TEEING OFF: Taming the Tiger

There’s been a lot of discussion and analysis about how Tiger Woods’ dalliances and alleged infidelity will impact golf and the business of golf.

Already we’ve seen a number of high-profile companies close their checkbooks to Tiger and the fear is that sponsorship dollars will drain away from the game, as well, breaking the positive momentum the industry has enjoyed for the past decade.

And as most of you are well aware, there have been a number of dour predictions, mostly that his alleged actions play into the snobby, elitist stereotype that for so many years had stunted the growth of the game and this industry until, well, until Tiger came along and changed everything. Without a doubt, and it’s been well documented, Tiger’s emergence contributed to the great influx of interest in the game, which helped spur unprecedented growth – for better or for worse – throughout the industry.

But too many people in this industry have fought against those negative perceptions and worked to erase these preconceived notions, especially among the many people who do not enjoy the game.

So where does that leave us now?

I think much of the mantel of responsibility to maintain and build interest and momentum lies with you.

You see, while Tiger may be the reason why someone picked up a set of clubs for the first time or paid for lessons at the local public course, it’s the unique and unmatched experience that golf provides that brings people back time and time again.

That’s where you come in.
You are the caretakers of that experience. Your job is to maintain that delicate balance between nature and sporting competition. And this is not an easy task. The vast majority of you are charged to maintain perfection on a reduced budget, yet you still find innovative ways to get the job done. Also, many of you have developed ways to enhance the player experience by providing them a newfound appreciation and understanding for how that experience is maintained.

Never before have you been such an important cog in the machine that will drive this industry into the next decade. It’s a heady responsibility if you’re for the task. Can the industry depend on you?

On another note, I find the best thing about January is it marks the start of a fresh, new year. And to compound this, 2010 marks the start to a new decade, too. Review the last year and analyze the events of the last decade and you begin to see it’s been quite a roller coaster ride.

So I’m curious to know what providence has in store for our industry in 2010, as well as for the next 10 years.

E-mail me (mzawacki@gie.net) your thoughts and predictions on what’s in store for our industry in 2010 and for the next decade. I’ll store those away in a time capsule of sorts and we’ll revisit them a year from now and see just how well-tuned your crystal balls are.