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POLL: Are Tee-Time Sites Killing Golf Courses?

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Booking tee-times online has become extremely popular...
Booking tee-times online has become extremely popular…

I have one golf buddy who won’t play unless he gets a deal on his greens fees via a service like GolfNow. According to him, you’re crazy to pay full price when there are third-party websites out there virtually giving away open tee-time slots. And he’s not alone.

Many golfers these days are drawn to services like GolfNow in an effort to save money. In fact, GolfNow has gotten so big (it’s now part of the NBC Sports family) it’s suggested the company controls nearly half of the online tee-times in the U.S.

As a result, many in the golf industry are nervous these tee-time services are undercutting prices too severely, which might ultimately be detrimental to golf courses in general. True, GolfNow helps fill times for courses that would otherwise remain empty, along with providing digital tee-time logs instead of the old tee-sheet clipboard system – services many local mom and pop courses appreciate. But some who have considered the long-term market effects are beginning to grow concerned.

Handing customer relationships over to a third-party site is one potential problem. And coupled with the rock-bottom prices in general, golfers will begin to expect discounts everywhere (as with my buddy who is mentioned above), thus weakening the integrity of greens-fee prices within the market.

Seeing as it’s nearly impossible to ignore consumer demand, could this new lower-cost pricing model for greens fees ultimately put some courses out of business? For some course operators, using third-party tee-time sites, like GolfNow, has become a damned if they do, damned if they don’t situation. A recent in-depth piece from The Wall Street Journal (see here) captures this conundrum rather well.

This all being said, what are your thoughts on third-party tee-time websites? Are they ultimately good or bad for the golf industry? The poll and comments section are at your disposal…

Are Tee-Time Sites Killing Golf Courses?

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5 Things Wrong With Golf

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5ThingsWrongWithGolf

Let’s not beat around the bush – there are inherent problems with golf that are rarely discussed. Now I’m not going to try and solve any of this stuff in one post, but I do intend to address them in hopes of beginning a conversation around what (if anything) can be done to change this game for the better. People in the industry are always talking about needing to grow the game. Perhaps we should start by considering the five 800-pound gorillas below.

1. The Cost
It shouldn’t be any surprise to see “cost” on this list. There is perhaps no greater turn-off to people than how much money it takes to play this game. The top brands push the most expensive equipment and apparel on us – from advertising to in-store displays. Where is the section of $25 Nike golf shirts? Or the $100 Taylor Made drivers? (Not even last year’s model will be that cheap). Why do we have to spend half a grand just to have an “average” set of new irons? Retailers and brands say they are helping us to become better golfers, but all they are doing is helping us hand over our hard-earned cash with minimal results in return. We all know the formula to playing better golf: Talent and practice – preferably lots of both. Money isn’t part of that formula and it’s time the industry stops pretending that it is.

2. The PGA Tour
I am not denying the tour is an integral part of golf. Without it, the game would surely suffer both economically and in popularity. But it is sorely in need of a makeover – preferably with its schedule. First, the season is far too long with barely an “off-season” for fans to recoup mentally. It makes sense from both a business perspective (TV ratings and tournament sponsorships) and the fans’ perspective (being mentally engaged) that the season be condensed to 6 months or less. Second, the lack of a proper end to the season. The FedEx Cup is an attempt to provide that grand finale we all want, but it’s not working. Perhaps a shortened season will help, but the end to the tour’s year needs to be defined much better than it currently is.

3. The Rulebook
This is tricky because I don’t want to change the fundamental way we play golf. But there are things in the rulebook that are hindering the expansion of the game. There are too many nuances to consider; too many cans and cant’s; too many caveats that require too much referencing back and forth before a complete understanding of the rule can be fully grasped (especially for new players). What we need is a simplified rulebook for casual play. We average golfers do this already (who really walks all the way back to the tee to re-hit after losing a drive)? Let organized tournaments continue to use the present book. But for the recreational golfer…please, give us some relief.

4. The Courses
Specifically, there are too many of them. What the hell is this country doing with 17,000 golf courses? The answer: Wasting space. The reality is we built too many courses over the past few decades and the result is too much supply and not enough demand. The herd could use some thinning and the good news is this thinning has already begun…compliments of the recession. While some watch with a wary eye over the fact that more courses are closing than opening in the U.S., economists know this is ultimately a good sign. Thinning the herd will result in higher quality courses, far better equipped to meet the needs of the individual golfer. And that will bode well for both new and current players alike.

5. The Focus
If there’s one thing we stand for here at GolfStinks, it’s that this game is meant to be fun. But in every corner of the golf industry, the main focus is on making people better players, rather than helping them enjoy themselves. Now I understand that some people can’t enjoy themselves unless they are better than everyone else, but those folks are in the minority. The vast majority intend to have fun when golfing – typically through camaraderie or enjoying the outdoors, with the final score being secondary. Yet the gravitational pull from the industry to consistently focus on becoming a better golfer is hard to ignore. Until there is a shift in focus from “playing well” while on the course to “feeling well” while on the course, golfers will continue to struggle with that love/hate relationship they have with this game.

Are Golf Course Closures a Good Thing?

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According to a recent report from the NGF (National Golf Foundation), new golf course openings are at “historic lows,” while course closures continue to pile up. While many will take this as a negative sign within the industry, perhaps we should look at it from a different angle?

Here’s a breakdown of golf course openings and closures last year:

golf course openings and closures
Source: NGF

So what does the above graphic tell us? Well, that in 2012, only 13.5 18-hole facilities opened compared to 154.5 that closed. But beyond that, it tells us that the closures mostly stemmed from Daily Fee and Muni-type courses (90%). And of those, nearly 70 percent had greens fees under $40.

So what?

Well, this means lower-end courses are the ones folding. While that may not bode too well for your particular community, it might be a good sign for golf as a whole. Courses offering 18-holes of golf for under $40, at least in my area, are typically not the most well-maintained tracts of land around; there are usually waits on multiple tee boxes; and inevitably end up becoming training grounds for newbie golfers (hence the backups on the course – not from overuse, but instead from slow play).

Let me be clear here: Not every 18-hole facility with greens fees under $40 fits my description above – but, it is extremely difficult to operate a respectable 18-hole course in today’s economy…especially for under $40 per round. Thus the ones that are run the risk of being understaffed and in disrepair (prime candidates to buckle under tough economic times).

Now, there’s nothing wrong with learning the game at an inexpensive course, but perhaps a full-sized 18-hole facility isn’t the best place? There are many decent and inexpensive “9-hole” or “par 3” or “executive” courses out there (which are excluded from the graphic above) that offer a wonderful learning opportunity for newbies. This is where you need to go if you are transitioning from the driving range to the course.

No one asked for this economy, but the reality is we have it. And perhaps the 150+ courses that closed last year will ultimately benefit the golf industry as a whole. Because what we are left with is survival of the fittest. The better 18-hole facilities will remain – and that bodes well for when those golf newbies are ready to make the transition from a 9-hole or executive course to a bigger facility. They will not be disappointed with what they find – rather they will get to experience the best golf has to offer.

And if that happens, then you will have golfers for life.

Is Golf Doing Enough for the Environment?

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golfstinks, golf stinks“We’ve just had the Olympics and many of the new sports facilities built for the Olympic Park in East London were commissioned with the strict policy of creating sustainable buildings. How often does this happen in golf? [There are] no policy directives from the governing bodies of golf. I guess it only occurs if the owners and or developers have an interest in the environment.” – Peter Gorse (Owner, Golf Refugees)

For the past five years, the Environmental Institute for Golf (the philanthropic arm of the Golf Course Superintendent Association of America, or GCSAA) has been polling golf courses about their environmental stewardship. Why?

Well, because people complain that golf courses are killing the planet. For some, golf courses represent everything that is wrong with how humans treat the environment. First, vast tracts of land must be cleared to build the course (average course is 150 acres); then water, chemicals and fossil fuels are used to maintain it; and finally more fossil fuels are used (in the form of gas golf carts) to actually play on it.

Enter the Environmental Institute for Golf (of which Greg Norman is the Advisory Counsel Chair). Thus far, they’ve conducted surveys on water use; nutrient use; energy use; and are planning one on pest management soon (perhaps they should also consider adding a wildlife habitat study to boot).

Anyway, the information they’ve gathered is the first of its kind and they should be lauded for compiling it. And the results suggest things have been getting better – For example, 96% of golf courses have implemented at least one environmental improvement since 1996 and nearly half have implemented at least five improvements.

However, data also suggests courses continue to fertilize at a “slightly higher” rate than farmers fertilize some large-scale commodities in the U.S. In addition, golf courses used 30% more fossil fuels for maintenance per acre than a typical city-owned park in California. And one has to wonder how golf courses will stack-up with the use of pesticides, once that study has actually been conducted and released.

But for what it’s worth, the studies conducted by the Environmental Institute for Golf recommended golf courses seek alternative energy sources; proactively conserve water; and take steps to responsibly store and apply fertilizer (e.g. these studies show the golf industry is trying). Perhaps this research will set the standard for golf’s future policies and programs regarding the environment. As Scott J. Morrison (Sustainability Associate for the Golf Environment Organization) says: “Environmental certification programs support the need to measure the use of inputs and resources…after all you can’t manage what you don’t measure.”

And some environmental studies and programs seem to have already had an influence on the people that just might matter most:

“The new generation of Golf Superintendent is more focused on the environment than ever. Given programs like Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Permits to take Water (PTTW), expansion of environmentally sensitive areas and incoming scrutinizing of fertilizer and fertility programs…I think the real issue rests with owners, stakeholders and boards of directors…Many clubs have older owners and boards that only see the costs attached with becoming compliant instead of the long term positives that these programs bring to the plate.” – Andrew Hardy (Superintendent, Pheasant Run Golf Club and blogger at pheasantturf.wordpress.com)

Only time will tell if this new generation of golf supers will have a substantial impact on golf’s environmental stewardship, but as Mr. Gorse and Mr. Hardy both allude to, the ultimate responsibility lies with the governing bodies of golf (USGA and R&A) and course owners and developers. If the people in charge don’t care about the environment, then probably not much will change.

For now, the studies conducted by the Environmental Institute for Golf show courses are getting better when it comes to environmental stewardship. But by occupying far more land than a normal property owner, doesn’t it stand to reason that golf courses should not only get better, but really be the bellwethers of the community? Course owners and developers should set an example by providing the funding and resources necessary for golf superintendents to implement more eco-friendly options.

And there’s plenty more that can be done. Environmentalists, like Mr. Gorse, long for a day when all new golf facilities use compost toilets and worm turds to help fertilize the fairways and greens. In doing so, the rest of the community – from the leaders on down – might take notice and implement similar changes in town. Golf has something special going on in that the game is played in nature’s entire splendor. As such, golf needs to lead the way.

As Mr. Morrison puts it:

“Golf is doing a lot of great things, but we are not there yet, we have some difficult obstacles to cross and how we handle these will determine the environmental, economic and cultural dimensions of our future.“

Let’s forge our future and lead by example.

Are Golf Courses Becoming More Lenient?

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Are T-shirts and jeans becoming commonplace at golf courses?
Are T-shirts becoming acceptable at golf courses? (Photo by Greg D’Andrea)

It wasn’t long ago that you could show up to a course without a collared shirt and be sent home.  You could be told that you couldn’t play if you didn’t have your own clubs.  But the more I head out and play, the more I see golf courses relaxing their rules.

For example, the last time I took my kids golfing, we put all three of us in one cart.  Three to a cart!  About six or eight years ago that would be unheard of!

Further, my kids were sharing a set of clubs.  Years ago, that would be another no-no.  But this time, no one paid any attention whatsoever.  Nor do I think they would care anyway.

See, as we all know, times have changed in golf.  I’ve been to this particular course three times now and I have yet to see it even approach “busy.”  So are they going to bust my stones over putting me and my kids in a cart?  Of course not.  Are they going to tell me that one of my kids can’t play because he doesn’t have his own set of clubs yet?  Well then they run the risk of us walking out the door instead of making money from three greens fees and a cart rental.  With golf business down year after year everywhere, what do you think they’re going to do?

Even ride-alongs have become acceptable.  Years ago, if you weren’t playing, then you weren’t riding.  But now…along with many other former “taboos,” golf courses are relaxing their rules in the interest of making money and keeping their doors open.  And that’s something that I hope continues, even after participation in the sport begins to rise again.  Actually, that is “if” it ever rises again.

These rules have long been a complaint for golfers, or, potential golfers.  For instance, if you’re just getting into the game, you may not want to spend the money on a set of clubs without knowing whether you like the sport or not.  This isn’t basketball where you can play at any local court for free, use anyone’s ball, or worst case, spend a few bucks for your own.  This is golf, where every move you make is money out of your pocket.  So how do you expect someone to just shell out all of that money just for the chance to play once?  This is part of golf’s (hopefully) former pompous attitude.

As golf rounds continue to fall, relaxing the “rules” around the course a bit can only help – especially with Millennials.  What we need is to attract more players, not shun them with silly rules.  We want people to take-up the game, not have to shell out their hard-earned money just to see whether or not they want to pursue it.  Sooner or later, if the courses don’t lighten up a bit…there won’t be any left to turn golfers away.

Swing ’til you’re happy!

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