skunkworks

How is golf doing in your area?

Many of us love the game, but in Colorado a number of courses have closed or soon will due to dwindling interest, higher operating costs, and overbuilding. Some course owners singly blame younger demographics for their decline. From my relation, a professional golf analyst, who states, “As a result of social media golf is no longer considered a “social choice” nor is it a “career bolster” as it was a decade ago. Plus golf just requires too much time to play a full round for those with a full agenda as opposed to those who once demonstrated their well being by having the idle time to golf.” He points out golf courses have done little to entice the younger player; such as free Wifi, Satellite audio in the cart, partial course usage (you chose the number of holes), negotiated cost, and rental availability and a few other concerns that I can’t remember. It appears that states with a younger average age seem to be suffering the most.

What is your take?

gary

freq

weed hockey

I'm 47 next month, I've never played a single hole let alone a full round. But yes, Ricky Fowler may be the last hope for a younger generation but I don't see that happening.

S2KRAY

Jordan Spieth could be the next guy to watch on the tour. He is 21 and very talented. Golf in my area has become a 5-6 hour round of misery. Too many Tiger wanna be's out there who take too much time hacking around the course. No etiquette and the old guys take forever to play a round. I now jump on my bike, ride 50 miles in a couple hours and still have time to hang out with wife.

dlq04

Me either,

Heyitsgary

This was a topic on one of the Sports shows lately - Real Sports w/ Bryant Gumbel on HBO, maybe last week or two? Link here to a few minute preview...

I do play, quite a bit actually. Barring other things that are higher priority, I normally play Friday afternoons (just the real summer), Monday night (9 hole league, again, just summer), and if there's time on the weekend, maybe a round, maybe not. However, my season is pretty short, late April in late September. I'm not someone who gets a 50 degree day in January and goes to play (but have friends that do).

I don't see the impact here yet. I'm not a member at a club, so I don't see the private side, but don't know of any private clubs that have closed. Some have lowered the entry costs/bonds to join. Others have opened to the public on some days (not sure if its to entice new members, or to get the extra income on days the members aren't very active on the course.). Either could be a sign of difficult times.

On the municipal side, our county just put about $1 Million into the least played of our 4 county courses (on 3 properties). Now all four have new clubhouses, range facilities, irrigation, etc... Getting a weekend tee time can be difficult during the morning, but usually works out as things change during the week. We have a fully automated system, online, and 10 minute gaps (which keep the pace moving).

On the public side, again, I haven't noticed much locally. All the courses within 30 mins of me or so are still there.

An average round takes about 4:15 on 3 of the county courses, and the last takes just over 3 hours (a much shorter course.) Our county has done a fantastic job of improving things the past few years and we really have none of the issues that plague many courses.

I do believe, like many things, speculation, overbuilding, a changing population is having its effect. I was at Myrtle Beach, the home of US travel golf for years about 15 years ago. There were ~130 courses then. I've been there numerous times. Just 15 years later, and its just about 100 left.

boltonblue

No local course closures. It might be a little easier lately to get a tee time now than 10 years ago.
I did read that Dick's sporting goods revenues were suffering this winter because of the weather reducing how much folks got out to golf.
I think that there is not the obvious impact player of Tiger's stature.
Similar to say Micheal Jordan or Magic Johnson, He transcended the sport and became a cultural icon.
At the moment I don't see any players have that impact or do I expect to anywhere in the near future.
Great athletes, and for that matter, great leaders in any field define "the how" of what they do.
Tiger was golf's first true athlete. There is golf before Tiger, and after Tiger.

as to playing variable number of holes, sure 9 or 18. anything else is frankly dumb.
Carts with GPS? excellent huge improvement in pace of play.
Carts with WIFI? hell no, half the point is to disconnect and leave the rest of the world on hold for 4 hours.
Carts with music? dat's just stupid. I would bet it could actually lead to violent confrontations. It would probably start with "hey A-hole shut that F'ing thing off"
IF a course had it, I would certainly scratch it off of my play list.

robb

I don't play but there is a 27 hole championship golf course a few miles away that still seems to be doing well. www.strattonmountaincountryclub.com

Vanishing Point

I'm personally not into golf, but the sport seems to be doing well in the Dallas Metroplex. I think due in large part to the youth, high school and college level programs.

skunkworks

I came upon this news clip yesterday. It claims that golf is in a decline but will persevere and possibly grow if the young's interest is rekindled..

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/cons...clines-n164051

gary