Paul Trow reflects on how the 2011 season might unfold for the golf trade, while also considering how best to stay dry amid summer showers

As I compose these words, the early starters are putting the finishing touches to their preparations for the first major championship of the year.

Following a spate of European wins in America, high home expectations proved unfounded at the Open Championship, but at least the Old Course at St Andrews was in top form for the Open’s 150th anniversary.

With Christmas and the New Year on the horizon, the golf trade could be forgiven for chanting, ‘out with the old, in with the new’ with more than its usual vigour.

In truth, 2009 has been a damp squib. Given the sluggishness of 2007 and 2008, it was never going to be a fireworks display, but the banking conflagrations of 12 months ago well and truly extinguished this year’s optimism before it had even begun to flicker.