Cycles

Cycles

Greetings Golfers,

I just read a fascinating article by Andrew Wood … Here's how it starts:

“Every industry loves to believe its growth is permanent. It is one of the most dangerous human tendencies in business. When success arrives, it rarely feels temporary. It feels earned. It feels justified. It feels structural. And in the golf industry right now, that feeling is everywhere.

And if you study the history of the game from an operator’s perspective and not a marketing perspective, a far more complicated pattern begins to emerge.

Because golf does not simply grow.

Golf cycles.”

I agree.

Have you heard about the book “The Fourth Turning” by Kraus and Howe? Its theory is that America cycles every 80 - 100 years ... like a long-lived person. And that America basically goes through the same process as a person from birth to death.

Again … I agree.

I am not a believer in the “Whig theory of history” … a 19th-century British philosophy that mankind is on a linear, progressive march to Utopia.

World War I greatly shook that theory. However, it’s still deeply ingrained in our society.

That Utopian dream goes against nature and reality. It can sound good … but living in la-la land is not good … reality always wins.

I think it’s the same as perfectionism. I love the saying “Perfect is the enemy of good."

Good is a great goal. It’s achievable and is obviously "good." Perfection is not achievable, and its pursuit causes more problems than what it achieves.

Many years ago when my role was golf Pro and not GM … I worked for a GM who one day pointed to his watch and said, “I’m going to get this place to run like a Swiss watch.” I replied, “If that’s your goal, you’re going to wind up in a mental institution and wreck this place. Our goal should be flexible enough to deal with the reality of weather and human beings.”

He just sneered. He was a bright man … he of course, let you know that he was a member of Mensa and a Fulbright scholar … which is impressive … but that doesn’t mean he’s smarter than reality. His arrogance was mind-boggling. He had the prime parking place in the lot with a giant sign saying it was reserved for him.

The 19th-century Whig Brits had that same type of arrogance. Have they attained Utopia? Let’s ask Prince Andrew.

Let’s get back to golf. Golf right now is hot. I love it. And I hope it lasts. How long? I don’t know. But I’m not going to go crazy and do crazy things as an operator because I think we’re on a rocket ship. I want us to keep improving … but in a manageable way.

Not like a British Whig.

Cheers!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com