Category: Opinion

Practical — and sometimes controversial –opinions on the state of golf

A Matter of Perspective

It’s OK to admit you’re not OK

Finding the light amidst the clouds

What a Waste (Management)

Hi, Tech!

The Cup Runneth (and now it’s over)

Gender Neutrality (Finally) on the rise
Last month, golfers across the country witnessed an interesting online “battle” of sorts, as Maleny Golf Club announced they were adopting gender-neutral tee blocks to help promote gender equality (see Club News, page 8). Essentially, Maleny are eliminating the “Red, White and Blue” mentality, and instead opting for descriptive “names” for the various blocks […]
All in the family
Does golf do enough to retain young, time-poor parents as club members? The answer, unfortunately, is a resounding “no!” This question was put forth in a great article by Martin Blake on the Golf Australia website: www.golf.org.au/new-parents;-does-golf-do-enough. The article explores how golf is letting itself down by not doing enough to retain (or attract) […]
The Long and Short of technology
Advancements in technology have proven to be both a boon and burden in golf (and life). For every shiny, new gadget that aims to improve our lives, there is often a lurking obstacle or glitch hidden within. This has become no more apparent than via some recent news pieces (which you would have likely missed […]
Upsetting the apple (golf) cart
Nearly ten years ago, a topic/discussion began popping up in my inbox: the practice of golf clubs either banning the use of personal golf cars/carts, or charging golfers to use their own carts on the course. You may recall these discussions in both this column and the Letters pages. You may also remember the irony […]
It’s time for data-driven decisions in golf
It’s time to push forward with an idea that I originally suggested nearly five years ago, yet has not been addressed by the powers-that-be at Golf Australia: Virtual Indexing and Slope Ratings.
When opportunity knocks
While COVID-19 has brought a lot of pain, suffering, chaos and confusion to the world, it has also (believe it or not) brought a potential shining light to the golf industry. There is a massive…and I mean MASSIVE…opportunity in golf at the moment. One of those “once in a hundred years” type of situations. Unfortunately, […]
A Matter of Perspective
SKY-High banana-slices out of bounds…fat/chunked chip shots…fried-egg bunker lies…tee shots landing in fairway divots…slow play…lip-outs…water balls…three-putts… …I enthusiastically cherished every single one of them last month. Following three months of government-imposed “prison time” here in Victoria, I was chomping at the bit to be able to (FINALLY) tee […]
It’s OK to admit you’re not OK
This is extremely difficult to say. In fact, it’s all but overwhelming, and one of the hardest admissions I’ve ever made. But it needs to be said. Over the last few months, I’ve not been “OK”. Not at all. COVID-19 has taken its toll. From the daily ritual of nervously flicking on the TV to […]
Finding the light amidst the clouds
It’s safe to say that 2020 is proving to be one of the most difficult years in living memory. As I write this (in mid-March), Covid-19 / Coronavirus is running rampant across the planet, with people either locked-down, quarantined or brawling in the aisles for bathroom tissue. This all followed the rampant bushfires and floods […]
What a Waste (Management)
Across the globe, a lot has been written and said about the PGA Tour’s Waste Management Phoenix Open. Most notably, the discussion has centred around the topic of the Stadium Hole, which is a grandstand/corporate box that surrounds the par-3 16th hole of TPC Scottsdale, and is purpose-built to house and entertain tens of thousands […]