key mismanagement which can lead to mild annoyances such as the replacement and cost for lost keys – or to more serious losses, such as theft – can occur.
In addition to securely storing keys when not in use, an automated key control system establishes accountability by providing an audit trail of who used which keys and when. The key control system enables management to know who removed or returned a key and when; to monitor the system to see who currently has keys removed; or to be alerted if a key is not returned as scheduled. Keys are secured to a specially designed locking device with a built-in memory chip and only authorized users can access keys. When a key is inserted or removed from a key slot in the key cabinet, the data is recorded. This type of locking system will also thwart the possibility of anyone attempting to keep a key after use and replacing it with a counterfeit key. Among other capabilities, the system can be programmed to release keys only to authorized users during certain time periods and for allotted amounts of time.
