#growthegame Archives • GolfStinks

Finding the Future of Golf

May 3, 2016 | By Greg D'Andrea | 8 Comments

Finding the future of golf isn’t going to be easy. There are many who are concerned the younger generation is embracing golf in far too few numbers. And there are many who are concerned current players are quitting the game in far too large numbers.

Then there’s the reality that more golf courses are closing than opening these days – a trend that’s been ongoing for the past several years. Industry experts call this “market correction” – the idea that the game grew too big during the “Tiger era” and is simply downsizing appropriately. Regardless, this still means less jobs in the industry.

And speaking about less jobs, what about the retail side of golf? It was a pretty ominous sign when in 2014 Dick’s Sporting Goods canned all of the PGA-certified pros it had working in its golf departments. In fact, Dick’s blamed the economy, less people playing, too many products flooding the market and a downward trend in their overall golf equipment sales.

All this pretty much sums up to one thing: The industry as we know it is getting smaller, not bigger. But does this mean golf is dying or simply changing?

I for one am fairly confident golf is changing – and changing for the better. We’ve seen many ideas tossed around recently on how to change the game for the better: Top Golf (nightlife driving range/game), Hack Golf (the people behind those giant golf holes), WRGA (relaxed rulebook for recreational players). All of these take-on the mission of getting more folks interested in golf.

One area of change that is starting to catch-on is booking tee-times online. Last year, we conducted a poll asking if tee-time sites might be actually hurting golf by undercutting prices too much. But the results showed more than half of you (53%) thought not. Only 36 percent were concerned, while 11 percent of you said the jury was still out.

I recently interviewed the co-founders of a growing golf tee-time site that basically is the kayak.com of golf – it brings together all the big golf tee-time sites (like GolfNow, etc.) and aggregates them in one place. The first of such websites in the golf industry, the duo (Jonathan Wride and Ryan Ewers of Supreme Golf) provided some very interesting statistics regarding online tee-times.

For example, 25 percent of golfers book tee-times online. Compared to the travel industry (where 65% of consumers book online) that may not seem like much. But by conducting their own research using data from both industries, Messrs. Wride and Ewers were able to determine golf is about where the travel industry was a dozen years ago in terms of online bookings. And golf is growing at a faster pace: Just last year the industry was 14 years behind (so online tee-time bookings are growing twice as fast as online travel bookings did during its infancy).

In fact, Mr. Wride is confident the market will continue to grow at a decent pace. He cited a recent Forbes article that shows Millennial participation is up on the successes of young new pros like Jordan Spieth. And this article, that shows these PGA young guns are credited with boosting golf’s TV ratings in 2015 – especially on CBS, which has suffered severe declines in recent years.

Interestingly, Supreme Golf’s founders say the majority of their current users are older than Millennials. This suggests the online tee-time market will grow exponentially as the younger generation coming into the game now is far more comfortable with doing things from their browser and/or phone app.

That is, of course, provided there are enough Millennials to replace all the Baby Boomers currently on the links. In this regard, perhaps the “market correction” I mentioned above is a good thing for golf after all. Not dying, just changing.

If we put all the pieces together, we might be getting a glimpse of what the future of golf will look like. Maybe gimmicky things like giant holes won’t really catch on, but there surely is a need to make the game easier and faster. To this end, new recreational golf rules and 12- or 14-hole golf courses just might catch the attention of a younger generation. Meanwhile, aggregated online tee-times sites like Supreme Golf already exist and will soon undoubtedly be the way the majority of golfers book times.

I’d venture to say the future of golf is already here. It might not be golf exactly as your grandfather or ever father knew it, but there will most definitely be golf.

Would you Play a 12-Hole Golf Course?

August 10, 2015 | By Greg D'Andrea | 16 Comments

Can 12-hole courses save golf? (photo by Greg D'Andrea) — Can 12-hole courses save golf? (photo by Greg D’Andrea)

A 12-hole golf course? Yep, they do indeed exist. And more might be on the way. Jack Nicklaus originally proposed 12-hole courses back in 2007, but he was largely ignored.

He brought it up again in 2011 as a way to save golf, which he pointed-out was struggling to engage the younger generation. This time, he wasn’t ignored, but rather criticized. You see, Mr. Nicklaus had recently built a 12-hole golf course and many accused him of just trying to boost his business.

But over the past few years, the golf industry has indeed grappled with ways to attract Millennials. And it’s no secret the game loses participation (from both potential and current golfers alike) because it takes far too long to complete a round – in some cases pushing towards 6-hours for 18-holes (especially on public tracks).

To combat this, the USGA launched a dedicated initiative to encourage more 9-hole rounds (our friend Stacy over at Golf for Beginners touched on this last week). But let’s face it, as long as it takes to play 18-holes, playing only 9 just doesn’t seem like enough. I guess those of us on a time-crunch could frequent more par 3 or executive courses, but shortening the length of the holes and subsequently not being able to hit your driver? To me, that really changes the game.

Ideally, what golf needs is a course with less-than-18, but more than 9 full-sized holes – including par 5’s. Thus the 12-hole (or even 14-hole) golf course might be just right. First off, greens fees would come down since there’s less course to maintain. And with less holes, walking courses would become more prevalent too. How many times have you become fatigued over the last few holes while walking 18? Well, that won’t be an issue if you’re only playing 12.

And it stands to reason if you cut the number of holes by a third, it should take only two-thirds of the time to complete a round. So if it typically takes you 5 hours to play 18-holes, it should take just under 3.5 hours to play 12. This is a much more manageable timeframe and it fits much better into a busy weekend schedule. And if you only have 90 minutes or so, just play the front (or back) 6!

But what about the handicap system on a course with less than 18-holes? Well, that can be adjusted fairly easily according to the USGA, which has stated they “would consider rating 12-hole courses in the near future.”

So what’s the issue?

It appears the biggest hurdle is the mindset of current golfers and golf course managers. “But par is only 48!” We golfers have a hard-time considering anything but the traditional 18-holes. In my opinion, it’s this kind of stubbornness that is holding the game back. We need to be reminded that 18-holes is a relatively recent (last century or so) standard number of holes a course has. In the past, courses have featured 5, 7, 12 and even 22 holes!

And likewise, you can put golf course managers in the same boat. When a course is about to fold, most managers don’t even consider selling-off acreage and creating a 12-hole (or even 9-hole) layout. They simply take the loss and close their doors.

Yet on the whole, it appears 12-hole courses would be good for golf – not only helping the industry economically, but also helping with participation from new and current golfers alike. Now if we can only get folks to start thinking outside the box, we might just be able to make golf a better game for everyone.

Feel free to throw in your two cents in the comments – I would love to hear your opinion, either for or against a 12-hole golf course.

How to Plant & Grow the Next Generation of Golfers

June 25, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | Leave a Comment

Keep it simple when introducing golf (CC-PD-Mark)

It’s no secret the biggest issue in golf (perhaps second only to slow play) is cultivating young golfers who will continue to play as they grow up. Believe it or not, this is our responsibility as adults and parents. We must introduce the game to our children in a way that sticks with them.

For example, kids need activities they can emulate in the backyard. Think about baseball, football, soccer and basketball – all games you can play in some form right outside your back door. You can throw the football around; kick the soccer ball into a practice net; play a game of Wiffle Ball; even erect a 10-foot high net to shoot hoops. But golf? Virtually unheard of.

When I was a teen, I would go outside with my pitching wedge and a few plastic practice balls. I would setup targets around my yard and pitch to them. Sure, I guess you could say I was working on my short game, but it was more than that – I was also playing a game – a mini round if you will. Friends would come over and play my backyard “course” too – we even printed out scorecards to make it official. But how many kids do this? We recently reviewed the backyard golf game, Bonzi Golf – this is one game that can get kids into the spirit.

Another idea is to simply give them access to your clubs. Whenever I have my clubs in the living room, my son is all over them. He wants to learn about what they are and how to use them. He’s only 3, but the interest he had in my clubs prompted me to buy a real putter for kids his age. He now asks to practice putting in the house so he can play along with me.

And here’s a novel idea: Take them to the course with you! Bring them along on a nine-hole round at the local muni. Let them sit in the cart or walk along with you. Even let them take a couple shots (maybe a putt or two). But the point is to introduce them to the game while letting them observe you (someone they look up to) enjoying themselves golfing. Of course, this means you can’t let your emotions get the best of you – if you hit a poor shot, don’t show your frustration. Just go out and have fun and they’ll get the idea.

And on the shots you let them take, perhaps swap a regulation ball out for one more forgiving, like the Polara ball for instance (stay with me here). When I spoke to the CEO of Polara, he mentioned letting kids begin by hitting the Polara since it’s much more forgiving. But be transparent – tell your child this is a “special” ball for beginners. The theory is they won’t get as frustrated and will keep at the game long enough to get hooked. Then, they can switch to a regulation ball. The CEO likened it to training wheels on a bike (makes sense to me)!

But perhaps the most important way to get kids to like golf and stick with it is to not make it so complicated! Keep it simple by just teaching them the basic rules and etiquette. There is absolutely no need to hand them a rulebook – instead just go out and play a round with them and then give them the basics as you walk through the course. If you’ve taken them out with you before they are actually playing (as I mention above), then they will already have a decent understanding of the game.

Unfortunately, exposing our kids to golf is not exactly top of mind. We keep our clubs hidden-away in our garages or in the trunks of our cars. And when we do play a round, we tend to leave our children behind. Meanwhile, golf on TV is (let’s face it) boring and there’s no golf little league for them to partake in. So it’s no wonder golf is something we tend to discover later in life (if at all).

If you’re a parent and a golfer, it’s on you to introduce your child to the sport. Buy them a backyard golf game; or show them your clubs. Let them tag along on your next round and when they’re ready to swing on their own – go easy on them with the tips and rules and all that other stuff we tend to overdo when we introduce someone to the game. Heck – even buy them a golf video game if you think it would get them interested.

The reality is, golf isn’t going to grow itself. And kids aren’t just going to gravitate to it. The solution begins with you.

It’s Hard Being a Stinky Golfer

June 18, 2014 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

From the very start of this blog back in 2009, we here at GolfStinks were on a mission: To teach golf hacks that you don’t have to be good at golf to love it. This has been our mantra for the past five years and hopefully many more years to come.

But convincing golfers that it’s OK to stink isn’t easy. After all, we’ve been taught from a very young age to be good at whatever we do – and if we’re not good, we should keep at it until we are. So the notion of accepting that you are less-than-stellar at something is a difficult pill to swallow.

Some people just flat-out won’t accept it. One of my golfing buddies is like this – for more than 20 years he has been trying to be a “good” golfer and he is truly frustrated that he hasn’t been able to achieve this goal. Every time we play, he really takes his poor shots personally – yelling at himself, throwing his clubs, etc. But he keeps coming back for more – perhaps he would start to enjoy himself if he just played for fun. Or perhaps he’s just a glutton for punishment. In any event, it’s not like he’s trying to help himself – he rarely takes lessons or spends time on the range.

The mainstream golf media needs to accept much of the blame for this train of thought. They inundate us with a never-ending stream of tips and tricks: From magazine articles with pictures and drawings to swing demonstrations on TV, they’ve got us convinced that a quick fix in our backswing or using some zany gadget will help us to be the next member of the pro tour…what nonsense. Even shaving just a few strokes off your game takes plenty of time, practice and money.

Meanwhile, frustrated golfers (especially beginners) are quitting before unlocking the true joys of golf. We shouldn’t quit this game because we stink. We shouldn’t focus on the bad (the duck-hook into the pond or one we sliced OB). Instead, we should embrace that rare birdie (or even par); that 20-foot putt that drops in; that chip next to the pin; that one drive that finds the middle of the fairway. There are many joys in golf: camaraderie, getting out in nature, and of course, playing a challenging game where being just one stroke better than your previous round will put a smile on your face.

I truly believe it’s about acceptance. First, accept that you will never make the pro tour. Next, accept that unless you have the raw talent and the time to practice constantly and money to pay for proper training, you’ll probably never get too much better than you are currently. If you can accept these things, then you will finally be able to enjoy (and I mean really enjoy) golf.

So while everyone else (the golf media, equipment companies; your playing partners) is telling you to focus on being a “good” golfer, we here at GolfStinks will continue to focus on having fun. I mean, why else are you out on the course? After all; Golf is a game, you should have fun playing it.

Black Girls Can Golf

July 10, 2013 | By Greg D'Andrea | 1 Comment

We all know the USGA wants to grow the game of golf – especially when that growth includes women and minorities. But as I’ve mentioned before, that’s going to be a hard sell as long as venues like Augusta National (which are steeped in a history of racism, sexism and exclusivity) continue to be poster children for the game.

In essence, the stereotype of golf is it’s a white man’s game (Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden). And that stereotype is pretty much a reality out on the links. We recently posted about the number of women that play golf – the statistic said 25% but that seemed awfully high to us (we figured more like 10% based on the frequency of seeing a female out on the course).

Why aren’t more women playing? Could part of it be this “gentleman only” aspect to the game? Now consider the number of African-American females who play golf. We’re talking about a very low statistic indeed. So low, in fact, that Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald decided to do something about it.

Ms. Fitzgerald was in the corporate world for a decade and noticed “how many [business] opportunities were available to people who played golf.” She also noticed how very few golfers were black females. It was with this in mind that she founded BlackGirlsGolf.net, with the goal being to grow the game of golf to include more women and minorities.

But she also recognized that golf is its own worst enemy when it comes to keeping these women golfing for a lifetime. After all, the game is rather exclusive and unquestionably male dominated – which is a big turn-off for many women. And the fact that most golfers (in the U.S. anyway) are white males may not be the biggest draw for those who are neither white nor male.

Golf has been late to evolve. The exclusivity that once attracted people to the sport, is now one of the things that keeps new golfers from participating. It wasn’t until 1990 that Augusta National invited African-American’s into their club and it would take another 22 years before America’s most prestigious course would allow women. It’s time to shake things up. – Black Girls Golf website

Instead, what Ms. Fitzgerald wanted to create was a “low pressure” and “inviting environment” to introduce the game of golf to women – and more specifically, to black women. To this end, Ms. Fitzgerald began with her website and blog – where she was able to communicate her ethos. More recently, she’s partnered with a golf pro to provide group golf clinics in the Atlanta, Georgia area. These clinics have been so successful at retaining new golfers, she is now looking to expand outside Atlanta to grow the game to women and minorities across the United States.

“Some of these women were so new to the game, they didn’t even know which end of the club to hold,” said Ms. Fitzgerald in a recent phone interview. “But they were able to learn about this game in an inviting environment that made them want to keep playing.”

Unlike recent efforts from the powers that be in the golf industry, here is a grassroots organization that is not only introducing new people to the game, but also making them golfers for life. This is ultimately what the USGA needs to grow the game…but you couldn’t tell based on the so-called initiatives they have currently in place.

Rather, the golf industry needs organizations like this to grow along with it. From the Black Girls Golf website:

It has been our experience that when women have a positive introduction to golf they are more likely to become ‘golfers’. Women who are brand new to the sport tend to make golf clothing and equipment purchases within three to six months of their introduction to the game.

As Ms. Fitzgerald seeks partners to help grow her organization, she is extremely wise to point out the benefits to the industry as a whole should she become successful in her efforts. After all, we all know golf’s core demographics are white men ages 25-64. To which she quips:

When African-American women show up on a golf course we get a lot of attention. Guess who is looking at us….White men, between the ages of 25 and 64.

For more information or to connect with the Black Girls Golf organization, please see:
Website – http://www.blackgirlsgolf.net
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/BlackGirlsGolf.Net
Twitter – https://twitter.com/BlackGirlsGolf