Ian Hutchinson

That was an eye-popping report from Statistics Canada last week, indicating that inflation rose at the fastest pace in 18 years on a year-over-year basis in September. Inflation rose by 4.4 per cent compared with September, 2020, and shows no sign of letting up in the near future. Many of the key drivers of that […]

As we discussed in this column last week, the golf industry came into 2021 wondering if it could sustain or even surpass the popularity it enjoyed in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Early indications from several sources are that the game did continue its popularity in 2021 when rounds were similar to or […]

The United States announced last week that it will finally open its land and water points of entry to non-essential travel in November after borders were closed in March 2020, due to concerns over COVID-19. However, visitors to the U.S. will need to be fully vaccinated and those Canadians who had mixed doses will be […]

A question on the minds of many in golf industry at the start of the season was whether the game could sustain or even surpass the popularity it enjoyed in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. even with more recreation and entertainment options becoming available and more people returning to work in 2021. As […]

Back in July, the GNN Poll asked readers if the golf operations where they work were finding it more difficult to hire seasonal staff this year due to the labour shortage that was affecting many types of businesses in Canada. As for golf, 74 per cent of respondents said the operations that employ them were […]

There is really no reason to be critical of the announcement Tuesday that the ANA Inspiration will now be known as the Chevron Championship. In fact, the LPGA Tour would have risked criticism had it not accepted Chevron U.S.A. Inc. as the new title sponsor of what is usually first major of the season. The […]

A couple of weeks ago, the GNN Poll asked readers when the golf operation they work for will close for the winter this year. After the calendar flipped to October last Friday, it won’t be long until many Canadian golf courses call it a season as 15 per cent of respondents said the operations where […]

This isn’t based on any inside knowledge, but nobody would be surprised if, through beer or bubbly, there were a few banging heads among members of the American side on the day after the night before in which they celebrated their Ryder Cup victory in a dominating fashion that few expected. If that was the […]

As different departments at golf operations across the county begin putting together their budgets for next year, it appears their will be a lot of moving parts to deal with in their forecasts. Statistics Canada reported recently that the inflation rate hit 4.1 per cent in August compared to the same month the year before, the […]

  With the final week of September on the horizon, putting the golf course to bed for the winter is on the minds of many in the industry these days. Others, meanwhile, are more concerned with getting as much out of the season as possible and letting the weather decide when they will close for […]