Trap Five: Issues Facing Golf

[iacas]

I'm going to write a Trap Five article on the top five issues facing all of golf right now (not just the PGA Tour). What do you think the top five issues are?

I'll throw a few out for starters. Please mention these too if you agree - don't leave them out of your response or I might think you don't think they matter.

1. FedEx Cup
2. "Distance Regulation" (balls, clubhead size, grooves, etc.).
3. Continuing increases in cost of play.
4. Continued slow play.
5. TGC having a 15-year contract.
6. Tiger Woods.

What are your top 5, 6, 7, 10, or whatever issues facing golf?

[Everardo]

1. FedEx Cup - Absolutely, I'm still a little skeptical that this new format will work effectively.

2. "Distance Regulation" (balls, clubhead size, grooves, etc.). - Personally I don't see a huge issue. The scoring average on tour hasn't dropped by leaps and bounds. But this has been a great help in getting more people into the game

My biggest issue with this category is the increasing lengths of courses. I'd like to see the conditions of the course change first or simply redesigning. I worry about some courses that are land locked and don't have room to grow. Maybe I'm just being sentimental but I'd hate to lose courses (although I'm well aware it has already happened)

3. Continuing increases in cost of play. - Although I can't (won't) justify paying $500 to play Pebble Beach...It just goes to inflation. Sure 10 years ago you could play golf for $15, catch a movie for $4 but minumun wage was also around $4....I think it's all relative. Just so long as the index doesn't get too out of whack

4. Continued slow play. - This lies in the hands of the courses and their employees. You could hold clinics to "teach" people how to play faster but the average male ego wouldn't allow you to attend these meetings. But yes I think this is a problem and needs to be addressed at the couse level

5. TGC having a 15-year contract. - Like most contracts, I am sure there is some way to get out if TGC doesn't perform or represent the PGA Tour in it's best interest. I figure it will take TGC a couple seasons to get a good groove going though.

6. Tiger Woods - I'd like to see a copy of that poster that showed the level of wins/greatness of different players on the PGA Tour. It shows that one person does dominate for a while and right as he's tailing off there is another great player in the works.

I'll think of some of my own and add them

[BigAl5150]

In addition:

7) Modern golf course design (length of modern courses almost forces people to use golf carts rather than walk) 8) LPGA Commissioner Carol Bivens (will she ruin the LPGA?) 9) Etiquette on the golf course (fixing ball marks, filling divots, rude behavior) 10) Michelle Wie (will she play on the LPGA or attempt to continue to try the PGA?) 11) PGA Tour schedule - Should there be a requirement for every PGA Tour player to play in every tourney every x number of years? Is the season too long? 12) Is the Senior Tour necessary?

[Everardo]

In addition:

How about any minor looking to play professionally. Is it in the childs, tour or societies best interest to have children skipping school to sign lucrative contracts and try to compete at a professional level before they have matured. I understand maturity comes at different points though however I'd like to see all the tours and the rest of professional sports actually enforce an age restriction to turn professional (I know I may not win fans with this comment)

[cmarkmyers]

I would like to hear about equipment. Specifically, are we at a point where the upgrades we see year to year are inconsequential? If so, what will it take to see real gains. If not, how do you cut through all the hype to find the real, bonafide quality items?

Also the general state of people's interest in golf. Are more people joining or quitting? If people are losing interest in golfing why and what can be done?

The 6 topics you listed also sound interesting.

[supah]

1. "Distance Regulation" (balls, clubhead size, grooves, etc.).
2. Continued slow play.
3. Tiger Woods.

Im not sure what you mean by distance regulation. If there was no regulation we would have balls going much, much longer and clubs hitting much longer. The golf balls are already travelling at insane high speeds. If they make them go longer, in other words faster, it would be firstly really dangerous. Imagine if someone got in the way, or a ball hit the spectators. Secondly all the courses would have to be changed, else all/many courses would be ridiculously easy. Hole in one on Par5 anyone?

However, the issue about clubhead size, balls ect is interesting. Titleist will introduce seamless golf balls which will affect ball flight. Nike introduced a special driver design this year with the powerbow. Maybe we'll see more interesting/weird products in 2007 that will improve accuracy, length and so on within the regulations. Slow play is always a topic, and a good one imo. Maybe each club should take more responsibility, informing ppl in a better way or have more strict rules regarding the pace. Tiger Woods is dominating and maybe he will for several years to come. Interesting issue how this affects or does not affect the sport. He is still very young and striving for perfection.

In addition:

Etiquette is a great issue and Michelle Wie ... well, guess shes an issue :P

[iacas]

How about any minor looking to play professionally. Is it in the childs, tour or societies best interest to have children skipping school to sign lucrative contracts and try to compete at a professional level before they have matured. I understand maturity comes at different points though however I'd like to see all the tours and the rest of professional sports actually enforce an age restriction to turn professional (I know I may not win fans with this comment)

While the NBA can restrict people from playing before they're 18, and the NFL can likewise do that, golf is a bit more of a global sport. Isn't there some 16-year-old soccer player? You can't stop Michelle Wie (or anyone like her) from turning pro. Heck, the rules of golf outline how you do it, and it can be as simple as telling someone you're a pro.

Then this newly minted "pro" could go play in Asia or Mexico or somewhere well outside the bounds of the PGA or LPGA Tours. The LPGA, for their part, has put in place the "18 or older" rule. They grant very few exceptions. But, as we've seen, sponsors can grant exemptions to any pro, and Michelle Wie (or future young pros) could play outside the LPGA Tour if she really wanted to. So there's really no way to legislate that. The PGA and LPGA Tours, unlike the NFL or NBA, don't have a stranglehold on professional golf.

Im not sure what you mean by distance regulation.

I mean all the talk about how we have to limit golf balls, or drivers, or whatever to stop pros from hitting drivers and wedges on every 480-yard par 4, from reaching every par 5 under 600 yards in two, etc.

If there was no regulation we would have balls going much, much longer and clubs hitting much longer. The golf balls are already travelling at insane high speeds. If they make them go longer, in other words faster, it would be firstly really dangerous. Imagine if someone got in the way, or a ball hit the spectators. Secondly all the courses would have to be changed, else all/many courses would be ridiculously easy. Hole in one on Par5 anyone?

Yeah, that's not what I'm talking about at all. I'm talking about increased restriction - either to the ball, the clubhead size, etc.

[rembrandt]

What concerns me is the length of courses. Many of the course designers think that Tiger is going to play their course and they make them so long and difficult that the average player can't enjoy them. I play from the whites most of the time and with my long game eroding due to age, the blue and gold tees are just toooooooooo hard for me. I realize that the equipment is a whole lot better than 10, 15 and 20 years ago but if you can't make a par every now and then, it then becomes a good walk ruined.

[muskegman]

I'm going to write a Trap Five article on the top five issues facing all of golf right now (not just the PGA Tour). What do you think the top five issues are?

Agree with what you've come up with. FedEx Cup, distance regulation, and TGC's long contract are at the top for me.

[Thrash13]

All the top issues in golf have already been listed here, but I'll rank my top five.

1. Continued Slow Play- I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Did I mention I hate it?

2. Design of New Golf Courses (Long instead of more difficult)- Much like Everardo said, my main concern is the courses being lengthened instead of the rough being made more difficult and the greens having more undulations, etc.

3. FedEx Cup- Will this new system actually make the top golfers play anymore than they are now. I like the idea of changing things up a bit, but the system seems flawed to me. I just wonder how much more excited the top golfers are going to be with this new system.

4. LPGA and its commissioner, Carolyn Bivens- The pieces are in place for the LPGA to move to new heights, but Bivens is putting the growth in jeopardy.

5. Proper Golf Course Etiquette- It's not that hard to take care of courses, but it sure seems people have problems doing it. It's probably part of the reason why it costs more to play as well.

If it was my own personal list, I'd have "the lack of college golf coverage in the U.S." near the top of my list, but not many give a crap about college golf. It sure would be nice to see some of the stars of tomorrow before they turn pro like we get in all the other big-time college sports.

[allin]

1. Course design, current design seems driven by the needs of housing developments, and the best players. This drives up costs, makes walking difficult, and leaves new golfers with few places to learn the game. A trend away from the Pete Dye, Jack Niclaus school of design towards courses which allow style of play that does not demand that the ball be hit high, but requires a little more shotmaking so that power is not quit so important.