Every year, about this time, the sunny warm days of golf are quickly turning to cooler days of fall. Each year, I ask questions about clothing, equipment, and tricks to keep warm and extend our golfing season. Additionally, I am heading to a 54 hole tournament next week and the weather forecast is varied and as such the proper clothing is critical so I can play my best. Continue reading
Discussion
Looks Are Deceiving on The Golf Course
Last night I played in one of the last Men’s night at Osprey Links Golf Course. I played with my usual crew (Rick and Blair) in a four man scramble. We never know who our 4th player will be and sometimes it is a crap shoot. As our other teammate walked to our tee, Blair and Rick shouted out a greeting to Gord. They played with him last week. After introductions, we were ready to start our game. Continue reading
The Waning Interest in Golf
The waning interest in golf! It is not all about money!
Golf continually follows the ebb and flow popularity. If you as the pundits, they will offer a very long and detailed answer about costs, environmental issues or the lack of interest from the millennials. I am sure there is logic in their answers, however let’s be clear: “It is a nearly $70 billion industry, supporting two million jobs and $55.6 billion in annual wage income. Golf has a long history of giving back to society and provides an annual charitable impact of about $4 billion per year through 143,000 events and 12 million participants.” (Forbes 2015)
There are many reasons for the wax and waning of golf interest. The fundamental reason is complex and I am not really interested in solving because I am a consumer. I let the golf professionals figure out the details; I only want to play golf and support charities as much as possible. Since I started writing a golf blog, I notice a sharp decline in interest starting right about now until April when the Masters peeks it head up from a long winters nap. And when the interest returns in the spring, it does so with a vengeance. Continue reading
Expectations Kill The Golf Experience
Are you a member of a golf course? Do you fork out which seems tons of money to play regularly at your local golf course? Canada is a golfing mecca that is often overlooked by many of the world travelers. “There are 34,011 golf facilities in the world. More than 18,600 of those facilities are located in 204 countries outside of the United States. Canada is home to 13% of that worldwide supply (excluding the U.S.), and is one of only seven countries with more than 500 golf facilities. Even when factoring in the United States, which has 15,372 facilities, Canada comprises 7% of the total world supply. While golf is certainly a worldwide game, supply remains largely concentrated among the most golf-developed nations. In fact, excluding the United States’ supply, 70% of all golf facilities are located in only 10 countries, and 85% of all facilities worldwide are located in 20 nations.” (Golf Canada Report 2015) This is great news for Canada, however can expectations of regular golfers have an affect on their golfing experience.
Playing the Odds In Golf or Not!
If anyone ever tells you that golf is not a thinking game, then they have not played it competitively. Initially, golf is a sport where one plays against ones self and eventually expands into playing against others. During that entire journey, all golfers (regardless of their skill level) think about the 100 influences during every shot. There are times when I walk off the course mentally drained instead of physically. On those days, I usually played in a competition of some sort. To keep me mentally sharp for 4+ hours I play the odds to make smart swing decisions and sometimes not! Continue reading
The Grateful Golfer 