Industry Needs Agreement/Action To Grow The Game
January 25, 2012 by Ian Hutchinson
In a setting such as the PGA Merchandise Show, which gets underway Thursday morning, there is no shortage of opinion about the challenges facing golf, particularly participation.
“The most important thing we can do as an industry is to grow participation,” said Nike Golf president Cindy Davis on Wednesday at Demo Day.
“We’ve been told the same three things about the experience of golf for at least the last decade — it takes a lot of time, it’s hard and it costs a lot,” she said.
Identifying the problem is one thing. Doing something about it is another.
“We haven’t done anything to really change anything, to really change that experience, for fear that that experience will be compromised when, in fact, I passionately believe you can create another experience with golf as we know it today,” she said.
That could be coming Thursday morning when Jack Nicklaus, the PGA of America and other industry types unveil Golf 2.0, a new initiative to grow participation. According to Davis, she’s behind programs such as Play It Forward and others, but the main thing is to take action.
“What that (new) experience looks like from a time standpoint, from an ease of play standpoint, from a cost standpoint, there are a lot of great ideas out there to address it. What needs to happen is the industry needs to galvanize behind one idea,” said Davis.
“I think we need to get behind, just like you do with any product, and brand something and almost bless it in a way that it is golf and people believe it’s golf, even though it might be an alternative form of golf,” she said.
“That’s where it starts and I think the serious nature of that has gone up a level,” she said, adding that the alternatives to traditional golf might involve new rules, products or even course set-up.
“If we don’t do something like that, I’m not sure there’s going to be the vibrancy that we need in the sport because of the way the culture, the world and society is changing,” said Davis.
“I’m not sure what the wake-up call needs to be with the industry to really do that and put aside other agendas and self-interests,” she said.
GNN will be asking other industry leaders in Orlando for their thoughts on growing the game.
Ian Hutchinson is a veteran Canadian golf writer, whose history in the game includes an extensive background with Canadian golf trade publications. A golf columnist with Sun Media, Hutch is also a regular contributor to publications and websites in Canada and the United States.
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I think people like Cindy Davis are part of the problem! The actual ‘game of golf’ has been around for over 400 years. The ‘business of golf’ has only had an intense focus on huge profits for the last 25 years. As more and more people entered the world of golf with their sole purpose being making huge profits, the actual game has suffered. There is no need to design courses with slope readings of +130. There is no need to produce stimp readings of +10.5. There is no need to design equipment that is released at the PGA Show and is obsolete by July.
What we’ve done is take a beautifully simple past-time and turn it into big business. We don’t need to do anything to ‘grow’ the game! The game will grow itself once the ‘fun’ returns! People will only give you money on a long term basis for two reasons: you provide something of value and/or you give them something that makes them feel good. There are no exceptions! Golf is doing less and less of both!
Ask any CPGA Professional how frequently they play golf with their members or how many lessons they teach. How many Course Superintendents visit the locker room on a Saturday afternoon and talk to the golfers. How many courses are owned by corporations who have one purpose; profits.
How many fine courses that cost a reasonable $3M to $5M to build also have a cash sucking $10M clubhouse? It isn’t rocket science; it’s greed!
If you want a couple of examples of what ,in my opinion, are good golf facilities try Copetown Woods near Burlington or Westview near Aurora.
Once we return to ‘value’and ‘fun’ the game will grow itself just like it did for over 400 years.
Mr. Shurman, you speak many truths…what you are referring to is what i remember about Economics 101. Being successful in the Golf business or in any business for that matter, is a result of “passion” once there is passion the sky is the limit. However, referring back to my highschool Economics course, there are more Tee-times available then there are golfers. Don’t get me wrong, there are more golfers now than there have ever been but my fear is the generations to follow. You are 100% correct, the reason people buy from anyone is because of the way they get treated…you can’t treat your customers as a number, you have to treat them like what they are…a very important part of your success. I think it would be unfair to judge everyone in the business but you’re right, we all need a swift “kick in the pants” to remind us what the definition of success is. Success in the Golf industry is a “happy” golfer because one happy golfer will invite a friend and that’s how the game “Grows”.
One last note…I love all the things we “say” we are doing to Grow the game but…is there action behind those words. I don’t want to cause trouble but my kid’s are in Grade 10; Grade 8 & Grade 7…the Public school they go to is an official Golf Canada “adopted” school. I asked them the other day if they have ever Golfed during gym class and the answer i got was…”the only time we touched a golf club is when you came to the school to do clinics. All I’m saying is…we can’t “talk”…we have to “do”. I love the game and will play it for the rest of my life…it has been very good for me!
Cheers Mr Shurman, I’m sure you feel the same way.
Ashley – I just wanted to clarify that for the Golf in Schools program and the ‘adopted’ school you’re referring to, the program curriculum is tailored specifically for Grades 1-6. That may be the reason why your children haven’t been introduced to the program as you mentioned. Alternatively, if you give me a call at 1-800-263-0009 x 204 and let me know the name of the school, I will look into it further. In addition, Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada are in the midst of developing a high school golf program in partnership with Physical Health and Education (PHE) Canada. Look for more info on the high school program in the spring or fall.
Ted Logan
Manager, Youth Development
Golf Canada