Industry/Golfers Need to Voice Their Opinions

November 30, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

Today’s subject reminds me of the rising cost of fuel this past summer, when the price per litre was skyrocketing towards $1.50, before falling back to more reasonable levels in the fall. The problem is that the more reasonable price was a relative relief to shell-shocked consumers after the beatings... ( Full Article )

Vegas Golf Offers Countless Options

November 30, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

LAS VEGAS — It may have been paranoia, but there was a distinct feeling of odd glances being cast my way when I requested lunch outside on the terrace of the The Country Club at the spectacular Wynn Las Vegas on the infamous and ever-changing Strip. The solitude in the blazing heat confirmed that... ( Full Article )

RCGA Isn’t Panicking About Economy

November 27, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

Carrying on yesterday’s conversation with Scott Simmons, executive director of the Royal Canadian Golf Association, he believes the current economic climate will not immediately affect the two professional tournaments it operates. The recent news that General Motors has parted ways with Tiger Woods,... ( Full Article )

Canadian Named to ASI Power List

November 26, 2008 by GNN 

Marc Roy, president of the Accolade Reaction Promotion Group which is a division of Golf Town, has been named to the Advertising Specialty Institute’s Counselor Power 50 List for 2008. Marc Roy The list is formulated by an editorial panel from ASI’s Counselor Magazine. Roy is the lone person from... ( Full Article )

No Word Yet on Future Open Sites

November 26, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

Scott Simmons says he’s going to have to stretch a promise he made to name all the venues for the RBC Canadian Open right up to 2014 by the end of this year. “I did say that because that was my personal goal to get that done. I don’t think we’re going to get there in terms of being able to announce... ( Full Article )

Minor Golf is a Major Deal for True Sports Fans

November 26, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

Canadian sports reached one of its pinnacles of the year, with the playing of the Grey Cup and the Vanier Cup college football game on the weekend. In golf, Canadian pros from across the country gathered at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla., for the Titleist and FootJoy Canadian PGA Club Professionals... ( Full Article )

Are We Learning from the Headlines?

November 25, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

If all the world’s a stage, as a great literary mind once said, then are we in the golf industry learning anything from the theatre of the absurd that is going on around us? The Big Three automakers went to Congress last week to plead for a $25-billion bailout of their industry and were told, quite... ( Full Article )

Canadian Tour Releases ‘09 Schedule

November 25, 2008 by GNN 

The 2009 schedule of the Canadian Tour will include more events in Mexico, expansion into Latin America and 10 full field Canadian events, many with increased purses. Canadian Tour Commissioner Rick Janes “In difficult economic times, the Canadian Tour is fortunate to have a business model that will... ( Full Article )

Future Links Enjoys Record Year

November 25, 2008 by GNN 

The Royal Canadian Golf Association has reported that the CN Future Links junior program drew a record 112,527 participants to over 3,600 events at 805 sites across Canada in 2008. Since the inception of Future Links in 1996, the program has seen 748,104 participants take part at the national, provincial... ( Full Article )

Perception Is Reality With Alleged Media Bias

November 23, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

The road trips are finished for now, after the conclusion on Wednesday of the Titleist and FootJoy Canadian PGA Club Professionals Championship in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Then, on Saturday, I made a quick trip down the Queen Elizabeth Way to Niagara Falls, Ont., to give a media relations seminar at the... ( Full Article )

Ashworth Deal Completed

November 23, 2008 by GNN 

TaylorMade-adidas Golf has successfully completed its tender offer for outstanding shares in Ashworth for a price of $1.90 per share. “We’re extremely pleased to announce that our acquisition of Ashworth is complete and that our plans to integrate this great brand into the TaylorMade-adidas Golf... ( Full Article )

CJGA Names Volunteer of the Year

November 23, 2008 by GNN 

Anne Edgar Dodds-Hebron has been named the Canadian Junior Golf Association’s volunteer of the year. Anne Edgar Dodds-Hebron For the past six years, she has volunteered as a rules official at several CJGA tournaments in Ontario. “Having been a competitive junior golfer, I understand how important... ( Full Article )

CPGA Plans Tournament Rotation

November 19, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – To a lesser degree, the Canadian PGA faces a similar challenge with its Club Professional Championship as the Royal Canadian Golf Association does with the RBC Canadian Open. Like the Open, the Titleist and FootJoy Canadian PGA Club Professional Championship, which concluded... ( Full Article )

Golf Pros More Important Than Ever, Says Paterson

November 18, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Herb Paterson was in his element, feeling the same way about the crowd gathered to honour him as the new lifetime member of the Canadian PGA as they felt about the Canadian sales legend. Herb Paterson with wife Emily Paterson started in the golf industry in 1957, when he... ( Full Article )

Nike Goes Xtreme — Again

November 18, 2008 by GNN 

Weighing less than four pounds with room for 14 clubs, Nike Golf has extended its Xtreme Lite line with the introduction of the Xtreme Element. Featuring a six-way divider system, the Xtreme Element was inspired by the cycling industry with the use of the same aluminum materials used in bike frames.... ( Full Article )

Everyone Knows It’s Windy

November 18, 2008 by Ian Hutchinson 

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Tuesday was the type of day that most Canadian visitors wouldn’t mind on a trip to Florida. By the afternoon, the temperature was hovering around 20 C under a cloudless, blue sky, so shorts were still comfortable attire, but the blustery conditions made malls in the Sunshine... ( Full Article )

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