in your opinion is golf getting younger?

[uttexas]

Originally Posted by mck

I think your confusing "tournament wins and leaderboardes" with magazine covers and commercials.

Agree, the average age of the successful touring professional probably hasn't changed much.  Our society, especially media, has placed more and more value on youth culture.  The 18-35 demographic is highly targeted by advertisers.

[kngr515]

Originally Posted by Harmonious

The only thing I could see is that golf looks to be making inroads into the Warehouse Laborer demographic.

WOW!   that comes off as very pompous!

[inthehole]

Originally Posted by bwdial

Golf shoes, hats and clothes are getting uglier, I'll give you that.

agreed, especially the hats

[Shorty]

Golf is probably getting older.  So what if a couple of companies perceive a niche where they think that clothes with tattoo inspired designs or whatever are needed?

It only proves that the game is perceived as uncool.

The average youngster sees golf as a boring game played by boring people.

Many don't have the opportunity to play and they give up because the game is hard.

Just because someone starts making golf shoes that look like skate shoes doesn't mean anything.  Not quite sure why golf shoes have to look like skate shoes.......

Rickie Fowler is an exciting young player.  It doesn't mean that the game is getting younger.  Seve was young once too.  So was Kenny Perry.

There will always be younger people coming into the game, but not enough.

[colin007]

i hope so, but i doubt it.  i love seeing kids out there, the old farts at my local courses think they run the show.

i would love to see more minorities as well, especially more latinos and blacks, as well as women (young ones!).  the game needs more color and youth and diversity, IMHO.

[JordanJCaron]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Young or old, golf can be an expensive sport to get involved with, but then competition level skateboards, trucks and wheels aren't that cheap either, nor are skater shoes, and clothes.

The two demographics are different, in the 12-18, they are targeting parents wallets through their kids.  Manufacturers are sponsoring golf camps, youth lessons, and some courses even have discounted youth rates to encourage mom and dad to get their kids involved in the sport.  Nike and Adidas have done a decent job in making golf shoes and clothes look less "golfy", and the push to ease dress codes on courses is also an attempt to attract younger players.  In the 18-24 group they hope to sustain the interest established in the earlier years and promote it further in the form of golf scholarships, internships, etc.

Golf is one of the few sports that recognizes the sport is expensive and encourages the pre-owned market, supporting trade-ins and certified equipment.  Most other sports ignore the pre-owned market or attempt to discredit it.  The reality is a set of decent pre-owned clubs and some woods can be purchased from a Callaway pre-owned or Taylor Made pre-owned for a few hundred dollars, even cheaper at garage sales or eBay.  I don't see the costs as much of a barrier as the stigma golf has created as being a "pompous, boring sport" old people play when they can't play other sports.  I thought that as a kid and hated whenever golf was on television.  Now I wish I learned the game when I was younger.  The combination of mental and physical skill it requires makes it one of the most overall challenging sports I've ever seriously played.

Good points regarding this barrier we have thrown up about golf being out of reach.  Still though, there are other costs associated with the sport.  Balls, gloves, clothing and green fees are other areas that do add up even if you buy some old rags and beat up balls.

[newtogolf]

Originally Posted by JordanJCaron

Good points regarding this barrier we have thrown up about golf being out of reach.  Still though, there are other costs associated with the sport.  Balls, gloves, clothing and green fees are other areas that do add up even if you buy some old rags and beat up balls.

No question, golf can be a very expensive sport, but I think the costs tend to be a bit exaggerated and used more as a excuse than a true barrier.

Green fees are a bit high, but if you really want to play, you can hit the twilight rates, play with cheaper new or preowned golf balls, most people have a decent pair of shorts and polo shirt.

Just about any recreational sport can be expensive, paintball, bowling, racquetball, skateboarding, cycling or videogames are not cheap hobbies.  Even a sport like long distance running can get expensive.  A pair of good running shoes is $100+, and they last for about 200 miles, which is about 2 months for me typically.  Add some tech running shorts and shirt, cold weather gear, etc it all adds up.

Golf has a great tradition, but it's always been marketed to the upper middle class and older, wealthy males.  Until kids see other kids playing it won't gain in popularity in the younger demographics.  Callaway or Nike need to get Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus as celebrity reps.

[PockyStick]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Just about any recreational sport can be expensive, paintball, bowling, racquetball, skateboarding, cycling or videogames are not cheap hobbies.  Even a sport like long distance running can get expensive.  A pair of good running shoes is $100+, and they last for about 200 miles, which is about 2 months for me typically.  Add some tech running shorts and shirt, cold weather gear, etc it all adds up.

Disagree. Playing video games has got to be one of the cheapest hobby. Assuming you have a TV/computer. If you don't go through games like a mad man there should be no reason the cost is >$1000 per year. Basketball and running are basically free. Golf has "startup" cost and green fees is going to run >$1k even if you play only once a week during weekday twilight.  Golf is also hard where hitting the ball around and shooting 120s is not exactly fun when you have to pay so much money and spend so much time.