Ten ways to change the golf model??

[whatwhatwhat]

Nice.

Apart from augusta we could play st andrews, pebble, bethpage or whistling if you wanna(probably a waiting list), golf is an individual game played alone, you cant play tennis alone, the shots you play dont rely on opponents like tennis does, you dont need to play with a top player in golf to produce unbelievable shots, where as in tennis the shots you pull off are directly related to the shots you receive and are judged as such........that was my main point once again, but you failed to grasp this concept, maybe second time lucky.........so that foursome referrence has nothing to do with anything

[tristanhilton85]

I could practice more if I chose to....

I'm not saying that you should neglect anything.... I'm just saying that maybe instead of a round of golf, every once in a while you could hit a bucket of balls or take a lesson. A little practice goes a long ways, and even if you eliminate just a few bad shots you can play by the rules and still play quickly (just remember to play a provisional if needed).

Trust me, I don't have very much time or money to devote to this game, and I haven't mastered it by any means. I'm 24, married, work full time, and have college loans to pay off, so yeah, please don't make assumptions when you don't know. All I'm saying is that it's ridiculous to say that the only way you can play is to alter the rules.

1) He didn't indicate that he didn't practice. 2) Someone shouldn't be bared from playing just because they're a beginner. 3) Practice doesn't garuentee results. I've seen players who've played for years who still slice OB a couple times a game, never mind other shots.

1) Didn't say that he didn't practice, just that practice would help eliminate bad shots and the need to change the rules.

2) Definitely didn't say people should be bared from playing just because they are beginners. In fact, I think we need more people playing this game... but just like anything else, it should be learned properly. 3) I'm not saying that practicing will make him a pro or anything. You can slice OB a couple times a round and have some other bad shots and still play by the rules and play quickly.

[sean_miller]

Apart from augusta we could play st andrews, pebble, bethpage or whistling if you wanna(probably a waiting list), golf is an individual game played alone, you cant play tennis alone, the shots you play dont rely on opponents like tennis does, you dont need to play with a top player in golf to produce unbelievable shots, where as in tennis the shots you pull off are directly related to the shots you receive and are judged as such........that was my main point once again, but you failed to grasp this concept, maybe second time lucky.........so that foursome referrence has nothing to do with anything

So scratch tennis off the list. I mentioned a dozen sports.

[shankalots]

You can replace the word "golf" with "tennis", "skiing", "racquetball" or any other sport or recreation that requires a significant amount of money to participate. As I said in an earlier post, golf isn't broke, the economy is. Watering down the rules, and having better Ryder Cup outfits isn't going to fix it. Many areas in the U.S. where golf is a hotbed is also areas that have been hardest hit by the economy, such as Arizona, Florida and Nevada. No matter how big you make the cup holes if people can barely afford the necessities they aren't going to spend $65 on a round of golf. Video game / fast food junkies won't turn to golf no matter how easy you make it, game is too slow and non-stimulating to hold the attention of these people.

Tennis and raquetball? You buy a racket and a few balls, find a partner, go to a municipal park for free and play all you like. Skiing.. buy ski's, or rent them, pay the lodge and ski all day. Golf is very expensive. Clubs, bags, shoes, the green fee and cart fee's. It averages at around 25 dollars for a round of golf, and if you want to play a nice course you're spending double or triple that if not more. Then do that 2-3 times a week to stay proficient.. That is VERY expensive. Then add in the uppity attitudes and the strict rules on attire (not that I disagree with having standards) and I completely see how people are turned off. Golf is seen as a boring, rich mans sport that isn't fun. At a lot of country clubs that is exactly the case.

I know a lot of courses are struggling like a lot of Americans are right now and their just may not be a quick fix. A start would be to teach some of these owners and managers some customer service skills and stop treating new players like outsiders and welcome them to the course. Reduce playing costs some, put more emphasis on lessons and how to get those lessons. I agree with the earlier posts with getting the pros on the course and out from behind the desk, that would make up for any profits lost to lower prices in money gained in lessons. Move this game to appeal to the younger generations, clothing, clubhouse decoration, be friendly to the people who pay money to play at your course. I hate the feeling after I pay money to some manager that acts like you're just completely getting in his way to get him to the register and give you a scorecard. Rediculous behavior for any business.

[lonewolf]

Golf is experiencing a number of phenomenon right now - maybe even a "perfect storm". First is the economy - it's down right now and that reduces disposable income. Golf has to be one of the first things to go when expenses need to be cut. It is expensive and wholly elective (as much as we'd like to think otherwise). Second - demographics have changed. Where my father played golf a significant portion of my youth (introducing me to the game as well - Thanks Dad!) I essentially gave up the game when my children were young. I coached soccer for numbers of years as a way of spending time with my daughters. We tried the golf thing but it just didn't stick. I think you find more fathers (and mothers) who work hard and want to spend weekends with the family. Now that my girls are grown I can get back into the game (and other things too). Third is that a lot of locales over built golf courses when demand was high. Now that demand has dropped courses struggle to fill the available slots.

Good post.

What's wrong with offering a "round" for Jr's / beginners in the morning from hole 13 thru hole 18? or hole 4 thru hole 9?

[Topper]

I'm not saying that you should neglect anything.... I'm just saying that maybe instead of a round of golf, every once in a while you could hit a bucket of balls or take a lesson. A little practice goes a long ways, and even if you eliminate just a few bad shots you can play by the rules and still play quickly (just remember to play a provisional if needed).

Ahhh...I sometimes fondly remember the days of dual-income-no-kids....assuming your wife works also. I hated my 12 years of school loans but the abundance of free time was nice....even considering that I frequently traveled for work. The truth of that statement will be more obvious when you've got 3 or 4 kids, especially when they enter their teens and take-on a slew of extracurricular activities. For example, no golfing today because one of my daughters has a cross-country race. Yesterday I took one of my other daughters to her modern dance class after dinner. Tomorrow, my kids are invited to a birthday party. Saturday morning from 6AM until 1PM my whole family is supporting a church fund-raiser. But I may golf after that if my back holds up. The point being, a huge portion of the population has weekly schedules that look like mine and it's an issue that the golf industry must come to grips with. Chances are, your schedule will be similar someday!

Anyway, I take lessons and practice to the extent that I can including the driving range (most of the first half of the summer) and then a combination of driving range and 9-hole par3 courses or the front 9 at an executive length course. My wife dislikes anything that remotely resembles exercise, but I've somehow "tricked" her into golfing with me because it's 90 minutes of quiet time for us. We could follow the rules explicitly but neither of us is concerned about a handicap at this point and it would slow-up play. From my perspective and limited experience on golf courses, the definition of "slow play" seems to get shorter as golfers get better. I will have more time to golf if my wife also golfs with me and the last thing I need is an uptight golfer behind us that turns her off from the game before she's had a chance to develop a strong interest in it. The reality is that more skilled golfers are often intolerant of beginners and less skilled golfers and it shows. In general, golf is way too uptight as far as sports go....but I still like it.

[jamo]

Tennis and raquetball? You buy a racket and a few balls, find a partner, go to a municipal park for free and play all you like. Skiing.. buy ski's, or rent them, pay the lodge and ski all day. Golf is very expensive. Clubs, bags, shoes, the green fee and cart fee's. It averages at around 25 dollars for a round of golf, and if you want to play a nice course you're spending double or triple that if not more. Then do that 2-3 times a week to stay proficient.. That is VERY expensive. Then add in the uppity attitudes and the strict rules on attire (not that I disagree with having standards) and I completely see how people are turned off. Golf is seen as a boring, rich mans sport that isn't fun. At a lot of country clubs that is exactly the case.

With tennis and racquetball you get what you pay (or don't pay) for. You can go to a free tennis court but it's probably going to have tons of potholes and cracks. If you get a membership at a tennis club you'll usually get nicer courts. Racquetball you really have to be a member somewhere to play, I've never seen a free racquetball court because I've never seen an outdoor racquetball court.

Also, where have you been skiiing? If you rent skiis and boots that's $40-50 right there, plus a lift ticket can cost anywhere from $40-200+ depending what kind of mountain you are on. And that's just for one person. Snowboarding is basically the same.

[bwdial]

With tennis and racquetball you get what you pay (or don't pay) for. You can go to a free tennis court but it's probably going to have tons of potholes and cracks. If you get a membership at a tennis club you'll usually get nicer courts. Racquetball you really have to be a member somewhere to play, I've never seen a free racquetball court because I've never seen an outdoor racquetball court.

There were some outdoor racquetball courts at a park close to downtown Tampa when I was growing up, but they usually stunk of urine and were littered with used condoms. Hardly an attractive - or safe - place to play.

You are absolutely right about the cost of skiing, and it's even more cost prohibitive when you factor in the fact that unless you live in a ski resort area - which is expensive as well - you usually have travel expenses added into the equation.

[mcgriff]

The only thing I would do to encourage faster play and more enjoyment from the every other weekend warrior would be to relax rules regarding lost balls, OB balls, hazards, etc. Every par 3 with a water hazard should have a big sign that says "DROP HERE IF YOU TAKE A DRINK". No one should ever have to drive/walk back to a tee to rehit a ball after a 10 minute search for the first one. This is one area of the rulebook that is dated and doesn't account for the sheer quantity of players out there in a non professional non handicap round.

All and all everything that I read was pretty silly.

[walk18]

I love when people say "wait until you have 3 or 4 kids" as if it's a given. That's a huge assumption and would imply that there is no choice in the matter. The reason I don't and won't have kids is precisely because my money and time is already too limited. It's obvious that when you have kids your personal time will be near non existent for many years to come. And that's fine and worth it to many, just don't act surprised that you don't have any free time. People need to be aware of the choices they make.

[sean_miller]

The only thing I would do to encourage faster play and more enjoyment from the every other weekend warrior would be to relax rules regarding lost balls, OB balls, hazards, etc. Every par 3 with a water hazard should have a big sign that says "DROP HERE IF YOU TAKE A DRINK". No one should ever have to drive/walk back to a tee to rehit a ball after a 10 minute search for the first one. This is one area of the rulebook that is dated and doesn't account for the sheer quantity of players out there in a non professional non handicap round.

"Drop here if you take a drink" would of course have to be worded more literally or people would be taking drops even when they hit the green.

If you're looking for a ball for 10 minutes you're looking twice a long as the rule allows - and about 5 times longer than you should.

[alo1984]

Was this man paid to write this crap? There is nothing wrong with the way golf is right now in my opinion. Yes, there are bad apples that give the game a black eye, ie: slow players, drunks, cheaters, etc. But do not turn my sport into a joke by digging huge holes in the green and asking me to start play on hole number 12. For god sakes what is wrong with this man? Does he actually play the game of golf? My guess is no since anyone who actually plays and enjoys the game would never suggest any of those ideas. I really really hope someone let him know how ridiculous this article was. I am just floored that anyone who actually plays the game could seriously suggest these things. I'm going to vomit.

[uttexas]

Don't think I agree with any of Charlie's suggestions.

Very early on, golf evolved to be a sport for a few, not for the many. Golf is expensive and difficult. Very few people have the luxuries of time and money to play golf frequently (or well).

IMO, the solution to get more people involved is more 9 hole courses and more par 3 courses. Unfortunately, the cat is out of the bag. Over the past 15 years, property developers overbuilt expensive to maintain 7500 yard layouts. Now that financial times aren't as good, we have even fewer people that can afford the time and cost to play these courses.

[FHopper]

I love playing with other people, but I play alone by preference most of the time. I play up to three balls at a time and not necessarily the entire hole. I play golf to hit shots, not keep score or follow arcane rules, (necessary though they may be for competitive play), and I move very quickly. I tend to play very early when possible and will simply skip holes if I get caught behind Easter Egg Hunts or idiots. I buy $20 dollar balls and never look for a ball beyond driving past the place it entered the doo doo. I play "new golf", no one had to change anything for me. My chest swells when I fix a pitch mark because I hit a shot that left a pitch mark! I hit my driver better than any other club except maybe my putter. I never do more than sight a putt from a few feet behind the ball and I putt very well thank you. This game can be played for enjoyment the way it currently exists, no changes needed.

[sean_miller]

I love playing with other people, but I play alone by preference most of the time. I play up to three balls at a time and not necessarily the entire hole. I play golf to hit shots, not keep score or follow arcane rules, (necessary though they may be for competitive play), and I move very quickly. I tend to play very early when possible and will simply skip holes if I get caught behind Easter Egg Hunts or idiots. I buy $20 dollar balls and never look for a ball beyond driving past the place it entered the doo doo. I play "new golf", no one had to change anything for me. My chest swells when I fix a pitch mark because I hit a shot that left a pitch mark! I hit my driver better than any other club except maybe my putter. I never do more than sight a putt from a few feet behind the ball and I putt very well thank you. This game can be played for enjoyment the way it currently exists, no changes needed.

Ironically you've already taken it upon yourself to make some the of the changes he suggested.

[alo1984]

I love playing with other people, but I play alone by preference most of the time. I play up to three balls at a time and not necessarily the entire hole. I play golf to hit shots, not keep score or follow arcane rules, (necessary though they may be for competitive play), and I move very quickly. I tend to play very early when possible and will simply skip holes if I get caught behind Easter Egg Hunts or idiots. I buy $20 dollar balls and never look for a ball beyond driving past the place it entered the doo doo. I play "new golf", no one had to change anything for me. My chest swells when I fix a pitch mark because I hit a shot that left a pitch mark! I hit my driver better than any other club except maybe my putter. I never do more than sight a putt from a few feet behind the ball and I putt very well thank you. This game can be played for enjoyment the way it currently exists, no changes needed.

The kind of golf you play is foreign to me and makes about as much sense to me as the ten ways to change golf Rymer has suggested.

I prefer to relish every hole, every shot, every opportunity, every rule, every round, etc. I enjoy looking for and finding my wayward drive, and then hitting a rescue shot to get the ball in play. I love to line up my putt and see the ball sink into the hole. I actually play very quickly myself, but I don't mind the long rounds either. Golf is a wonderful game in it's most pure form and I love to enjoy it as such.

[sean_miller]

The kind of golf you play is foreign to me and makes about as much sense to me as the ten ways to change golf Rymer has suggested.

It almost sounds like you're suggesting his participation in golf, and the enjoyment he gets from it, is somehow tainted. Like he's somehow cheating the system by calling himself a golfer?!?!?

[alo1984]

It almost sounds like you're suggesting his participation in golf, and the enjoyment he gets from it, is somehow tainted. Like he's somehow cheating the system by calling himself a golfer?!?!?

No, it's more as if you are making me sound like I'm saying that. What I said is exactly what I meant. I don't understand why Rymer thinks those things are necessary for the game of golf. I also don't understand the type of play he has described. It does not sound enjoyable to me. I like my steak medium rare, but others prefer well done. I don't try to tell them they aren't eating steak, but I'm also not afraid to tell them that I think mine tastes better.