Do You Take Time To Read Association E-Mails?

The Internet has been great for golf associations, allowing them the opportunity to blast out e-news and updates to their members, but I wonder about the number of people who are actually paying attention. You can see how many people are actually opening your e-mails, but from what I’m told, the standard number, to me, [...]

Golf Is Even More Fun With The New World Order

Golf enjoyed a great day recently when Rory McIlroy won the Honda Classic and took over the No. 1 spot in golf, although Luke Donald has since taken it back and that’s the fun part of the new world order as we get ready for the Masters to get underway this week. Not only did [...]

We Need Glorious Weather To Continue Past Opening Day

It would be so positive for the weather to cooperate and give everybody in the industry a jump on the season and have it continue all the way through to the end. We need that running start to continue its momentum instead of opening, then having the weather slow us down and, all of a [...]

You Wish People Well, Even When You Hate To Lose Them

The word is out now that Alan Palmer has left the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge to become director of golf at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver. It’s a good opportunity for Alan, just as it was when Brian Fast left Cottonwood to join the Sirocco Golf Club as head professional. Brian worked with [...]

It Looks Like We Came Through The Weird Winter Fine

As I mentioned in a previous blog, it’s been a strange winter here in Southern Ontario. Traditionally, the snow comes in December and January and usually stays, but this year, we’ve had so many days that were seven or 10 degrees Celsius, so the snow quickly disappeared. Thom Charters, our director of golf course operations, [...]

In This Job Market, Are We Tempted To Play It Safe?

Employment is often a topic of conversation these days. There are often jobs available for assistant professionals, people just getting into the business. You’re not going to get rich, but if you’re willing to relocate in order to get a different experience, chances are you’ll get a job. A friend of mine, a young guy [...]

Getting People Into The Game Is Critical, But So Is Keeping Them

Recent discussion in the golf industry has revolved around the need for the golf industry to swing into action instead of just talking about what we need to do to overcome the challenges facing the game. I agree. We can sit in boardrooms all we want and come up with the greatest ideas in the [...]

Predator Ridge Gets Name Power

Predator Ridge in Vernon, B.C., got some real name power recently when it announced that former PGA Tour player Dick Zokol was coming on board as its executive director of golf development. Dick’s a great name in Canadian golf and a big name in B.C. golf and his name carries weight. I think he’ll be [...]

We’re Sticking To Our Traditional Opening Day

Wednesday was a magnificent day in Southern Ontario, sunny with highs in the double digits Celsius and feeling like spring, even though it isn’t officially. Sunday is supposed to be beautiful too, according to the weather report. It’s just the type of weather that turns members’ minds to thoughts of golf. However, we’re sticking to [...]

Do We Want To Grow Golf, Or Over-Regulate It?

I’ve heard the discussion about two different sets of equipment rules, one set for competitive players and one for recreational players. My main concern in this discussion is what is the greatest percentage of golfers we’re trying to lure to the game? Most would agree that it’s the recreational player and people who may never [...]

Setting Limits Just Holds You Back

The PGA of British Columbia’s spring education seminar and annual general meeting takes place early this week at the River Rock Casino and Resort and we have several speakers from outside the golf industry. Included in the lineup are Richard Bartrem of WestJet, John Furlong, CEO of the Vancouver Olympics and Paralympics, Randy Hnatko of [...]

I Got A Positive Vibe From Orlando Show

What struck me this year at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando was the positive outlook towards the American economy. I’m excited about this because the United States is our biggest trading partner and many times, as they go, we go. We may not have had it as rough economically the past few years, but [...]

Job Fairs Offer A Better Look At Potential Employees

The ideal situation is for employers not to need such things as job fairs, which are so frequent in the golf industry in February/March and such a good way to meet potential employees. In a perfect word, you would simply start the season with all the good people that you had the year before, but [...]

Be Careful What You Wish For With Early Starts

There’s been talk about early starts to the season the way the winter has gone this year, but you’ve got to be careful because sometimes you start early, then get slammed again. Two years ago, we got going in early May. We thought everything was great and then we were forced to close for about [...]

Golf Needs To Project Its Positives To The Public

One of the challenges as the golf industry seeks to attain tax-deductible status again is broadcasting a positive image of the game. It’s up to us to educate them, the same way the National Allied Golf Associations’ educated politicians on the positives of the game last year and pointed out a lot of its findings [...]

Smaller Groups Allow You To Showcase Your Club

As I mentioned in my last blog, I’m noticing a trend towards smaller, more intimate corporate events, as opposed to the bigger tournaments that used to be so prevalent. If you take a look at the demographics of the bigger events, there is only a small percentage of a group that businesses are looking to [...]

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