CONFIDENCE IS A CHOICE
28 Jan 2016

CONFIDENCE IS A CHOICE

By: Gregg Steinberg, WGCA contributing writer While confidence is an essential ingredient for successful golf, it is as fickle as an eight-year-old boy in a candy store. One moment he wants to try the sweet Gummy Bears and the next he will gobble up the sour chews. Birdies can give you a sweet air of invincibility while a series of bogeys can make you sour on your golf ability. As he stood on the 13th tee on Sunday, Fabian Gomez had reached 20 under par at the Sony Open. He knew he had the championship within his grasp. Then he proceeded to bogey both the 13th and 14th holes. Fabian could have lost his confidence and fallen into a downward spiral of negativity. But instead, he rebounded and finished with an amazing birdie putt on the 72nd hole to finish at 20 under par and into a playoff, which he won over Brandt Snedeker. Once you begin to lose your confidence, it is difficult to gain that sweet feeling back again. When this happens, it seems as if the game has become your enemy. All you think about is the trouble rather than focusing on the desired result. Like Fabian Gomez, to play at your best under pressure, you must be able to keep your confidence, regardless of how easily the bogeys seem to be appearing on your card. You can keep your confidence with the following key strategies: 1)         Believe that confidence is your choice. Regardless of how badly you are playing and scoring, confidence is always your choice. You can continually make a statement such as “I choose to be confident” to beat away those negative thoughts. 2)         Keep a confidence journal.  Every time you had a great round, write down how you were feeling and thinking. Keep this journal in your golf bag and look at it throughout the round to get a great jolt of confidence 3)         Have a golden nugget.  A golden nugget is a visualization of a great shot. Perhaps it was that 5-iron that you nutted last week to three inches.  Before the round, visualize this shot over and over again so that when you hit a few shots, you will remember this golden moment and it will boost your confidence. Centuries ago, the renowned philosopher Rene Descartes wrote that we have the capacity to think whatever we choose. That human truth is the same today. You always have the choice to have a great attitude or terrible one. If you make the right choice, the chances are much greater that you will become the player you always wanted to be. (Bio: Dr. Gregg Steinberg is a professor of sports psychology at Austin Peay State University. He has been ranked by Golf Digest as one of the world’s greatest sports psychologists and has worked with many PGA Tour players, including Brandt Snedeker, Brian Gay and many more. He is the head sports psychologist for the International Golf Psychology Association. To help your mental game, visit www.masteringgolfpsychology.com to see some free videos and articles.)
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A STILL SHOT
26 Jan 2016

A STILL SHOT

By: Dave Hill WGCA contributing writer A photograph is a still shot in our minds, a suspension of time, a memory that gives and helps of live. This article will be short. I recently lost someone close, a pillar of stability in our family. It is in these times as humans we reflect about life. None of us know our destiny. Our past offers options; we can learn from, dwell on and/or cherish our history. It is the present, however, most worthy of embracing. There is presently a 70-year ongoing Harvard study about happiness. Seven decades earlier, researchers asked a large group of young boys from an impoverished Boston neighborhood what they believe would help lead them to a happy and fulfilling life. Not surprisingly, they all answered, in some form or another, bar none: To be rich/successful and/or famous. We’d likely hear the same answers from our youth today. Four generations of researchers later, the study has revealed a conclusive finding amongst the many kids within who are now in their eighties, only one finding in spite of the plethora of careers and socio-economic standing of the study’s participants. As it turns out, some had very successful careers and others remained impoverished. Some became wealthy, and even one became president of the United States.

How Casinosforusdt Explains USDT’s Growing Role in Canadian Online Gambling

The landscape of online gambling in Canada has undergone a significant transformation over the past several years, driven in large part by the broader adoption of cryptocurrency as a payment method. Among the various digital assets that have found their way into Canadian gambling platforms, Tether (USDT) — a stablecoin pegged to the US dollar — has emerged as a particularly practical and increasingly preferred option for both operators and players. Unlike Bitcoin or Ethereum, whose prices can swing dramatically within a single trading session, USDT maintains a consistent 1:1 value ratio with the US dollar, making it far more suitable for transactional purposes in a gambling context. This stability eliminates one of the most significant friction points that had previously discouraged mainstream adoption of crypto payments in online casinos: the unpredictability of the asset’s value between deposit and withdrawal. The emergence of specialized platforms and informational resources dedicated to explaining this shift has helped players and industry observers better understand why USDT has carved out such a distinct niche in the Canadian market, and what structural factors are driving its continued growth.

The Regulatory Context Shaping Crypto Gambling in Canada

Canada’s approach to online gambling regulation has historically been fragmented, with authority distributed across provincial jurisdictions rather than managed through a single federal framework. For much of the 2000s and 2010s, provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec operated their own government-sanctioned gambling portals while simultaneously tolerating offshore operators that accepted Canadian players. This created a grey market that persisted largely unchallenged, and it is within this ambiguous legal environment that cryptocurrency-based gambling first took root in Canada.

The most consequential regulatory development in recent years came in April 2022, when Ontario launched iGaming Ontario — a framework that allowed private, licensed operators to legally offer online casino and sports betting services to residents of the province. This was a landmark shift, as Ontario represents the largest single gambling market in the country by population. The iGaming Ontario model required operators to partner with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and adhere to strict consumer protection, responsible gambling, and financial transparency standards. While the framework did not explicitly prohibit cryptocurrency payments, it also did not provide a clear regulatory pathway for their use, leaving operators in a position where they had to carefully navigate compliance obligations.

Outside Ontario, provinces like Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have not yet introduced comparable private licensing frameworks, meaning that residents in those regions continue to access offshore platforms. These offshore operators — many of which are licensed in jurisdictions such as Curaçao, Malta, or Gibraltar — have been far more aggressive in adopting USDT as a payment option, precisely because they are not subject to the same banking compliance requirements that Canadian financial institutions impose on domestically regulated operators. This jurisdictional patchwork has created a situation in which USDT adoption is advancing fastest in the segments of the Canadian market that operate outside provincial regulatory structures, a dynamic that resources like Casinosforusdt have been instrumental in documenting and explaining to a general audience.

The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) has also played a role in shaping how cryptocurrency gambling is perceived from a compliance standpoint. Under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, virtual currency exchanges operating in Canada are required to register with FINTRAC and implement anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) protocols. However, the act’s application to gambling operators that accept cryptocurrency directly — rather than through a registered exchange — remains an area of ongoing regulatory interpretation. This ambiguity has, paradoxically, contributed to the growth of USDT usage, as players who prioritize privacy and transaction speed find that stablecoin payments offer a middle ground between the full anonymity of earlier crypto gambling and the disclosure requirements of traditional banking methods.

Why USDT Specifically Appeals to Canadian Gamblers

Understanding why USDT has gained traction specifically in the Canadian gambling market requires looking at both the structural characteristics of the stablecoin itself and the particular financial habits and concerns of Canadian players. Canada has a sophisticated banking sector, and most Canadians have access to reliable payment infrastructure through institutions like RBC, TD, Scotiabank, and others. Yet despite this, — or perhaps because of it — many online gambling platforms have faced persistent issues with payment processing, as Canadian banks have become increasingly cautious about authorizing transactions to gambling merchants, particularly offshore ones.

Credit card transactions to offshore gambling sites are frequently declined by Canadian banks, and even where they are processed, they are often classified as cash advances rather than purchases, triggering higher interest rates for cardholders. Interac e-Transfer, while popular for domestically regulated sites, is generally not available on offshore platforms. This has created a genuine gap in convenient, low-friction payment options for Canadian players who wish to use offshore casinos — a gap that USDT is well-positioned to fill. Transfers of USDT operate on blockchain networks (primarily Ethereum’s ERC-20 standard or the TRON network’s TRC-20 standard) and are not subject to bank authorization or merchant category code restrictions. A player can acquire USDT through a registered Canadian exchange such as Bitbuy or Newton, transfer it to a casino wallet address, and complete a deposit within minutes without any bank involvement.

The stability of USDT is equally important to understand. A Canadian player depositing 500 USDT knows with certainty that they are depositing the equivalent of approximately 500 USD, regardless of whether they make the transfer at 9 AM or 11 PM. This contrasts sharply with Bitcoin deposits, where the value of a transfer can shift by several percentage points during the time it takes for a transaction to be confirmed on the blockchain. For gambling purposes, where players are often working with specific budget amounts and bonus thresholds, this predictability has real practical value. It also simplifies the accounting of winnings and losses, since players do not need to track the cost basis of their cryptocurrency holdings for the purpose of calculating gambling-related gains or losses — though it should be noted that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) does treat cryptocurrency gambling winnings as potentially taxable income in certain circumstances, particularly for professional or frequent gamblers.

Platforms and informational resources focused on this segment of the market, including Casinosforusdt, have worked to explain these nuances to Canadian audiences who may be familiar with cryptocurrency in a general investment context but have not previously considered its application within online gambling. Those who want to understand the full scope of how USDT-based gambling platforms operate, including fee structures, withdrawal timeframes, and bonus eligibility, can read more at Casinosforusdt, where the operational details of various platforms accepting USDT deposits are examined in practical terms relevant to Canadian users.

The Technical and Operational Mechanics of USDT Gambling Platforms

For players who are new to cryptocurrency gambling, the technical side of using USDT can appear daunting, but the actual mechanics are relatively straightforward once the foundational concepts are understood. Most online casinos that accept USDT operate using one of two primary models: a custodial wallet model, in which the casino holds USDT on behalf of the player in an internal account, or a provably fair blockchain model, in which game outcomes and financial transactions are recorded on a public ledger. The latter is more common among dedicated crypto casinos, while the former is often used by traditional online casinos that have added USDT as an additional payment option alongside fiat currencies.

When a player makes a USDT deposit, the casino generates a unique wallet address — typically specific to that player’s account — and the player sends USDT to that address from their personal wallet or exchange account. Most platforms require a minimum number of blockchain confirmations before crediting the deposit, which on the Ethereum network typically takes between one and five minutes for ERC-20 USDT transfers, and even less on the TRON network where TRC-20 USDT transactions are confirmed in seconds at significantly lower transaction fees. The choice between ERC-20 and TRC-20 USDT is practically significant: Ethereum gas fees can fluctuate considerably and can sometimes exceed several dollars per transaction during periods of network congestion, whereas TRON network fees are typically a fraction of a cent. Many Canadian players have migrated toward TRC-20 USDT specifically because of this cost difference, particularly for smaller deposit amounts where Ethereum fees would represent a disproportionate percentage of the transaction value.

Withdrawal mechanics follow a similar pattern in reverse, with the casino sending USDT from its operational wallet to the player’s specified address. One of the most frequently cited advantages of USDT withdrawals in the gambling context is processing speed: while traditional payment methods like bank wire transfers can take three to seven business days, USDT withdrawals are typically completed within hours, and in many cases within minutes after the casino’s internal approval process is complete. This speed advantage is particularly valued by players who have experienced the frustration of waiting for large winnings to clear through conventional banking channels, only to find that the funds are subject to additional holds or reviews by their financial institution.

Bonus structures at USDT-accepting casinos have also evolved in ways that reflect the stablecoin’s unique properties. Because USDT maintains a consistent dollar value, casinos can offer bonuses in straightforward dollar-equivalent terms without the need for the complex conversion calculations that apply to Bitcoin or Ethereum bonuses. A welcome bonus of 100 USDT is unambiguously worth 100 USD, and wagering requirements expressed in USDT amounts are equally transparent. Some platforms have begun offering USDT-specific promotions, including reduced house edge on certain games for USDT depositors or cashback offers denominated in USDT rather than in bonus credits, reflecting the growing importance of stablecoin players to their overall revenue mix.

Industry Trends and the Future Trajectory of USDT in Canadian Online Gambling

The growth of USDT usage in Canadian online gambling is not occurring in isolation — it is part of a broader global trend toward stablecoin adoption in digital commerce that accelerated significantly following the cryptocurrency market volatility of 2021 and 2022. During that period, Bitcoin’s price declined from an all-time high of approximately $69,000 USD in November 2021 to below $17,000 USD by December 2022, a collapse that underscored the risks of holding volatile crypto assets. For gambling platforms and their players, this volatility created real problems: a player who deposited Bitcoin at a high price point and then withdrew after a price decline had effectively suffered an additional loss beyond any gambling losses incurred. USDT’s peg to the US dollar insulated players from this dynamic entirely, and the experience of that market cycle accelerated the shift toward stablecoin-denominated gambling among crypto-native players.

Tether’s market capitalization has grown substantially over this period, reaching approximately $83 billion USD by mid-2023 and continuing to expand as institutional and retail users increasingly treat USDT as a functional substitute for dollar-denominated bank accounts in digital environments. This growth in overall USDT liquidity has made it easier for Canadian players to acquire and hold the stablecoin, as more exchanges and peer-to-peer trading platforms have added support for it. The increased availability of USDT on regulated Canadian exchanges — which are required to comply with FINTRAC registration requirements — has also reduced the friction associated with acquiring the stablecoin for gambling purposes, since players can now use Interac e-Transfer or bank wire to purchase USDT on a compliant platform and then transfer it to a gambling site, effectively bridging the gap between the regulated Canadian banking system and the offshore gambling market.

From an operator perspective, USDT offers several advantages that are driving adoption on the supply side of the market as well. Because USDT transactions are processed on blockchain networks rather than through traditional payment processors, casinos avoid the interchange fees, chargeback risks, and merchant account restrictions that complicate fiat payment processing. Chargebacks — in which a player disputes a transaction with their bank after losing — are a significant source of financial and operational risk for online gambling operators, and USDT transactions, being irreversible by design, eliminate this risk entirely. The cost savings from reduced payment processing fees can be substantial at scale, and some operators have passed a portion of these savings on to USDT depositors in the form of reduced withdrawal fees or enhanced bonus terms.

Casinosforusdt has been among the resources tracking these developments and translating them into practical guidance for Canadian players who are evaluating whether USDT-based gambling platforms align with their preferences and risk tolerance. The platform’s documentation of how different casinos handle USDT deposits, what network standards they support, and how their bonus structures compare has contributed to a more informed player base that is better equipped to make decisions in what remains a complex and rapidly evolving market segment.

Looking ahead, the trajectory of USDT in Canadian online gambling will likely be shaped by several converging forces: the potential expansion of Ontario’s iGaming model to other provinces, the evolution of FINTRAC’s guidance on cryptocurrency in gambling contexts, and the broader maturation of stablecoin infrastructure globally. If additional provinces adopt regulated private licensing frameworks similar to Ontario’s, there may be pressure on licensed operators to integrate USDT payments in a way that satisfies both player demand and regulatory compliance requirements — a challenge that would require cooperation between gambling regulators, financial regulators, and the operators themselves. In the meantime, the offshore segment of the Canadian market will continue to be the primary arena for USDT gambling activity, driven by the practical advantages of stablecoin payments in an environment where traditional banking access remains inconsistent. For Canadian players navigating this landscape, understanding the mechanics, regulatory context, and platform-specific details of USDT gambling is increasingly a prerequisite for making informed choices, and the resources dedicated to explaining these dynamics serve a genuinely useful function in an area where reliable, detailed information has historically been difficult to find.

Again, in spite of where one stood in their respective life 70 years forward, the only characteristic in common attributing to each individual’s fulfillment regarding a happy life was the personal relationships they fostered with others throughout their lives. Some were in the past and based upon fond memories. Earlier, I mentioned cherishing the past. The research participants didn’t cherish the past at all. They cherish the present to provide the best memories. I lost a family member, I lost a friend, I lost one of my brethren (he, too, was a golf professional) and I lost a golfing partner. The memories are fond. We are lucky we work in a profession that most call a hobby or a lifestyle. Some are young getting started, others are in the midst of their careers, while others are seasoned veterans. Whether young, old, or somewhere in between, the next time you are out teaching or playing the game, remember there are two relationships you are nurturing: one with an individual and one with the game. There is only one thing more satisfying than seeing the look of exuberance of a student or a playing partner hitting the perfect shot. It is the knowledge of you knowing they have taken a snapshot of the ball in a still-frame as it reaches its apex as it inevitably toward its intended target. You know this because this is the essence of the game you have lived many times. Everything feels right as the ball leaves the club and your eyes focus in on the hurtling sphere, and the present moment becomes etched in your memory forever. Cherish the shot and enjoy the happiness the photograph provides forever.
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ONE IMPORTANT TRAIT
26 Jan 2016

ONE IMPORTANT TRAIT

Having studied very successful golf instructors for many years, I have discovered one important trait that they all have in common that you do not see with the average golf teacher. This one thing goes right to the heart of how human beings learn physical motion. For the sake of space and your boredom, I won’t go deep into motor skill learning. The simplest way to understand how we learn motion is to think of how you learned to eat, drive or brush your teeth. Brushing your teeth is a perfect example of how repetition builds skill without conscious effort, much like learning a golf swing or shifting gears while driving. Over time, the motion becomes second nature, performed almost automatically but still requiring consistency and proper technique to achieve the best results. Just as a golfer needs to refine small details in their swing to avoid bad habits, oral care depends on practicing the right brushing motions daily to prevent long-term issues. Even with strong routines, unexpected problems can still arise, and having access to trusted care provides peace of mind. In moments of sudden discomfort or injury, the support of austin emergency dental ensures that the habits you have built are backed by immediate professional attention, reinforcing the connection between consistent practice and reliable expertise when it matters most. Motor skill learning in its most basic form is repetitive motion that is learned and captured in the nerves that connect the brain to the muscles.  Having spent most of the last twenty years helping golf professionals learn to improve their teaching skills, the one thing I have noticed more than any other shortcoming is the lack of understanding how the dynamic of motor skill learning works. So, what is this one trait? Besides the obvious, which is the ability to communicate well, the one trait is the understanding that human beings learn from feel. Successful instructors not only verbally explain the motion, but they actually interact with the student by helping them physically make the motion. New or inexperienced instructors spend the majority or even all of their instruction time verbally teaching the student. While all of us that teach the game have the desire to help people play better golf, we need to understand better how humans learn. Therefore, it is not a lack of caring or effort on the part of teacher. It is simply a lack of education. Either through experience, education or even trial and error, successful instructors understand what the famous instructor Gary Wiren said forty years ago: “A golfer needs to clearly feel and understand what he or she is trying to do.  Even more simply put, golf is a game of feel. “ Our main purpose as golf instructors trying to help our students improve is to teach what the motion should feel like. The only truly effective way to do that is to physically move them or the club while attached to them. Teach feel. Some of us can watch and imitate. A very, very small percentage can read it and then translate the written word into motion. But the vast majority of us need to be taught how the correct motion feels. Watching instructors attempting to help their students, I see them way too frequently attempt to talk their students into a better motion, commanding verbally, “Don’t do this or don’t do that.” Back to our basic motor skill learning. As we make a movement, the human brain is wired to learn motion so as to repeat that motion eventually on a subconscious level. Think of having to learn to use your fork and spoon from the beginning every time you ate a meal. That would make for some long dinners. Try this simple motion.  Take your hand from a positon of resting it on a table and use your index finger to touch the tip of your nose. This simple motion has six million possible motion variances; that’s correct, six million. Therefore, one aspect of simple survival for us is our ability to learn motion. Next time you are giving a lesson, ask yourself, “How much am I talking and not showing?” Understandably, some are apprehensive to physically help their students. That is completely understandable. But an important step of improving your instruction is to get over that fear and just do it. They can’t release the energy of the club head through impact? They have never felt their hands stay solid through impact on a chip or putt? Help them swing the club slowly through impact, teaching them to feel the correct movement. Trust me, the reward and response you get from your students from teaching feel will surprise you.
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18 Jan 2016

If you were a golf course manager, how would you respond to the following scenarios?

  1. During a busy day early in the season, several groups legitimately complain about the slow pace of play on the course. Do you… a. Apologize for the slow play but explain that your Players Assistants were doing the best they could to keep play moving? b. Explain to the golfers that it was a busy day and slow play is to be expected particularly early in the season? c. Tell them that you understand that play was unusually slow today and offer them a discount voucher for their  inconvenience and ask them to please come out and try the course again? d. Tell them that you are not surprised as you saw many bad players out on the course today? Answer: Although A, B and D may all be very true, none of those answers will bring any satisfaction to the golfers and CUSTOMER SATISFACTION is the number one priority. Discounting golf is certainly not the answer to everything – but the course is obviously having a good day (causing slow play) and you want to cultivate as many happy customers as possible.

  2. Your club policy is that employees must request days off two weeks in advance for scheduling purposes. A usually very reliable part-time staff member comes to you and informs you that he needs the next three days off because of a wonderful opportunity that just came his way. You are already short staffed because of others who had requested off a couple of weeks ago. You… a. Reiterate the policy and explain that you can’t give him the days off. b. Let him know that you’ll be glad to cover for him even though you’re short-handed and to have a great trip. c. Let him know that he can have the time off as long as he can find someone to cover his shifts. d. Moan and complain about how difficult it will be to cover for him so that he feels bad about the late notice – but cover for him anyway. Answer: Reliable part time staff is hard to come by and are an essential component of any smooth running golf course. By allowing him to feel good about his opportunity, he will be much more productive when he returns, bringing with him a positive attitude and good morale. Answer C would seem to be a reasonable solution but it will very possibly cause extra stress and hard feelings between the staff members who can’t, won’t, or eventually do cover his shifts. Staff will be much more willing to cover if asked by the Director or Head Pro – thinking they will be banking some good will for later use.

  3. A golfer comes into the shop after having a confrontation with another group and ultimately your Player Assistant. He is very upset with the way he was spoken to by the PA and demands that something be done. He is a regular customer and influential in the community. Your PA has already made you aware that this individual was hitting into the group ahead of him on more than one occasion. When the PA approached him he became loud and abusive. You should… a. Apologize for the confrontation because “the customer is always right” and allow him to leave feeling good and limiting any negative publicity. b. Respond in a strong tone making sure he understands that hitting into other groups will not be tolerated and that your PA acted appropriately. c. Tell the customer that you will speak to your PA about the way he spoke to him and assure the customer that it will never happen again. d. Explain that you have already heard what happened from the PA’s point of view but would like to hear his side too. Discuss how the situation can be avoided in the future without demeaning the actions or authority of your PA. Answer: The trick is to neutralize the situation, take steps to prevent it from reoccurring, and to protect the integrity of your staff. Making a stand and lecturing on the customer’s wrong- doing may feel good and deserving, but will probably come back to haunt you at some point. It is very important that your staff understands that there is a right and wrong way to communicate with customers but that you will support them when they are forced into a difficult situation during the course of doing their job. Correct answer – D.

  4. Membership is down and a small group claiming to represent a contingency of 16 members comes to you because they have been offered a better deal to join a neighboring club. Do you… a. Tell them you will match the other club’s offer if the group will rejoin your club? b. Meet with the group to discuss a mutually beneficial resolution? c. Point out to the group the benefits of remaining at your club and impress upon them how much you value them as members? d. Advertise special pricing and incentives to all members to attract additional members while limiting the departure of current members? Answer: Members can be tough to come by, and at times, even tougher to keep happy. “The grass is always greener” philosophy does present challenges when trying to get members to rejoin year after year. Meeting with the group to discuss a possible resolution AND impressing upon them how much you value their memberships are both necessary steps. Often times the members just want to know that they are valued and are heard when it comes to golf course and membership issues. Matching the other club’s offer will most certainly be found out by your other members and will create a terrible situation. If the numbers continue to drop, advertising special pricing and incentives may become necessary – however, getting pulled into a price war with neighboring clubs will usually only benefit the golfers and hurt any and all of the clubs involved. Unfortunately, sometimes drastic measures must be put in place to get through difficult times. Correct answer – C.

  5. A group of eight have reserved two prime tee times on a Sunday morning. Four players show up and announce that the second foursome decided to cancel. You… a. Politely let the gentlemen know that they had reserved two tee times and that they will have to pay the greens fees for the time that will go unused. b. Politely let the gentlemen know that this is a prime time for the course and in the future you would appreciate their calling ahead to cancel the time. c. Don’t say anything and accept that this is part of the business. d. Make a note of the reservation for future reference and let the staff know that if a multiple reservation is made in that name again that the individual will have to leave a credit card number to secure the times and that it will be charged greens fees for any no shows. Answer: This is a common occurrence at golf courses that take advance reservations. Answer B is probably the best way to handle the situation at the time, but it would also be prudent to implement a policy to take a credit card number at the time of the reservation and let the person know that it is course procedure to charge a green fee for no-shows in prime hours of operation. The policy should be written down and all pro shop employees should know the policy. If you have to enforce the procedure, be sure to keep a record of the charge, day and time the  reservation was made and the name of the person. That way, you can have it available for a customer who disputes the charge or the credit card company disputing the charge.

  6. You are the Director of Golf Operations and a Certified Golf Instructor presents you with a plan to teach golf at your facility and bring students. When you present this to the golf pro, he resists and tells you he does not want any outside instructors teaching at his golf course. You… a. Tell the pro that it is not his decision and you are allowing the new teacher access, like it or not. b. Remind the pro that the goal of the course is to bring in business and that the instructor’s plan does not compete with the pro and that it will bring in new business to the facility. c. Discuss with the pro the benefits of having an individual that will bring in new business and assure him that there is room for both to grow and prosper. d. Demand that the pro come up with a plan that will add the same revenue promised by the certified golf instructor’s proposal. Answer: It would be easy to just tell the pro that you make the decisions not him, but that would probably create hard feelings and cause more harm than good. It is always better to be up front and try to get people to see the bigger picture. Golf is a competitive business and convincing him in the long run that the more opportunities to improve the bottom line is good for everyone. C would be the best approach.

  7. A guest of a member of your golf club is having dinner in the main dinning room of the clubhouse. One of your wait staff informs the club manager that this person is receiving multiple calls on his cell phone and is annoying their members. Club policy clearly states that cell phones are not allowed in the main dinning room. Therefore, you respond in the following manner: a. Confront the member and reiterate the policy. b. Confiscate the cell phone from the guest and say it is against club policy but the phone can be picked up at your office after dinner. c. Do nothing. d. Tell the waiter to explain the policy. e. Show the member the written policy on a small business card you had developed for that purpose. Answer: E

  8. The starter on the first tee of your golf club calls you stating that Dr. Smith, a suspended member for nonpayment of dues, has just teed off with three guests. Dr. Smith has been a respected member of the community and a club member for seven years. How would you, the club manager, handle the situation? a. Tactfully escort Dr. Smith and his guests off the golf course. b Allow him and his guests to finish the round and ask Dr. Smith to see you in your office after the round. c. Have the ranger hand him a note reminding him of the situation and ask him to see you after play. d. Allow him to finish the round with his guests and telephone him the following day. Answer: B

  9. For your pro shop you need to decide what retail prices to set on apparel and equipment. To help determine, you need to find the gross margin percentage (GMP) in figuring these prices. The equation for GM is displayed: GMP = (Sale of goods—Cost of goods) / Sale of goods. Therefore, which one of the following is not included in calculating the GMP? a. Rent b. Cost of apparel and equipment c. Shipping cost of apparel and equipment d. Retail price Answer: The best answer is “A.” The cost of rent to house your equipment and apparel is definitely not part of the GMP equation. Hence, rent would be considered an indirect cost. Any cost directly related to equipment and apparel such as shipping and the wholesale price is part of cost of goods. And, to complete the calculation, the retail price (which is the sale of goods) is the other number required for the GMP.

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CHANGE
18 Jan 2016

CHANGE

Everyone has heard phrase about how the world is changing and you have to adapt to the change.  For some of us, this might be natural, while for others, it’s extremely hard.  Change is everywhere:  from the way people communicate, the way people learn, the way information is exchanged and the way information is taught. For about six years, I have been working with a young man who is a now a freshman in college.  The way he likes to communicate is via text messaging.  To me, this is somewhat strange.  I would call and he would not answer; shortly after he would text me. It took me a bit to figure out that texting was the best way to communicate with him.  He would text a novel, but face to face it was hard to get two words out of him. Texting is the way young people communicate. Think about the options available for college.  There are the traditional, daytime classes that are now being overtaken by night, weekend, or online classes.  People like online learning because itprovides the freedom to work or take care of a family.  The higher educational system has realized that in order to capture market growth, they have had to alter what they offer. As golf teaching professionals, how are we changing to adapt to our students and their needs?  Websites and social media might be the medium through which your current or future students want to communicate with you.  They want to text videos of their swings and have you communicate back via text.  Some people only like to email.  They want to email their swing video to you then have you respond via email back. To maintain or grow your success as a teacher, you have to modify your approach.  Think about the way you have done things in the past and the how your student demographics are changing.  Figure out where the gaps are between your style and their learning and communicating methods, then close those gaps.  It might be scary at first, but once you embrace the change, you will be happy you did.
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A TIGER, A BEAR AND A HAWK…OH MY!!
8 Jan 2016

A TIGER, A BEAR AND A HAWK…OH MY!!

By: Dave Hill WGCA contributing writer So who is the best player of all time? Yes I realize comparing players from different eras is next to impossible if not frowned upon but in light of Tiger turning 40 it would be an interesting exercise to compare his record with those of past greats. It would be wise to start with a list of my top players from youngest to oldest: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and Harry Vardon. HOW DO WE MEASURE? Some say Tiger is the most talented to ever play the game however this is an unfair statement as no one alive today had the opportunity to witness Vardon, Hagen or Jones and those who remember watching Hogan, Snead and Nelson in their primes were too young at the time to offer an expert opinion today. Many who did witness these players in their primes were not alive to witness Tiger. Therefore the only effective way to compare is winning % and by the numbers or is it?  FACTS TO CONSIDER
  • Some players were more natural than others (Hagen,Vardon, Nelson, Snead vs Hogan).
  • Some were coached from a young age and others not (Bobby Jones, Jack & Tiger vs Hagen, Nelson, Snead & Hogan).
  • Some players competed in 4 majors per year (Jones,Nicklaus & Tiger) and others only 2 to 3 (All professional players pre Nicklaus) due to scheduling conflicts or inconvenience of travel.
  • Some players have had career interruptions due to injury (Tiger), illness (Vardon & Jones), WW1 or 2 (Jones, Hagen,Nelson, Snead, Hogan) or injury and WW2 combined (Hogan).
  • Some had long careers (Vardon, Snead, Nicklaus) while other retired early for personal reason (Jones & Nelson).
  • Some players went through equipment transitions (Vardon from the feathery to the Gutta Percha ball), (Nelson, Snead and Hogan from Hickory to steel shafts…major transition), (Tiger from shorter steel shafted to longer graphite shafted driver and fairway woods).
  • Depth and quality of competition. Some players had stiffer competition than others (Vardon who was also part of the 1st great triumvirate), (Nelson, Snead and Hogan who were the 2nd great triumvirate) and (Nicklaus who was part of the 3rd great triumvirate and who took on many greats throughout 3 decades)
WINNING PERCENTAGE (Majors) Harry Vardon (7 Major victories/Played 1 per year except in 1900/1913 & 1920 when he played 2)
  • 21% (7 wins in 33 majors)
  • 33% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 7 wins in 21 majors)
  • 5% (Hottest major winning streak/5 wins in 9 majors)
Walter Hagen
  • 20% (11 wins in 55 majors)
  • 35% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 11 wins in 31 majors)
  • 47% (Hottest major winning streak/7wins in 15 majors)
Bobby Jones
  • 42% (13 wins in 31 majors) He played in Masters after these 31 majors and after he effectively retired from competitive golf
  • 62% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 13 wins in 21 majors)
  • 5% (Hottest major winning streak over a few years/10 wins in 16 majors)
Byron Nelson
  • 6% (5 wins in 32 majors) He played past retirement but last tournament counted here is 1949 Masters
  • 25% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 5 wins in 20 majors)
  • 33% (Hottest major winning streak/4 wins in 12 majors)
Sam Snead
  • 12% (7 wins in 60 majors) Stopped when Snead was 47yrs old
  • 26% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 7 wins in 27 majors)
  • 40% (Hottest major winning streak/4 wins in 10 majors)
Ben Hogan
  • 20% (9 wins in 44 majors)Stopped when Hogan was 47yrs old
  • 56% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 9 wins in 16 majors)
  • 73% (Hottest major winning streak/8 wins in 11 majors)
Jack Nicklaus
  • 17% (18 wins in 108 majors) 1960-1987 however he’s 25% with 14 wins in 55 majors (1962-75)
  • 5% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 18 wins in 97 majors)
  • 44% (Hottest major winning streak/4 wins in 8 majors) 36% (5 wins in 14 majors)
Tiger Woods
  • 20% (14 wins in 70 majors) 1997- 2015
  • 30% (% wins between 1st major win and last major win/ 14 wins in 46 majors)
  • 83% (Hottest major winning streak/5 wins in 6 majors) 64% (7 wins in 11 majors)
MOST VICTORIES (From this list)
  • Sam Snead – 82 (30 years)
  • Tiger Woods – 79 (18 years)
  • Jack Nicklaus – 73 (25 years)
  • Ben Hogan – 64 (22 years)
  • Byron Nelson – 52
  • Walter Hagen – 45
  • Harry Vardon – 7 (The Open and US Open)
  • Bobby Jones – 6 (Us Open and the Open)
BEING OBJECTIVE Numbers alone can’t tell us who we believe the best player of all time is however they can help but only when we delve deeper. Take Bobby Jones for example. Yes he won 13 majors with a high winning % however 6 are amateur championships in which he did not compete against the best of the best of his era (Walter Hagen & Gene Sarazen) and there was little quality to his competition. The same can be said for Vardon however we cannot deny these two great men’s raw talent as Jones played part time and Vardon was a true superstar of his era. Byron Nelson retired from golf for a simpler way of life. He had amassed a small fortune for the day and hung it up early in 1946. Yes his winning % was quite respectable in majors however he amassed many of his wins in 1944/45. His arch rivals Snead and Hogan were enlisted for service during the war years while Nelson was not due to health reasons. This allowed the latter to amass victory after victory during 1944 and his record breaking year of 1945. It cannot be overstated that had he gone head to head against both Snead and Hogan during these years his win total would have been lower. There is a strong argument for Sam Snead being regarded as the best ever based on his career longevity by winning in 5 different decades and obtaining 82 PGA Tour victories but his winning % in majors and not procuring the US Open unfortunately drops him down a notch. 3 GOLFERS REMAIN (Hogan, Nicklaus, Woods) HOGAN IS THE BEST Ben Hogan is the most curious case to examine for being placed on the pedestal as the best player to have ever played the game. It can be agreed his career was condensed. Yes there was the car accident in early 1949. Some say this made him a better player forcing him to work even harder in order to make it back to the game he so loved. I don’t buy this. His love for the game and work ethic were instilled prior to the accident and simply helped him recover so quickly. If anything the accident placed these elements into the limelight giving Hogan legendary and iconic status. Some also say his swing changed for the better after the accident. Shorter and more controlled. This too is far from the truth. Hogan did not have a professional coach/teacher growing up and first developed his swing to hit it far in order to keep up and beat the older caddies as a means to get caddy loops and earn a dollar. His original swing was born of necessity for survival. He went on to say later in life he would have developed the swing he did 10 years earlier had he had the usage of a video camera. Lest we forget he along with other players of the era were transitioning from the long “handsy” swing of the hickory shaft to a more controlled swing of the steel shaft. Hogan had figured out his swing much earlier and consolidated it with a victory at the Hale America Open in 1942 (considered by many to be Hogan’s 1st US Open victory) and immediately after the war as the flood gates opened up with victories between 1946 -1948. When we talk about a condensed career Hogan’s first years out on tour cannot be compared in today’s world. No coach, not a natural and many years of toiling until he “dug it out of the ground” and developed a swing he could rely on in the heat of battle. Then the war hit, then 3 years later a life threatening car accident shortening his career in essence for 5 more years of strong competitive golf. It is easy to surmise Hogan’s career lasted approximately 10 years in which some of those years contained a very limited playing schedule with only 2 to 3 majors played per year. Quite impressive and no one to date has played better in the majors in such a short period of time…not even Tiger. Although Tiger won 4 majors in a row, Hogan did not compete in the PGA Championship in 1953 due to the stresses on his legs caused by the car accident as it was 36 holes per day (match play). He did lose in a playoff in the 54 Masters to Sam Snead which would have made it 4 in a row. Regardless he did win 8 out of 11 compared to Tiger’s streak of 7 of 11. Jack’s record of 18 major victories at this juncture does not look like it will fall at least not by Tiger who remains with 14 and he did it in 46 attempts beating out Jack who was 14 for 55. However what stands out about Jack Nicklaus are the number of 2nd, 3rd and top 10 finishes in the majors. Jack Nicklaus in the majors 1st – 18 2nd – 19 3rd– 9 Top 5 – 56 Top 10 – 73 Cuts Made – 131 Total events – 164   Tiger Woods in the majors 1st – 14 2nd – 6 3rd – 4 Top 5 – 31 Top 10 – 38 Cuts made – 67 Total events – 76   Ben Hogan in the majors 1st – 9 2nd – 6 3rd – 2 Top 5 – 25 Top 10 – 40 Cuts made – 53 Total events – 58 If we delve even further into why I consider Hogan the best and only by a slim margin over Nicklaus I have to look at a few other factors. Nicklaus surpasses Hogan in majors due to the amount of victories 2nd and 3rd place finishes but again this number is skewed against Hogan as he was unable to compete in the British Open or in most years the PGA Championship. It is not however skewed against Tiger. This then leads us to another vital aspect; Depth but more so, the quality of competition. The tour in Tiger’s era is/was very deep in talent however is it fair to say the quality of his competitors was lacking if compared to those of Nicklaus and Hogan? The fact both Hogan and Nicklaus were part of a “Great Triumvirate” is telling in its own right. Hogan had Snead, Nelson, Sarazen, Harmon, Demaret and later Palmer. Nicklaus took on all comers in three decades and many of his competitors are iconic names today; Palmer, Player, Trevino, Floyd, Watson etc. Tiger has had to compete in essence against Faldo and Norman during the twilight of their careers, Els and Mickelson. The edge here goes to Nicklaus with Hogan second. Finally it is important to realize what a figure Hogan was and what he brought to the game. He was revered for his ball striking, course management, work ethic, devotion and passion for the game like no other. There has never been a player in the history of the game who has garnered the respect from his peers like Hogan. Tiger has stated only Hogan (and Moe Norman) has owned his swing. When Hogan was hitting balls, Nicklaus would stop and watch. Case closed in my opinion.  
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