As I promised in my previous post, now Lyne Tumlinson, the former director of Career Services at
More features of the Russian world view that affect potential for the golf industry:
- About "rules". Russian culture is tradition and "high context", which can affect social benefits of golf. Here in US, golf is both a popular game/sport and and an important business networking tool. In Russia, relationship-building traditionally takes place in intimate settings and public networking is often only for the show. What social/economic role will the golf course take in Russia?
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Everything in Russia is expensive these days and start-up expenses of golf course – building/maintenance equipment, golf turfgrass seed, plus need for professional golf course management to maintain and keep the golf course running – do not bode well for affordable play to attract still-developing middle class clientele.
So far, golf course development in Russia is for top member of new Russian society with reputation for elitism – showy consumption of luxury, with corresponding price tag. A proper golf business plan can overcome this for Russian middle class, only if start-up costs can be recouped.