Don't Blame Tiger Woods For Golf's Issues
The popularity of golf is down according to reports.
Some folks blame Tiger Woods and his tangled personal life. Others say the sport has no stars worth following.
I think folks will watch golf on TV and the folks that watch the game are wealthy. Membership in private country clubs isn't cheap. I don't want this to sound snarky but I can only guess why the President, several former Presidents, Donald Trump and the rich and the famous gravitate to the game at places where few if any regular folks could afford the green fees. A graphite driver might cost about $350 these days. Whoa! $395 for a round of golf on the Blue Monster at Doral ain't going to get a lot of takers even in my neighborhood with nice houses and folks with jobs
Something is wrong with this picture. I know you can't play much golf in New York or Chicago in January or February but golf at public courses in Miami can be pricey during the winter season. Reportedly a round of golf can $180 at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. The course is about as nice as any public course in the country but can still make a dent in a Social Security check.
This may just be the tip of the iceberg. The game may not be strictly limited to the folks with all the money, but costs are making it harder for a regular Joe to afford and eventually not being able to afford to play a game except occasionally, will lead to folks losing interest in the game. And then where will the next generation of golfers come from?
I like the game and even hitting golf balls on the range is fun and relatively inexpensive, but I think the sport may go the way of the Superbowl. Something that folks will watch on TV and even that may be self limiting because it is hard to bet on.
Some folks blame Tiger Woods and his tangled personal life. Others say the sport has no stars worth following.
I think folks will watch golf on TV and the folks that watch the game are wealthy. Membership in private country clubs isn't cheap. I don't want this to sound snarky but I can only guess why the President, several former Presidents, Donald Trump and the rich and the famous gravitate to the game at places where few if any regular folks could afford the green fees. A graphite driver might cost about $350 these days. Whoa! $395 for a round of golf on the Blue Monster at Doral ain't going to get a lot of takers even in my neighborhood with nice houses and folks with jobs
Something is wrong with this picture. I know you can't play much golf in New York or Chicago in January or February but golf at public courses in Miami can be pricey during the winter season. Reportedly a round of golf can $180 at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. The course is about as nice as any public course in the country but can still make a dent in a Social Security check.
This may just be the tip of the iceberg. The game may not be strictly limited to the folks with all the money, but costs are making it harder for a regular Joe to afford and eventually not being able to afford to play a game except occasionally, will lead to folks losing interest in the game. And then where will the next generation of golfers come from?
I like the game and even hitting golf balls on the range is fun and relatively inexpensive, but I think the sport may go the way of the Superbowl. Something that folks will watch on TV and even that may be self limiting because it is hard to bet on.
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