With a mission to inform, empower, celebrate and advocate for British Columbia's current and aspiring business leaders, BCBusiness go behind the headlines and bring readers face to face with the key issues and people driving business in B.C.
Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/813780
g o l f b u r n a b y. c a Riverway Golf Course & Driving Range Phone 604-280-4653 9001 Bill Fox Way Par 72 • 7,004 yards 54-stall driving range and practice facility Burnaby Mountain Golf Course & Driving Range Phone 604-280-7355 7600 Halifax Street Par 71 • 6,431 yards 60-stall driving range and practice facility game of golf, support talented up-and- coming golfers, showcase our company and golf course and raise funds for charity," says Rennie. Sponsorships and world-class equipment Dan Dodman, president of the Canadian division of SRIXON/Cleveland Golf/XXIO, says growing the game for its multi-million dollar business is about giving back to junior golf and local tournaments. "We sponsor zone tournaments for British Columbia Golf, we sponsor PGA of BC events, we sponsor the Vancouver Golf Tour, for players who aspire to move up the professional ranks, and we try to be as involved at the green-grass level as we can," says Dodman. With SRIXON also the official ball of the Mackenzie Tour, you'd be hard-pressed to find an amateur or professional golfer who hasn't handled a SRIXON or Cleveland product recently. Dodman, with more than 25 years experience at the helm, can remember sponsoring golfers Ray Stewart before he started on the PGA Champions Tour and Adam Hadwin before he became a superstar on the PGA Tour, but he takes as much pride in seeing young kids taking up the game with their first Cleveland wedge and SRIXON ball in hand. "We are a proud local company and we look after our own backyard," says Dodman. "We are trying to build loyalty from the grassroots level." These sponsorships wouldn't be possible if SRIXON and Cleveland equipment wasn't among the best in the business. "Our products consistently test well and globally. We will put our product up against anybody," states Dodman, pointing out Cleveland wedges and SRIXON balls have long been industry leaders. And while they have to compete against global golf behemoths, making smart strategic decisions, such as sponsoring Hideki Matsuyama, SRIXON/ Cleveland is growing the game and its business at the same time. Progressive hiring and giving value Troy Peverley, general manager of the West Coast Golf Group (WCGG), which operates two 18-hole courses at Swan-e-Set Bay in Pitt Meadows, and 18-hole courses at Hazelmere in Surrey and Belmont in Langley, says offering value is a key to success. "We have lots of happy customers at each of our facilities," says Peverley. Beyond that, what the WCGG has done is market to the multi-cultural community, particularly to the large Asian population in the Fraser Valley, who form a growing part of the WCGG membership. WCGG has also identified and rewarded women who have earned high-profile positions traditionally occupied by men. Belmont's director of golf is Helen Jung, while Tracy Matthews holds the same position at Hazelmere and Patty Jonas runs her successful golf academy at Hazelmere. "We're a very progressive company and we're very fortunate to be able to hire the most qualified people for those positions," says Peverley. If one needs evidence that golf is still growing, Peverley is quick to point out that golf is still the number one participation sport in Canada and its economic impact is greater than all other participation sports in Canada. More than 300,000 people, he adds, are employed in jobs related to golf. And, if golfers participate in any or all of the initiatives put forth by these golf insiders, the numbers can only grow. COUR T ESY OF GOL F BC S p e c i a l F e a t u r e G O L F Mayfair Lakes