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WMF board meeting 27-29 March 2009
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05 May 2009 at 18:12 | Published by: JJM | Views: 9042 | News search ![](img/forum/magnifier.png)
Decisions made by WMF board in their meeting on 27-29 March 2009:
Temporary exception for next 5 years is granted for British Minigolf Federation to play official competitions at minigolf courses which include less than 18 lanes.
The status of WMF membership registrar in China, Bruno Gerstner, will possibly be re-evaluated in the near future. China also has another, more active party interested in WMF membership: Hello ProMinigolfClub, which is closely cooperating with American USPMGA federation, and uses USPMGA rules in their competitions.
The proposed meeting with American minigolf countries was not possible during spring 2009. The meeting will be scheduled for August 2009 in Odense, Denmark. Canada, Mexico and USA will be invited to discuss the future of American minigolf with WMF board members.
Funds of 4000 EUR are reserved for minigolf development projects in new or small minigolf nations during the 2009 season.
Complete list of decisions made by WMF board can be found in the memorandum of 27-29 March 2009 meeting. » memorandum of WMF board meeting 27-29 March 2009
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![](../img/bg/0clear.gif) Comments (12)![](../img/bg/0clear.gif)
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JJM (John Mittler) |
09 May 2009 at 17:01 | It looks like the players could and should make a positive move for the national and international future of American minigolf, by forming a national players association open to all minigolf players, no matter which league they play.
We wish that all talented minigolf players would be members of a national federation, which is a member of WMF, which is a member of Olympic Sport Accord movement. In America, the options are that all talented players join the existing federation that is member of WMF, or then they join a new neutral association that becomes the American member of WMF. For historical and emotional reasons, the latter option might work better. |
Smitty (Jeffrey Smith) |
09 May 2009 at 16:14 | In fact, no money from PPGCA franchisees goes to the PPA; and hasn't for a long time. PPA tournament prize money is paid from entry fees. We have no significant sponsorship agreements. |
JJM (John Mittler) |
09 May 2009 at 15:49 | I don't know much about sport politics, but I imagine that Olympic Committee and its member federations (including WMF) may prefer or even require that their national member associations are non-profit organizations, with a freely elected board. (But many countries don't have any political freedoms, and yet they have sport federations with membership to Olympic Committee, so...)
If PPA owners pump money into the minigolf league, then it sounds reasonable for pro minigolf players to eat the free meals. But as I understand that the money prizes in PPA have sharply declined in recent years, so the private owners are becoming less crucial to the existence of the minigolf league, even if they hold a copyright to its current trademark name. |
Smitty (Jeffrey Smith) |
09 May 2009 at 15:32 | Originally, the PPA was used to market Putt-Putt Golf Courses of America. (PPGCA) Now, with the demise of PPGCA, the PPA is licensed to Joe Aboid and Jim Evans. The licensing agreement ends after 2010. It will be interesting to see what happens to the PPA after the 2010 season.......As for Putt-Putt facilities in countries other than the USA, I think that there may still be Putt-Putts in Australia and maybe South Africa or Zimbabwe, but the Toronto, Canada location which was constructed at the base of the CNN Tower is long gone. I know of no other Canadian locations. |
JJM (John Mittler) |
09 May 2009 at 12:49 | PPA federation is more or less "owned" by Putt-Putt company, if I understand correctly. Putt-Putt website lists official franchising PPA courses only in USA:
http://www.puttputt.com/find.html
They have built courses also abroad, in various countries. And many American course owners have ended their franchising relationship to Putt-Putt, so they are not listed at Putt-Putt website, even if the courses continue running alive and well. |
CDN (Jason Weaver) |
09 May 2009 at 12:19 | @ Smitty... are there any PPA courses in Canada? If so, I will gladly to my best to make a case for the PPA at the meeting. Feel free to PM if you want to discuss this. |
Smitty (Jeffrey Smith) |
09 May 2009 at 00:52 | Blondie, I don't think it is funny that we are starting to play USPMGA events, even if you do call them "disgusting". The PPA pros are playing because one of us wins nearly every time. You are correct, however, that some of us complain about the PPA dying off. The reality is that Putt-Putt courses are dying off. There are approximately 100 PPA pros-a fairly steady number for about a decade. My guess is that sometime in the future we will see the PPA playing both Putt-Putt and other style courses, as well...JJM, you are certainly correct in your assessment of the relationship (or lack of relationship) between the PPA & the USMPGA. I agree that the two organizations should kiss and make up. |
Blondie (Astra Miglane Stanwyck) |
08 May 2009 at 17:19 | It is funny that so many PPA players play in "disgusting" USPMGA events while complaining about PPA dying off. |
JJM (John Mittler) |
08 May 2009 at 14:00 | Yep it is regrettable that PPA, one of the most prestigious minigolf _sport_ federations of all time (by nearly any chosen measure), has been a complete outsider from international circles, because USPMGA enjoys a monopoly for relations towards WMF. But this arrangement was born during an era of enmity between PPA and USPMGA, when any cooperation between them was out of question.
This would be a golden moment for PPA and USPMGA to shake hands and form a national minigolf federation, which would be member of WMF. They could continue each their own national leagues as before (if there is no willingness for true national unity among American minigolfers).
WMF has been an increasingly tough negotiating partner for Americans recently. Maybe a common enemy will unite your troops. :-) |
Smitty (Jeffrey Smith) |
08 May 2009 at 13:29 | I find it almost comical that the future of minigolf in the USA will be discussed without anybody representing the PPA. Right now, minigolf in the USA consists of a few questionably run events of the USPMGA that are almost always won by a current or former PPA member or a visiting Euro- and the local, regional and national events held by the PPA on Putt-Putt or former Putt-Putt courses. If minigolf of any kind is to have a strong future in the USA, the people and organizations had better work together. | ![](../img/bg/0clear.gif) Add comment | To add comments, you need to log in.
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