When a South Korean family thinks about taking a vacation, it often thinks about the Philippines.
That’s why M Castle Company, Ltd., a Korean developer, plans to build a 1,500-acre resort community along Subic Bay in Morong, about 12 miles south of Olongapo City. The project was recently approved by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, which oversees the development that takes place on property controlled by the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.
M Castle has developed some well-regarded resort communities in South Korea, including Ocean Castle Resort on Anmyeondo Island and Duksan Spa Castle in Yesan Chungnam. Both resorts have lodging, meeting space, spas, and other attractions, but no golf courses.
The company has been working on its venture in the Philippines for several years. It believes it can market its to-be-named community not just to vacationers but also to retirees who wish to spend their golden years playing golf in a tropical setting.
The community in Morong will include a to-be-determined number of villas and condos, a 2,400-room waterfront hotel, a marina with berths for 50 boats, a medical center, a wellness center, a water park, a shopping mall, classrooms for English-language training, and a 36-hole golf complex.
It’ll be the first major development to be built on what’s known as the expanded Freeport Zone.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Week That Was: August 22, 2010
cuba Making a Play for Golf
With what it called "the aim of amplifying and facilitating" foreign investment in its tourism industry, Cuba has agreed to allow foreign investors to lease government-owned property for as long as 99 years.
Investors from all over the planet -- with the exception of the United States, of course -- have been begging Cuba to offer such extended leases for years, contending that the mere 50-year leases it had been offering were a major impediment to development. Now we'll see if those investors are willing to put their money where their mouths were.
Golf developers, you're on the clock. Cuba is rolling out the proverbial red carpet, inviting the development of the whole gamut of resort amenities: hotels, condos, time-share units, and, yes, golf courses.
Here's the mostly predictable reaction:
"I think this is huge," the CEO of Leisure Canada told the Associated Press. "This is probably one of the most significant moves in recent years relative to attracting foreign investment."
"It's exceedingly good news," said the CEO of Esencia Hotels and Resorts. "It's been a long road. But having said that, it's very important for the country that they get each step right, and this is a very big step for them."
As you probably know, both Leisure Canada and Esencia have a vested interest in policies related to tourism in Cuba. For what seems like forever, Leisure Canada has wanted to build a resort community with two "championship" golf courses on beachfront property in Jibacoa. For a slightly shorter time, Esencia has wanted to build a golf course as part of Carbonera Country Club in Varadero.
Outside the development community, the response to the news wasn't quite so enthusiastic.
"I don't think it's going to open a floodgate. I think it may turn on a tap so that people know there's water," said a senior policy adviser for the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. "Making one change isn't a panacea to solving the issues that companies have in evaluating their opportunities in Cuba."
Maybe not, but give Cuba credit for cracking open the development door. The question now is, how long do we have to wait for the U.S. government to lift its trade embargo and allow people like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Doak, and Robert Trent Jones, Jr. to design some of Cuba's golf courses?
scotland A New Nine for Ballumbie Castle?
A Scottish home builder wants to add nine holes to Ballumbie Castle Golf Club, if it can get permission to build some houses on adjacent property.
Stewart Milne Homes is working with the club's owner, Stuart Harrod, on the proposal, which calls for 150 houses and an unspecified upgrade to the club's 10-year-old, 18-hole golf course.
To make their dreams come true, however, it appears that the partners will have to change some hearts and minds. At the plan's unveiling, several local residents didn't hesitate to share their objections with a reporter from the Courier.
"It seems to be they are just doing whatever they like," a neighbor griped. "Big business is walking over a few residents."
Oh, well, opinions can change.
Incidentally, Ballumbie Castle is in Dundee, just down the road from Carnoustie. The golf course was built in the shadow of an actual historic castle -- now mostly in ruins -- that dates from the 14th century.
wisconsin Golf's Value: $2.4 Billion
A team of economic researchers has determined that golf was worth $2.4 billion to the state of Wisconsin in 2008.
According to the Wisconsin Golf Economy Report, a study prepared by SRI International, golf generates more than 38,000 jobs in the state and provides $771.5 million worth of wages. Wisconsin's s nearly 500 golf facilities serve as the main drivers of the golf economy.
The results of the study were made public during a press conference held in conjunction with the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
“The impact of major tournaments like the 92nd PGA is great, but the impact of the thousands of golfers who come to play all of the other courses is even greater,” said the managing editor of Key Milwaukee Magazine in comments reported by BizTimes.
south sudan ... And the Golf Course Is a Real Beast
From the Department of Now We've Heard It All: The government of Southern Sudan has unveiled plans to rebuild all 10 of its state capitals in the shape of animals.
According to CNN, one of the cities will take the shape of a giraffe "with a golf course on its chest and a sewage treatment plant on its tail."
You won't be surprised to learn that the gambit is designed to draw attention to one of the poorest places on earth. Never mind that the money for the multibillion-dollar project will be difficult, probably impossible, to find. Heck, most of Southern Sudan doesn't yet have paved roads.
"The reaction has been very good," said the plan's creator, an undersecretary in the nation's ministry of housing and physical planning. "We have been getting calls from everywhere."
california Sherwood Country Club Gets an Upgrade
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony -- described by ShowBizSpy as "her runt of a husband" -- are eager to join Sherwood Country Club, the tony, star-filled digs in Thousand Oaks, California.
The couple, who have a nice new house in Hidden Hills, recently interviewed at the member-owned club. (David Murdock sold it to them in 2007.)
“Jennifer did all the talk. Marc barely said anything,” said a source. “It seemed clear that he didn’t want to mess up, like it was really important to her.”
News of the couple's interest in the club was first reported by In Touch Weekly. The Weekly also reported that Lopez hopes to join the board of Hidden Hills' homeowners’ association.
Will wonders never cease?
If I was telling this story through one of J Lo's songs, would it be "In a Fantasy" or "It's Not That Serious"?
With what it called "the aim of amplifying and facilitating" foreign investment in its tourism industry, Cuba has agreed to allow foreign investors to lease government-owned property for as long as 99 years.
Investors from all over the planet -- with the exception of the United States, of course -- have been begging Cuba to offer such extended leases for years, contending that the mere 50-year leases it had been offering were a major impediment to development. Now we'll see if those investors are willing to put their money where their mouths were.
Golf developers, you're on the clock. Cuba is rolling out the proverbial red carpet, inviting the development of the whole gamut of resort amenities: hotels, condos, time-share units, and, yes, golf courses.
Here's the mostly predictable reaction:
"I think this is huge," the CEO of Leisure Canada told the Associated Press. "This is probably one of the most significant moves in recent years relative to attracting foreign investment."
"It's exceedingly good news," said the CEO of Esencia Hotels and Resorts. "It's been a long road. But having said that, it's very important for the country that they get each step right, and this is a very big step for them."
As you probably know, both Leisure Canada and Esencia have a vested interest in policies related to tourism in Cuba. For what seems like forever, Leisure Canada has wanted to build a resort community with two "championship" golf courses on beachfront property in Jibacoa. For a slightly shorter time, Esencia has wanted to build a golf course as part of Carbonera Country Club in Varadero.
Outside the development community, the response to the news wasn't quite so enthusiastic.
"I don't think it's going to open a floodgate. I think it may turn on a tap so that people know there's water," said a senior policy adviser for the U.S.-Cuba Trade and Economic Council. "Making one change isn't a panacea to solving the issues that companies have in evaluating their opportunities in Cuba."
Maybe not, but give Cuba credit for cracking open the development door. The question now is, how long do we have to wait for the U.S. government to lift its trade embargo and allow people like Jack Nicklaus, Tom Doak, and Robert Trent Jones, Jr. to design some of Cuba's golf courses?
scotland A New Nine for Ballumbie Castle?
A Scottish home builder wants to add nine holes to Ballumbie Castle Golf Club, if it can get permission to build some houses on adjacent property.
Stewart Milne Homes is working with the club's owner, Stuart Harrod, on the proposal, which calls for 150 houses and an unspecified upgrade to the club's 10-year-old, 18-hole golf course.
To make their dreams come true, however, it appears that the partners will have to change some hearts and minds. At the plan's unveiling, several local residents didn't hesitate to share their objections with a reporter from the Courier.
"It seems to be they are just doing whatever they like," a neighbor griped. "Big business is walking over a few residents."
Oh, well, opinions can change.
Incidentally, Ballumbie Castle is in Dundee, just down the road from Carnoustie. The golf course was built in the shadow of an actual historic castle -- now mostly in ruins -- that dates from the 14th century.
wisconsin Golf's Value: $2.4 Billion
A team of economic researchers has determined that golf was worth $2.4 billion to the state of Wisconsin in 2008.
According to the Wisconsin Golf Economy Report, a study prepared by SRI International, golf generates more than 38,000 jobs in the state and provides $771.5 million worth of wages. Wisconsin's s nearly 500 golf facilities serve as the main drivers of the golf economy.
The results of the study were made public during a press conference held in conjunction with the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits.
“The impact of major tournaments like the 92nd PGA is great, but the impact of the thousands of golfers who come to play all of the other courses is even greater,” said the managing editor of Key Milwaukee Magazine in comments reported by BizTimes.
south sudan ... And the Golf Course Is a Real Beast
From the Department of Now We've Heard It All: The government of Southern Sudan has unveiled plans to rebuild all 10 of its state capitals in the shape of animals.
According to CNN, one of the cities will take the shape of a giraffe "with a golf course on its chest and a sewage treatment plant on its tail."
You won't be surprised to learn that the gambit is designed to draw attention to one of the poorest places on earth. Never mind that the money for the multibillion-dollar project will be difficult, probably impossible, to find. Heck, most of Southern Sudan doesn't yet have paved roads.
"The reaction has been very good," said the plan's creator, an undersecretary in the nation's ministry of housing and physical planning. "We have been getting calls from everywhere."
california Sherwood Country Club Gets an Upgrade
Jennifer Lopez and Marc Antony -- described by ShowBizSpy as "her runt of a husband" -- are eager to join Sherwood Country Club, the tony, star-filled digs in Thousand Oaks, California.
The couple, who have a nice new house in Hidden Hills, recently interviewed at the member-owned club. (David Murdock sold it to them in 2007.)
“Jennifer did all the talk. Marc barely said anything,” said a source. “It seemed clear that he didn’t want to mess up, like it was really important to her.”
News of the couple's interest in the club was first reported by In Touch Weekly. The Weekly also reported that Lopez hopes to join the board of Hidden Hills' homeowners’ association.
Will wonders never cease?
If I was telling this story through one of J Lo's songs, would it be "In a Fantasy" or "It's Not That Serious"?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
brazil Is This the Inevitable?
The greatest male and female golfers who ever lived, Jack Nicklaus and Annika Sorenstam, have formally petitioned to co-design the golf venue for Brazil’s Olympic games in 2016.
The ying and yang of their pairing may be irresistible to the International Golf Federation, which has so far received expressions of interest from about a dozen design firms but none with such zing.
Nicklaus, who discussed the project with reporters during the Memorial Tournament last spring, said a site for the course has been identified, presumably somewhere in suburban Rio de Janiero. He said, “I think this is a very functional partnership” and “I’ll be surprised if they don’t select us.”
Various reports say that the IGF won’t name a designer until it finds an executive director, which may not happen until the end of 2010. Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour’s P.R. man, is running the group for the time being.
Don’t expect the designer, whoever he or she may be, to cut any corners, because Brazil’s deep-pocketed Olympic committee is going to foot the bill for the construction costs.
InternationalGolfFederation.org
The ying and yang of their pairing may be irresistible to the International Golf Federation, which has so far received expressions of interest from about a dozen design firms but none with such zing.
Nicklaus, who discussed the project with reporters during the Memorial Tournament last spring, said a site for the course has been identified, presumably somewhere in suburban Rio de Janiero. He said, “I think this is a very functional partnership” and “I’ll be surprised if they don’t select us.”
Various reports say that the IGF won’t name a designer until it finds an executive director, which may not happen until the end of 2010. Ty Votaw, the PGA Tour’s P.R. man, is running the group for the time being.
Don’t expect the designer, whoever he or she may be, to cut any corners, because Brazil’s deep-pocketed Olympic committee is going to foot the bill for the construction costs.
InternationalGolfFederation.org
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
talking points Hot Spots for Golf Travel
The folks at KPMG's Golf Advisory Service recently discussed the current state of golf travel with Andrew Stanley, the CEO of Golfbreaks.com. Stanley, who's based in England, weighed in on a variety of topics, and you can read the complete interview at the Golf Business Community's website.
For this post, I've selected comments Stanley made about the hot-spots for golf travelers. Since his company books golf holidays in both established and up-and-coming golf destinations, he knows where they are.
Demand in Spain and Portugal, generally speaking, is down, although Golfbreaks’ business is tracking on a 30 percent increase this year to both destinations. However, Spain and Portugal both dropped their prices to stimulate demand, followed by France and, latterly, Ireland. Demand for the USA and South Africa also diminished, although the rest of the world and the top end of the market have been less affected. . . .
The U.K. is still our number one market, both by volume and price. Interestingly, Wales, which is hosting the Ryder Cup, has had a very strong year, driven by some high-profile marketing. As I said, Spain and Portugal have been strong for us, although this may not be reflected in the wider market. France has also bounced back for us after a quiet year in 2009. . . .
There is very strong demand for Turkey now, which is benefitting from word-of-mouth recommendations. It’s one of the fastest-growing destinations, albeit starting from a low base. We are 50 percent up, year-on-year, for Turkey. . . .
We are keeping a close eye on the United Arab Emirates, too, which is looking promising. . . .
The long-haul destinations have been worst hit -– the USA in particular. Airlines have cut back the number of flights, so prices have increased, putting people off. Ireland and France also suffered, largely because they were very slow to react to price reductions and tactics to stimulate demand. . . .
Demand for South Africa, before and during the World Cup, took a knock, which we anticipated because of the cost of flights and people wanting to avoid the area. But we are surprised not to have seen any uplift subsequently. We thought people would have been more interested in going, but there is no evidence to support this. . . .
Inbound and outbound, Asia is a tough nut to crack. Tour operators need to ask, ‘Are we selling golf holidays, or holidays with golf?’ Thailand is not on our radar at the moment because the number of people going over there to play golf is small. Of course, there are golfers going there, but they are going for a holiday and maybe playing a couple of rounds of golf while there.
Over the next couple of years, we’ll start to see airline capacity to the USA and the Caribbean increase again, and I think we’ll see resurgence in these two regions. These will be the future hot spots, in my opinion. . . .
I believe the outlook is actually extremely positive. Despite the economic uncertainty, golfers have shown they want their fix of golf and are willing to travel. Golfbreaks.com is predicting significant growth in its business this year, possibly double-digit growth.
For this post, I've selected comments Stanley made about the hot-spots for golf travelers. Since his company books golf holidays in both established and up-and-coming golf destinations, he knows where they are.
Demand in Spain and Portugal, generally speaking, is down, although Golfbreaks’ business is tracking on a 30 percent increase this year to both destinations. However, Spain and Portugal both dropped their prices to stimulate demand, followed by France and, latterly, Ireland. Demand for the USA and South Africa also diminished, although the rest of the world and the top end of the market have been less affected. . . .
The U.K. is still our number one market, both by volume and price. Interestingly, Wales, which is hosting the Ryder Cup, has had a very strong year, driven by some high-profile marketing. As I said, Spain and Portugal have been strong for us, although this may not be reflected in the wider market. France has also bounced back for us after a quiet year in 2009. . . .
There is very strong demand for Turkey now, which is benefitting from word-of-mouth recommendations. It’s one of the fastest-growing destinations, albeit starting from a low base. We are 50 percent up, year-on-year, for Turkey. . . .
We are keeping a close eye on the United Arab Emirates, too, which is looking promising. . . .
The long-haul destinations have been worst hit -– the USA in particular. Airlines have cut back the number of flights, so prices have increased, putting people off. Ireland and France also suffered, largely because they were very slow to react to price reductions and tactics to stimulate demand. . . .
Demand for South Africa, before and during the World Cup, took a knock, which we anticipated because of the cost of flights and people wanting to avoid the area. But we are surprised not to have seen any uplift subsequently. We thought people would have been more interested in going, but there is no evidence to support this. . . .
Inbound and outbound, Asia is a tough nut to crack. Tour operators need to ask, ‘Are we selling golf holidays, or holidays with golf?’ Thailand is not on our radar at the moment because the number of people going over there to play golf is small. Of course, there are golfers going there, but they are going for a holiday and maybe playing a couple of rounds of golf while there.
Over the next couple of years, we’ll start to see airline capacity to the USA and the Caribbean increase again, and I think we’ll see resurgence in these two regions. These will be the future hot spots, in my opinion. . . .
I believe the outlook is actually extremely positive. Despite the economic uncertainty, golfers have shown they want their fix of golf and are willing to travel. Golfbreaks.com is predicting significant growth in its business this year, possibly double-digit growth.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The Week That Was: August 15, 2010
france A Modest Proposal To "Grow the Game"
The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played somewhere in continental Europe, and the competition for the prized international golf event is heating up.
Five nations remain in the hunt, as Sweden recently dropped out due to a lack of corporate and government support. Based on a reading of a recent story in the Irish Times, the odds-on favorites appear to be France and Germany, as the other contenders -- Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands -- have deficiencies that may be difficult to overcome.
What intrigues me is France's proposal. Unlike its competitors, which plan to build new courses for the Ryder Cup, France would stage the event at an existing course, the Albatross track at Le Golf National in suburban Paris. With the money it could have spent on a new course, France proposes to create what amounts to a golf legacy, in the form of 100 golf facilities -- driving ranges and par-3 or pitch-'n'-putt courses -- that would be built in cities across the nation.
The idea -- or at least the hope -- is to create legions of new golfers who'd sustain the game for generations. France currently has 410,000 "registered" golfers, and the nation's golf federation believes it can, with the Ryder Cup's promotional help, increase the number to 700,000 by 2020.
Chinese officials proposed a similar idea earlier this year. When they did, golf organizations from every nook and cranny of the planet offered praise, and many of the world's most prominent architects pledged to help China "grow the game" in any way they could.
Curiously, I haven't heard even one important voice in golf utter a single word of support for France's plan to do essentially the same thing China wants to do. Why not? Is it more important to grow the game in Beijing than in Bordeaux?
australia Greg Norman Steps Back in Time
Later this year, Greg Norman will oversee a redesign of the East course at Grange Golf Club in suburban Adelaide.
It's a return to where it all started to Norman, who won his first professional tournament on the course way back in 1976.
“I continually say that winning the West Lakes Classic in ‘76 has always been the highlight of my career, because that tournament is what started my career,” Norman told the Weekly Times Messenger.
The course opened in 1967, and it's never been upgraded. The scope of the renovation won't be determined for several months, but the course will almost certainly require a thorough overhaul.
“Our problem is going to be that there are so many options,” said one of Norman's associates. “It’s now about finding the best option.”
The construction is expected to begin sometime in 2011 and conclude in 2014.
costa rica The Zero Sum Solution
Costa Rica: It's not just for health care anymore.
No, these days Costa Rica is also for real estate investment. Unfortunately, hardly anybody is buying.
The latest evidence comes from Guanacaste Country Club, a gated golf community in suburban Liberia. To move its lots, the club is offering a mighty sweet deal: No down payment, 100 percent seller financing.
More important, the developers are dealing. A press release from the club, whose featured attraction will be a Jack Nicklaus "signature" golf course, says that "prices are currently being offered at discounts to entice early investment."
In other words, get 'em while they're cold!
Craig Williamson, the community's developer, says his offer “presents a rare and extraordinary opportunity to invest in an excellent wealth protection program as Americans and the world in general recover from the financial crisis.”
new england The Sun Puts a Shine on Golf
Although the U.S. golf business remains in the dumps, golf courses in New England are posting increases in play this year.
The Patriot Ledger reports that rounds played at courses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island this year have increased by 4.4 percent from 2009, while play at courses in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont is up by nearly 25 percent.
The course operators attribute the increase in part to an improving economy, in part to good weather.
“The economy was obviously part of the problem [in 2009], but it was also unusually rainy last year,” a course operator told the paper. “This year, with better weather, our rounds are up substantially over 2009 and even ahead of 2008 through July.”
china No Actual Reporting Required
This week, the website of China International Business blew sweet kisses to Mission Hills Haikou, the emerging golf resort on Hainan Island.
China International Business' untitled article masqueraded as a profile of the resort's three recently opened golf courses. In fact, it was little more than a re-write of a press release issued by the course's designers, Scottsdale, Arizona-based Schmidt-Curley Design. For comparison purposes, here's Cybergolf's version of the press release.
I don't ordinarily care to waste any time talking about stuff like this. I bring it up now because, all too often these days, people read stories in newspapers and magazines and assume that they're reading independently produced, "factual" material. Sadly, nowadays publications are so desperate for what they call "content" that they increasingly rely on the work of publicists to fill their pages.
Of course, they do it at the expense of their credibility. They don't think anyone will call them out on it.
Well, I'm calling out China International Business. I'm saying that it should invest in real reporting by real reporters. I'm saying that it should care more about its readers and less about its advertisers.
And I'm saying it's too bad that golf journalism in particular is littered with such nonsense.
The 2018 Ryder Cup will be played somewhere in continental Europe, and the competition for the prized international golf event is heating up.
Five nations remain in the hunt, as Sweden recently dropped out due to a lack of corporate and government support. Based on a reading of a recent story in the Irish Times, the odds-on favorites appear to be France and Germany, as the other contenders -- Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands -- have deficiencies that may be difficult to overcome.
What intrigues me is France's proposal. Unlike its competitors, which plan to build new courses for the Ryder Cup, France would stage the event at an existing course, the Albatross track at Le Golf National in suburban Paris. With the money it could have spent on a new course, France proposes to create what amounts to a golf legacy, in the form of 100 golf facilities -- driving ranges and par-3 or pitch-'n'-putt courses -- that would be built in cities across the nation.
The idea -- or at least the hope -- is to create legions of new golfers who'd sustain the game for generations. France currently has 410,000 "registered" golfers, and the nation's golf federation believes it can, with the Ryder Cup's promotional help, increase the number to 700,000 by 2020.
Chinese officials proposed a similar idea earlier this year. When they did, golf organizations from every nook and cranny of the planet offered praise, and many of the world's most prominent architects pledged to help China "grow the game" in any way they could.
Curiously, I haven't heard even one important voice in golf utter a single word of support for France's plan to do essentially the same thing China wants to do. Why not? Is it more important to grow the game in Beijing than in Bordeaux?
australia Greg Norman Steps Back in Time
Later this year, Greg Norman will oversee a redesign of the East course at Grange Golf Club in suburban Adelaide.
It's a return to where it all started to Norman, who won his first professional tournament on the course way back in 1976.
“I continually say that winning the West Lakes Classic in ‘76 has always been the highlight of my career, because that tournament is what started my career,” Norman told the Weekly Times Messenger.
The course opened in 1967, and it's never been upgraded. The scope of the renovation won't be determined for several months, but the course will almost certainly require a thorough overhaul.
“Our problem is going to be that there are so many options,” said one of Norman's associates. “It’s now about finding the best option.”
The construction is expected to begin sometime in 2011 and conclude in 2014.
costa rica The Zero Sum Solution
Costa Rica: It's not just for health care anymore.
No, these days Costa Rica is also for real estate investment. Unfortunately, hardly anybody is buying.
The latest evidence comes from Guanacaste Country Club, a gated golf community in suburban Liberia. To move its lots, the club is offering a mighty sweet deal: No down payment, 100 percent seller financing.
More important, the developers are dealing. A press release from the club, whose featured attraction will be a Jack Nicklaus "signature" golf course, says that "prices are currently being offered at discounts to entice early investment."
In other words, get 'em while they're cold!
Craig Williamson, the community's developer, says his offer “presents a rare and extraordinary opportunity to invest in an excellent wealth protection program as Americans and the world in general recover from the financial crisis.”
new england The Sun Puts a Shine on Golf
Although the U.S. golf business remains in the dumps, golf courses in New England are posting increases in play this year.
The Patriot Ledger reports that rounds played at courses in Massachusetts and Rhode Island this year have increased by 4.4 percent from 2009, while play at courses in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont is up by nearly 25 percent.
The course operators attribute the increase in part to an improving economy, in part to good weather.
“The economy was obviously part of the problem [in 2009], but it was also unusually rainy last year,” a course operator told the paper. “This year, with better weather, our rounds are up substantially over 2009 and even ahead of 2008 through July.”
china No Actual Reporting Required
This week, the website of China International Business blew sweet kisses to Mission Hills Haikou, the emerging golf resort on Hainan Island.
China International Business' untitled article masqueraded as a profile of the resort's three recently opened golf courses. In fact, it was little more than a re-write of a press release issued by the course's designers, Scottsdale, Arizona-based Schmidt-Curley Design. For comparison purposes, here's Cybergolf's version of the press release.
I don't ordinarily care to waste any time talking about stuff like this. I bring it up now because, all too often these days, people read stories in newspapers and magazines and assume that they're reading independently produced, "factual" material. Sadly, nowadays publications are so desperate for what they call "content" that they increasingly rely on the work of publicists to fill their pages.
Of course, they do it at the expense of their credibility. They don't think anyone will call them out on it.
Well, I'm calling out China International Business. I'm saying that it should invest in real reporting by real reporters. I'm saying that it should care more about its readers and less about its advertisers.
And I'm saying it's too bad that golf journalism in particular is littered with such nonsense.
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