2011 Executive Directors Report
The 2011 golf season in Prince Edward Island was a series of highs and lows . Poor spring weather, which lasted until August, had a negative impact on Island courses. Frustrated golfers lost a lot of early season rounds and the usually brisk early summer green fee traffic was off . The poor start to the year also effected renewals at local courses which resulted in a 10% decrease in P.E.I.G.A. memberships. Better fall weather will help somewhat but will not make up for lost business . On the upside the memories of great fall golf may help us get through the long winter ahead.
The Prince Edward Island Golf Association continued the process of renewing itself in 2011 . Last year the Association made a commitment to be more relevant to it’s members and to encourage more people to take up the game . Related to this the Association vowed to improve it’s financial situation and to broaden it’s offering of programs and services . We are happy to report that on this front a great deal was accomplished in 2011. Highlights of the past year include the following: * For the first time the P.E.I.G.A. was able to offer local golfers playing privileges at member clubs . Courses offered members up to %50 off green fees at select times. * The P.E.I.G.A. launched it’s new website in April . The site features member courses and is a tremendous source of information for both local and visiting golfers. * The P.E.I.G.A. partnered with Moosehead on a special promotion that gave customers the opportunity to win green fees at member courses . By all accounts the promotion was a great success . * The P.E.I.G.A. initiated a specialized training program for our best amateur golfers in 2011. The Elite Development program is intended to improve the performance of our best golfers in regional and national competitions . * The Association launched “Tee It Up P.E.I. “ in 2011 . The purpose of this new initiative is to encourage more people to visit their local course . Participating courses were encouraged to welcome potential new golfers . The plan is to expand the program next year. * Participation was up at this years Provincial Amateur championship at Belvedere . The weather was perfect and the golf was outstanding. * On behalf of it’s member clubs the P.E.I.G.A. undertook a regional marketing campaign in 2011. The Association placed ads in local papers and the Golf News promoting “Island Golf “. * The Association welcomed Rodd Hotels and Resorts, Moosehead and R.B.C. as new corporate partners . They join Levelwear, Titleist, the Travel Store , Bushnell , the King of Clubs and Abegweit Outfitting as supporters and we are thankful for all of them. *The Association supported Golf In Schools and C.N. Future Links . Kevin Champion and Ben King do an outstanding job managing our junior development program. * The P.E.I.G.A. supported the National Golf Lobby Day and is working with the N.G.C.O.A. to promote the economic value of golf to the community. * The P.E.I.G.A. continues to work with Golf Canada and is represented on several key committees . * Through the efforts of our Chief Rules Official , Fred Coady a number of local players received training and were certified as rules officials. Our men’s and women’s Rating Committees continued to make sure that the ratings of member courses is up to date. * The King of Clubs Senior Tour had another successful year under the guidance of P.E.I.G.A. President Cliff Goodwin. On the competitive front several local golfers proved themselves at the national level. Island golfers competed in seven national championships and Summerside golfers Tim Yorke and John Schurman both made the cut at the National Mid-Amateur Championship . Our junior players performed well and their future is very promising . 2011 is the 40th anniversary of the Prince Edward Island Golf Association. To mark the occasion members , sponsors , volunteers and other guests will gather at the Fox Meadow Golf Club on Saturday , October 15th to reminisce and to toast 40 years of golf . As the days grow shorter each round is more cherished . The Prince Edward Island Golf Association wishes everyone a great 2012 ! Ron MacNeill Executive Director View Strategic Planning Report 2009 In 2010 the PEIGA partnered with the Kevin Champion “School of Golf” to put a comprehensive junior program in place province wide. The objective of the program was to build golf at the very grassroots, introduce more students to the game, and have a program in place that they can continue through their junior years to learn lifelong skills and retain them as adult golfers. The programs were set to be both affordable and available for all students island wide. Programs offer both a competitive side and a social side realizing that the goal of every student isn’t to play in competition. Programs targeted juniors aged 6 to 18 years of age.
The Future Links Golf Program, sponsored by CN, is Canada’s national junior golf development program designed to “Ensure the Future of Golf”. Conducted by the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) in partnership with the Canadian Professional Golf Association (CPGA) and Canada’s Provincial golf associations. In 2010 the Kevin Champion “School of Golf” entered an agreement with the PEIGA to deliver the CN Future Links program across Prince Edward Island. In 2010 the golf school partnered with other Island courses with CPGA Professionals to work together to have a complete program Island wide and to have consistency for the students. The Canadian Golf Academy, Belvedere Golf Club and Summer Side Golf Club have partnered to help deliver the Future Links program. The other Island courses without established junior programs, the golf school scheduled the mobile clinics to their facilities. In 2010 the school delivered a total of 36 CNFL activities across PEI interacting with 1145 juniors. The summary of participation by month was as follows: May 54, June 240, July 327, August 129, Sept 18, Total 768 in the Future links Clinics. The Canadian golf Academy who did all the Future links in the Charlottetown area had 270 students. The programs that were offered in 2010 were as follows: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3, learn to compete camp and Girls Clubs as well as a Future links junior league. The Season Ending Skills Competition unfortunately was canceled due to Hurricane Earl and the scheduled makeup date was rained out as well. A total of 14 golf courses welcomed us to their facilities for the CN Future Links Program. We would like to thank the following courses for their support and providing us with use of their ranges. Andersons Creek, Belvedere, Country View, Mill River, Summer Side, Eagles View, Stanhope, Avondale, Glasgow Hills and Rustico. We were also scheduled at 4 other facilities but had to cancel and move students as lack of enrollment at those sites. Some of the sites we visited multiple times as the demand in those areas supported the clinic enrollment. Also in 2010 the Canadian Golf Academy, Belvedere and Summer Side all offered Future Links Level 1, 2, and 3 as well as Girls Clubs. The program was promoted through the follows advertisement vehicles: We attended the 2 major trade shows with a booth set up in Charlottetown and Summer Side. Mailed brochures direct to 12,000 Island households, promoted on the synergy screens network, had a poster campaign in all courses, local print advertisement in local news papers (Guardian, Northern Star, Journal) also advertised on the PEIGA website with all clinic offerings. The problems encountered with the program for 2010 was lack of enrollment and the cost to take the program to the rural areas of Prince Edward Island. The main centers like Charlottetown and Summer Side had strong Programs in place and were fully supported by our advertisements. The Canadian Golf Academy and the Summer Side Golf Club both had large junior golf programs and both supported the Future Links Brand. The mobile clinics visited the other rural courses and areas and the population and numbers to fill clinics is not there in rural PEI. The model for the mobile future Links clinics on Prince Edward Island has to be seriously looked at for the 2011 season. In summary the PEIGA will be putting in a proposal to the RCGA for consideration that will address our concerns and ensure that the CN Future Links Programs are available Island wide. Kevin Champion CPGA /PEIGA |
|
|
Special Reports
Subpages (1):
President's Reports
|