Trends in Technology

Virtual Golf a Reality in Elmhurst

by Nancy Wasielewski

Next time you're cruising the Internet Information Superhighway and looking for some recreation fun, exit at http:// www.epd.org. At the Elmhurst Park District's web site, you're invited to experience the fun and challenge of playing nine holes of "virtual" golf with a pro at the Sugar Creek Golf Course.

Since the Elmhurst Park District's web site opened in November 1995—with virtual golf and other interactive features— the Sugar Creek interactive golf game is one of the site's most popular attractions. Modeled after the actual nine-hole park district course, the golf game features a course map, photographs and descriptions of each hole at Sugar Creek.

A "v-golf" player makes a number of interactive choices throughout the game that affect the final score and provide a competitive challenge each time the game is played. First, the player decides which of five computer controlled golf professionals to play against. Will it be Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Gary Player, Nick Faldo or Jack Nicklaus? A player also has to select the type of club used for each shot and the intensity of the swing for each shot. The outcome is different each time the game is played.

Mike Smith, Elmhurst Park District's information systems coordinator, developed the district's web site and created the program for Sugar Creek v-golf.

"Every web site offers information," says Smith. "In planning our web site, we went a step further from the beginning and offered visitors the golf game and other opportunities for interaction. I developed the golf game because the park district wanted to offer a feature that would attract people to our web site on a regular basis and would offer them an opportunity to have some fun with us."

In addition to the v-golf game, visitors to the Elmhurst Park District web site can explore a number of other features.

Online Brochure/Registration. Elmhurst's is one of the first park district web sites to provide an online brochure with listings of all programs and offerings from three yearly seasonal brochures. Another piece of software, written by Smith, allows park district staff to make instant changes to the online brochure information without having to know anything about web page development. In addition, the park district offers a registration option which allows a person to select classes and complete a registration form for an entire household. When the form is completed, fees are totaled automatically. The completed form can be printed out in the person's home for mailing to the park district with payment.

Internet Club. Beginning with winter 1996 registration, the park district will offer Internet Club Membership, which allows residents to complete their total registration via computer. The Internet Club Membership form, which is submitted by mail or telephone, offers an option for residents to file their credit card number with the park district for all their upcoming registrations. Credit card numbers will be kept on file in the park district's office to prevent the possibility of another Internet user "hacking" into the system and retrieving private financial information.

Club members who want to use this registration option will also file a password to verify their online registration. Upon completion, the member's registration information is automatically e-mailed to the park district. When the registration is verified at the park district's office, a confirmation e-mail will be sent to the member. Another benefit of the Internet Club is for members to participate in a variety of future promotions and contests such as Sugar Creek v-golf tournaments. The membership list will allow the park district to compile a listing of regular Internet users for special marketing and promotions.

32 Illinois Parks & Recreation • September/October • 1996

Horticulture Help. For advice on how to care for lawn problems, trees or plants, web site visitors are invited to ask Elmhurst Park District experts. Answers are e-mailed back. In the future, plans are being developed to feature a computerized tour of the Wilder Park Conservatory's seasonal flower shows. The flower show tours would enable visitors to "click" on a flower to bring up windows of horticultural information about the care of particular plants.

News and Information. The latest news about park district programs and services is available online and is updated regularly. For example, this year the computerized results listing for the annual Tour de Foot 5K race was also posted online. For several days following the race, the registered number of "hits" (the total number of times various web site pages and graphics are accessed by Internet users) to our web site increased dramatically as the contestants contacted us online for a copy of the total results.

The Elmhurst Park District web site averages about 4,000 hits per month.

"As Internet use grows in our community and word spreads about our web site, we have seen increased numbers of hits throughout our first year of service," says Smith. "Although we are gearing the content of our site for local park district users, we are also pleased with the positive comments we have received from visitors as far away as Europe and Japan who have played the golf game and left their compliments on our 'Contact Us' page."

According to Smith, the Elmhurst Community has given the park district's web site a positive reception. The park district was the first local government agency to go online in the community and Smith has provided assistance to other area agencies regarding site development.

"The web site is an exciting communication tool for our district," says Smith. "And we're continually reviewing and shaping our web page content and features to respond to the community's need for information and service in this fast moving computer age!"

Nancy Wasielewski is the public information coordinator for the Elmhurst Park District, http://www.epd.org.