The Charbonneau Villager Newspaper 2020_Jan issue Villager newspaper | Page 17

THE CHARBONNEAU VILLAGER 17 January 2020 Charbonneau Men’s Club By JOHN MCLAIN Golf is alive and well, especially in Charbonneau Defi nitions of “golf” include: ■ Golf is a game whose aim is to hit a very small ball into an even MCLAIN smaller hole, with weapons singularly ill- designed for the purpose. — Win- ston Churchill ■ “Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air.” — Jack Benny ■ “Why did Jack Nicklaus, the greatest player in history, change his swing every other week? We’re always chopping and changing. Golf is a puzzle with- out an answer.” — Gary Player Yes, golf is demanding of us, and is not always the sport of choice by royalty. The first docu- mented mention of the word ‘golf’ is in Edinburgh on March 6, 1457 when King James II banned ‘ye golf,’ in an attempt to encourage archery practice, which was be- ing neglected. Even in modern times, there are many reports of declining participation in many sports, including golf. But in a 2019 article by Forbes, many ex- perts found lots of data to sup- port a new feeling of optimism about golf in America. Greg McLaughlin is the CEO at the World Golf Foundation: I’m I’m optimistic about the state of the game and excited about how the face of golf is changing. About 20 years ago, one in 12 U.S. juniors were ethnically diverse; today, that number is one in four. Also, two decades ago, one in six deep love for the game as we do at the USGA. That’s not to say, however, that there aren’t chal- lenges we need to overcome for the game to be successful long- term. Particularly, we need to help golf courses identify and proactively address issues com- mon in the game such as rising operational costs, the time it takes to play the game and im- proving the golfer experience at green-grass facilities. It’s also im- perative that we continue to in- vest in research to make golf courses more sustainable both fi- nancially and environmentally, and we need to think of more ways to make golf accessible for all. Suzy Whaley is President of the PGA: I am excited about the future of the golf industry! Golf is an $84 billion economic engine that drives nearly 2 million jobs and contributes more to charity than any other major sports in- dustry. While we face many of the same challenges that every U.S. juniors were girls and today it is one in three. The game is evolving and beginning to look more like America looks. Percep- tions about golf are changing too. It’s moving away from the long- held view that it’s a game for on- ly a certain status of our society, and people are perceiving it now as a game for all. We have the facts to back this up: 76% of the golf facilities in the U.S. are open to the public, 80% of the people who play golf in the U.S. do so primarily on facilities open to the public and the average cost of an 18-hole round is $35. Mike Davis is CEO of USGA: As a whole, the golf industry is strong. You can feel that at any one of the USGA’s 14 national championships and international- ly in particular where we’re see- ing the game grow at an encour- aging rate. Golfers are extremely passionate about their sport which means they’re emotionally invested — and we wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s inspiring to know that so many share such a See MEN’S CLUB / Page 18 More than 40 years of Legal Experience you can trust Estate Planning ~ Accident & Injuries Family Law ~ Wills, Probate & Trusts Welcome to a new concept in assisted living. Introducing Kellogg Assisted Living at Mary’s Woods. Open to all. No entrance fees. No worries. Just the extra bit of assistance you need. Find out how to restore balance to your relationship. Call 1-866-963-4887 or visit KelloggAssistedLiving.org. Business Transactions Acquisitions & Accession Sales & Transfers You are our #1 Priority! We are happy to meet with you in your home, the Charbonneau member lounge or in our Lake Oswego office. John Moore Principal Attorney Call for an appointment today! 4248 Galewood St., Lake Oswego 503-675-4300 www.MooreLawGroupPC.com 17395 Holy Names Drive • Lake Oswego, OR 97034 • AL License #1417027771