“Perry Weather makes our decisions black and white, so we don’t have to worry about competing opinions from other apps.”
“Who’s Making the Call? It’s Perry Weather.”
“It’s a running joke in golf that we’re also weathermen,” says Mike Johnston, Director of Golf at Cabot Citrus Farms.
“People are always coming to the golf professionals asking, ‘Is it going to rain? Is there lightning?’” At a public golf course, those questions might feel routine. At Cabot Citrus Farms—a luxury golf destination in Brooksville, Florida—they’re anything but.
Set across 1,200 acres of rolling terrain, sandy soil, and towering moss-covered oaks, Cabot Citrus Farms is built for premium golf and world-class hospitality. With two championship 18-hole courses (Karoo and Roost), a 10-hole course (The Squeeze), and an 11-hole par-3 (The Wedge), it’s a high-end, high-volume property where the player experience is everything.
And in Florida, where weather can turn on a dime, that experience hinges on making fast, clear, and accurate decisions when lightning is in the area.
“We could have over 1,000 people on-site here—guests, employees, caddies, you name it,” Mike says. “The safety of the staff, the guests, and everybody on site is super, super important. Especially when there’s lightning.”
How Cabot Took the Radar Off Their Radar
Before Perry Weather, managing lightning safety at Cabot was a manual slog—refreshing radars, checking apps, and relying on gut feel. Everyone had a different system, and no two forecasts ever seemed to agree.
“Historically, I’ve been at facilities that have lightning systems and ones that do not. And having to make a judgment call—whether you’re going to blow the air horn and halt play or not—that’s a big responsibility,” Mike says.
With Perry Weather installed, that pressure is off the golf staff. Perry Weather monitors lightning using the National Lightning Detection Network and follows a clearly defined safety protocol: when lightning strikes within 8 miles, a 15-minute countdown automatically begins. Sirens sound, carts display delay messages, and everyone is alerted—instantly and consistently.
“Who’s making the call? It’s Perry Weather. It’s no longer a guessing game. We know exactly when and where lightning has struck. And if we’re at risk.”
Lightning Policy Flexibility Without the Manual Work
Cabot adjusts its lightning radius seasonally. During walking-only months, they increase the detection zone from 8 to 10 miles to allow extra clearance and safety time.
“When we were walking only during certain times of the year, we expand that radius to 10 miles to give the golfers more time and more opportunity for our staff to get people off the golf course safely.”
Perry Weather makes it easy to change protocols without retraining staff or rewriting SOPs. The system enforces the policy automatically—no questions, no hesitations.
Less Time on Weather, More Time on Experience
Lightning is the most immediate concern, but Perry Weather also helps with long-term planning. Rainfall data, for example, plays a role in budget reviews and monthly reports.
“I have a lot of monthly reporting to do to management, home office,” Mike says. “I like to look at how much rain did we get last month versus our historical average. And then relate that to budgets and revenue. All of these things can relate directly to the weather at a golf facility.”
Having that data centralized and easy to access helps Cabot better align business decisions with real-world weather impacts. That’s a big advantage for leadership tasked with managing both playability and profitability.
That flexibility helps preserve both the safety and the overall flow of the experience. When a storm triggers an alert, no one is second-guessing. Guests, staff, and caddies are all responding to the same source of truth.
On-Course GPS Alerts Keep Players Informed
Because Cabot integrates Perry Weather directly into its E-Z-GO GPS systems, players get automatic alerts on-screen when lightning delays begin. Golfers can even tap a button on the display to see the latest radar.
“As a golfer, you click one button on the GPS and see the most up-to-date radar,” Mike explains.
This small detail makes a big difference. Rather than players questioning why they’re being pulled off the course, they can see it for themselves—and that transparency reinforces trust. It also removes the burden from staff to explain or justify weather-related decisions mid-round.
“Having that visibility and that transparency with our guests is super great.”
Why Cabot Citrus Farms Chose Perry Weather
“Last year, before we had a system, we shopped around a bit,” Mike says. “And I’m so glad we went with Perry Weather. I think not only from the actual functionality of the system, but the team at Perry Weather’s customer service is second to none.”
Mike isn’t talking about a complicated dashboard or fancy features. It wasn’t about bells and whistles. It was about clarity. What mattered most was cutting down the noise—the contradictory apps, the pressure of making the call, the scramble when lightning was close.
He needed something that would just handle it. That’s the kind of clarity golf pros don’t usually get. Perry Weather didn’t just improve safety—it gave the Cabot team back their focus. No more arguments about whether a storm is “far enough.” Just one system, one policy, one decision.
You’re Already Managing a Lot. Take the Radar Off Your Radar
For the golf staff at Cabot, Perry Weather saves time and reduces stress. There’s no debating what radar to trust or who makes the final call. The system is always running, always watching, and always ready to act.
With Perry Weather managing alerts in the background, Mike’s team can focus on the players in front of them—not the radar behind the scenes.
Instead of worrying about which way the storm is moving or whether to blow the horn, the team can be present with members, manage operations, and deliver the level of service expected at a high-end destination.
“Having Perry Weather takes that decision-making away from me and from the team. We’re not having to worry about having competing opinions from different apps.”
If you’ve ever stood on a tee box, phone in hand, watching a storm roll in while trying to figure out whether to suspend play—Perry Weather is for you.
Perry Weather lets you automate the one part of your job that you shouldn’t have to carry: the risk, stress, and decision-making around lightning.
It works quietly in the background. It applies your policies, your way. And when the time comes, it acts. No second-guessing. Just clarity.
See How Perry Weather Keeps Your Players Safe—and Your Courses Open
Cabot Citrus Farms relies on Perry Weather to manage lightning alerts, reduce manual decisions, remove friction, protect guests, and keep the experience seamless.
Still juggling weather apps and pausing play to debate radar readings? With Perry Weather, alerts are policy-driven, automatic, and instantaneous. Try it free for 14 days or request a demo to see how it can work for your course.
