Page 8 - GBC summer 2016

Message From The President • Gilles Debut
In The Fairway
There is optimism in the golf industry! We have lots to be proud of and look forward to. We do however, need to realize that golf is a serious business and pave our path as successful entrepreneurs.
Golf is the number ONE participation sport in Canada and that is a reason to celebrate. Yes, we probably all need to work a little harder and smarter, but that is no reason to think that the road ahead isn’t bright.
Consider the significant increase in rounds played across the country last year. Weather was likely a contributing factor, but I think the winds are changing, and golfers are coming back and taking up this great game. We are seeing more young golfers at our clubs and on Tour, and the icing on the cake is golf’s return to the Olympics in Rio this summer.
Leaders in the Business of Golf
The World Golf Foundation’s (WGF) report in April indicated that 2.2 million new golfers took up the game in the United States last year. Those are numbers the WGF hasn’t seen since 2000. The number of youth golfers (ages 6 to 17) grew 20 percent between 2010 and 2015, from 2.5 million to 3 million, according to the Foundation.
I think golf has a great future, but it looks a little different than it did twenty years ago. Golf is a legitimate business, just look at our contribution to the country’s economic impact ($14.3 billion to the GDP).
Golf is played on courses...our courses. Courses that we have invested in, not only millions of dollars, but also our blood, sweat, and tears. The world is changing at a rapid pace and our business models must change along with it. We now have a much bigger responsibility as entrepreneurs.
Gone are the days of ‘build it and they will come’ or subsidies or tax breaks. We need to be smart business people and find ways to overcome the increase in expenses, regulations, and competi- tion from other forms of entertainment, while providing a great product that golfers are willing to pay for. With all of these challenges, we must find a way to be profitable to ensure the sustainability of golf for the future. That is OUR responsi- bility as business owners.
But, that’s no reason to roll over and give up. Golf courses have become serious businesses owned and managed by first class entrepreneurs. Courses need to be managed professionally and be fiscally responsible, which is no differ- ent than any other industry.
This is why I believe that our Association, the NGCOA Canada is one of the keys to success in our industry. More than ever, we need to support and rely on each other. We need to communicate with each other and continue to learn about the latest products, technologies, marketing strategies, and equipment that will enable us to grow and be successful.
This is exactly what the NGCOA Canada provides to golf courses...the BUSINESS tools; networking platforms; learning opportunities; operational intel- ligence; expense management programs; and key benchmarking data that will help sustain this great game and business that we all love so much.
I joined the NGCOA Canada 18 years ago and if you have not done so yet, I encourage you to join me on this path to success.
Vive le GOLF!
Respectfully,
Gilles Debut
Owner, Club de Golf les Quatre Domaines, QC President, NGCOA Canada GDebut@golf4d.ca
8 Golf Business Canada