Golf and Taxes
Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:17:37
by Scott Simmons, Executive Director and CEO, Golf Canada
If early buzz is any indication, 2012 could be a defining year for our sport.
Sure, that's a vague statement but based on 2012 predictions from some golf prognosticators, blind speculation seems to be the safest bet when putting their own expertise on the line. If a prediction happens, the oracles called it. If not, no harm no foul - the next blog awaits.
The Canadian golf industry has common goals - more people playing golf; fuller tee sheets and more club members; affordable access for the masses; competitive excellence at the amateur and professional level; more children taking up the game; increased revenue at every level; and a greater understanding of the benefits golf brings to Canadian communities. These goals speak to the overall strength of our industry.
Some naysayers will criticize. They'll challenge our goals as unattainable in today's economic landscape. For some, it's easier to predict doom and gloom then it is to impact positive change. With any goal - attainable or not - I believe our energies are best spent trying to achieve those goals.
So how will the overall health of our sport improve? It starts with an entire community - golfers, clubs, owners and administrators - working together. The growth of our sport should be of concern to every golfer, club, manufacturer and stakeholder across the country.
An article from the Wall Street Journal has caused a recent flurry of interest in the government awareness campaign being spearheaded by the National Allied Golf Associations, of which I'm proud to say Golf Canada is a part of.
The goal in this case is to change current legislation so that golf is seen as a legitimate business expense in the eyes of government. NAGA isn't lobbying for special treatment - just the same taxable benefit on green fees currently afforded to other forms of recreation and business entertainment.
Count me among the many that believe a round of golf represents an 18-hole, four+ hour business meeting - valuable time spent developing relationships with current or potential business partners. Corporate golf has and will continue to play a role in business.
Media outlets have picked up the story - as you can read here, here, and here.
Golf News Now had this story, from which I pulled a reader comment that to me speaks volumes:
