Virtually all daily-fee clubs (about 75% of the golf market) are doing whatever they can to attract golfers of all ages, races, and genders.
I am a middle-aged white guy, a member of two private golf/country clubs and, according to Christine Brennan, a sports columnist for USA Today, largely to blame (along with guys like me) for the “serious trouble” golf now finds itself in. Huh?
I revel in the rite of spring that is the Masters and enjoyed this year’s tournament as much as any—with or without Tiger, Phil or Rory in the hunt. While TV ratings were lower than normal, it was a great weekend for the game of golf and for the “official” start of the season for those of us north of the Mason-Dixon line.
The revelry was short-lived, however. You see, Brennan’s “Voices” column the day after the Masters took us “middle-aged white men” to task for preferring not to have women playing the game beside men. And for not approving of: three-hole rounds; day care at country clubs and public courses; and weekend hackers playing from the forward tees (you know, the ones we always derisively refer to as the “ladies’ tees”). At least she didn’t hang us for slow play.
Brennan’s conclusion? Golf is destined to hemorrhage participants and further ensure its place as a mostly white, suburban, rich men’s niche sport with plenty of TV sponsors who make cars, write insurance and invest money. And don’t even get her started on the likes of Pine Valley, Burning Tree and the other male-only golf clubs that exist (quite successfully) in virtually every major metropolitan area in this country.
Brennan has previously written about the alleged discrimination against women at many of golf’s most revered clubs, so the tone of her column in April didn’t really come as much of a surprise. Still, the column was datelined from Augusta, so I have to believe she attended the Masters. I wonder if news of the inaugural Drive, Chip and Putt Championship reached her. Eight junior golfers (four boys and four girls) were crowned champions—with the competition conducted right there at Augusta National. Somewhat newsworthy for the “struggling” game of golf, don’t you think?
There is no denying golf would greatly benefit from a lot more participation by women (and by kids and more middle-aged white men, too, for that matter). According to National Golf Foundation data, women represent only 20% of golf participants, a considerably smaller number than for other sports—bowling and tennis at 48%, skiing at 49%, and fishing and handgun shooting at 31% and 29%, respectively. At a 20% participation rate, the numbers for women playing golf are on a par with women participating in ice hockey, paintball and mixed martial arts. Imagine that.
Industry stats show that up to 40% of new golfers are women, but many don’t stay for long. Golf is a sport steeped in tradition and no doubt this factor is part of the reason for relatively weak participation by women. But tradition is hardly the entire problem.
You don’t have to search far to find the family-oriented approach embraced by many private clubs—and yes, this even includes day-care services, nine-hole events, forward tees, and big-hole golf for whomever may want to play it. Virtually all daily-fee clubs (about 75% of the golf market) are doing whatever they can to attract golfers of all ages, races, and genders.
The golf industry is committed to searching for ways to grow participation. And despite what some may have you believe, middle-aged white men are part of the process, not simply part of the problem.
Now, I am off to a nine-hole round of golf played from the forward tees.
Quote of the Month:
“Golf is a game invented by the same people who think music comes out of a bagpipe.”
— Lee Trevino
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