Future Prospects Remain Uncertain

Just an update on career path and my search for more revenue sources outside my teaching at the Northview Golf Academy in Surrey, everything is still very much up in the air. At this point, I’m still looking to return to teaching at Northview this season, but also looking to find other ways to supplement [...]

Losing Tax-Deductible Status Took Rounds Away

My first reaction to news that politicians from various parties were looking to once again make golf a legitimate business expense was “Please do it!” If they accomplish nothing else this year, please get this done. I’m not sure if the impact will be absolutely immediate, but I think over the course of a couple [...]

My Criticism Wasn’t Directed At Individual Coaches

One thing that came out of my last blog, which you can read here, is the realization that a lot of people are reading GNN. As I told Hutch, I’ve receive several responses to the blog, ranging from “atta boy,” all the way to “do you think before you speak?” My answer to that last [...]

Golf Canada Hiring Is A Slap In The Face

As much as the PGA of Canada is on board with Golf Canada’s hiring of Tristan Mullally of Ireland as coach of the women’s national team, I believe it’s a slap in the face of the association. If there isn’t a qualified candidate in Canada, then we need to burn it to the ground and [...]

Take Advantage Of The Holidays

Here on the Lower Mainland, winter’s not really cold, but it does get cold and dreary, not really inspirational to golfers wanting to take lessons. We’ve got a few people who have bought some packages. Remember when you were 15 or 16 and you really didn’t care about the weather? These guys are around 40 [...]

First Choice Is Golf, But Back-Up Plan Coming Together

Just a little update on the blog I wrote last month about looking outside the golf industry for employment. As I stated then, my first choice would be to stay in golf and there are some possibilities. As you may have heard, Scott Dickson is leaving Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club for the Mississaugua Golf [...]

There’s Pride In Playing The CPC

While the exemption into next year’s RBC Canadian Open is now being awarded to the leader of the PGA of Canada rankings, that doesn’t diminish the importance of the Titleist and FootJoy PGA of Canada Cliub Professionals Championship, which starts today in Port. St. Lucie, Fla. The exemption was a wonderful perk that I enjoyed [...]

I’ll Miss Club Pro Championship This Year

For the first time in six years, I won’t be playing at next week’s Titleist and FootJoy PGA of Canada Club Professionals Championship in Port St Lucie, Fla. Unfortunately, I don’t qualify. The criteria’s pretty cut and dried. You’ve got to be a head professional or a head teaching professional and I’m neither at Northview, [...]

Sadly, My Future May Be Outside Of Golf

As this blog was being written, we were expecting the birth of our second child. I’ll have some time to spend with the family because it isn’t very busy at work, which poses a problem. It’s to the point where I’m wondering if there’s something else I can do for a career. The way it [...]

Lessons Are Taking Low Priority

There has been plenty of talk about participation in golf and that will obviously affect the number of people who take lessons. I think with beginners who really want to get better, there’s no change, but I think in the 15 to 20 handicap range, the people who play maybe twice a month, there’s a [...]

I Won’t Mind Layering Up And Working This Winter

We can go pretty much through the winter where I teach at the Northview Golf Academy in Surrey, B.C., where we have a couple of rooms and heated stalls for the diehards and I hope there are a few out there this winter. If they want to take lessons, I’m there. I’ve got lots of [...]

Why Go Squirrelly In Retirement?

At the age of 38, I haven’t thought of a retirement age. I figure as soon as I win the lottery, I’ll retire. If that doesn’t happen by the time I turn 65, then we’ll see how we’re doing. Of course, I’m saving because I don’t know how I’m going to feel at age 60 [...]

An Extended Season Would Be Good For The Soul

Out here in British Columbia, golf operators are praying for the longest Indian Summer on record. I was driving home in August and I heard on the radio that it was 27 C outside and I’m almost positive that was the first time I’d seen it above 25 this year. We’ve got a portable air [...]

Member Attendance Is Critical For B.C. Show

As you’ve been reading in the trade news, the PGA of British Columbia is trying August dates for its buying show and that takes place next week at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond. The association has assured the Canadian Golf Industry Association that a certain number of buyers will be on hand to [...]

I Really Hate To Hear The “R” Word

I really don’t like the sound of the word “recession,” which seems to be creeping back into discussions recently. When I was in college, I wrote a paper in economics class. It was the early ‘90s and there was a recession going on at the time and the topic of the paper was if we [...]

Tough To Get An Exact Read On The Industry

With the weather the way it’s been this year and the economy so unpredictable, it’s so difficult to get a handle on where the golf industry is these days. I don’t think the golf industry is thriving right now, but I do think the numbers we have are misleading because there’s only so much you [...]

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