By Robert Thompson | January 25, 2011
The RCGA held its annual meeting this past weekend, electing its first female president. Of course what wasn’t mentioned was a $4.58-million loss in 2010, added to the $3.66-million the organization lost in 2009. Yes that’s $8.25-million in the past two years, hacking into the $26.6-million the organization has remaining from the long-ago sale of ... read more »
|
By Robert Thompson | January 14, 2011
Ernie Els inked a deal with RBC last week and now is telling the press that he’s also changing his schedule. Who’s to blame? According to a lot of headlines, it is RBC. “New Sponsor drives change in Els’ global schedule,” reads the headline on MSNBC. Part of that schedule change involves cutting out the ... read more »
Tagged: Doug Ferguson, Ernie Els, PGA Tour, RBC, Scottish Open, The Big Easy, the PGA Championship, Tiger Woods |
By Robert Thompson | January 11, 2011
Been sitting on this one for a while, but kudos to Lorne Rubenstein for breaking the news (that the club should have put out months ago, I’ll add) that Laval, the private club outside of Montreal, will rebuild one of its two courses with the redesign becoming the first project by Mike Weir and Ian ... read more »
Tagged: Golf Canada, Ian Andrew, Laval, Lorne Rubenstein, Mike Weir, PGA Tour, Quebec, the PGA Tour |
By Robert Thompson | November 4, 2010
Golf Canada Executive Director Scott Simmons says the ambitious plan for relaunching and rebranding the RCGA has been a success despite the departure of several high-profile employees and the fact it has only managed 10,000 new members in 2010. Initially Golf Canada hoped to have 40,000 new members, a target proved unrealistic. “We’ve recognized that ... read more »
|
By Robert Thompson | November 2, 2010
First it was the McDonald’s guy, Peter Beresford, the RCGA’s former COO, and now the former executive director of the CPGA, the well-liked Steve Carroll, is the latest to jump ship from Golf Canada’s membership program. Can’t be good news for Golf Canada’s Executive Director Scott Simmons, who put a lot into launching Golf Canada, with its ambitious ... read more »
Tagged: McDonald's, McDonald's Corporation, Peter Beresford, RCGA, Royal Canadian Golf Association, Scott Simmons, Steve Carroll |
By Robert Thompson | September 20, 2010
Interesting to see Ian Hutchison note that Peter Beresford, one of the key men behind the RCGA’s rebranding as “Golf Canada” and a former McDonald’s executive often referred to by those in the business as “Mayor McCheese,” and Ron Gardner, the organization’s managing director of membership services, have both departed from the organization. Or at least kind ... read more »
|
By Robert Thompson | July 23, 2010
The fifth day of the Canadian Open starts with — drum roll please — rain. Play has been delayed until 9 am this morning, and looking at the radar, that might be optimistic. Let’s start with me. My notes package on the first round for Sympatico and Reader’s Digest is here. My column featuring on ... read more »
|
By Robert Thompson | July 22, 2010
Interesting and very busy day at a warm RBC Canadian Open. First of all, in response to the blurb I wrote about a speed trap on Islington Ave. that pulled over a van with a player in it traveling to the range, turns out that player was Paul Azinger. And one driver told me Zinger ... read more »
Tagged: Anthony Kim, Canadian Amateur Championship, Club De Golf Laval Sur Le Lac, Dave Bunker, Garry McKay, Glen Abbey Golf Club, Ian Andrew, Lorne Rubenstein, Mike Weir, Nick Taylor, Paul Azinger, RBC Canadian Open, Scott Simmons, sean foley, Sean O'Hair, St. George's Golf and Country Club, Stephen Ames, Tiger Woods |
By Robert Thompson | July 21, 2010
For years they said they weren’t interested in a return engagement with the Canadian Open, but apparently a mounting clubhouse bill and plans for additional projects at Hamilton Golf and Country Club changed the minds of members. Last night 70% of them voted in favor of hosting the tournament, which should bring the club about ... read more »
Tagged: Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Jim Furyk, Mike Weir, RBC Canadian Open |
By Robert Thompson | July 20, 2010
Let’s start with me, since it is really all about me anyway. My column for Sympatico on great golf coursesmaking for great golf, is now online, along with some videos shot at St. George’s last month. Word is that Hamilton Golf & CC members are voting on whether to hold the 2012 RBC Canadian Open. ... read more »
Tagged: Canadian Amateur Championship, David Hearn, Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Nationwide Tour, RBC Canadian Open, Stephen Ames |
A bestselling author and award-winning columnist, Robert Thompson has been writing about business and sports, and particularly golf, for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary on golf has appeared in Golf Magazine, the Globe and Mail, T&L Golf and many other media outlets. Currently a columnist with Sympatico.ca and Ontario Golf, and a contributing writer to ScoreGolf, his blog, Going for the Green, was launched in 2004. 
Email Robert
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe by RSS
Recent Comments