Norman Says East Will Dominate Golf


If someone told you golf in the east would take over the west you would probably call the men in white coats. But if that person was Australian golfing legend Greg Norman then you would probably cancel the call, sit up and take notice.

Well, that's exactly what the Great White Shark has suggested and you can read David Newbery's article in the latest issue (http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1o4og/GolfIndustryCentralJ/resources/index.htm?referrerUrl=http://www.yudu.com/item/details/178708/Golf-Industry-Central-June-2010) of Golf Industry Central (GIC) - Australasia's popular online golf industry network magazine.

Newbery caught up with Norman at Pelican Waters Golf Club on Queensland's Sunshine Coast recently. According to Norman, China will have 30 million golfers within 15 years and will need to build more than 5000 golf courses. Florida-based Norman is passionate about golf course design and is quite critical of architects who build monuments to themselves.

Also in this issue, GIC founder and U.S./Aussie PGA member Mike Orloff reports on how to improve an operation's profitability. Orloff, who launched the GIC bi-monthly online magazine late last year, said he regularly receives positive feedback about the "magazine" from within the golf industry.

"The online magazine was launched to help fill a much-needed niche in the golf industry in the region," said Orloff, a golf course operation's specialist. "We started with the website www.golfindustrycentral.com.au and now have expanded into more exclusive content. We try and rotate the contributors each issue to give a varied perspective on all the different parts of our industry."

Orloff believes the golf industry should work closer together and for a common goal. "We extend an open invitation to all visitors to share ideas and discuss current issues and challenges being faced throughout the industry," he added. "It is only through free-flowing discussion and sharing of ideas that the industry will become stronger.

"Over the past two years, Golf Industry Central has gained support from several other like-mined websites in the region and internationally that all want to keep up with what is happening."

Orloff has more than 20 years' golf course management experience working with two of the biggest golf management companies - American Golf Corporation and ClubCorp. To contact Orloff, call (+61) 415 682 259.