Teed Off (06-06-2010)
with Robert Bicknell Apparently, the continuing saga of musical chairs within the professional golf community continues. Why this is happening is anyone's guess but it continues nonetheless.
For example, Ben Styles returned from Singapore to take over at Van Tri, but has since left there and moved back to Chi Linh Star, which was his last posting before moving to Singapore. No word yet on what Van Tri wants to do in regards to a replacement.
Robert Pahnke went to Royal Yen Thang Lake, lasted a week, then Simon Tinkler, previously from Sea Links in Phan Thiet, took over.
Blair Cornthwaite has resigned from VGCC (Viet Nam Golf & Country Club), which is a shocker because we all thought it would take dynamite to get him out of there. VGCC already has a replacement for him.
I went to Diamond Bay in Nha Trang and am now back in Ha Noi two and a half months later. Let's just say that both sides felt it wasn't working out, but my daughter is thrilled I am back home. So, in general, what the hell is going on?
From what I can see, both club owners and GM / DoG's are uncomfortable with the current demands being made.
Owners are loathe to spend money in the current economic environment, but when they do, they want immediate results with as little expenditure as possible. The problem is that, in many cases, expenditures are required to fix whatever problem the new GM is walking into. In addition, with new clubs opening up, owners are beginning to feel even more desperate.
In a few cases, club owners will bring in a expat manager to do all the heavy work, then will dismiss him for a variety of reasons once they feel they can do it themselves, or put in a lower cost employee, usually with poor results. Then they have to re-employ a foreign expert to get the club back to the standard the members demand. It's a never ending story…
In my particular case, I have had pretty much enough of all this tail-chasing.
After 32 years in the business, 19 of them managing successful clubs here in Viet Nam, I think I have reached the point where I need to reassess my priorities in life. While golf has been very good to me and my family, there comes a time when you have to ask "do I have rocks in my head or what?"
Nightly phone calls from a 6-year old daughter asking: "Papa, when do you come home?" isn't the greatest feeling in the world, I'll tell you that. Frankly speaking, I don't want to drop dead at my desk from stress and, yes, there is more stress in this business than most outsiders will ever know. Business is business, even if it involves something as enjoyable as golf. Bottom lines are still bottom lines.
The problem is, what to do?
Well, if I was fluent in Vietnamese, I could go back on stage, which I did in my youth quite successfully, but perhaps not. Some jokes and shticks don't translate well…
I enjoy writing and seem to have met with some moderate success in it over the years. OK, granted, Hemmingway or Thoreau have nothing to worry about, but I feel there are still a few things I need to get into print before I kick the bucket.
Over the years, I have been writing a book about golf in Viet Nam, so I might as well finish the damn thing. Sure, I should have it published after I am dead, just to save a few people the trouble of knocking me off, but it will be an entertaining read, I assure you.
There would be occasions where the reader will shoot cornflakes out of their nose laughing in disbelief, while others will spit their coffee all over the table and make unintelligible noises while clawing at their chests.
But in the end, I hope that it depicts golf in Viet Nam in a positive light, albeit with many memorable and colourful characters (some of whom would deserve a jail term if they tried half this stuff in their home countries and no, I will not name names, as tempting as it may be).
Of course, if the right club gig came along, I might be persuaded to get back in the game… — VNS