The Crossings in Glen Allen is one of the local courses that uses EZLinks products.
After more than two decades of selling software to golf courses, a local tech company caught the eye of a suitor with a big-name backer.
Integrated Business Systems, headquartered in Henrico County, was acquired in recent weeks by EZLinks Golf, an affiliate of the PGA Tour. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The transaction brings together two companies with similar missions. IBS, founded 26 years ago in Henrico by Anthony Strange, specializes in point of sale software systems for golf courses, systems that the clubs use to ring up customers for pro shop and food sales.
Anthony Strange
EZLinks is headquartered in Chicago and offers tee sheet software, which helps courses manage tee times. The 20-year-old company also sells access to its Teeoff.com tee time marketplace and offers a 24/7 reservation call center system.
“What we do and what EZLinks does, we have complementary products that make both our companies stronger,” said Strange, who will remain on as IBS’s president.
About a year ago, the PGA Tour purchased a majority stake of EZLinks and then made an additional investment in the company on March 31, coinciding with the acquisition of IBS.
Gary Cohen, CEO of EZLinks, would not comment on the exact amount of the PGA’s investment in EZLinks.
“It’s enough money to give us the wherewithal to invest in the business, grow the technology base and help us to provide the kind of capabilities that our courses need going forward,” he said.
Gary Cohen
The companies would not share revenue figures, but said the combined firms employ 300 workers. IBS’s 85 employees are staying on board – a selling point for Strange, who started the company at age 30 as a one-man software consulting firm in 1990.
“This is the first time I seriously considered an acquisition of my company,” he said. “We’re not here to get rid of our employees. In fact, we want to hire employees.”
Combined, the two companies’ products and services touch thousands of golf courses around the country, including municipal, private, semi-private and resort courses.
EZLinks has about 3,000 courses that use its various products. About a dozen courses in and around Richmond are listed on TeeOff.com, including Magnolia Green, The Crossings and the Golf Club at Brickshire.
IBS’s software is used by more than a dozen local golf courses in the area such as Hanover Country Club, Richmond Country Club, The Foundry Golf Club, the Federal Club, Brandermill Country Club and Jefferson Lakeside.
The Crossings in Glen Allen is one of the local courses that uses EZLinks products.
After more than two decades of selling software to golf courses, a local tech company caught the eye of a suitor with a big-name backer.
Integrated Business Systems, headquartered in Henrico County, was acquired in recent weeks by EZLinks Golf, an affiliate of the PGA Tour. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The transaction brings together two companies with similar missions. IBS, founded 26 years ago in Henrico by Anthony Strange, specializes in point of sale software systems for golf courses, systems that the clubs use to ring up customers for pro shop and food sales.
Anthony Strange
EZLinks is headquartered in Chicago and offers tee sheet software, which helps courses manage tee times. The 20-year-old company also sells access to its Teeoff.com tee time marketplace and offers a 24/7 reservation call center system.
“What we do and what EZLinks does, we have complementary products that make both our companies stronger,” said Strange, who will remain on as IBS’s president.
About a year ago, the PGA Tour purchased a majority stake of EZLinks and then made an additional investment in the company on March 31, coinciding with the acquisition of IBS.
Gary Cohen, CEO of EZLinks, would not comment on the exact amount of the PGA’s investment in EZLinks.
“It’s enough money to give us the wherewithal to invest in the business, grow the technology base and help us to provide the kind of capabilities that our courses need going forward,” he said.
Gary Cohen
The companies would not share revenue figures, but said the combined firms employ 300 workers. IBS’s 85 employees are staying on board – a selling point for Strange, who started the company at age 30 as a one-man software consulting firm in 1990.
“This is the first time I seriously considered an acquisition of my company,” he said. “We’re not here to get rid of our employees. In fact, we want to hire employees.”
Combined, the two companies’ products and services touch thousands of golf courses around the country, including municipal, private, semi-private and resort courses.
EZLinks has about 3,000 courses that use its various products. About a dozen courses in and around Richmond are listed on TeeOff.com, including Magnolia Green, The Crossings and the Golf Club at Brickshire.
IBS’s software is used by more than a dozen local golf courses in the area such as Hanover Country Club, Richmond Country Club, The Foundry Golf Club, the Federal Club, Brandermill Country Club and Jefferson Lakeside.