Page 6 - GBC winter 2016 Eng

Message From The Publisher • Jeff Calderwood
The First Tee
For those of you joining us here in Whistler, welcome to the 2017 Golf Business Canada Conference & Trade Show! It promises to be an exciting 3 days with hundreds of your fellow golf course owners and operators from coast to coast, and a wealth of golf business knowledge to be gained.
We also release this issue of our Magazine here at the Conference, so you will be well- armed with an extensive line up of both writers and speakers to propel your golf operation into next golf season.
The feature story by Stephen Johnston analyses the advantages and disadvantages of your food and beverage operation being managed in-house vs contracted out. Many of you have wrestled with that decision over the years, so Johnston’s research and insights should add valuable perspective to your considerations.
It’s Good To Be ‘King’
The balance of the Magazine includes the latest consultation on brand partners, tournaments, winter preparation, sales staff, league play, dog-friendly golf, rounds played reports, NGCOA Canada news, and then closes with a tribute to Arnold Palmer’s incredible life.
I would like to add a little-known story about Arnold Palmer’s contribution to the launch of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA).
Palmer was not only a prolific golfer, he also became a golf course owner, one of the first PGA Tour pros to invest in that business. Back in the early ‘70s, there was no dedicated association to serve the best interests of course owners such as himself.
The pros, superintendents, club managers, golfers and suppliers all had their respective associations but the owners were not organized in such a fashion. Yet, the industry was beginning to evolve toward business operated golf courses and the popularity of the game was on the rise, due in large part to Palmer’s success and media profile.
The National Golf Foundation (NGF), under the leadership of president Don Rossi, was starting to add some focus on golf course owners as the industry evolved. In 1979, at an NGF meeting in Chicago, Rossi entertained the possibility that there may be a need to form a new association to properly focus on the needs of owners.
Arnold Palmer was a strong advocate of this concept and made a compelling speech at the microphone, persuading others to embrace the future growth of the golf course ownership business.
One Canadian course owner was present that day, Bob Labbett, now retired but still a strong supporter of the NGCOA at the age of 81. I spoke with Bob the day after Palmer passed away.
“Arnie was a speaker at the Chicago meeting and he pushed hard for a golf course owners association. As usual, he led by example, offering to host the first meeting at Bay Hill, which he did at no cost. From there, we launched what would later be named the National Golf Course Owners Association and he became one of the founding members.” Just one more example of the exceptional life and impact the “King” had on golf.
Jeff Calderwood, CEO NGCOA Canada jcalderwood@ngcoa.ca
6 Golf Business Canada