The economic slowdown continues to hit the golfing industry. On Friday, TaylorMade-Adidas golf announced 70 layoffs. TaylorMade-Adidas Golf President and CEO Mark king said that the reductions were a direct result of the economy.

“We have to align our resources appropriately to meet the unique challenges ahead,” said King. “That means taking a variety of critical actions to make our organization leaner and more cost-efficient.

“We regret that one of those actions is to reduce our workforce, however difficult times require difficult decisions. We’re confident that the steps we’re taking now will allow our company to remain strong during these turbulent times.”

TaylorMade-Adidas had already announced 170 staff reductions in December as a result of their acquisition of the Ashworth brand.

Ironically, this announcement comes on the heels of another press release telling everyone how well the company was doing:

From Sergio Garcia’s victory at THE PLAYERS Championship and ascension to No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings to Kenny Perry’s Ryder Cup victories in his native state of Kentucky, to Paula Creamer’s continued dominance on the LPGA Tour to the acquisition of Ashworth Golf, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company continued to strengthen its leadership position in 2008.

“Once again, it’s been a banner year for TaylorMade-adidas Golf with all that we accomplished on tour and in the retail marketplace,” said Mark King, president and CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company. “By engineering breakthrough products validated by the game’s greatest players, we’ve been able to grow our marketshares to their highest levels ever in several categories, including metalwoods, putters and golf balls.”

A bit of hyperbole there, don’t you think?

What interests me here is not so much the fortunes of TaylorMade, but what the announcement signals for the rest of the golf industry. TaylorMade has had a reputation of being the strongest of the major players. Are layoffs from Callaway, Adams, et. al in the offing? Are there any name companies on the brink of extinction?

And what about the PGA Tour? The LPGA recently announced a “restructuring” that will result in a 5% reduction in staff. Will the men’s circuit follow suit?

The PGA Tour has claimed that everything is in place for this year. But they have lost two Tour sponsors and one Nationwide event. And more than a couple of events are up for renegotiation for 2010.

This all bears watching in the next couple of months.

Bushnell has a $50 rebate on a couple of its laser rangefinders. I have a Bushnell laser rangefinder and think its one of the best golf buys I’ve ever made. Since I visit a lot of different courses, it really helps me work my way around a course. I use it off the tee to find distances to hazards, and from the fairway to range both hazards and pins. I think my Bushnell laser rangefinder is indispensable.

BUSHNELL Tour V2 With Pinseeker Technology

BUSHNELL Medalist Laser Rangefinder with Pinseeker Technology

I don’t know when this happened, but I just discovered that Directv has moved The Golf Channel from the wilderness at channel 605 to better real estate at 218.

Twenty years ago, the classic Calvin and Hobbes comic offered a prescient view of the current economic chaos and the government bailout. Click on the image above to see the entire comic.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to save up some money and do some family and golf traveling. On a smaller scale, I think I’d like to to finally take a winter golf trip to Alabama’s Golf (Gulf) Coast or Tennessee—something I’ve been threatening to do for several years. I’d like to take the family to Disney World. And of course, I want to start saving for a big trip to Scotland. I’ve been dreaming and scheming for several weeks now.

Then, in an act of serendipity, on Friday I received an email asking me to try a newsletter called Golf Odyssey. It’s expensive— $97 a year—but they’ve got a free trial that lets you look at all of the back issues online.

The newsletter apparently has been around for 17 years, offering travel reviews and tips. But you can get that from any of the major golf magazines—for a lot cheaper. What makes it different, the editor say, is that:

Our approach is unlike that of any other golf publication in the world. For starters, we travel anonymously and do not accept any advertising, discounts or freebies from the properties we review, allowing us to give you the straight story every time.

Plus, our reviews go far beyond general descriptions to include the all-important details and specific, insider recommendations that make the difference between average trips and golf vacations of a lifetime.

In essence, we are your personal golf travel concierge, a trusted advisor who separates the truly special from the merely serviceable so you don’t have to waste precious time and money doing it.

With the newsletter format and the no-advertising policy, it reminds me of another publication I’ve received for several years—Bottom Line. I’m going to at least sign up for the free trial to take a look at all of their back issues. Here’s the link they sent for a free Golf Odyssey trial:

Try Golf Odyssey for free

There’s an old line of jokes where the opening is always: “There’s a fly in my soup.”

A schoolgirl in Australia may be the cause of a new line: “There’s a golfball in my fish.”

After catching a 64cm (about 2 feet) Murray Cod, ten-year-old Sarah Musgrove discovered three golf balls inside.

More here.

The Egypt Valley Golf Club in Grand Rapids, Michigan will play host to the USGA’s Junior Amateur Championship in 2010. The dates are July 19-20.

I’ve heard nothing but good things over the years about the Egypt Valley course and club. It’s two eighteen hole courses were designed by Arthur Hills,a nd it has hosted Champions Tour events as well as the Michigan Amateur championships, Hunter Mahan, David Duval,  Johnny Miller and Gay Brewer. Al (Mr. 59) Geiberger, Jay Sigel, Andy North, Scott Simpson and Trevor Immelman all have been runner ups.

I managed to miss this year’s women’s Mid Amateur—held at nearby Barton Hills Country Club—because it was held midweek in September, right after school had begun for the year. I think I’ll make an effort to get to Grand Rapids for the Juniors. I might even see about getting a press pass so I can get some good photos.