If there’s one golf business event you
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A GOLF BUSINESS CARNIVAL LIKE NEVER BEFORE. SIMPLY THE BEST!
u must attend in 2021, make it WGE!
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ISSUE
241
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER2020
Asian professional women golfers have finally been rewarded with a tour of their own. The LADIES ASIAN TOUR (LAT) has happened! Spearheading the LAT is the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), a non-profit corporation, led by the founders representing the Hana Financial Group of Korea, the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA). Others involved in this ground-breaking initiative include the R&A and national golf associations representing Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
14 8 SHARED THOUGHTS
In this day and age where golfers try to push themselves to gain better distances with their drives in the hope of lowering their scores, a good percentage are faced with a problem. The problem is a challenge to their spine. It is not uncommon to sit down with golfers to hear them speak about back pains and spinal issues. Rather than look at the issues, ASIAN GOLF is devoting this edition of SHARED THOUGHTS to some solutions.
„ FASHION TREND 46 IT’S RETRO TIME! The number one brand in golf shoes, FootJoy has launched a brand-new retro look. Check out the FJ Traditions.
FO L LOW T H E ACT I O N OF THE 2 0 2 0 -2 0 2 1 PGA TOUR S E AS ON AT P G ATO U R .CO M
ISSUE
241
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER2020
SPECIAL FEATURE 22 WGE SETS SIGHTS ON BIGGER GOALS The inaugural World Golf Expo (WGE) has been re-scheduled. WGE was originally planned to be held at the sprawling Mission Hills Resort Complex in Haikou, Hainan from March 16 -18, 2021. But, given the on-going pandemic, a decision has been taken to reschedule it to be staged on November 4 - 6, 2021 at the same venue.
38 CUTTING-EDGE CLUB TRAINING AND EDUCATION DELIVERED! Golf Industry Guru (GIG) is launched! GIG is where the best will get better and where tomorrow’s leaders will learn from today’s success stories. On this website users will find education, training, tools, templates, and tips from the brightest and most successful golf and hospitality industry leaders in the world.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS 30 A NEW BOMBER FROM TITLEIST! Titleist, the name on the most successful golf balls has launched its new drivers, woods and hybrids. Titleist describes the TSi drivers as “faster in the air and faster at impact.
50 THE VERDICT IS OUT – GOLF IS GOOD FOR YOU! A two-year study has found new evidence to suggest golf can provide significant health benefits to older participants in the form of improved muscle strength and balance.
REDEFINING GOLF IN INDONESIA Featuring a 5-star Championship Golf Course, and located in Indonesia's idyllic city of Bandung, Parahyangan Golf is set amidst picturesque lakes, rolling hills and lush paddy ďŹ elds.
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Mike Sebastian
INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR
Alan Campbell (China/Middle East)
Editor/Chief Executive Officer [mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Correspondent
GLOBAL EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL
Angela Raymond
President [angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Gregg Patterson
President, Tribal Magic Inc.
Andrew Wood Founder/President, Legendary Marketing
James Prusa
Raquel Arcega
Executive Creative Art Director [raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Director, SKY72 Golf Resorts
James Cronk President, Cronk Group
IT Consultant
Alice Ho
Tech-Know Integrators
Business Manager [alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
Myra Paras
Alice Ho
Email: alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com
Accounts Executive [myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of Asian Golf may be reproduced in any other publications, printed or published without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions in Asian Golf are the writers’ and are not necessarily endorsed by Asian Golf. Asian Golf accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. Manuscripts, photographs and artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by appropriate postage.
NEW GOLF MEMBERSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE 1 YEAR · 5 YEAR · 10 YEAR GOLF MORE, PAY LESS THE CHOICE IS YOURS ! Activate your golf membership NOW and enjoy the rest of 2020 for FREE 3 month installment plans available with 0% interest* ENJOY MEMBER PRIVILIGES AT THAILAND’S AWARD-WINNING GOLF CLUB Best Golf Club Experience in Asia Pacific Best Food and Beverage Experience in Asia Pacific Discounts in golf club restaurants and pro shop Banyan Golf Academy members rates
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SHARED THOUGHTS FROM THE PUBLISHER
In this day and age where golfers try to push themselves to gain better distances with their drives in the hope of lowering their scores, a good percentage are faced with a problem. The problem is a challenge to their spine. It is not uncommon to sit down with golfers to hear them speak about back pains and spinal issues. Rather than look at the issues, ASIAN GOLF is devoting this edition of SHARED THOUGHTS to some solutions.
SHARED THOUGHTS | FROM THE PUBLISHER
WALKING PROMOTES MENTAL CLARITY, STIMULATES THE HEART AND LUNGS,
M
atthew Smuck (pictured) and his team of Stanford University researchers analyzed the data of 6,796 respondents of the U.S. based National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES), which is conducted by the Centers for Disease Control. And here’s what they found: LIGHT PHYSICAL EXERCISE (including walking around the house, cooking or folding laundry) for two hours reduced back pain about 17 percent compared to individuals who did not engage in such activity. MODERATE PHYSICAL EXERCISE (walking briskly, riding a bike, gardening or ballroom dancing fewer than 20 minutes a day) diminished the risk of back pain by 32 percent.
MATTHEW SMUCK
PROMOTES SPINE JOINT MOBILITY, NERVE ROOT MOVEMENT AND FUNCTION.
WALKING POSTURES AFFECT THE SPINE JOINTS, CALLED THE FACET JOINTS, AND THE SPINE CHANNELS, CALLED THE NEUROFORAMEN. – GREGORY JAMES CHIARAMONTE
MORBIDLY OBESE patients averaged 1.3 minutes
joint mobility, nerve root movement and function. Walking
of moderate activity at a time. But if they increased that
postures affect the spine joints, called the facet joints, and
average by just one minute, their risk of experiencing lower
the spine channels, called the neuroforamen.
back pain was cut by 38 percent. “More simply put, pushing just a little longer each
Uphill walking is different in that the spine joints are in a flexed open position, which might be helpful in conditions
time you exercise has benefits,” Smuck said. “Pushing a
where there is nerve root tightness. Uphill walking may
little longer can mean an additional minute of exercise
even help patients with spinal stenosis and other ailments
multiple times per day, or adding several minutes following
because it opens up the spinal channel.
a longer period of exercise.” Gregory James Chiaramonte, M.D. points out that
Downhill walking is different since the spine joints are in an extended closed position, which could worsen
walking in all forms is beneficial. Walking promotes mental
conditions where there is already nerve root tightness. The
clarity, stimulates the heart and lungs, promotes spine
spinal channel tends to close as well.
BETTER
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3 DISTINCT DRIVERS Available in MAX (highest MOI), LST (low spin), or SFT (draw bias) models to fit your game.
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COVER STORY LADIES ASIAN TOUR
COVER STORY | LADIES ASIAN TOUR
YANI TSENG X
W SHANSHAN FENG INBEE PARK X
S SEI YOUNG KIM
ARIYA JUTANUG
GARN X
W SE RI PAK
It’s about time! For years, Asian women have excelled in the professional game of golf, but they have not really been recognized for their achievements. Ever since Se Ri Pak broke the glass ceiling in the professional game, it threw open the doors to aspiring women golfers from South Korea, Japan, China, Thailand, India, the Philippines and Malaysia to shoot for the stars. Sadly, the incredible strides made by Asian professional women golfers on the world stage has gone by without too much adulation, especially by the Western media. To a certain extent, even Asian media has been guilty of not showcasing the achievements of Asian stars outside of coverage in the national media of those who have excelled in the game. This is hard to fathom when one considers that Asian women have bagged a total of 22 LPGA Majors with the last being won just weeks ago by Sei Young Kim of South Korea. Among the stellar names are such super stars of the game like Inbee Park, Yani Tseng, Shanshan Feng and Ariya Jutanugarn. And let us not forget the winner of the of the gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games was LPGA Hall of Famer Inbee Park. The achievements of Asian women on the professional tours has been staggering to say the least and what they have done will go unmatched by Asian men for a very long time to come. The limited achievements of Asian men on the world stage of golf has been nothing to crow about, but the guys at least have a men’s professional tour – the Asian Tour. Unfortunately, Asian women have not been rewarded with a similar tour, at least until now. It was not a question of whether Asian women would have their own top-notch professional circuit but more a question of when. The “when” has finally arrived and the LADIES ASIAN TOUR (LAT) has happened!
COVER STORY | LADIES ASIAN TOUR
S
pearheading the LAT is the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF), a non-profit corporation, led by the founders representing the Hana Financial Group of Korea, the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA). Others involved in this groundbreaking initiative include the R&A and national golf associations
representing Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. The AGLF’s mission is to unite all the Asian golf associations and create synergies to boost Asian golf globally. Together with corporate partners, AGLF is working to establish and grow the LAT by co-developing with existing tournaments or establishing new tournaments in countries across Asia. To demonstrate its commitment to growing the Asian women’s professional game, the AGLF hopes to have at least 6 tournaments in 2021 across Asian countries. Putting its money where its mouth is, the new body has kicked off the LAT with the staging of the 2020 Korean LPGA Hana Financial Group Championship which was successfully staged at the Sky72 Ocean Course on Yeongjong Island, Incheon in the first week of November. The Hana Financial Group (HFG) Championship 2020, offered the largest KLPGA total purse of US$1.3million, a very promising start for the LAT.
THE AGLF’S MISSION IS TO UNITE ALL THE ASIAN GOLF ASSOCIATIONS AND CREATE SYNERGIES TO BOOST ASIAN GOLF GLOBALLY. TOGETHER WITH CORPORATE PARTNERS, AGLF IS WORKING TO ESTABLISH AND GROW THE LAT BY CO-DEVELOPING WITH EXISTING TOURNAMENTS OR ESTABLISHING NEW TOURNAMENTS IN COUNTRIES ACROSS
ASIA.
COVER STORY | LADIES ASIAN TOUR
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: HYUN KYUNG PARK, DANIELLE KANG, MINJEE LEE, HYEJIN CHOI, JIN YOUNG KO, LYDIA KO, A YEAN CHO, ALISON LEE
It was a big enough inaugural tournament and attracted
There is no doubt that this fledgling professional tour will
some top-ranked players. Among the 96 players, 13 past
grow by leaps and bounds, and it is going to be a huge
major champions competed and the big names included
boon for the growth of the women’s game throughout
the current world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, LPGA Tour Players
the Asian Continent. As it now stands, Asian women
So Yeon Ryu, Jeong Eun Lee6 and Hyo Joo Kim.
dominate on the LPGA Tour, the world’s most powerful
Well, the long wait to recognize Asian professional women golfers with their own tour has been worth it.
SPECTATORS AT 2019 HANA FINANCIAL GROUP CHAMPIONSHIP
women’s tour. With the LAT, expect this dominance to grow exponentially in the years to come.
THE LONG WAIT TO RECOGNIZE ASIAN PROFESSIONAL WOMEN GOLFERS WITH THEIR OWN TOUR HAS BEEN WORTH IT. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS FLEDGLING PROFESSIONAL TOUR WILL GROW BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS, AND IT IS GOING TO BE A HUGE BOON FOR THE GROWTH OF THE WOMEN’S GAME THROUGHOUT THE ASIAN CONTINENT.
5TH FROM THE LEFT: HANA JANG, LAST YEAR’S HFG CHAMPIONSHIP WINNER, 2ND FROM THE RIGHT: BOA, KOREAN SUPERSTAR
SPECIAL FEATURE WORLD GOLF EXPO
SPECIAL FEATURE | WORLD GOLF EXPO
In modern history, there has never been a time like the past few months where a global pandemic has caused major upheavals and disruptions across a wide spectrum of activities. Major events including the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games have been postponed and re-scheduled. The same applies to some of the biggest tournaments in golf like the British Open. At the time of writing, the number of conďŹ rmed cases worldwide stood at over 51 million and rising with the death toll standing at over 1.27 million. With the second wave very much a reality in many parts of the world and with no vaccine readily available now, numerous countries have gone into a state of lock down.
SPECIAL FEATURE | WORLD GOLF EXPO
O
ne major event that has been forced to
mission of WGE was to tell the world that the Asia PaciďŹ c is
re-scheduled is the inaugural World Golf
no longer a fringe market for golf. It is on the threshold of
Expo (WGE). This major golf business
becoming a mainstream market.
summit was designed to serve as the main go-to event for the golf industry in the Asia
PaciďŹ c and it was planned to be a grand event. With more than 6400 golf courses spread out on this giant land mass and some 20 million golfers, the main
Recognising the critical mass that already exists in the region, the World Golf Expo (WGE) has been created to partner with industry players, both big and small to reach a market that heretofore has been left in the hands of a disparate group of distributors and dealers.
WGE was originally planned to be held at the sprawling Mission Hills Resort Complex in Haikou, Hainan from March 16 – 18, 2021. But, given the on-going pandemic, a decision has been taken to reschedule it to be staged on November 4 – 6, 2021 at the same venue. “We tried to delay making the announcement regarding the re-scheduling of the World Golf Expo in the hope that conditions would improve resulting in us being able to stage the event as scheduled. Sadly, while conditions have improved somewhat in some countries, the general situation is seen as not being conducive to bringing a large group of people from various parts of the world to attend a business conference,” said Tenniel Chu, Chairman of the Organising Committee and Vice Chairman of the Mission Hills Group “However, looking ahead, the re-scheduling of the World Golf Expo provides us with a special opportunity to re-think the event into an even larger show – bigger and better than what was originally conceived. I can personally assure everyone that the re-scheduled and re-imagined
LOOKING AHEAD, THE RE-SCHEDULING OF THE WORLD GOLF EXPO PROVIDES US WITH A SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO RE-THINK THE EVENT INTO AN EVEN LARGER SHOW – BIGGER AND BETTER THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED. I CAN PERSONALLY ASSURE EVERYONE THAT THE RE-SCHEDULED AND RE-IMAGINED WORLD GOLF EXPO WILL BE WELL WORTH THE WAIT. REST ASSURED THAT WE WILL BE STAGING SOME OF THE BEST INDUSTRY EXPERTS – PEOPLE WHO WILL BE SHARING AND REFLECTING THE WAY FORWARD FOR THE INDUSTRY. – TENNIEL CHU
SPECIAL FEATURE | WORLD GOLF EXPO
World Golf Expo will be well worth the wait. Rest assured
we had looked at staging WGE as a virtual event but given
that we will be staging some of the best industry experts –
the nature of the show, face-to-face networking is a very
people who will be sharing and reflecting the way forward
important component and as such, we decided against a
for the industry,” Chu added.
virtual event.”
Chiming in on the re-scheduling, Mike Sebastian, CEO of the Asia Pacific Golf Group and Executive Producer of WGE said, “Given the travel restrictions that are in force,
Details of the re-scheduled WGE will be made available shortly on http://www.worldgolfexpo.com
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GOLF EQUIPMENT TITLEIST TSi
GOLF EQUIPMENT | TITLEIST TSi
Well folks, it’s that time of the year when the big guns in the world of golf equipment start rolling out their new offerings for the new year. First off the block this year has been PING who have released the brand new G425 family of drivers, woods, and hybris. Not to be outdone, Titleist, the name on the most successful golf balls has done likewise and the brand has also launched its new drivers, woods and hybrids. In this edition of ASIAN GOLF, we bring you a preview of the Titleist TSi drivers.
GOLF EQUIPMENT | TITLEIST TSi
WHEN I FIRST TESTED IT, I HIT ONE DRIVE OFF THE TOE, AND IT CARRIED ALMOST 20 YARDS FURTHER THAN I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT. THAT’S WHAT WE WANT IS THE BAD ONES TO PERFORM BETTER. THOSE WEEKS WHERE I’M NOT HITTING IT CONSISTENTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FACE, I FEEL LIKE THIS [TSI DRIVER] IS GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO NARROW MY WINDOW AND DISPERSION. THE FACT THAT IT IS FASTER WITHOUT GIVING ANYTHING UP – I CAN’T BELIEVE HOW MUCH IT’S IMPROVED WHEN IT ALREADY SEEMED TO BE THE BEST THAT IT CAN GET. – JUSTIN THOMAS.
T
he one common claim that all the club
fices when it comes to performance. ATI 425 is an incredible
equipment manufacturers have relates to
breakthrough for driver performance, but it’s just one piece
increased speed which translate to greater
of the puzzle. Every aspect of TSi has been optimized to
distance. The new TSi’s (there are two mod-
benefit the total package, and it’s the integration of all those
els) are described as “faster in the air and
parts that drives greater ball speed and an experience at
faster at impact. “TSi is simply better when it comes to all four funda-
impact that tour players can’t stop talking about.” “TSi just looks fast and it sounds like a missile com-
mentals of driver design – distance, accuracy, looks and
ing off the face,” said former world number one Justin
sound,” according Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf
Thomas. “When I first tested it, I hit one drive off the toe,
Club Marketing. “We continue to make every investment
and it carried almost 20 yards further than I would have
necessary to help players achieve the speed and distance
thought. That’s what we want is the bad ones to perform
gains they are asking for, without having to make any sacri-
better. Those weeks where I’m not hitting it consistently in
GOLF EQUIPMENT | TITLEIST TSi
the middle of the face, I feel like this [TSi driver] is going to have the opportunity for me to narrow my window and dispersion. The fact that it is faster without giving anything up – I can’t believe how much it’s improved when it already seemed to be the best that it can get.” The increased power and speed is attributed to advanced engineering and material breakthroughs – including a new ATI 425 Aerospace Titanium face construction never before used in golf – that combine to produce the longest, straightest, best-looking, and best-sounding Titleist drivers ever. In case you are wondering why Titleist is offering two drivers, it is because each driver is designed to address specific player needs. ● TSi2 is designed to deliver incredible speed and accuracy across the entire surface of the face, with a deeper, lower CG to maximize distance. ● TSi3 is for players capable of creating more consistent contact or requiring more precise control over CG placement, featuring a new SureFit CG Track Design for advanced speed-tuned performance. Commenting on the face construction of the TSi, Dan Stone, Senior Vice President, Titleist Golf Club R&D said, “ATI 425 is an amazing alloy that leads to a lot of performance benefits …. it’s incredibly strong and maintains elongation under high stress. It let us optimize the thickness of the entire face to a degree that was never possible before and generate our highest ball speeds ever at points all over the face – not just heel and toe but also high and low. This is not an easy material to obtain, but the benefits to the golfer are beyond anything we’ve ever seen.” The new TSi clubs are available in stores now.
SPECIAL SPECIAL FEATURE FEATURE GOLF INDUSTRY GOLF & HEALTH GURU
One of the major challenges faced by the golf club industry in most parts of Asia has been the acute lack of applicable and valid training programmes. While there are programmes available from elsewhere, these so-called knowledge tools are either antiquated and out of date or hold no value to clubs in this part of the world. Oftentimes, most industry establishments are content to dish out cookie-cutter programmes that are topped with the promise of credits and certiďŹ cations to serve as a lure to draw the industry to send their people to attend these courses either in-situ or via webinars conducted at a time slot where
most of Asia is either deep in sleep or just about waking up. Understanding these challenges, a group of progressive minded club professionals and trainers have come together to establish the revolutionary Golf Industry Guru. As the name suggests, this is designed to be a knowledge provider that is sensitive to the needs of the industry and motivated to deliver the training needed in a package that is current, lively and handled by men and women in the know. Each guru on the training and education panel is a world-renowned expert in each ďŹ eld. Finally, the wait is over for the hundreds of golf clubs in the region and the thousands who make a career working at these establishments. Progress is here – top draw quality at very affordable rates:
SPECIAL FEATURE | GOLF INDUSTRY GURU
G
olf Industry Guru (GIG) is launched! “We are excited – the old way of delivering training and education is so stagnant and poorly produced,” was the opening salvo fired by James Cronk, co-founder, and
President of GIG. “What we have achieved has been in the works for a few years and our strictly on-line training platform is centered on the premise that we add new content EVERY week that LOOKS GREAT and keeps the member engaged and at the same time, seeing and experiencing value.” A virtual community that is powered on 24/7 basis, GIG is where the best will get better and where tomorrow’s leaders will learn from today’s success stories. On this website users will find education, training, tools, templates, and tips from the brightest and most successful golf and hospitality industry leaders in the world. Cronk said: “The Golf Industry is continually becoming more challenged every year. Operators and owners are getting more desperate for profits, and managers are seeking better tools and training to progress forward in their careers and to develop their team members. Ultimately, that is what inspired us to create and build GIG. The golf business is a great business, but as a club
WITH GIG, WE THINK WE CAN HELP BY BRINGING
manager, golf professional, and global industry consultant
TOGETHER A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF
and speaker, I kept hearing stories from good people with
GOLF AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
an awesome golf course who struggle to train staff, grow their revenues, and make money. Especially now in this
EXPERTS FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE
post COVID-19 world, the importance of continuous, flex-
WHO WILL SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE
ible, and proven online training to help managers be better is even that much more critical. With GIG, we think we
AND EXPERIENCES TO HELP OWNERS,
can help by bringing together a unique collection of golf
OPERATORS, AND THEIR TEAM MEM-
and hospitality industry experts from across the globe who
BERS FIND THE SOLUTIONS THEY NEED
will share their expertise and experiences to help owners, operators, and their team members find the solutions they need to their specific golf business challenges.” So, at the heart of Golf Industry Guru is really three
TO THEIR SPECIFIC GOLF BUSINESS CHALLENGES.
– JAMES CRONK
things:
✔ A comprehensive online training library. ✔ Direct access to the GIG support team. ✔ A vital online community.
THE GOLF INDUSTRY IS CONTINUALLY BECOMING MORE
CHALLENGED EVERY YEAR.
OPERATORS
AND OWNERS ARE GETTING MORE
DESPERATE FOR PROFITS, AND MANAGERS ARE SEEKING BETTER TOOLS AND TRAINING TO PROGRESS FORWARD IN THEIR CAREERS AND TO DEVELOP THEIR TEAM MEMBERS.
ULTIMATELY, THAT IS WHAT INSPIRED US TO CREATE AND BUILD GIG. “All of the above are catered specifically to GIG mem-
various training opportunities that can be customized to
bers and their team members so that together they can
fit anyone’s schedule, including courses, live and recorded
take their existing golf club business and then build it into
webinars, podcasts, template downloads, chat forums, and
something they are truly proud of”, said Scott Masse, co-
one-to-one coaching,” explained Masse who went on to add:
founder of GIG.
“GIG provides access to tons of best practices, processes,
GIG is perfect for any type of golf facility anywhere in
systems, templates, and solutions to common golf business
the world, and it is loaded with information that will benefit
problems with tips, tools, and learnings from the best golf
owners, general managers, superintendents, directors of
and hospitality professionals on the planet.”
golf, food and beverage managers, chefs, sales and market-
According to Cronk, GIG is all about bringing the people
ing managers, financial controllers, and more. “GIG provides
with the knowledge to the people who need it. “Our training
SCOTT MASSE AND JAMES CRONK
SPECIAL FEATURE | GOLF INDUSTRY GURU
is all from experts who’ve done it before. People who have built or helped build successful golf and hospitality-based businesses, like Gregg Patterson, Andrew Wood, Mike Holtzman, Bill Sanderson, and Andy Stangenberg to name just a few, and new Guru’s will be added to the platform all the time. Most importantly, they will all have one thing in common which is that they will all have learned first-hand what works and what does not”, added Cronk. The first Guru to offer his support and sign on with GIG was Gregg Patterson, the renowned US-based Club Manager from Southern California. Gregg became the General Manager of The Beach Club in 1982 and spent 34 glorious years as their GM, stepping aside for the “next generation” and his next adventure as a full-time speaker and writer with his new company “Tribal Magic!!!” in 2016. Gregg has been a featured presenter at various business workshops, club management seminars, assistant manager conferences and hospitality forums in North America, South America, Europe and Asia; teaches club management courses at The Business Management Institute (BMI-II and BMI-V); was an Adjunct Professor in the Collins School of Hospitality Management at Cal Poly University, Pomona for fourteen years; and is a visiting lecturer at various universities both in the states and around the world. In acknowledgement of his efforts as an educator in both the university and the corporate worlds, he was
GIG PROVIDES VARIOUS TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES THAT CAN BE CUSTOMIZED TO FIT ANYONE’S SCHEDULE, INCLUDING COURSES, LIVE AND RECORDED WEBINARS, PODCASTS, TEMPLATE DOWNLOADS, CHAT FORUMS, AND ONE-TO-ONE COACHING. GIG PROVIDES ACCESS TO TONS OF BEST PRACTICES, PROCESSES, SYSTEMS, TEMPLATES, AND SOLUTIONS TO COMMON GOLF BUSINESS PROBLEMS WITH TIPS, TOOLS, AND LEARNINGS FROM THE BEST GOLF AND HOSPITALITY PROFESSIONALS ON THE PLANET. – SCOTT MASSE
awarded the 2002 Gary Player Private Club Educator of the
ing back in time, figuring out what their biggest struggles
Year Award by Board Room magazine, the Club Executive of
were - what their biggest tips are - and what they wish they
the Year by the Club Management Association of America
would have known when they were first starting out.
in 2015, the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Asia Pacific
Contact and communications is part of the foundations
Golf Summit in 2015 and the 2015 Board Room magazine
of GIG. “We also hold GIG Q&A Sessions every month which
Award of Dedication “for his timeless, energetic and dedi-
are an online event that all GIG members can join where we
cated service to the private club industry.”
answer your golf business related questions live,” Masse
Giving further insight to GIG, Cronk said, “When it comes to courses for you and your team members, GIG
said. GIG’s content library (a work in constant progress), is
uses video instead of just audio or books because it’s the
easy to navigate, and each piece of content produced is built
best way for the education being provided to actually to sink
around action. There are specific step-by-step ways for you
in. These are videos you and your team are going to watch.
to apply this training in your business, like with checklists
They are also a better way to train your team members
and worksheets for you and your team to help apply the
and they are made up of core golf and hospitality business
learning.
principles and insights presented in an effective, engaging,
Keeping and staying on top of training is a vital con-
and memorable way. Also, GIG does not just have courses,
sideration with GIG and with this in mind, its website has a
podcasts, webinars, and template downloads. It also has
very important feature built into it called GIG Tracking that
two other important forms of learning - our GIG Q&A Ses-
monitors and records the usage and content consumption
sions and Guru Stories.”
of each of the platform’s users which of course will be very
GIG Stories are in depth interviews with successful golf industry leaders – GIG has a knack for digging in, go-
important to the golf club owners and operators that decide to offer Golf Industry Guru to its team members.
SPECIAL FEATURE | GOLF INDUSTRY GURU
result, GIG will be able to reward your
KEEPING AND STAYING ON TOP OF TRAINING IS A VITAL CONSIDERATION
WITH
GIG AND WITH THIS IN MIND, ITS
WEBSITE HAS A VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE BUILT INTO IT CALLED
GIG TRACKING THAT
MONITORS AND RECORDS THE USAGE AND CONTENT CONSUMPTION OF EACH OF THE
PLATFORM’S USERS WHICH OF COURSE WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE GOLF CLUB OWNERS AND OPERATORS THAT DECIDE TO
GOLF INDUSTRY GURU TO ITS TEAM MEMBERS. OFFER
team members for the learning they accomplish, deliver points and badges to encourage additional learning, and provide certificates and accreditations as a result of the courses that they complete. GIG’s unique platform and approach, which is an industry first, utilizes a subscription model for its membership like businesses like Netflix and Masterclass, and is now “live”. Each membership includes 10 User Profiles so several team members of the same club can all have access to GIG at the same time. Special reduced partnership pricing will be available for clubs associated with the Asia Pacific Golf Group. With GIG, a golf course
“This functionality is provided by the Learning Management System (LMS) that GIG has chosen for its
owner or manager can train their leadership team for less than US$7 per person per month!
platform which is the most trusted LMS in the world and
Priority access for clubs that are ready to take their
the #1 choice of Fortune 500 companies, major universi-
business and their team to the next level can be secured
ties, training organizations, and entrepreneurs worldwide
without payment and with no obligation by pre-registering
for creating and delivering their online courses. As a
today at www.golfindustryguru.com.
FASHION TREND FOOTJOY
Remember the days when golf shoes looked like golf shoes as opposed to the current look where it is sort of difficult to differentiate between sneakers, track shoes and a whole bunch of other look-alikes! It is so refreshing to be able to see the conservative look of golf shoes return. And if you would like to be seen walking the fairways in something reminiscent of the past, then you should check out the latest from FootJoy. It’s simply called FJ Traditions.
A
s the name suggests, it is really a throw back to days when golf shoes looked distinctly different from any other shoes – formal, recreational or sport. They simply had a look that was unique to the sport! FootJoy’s throw-back to the past has all the trappings of the old classic look. But that’s where the similarity ends. Besides looking ret-
ro, the new Traditions are lightweight, super comfortable and with a super firm grip. The FJ Traditions are available in four styles and available now in all reputable golf stores.
SPECIAL FEATURE GOLF & HEALTH
How often have you been ribbed by your non-golf playing friends about the game being a panacea for good health? “How can it be good for your health when you hardly break a sweat driving around in a golf cart hitting and chasing a ridiculous small ball?” is often the sarcastic put down that many golfers have to put up with when in the company of their tennis, jogging or squash mates. Well, finally, you don’t have to be tongue-tied and at a loss to justify the numerous health benefits of playing golf. You see, the R&A, the governing body over golf has released a study that categorically proves that golf is good for you!
SPECIAL FEATURE | GOLF & HEALTH
he two-year study has found new evidence to suggest golf can provide significant health benefits to older participants in the form of improved muscle strength and balance. The Strength and Balance Study, carried out with two sample groups by Professor Maria Stokes OBE at the University of Southampton and Dr George Salem at the University of Southern California (USC), has indicated that older golfers have and develop strength and balance benefits. Muscle strength and balance exercises form an important part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended guidelines to tackle physical inactivity in older people about which little was previously known for golf. Underlining the sport’s capability to improve the physical health of participants, the evidence suggests golf can improve quality of life through muscle strengthening, improved balance, aerobic exercise (equivalent to gym-based work or yoga) and social interaction. The Southampton group involved 152 individuals aged 65-79 and over 80 and set out to demonstrate the physical and psychosocial benefits associated with playing recreational golf regularly by comparing physical measures between older golfers and sedentary non-golfers. A study at the USC was undertaken to see if non-golfers developed these benefits while undertaking a 10-week instructional golf training programme. The USC group involved 15 individuals aged 63 (+/- 5 years) at a municipal course in the greater Los Angeles area, which also examined the feasibility, safety and adherence of the programme for senior non-golfers.
The combined findings show that: ■ Participants in the golf training programme improved their muscular strength, power, endurance, balance, flexibility and walking performance ■ Golfers under the age of 80 had better strength and balance than sedentary non-golfers of similar ages ■ Golfers had better dynamic balance and static balance than non-golfers ■ Strength of limb muscles and balance were better in golfers than non-golfers e.g. indicative through gripping and swinging a club, walking, squatting ■ The golf training programme was feasible and effective; novice golfers were able to play 9 holes of golf by the 10th week and completed 282 of 300 (94%) total training sessions ■ The physical demands recorded during a golf round were equivalent or greater than the demands for other common activities e.g. gym work or yoga ■ Participants benefited from green space, social interaction and walking over hilly terrain ■ The programme was safe; there were no golf-related injuries or adverse events
THESE FINDINGS SHOULD ENCOURAGE
POLICY MAKERS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TO CONSIDER RECOMMENDING PLAYING GOLF TO OLDER
PEOPLE AS PART OF ENCOURAGING THEM TO ADOPT A
MORE ACTIVE LIFESTYLE, AS WELL AS TACKLING PHYSICAL
INACTIVITY TO REDUCE HEALTHCARE COSTS.
– MARTIN SLUMBERS,
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF THE R&A
SPECIAL FEATURE | GOLF & HEALTH
Ahead of the study being peer reviewed to validate findings and future presentations made to the academic world, Professor Maria Stokes said, “The findings indicate that golf is associated with health benefits related to better muscle strength and balance. “This suggests golf may meet World Health Organization recommendations for older people, which would potentially qualify golf for social prescription and exercise referral schemes among policy makers to help manage health conditions.” Dr George Salem added, “Our findings suggest that golf should be considered when prescribing exercise for older adults because it appears to be safe, feasible and an adherent form of exercise for a better, healthier quality of life. “Moreover, as golf is an exercise activity that includes strengthening, power, balance, endurance and cognitive challenges, it satisfies the recommended physical activity guidelines of the World Health Organization, the American College of Sports Medicine and UK guidelines.”
THE GOLF & HEALTH PROJECT, SUPPORTED BY THE R&A AND THE OTHER WGF PARTNERS, CONTINUES TO STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THESE AIMS BY PRODUCING AND PUBLISHING HIGH QUALITY SCIENCE THAT
EVIDENCES GOLF’S PHYSICAL AND
said, “These findings should encourage policy makers
MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS TO
and healthcare professionals to consider recommend-
TARGET EXISTING GOLFERS, NONGOLFERS, GOLF BODIES AND
POLICY MAKERS IN GOVERNMENT AND HEALTH.
Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A,
ing playing golf to older people as part of encouraging them to adopt a more active lifestyle, as well as tackling physical inactivity to reduce healthcare costs. “We are seeing more and more evidence that golf can provide significant physical and mental health benefits for participants as a moderate intensity activity and so we will continue to advocate these in all of our work with golfers, national federations and associations, healthcare professionals and policy makers.” Since 2016, The R&A and its partners, including the World Golf Foundation (WGF), the United States Golf Association (USGA) and the European Tour, have sought to: raise awareness of the health benefits of golf to encourage interest in participation by people of all ages and abilities; improve the sport’s image; and increase advocacy for golf by government agencies and public health bodies. The Golf & Health Project, supported by The R&A and the other WGF partners, continues to strive to achieve these aims by producing and publishing high quality science that evidences golf’s physical and mental health benefits to target existing golfers, nongolfers, golf bodies and policy makers in government and health. Dr Roger Hawkes, Executive Director at the Golf & Health Project, added, “The evidence from this study is indicative that golf helps strength and balance, with no previous research to highlight this to the golf industry until now. The overall findings and benefits should be of great value for golfers and non-golfers going forward.”
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