The Problems With Golf

[coleman]

.

To The Golf Community,       

 

 

The number of young people or any age getting into the game of golf has been on a steady decline for the last few years. This is troubling to me because it is something that I have enjoyed most of my life. This letter is addressed to parents, golf coaches, and kids who are curious about the game. There are a few key factors on why the game has not been getting the attention that it has in the past.

According to National Golf Foundations latest participation report, the number of golfers age 18-34 has decreased by 30 percent from over the last 30 years. Tiger Woods has not been a contender in golf for a while. This has effected golf, because he has been the games biggest salesman. When Tiger was in his prime, the number of young people playing and getting into the game went up. Growing up watching Tiger, definitely encouraged me to get out on the course and play, now that he is in decline kids do not have a definite idol to look up too. Although Tiger was golfing biggest star, you can’t blame it all on him.

With all the technology and what not today, our attention spans have decreased, so when you tell a kid that a round of golf is around four hours, they tend to shy away. I feel this would be good however because it could teach these young kids that are growing up in an increasingly technology based world that there is a simple pleasure to getting out and playing golf with people you enjoy being around. There have been efforts to make the game more appealing. These include making the courses shorter so rounds don’t take as long.

Golf is defiantly one of the more expensive sports, and a declining middle class has caused the number of people playing to go down.  Golf equipment and course prices have skyrocketed and many people just don’t have the resources to spend that much money on a hobby. People just learning the game don’t want to pay an absurd amount of money to play a round when they don’t know if they will do good or not. Course owners and club manufactures have to understand if they want to appeal more people to their courses and products that there have to be changes made in how much they are charging.

When I was growing up I was very thankful that my dad played and got me into golf. There is no doubt that it takes a lot of practice and frustration to get where you want to be. The process can be grueling but it all pays off and the lessons learned while getting there are something you can’t get anywhere else. I hope every kid can get the chance to at least give it a try because for me it was something that taught me a lot about patience, testing my limits, and manners. Parents who are thinking about what sport to introduce to their kids, golf is a great one to talk to them about. The friends and memories I have made on the golf course are something I wouldn’t trade, and the fact that less and less kids are getting into the game disheartens me because of all that I know golf has to offer. Coaches need to try and make the game fun for these kids, and try to make it more fun. My experience is that coaches get too serious about the game and really don’t make it an enjoyable experience for kids. It is a serious game at times, but having fun with it is important.

At the end of the day, I feel that golf will make its comeback and people will see how nice of a game it is and what it has to offer. Companies such as Top Golf have helped this resurgence by giving the game a more fun atmosphere. There has to be an effort by everybody in the golf community if we want to turn these numbers around.

 

 

           

           

 

[Papa Steve 55]

Cost and time demands are the two factors I hear most from 20 somethings. I get it. I didn't start playing till my 40's. That's when family commitments lessened and disposable income rose. If the golf community wants to mitigate those factors, they will have to be proactive in addressing them, not just hope for the best.

Trying to remember the last time I saw a course drop rates around here for other than a promo, or offer a nine hole deal. They try, but its just not a compelling enough offer.

Edited November 14, 2016 by Papa Steve 55

[bkuehn1952]

Longest first post on record?

[Ernest Jones]

9 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

Longest first post on record?

Cut and paste. 

[Patch]

Cost to play, cost for equipment, cost of lessons,  lack of practice time, and the time it takes to play a round are all problems a lot folks face who would like to try golf out. 

I think the folks who excelled at other amateur sports, but finds it difficult that he/she can't break 100,  give up the game too soon. 

Youngsters seem to move towards baseball, football, soccer, and basketball much easier than than they do for golf. I think parents, especially those with two or more children, on a budget, think along those same lines. 

Our daughters, and our grand kids all had/have the resources to play golf, but they followed the sports their friends played. 

I think it takes a certain type of personality to make what ever sacrifices needed to take up the game of golf. A special attitude if you will. 

Another thing that I think is a problem  is the golf industry, and how they seemingly want golfers to compare themselves with the professionals. Joe Pro uses this brand and shots 65s with it. Joe Amateur buys the same brand, and is lucky to shoot 95, gets disgusted, and leaves with a left over sour taste for the game. 

Then there is the "Im better than you" attitude in the pro ranks some players have. Call it snobbery, stuck up, eliteism, or what ever. That type of attitude will turn folks away. 

My point is golf has a lot of various issues that need to be dealt with positively to grow the game. 

[natureboy]

23 minutes ago, Patch said:

Cost to play, cost for equipment, cost of lessons,  lack of practice time, and the time it takes to play a round are all problems a lot folks face who would like to try golf out. 

I think the folks who excelled at other amateur sports, but finds it difficult that he/she can't break 100,  give up the game too soon.

I agree the time it takes can be hard on family participation vs. years ago. There's also likely an issue with modern kids' electronics focused attention spans both on time of rounds and difficulty of the game. I wonder if all sports are in a bit of decline vs. peak participation rates - not just golf.

I disagree that golf is hugely inaccessible on cost. Certain courses and brand new high-end clubs sure. But my first set of clubs (bought as an adult) was garage sale special for $40. My current set was bought used on the internet for a reasonable amount. Granted slightly more expensive than a new soccer or basket ball. Lots of kids are in position to inherit old sets from relatives if their interest is peaked.

Multiple local municipal courses and some public access private courses have reasonable greens fees. I'd doubt whether course fees have gone up a whole lot in real dollars since Tiger's heyday and even since the 60's. Maybe there used to be more of the cheap, local 9-holer type course that had a low rate for kids?

[iacas]

I've also seen reports that more kids aged 5-18 are playing golf than ever before, with PGA Junior League, Drive, Chip, and Putt, etc.

[newtogolf]

Cost of golf is getting to be cliche, especially when it comes to cost of equipment.  No one needs the latest and greatest equipment and these is a ton of used equipment on eBay or through e-tailers that would be more than sufficient for someone to start out with.    

As for tee times, prime time on the weekends can get pricey but if one shops the courses in their area they can find some good deals on cheaper courses or less popular tee times.  Most people starting out should be visiting a driving range which is really cheap, $15 for 90 balls is not expensive.  If that is too pricey, they can set something up in their backyards.  

Cost is an excuse that is convenient.  Hogan learned to play golf with one club when he was a kid.  One only needs a demo 6i to learn how to swing a golf club, they really don't need an entire set, a fancy golf bag, shoes and apparel. Too often today people confuse want with need.   

[gregsandiego]

8 hours ago, coleman said:

.

To The Golf Community,       

 

 

 

 

 

The number of young people or any age getting into the game of golf has been on a steady decline for the last few years. This is troubling to me because it is something that I have enjoyed most of my life. This letter is addressed to parents, golf coaches, and kids who are curious about the game. There are a few key factors on why the game has not been getting the attention that it has in the past.

 

According to National Golf Foundations latest participation report, the number of golfers age 18-34 has decreased by 30 percent from over the last 30 years. Tiger Woods has not been a contender in golf for a while. This has effected golf, because he has been the games biggest salesman. When Tiger was in his prime, the number of young people playing and getting into the game went up. Growing up watching Tiger, definitely encouraged me to get out on the course and play, now that he is in decline kids do not have a definite idol to look up too. Although Tiger was golfing biggest star, you can’t blame it all on him.

 

With all the technology and what not today, our attention spans have decreased, so when you tell a kid that a round of golf is around four hours, they tend to shy away. I feel this would be good however because it could teach these young kids that are growing up in an increasingly technology based world that there is a simple pleasure to getting out and playing golf with people you enjoy being around. There have been efforts to make the game more appealing. These include making the courses shorter so rounds don’t take as long.

 

Golf is defiantly one of the more expensive sports, and a declining middle class has caused the number of people playing to go down.  Golf equipment and course prices have skyrocketed and many people just don’t have the resources to spend that much money on a hobby. People just learning the game don’t want to pay an absurd amount of money to play a round when they don’t know if they will do good or not. Course owners and club manufactures have to understand if they want to appeal more people to their courses and products that there have to be changes made in how much they are charging.

 

When I was growing up I was very thankful that my dad played and got me into golf. There is no doubt that it takes a lot of practice and frustration to get where you want to be. The process can be grueling but it all pays off and the lessons learned while getting there are something you can’t get anywhere else. I hope every kid can get the chance to at least give it a try because for me it was something that taught me a lot about patience, testing my limits, and manners. Parents who are thinking about what sport to introduce to their kids, golf is a great one to talk to them about. The friends and memories I have made on the golf course are something I wouldn’t trade, and the fact that less and less kids are getting into the game disheartens me because of all that I know golf has to offer. Coaches need to try and make the game fun for these kids, and try to make it more fun. My experience is that coaches get too serious about the game and really don’t make it an enjoyable experience for kids. It is a serious game at times, but having fun with it is important.

 

At the end of the day, I feel that golf will make its comeback and people will see how nice of a game it is and what it has to offer. Companies such as Top Golf have helped this resurgence by giving the game a more fun atmosphere. There has to be an effort by everybody in the golf community if we want to turn these numbers around.

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

           

 

 

I think high schools and earlier would be the best target to kick-start participation. There are some strong selling points:

Cost of starting a team might not be much more than football.
There are no concussions (normally).
More inclusive. You don't have to be the biggest, the fastest etc.

 

I don't know - does the PGA or other organizations target high schools?

 

[70sSanO]

I think most kids still play traditional team sports... baseball, soccer, hockey, etc.

There are so many statistics out there that it is tough to really know the facts as to the growth in certain sports.  But one study had results that I find credible as far as the fastest growing sports in general.

The data showed that non-traditional sports had the greater growth.  Some of the comments about the sports were athletic activities where the experience was important and the participant was immersed in the moment.  They also mentioned sports without a scoreboard.

I can attest to that direction at least for the sports our kids were involved in.  Outside of hockey (inline) there was skateboarding, a lot of surfing, snowboarding, bmx and mountain biking.  Our daughter was involved with horses (dwarfs the cost of golf).

I can see the difficulty comparing golf to ripping down a mountain on a snowboard or dropping into overhead waves.  It truly is sedate in comparison.

John

[boogielicious]

9 hours ago, iacas said:

I've also seen reports that more kids aged 5-18 are playing golf than ever before, with PGA Junior League, Drive, Chip, and Putt, etc.

I've seen clinics at a couple of local courses with kids 8 - 12. This is more recent. 

[RussUK]

Places like the Grove here in the UK have started initiatives to get youngsters into golf. They have run special golf days on the Dutchess course where they add tee's half way down the par 4's or in front of the par 3 tees and cut 15" sand filled holes onto the green's. By all accounts the kids (and grown ups) seem to love it.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, 70sSanO said:

I think most kids still play traditional team sports... baseball, soccer, hockey, etc.

I think most are too, and that studies show that.

I also saw a chart more recently where golf was one of only two sports, or perhaps was the only sport, that showed an increase in participation. Whether that was year over year or within the same population as they aged, I don't know, but most other sports had declines, and golf and maybe one other sport showed increases.

It's tough to get a 6-year-old into golf, but they can certainly play soccer against their peers. Many don't introduce their kids to golf until they're 8, 10, 14… They can still often make the high school team, and until you're big enough to hit the ball an appreciable distance, many courses aren't set up to handle 150-yard par fives, and the like.

That's not to say you can't do it. As a parent you can make the course set up however you want, or find a par three course, etc.

But golf is obviously a different beast than most team sports - even tennis - because nearly every other sport has a direct competitor.

That direct competitor is the same age and size as the kid. In golf, the direct competitor is yourself vs. the course, and the course isn't the size of a six-year-old.

[carpediem4300]

Cost to play is negligible at least, I started with a full set with bag for £150 a £20 pair of shoes, a £10 set of trousers and a polo shirt that I already owned, comparatively when i played football my boots which i renewed twice a season where £200 a pop, plus £10 per match to play, plus the beer money afterwards and only being able to play once a week.

I play twilight golf and never pay more than £15 a round of golf in my area,

the only factor that has ever affected me is the time, Im playing sunday 30 minutes from home and with it being a busy course will likely take 4 hours to get round, thats 5 hours of my Sunday taken up by golf, football was 3 hours at the most and that included beers after.

 

 

[Vinny Cap]

My dad didn't get me into golf.  It was something us kids didn't do.  We played baseball, football, soccer and track.  I didn't try golf till much later in life.

It was actually my son who got me into golf.  We started out with cheap gear as we didn't know if we would like it or not.  Turns out we love it!

I got my son a used set at a garage sale for $10 to see if he liked it.  He did and then I found a brand new set similar to mine, Red bag, driver cover, sweet putter and he had an ear to ear smile!  He loved that set and played it for a couple of years.  Best part was when he gave it to another kid who wanted to try golf and his ear to ear grin was just like my sons when he got the set.  That set was $45 brand new.  Not too much $$$ as cleats for his other sports are this much and then some.

A local place up here has the best special for getting kids into golf.  Under 15 golfs for free with a paying adult.  They block a couple of hours in the afternoon and sometimes setup special tees down the course to make it fair for the kids.  My son and I do this 6 - 12 times a year and he always looks forward to it.  We can go play 9 together, have some fun and quality time together and then grill some dinner and remember the round.  A few times the course was pretty empty so I used my phone to take movies of all his shots.  Watching them on the TV later that night was a blast!  He got to see what he was doing and how to correct some shots.  Those are my favorite vacation days!

I have taught him how to play ready golf, rake bunkers, fix divots and let faster players through.  We have even had some adults say he has better golf manners that many adults they know.

I do not push or force him to play.  I want him to want to play... hope he continues it and maybe plays high school and collage golf.  His favorite sports are football, golf and soccer.... Nothing wrong with that!

It is sad that lots of courses do not offer anything special for younger golfers.  A lot of the courses I golf at only have like $5 or $10 off regular rates for Juniors.  That, I think, is too much for youngsters.

[Patch]

I was just thinking that after reading through this thread, and other associated articles that perhaps I am looking at this the wrong way. 

"Problems With Golf" might just be a poor choice of words. What if there is no problem with golf, but just the way the game pans out when compared to other sports? 

The golf industry is still making money. It's not like the game is going to go bankrupt, and disappear. The game will always be around for those folks who want to take up the game. 

My home course allows youngsters to play for practically nothing. Their in house pro gives periodic free clinics to youngsters. However when he gets 5 or 6 youngsters, the soccer, and basketball clinics are getting 60-70 youngsters. Little league clinics are seeing 100+ ball players. 

Perhaps golf's place in the amateur sports area is what it's supposed to be at this particular point in time as far as interest goes?

[jsgolfer]

11 hours ago, iacas said:

I've also seen reports that more kids aged 5-18 are playing golf than ever before, with PGA Junior League, Drive, Chip, and Putt, etc.

I see this at our course, we have a large junior contingent and junior golf program and they play inter-club matches between other country clubs and there are an awful lot of kids that I see on the course. 

[woodzie264]

1 minute ago, Patch said:

My home course allows youngsters to play for practically nothing.

I take my 8yo to a few courses where I live and they never charge for him. We got him a used set of clubs for something like $40 and he loves it.

 

10 hours ago, newtogolf said:

Cost is an excuse that is convenient.  Hogan learned to play golf with one club when he was a kid.  One only needs a demo 6i to learn how to swing a golf club, they really don't need an entire set, a fancy golf bag, shoes and apparel. Too often today people confuse want with need.   

this^^^^^^^