Is cost the reason for decline in new golfers?

[Lihu]

I have always felt golf participation suffered because of the stigma that golf is for old guys and intimidation once adults actually try to swing a club and realize it isn't so easy to hit a little ball that isn't moving. The range close to my home is not on a golf course so it attracts a lot of different types of people, many never swung a golf club before.  I watch their frustration and amazement at how difficult it is to actually hit a golf ball.  Most strive to get the ball in the air first, then it's about distance.  They don't care about direction, just how far they can hit it and that's where the problems start.  Golf is counter intuitive, who would think to hold a golf club like we do and they can't comprehend that the harder they try to hit it (without proper technique) the less likely they are to hit it further.  If they ask for some tips I gladly assist and you can see their eyes light up when they hit that first good shot the way a "real golfer" would.  Those that don't ask for tips leave the range with their hands blistered (some bleeding), tired and frustrated that they did so poorly in a game that fat old men do so well in. The key to keeping the golf industry healthy is to get kids involved.  Kids are exposed to baseball, soccer, volleyball, hockey and football in elementary school.  As they progress through life they hone these skills and improve at doing them.  While the first tee is making a valiant effort what we really need is schools to start introducing kids to golf so that they can become familiar with it at an early age and progress in hitting a golf ball as they do in throwing a football or hitting a baseball. Kids have the energy and time to invest in becoming good at golf, if we wait until they are adults they may be so intimidated by the difficulty after their first few experiences they just don't give it a chance.

Who are you calling "old and fat"?!?!? Lol :-D:-D:-D

[Patch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcanadiens

Other than our non-golfer thread (which was a little tongue-in-cheek), there really aren't any non-golfers on this board. Most people don't golf because it never occurred to them. The best question is what keeps people who are interested in golf from starting or continuing.

I still contend that it is an intimidation factor for a lot of these people. There was a fellow at the pub the other day and he mentioned that he had been wanting to give it a go. He hasn't yet, because he knows he'll suck. I told him about how I started, had the same fears he did and that it took a friend of mine to push me into going the first time. He may give it a try in the spring.

I have always felt golf participation suffered because of the stigma that golf is for old guys and intimidation once adults actually try to swing a club and realize it isn't so easy to hit a little ball that isn't moving.

The range close to my home is not on a golf course so it attracts a lot of different types of people, many never swung a golf club before.  I watch their frustration and amazement at how difficult it is to actually hit a golf ball.  Most strive to get the ball in the air first, then it's about distance.  They don't care about direction, just how far they can hit it and that's where the problems start.  Golf is counter intuitive, who would think to hold a golf club like we do and they can't comprehend that the harder they try to hit it (without proper technique) the less likely they are to hit it further.

If they ask for some tips I gladly assist and you can see their eyes light up when they hit that first good shot the way a "real golfer" would.  Those that don't ask for tips leave the range with their hands blistered (some bleeding), tired and frustrated that they did so poorly in a game that fat old men do so well in.

The key to keeping the golf industry healthy is to get kids involved.  Kids are exposed to baseball, soccer, volleyball, hockey and football in elementary school.  As they progress through life they hone these skills and improve at doing them.  While the first tee is making a valiant effort what we really need is schools to start introducing kids to golf so that they can become familiar with it at an early age and progress in hitting a golf ball as they do in throwing a football or hitting a baseball.

Kids have the energy and time to invest in becoming good at golf, if we wait until they are adults they may be so intimidated by the difficulty after their first few experiences they just don't give it a chance.

I agree that getting kids interested in the golf game is a good way to grow the game. However, it still boils down to cost of start up and play. Soccer balls, baseballs, volley balls, bats, gloves, basketballs, footballs all cost a fraction of what golf equipment costs. Schools in our area are strapped for money as it is. Grade schools can't afford golf equipment for PE classes. Most middle schools are in the same boat. High schools have golf teams, but in most cases all they supply are the matching bags. Most high school players already have their own golf equipment which they, or their parents previously purchased.

I know out of the 8 youngsters that grew up, and are still growing up around me, only one continues to be  interested in golf. All of them had the opportunity to play what ever sport they wanted. They tried them all. The money, and time was available for them to choose a sport they wanted to play. All we asked of them was to try sports to help keep them out of trouble. They all tried golfing, but in the end, fast pitch softball, and football won out over golf for all but one of them. Their number one reason for choosing a sport other than golf was because their friends were playing the sport they chose.

My soon to be 12 year old grand daughter likes the sport because she likes "hitting the ball a long ways". She likes to putt, but crushing (for her) the ball off the tee is  what is holding her interest  in the game right now. That, and she likes "hanging with grand pa"  as she puts it.