The state of Golf down worldwide

[GPK]

Originally Posted by hi_im_god

Plus the are 25 of people like me who have never owned or read the rule book for everyone like you. I'm afraid it won't mention anything about the mulligans that are a regular part of my game.

Where do pro football players carry their copies of the NFL rule book?

And there is certainly nothing wrong with the type of golfer you describe. I think that's a core group that doesn't need to be ignored. Not everyone wants to always "play by the rules." Frankly, who cares? That money spends the same. That group of golfer never plays tournaments, save the occasional charity captains choice tourney.

[dellinger63]

Originally Posted by GPK

And there is certainly nothing wrong with the type of golfer you describe. I think that's a core group that doesn't need to be ignored. Not everyone wants to always "play by the rules." Frankly, who cares? That money spends the same. That group of golfer never plays tournaments, save the occasional charity captains choice tourney.

I play regularly with a 20 plus handicapper (being polite) who this summer hit the pin on a par 3 drive, leaving it 20 feet plus and wanted credit for a hole-in-one. I pointed out that's not what the rules say.

We were playing for a $1 a stroke so I said, "What the hell I'll give it to you." When we finished I had beat him by 6 strokes but he had a hole in one on a scorecard and gladly bought drinks for everyone in the clubhouse with a big fat tip for the bartender. $200

Sometimes rules are meant to be broken.

Oops that maybe considered red-boarding. "Oh what the hell"

[Benny]

Curious that a stupid,ill conceived sentence, derails all discussion of the downward spiral of golf written in the piece.

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Benny

Curious that a stupid,ill conceived sentence, derails all discussion of the downward spiral of golf written in the piece.

So, what about that article or the state of the game in general would you like to discuss?

[Benny]

Originally Posted by GPK

So, what about that article or the state of the game in general would you like to discuss?

Well, without rereading it, i was not aware of the big downturn, and the demographics of golfershas skewed up to the rich being a higher % than before as the middleclass has not returned after the recession. That the boomers have not skewed up ,and the millenials also not interested. golf courses closing, and this Topgolf and footgolf were a surprise. My own golfing down due to med conditions,so i am a bit behind. Also, why golf rates dont reduce to get more people to golf. Starters...

[GPK]

Originally Posted by Benny

Well, without rereading it, i was not aware of the big downturn, and the demographics of golfershas skewed up to the rich being a higher % than before as the middleclass has not returned after the recession. That the boomers have not skewed up ,and the millenials also not interested. golf courses closing, and this Topgolf and footgolf were a surprise. My own golfing down due to med conditions,so i am a bit behind. Also, why golf rates dont reduce to get more people to golf. Starters...

Thanks for the response. At the moment, I have a 5yo sweet girl that is wanting some daddy/daughter time. I will have time on my hands tonight and a novel will most likely ensue. This is a very personal matter for me.

[declansharbor]

I'm eager to see what local courses (if any) implement the basketball rim sized holes. Maybe then I'll be able to put my Scotty to good use and sink a damn putt over 10 feet!

[3kings]

Originally Posted by Benny

Well, without rereading it, i was not aware of the big downturn, and the demographics of golfershas skewed up to the rich being a higher % than before as the middleclass has not returned after the recession. That the boomers have not skewed up ,and the millenials also not interested. golf courses closing, and this Topgolf and footgolf were a surprise. My own golfing down due to med conditions,so i am a bit behind. Also, why golf rates dont reduce to get more people to golf. Starters...

I have golfed all my life and the reason I play less is because it takes to long. I don't want to invest the minimum of five hours that it takes on a regular basis. I got out of the habit of playing weekly because I didn't want to miss my son's games on weekends. I don't miss it as much as I thought I would. My idea to make golf more popular is to make it 11 holes. The first hole is practice and than your score is based on your best nine of the next ten.

[GPK]

Condensed version:

#1 Too many, high end, daily fee golf courses. Very few private clubs closing and not too many lower end public courses closing either.
#2 Golf club market is beyond saturated, thanks to 2 companies in particular. I could rant forever about one of them, but I will refrain. Assholes...
#3 Too costly. A great deal of that reverts back to #1. All these high end daily fee courses trying to maintain lush playing conditions have to pass on that cost to the consumer. Hopefully the movement that ClubCorp and Pinehurst resorts started this year during the US Opens will take hold. Less grass, less water, less fertilzer=LESS COST If courses can do that, and cut $75-$100k in expenses, that's a good size nut not being passed on.

I refuse to buy the excuse "the game is too hard." What a crock of sh*t. The game is as easy to play as it has ever been. I would have hated to see some of these people take up the game back when the game was really hard.

I think (and hope) that golf makes a comeback. Some of the things that aren't working and haven't been working will be weeded out. Not sure if the game will return to the heights that it once enjoyed, but I'm convinced that's probably a good thing.