Golf is in a good position. Today’s young guns are adding fans around the world. Olympics and Ryder Cup will create exciting media coverage, drama and surprises. Top Golf is expanding the game to individuals that never dreamed they would swing a golf club.
Yes there are challenges, but overall the foundation is strong. Taking the next step in building the sport lies on the shoulders of the millennials – time to take on the responsibility and ownership in the game of golf. What am I talking about? The best area for growth with golf is the new generation. We are not going to change the habits of the baby boom generation, they are off on new adventures and not in the frame of mind to pick up a new game.
But the millennials can! They can be creative in games they play on the course, they can push the industry to answer their time constraints – build driving ranges with 6 hole golf courses so a 90 minute golf outing is the pace of play. Let them wear the clothes they feel comfortable with in playing a round. Common sense should prevail but the days of no jeans is over.
The First Tee is slowly building this foundation of new golfers and we’ll see them sooner versus later. So what can you do and why? Go play and take someone with you. Respect the course and replace divots and repair ball marks so the people behind you have a great experience. Take in a PGA event and witness the God given talent these young golfers have with the game. Get involved with the First Tee, golf course MGA or WGA and your local PGA event. Most importantly, play and talk about it. Quiet is no longer a word in the golf dictionary.