Mike -
You have raised this issue before. I disagreed with you then and I do now. There is nothing to stop Georgia clubs/courses/resorts from advertising in the Georgia magazine. I imagine there are golf resorts in Georgia that advertise in magazines produced by other state golf associations. Should they be prevented from doing so? Should there be a free market or should information be censored?
I also feel these state/regional golf associations belong as much to the individual members as to the member clubs. I don't know about Georgia, but in Northern California there are a large number of "associate clubs," where the members are not affiliated with a specific golf course/club. The members are affiliated by a common interest, such as working for the same company, being in the same profession, an alumni group, etc.
The fact is golfers like to travel elsewhere at times to play. In Northern California, the NCGA magazine has adverts from place in Oregon, Hawaii, British Columbia, etc. I appreciate knowing what travel options are out there.
DT
David,
I have raised it before but every so often it becomes so obvious or someone else mentions it and I get pissed.
Here's where we agree on the matter:
Georgia Clubs should be free to advertise all they wish in the state magazine. If I were an out out state resort such as the RTJ Trail (20 miles form my course)etc then of course I would advertise if it was allowed. If Georgia Toyota dealers had a magazine and the magazine asked the Alabama Nissan dealers if they would like to advertise then I would definitely do that also. But Toyota dealers are not going to accept threads from Nissan dealers or even out of state Toyota dealers.
Here's where we disagree:
The state magazine should not accept ads from any resort or golf course or company that would take play or revenue from the association members.
The state golf association is there to represent the golf courses in the state and the various golf groups. The individual members are affiliated with these courses and clubs. Go back to when the USGA began and it was never individuals. And for a very long time ( not that long ago) public golf courses were not members. An individual can't just go and join the state golf association. Therefore IMHO the state golf association is there to support the clubs in that state and help them provide services to their members, be it handicaps, play days , tournaments etc. The club and the individual have different needs and goals and the association cannot step over the club to serve the individual.
I realize golfers like to travel and hopefully travel out of the state. But the state golf magazine or their email blast is not the place. Leave that up to the clubs and send brochures to the clubs if they request them for promotion to their members. But don't be putting out PGA Superstore 20% fathers day discounts when all of your member clubs are selling the same thing. Don't be offering golf trips with the state golf association to various resorts unless you are cutting the clubs in.
In these times associations feel they are more important than their members and use accumulated data from member clubs etc to benefit them more than their members.