The Economics of Golf

How is the golf industry doing financially? Who's investing? Is the game growing? Are Millennials playing enough? This section is about the overall health of the golf industry.

It’ll Take Balls To Save Golf

September 17, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

Can these balls save golf? — Can the infamous Polara ball help save golf?

There’s been much ado via the media about the demise of the golf industry – this golf blog included. And while everyone has their opinion on how to fix it (this golf blog once again included), few solutions may be as practical as changing the ball you play.

Following up on Chris’ post from Monday, I’d like to offer my review and brief two cents about the Polara golf ball. Just to be completely transparent, the Polara balls I and the other bloggers here at GolfStinks tested were sent to us gratis after I interviewed the CEO of Polara, David Felker, for this post back in April. In that post, I stated quite honestly that my opinions toward Polara (or any non-sanctioned USGA equipment for that matter) had been rather scathing up until my conversation with Mr. Felker, who provided me a new perspective on this type of equipment.

My new perspective is; If golf is more enjoyable from the fairway (as the tag line in the photo above states) then who cares what equipment you use to hit those fairways? Of course you should never try to deceive your playing partners – especially if you’re playing in a tournament or if money is on the line. But in general, what difference does it make if the average weekend hack is playing with non-USGA conforming equipment? It’s not like the course ranger or USGA police will take away your license to golf. The only difference I can see is that weekend hacks will have a quicker and more enjoyable round.

That all being said, I have since played two 18-hole rounds with Polara golf balls and can offer the following review:

Round #1 (at Woodstock Inn & Resort, Vermont): I didn’t keep score during my first round playing the Polara balls. Perhaps I was still feeling some shame over playing with non-USGA conforming stuff, but my plan was to just see if my drives and fairway shots were straighter. On the first hole, I ripped one right down the middle and thought; “Wow, these balls really do work!” However I quickly learned (after a few poor shots) that the improvement to your game will be more subtle and to truly gauge how much the balls are helping you, keeping score is a must. At any event, when my round was over, I felt the Polara balls made my tee-shots more accurate but I didn’t notice much difference playing from the rest of the course. My guess was I saved 4 or 5 strokes overall.

Round #2: During the second 18-hole round (at Lake of Isles in Connecticut), I made sure I kept score. I played the front nine wretchedly, but still ended up with a 52 – which I didn’t feel was too bad considering how poorly I felt I was swinging the club. On the back, I turned it around and shot a 42 for a total of 94 (which is right around my average). My drives were pretty good on the back and again I attributed some of that to the Polara. To be that consistent with the driver was a bit unusual for me, so I would say the ball helped me save 3 or 4 strokes on the back alone. The ball probably helped me shave a few strokes on the front too, but it was less obvious (drives landing in the rough might have gone OB were it not for the Polara).

Now for context: I will mention my most recent round, where I did not play the Polara ball. Last week at Inn of the Mountain Gods in New Mexico, I went 55-45 for an even 100 playing Nike balls. Again I started off wretched and played better on the back – I felt I played very similar to the last time with the Polara balls, yet the result was six strokes higher. Was this because of the Polara balls? It’s hard to tell just by my scores alone.

Considering the slope: The slope rating at Inn of the Mountain Gods (from the forward men’s tees) is 124, while the slope at Lake of Isles (forward men’s tees) is a much harder 135. This means that even though I felt I played the same at both courses, I not only shot six strokes better with the Polara balls, but I was also playing on a much more difficult course that day (as indicated by Lake of Isles’ higher slope rating). To me, the combination of both my scores and the slope ratings at these courses really paints a telling picture.

Now obviously, this is just a small test sample, but it would appear the Polara ball does help keep you in play (especially off the tee). And if that leads to a quicker (since you’re not always looking for your ball) and more enjoyable round, then perhaps these balls can help golf as a whole. Hacks and new golfers alike should embrace subtle game-improving equipment like this. And to help clear the conscious of golfers everywhere, the USGA needs to amend its rules to include a section just for average players and/or non-tournament play. Steps such as these would help put golf back on track and start turning this industry into something we can once again be proud of.

The Push For 9 Hole Rounds

August 25, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | Leave a Comment

Many golf purists see 9 holes as an incomplete round. I kind of get their point. After all, does playing 2 quarters constitute as a basketball or football game? If we played 4.5 innings, is that a baseball game? No, but there are factors involved.

If we break it down and look at this from a participatory view, we must include the elements that are important to us; the participants. When we think about heading out to the golf course for a round, the two main concerns for most are time and money. It’s no secret golf costs a few bucks to play and takes the most time out of any other recreational sport activity.

A recent report by NGF (National Golf Foundation) shows a decline over the past two years in returning or former golfers with a surprising gain in the beginners category. NGF has also done some research into the whole 9-hole thing. Their findings were that the shorter rounds appeal to many beginners and those that don’t have the time or money to play 18. This seems pretty obvious but should not be overlooked.

As with anything, we must adapt in order to survive. That being said, golf’s governing bodies see this trend and have already instituted plans to address this. The biggest being USGA’s Play 9 Campaign. Granted their Play 9 day has already passed (July 23), but the residual effects should hopefully ripple through the golf community and get dormant golfers out there, even if it’s a trip to the driving range.

As always, our sentiment is to just get to out there and play, whatever it may be. 18 holes, 9 holes, driving range or putting in your living room – enjoy the game!

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

3 Ways to Fix Golf

August 6, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

It finally happened – the golf industry is finally starting to notice that the sport might be in trouble. It may have taken many, many course closures; mass retail layoffs; and hundreds of thousands of golfers to quit the game, but there is a buzz circulating within the industry…and that buzz can be basically boiled down to one question: How do we fix golf?

First, let me tell you what’s NOT going to fix golf: Gimmicks. Contrary to what you might have recently seen on HBO Real Sports, giant holes and nightclub driving ranges aren’t the answer (at least not in the long term). Instead, what needs to happen is a fundamental shift in the way we (industry folks including course owners; equipment and apparel companies; and sports media) approach this game…namely in how we teach it; write about it; and market it.

Fix # 1: Throw out the current USGA rulebook

The USGA rules are nice for tournament play, but the recreational golfer shouldn’t be held to them. For the high handicapper (90% of golfers), playing by the current rules not only makes the game more difficult, but it also (and perhaps more importantly) slows the game down. Now I’m not suggesting we have no rules. What we need is a simple set of basic guidelines that are universally accepted by the golfing industry (especially teaching pros). One such set already exists with the Recreational Golf Association of America’s rulebook. This rulebook consists of just 13 clear and concise rules along with a section on etiquette – that’s it. I’m also not opposed to the USGA creating its own simpler set of rules for the recreation golfer, as something with their official stamp on it might help with universal implementation and acceptance. And one more note on etiquette: I believe etiquette is more important than the rules themselves and it should be taught first – especially in regards to slow play (knowing which tee box you belong on; letting a faster group play though; etc.).

Fix # 2: Get equipment and apparel prices down

I fondly remember my first set of clubs – a complete set of Spalding Executives (it included all the irons, a sand wedge, the driver and 3- and 5-woods to boot)! Total price of my old clubs? $300. Handicap then: 18. Now I have a $700 set of irons; paid an additional $240 for a sand and gap wedge; and purchased last year’s driver for $200. Total price of my current clubs: $1,140. Handicap now: 18. WTF? I spent 280% more money for the same handicap? This is an all-too-real problem in golf. The reality is expensive clubs don’t help your game (try lots and lots of lessons and practice instead). Where are those Spalding Executives nowadays? They, or at least sets like them, need to be the main feature on display in retail outlets instead of the current à la carte system of club-buying. That system is only benefitting the manufactures and the public is starting to get wise. Same with apparel – why is the average big-name golf shirt $50 – $80? And why are prices in course pro shops so freaking high? People that might want to start playing golf see those prices and run for the hills.

Fix # 3: Change the focus to “fun”

Golf is played for fun and your score should always be secondary. As with the simplified rulebook, this needs to be universally accepted across the industry (actually, the mere acceptance of a new rulebook would go leaps and bounds for golfers having more fun). If the industry were to shift its marketing from “you have to play better” to “have fun playing,” not only would we retain more golfers, but create new ones to boot. We’d also remove some of the frustration tied to playing well and replace it with the idea that it’s more important just to be out playing. “Get outdoors on a beautiful course on a beautiful day while spending time with your friends or family.” This is the message we need to send. Not: “spend more money on this equipment so you can try to look halfway decent out there.” See the difference?

So: Simpler rules; lower prices; focus on fun.

I don’t want to sugar-coat this – these changes aren’t going to be easy. And the market is still going to shrink while it corrects itself from 20 years of overgrowth. But if the industry can adopt even just one of the three aforementioned fixes, the road to recovery will not only be faster, but the future of golf will be brighter.

The Current State of Golf Suggests Now’s the Time for Deals!

August 1, 2014 | By Pete Girotto | 1 Comment

Looking at some recent research results by NGF (National Golf Foundation) and paying attention to sports media or media in general, there has been a downward trend in golf participation as well as media coverage. I’m pretty sure anyone involved in or a fan of golf has probably noticed (especially with our own most recent posts, including the Dick’s layoffs and pondering if golf is a dying sport in general). The bottom line is golf is in a slump.

So the question is how do we get out of this slump? I’m pretty sure it’s cyclical just like everything else. I also believe it is a multi-faceted equation. The factors that make golf rise in popularity could be a young new superstar that sweeps the nation. It could be Hollywood lending a hand or perhaps even a political figure.

All of these factors do help but it also comes down to money. Has the game gotten too expensive to stink at it? Obviously as the popularity goes up so do the prices and vice versa. Considering golf seems to be in a lull at the moment. Now is the time to buy!

Checking online there are some amazing deals out there. Sites such as BigDgolf.com show some super deals. This is what golf needs. A good ol’ sale to kick-start the passion. Hey, if I got a super deal on some golf stuff, I’d want to use it ASAP. So, go get out there, find a deal, and hit the course!

Hit’em long…yell FORE!!!

Is Golf a Dying Sport?

July 30, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 4 Comments

Empty Golf Range — Empty driving range (*photo by Greg D’Andrea*)

I love golf. And I know many, many people who also love golf. But even those of us who love it admit there are a few issues that tend to drag it down: It’s too slow; too hard; and too expensive. These are inherent to the game – always have been and probably always will be.

But recently, there have been a few additional red flags run up golf’s proverbial flag pole: First, there was the Chinese government enforcing its ban on building new courses, effectively halting industry growth in what was a promising emerging market; Then there was the alarming NGF (National Golf Foundation) report that 400,000 people quit golf last year, supporting the idea that golf participation is shrinking, not growing; and finally, there was the mass layoffs of golf pros at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores last week, suggesting golf (as it stacks up to other recreational activities) is no longer worth investing in.

If all that isn’t grim enough, there’s always the pesky issue of growing the game to the younger generation. I recently put in my two cents on how to do that properly, because many Millennials (or younger) simply don’t/can’t relate to golf. Take a recent comment we received from a 25 year-old:

“I just don’t have time to learn [golf]. I can get to the range to practice once a week, and play once a week, usually the day after I get to the range. It’s just not enough, I quit today because after months of effort I’ve gotten nowhere. I feel bad abandoning my dad, because I was golfing with him, but I refuse to embaress [sic] myself anymore out there and he has friends he golfs with as well. I should add that I’m 25, and I don’t see many young people on the course, mostly grey haired guys 50+. This sport is dying anyway, I don’t see the point in putting a ton of effort into learning a dead game walking, it won’t exist by 2040.”

Granted, this is just one person’s opinion, but it sounds all too familiar. The younger generation only wants to play to win. And if they can’t excel at golf it’s not worth playing at all. Lost on them is that you don’t have to be good at something to love it. The comments from the 25-year-old above help prove this point – that he quit because he wasn’t good at golf – even if it meant spending less time with his father.

And what of golf being a thing of the past in just a short quarter century? Sounds a bit far-fetched…Or is it? I mean, the notion of every course being gone in 25 years is obviously ridiculous. But that doesn’t mean golf couldn’t be a shell of what it is now…especially if current trends continue. It’s not impossible to imagine a future where golf has regressed back into a small, elitist game – golf pre-1960 if you will – back before Arnie and Jack and television and new equipment technology opened golf to the masses – and more recently before Tiger and the new course explosion that grew this game to what it is today (over grew it, according to many industry sources).

As much as we don’t want to consider that outcome, it would be foolish to ignore it. More courses are closing than opening; hundreds of thousands are quitting and big retail seems to be giving up on the game. Perhaps NGF is right – that this is just market correction from several years of over-growth. But if that’s the case (and the economy continues to struggle), at what point does the market correction end? And perhaps more importantly, what can/should we do about it in the meantime?

Maybe we shouldn’t do anything? Maybe we should just let the market correct itself and hope that when the dust settles, golf will be problem-free. Or maybe we should act now to ensure golf actually has a future once that dust settles?

I truly believe the solution is to market the fun aspect of this game, rather than being so focused on making people play better. From the teaching pros, to the equipment and apparel companies, to (and perhaps most importantly) the media – there needs to be this fundamental shift in our approach to golf. Here’s the thing – not everyone is going to be good at golf. In fact, most of us are going to stink. So let’s embrace that. It’s our job to show the younger generation how fun golf is regardless of what your score is. And it’s time we veterans of the game learn that lesson too – Isn’t walking the fairways on a beautiful day with your friends at least slightly more important than the final number you write down on your scorecard?

If you said no, perhaps this game truly is dying.