Kids Coming to the Game?

[Bucki1968]

I'm curious if anybody is seeing a big increase in young players coming to the golf course. Yesterday we had our district tournament (I'm a high school golf coach),  I noticed how few teams actually had four players. I believe out of the 9 teams, only three teams had enough to score four players. I have seen this around our county the past couple years and  I am wondering if it's just in my area (most schools are title one)?  It seems like (in this area) the demographics and economics of the area are resulting in less golfers or even students who are interested in trying out the sport. Courses have been busy here during the pandemic but I'm still not seeing a large influx of younger players.

[iacas]

• Junior golf is growing.
• Beginners probably aren't joining their high school teams.
• At our districts, players had to play a higher number of events to play on the district team, so some teams may have had more players that just didn't qualify. (That's how our district "works" but as the coach in yours, you'd probably know that this is the case, so I'm assuming this isn't a reason for your area.)
• There's a big difference between choosing to play competitive golf and just playing golf for fun.

[Dewdew7]

Golf culture is growing especially among younger players. We live in a city thats far from a town that has a single but decently beautiful golf course. They have a children's clinic and golf team. I see far more kids who play there now than they did a few years ago. Its all about growing the culture and doing your part to keep it happening. Maybe invite some kids out to the course or encourage the ones you already see there.

[Sandy Divot]

I used to see a big group of kids at our course 10-15 years ago. Those kids are all grown, and they have not been replaced.

[Darkfrog]

I don't see very many kids on the courses I play, at the time that play - I usually tee off between 630-730am. I figure this has more to do with time of day...I know both my kids are asleep when I am teeing off, and I assume most others are too.

I do see quite few kids at the driving range and on the practice green when my round finishes up, between 1030-1130am.

Edited October 13, 2020 by Darkfrog

[mcanadiens]

Back when Kittyhawk was in operation, they used to bring out herds of kids to play the par-3 Falcon on Sunday afternoons. Many days, my buddy and I would walk off 18 and see them all queued up on the first tee. I'm pretty sure this was the local First Tee operation.

Not sure if they are doing something similar at another course or not, but that was definitely a part of the shame of shutting my old home. Even the shortest remaining course, is less of a fit for the youngsters.