Golf Business News 386
Golf Business News – Club Car Receives Golf Digest Honours for Fourth Consecutive Year
Club Car, a world-leading manufacturer of small-wheel, zero-emissions electric vehicles and a brand of Ingersoll Rand, has been presented Golf Digest’s 2019 Editor’s Choice Award for Best Electric Golf Car.
The 2019 Editor’s Choice designation marks the fourth year in a row a Club Car product received one of Golf Digest’s annual awards, and the second consecutive year Club Car was awarded the Editor’s Choice Award for Best Electric Golf Car.
Receiving the honours this year was Club Car’s new TEMPO LI-ION, a lithium ion-powered vehicle launched in 2019 which extends Club Car’s popular TEMPO line of vehicles.
The TEMPO LI-ION features unique, smart charging capabilities which include automated off-peak charging for lower energy costs and charging rates that are two to three times faster than lead acid. The vehicles also offer up to 50 percent electricity savings over traditional lead acid vehicles, and a zero-maintenance battery.
Kevin Hart, Director of Golf Sales EMEA at Club Car, said: “This continuing recognition from one of the biggest names in golf media is a testament to the hard work Club Car have invested in developing new solutions. The developments have enabled Club Car to deliver both an improved golf experience and assist course operators improve their business operations. It is an honour to have received such awards.”
Developed to automotive-grade safety and performance standards through Club Car’s exclusive partnership with LG Chem, a world leading automotive lithium-ion battery supplier, the batteries in the new TEMPO LI-ION do not require watering, saving valuable labour time.
In addition, the TEMPO LI-ION’s suspension system was redesigned for safety and features an aluminium frame, both contributing to its lighter weight and reducing the potential for course damage, when compared to a lead acid battery powered car.
The TEMPO LI-ION can also be integrated with the Visage Fleet Management platform, which allows course superintendents to manage their fleet’s usage, performance and charging schedule remotely. The platform also allows course managers to push system updates remotely, freeing up time previously required for manual updates.
For more information on the TEMPO LI-ION, visit: www.clubcar.com
Pictured top: The award-winning lithium ion-powered TEMPO LI-ION, an extension to the TEMPO range of Club Car golf vehicles
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Golf Business News – Making Best Use of Your Most Valuable Asset: Melior Golf Launches ‘Golf LPA’
4.09pm 24th May 2019 – Property – This story was updated on Friday, May 24th, 2019
In the wake of the widely discussed challenges faced throughout recent years, many golf operators now know that the key to success in the golf industry is diversification. The business of golf remains an ever-evolving industry and adjusting to achieve a sustainable operation is a primary objective for all. This continuing focus on the need to progress the business has led to an increased interest in asset management development.
In light of this, Melior Golf is launching a new bespoke solution specifically for the golf industry. The Golf Land Planning Appraisal (Golf LPA) has been created working in partnership with leading independent planning advisor, Indigo Planning to help golf operators realise the true value of their land. Designed to assess the short to mid-term planning potential for golf club land assets, Golf LPA is being promoted as an affordable solution for golf operators looking to fund a more up to date golf provision and to identify the best use of the land.
It is well-known that the country’s golfing infrastructure needs adjusting and last year, England Golf published “The Customer Focused Facility Guidance” to help golf club operators realise opportunities to improve both their facilities and accessibility.
The extensive research carried out has confirmed that there is a need to provide more compact, family-inclusive facilities such as short courses, adventure golf and interactive driving ranges leading many golf operators to consider the design of their sites. Golf LPA is also able to offer alternative options for surplus land such as holiday lodge development, commercial opportunities and more expansive leisure offerings.
Furthermore, housebuilding is now at the top of the UK government’s agenda, with the Spring Statement re-affirming the Government’s commitment to build 300,000 new homes a year, the highest level since 1970. To achieve this, considerable pressure is being applied to Local Planning Authorities to produce more ambitious and deliverable Local Plans identifying suitable sites to accommodate increased housing numbers. Changes in the National Planning Policies are making it possible, in some cases, for golf clubs to release discrete parcels of land for housing, or even larger elements allowing for a wider consolidation of the golf club, from say 27 holes to 18.
Tim Lloyd-Skinner, Co-Founder of Melior Golf is excited about the developments within the golf industry. “For many years golf club operators have been exploring new and creative ways of achieving long-term sustainability. It has been a really challenging climate over the last fifteen years and we want to help golf operators identify their best route forward to create a sustainable future for the game we love. History and tradition is important but we can’t lose sight of the fact that golf clubs are commercial entities.
“As such, each site needs to find the right fit for an evolving demographic in order to make the best use of the major asset – the land. I am confident that Golf LPA will help many golf clubs realise diversification or additional revenue opportunities that will boost golf business for many years to come.”
To find out more about Golf LPA which includes an initial meeting to assess potential options and agree objectives, a detailed report including planning potential score and an overview summary and recommendation please contact Melior Golf via email tim@meliorgolf.co.uk or telephone 020 3663 7963.
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Golf Business News – Ramón Espinosa 1932 – 2019 In Memoriam
Ramón Espinosa, who passed away in Madrid on May 22nd, 2019, was one of the most respected Spanish golf course architects. He was one of the founder members of the European Society of Golf Course Architects (ESGA) whose president he was from 1994 – 1998. He was a leading advocate of the amalgamation of ESGA with the British Institute of Golf Course Architects (BIGCA) and the French AFAG out of which emerged the EIGCA as the sole representing body of the European golf course architects in 2000.
Ramón was a proud and passionate member of our Institute, highly respected because of his professional qualifications and extremely popular amongst his colleagues thanks to his amiable and unobtrusive character.
Ramón Espinosa had an engineering doctor’s degree from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and a master’s degree in agriculture from the University of Wisconsin. He was not only responsible for the design of many notable Spanish golf courses but also for the construction of many golf courses, executed by his own construction companies Ibergolf and Golf & Garden.
Under his management and guidance, these companies had also built a lot of golf courses for other renowned golf course architects, among others Gary Player, Fred Hawtree, Robert Trent Jones, Ron Kirby and Javier Arana. Ramón’s company Golf & Garden was decorated with the Golf Merit Plaque of the Royal Spanish Golf Federation in 2002.
In a recently published interview with “Golf Industria”, Ramón summarised his design philosophy as follows: “I have always designed golf courses with both the desires of the players and the environmental procurements in mind, by designing enjoyable courses with fairly negotiable challenges.”
Speaking on behalf of the European Institute of Golf Course Architects, President Christoph Staedler said: ” It is with great sadness that we learned of Ramón’s passing. He was a remarkably amiable and respected colleague whose opinion was highly esteemed. We will miss him dearly. It’s certainly a consolation that his son Leopoldo has recently become a Member of EIGCA. He will pursue the heritage of his father and will always remind us of Ramón.”
EIGCA Past President Rainer Preissmann commented: “Ramón Espinosa was something you miss in the modern business world – a true Grand Seigneur or better: a Gran Caballero. We have had some board meetings and AGMs in Spain and Ramón and his lovely wife, Josefa, introduced us to the typical charming and friendly Spanish hospitality. Apart from giving us an insight into the Spanish golf industry, Ramón taught us a lot about the Spanish culture. He has contributed significantly to the development of golf in Spain, being one of the pioneers of this sport, providing excellent golf course designs throughout Spain.”
All EIGCA members pay tribute to Ramón Espinosa’s memory. Rest in peace, dear friend.
EIGCA www.eigca.org
Pictured top: Ramón Espinosa with his wife Josefa
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Golf Business News – Triumphant British Golf Show smashes expectations – and announces 2020 date
4.59pm 22nd May 2019 – Exhibitions & Conferences – This story was updated on Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019
Golf’s newest public exhibition has secured its place firmly on the calendar, after this weekend’s British Golf Show attracted large crowds to Wycombe Air Park, delighting visitors and exhibitors. And next year’s show will be even bigger and better, promise the show’s organisers, emphatically confirming that the British Golf Show will return in May 2020.
Over 6,500 people visited the show on Friday and Saturday, smashing expectations with healthy queues forming at the many interactive exhibits on offer.
Although there were just six bays on the outdoor range, well over 10,000 balls were hit – with demand so high that show organisers had to re-order golf balls halfway through the show.
On the Saturday in particular, queues were at least 45 minutes long to experience some of the more popular indoor attractions, such as the Zen Green Stage and the Beat The Pro experience with Sky Sports on-course commentator John E. Morgan in the PGA EuroPro Tour simulator.
With over 60 aircraft flying into the show, visitors were craning their necks Open Championship-style to see a constant stream of helicopters and planes landing on the nearby runway – many of them carrying visitors to The Elite London, the co-located luxury lifestyle show situated in three hangars adjacent to the British Golf Show.
With supercars, aircraft, motor yachts and other luxury goods to see alongside the golfing exhibits, this year’s British Golf Show was a first-time experience for all who visited.
Tributes have been paid by exhibitors who gambled on attending the first-year trial event, with several noting that the unique mixture of high net worth Elite London visitors plus the general golfing public proved to be successful.
“We’re already talking about what we will do here next year” said The Belfry’s Jack Bowen. “We came away with some very strong sales leads, and if you are a golfing venue I’d say you are missing an opportunity if you aren’t at this show. It was really good for us.”
“The first British Golf Show was superb fun with an abundance of amazing things to see and experience” said Gavin Hay at Custom Lab Golf, the event’s official retail partner.
Tony Eccleston, General Manager of golf fashion brand Duca del Cosma, said: “It was a positive first event. Golf needs more large-scale consumer experiences like the British Golf Show, and we certainly made sales – especially on the Saturday where there was a good atmosphere, very family-friendly.”
“We absolutely loved showcasing the PGA EuroPro Tour at The British Golf Show” said Dan Godding, the tour’s CEO. “The combined audience of Elite London guests and the general golfing public was extremely valuable for us. Our stand was well attended and we are certainly looking to exhibit at the show again in 2020”.
“Simply put, we sold clubs – in fact more so than at any previous show” said Vertical Groove Golf’s Samir Khan. “People were there to buy. It was a very successful couple of days for us. There was huge interest in our products, and I would say the prospects for next year’s British Golf Show are very good.”
“We were impressed by the size of the crowds, and were flat out giving demonstrations on the Green Stage” said Zen’s Nick Middleton. “We were busy right to the end on Saturday, and we are already making plans to bring two Green Stages to next year’s event – such was the demand we experienced at the weekend.”
“We were delighted to support the British Golf Show in year one, and I am thrilled that it was such a success. We look forward to being involved again next year” said Richard Peabody, CEO of How DidiDo.
“There was excitement, great visuals, lots of kids and newcomers to the game – exactly what we had hoped” said Doug Poole, CEO of the UK Golf Federation. “The additional element of having The Elite London alongside worked well, with a great mix of visitors. It was impressive, especially for a first-time show, and very much worth our time. We had 661 pre-registrations before the show, which is amazing, and they are coming in at around 50 a day at present’ We have 60 venues offering taster, coaching or return and play experiences which ensures over 3,000 customer places to try golf.”
“It was a brilliant event, and very beneficial for us” said East Sussex National’s Ellen Cowell.
British Golf Show organiser Alex Ayling, Managing Director of The Elite Luxury Events, said: “I am delighted to confirm that, after the success of the first show, we will be back on May 15th and 16th next year with a bigger, better experience for both visitors and exhibitors.
“The support we received from the golf industry, and in particular HowDidiDo and the UK Golf Federation, was terrific. Thank goodness that some people were able to put their previous public golf exhibition experiences behind them, and join us in our leap of faith. I think the venture has been fully justified by the crowds who arrived, particularly on Saturday where we saw lots of golfers bringing their families and children.
“The second day was monumental: we smashed our expectations, with a very high percentage of our pre-registered visitors actually coming along to the show. We never expected to run out of range balls, for example, but we did. Thanks to Harleyford Golf Club for coming to our rescue!
“We had bloggers live-streaming their golf show experiences on YouTube, toasting their viewers with our complimentary glasses of champagne. We had people hitting golf balls in a simulator, and then whisking their children next door to be photographed beside a Lamborghini. We had visitors who had travelled from as far away as Australia and Holland specifically to see the show, as well as people who had made the trip from Portsmouth, Birmingham, Cambridge, Sheffield, Basingstoke and many towns in the Midlands such as Northampton and Leicester.
“So this is just the start. A constant refrain from people I talked to was that the additional Elite London factor made it a completely different experience from any other golf show they had been to. If that’s the case, wait until you see what we have in store for visitors in 2020!”
To talk about securing a place at next year’s Show call Andrew Rainbird at Elite on +44 (0)203 740 6082, or email andrew@theeliteevents.com and alex@theeliteevents.com.
ABOUT THE BRITISH GOLF SHOW
Wycombe Air Park, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 3DP, UK
15th – 16th May 2020
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Golf Business News – Marvel and USGA Team Up to Create Comic Book for Junior Golfers
5.50pm 21st May 2019 – Growing the Game – This story was updated on Tuesday, May 21st, 2019
The United States Golf Association (USGA) is joining forces with Marvel Entertainment to create exclusive golf education products to engage junior golfers on the essential elements to learning the game.
To be officially launched in June at the 2019 U.S. Open Championship at Pebble Beach, the collaboration comes to life through a printed and digital comic book featuring many of Marvel’s Super Heroes, who show juniors the basics of playing golf. Parents, golf coaches, courses and club professionals will be able to order the books online at usga.org/publications in June.
As part of the agreement, limited-edition Marvel-themed golf posters will be distributed, while supplies last, at the Junior Experience on Sunday of the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
“We’re excited for this opportunity to introduce and teach the game of golf to a junior audience in a way that’s completely unique,” said Mike Davis, CEO of the USGA. “Utilizing the power of the Marvel Universe will help us introduce the game to potential new golfers while also giving our existing players a fun new way to learn.”
The story follows Tony Stark (Iron Man) and other Avengers as they teach the next generation of Marvel Super Heroes about golf. The comic book also folds out into a poster that highlights some lessons for juniors who are learning the game.
“For 80 years, comic books have been at the core of the Marvel Universe, introducing fans of all ages to new adventures, ideas, and experiences through visual storytelling,” said Michael Pasciullo, SVP of Marketing and Communications at Marvel Entertainment. “We’re thrilled to be teaming up with the USGA to use our iconic heroes and that storytelling to inspire the next generation of athletes and golfers.”
The publications are the latest initiative in the USGA’s continued investment in growing the game and providing engaging tools that connect golfers to a game that is fun and welcoming to all who play it. The new publications will replace the longstanding Peanuts/Snoopy Rules books published and offered to the golf’s youngest fans for more than 30 years.
A supplemental teacher’s guide intended for teaching professionals of junior golf programs will also be available for purchase. The guide provides more context and alternative options to apply and understand the Rules, handicapping and etiquette.
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.
For more information visit marvel.com © 2019 MARVEL
USGA usga.org
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Golf Business News – Ping launches Blueprint forged blade iron
3.47pm 20th May 2019 – New Products – This story was updated on Monday, May 20th, 2019
Ping’s new forged-blade Blueprint iron is aimed a low handicap players looking for a combination of workability and precise distance trajectory control.
On sale from May 30, the carbon steel iron was inspired by requests from Ping’s tour staff and features shorter blade lengths, less offset and narrow sole widths that will enable elite players to attack pins with confidence.
A machined tungsten toe screw increases MOI for additional forgiveness and combines with an internal heel weight to provide precise swing-weight tuning. A four-step, multi-stage process for the one-piece forging provides very tight dimensional tolerance control within the compact design. The high-strength, carbon steel increases the iron’s durability, ensuring long-lasting performance and quality. More than 50 steps in the manufacturing process, including machining the face and grooves, are 100% inspected.
“As the name suggests, we’ve applied a Blueprint approach to the new irons,” said John K. Solheim, Ping President. “Every detail is extremely precise and carefully calculated. The resulting design is spectacular in every way for the elite player — performance, feel and looks. It’s a true shot-maker’s iron crafted with precision, and for precision.”
Solheim added: “We know the Blueprint iron isn’t for everyone. We encourage golfers interested in the Blueprint to get fit and compare it to other Ping irons to find the best model for their game. To paraphrase the warning sign next to the first tee at Bethpage Black that we saw so often last week during the PGA Championship, ‘The Blueprint is an extremely difficult iron to play, which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers’.”
The Blueprint’s small blade appeals to the player who put a premium on workability and trajectory control, including Ping staff player Tony Finau, who is currently 15thin the world rankings. “I put them in play immediately once they arrived,” said Finau. “They’re workable, incredibly versatile, and feel great. There isn’t a single shot I can’t hit with them, which gives me a lot of confidence in pressure situations. The look at address is also perfect; the size and shape really fit my eye.”
The choice of carbon steel combined with a head design that concentrates mass through the impact zone delivers a pleasing sound and feel.
“The feel is amazing,” said Ping staff player Louis Oosthuizen, who was the first player to put the new irons in his bag last autumn, and the first to win with them at the South African Open in December. “I love the feedback I get and how smoothly they go through the turf from any lie. They’re like no other iron I’ve ever hit. The Blueprint’s workability gives me the control to hit all the shots with the precision I need to win tournaments.”
Solheim added: “When we launched the Blueprint irons on tour, a few players put it in play immediately and it wasn’t long before we had our first win. Based on a lot of their input, we were able to deliver exactly what they were looking for while expanding our iron offerings into a new category. We’re very pleased with the development process we went through, and are looking forward to applying our learnings to future Ping products.”
The Ping Blueprint irons have an RRP of £219 per iron and are available 2-PW, with True Temper Dynamic Gold 120 shafts, plus a wide range of after-market shaft at no upcharge.
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