The Pellucid Perspective - July 2011 - (Page 8)

MEDIOCRE GOLF Exploring the alternative golf universe By Harvey Silverman e’ve reported previously about people attempting to bring new ideas and concepts to the game of golf. Scott McNealy and his Alternative Golf Association recently hosted the attendees of the NGCOA Multi-Course Owners confab at his house on Pebble Beach (16th hole, in case you are wandering by). We’ve discovered a couple others existing in an Alternative Golf Universe spotted by our Sunday Stubble telescope, one that embraces the rules and plays the game as it is, the other introducing golf in urban and exotic landscapes. Both offer a different and refreshing attitude that is attracting golfers across the country (and world), many from the lost generation of 21-35 year-olds. The Mediocre Golf Association (MGA) was birthed by Jon Morley, a former race car driver and current driving instructor with Skip Barber driving schools. Jon and some friends were looking for ways to continue competing in more casual formats, and decided golf offered what they desired - outdoor activity, competition played on a level playing field, attractive venues, and beer. Jon is 30 years old and figures the average age of MGA members is 32. He plays 45 rounds a year, and W estimates members average 25 rounds a year. The common bond among the members? They all suck. But they all revel in their mediocrity, and that’s the magic of this “alternative.” (You’d think playing 25 rounds a year they’d get better, wouldn’t you?) The MGA currently has 18 chapters and about 400 members who pay $40 in annual dues. The chapters are in major metropolitan areas, along with one in Canada and two in Australia. Each holds up to eight events a year including The Bastards and the Bratish Open. Each has a prize money purse of up to $9.50… yes, that’s right, Mediocre Golf’s nine and a half bucks. Total purse. At the end of self-deprecating the year there is a World and tongue-inChampionship comprised of top money winners from cheek humor may each chapter. Currently, the world money leader has offend some of the earned $4.36 to date. blue-coats at the MGA rules stipulate USGA, but not as that all participants follow USGA rules, and if you much as the Off don’t know the rules, learn Course Golf them. There’s an app for that (goodness, there’s an Network (www. app for everything). They offcoursegolfnethave their own method of scoring that makes bogey work.com). the goal to shoot for. And with their own “handicap” system they punish golfers who get too good by assessing penalty strokes when they play a certain number of strokes better than their USGA index. (That’s one way to control sandbaggers). Check out the website, www.mediocregolf.com. You’ll find a site designed for social interaction, and filled with humor that is a tenet of membership. It also makes golf look…cool. As Pellucid associate Stuart Lindsay has been saying for years, golf just ain’t cool any more. But here it might be. Check out the parody on the SkyCaddie commercial and MGA’s take on Thomas Levet’s ill-fated leap. It elicits a new meaning to the term “French dip.” Mediocre Golf ’s self-deprecating and tongue-in-cheek humor may offend some of the blue-coats at the USGA, but not as much as the Off Course Golf Network (www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com). What? Golf played on city streets designed by urban planners, not on lush layouts designed by Jack Nicklaus or Pete Dye? Is this utter blasphemy? Not really. The Off Course Golf Network (OCGN) claims itself to be a group of golf evangelists who, using the almostJuly 2011 8 The Pellucid PersPecTive http://www.clubcar.com http://www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com http://www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com http://www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com http://www.mediocregolf.com http://www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com http://www.offcoursegolfnetwork.com http://www.clubcar.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - July 2011

The Pellucid Perspective - July 2011
Contents
The PGA of America hits the restart button on player development
Permanent tee times, Chicago style
Positive P.R. leads to course record revenue month
Exploring the alternative golf universe
Jun 2011 YtD weather impact, May 2011 YtD utilization
Life at the top of the market
Minneapolis, MN Core Business Statistical Area (CBSA)
Comings & goings
Musings from the rough

The Pellucid Perspective - July 2011