Compliments of Your Canadian Golf Professional Golfindustrynetwork.Ca Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement 40021532 the Club House
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Compliments of Your Canadian Golf Professional golfindustrynetwork.ca Canadian publications mail product sales agreement 40021532 The Club House Faced with a myriad of challenges, the sport professional rules at all times. same way, I’ll sink more putts.” of golf and those who play the game wrestle with Is traditional golf out of touch and does the Slow play is an issue that hurts the game at every ideas on how to grow the game. They also wrestle game need a radical overhaul? It seems as if it’s level and has a tendency to push people away with how to keep the existing core group of golfers more concerned with tradition than getting the from the game completely. Golfers who might be happy, and how to avoid circumstances that force most out of the game, and what makes more sense interested in taking up golf, or maybe playing more golfers to play less, or possibly leave the sport. for evolving tastes, lifestyles, and time constraints. rounds, might find it all but impossible because With a sluggish economy and aging We appreciate the rules when applied to a round at their local course takes six-plus hours demographic, shifts in demand occur for many professional golf, but for everyone else, is there to complete, which amounts to almost an entire reasons. People are finding it harder to find the a better way? weekend day. If rounds of golf were reasonable, time to commit to the sport. They prefer (or Ted Bishop PGA of America suggested, “golf like the three-and-a-half hours they used to take feel obligated) to spend time with their families. is at a point where two sets of rules should be in the not-so-distant past, more golfers might Some people may not have the same discretionary considered as a potential solution. The PGA take up the game. dollars and find the game too expensive. Still Tour didn’t exist when the USGA was founded There are many ways to speed up play and others find the etiquette rules obsolete and slow in 1894, and the Tour has a “powerful impact” if you are not sure, ask your golf professional. play difficult to accept. on the game.” Recreational golfers need to be educated on slow Mark King CEO of TaylorMade says: “If we don’t It appears the governing bodies focus on issues play. Be responsible for your own game and pay continue to take steps to make the game more that affect only a small percentage of the golfing attention to what is going on around you when inviting, more welcoming and more enjoyable, population. For example: anchored strokes — the you’re playing. Be aware of whose turn it is to in five years our participation numbers may be kind used with long putters and belly putters. Do play, help watch the ball of every other player half what they are today.” your buddies really care if you use a long putter? within your group, and keep an eye on where “To preserve the future of the game, we need to Maybe their time and efforts would be more it comes to rest. create an environment where people are welcome beneficial to the game if they dealt with issues that If you are using a cart, drop off your partner and enjoy the game,” said King. actually confront the majority of golfers. Slow Play! at his ball with three or four of the most likely Jack Nicklaus, the legendary player, says: “We Most players hate slow play and it’s regarded as clubs needed for the shot, before proceeding to need to introduce golf to people in a way that is one of the most effective ways to ruin the game. your own ball. Do not sit around waiting for the friendly and provides early success so they stay Slow play cannot be attributed to any one first player to obtain his yardage, select a club, with the game.” group. Are golfers being affected by the slow and hit his shot before proceeding. The R&A and the USGA, custodians of the rules play they see on the pro tours? Or are we, as a The key in keeping up a good pace on the book, do not control how golfers golf, just what society, less concerned about others? golf course is to focus on the group ahead of the rules are for ‘sanctioned events’. Slow play on the golf course is a bad habit you, not the one behind. Keep within a hole An independent survey conducted by Google that a golfer acquires over time and the result of of the forward players, and you will do fine. If Consumer Surveys finds 73 per cent of golfers the golfer never having been taught proper golf necessary, tell your buddy or group that you are admit to not following the rules, fewer than 15 per etiquette. That means a slow golfer can usually going slow, so you don’t have to wait for the cent keep a handicap, 78 per cent play solely for be “cured” of his malady. Of course, that golfer course marshal to warn you. fun, and 63 per cent would consider playing non- has to be aware that he is slow, and that’s where conforming equipment in an effort to maximize buddies come into play. Enjoy your season. their enjoyment of the game. Do you think high handicap golfers line The majority of golfers just want to play with up their putts for five minutes because they, their buddies; they appreciate the sport but don’t just out of the blue, came up with the idea Randy McDonald take it seriously, and have no interest in playing that this might somehow help them sink the Publisher/Editor amateur tournaments or having anything to do putt? No. The previous weekend, these golfers with antiquated golf associations. have watched professional golfers on TV look Golfing establishments are actually making over their putts from every angle imaginable the rules more unrealistic than they already and then sink the putt. The high handicapper are. They still think everyone should play by thinks: “Well, maybe if I line up my putts the Photo by John Gallaugher golfindustrynetwork.ca golfindustrynetwork.ca CANADIAN GOLFER MAGAZINE 3 The Starter The Starter BY RANDY MCDONALD ClubLink Troubles GArrY MCKAY Beer Cocktails RICK DRENNAN Membership and revenue numbers were both GLEN PHILLIPS BY GLENN PHILLIPS, REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF HOSPITALITY CLUBLINK COrp down in 2012 at Canada’s largest golf course owner. Nothing is more refreshing than a cold beer ClubLink reported that they had 678 fewer after a round of golf. Or is there? members last year than in 2011, and that operating What about a beer cocktail? Not sure what revenue was down by 0.4 per cent. a beer cocktail is? Well, it is exactly what it “We’re obviously concerned, as everyone else in sounds like - a beer-based cocktail, which is Hovercraft Speeds Up Play the private golf club or the membership business a beverage that takes the classic cocktail and is concerned, but we’re seeing some positive transforms it by replacing the alcohol with signs, also,” said Edge Caravaggio, vice-president your favourite beer. of operations for ClubLink. I must say I was a little reluctant about the “All you have to do is look at the membership idea when I first heard of it a few years ago, sales initiatives that local member clubs are but I guess when you think about it, we have advertising right now and you’ll see that they’re had beer cocktails before. I am sure we all obviously in similar, if not worse, positions. We remember the Shandy, right? have to become relevant in today’s world and Well, this is just taking it to a new level and we believe we’ve done that with a redefinition of perhaps with a bit of a modern twist. Maybe our membership status and that makes us more you have heard of a Rocket? This is Smirnoff attractive for sales, and more significantly, more Ice and beer mixed 50-50. attractive to our existing members.” A little high in alcohol for your taste? Well, Bubba Watson and his new Brent Miller, ClubLink’s executive director of maybe you should try a Sublime Shandy. sponsor have come up with a golf operations and member services, notes their Here, Molson 67 Sublime is combined with new way of getting around a golf fourth quarter numbers were actually up compared elderflower cordial and pink lemonade and course. The Masters Champion to the fourth quarter in 2011. garnished with fresh raspberries. and his clothes sponsor Oakley “We’ve added some new membership benefits Not strong enough for you, or perhaps a have teamed up to create the into the mix at ClubLink and we feel that this is a little too fruity? Then how about a Corona BW1, what they say is the world’s good direction to be going in,” said Miller. Find Your Beach Margarita? In this recipe first hovercraft golf cart. The Among the new programs that ClubLink is Corona is blended with tequila, lime, orange prototype has advantages over implementing are discounts for seniors who have syrup and crushed chilis, garnished with lime. an everyday golf cart that Watson been members for 10 years or more and are over Whatever your taste preference is, I am sure himself explained. “BW1 is a 70, pro-rated dues for members 25-35, and family you will soon find a Beertail that will suit you.