Golf Canada More About Funding Than Branding
April 22, 2010 by Ian Hutchinson
Repackaging and rebranding are quite often tactics used by corporations and other groups to sell the sizzle without throwing a new steak on the barbie.
Newspapers, for example, will go through redesigns to offer a fresh, new look their readers or a company that sells sport drinks will funnel its product into new bottles with the expectation that consumers will do a happy dance, even if the contents are exactly the same on the inside.
In the case of the consumer facing or rebranding introduced yesterday by the Royal Canadian Golf – oops, Golf Canada – at Glen Abbey in Oakville, Ont., a coat of paint has been slapped on programs that have been around for years, topped off with a new logo.
Behind this new façade are the pillars that comprised the Royal Canadian Golf Association – there, I said it – such as Long Term Player Development, the national team program, CN Future Links, National Golf In Schools, Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Canadian Golf Foundation, among others.
The two professional championships – the RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open – will also be run under the Golf Canada banner, along with all of the RCGA’s – oops, Golf Canada’s – national amateur championships.
Meanwhile, rules, handicapping, course rating, amateur status and corporate functions such as general meetings and annual reports will be carried out under the RCGA (don’t worry, it’s okay to say it here).
It isn’t that any of these programs particularly needed a makeover for all had merit, but the association behind the new brand needed a new look to cuddle up to the unwashed masses who looked upon it as a group that represented snooty private clubs and didn’t relate to public golfers.
In a country that crows about having the highest percentage of golfers per capita, the predecessor to Golf Canada wasn’t tapping into a potential gold mine and it was showing in the association ledger.
Funds from the $40-million sale of the Abbey to ClubLink Corporation over 10 years ago have been dwindling and proceeds from the Open, which not so long ago were funneled back into amateur programs, are now reinvested back into the tournament.
The reality is that Golf Canada/RCGA is bleeding financially. That’s why Golf Canada is more about funding than it is about branding.
“As the National Sport Organization for golf in Canada, we are committed to the growing excellence and participation in the sport, but that mandate comes with a cost and we need the support of golfers to make it happen,” said Golf Canada executive director Scott Simmons.
Golf Canada’s first priority will be to fund its existing programs, but it seemed strange that it was talking about getting involved with the support of young professionals after a discussion paper was released this week by the Canadian Tour about bridging the gap between the time a player turns pro and gets to the major tours.
At this point, that’s in the discussion stages, so it isn’t clear what resources from Golf Canada, the Canadian PGA or the Canadian Tour will be required for such a program. At this point, the discussion also centres solely around men’s golf, with no mention of the women’s game. We’ll see what happens.
To raise funds, Golf Canada is hoping that golf courses will join in the fun and sell Golf Canada merchandise and promote the membership initiative to members/clients.
To sweeten the pot for potential members, Golf Canada has brought on board some corporate heavyweights in RBC Insurance, Research In Motion, itravel2000, Aeroplan and International Hotels Group to offer treats as incentives, although I’m not sure if those goodies will be enough to lure the masses in this age of loyalty programs.
Three levels of membership can be purchased online, we were informed at a press conference in which the media was asked to get the Golf Canada message out with a good-for-the-game attitude that called on newspapers/websites to divert readers to a website operated by a rival, the Globe and Mail.
I wonder if the Globe and Mail is handling that website for the good of the game, or whether the marketing company that worked on the Golf Canada branding did it gratis for the good of the game. Oh well, for the good of the game, the website is www.golfcanada.ca.
There will be some consumers/courses who buy into the good-for-the-game messages, others who don’t buy it at all and still more who are just apathetic and want to play golf. How many people comprise each group will be the burning question going forward.
The Golf Canada crowd looked very informal and relaxed at Thursday’s press conference when they talked about beginning a new journey, but it remains to be seen how many potholes are ahead as the newly-painted organization drives into uncharted territory.
COUPLES HEADS TO MONTREAL: The red-hot Fred Couples, fresh off an impressive performance at the Masters, has confirmed that he will play in the Montreal Championship, the new Champions Tour event being played in early July.
Ian Hutchinson is a veteran Canadian golf writer, whose history in the game includes an extensive background with Canadian golf trade publications. A golf columnist with Sun Media, Hutch is also a regular contributor to publications and websites in Canada and the United States.
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Ian,
I find the tone of your article on the Golf Canada launch to be negative and sarcastic, and I am not sure why you would express those sentiments.
The new Golf Canada branding should be more appealing to the average golfer who doesn’t relate to the RCGA as an organization. I think the organization is attempting to be more inclusive and develop a wider audience. Sure economics are at the heart of it……aren’t economics at the heart of your business decisions and mine?
We all know that if you are not changing with the times, then you are probably falling behind. Directing the proceeds of the Canadian Open into other programs used to work…….now with economic times changing the approach of sponsors, it doesn’t work. If the organization just started cutting programs out, I am sure your article would have a very critical tone. Instead they are trying to create a new brand and engage more golfers……what’s the problem?
My question is, why wouldn’t we support that? If they generate more revenue and spend it on player development, is that bad?
If the Globe and Mail supports Golf Canada and increases its market share, is that bad?
I think we (those of us involved in the game) should support the new brand and its objectives until such time as there is a definitive reason not to do so.
Hi Barrie…Sorry you feel that I was being negative and sarcastic, but I don’t recall saying that the golf industry/golfers shouldn’t support the Golf Canada initiative.
I thought I was just describing the reality of it all and I think negativity is assumed if you stray off the press release and add editorial comment which is what a blog/commentary is supposed to do. If you notice, there’s also a news story that allows Golf Canada its opportunity to speak.
In the blog, I did point out that many of the RCGA’s/Golf Canada’s programs are worth saving, so I don’t see anything wrong with pointing out that the branding program is new paint for existing programs if those programs are good.
Golf Canada (RCGA) has brought up its own financial challenges in public, so I’m not sure what the problem is with me saying that. If you check out other blogs, such as Bob Weeks or Robert Thompson, they touch on many of the points I did so apparently, I’m not alone in my assessment.
As for the Globe and Mail comment, I merely pointed out that it seems strange to expect other media outlets to send their readers to a website that offers high visibility to a rival outlet. Would one golf course use its website or other means to drive potential customers to the website of a rival course? There are other implications to this tie as well, be they merely optics or reality.
Let’s face it, there are challenges ahead for the Golf Canada initiative and this is uncharted territory. To say that is not putting a knock on the initiative, but being realistic about what’s ahead.
Ian, from 4000 miles away I think you are s[pot on. \Golf \Canada is now competing with the people it should be serving. why is Barry for it, GolfCanada will soon be selling its members golfballs, then clubs, then special rates and heck, they might even give free lessons to Barry’s members.
The provincial golf associations should run golf and leave the RCGA to run the Opens.
Gary Nailed it,
the rcga is an association, not a commerical entity, watch them peddle golf products, they failed at the RCGA golf card competing with charities like the Lung Association. They should promote and (pay for) to get kids involved in golf at a younger age, support amateurs, those destined for pros status for sure, and of course the Open and get more amateur and pro events too.
I think Fraser is doing a hell of a job with his VGT – 1 guy with passion that is doing, not managing and sitting on his ass. He will reap the rewards soon. Maybe if the RCGA, BCPGA and CPGA supported him, it would grow faster and then the associations could bask in glory too.
The all mightly dollar speaks too loud, rising land costs, wages. We may never get a new 9 hole golf course built ever again, that could cater to training, kids programs and practice, practice and more practice. That is where they could have spent their $40,000,000 windfall as opposed to letting it get dwindled away. i have said enough. thank you
Thanks for your input Barrie, all you have said is also how we should all think in order to preserve our grand game!
Thank you RCGA/ Golf Canada!
Thanks to Barrie for his supportive comments on RCGA/ Golf Canada
I am with you and so are many others I am sure.
AHHHH, that reality laced libation sure has some kick to it doesn’t it? Thanks for an honest report Ian. Objective journalism seems to be in short supply nowadays. For a national organization to partner with a single media outlet certainly seems a little short-sighted.
As a member of a club and thus a member of the RCGA errr… Golf Canada whether I like it or not I have to say those incentives look pretty gosh darn good. Insurance and travel deals that you just can’t get from just any email well at least until they add Viagra to their commercial partners.
The RCGA has just been so good to me over the years. They have taken my money and in return I now have access to RBC, itravel2000, International Hotels Group…. All these companies are going to give me deals that they don’t offer to just anybody. I’m surprised they didn’t double my membership fees because of these great offers. Have they hired extra security at RCGA HQ to protect all money that must be pouring in as golfers who aren’t members and their friends rush to join to take advantage of this most generous offer?
The RCGA is responding to economic pressure\times like any other organization. Adapt to survive or die a slow death. I’m not a fan of partnering with The Globe but if necessary then so be it. My concern is the lack of younger golfers taking up the sport. Golf courses are so wrapped up in cashing in on the retirement boom. Many offer deals/packages to the weekday golfer but have few (if any) programs for juniors/families and beginners. If these courses become part of Golf Canada and they realize that managing their profit isn’t just about the immediate trend but they start to nurture a plan that includes a concentration on the growth of the sport, then do whatever it takes to keep Golf Canada alive.
Golf is still considered an elitist sport and most 25 and unders consider an outing to be a chance to drink beer and goof off in a golf cart. When I play a round with my father (who is retired) I am usually the youngest out on the course. I’ve tried to take my son’s out but they feel intimidated by the “regular’s” who are more concerned with getting their round in and having a few at the 19th hole. It’s saddening to realize that golf has become more of a social gathering than a chance to share our passion for the game and pass it on to future generations. Hopefully Golf Canada will succeed and continue to promote this fantastic sport.
I am a 23 year old golfer from Ontario and I usually play 20-30 rounds of golf in a given season. I believe this change is a mistake and it has diminished my respect for the people in charge of the RCGA. Let me explain why I and many other avid Canadian golfers strongly disapprove of this seemingly arbitrary and clandestine change of name. Firstly, Golf is a game steeped in tradition and is known by many as one of the most historic games played worldwide. This change of name ends 115 years of heritage and replaces a great honour bestowed by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, Canada’s first Queen, in 1896. The change also is a mark of severe disrespect to our current Head of State, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who by her role as Queen of Canada, is a patron of all those organizations that have been graciously granted the honour of a Royal Prefix. This is another step in the systematic removal the symbols of Canadian Heritage and culture from the public eye and is part of a larger movement to disrespect Canada’s unique culture and history. Did “GolfCanada” even consult with their membership before making the change and if so what were the results? Will “GolfCanada” address the concerns of the thousands of Canadian golfers who do not approve of the name change? I hope that there can be a fair compromise for those golfers who feel tradition and history are important parts of not only Canadian life, but the game of golf. Canada is slowly losing its heritage, does the RCGA really want to be contributing to Canada’s cultural degradation? I hope that we can one day switch the name back to its historic and honourable name. There is value in tradition and continuity.
Jeff in Ontario