Winter Stretch

For some lucky golfers, the winter season brings endless golf in Florida, California of Arizona. I did notice in New Zealand that a number of Americans were "wintering" in New Zealand...or rather summering during our winter. Even with the weakened dollar, New Zealand is still attractive when one considers some of the ever escalating property costs in the better, more established golf communities in the southern states.

I am not someone that can play golf on a 12 month cycle....a time to heal the mind (and increasingly) body is required, alto my golf season started last week in Vero Beach at a marvelous Member-Guest. While it is six months since two consecutive hurricanes ran over Vero Beach, the damage is still very noticeable.

The PGA Show continues to evolve over time, with an increasing number of smaller exhibitors. Based on forward pricing, it appears that Reed, who operate the show see significant pricing pressures...how times change in a few short years. It was very recently, you could not swing a golf club in the hall without hitting a dot.com exhibit...times are changing when they now have an ever increasing-in-length driving range, presumably to fill the hall. Dinner last night with a reporter from the Golf channel and their view was that the show was more vibrant this year than 2004, but highly doubtful that any of the big guys (Titleist et al) feel any pressure to return. They have re-designed their marketing and communications to bypass the PGA Show and doubtful they would want to re-write these plans.

The poor weather than the PGA Tour has been expressing on their West Coast Swing is disappointing for golf fans, but it is what the traveling golfer faces on many occasions. It is always so disappointing to plan a trip for months with friends or family, get to your hotel and for the next four days the rain comes. It happens to us all. What can you do to prevent...nothing. You can however plan to hopefully minimize the risk. When planning a trip, understand the general weather tendencies in that area, e.g. the West Coast is notoriously wet in February, 2005 is a particularly bad example...if going to San Diego, go in April or May. Obviously Hurricane season in the summer months and fall for Florida and Gulf Coast (but prices may be attractive). If you do travel in low season, chances are you can make reservations at the last minute once you have a sense of a 10 day forecast. Clearly not all of the above is applicable in every situation with multiple schedules, etc...but also do not assume the sun shines, with a light breeze on every course, every day! Only in Scotland!