Comments on: What if your flag was stiff? http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/ Chicago is a great golf town. Let me tell you all about it. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:34:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: John Steffen http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-17 John Steffen Fri, 27 Apr 2007 19:25:38 +0000 http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-17 Wow, you guys make compelling cases for something that I was ready to consent to. I just may have a little higher threshold for sponsorship intrusions. It could because I benefit to a certain extent from sponsor driven things (for example, this blog is hosted completely free on a sponsor-supported Google site).<br/><br/>I am going to be more attentive to this, but I think some level of sponsorship creeping into our golf experience is inevitable so part of me just wants to learn to deal with it. The question will be where do you draw the line? Painting something that is naturally occurring (like grass), is unconscionable and I would revolt. But tee markers, fine with me. The flag, that's starting to intrude a little.<br/><br/>I will hopefully get to Rockford for a round of golf and I will let talk more about it. Wow, you guys make compelling cases for something that I was ready to consent to. I just may have a little higher threshold for sponsorship intrusions. It could because I benefit to a certain extent from sponsor driven things (for example, this blog is hosted completely free on a sponsor-supported Google site).

I am going to be more attentive to this, but I think some level of sponsorship creeping into our golf experience is inevitable so part of me just wants to learn to deal with it. The question will be where do you draw the line? Painting something that is naturally occurring (like grass), is unconscionable and I would revolt. But tee markers, fine with me. The flag, that’s starting to intrude a little.

I will hopefully get to Rockford for a round of golf and I will let talk more about it.

]]> By: Terence http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-16 Terence Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:44:57 +0000 http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-16 I have to admit that when I play a course where the tee markers have the advertising for local businesses like plumbers, realtors and D.U.I defense attorneys, I really knock the course down a few pegs in my review. In fact, I don't even like it when they have little advertising on the back of the score card. Am I an elitist? I prefer to think of myself as a purist. Lump me with the golf enthusiasts that eschew the use of logo decorated golf balls. Imagine saving your hole in one ball for the rest of your life with the Enron logo plastered all over it.<br/><br/>On a related note, some predict real commercial advertising opportunities by spray painting the grass on the fairway in billboard sized banners. Woe to those who pooh pooh the slippery slope! I have to admit that when I play a course where the tee markers have the advertising for local businesses like plumbers, realtors and D.U.I defense attorneys, I really knock the course down a few pegs in my review. In fact, I don’t even like it when they have little advertising on the back of the score card. Am I an elitist? I prefer to think of myself as a purist. Lump me with the golf enthusiasts that eschew the use of logo decorated golf balls. Imagine saving your hole in one ball for the rest of your life with the Enron logo plastered all over it.

On a related note, some predict real commercial advertising opportunities by spray painting the grass on the fairway in billboard sized banners. Woe to those who pooh pooh the slippery slope!

]]> By: John Steffen http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-15 John Steffen Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:10:12 +0000 http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-15 Ah, there's the fire in the belly that I like to see. You raise a ton of great points that I will respond to later. Thanks for caring! Let's see if anyone else chimes in on this. Ah, there’s the fire in the belly that I like to see. You raise a ton of great points that I will respond to later. Thanks for caring! Let’s see if anyone else chimes in on this.

]]> By: Jon Z http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-14 Jon Z Thu, 26 Apr 2007 14:07:41 +0000 http://www.chicagopublicgolf.com/2007/04/26/what-if-your-flag-was-stiff/#comment-14 This makes me SICK!!! I do not like the idea of subisidizing the industry, based on THEIR overbuilding in the 90's. On a calm day I want to see that flag flacid and stiff on windy days.<br/><br/>Sorry I am so fired up about this, I am just tired of seeing public golf courses that are managed poorly because the person running the show is very good at hiting 3 irons and not so good from a business sense!!<br/><br/>Golf courses have a plethra of money making opportunities available to them through consessions and merchandising that most squander away because they are too lazy to do market research and come up with unique idea's to increase the golfers overall spend at the course.<br/><br/>Stop selling Pro-V's for $60/dozen when I can get them at Dicks for $39 and you may actually make a couple of bucks in that completely under utilized and mismanaged retail space called the ProShop.<br/><br/>Come up with a unique food like a "Bearclaw Burger" and make your course known for more than the golf holes. How about customer appreciation day for loyal and regular patrons (geez you have their contact info from tee-times and credit card swipes)!!<br/><br/>Sorry - Not ready to turn my local daily fee course to a freaking NASCAR speedway just yet!!!!!!! This makes me SICK!!! I do not like the idea of subisidizing the industry, based on THEIR overbuilding in the 90’s. On a calm day I want to see that flag flacid and stiff on windy days.

Sorry I am so fired up about this, I am just tired of seeing public golf courses that are managed poorly because the person running the show is very good at hiting 3 irons and not so good from a business sense!!

Golf courses have a plethra of money making opportunities available to them through consessions and merchandising that most squander away because they are too lazy to do market research and come up with unique idea’s to increase the golfers overall spend at the course.

Stop selling Pro-V’s for $60/dozen when I can get them at Dicks for $39 and you may actually make a couple of bucks in that completely under utilized and mismanaged retail space called the ProShop.

Come up with a unique food like a “Bearclaw Burger” and make your course known for more than the golf holes. How about customer appreciation day for loyal and regular patrons (geez you have their contact info from tee-times and credit card swipes)!!

Sorry - Not ready to turn my local daily fee course to a freaking NASCAR speedway just yet!!!!!!!

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