Can President's Cup Save Pro Golf in Canada?
Hello. It was announced today Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player will be captains again in the 2007 President's Cup, to be held at Royal Montreal.
Let's hope this announcement, and the buildup to the event, will spark interest in professional golf. So far the evidence pro golf in Canada is going downhill is tough to refute.
Let's start with the CPGA Tournament. The last two years it's been played at Whistle Bear in the Kitchener area. I haven't played it yet, but from what I hear it's a nice course. Apparently it was very well attended. It was part of the Nationwide Tour. A Canadian, Jon Mills, won the event, and is now on the PGA Tour. It's the 2nd oldest professional tournament in Canada. The winner's list is impressive. I watched Ray Floyd win at Westmount in Kitchener (too) many years ago.
Guess what? There's no tournament this year. What happened? I'm not sure, but after reading scoregolf.com, it appears the Nationwide Tour arrangement wasn't satisfactory to all parties. Then the sponsors pulled out. The rest is history.
And then there's the Canadian Open, still sponsorless with just over 3 months to go. I've laboured on this event long enough. All I can say RCGA is get moving, or else!
So what has been happening? Well, all I can say is golf maybe has missed the mark when it comes to its market. Many companies want to target 18-34 year old males. Golf just can't do it as well as other sports, because of the time and money involved.
Case in point - I've just booked a tee time for my brother and I on Royal Hoot, one of the Osprey Valley courses, for 8:30am Saturday. I booked it today, Wednesday. I gathered from my conversation with the "bookie" I could've had any morning time I wanted on either the Royal Hoot or Royal Toot courses. I probably could've fit in to the Heathlands course too.
It's going to be a $200+ day for us because that's what the green fees are. If we want to eat/drink of course it will be more. Plus an hour drive round trip. This on top of the fact I've prepaid membership fees at North Halton.
Are my brother and I happy to do it? You bet. But we have significant others who golf, and want us to do it. And we have some money. Could we do it all the time? Absolutely not! Can 18-34 year old males? Not the majority of them.
Pro golf in Canada has to take a real long hard look at itself. Otherwise, we may only have our memories of it.
Regards,
Steve
Let's hope this announcement, and the buildup to the event, will spark interest in professional golf. So far the evidence pro golf in Canada is going downhill is tough to refute.
Let's start with the CPGA Tournament. The last two years it's been played at Whistle Bear in the Kitchener area. I haven't played it yet, but from what I hear it's a nice course. Apparently it was very well attended. It was part of the Nationwide Tour. A Canadian, Jon Mills, won the event, and is now on the PGA Tour. It's the 2nd oldest professional tournament in Canada. The winner's list is impressive. I watched Ray Floyd win at Westmount in Kitchener (too) many years ago.
Guess what? There's no tournament this year. What happened? I'm not sure, but after reading scoregolf.com, it appears the Nationwide Tour arrangement wasn't satisfactory to all parties. Then the sponsors pulled out. The rest is history.
And then there's the Canadian Open, still sponsorless with just over 3 months to go. I've laboured on this event long enough. All I can say RCGA is get moving, or else!
So what has been happening? Well, all I can say is golf maybe has missed the mark when it comes to its market. Many companies want to target 18-34 year old males. Golf just can't do it as well as other sports, because of the time and money involved.
Case in point - I've just booked a tee time for my brother and I on Royal Hoot, one of the Osprey Valley courses, for 8:30am Saturday. I booked it today, Wednesday. I gathered from my conversation with the "bookie" I could've had any morning time I wanted on either the Royal Hoot or Royal Toot courses. I probably could've fit in to the Heathlands course too.
It's going to be a $200+ day for us because that's what the green fees are. If we want to eat/drink of course it will be more. Plus an hour drive round trip. This on top of the fact I've prepaid membership fees at North Halton.
Are my brother and I happy to do it? You bet. But we have significant others who golf, and want us to do it. And we have some money. Could we do it all the time? Absolutely not! Can 18-34 year old males? Not the majority of them.
Pro golf in Canada has to take a real long hard look at itself. Otherwise, we may only have our memories of it.
Regards,
Steve
posted by Irrelevant at 1:42 PM
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