“We cannot go on in the golf business as we are now."
Sean Martin shares some of the highlights of Gary Players' Asian Amateur press conference. At least he's saying the right things, even if he hasn't built a single golf course that anyone would ever think to call a model for the future.
“It’s costing too much money to maintain the golf courses. We’re building the golf courses too long, because the golf ball is going too far, so the costs are going up instead of going down. . . . And it’s stopping the number of people that are playing. So it is critical we cut the ball back for professional golf, 50 yards. Leave the technology for the amateur.”
50 yards works for me.
“We have to build golf courses for the people. We have to change. Change is the price of survival. We cannot go on in the golf business as we are now. We have to get more people playing, more people out, more children playing, and we’ve got to change our whole concept.”
I know where to start! No more golf courses designed by famous players who overcharge and overbuild. What do you think Gary?
Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 04:00 PM
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Reader Comments (9)
Will any real change occur soon?
"It's much easier to be critical than be correct" Desraili
Golf in its prosperous years caught the tiger by the tale (pardon the expression) now it’s time to let the tiger go; not so easy! Example: One hundred dollar rounds at Country Clubs for a Day!
I have played many rounds on golf courses that were in less than perfect condition and enjoyed the art of the layout and surroundings. Perfect, weed-free, ultra-green turf doesn’t make me play better. remember "Rub of the Green"
Daily double-cut and rolled greens, daily hand raked sand bunkers, smartly edged cart paths, angle cut fairways are all money wasters that contribute very little to the thrill and enjoyment of the game to the average 16 handicapper.
Bingo...you don't have to spend as much on maintenance and the courses will be making a bigger profit due to decreased maintenance budgets. Then the gov't moves in and taxes this excess profit by 15% Now the people who can't afford to golf will stop complaining because they won't golf at all anymore and we won't need to tax the rich in a de jure way because this 15% of excess golf course profits is a backdoor tax on the rich.
What do y'all think?
Obviously, I'm kidding...or am I?!?!?