"Get in the hole!"

Grg Client,

Welcome to the second round of the Staples Golf Quarterly – a look back over the last 90 days, discussing what we saw, what we learned and what may be in store for the golf biz in the very near future.
Hobbs is Complete!

The end of 2014 saw the completion of our first Community Links project in Hobbs, New Mexico.  We’re starting to get some pub!  Download our latest article from the PGA Insider here.  As we work towards the grand opening later this springs, it’s become crystal clear to me exactly how important it is for our sport to look for ways to integrate into everyday life, and look for ways to build upon the aspects of the game that make it a passion for all of us.  Be it patience, integrity, health, etc., let’s begin to celebrate the aspects we love and continue to build upon these each time we are around our family, friends and co-workers.  

Speaking of the completion of Hobbs...

So where’s the next Community Links going to be built??  I've been pondering this question over the last 3-4 months, and have some thoughts based on a few factors including direct conversations with city officials across the country.  States like New Mexico, Texas, Colorado and Michigan all have shown signs of a beleaguered public golf segment, pressing water issues and a verifiable priority in the importance of the game.  We continue to have real discussions of the viability of municipally owned facilities, and look to achieve buy-in from the highest ranking officials.  Support starts at the top, and we look to have more conversations about how a Community Links can rally a community around these issues.  These are the states I see as primed for facilities to take a leadership role in bringing a new type of golf course to their citizens.

Trust the Process

The beginning of the year has been spent, among other things, getting Meadowbrook Country Club outside of Detroit ready for a membership vote on our Master Plan this spring.  A process that began in June, now begins to wrap up some nine months later.  I’ve considered the process of presenting the new design to the membership, helping shift their understanding from their current course to a new facility built to address its next 100 years of existence.  I don't think it would have been as s The planning process of today is built upon clear communication, evidence based solutions and overall determination to get a project approved. I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll continue to say it: “Trust the process!  It works.”

"GET IN THE HOLE!!!"

Our city just withstood another Super Bowl and Phoenix Open in the same weekend.  What a ride!  I had another chance to experience the 16th hole on a Saturday, and I have to say, golf is not dead!  Having watched 159,706 people yell "Get in the hole!" for the better part of the day, I couldn't help but think about how much fun they (we) were having.  Oh, oh, did I say it?? People were having fun on a golf course?  Now, granted, the Phoenix Open model isn’t something I’m saying should be at every tour stop.  If it was, I’m sure it would lose its appeal.  But what I do know is the “one size fits all model” in golf needs to change.  Just like the Phoenix Open has appeal to its city in a unique and exciting way, so to should others do the same.  Let us look for ways to break down the model of consistency and uniformity and allow golf courses to be direct reflections of their city and their users.

Old School

I'm going to leave you with a few images from some of my past visits around the country.  First, an image of some dramatic cross bunkers at a country club in Arkansas, built in 1926 by William Langford, one of my all-time favorite architects.  Having learned to play on a Langford course in Wisconsin, I’ve experienced the game under some not so “democratic” conditions.  This photo reminded me that sometimes we need to put aside how difficult this game is, and remind ourselves that nothing beats the feeling of accomplishment, improvement and personal confidence.  This is why we play the game.
From the Sky

This last image is from a flyover from one of the residents of Hobbs, NM.  He was surveying the areas from a helicopter and flew over the new course, capturing a great image of the grow in of holes 5, 12, 13, 14 and 17.  Nothing gets more people excited than watching grass grow on a newly renovated golf course!
Best of luck to you this year!

-Andy Staples