Is golf on the decline in the US?

[cbe_golfer]

I did a little exercise in my sparetime (aka work).
If you take the trend of the past 18 years for which world golf rankings have existed, it is a downward trend. From a high of 60 out of the top 100 in 1991, if the present trend continues, the number might be as low as 25 out of 100 in the next 24 years. Is this a true reflection of what is happening in the golf world today? Does Tiger's dominance mask the decline of golf in the US? Or do you all think the world golf rankings dont make a lot of sense?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officia..._Golf_Rankings

[neudi]

I think golf is on the upward slope right now. If you are talking about t.v. ratings that may be because so many people are actually going to the course to watch these guys play, I can't see how it would be on the downslope, but I have been wrong a lot before.

[themasteroncbs]

If anything golf in America is on the upward trend, but not just here, but all around the world as evidenced by the current world rankings.

[Linkster]

America is about trends, If Jessica Simson decided to play a pro-am in a bikini, the ratings would go through the roof!

[cbe_golfer]

I think I need to steer this thread back on road. I was not talking of tv ratings. I was referring to world golf rankings. please refer to the link especially the section which refers to the number of golfers in the top 100 from US, Europe and international.
I understand that any 60% marketshare is tough to retain especially in a growing market. Is that what is happening to golf?. exponential growth throughout the world rendering old statistics meaningless?.

[geezer]

You have to take into account here, that in the past America was... I don't really know how to put this. Like take Asia for example, 20 years ago sports like golf wouldn't have been as big. But now, with the development of these countries, they have increased numbers of players and better resources (practice facility, coaching etc...).

So, what I am saying is that American golf is not in decline, just that European/Asian golf is in a phase of rapid expansion.

Can you guys see what I'm trying to say? Or am I not making sense?

[Backspin]

I'd say the world is improving more than the US is declining. The result would be Americans ranking lower but I think the world has benefited from the American golf boom.
Teaching has been revolutionized, along with golf equipment. The rest of the world gains from this as well. This is a good thing.

[Saturday Golfer]

I think that the shift in world rankings can be chalked up to the globalization of the game and of business. I think that you can also add in the fact that the European tour has been putting out some great players lately that are finding success in the US.

[hawkeye]

just a note - Adam Scott mentioned in an interview in the Qatar Masters on the European Tour this week that you may see more American based players playing outside the US with the weak dollar. Not sure how many would be influenced by it but it was an interesting comment.

[mikelz]

I don't see any indication of that.

30 years ago, I noticed a big increase in people of color coming out to the course. I think that was cool. Golf is the great social equalizer.
There's been a big boom in the last 15 years. The market boom in the late 90s put a lot of money in a lot of pockets and they joined country clubs.
Some of the public tracks built during that period have closed.
Some of the private clubs have tanked or gone public.
Too much was built too fast by people trying to cash in.
That may look like a decline. I think it was just oversupply.
With the deification of Tiger, I only see the game continuing to grow in the U.S.

Golf is more of a business tool than ever before.
More people have the bug thus more people want that invitation.
It's a hell of a lot more fun than just eating lunch.

With accomplished players like K.J. Choi succeeding, the game is taking off in Asian countries not named Japan.
A lot of us think Tiger is the best there will ever be.
I'm waiting to see players come out of China.
With a talent pool of 1.3 billion, you may not have seen anything yet.

[Shooter McGavin]

America is about trends, If Jessica Simson decided to play a pro-am in a bikini, the ratings would go through the roof!

The first part (trends) is right. The rest of your post has no relevance what so ever.

There are so many young kids coming up through the junior tours. Not that there have never been so many, but that there have never been so many that can play at such a high level. Tiger has made every little kid want to play golf. Every kid does the fist pump now. At the same time golf has become more popular in other parts of the world. Golf is better in the U.S. but it's also getting better in the other parts of the world, not just England, Scotland, America, and Australia. To answer your question, no. Golf is still growing in the United States.

[Roody]

It's the same as basketball. Back in the 90's there was no country that could compete with our NBA players. Which is why the Dream Team owned everything in their way. But with many countries becoming more modernized, it opens more opportunities for their citizens. They're catching up with us, and in some cases surpassing us.

Same with golf. More players starting golf at a young age nowadays. It used to be a rich white man's sport. Not true anymore.

[mn723]

As far as Joe Public in America playing golf I believe it is on an incline. However, around here (Minnesota) they have built so many courses since the Tiger boom that it seems as if courses are empty other than weekends. I don't mind the abundace of courses and open tee-times!

[Roody]

it seems as if courses are empty other than weekdays. I don't mind the abundace of courses and open tee-times!

I wish we had that problem here where I live. We have plenty of courses, but they are mostly crowded every week. If you want a decent tee time at most courses (i.e. before 9:00 a.m. on weekends) you have to call and set it up on the Monday before.

Which makes me want to join a private club sometimes.

[mn723]

I wish we had that problem here where I live. We have plenty of courses, but they are mostly crowded every week. If you want a decent tee time at most courses (i.e. before 9:00 a.m. on weekends) you have to call and set it up on the Monday before.

I meant to say the courses are crowded on "weekends." I've edited the original post.

[907golfer12]

Like some people have said before, I don't think golf in the US is declining, I just think golf in other countries is increasing much quicker. I think the main reason for that is that in say, Korea, most kids play one sport and thats what they do, that sport and school work. Where as over here kids, myself included, play many different sports and don't pick one till late high school, college or maybe even later. I mean I just picked up golf, been playing for 6 1/2 months, and now am dropping everything else (football, hockey, soccer, and basketball) for golf, because I realize that if I don't then I won't have a high chance at getting to where I want to go because of time.