Have you punched your ticket to Royal Portrush for the 2019 Open Championship starting on July 18th? Everyone is excited to see this major championship returning to Northern Ireland for the first time in 70 years. Did you also know that the Brexit vote occurs in late March next year? Will that mean a hard…
In one of my Golf Shorts and Plus Fours chapters I compare the Old Course vs. Pebble. I prefer the Old because it oozes tradition and is idiosyncratic not because it is a prettier course. I feel the U.S. Open should have venues like historic Oakmont or Shinnecock rather than newer Erin Hills or Chambers…
Less than 4 hours playing the course. Walking the course with few power carts in sight. All 4 golfers not distracted by digital devices throughout the whole round. Playing beautiful Victoria Golf Club with sights of the Pacific Ocean and Washington State. Paradise. And the way golf used to be when walking, pace of play,…
In speaking with the young waitress while having lunch in Kelowna, I asked about her travels. She mentioned the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam and how much she enjoyed her visits. These happen to also be emerging hotbeds for golf travel. They are relatively inexpensive compared to other golfing countries. Athlone’s clientele prefer links golf and…
Vinyl records have made a comeback. Is it because they remind people of their rebellious youth or that the sound seems more real? Will 18 hole golf become the vinyl way of playing the game with 6-hole and Topgolf entertainment now accelerating and trying to push this out to pasture? My sense is links golf…
Back surgery, replacement hips, rugby scarred knees and ailing joints. Once golfers enter their fifties and beyond, health becomes a factor when looking at golf trips. Links golf trips mean walking. No power carts. Battle the elements, trudge through monstrous dunes and pray that your body holds up for the Guinness or drams of whisky…
After playing back to back rounds at terrific Harbour Town Golf Links, SC with my best friends last weekend, we were able to compare how golf should be played-walking-and one of my pet peeves-cart path only. By far we all agreed that walking with the forecaddie’s help was a superior golfing experience. Even the quality…
What is it with the anger and whining in the world? Trolling, sarcastic comments and social media outbursts abound. When I speak to people about their custom golf trips I don’t get any of that vibe. I listen to exciting dreams of playing on storied courses, imagining the taste of a Guinness or whisky and…
Have you noticed that people no longer digest content of emails, notices and other tidbits of information like in the past? Scanning has become the new norm and important words and connotations are missed. As a golf tour operator it is important we focus on the details of emails to ensure accuracy for our delivered…
The Economic meltdown. Tiger’s last major win. The rise of Facebook and Google. These events are all interconnected. People played less golf because they couldn’t afford it that year and in the following years. Time spent outside shifted inwardly to Google searches and spending more time on social media. Attention spans dwindled. We are trying…