Columnist Jenna Price not only agrees with a proposal to reduce the Moore Park public course in Sydney, Australia from 18 to nine holes and repurpose the land, but she’s also calling for total elimination of the game, even the private clubs, without explaining how that could possibly be done, or mentioning the ramifications on land ownership or employment. Your morning laugh from down under is here in the Sydney Morning Herald … Kevin Blue began his duties as chief sport officer at Golf Canada on Monday. His responsibilities include the oversight, management and strategic development of key functional areas, including golf services with a focus on membership. He will also be responsible for high-performance player development, sport and junior programs including First Tee–Canada, amateur competitions and governing body activities across the Rules of Golf, handicapping, course rating and amateur status. He was named to the position a month ago You can read more here … .With the PGA Tour season kicking off this week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua, the LPGA Tour schedule begins Jan. 21 at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Brooke Henderson tied for fourth at that event last year, finishing one shot out of a playoff. The entire 2021 tour schedule is here … Jon Rahm has signed a multi-year endorsement deal with Callaway. He had been with TaylorMade … The first GNN Poll of 2021 asks readers if they think the golf industry will be attending trade shows/conferences in person by October of this year. As of this writing, 81 per cent said no, with 19 per cent voting yes. If you haven’t already, you can cast your vote on the GNN home page.
Happy New Year Hutch!
People like Jenna Price will always be around to attack any subject they think will attract publicity. They don’t have any other interests than their own short-term gains. It’s a nuisance, a diversion, a waste of time and money. They continually ‘plant the seeds’ of destruction and move to their next subject. As golfers, stating our case is a lifetime obligation that isn’t going away any time soon. We cannot relent or golf will not survive. The open spaces that we can write columns of support for deserve our efforts because once they are built upon they are gone forever. Look at Toronto. There are over 30 golf courses that once were built but are now are paved over. Of the approximately 3500 acres they used, fewer than 300 remain as open, public parkland and 100 of them are one parcel.