You can examine both side of the green to determine whether or now not golfing is inside the purple or black - is the sport as an entire declining or is there desire for greater contributors and new path openings?
Many say that golf is in decline due to several factors - cost, time and frustration. On the flip side, golf could be making a comeback with new initiatives set in place by golf course owners in response to falling numbers...but, in the long run, will these initiatives help, or hurt, the game?
USGA Executive Director Mike Davis believes that the sport is not dying but understands that "golf has its challenges, we are acknowledging those, but we think that the future of the game is very rosy."
Conversely, as written in The Sun News, "Golf Holiday statistics show the region (Myrtle Beach, golf meeca of the USA) has dropped from more than four million rounds annually to about three million rounds played." In my opinion, it looks like golf, and the courses it is played on, needs to reinvent itself.
Organizations like HackGolf are looking to find ways to "make golf greater a laugh for everyone". In doing so, the website has allowed common golfers to touch upon problems and offer "solutions" starting from special rules for leisure golfers, relaxed dress codes and cross-cause golfing course memberships.
Althoughmy interest level peaked as I read through some of these suggestions and initiatives, I could not help but wonder if taking some of these ideas to the next level might hurt the game even further by separating it from its roots.
Other ideas currently being experimented with, from larger golf holes to night golf with lit fairways and glow balls, seem to be helping introduce a wider variety of people onto the golf course - to tempt youngsters and beginners to want tolearn the game in its original state.
As for the "larger golfing hollow" debate, there are two aspects to the catch 22 situation.
On one hand, an eight or fifteen inch hole is great for gaining confidence of beginners and children. The problem is that a golfer might get used to playing that way and that is not the way the game is played - any putt you make is tarnished because the hole is bigger so there's never that putt you sank from 20-30 ft looking at it with the thought that "any pro would have been proud to hit that shot".
Golf courses which are struggling are also looking into utilising the path to draw parents no longer always interested by hitting a small white ball for four hours on eighteen holes. Foot golfing and Disc Golf are already being correctly incorporated or even unusual ideas along with Geocaching are being considered as millennials are being courted to the greens.
After reading my weblog, "Creative social media strategies to boom rounds on the golfing path." Erica Brockway, Communications Specialist at Hampton Golf, emailed me approximately her avid hobby in geocaching, an outside leisure activity the usage of GPS to discover hidden caches, or bins.
Her idea? Why not "give the clues on a handout to paying customers from the clubhouse or starters. Maybe within the container hidden somewhere on the course or cart path, insert a free voucher for a beer or appetizer after a round or something along those lines."
Where I like the concept, I suggested that she strive a "Geocaching Night" after rounds are performed, in order no longer to disturb the golfers on the direction. Post the event within the Clubhouse, on the internet site and on social media channels that families are welcome to sign up for within the fun to search for golfing-associated prizes.
So how do we help improve visibility for golf and get golf courses to thrive? Trying new initiatives, seeing what works - and what doesn't - spreading the word via social media and joyfully introducing beginners into the sport that can be played for a lifetime, is a great way to start!
Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and in this golf weblog!
Photograph: TotalSports.Com, mlive.Com
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