Mergers, Loogies, Image And Write-Offs

This link from the Vancouver Sun is interesting for a number of reasons.

First of all, Brad Ziemer reports on a potential merger between Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club, the site of last year’s RBC Canadian Open, and Point Grey Golf and Country Club.

If you read beyond the story, you’ll also find some comments from readers. Just like this National Post editiorial that GNN linked to last week, the comments from readers illustrate the perception challenge that golf faces.

That image of exclusivity is one of the obstacles in he industry’s efforts to make golf tax deductible again, a movement that is gaining attention outside of Canadian borders.

Check out this story in The Economist, to go along with this story that has been linked previously on GNN from the Wall Street Journal.

In other news, Keegan Bradley had some people spitting made for his frequent spitting at the recent Northern Trust Open. Bradley acknowledged with a tweet that it’s something that he’ll work on to correct. You can read more in this Golf Channel story.

The other concern from an industry perspective is how long it took the final group at Riviera, including Bradley, to finish their round. Over five hours is not an example the industry wants to set.

Thought For The Day

Before we go telling government officials and others how popular the game is with Canadians, shouldn’t we get a better idea ourselves?

There hasn’t been a national study done on the subject since before the 2008-2009 recession and it seems like there has been a lot of change since then. That’s the key word — “seems.”

A more definitive word is necessary going forward.

Oh … And One More

How long have belly/long putters been around? What more needs to be studied or discussed? These big boys, and the anchoring that often goes with them, are either illegal or not. Why wait to make a decision?

Related Posts:

• Belly Putters: Passing Fad Or Here To Stay?
• Quick Fix May Mean Quick Sale, But Lost Credibility
• What Effect, If Any, Will Rory Have On The Industry?
• Was Tiger The Best Choice?
• Do The Holidays Resonate More In Golf?