INSIDE GOLF
Those nasty New Guinean headhunters used to eat the brains of their dead enemies because they thought it would make them a whole lot smarter. The Canadian golf business applied the same logic this past year. The former Royal Canadian Golf Association cannibalized Hockey Canada’s governance model, and emerged as Golf Canada. The change was overdue. Perhaps it began when Bob Nicholson, the czar of Hockey Canada, made a presentation to the RCGA’s annual general meeting a short time ago. Wave the flag, said Nicholson. Get Canadians to understand your brand. What the hell did the RCGA do or stand for? Your board of governors’ model is top-heavy. Nicholson spoke about Hockey Canada’s successes. How the World Junior Hockey Championships…
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A whiteout in December isn’t unusual. But a whiteout in July, and at a golf course? Surely the weather hasn’t gone that crazy. Unfortunately for golf course operators, the white they see, and have seen more of since the markets went south, is empty space on tee-time sheets. Filling that space is another story. According to Don Cook of the PGA of America, keeping that 1st tee busy takes more than a reduced green fee or a free beer at the turn. Speaking at the PGA Show in Orlando in January, Cook said clubs need to “identify where white spaces typically fall, whether there’s a pattern and who can play at these times.” Clubs can then design programs to reach…
[FLIP THROUGH THE LATEST ISSUE...] Okay, so those greedy Wall St. types brought down that comfortable little world we once knew. But let’s give credit where it’s due. It’s sure a lot easier – and cheaper – to get a tee time. The doors are open and the deals are flying, even at clubs where it once seemed that the only times ever available were 7 a.m. or 5 p.m. It’s the same story on the private front. Clubs that previously didn’t take kindly to strangers have opened the ivy-covered gates to their exclusive little kingdoms. One can enjoy the private experience at a relatively bargain-basement price. None of this, of course, is good news for the golf industry. Discounts and improved access mean more…
[FLIP THROUGH THE LATEST ISSUE...] “All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.” Sun Tzu Ah yes, strategy. In Sun Tzu’s Art of War, it’s all about preparation. Jeff Calderwood is a master of it. He prepares for business meetings like he’s going into battle. He’s been doing it for years as founder and executive director of the National Golf Course Owners’ Association (NGCOA), which oversees about 1300 courses in Canada. He’s argued and cajoled and seen victory and defeat over issues such as course development, water usage, taxation, and over building. Late last summer at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, he showed up at the official announcement of the…
[FLIP THROUGH THE LATEST ISSUE...]The Disney brand is indelibly imprinted into the collective consciousness of young and old throughout North America. But Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is more than theme parks and wild rides and mouse ears. Four championship courses dot the landscape, and they were front and centre at the PGA Merchandise Show held in Orlando earlier this year. Steve Harker, manager of sales and performance for Disney Golf, held a seminar room spellbound as he painted a dollar and sense picture of the state-of-the-art revenue and profit management system – a system Harker helped develop. Harker said Disney’s golfing success is driven by its founder’s philosophy that “quality will out.” That means giving people (golfers) what they want. And what they…
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TaylorMade has introduced two new golf ball models – the next-generation Burner and the all-new Burner Tour, both designed to deliver maximum distance through high launch and longer carry and the Burner Tour’s soft and thin cover promotes softer feel, higher spin and increased control. For additional features and more information, visit www.taylormadegolf.com.
Eliminate your slice and hit longer drives and fairway wood shots with the Bazooka HT Max Draw woods. These metal woods utilize multiple layers of technology to minimize slicing and help golfers lower their scores. Features include: Offset head makes hitting straight easier than ever. The offset promotes faster clubhead rotation and makes it easier to square up the club face at impact and eliminate slicing. Forgiveness is maximized by eliminating the skirt, sloping the crown, and placing a fixed weight screw in the rear of the sole. This design feature moves the centre of gravity low and back for reduced clubhead twisting. For added forgiveness, the HT Max Draw has four internal weight cavities in the rear of the…
Wilson Staff has launched the newest edition of its “Di” family of distance irons, the aggressively designed Di11 iron. The new Di11 iron features modifications and updates in virtually every performance area, all designed to deliver added power and greater accuracy for players of all skill levels. Features include low CG and ultra-wide sole for higher ball flight and to get through heavy rough. A wider sweet spot and perimeter weighting, combined with the torsional stability of a wide tip shaft makes Di11 a forgiving iron. In addition the lightweight shaft options are designed to work in concert with the low, wide head design and deliver faster clubhead speeds on the Di11. For more information call 1-800-267-7506 or visit www.wilsonstaff.com
The new Titleist 910 drivers feature the innovative SureFit Tour dual-angle hosel. Titleist 910 drivers, available in 910D2 (460cc) and 910D3 (445cc) models, deliver total performance with improvements in flight, fit, looks, feel and sound. Highlighting the new features is the latest advancement in precision fitting – the SureFit Tour Hosel. Nicknamed “Tour-Van-in-a-hosel,” SFT enables golfers to set loft and lie independently to optimize ball flight higher or lower, and for more draw or fade for a precise fit that results in increased distance and improved shot control. For more information, visit: www.titleist.ca
But was there any substance to go along with all the style? At the European Tour’s 2000 Italian Open Ian James Poulter would answer that question with a resounding “YES!” His one-stroke win over Scotland’s Gordon Brand was improbable for a number of reasons. He’d tried and failed three times to qualify for the European Tour. He had one win from the Challenge Tour, and his golfing pedigree was anything but blue blood – no U.S. college scholarship, and no major amateur titles. The Hitchen, England native, was actually a four-handicapper when, as a teen, he first applied for an assistant pro’s job at the Leighton Buzzard Golf Club near his hometown. In fact, scoring his first job required a little skullduggery, and pulling it off was pure Poulter, recalls a close friend. With…
GOLF NEWS
By: Tim Baines POINTE WEST GOLF CLUB Amherstberg, ON Ping is the name of the game at Pointe West Golf Club. Director of Golf Rick Schmidtgall says sales of the G15 have been “phenomenal.” “It’s been by far our best,” he says. “It’s what we get the most inquiries about.” Ping is also a leader in iron sales, split fairly evenly between the G15 and i15. “We’re getting members who have played Ping in the past, plus those who are converting over, using the clubs. Even the better players are drawn more to the G15 than the i15. “What we have found is with Ping making its irons in North America, if the members need to make adjustments, the lie…
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