"The decline of the game as we know it...."

[Garland Bayley]

What decline? Total # of participants?...

No, technology infusement.

Garland,

Do you see technological advances causing harm to the game of golf as you play it? How so? Thanks.

Could you not conclude from the opening of the thread that the ball has been restricted to benefit high speed swingers and we have lost the diversity in its reaction to being struck by the golf club. Just think how bad I could beat Kalen if he didn't gain benefit from the modern ball.

I believe cavity backs are a detriment to the player wanting to improve. I was given bad advice to change from blades to cavity backs, and the resulting stagnation. I believe now that I am back to blades, I can regain the ability to improve. Last fall with blades was the first that had my handicap going down.

There is the bother of well meaning cart riders that will drive their carts over hither and yon to give you a yardage reading from their devices. 90 degree rule apparently doesn't apply when you have a technological device.

Yada, yada, yada

I guess Carl feels these are dead horses. Sorry he is such an unfeeling person.

[Phil McDade]

What decline? Total # of participants?...

No, technology infusement.

Garland,

Do you see technological advances causing harm to the game of golf as you play it? How so? Thanks.

Eric:

Do you view the state of the game of golf, declining or not, solely from the perspective of how you play it?

[John Kavanaugh]

John Kavanaugh writes:
People that only play 10 rounds per year are not golfers.  If you don't input at least $5,000 a year back into the game you don't deserve it to be around for your leisure.  Those people will be happy doing something else and never know golf went away.

Do I have to spend the $5k on rounds, or can I spend some of it on books or nicknacks and such? What's the deal if I only play say 5 rounds a year, but I spend $1k on each round, would I then be a golfer?  

What if I play a lot, like 100 times a year, but it still doesn't add up to $5k, can I call myself a golfer?

We need John rules to know who is a golfer and who isn't. But your rule stated above leaves more questions than answers.

Cheers,
Dan King

There are now more golf clubs in the world than Gideon bibles, more golf balls than missionaries, and, if every golfer in the world, male and female, were laid end to end, I, for one, would leave them there.
 --Michael Parkinson

Dan,

The $5,000 includes all things golf related including food and beverage.  Sure, even books.  If you play 100 times a year under $5,000, which is possible where I just played a quick 9 at $480/year + $5 trail fee, you are a golfer but will not have anywhere to golf much longer.

[Eric Smith]

Hi Phil. Good question. When I step out from behind the computer screen and drive over to practice at the golf course what I see isn't surprising: I see the same parking lot full of cars that I've seen for 30 years. I recently drove up the road to the mega golf store and watched salesmen (plural) on the floor selling golf merchandise out the ying. This was somewhat shocking. I had thought that things weren't this good.

I joined a club that is growing and expanding to include a new golf course in addition to the existing one. Certainly we're going to need new members who believe in the club to give us the best shot at success and I believe there are a number of folks out there who remain bullish towards golf and its future.  My golf game personally has stagnated, but my excitement for playing it is as great as ever. This is the year (!) I tell myself.

What I see when behind the computer screen is different. What I see there is fear. It isn't just a golf phenomenon, mind you. It is everything. The global economy, wars, political issues, etc. The naysayers have a firm grip around our necks and they'd just as soon strangle you if you let them.

Now, good ideas about building sustainable golf courses are certainly a welcome addition to the problem solving of the golf 'industry'. But you asked me about my perspective and if it's based on how I play the game. So to answer your question, well, that is the only perspective I can see, feel and touch. so yes. I don't enjoy the fear mongering in the world today and I refuse to be engrossed by it and/or allow it (them?) to manipulate my thinking of what is going on around me.

What I said before is how I feel. Golf is a game first and I hope to continue to have fun with it.

Let's go hit some golf shots.

Edit - I was talking to a kid on the putting green who had a sweet Cameron putter. One of the new ones which I have been anxious to try out, but they didn't carry them at the mega store. He eventually told me he was a scratch golfer and that he was going to play The Honors in a few weeks and asked if I had played there. I told him I had but it's been 6 or 7 years...Yada yada yada I'm playing there June 8. I contend that this game is as great as ever.

[John Kavanaugh]

I just want to point out that golf is not dead in my world.  As evidenced on this thread I posted at 4:03 and left work to go out to the course, found a game, played 9 holes in a fivesome, drank the drink I won, philosophied with the State's Attorney and made it back to work to post again at 6:17.  This is a nine hole course with 200 members that charges $480/year with a $5 trail fee for each day you play.  It is stag night so the parking lot and bar is full.

The only thing that I find hard to believe is that I am back at work.

[Garland Bayley]

I just want to point out that golf is not dead in my world.  As evidenced on this thread I posted at 4:03 and left work to go out to the course, found a game, played 9 holes in a fivesome, drank the drink I won, philosophied with the State's Attorney and made it back to work to post again at 6:17.  This is a nine hole course with 200 members that charges $480/year with a $5 trail fee for each day you play.  It is stag night so the parking lot and bar is full.

The only thing that I find hard to believe is that I am back at work.

That's nice John, but it is entirely off topic for this thread. Go start your own thread.

[John Kavanaugh]

It is entirely on topic to hear from people who love the state of the game today. If I didn't know better I might think that the only happy golfers are Dismal members. It's good to be happy.

[Mike Sweeney]

The only thing that I find hard to believe is that I am back at work.

And posting on GCA.com !! The Bush/Obama stimulus is working perfectly!

[JC Jones]

Hi Phil. Good question. When I step out from behind the computer screen and drive over to practice at the golf course what I see isn't surprising: I see the same parking lot full of cars that I've seen for 30 years. I recently drove up the road to the mega golf store and watched salesmen (plural) on the floor selling golf merchandise out the ying. This was somewhat shocking. I had thought that things weren't this good.

I joined a club that is growing and expanding to include a new golf course in addition to the existing one. Certainly we're going to need new members who believe in the club to give us the best shot at success and I believe there are a number of folks out there who remain bullish towards golf and its future.  My golf game personally has stagnated, but my excitement for playing it is as great as ever. This is the year (!) I tell myself.

What I see when behind the computer screen is different. What I see there is fear. It isn't just a golf phenomenon, mind you. It is everything. The global economy, wars, political issues, etc. The naysayers have a firm grip around our necks and they'd just as soon strangle you if you let them.

Now, good ideas about building sustainable golf courses are certainly a welcome addition to the problem solving of the golf 'industry'. But you asked me about my perspective and if it's based on how I play the game. So to answer your question, well, that is the only perspective I can see, feel and touch. so yes. I don't enjoy the fear mongering in the world today and I refuse to be engrossed by it and/or allow it (them?) to manipulate my thinking of what is going on around me.

What I said before is how I feel. Golf is a game first and I hope to continue to have fun with it.

Let's go hit some golf shots.

Edit - I was talking to a kid on the putting green who had a sweet Cameron putter. One of the new ones which I have been anxious to try out, but they didn't carry them at the mega store. He eventually told me he was a scratch golfer and that he was going to play The Honors in a few weeks and asked if I had played there. I told him I had but it's been 6 or 7 years...Yada yada yada I'm playing there June 8. I contend that this game is as great as ever.

So what you're saying is that the chicken littles and the priggish preachers are not painting a picture of reality?

Shocking.

[Doug Siebert]

Interestingly, though, what would happen to all of the new courses that are 7,428 yards long?! :-)

Quit mowing the tip pads, or play those tees as par 76.  All those 500+ yard par 4s would be short par 5s....I'm sure some people would love a course with 8 par 5s

[Mark Pearce]

Nothing in all of sport feels like a well-struck, well-executed golf shot. Nothing's even close, in my opinion.

You've never smacked a quick bowler back over his head for 6, I assume?  Or gritted out a last wicket partnership which is the highest partnership in the match to win a league game?  I imagine there are similar examples in all sport.

I love the feel of hitting a golf ball well but the most satisfying feeling in sport?  Only if you haven't played much sport.

[Mark Pearce]

I wish we had a more Scottish view of enjoyment of the game.

I'm not a Scot but I am married to one (who plays), have a golf playing father in law, who is a member of a world top 10 club and am a member of two well regarded Scottish clubs.  It simply isn't true that the Scots play golf for the pleasure of it, or the moral good it does them.  Indeed, in my estimation the Scots are more competitive about golf than any other nation I know.  Indeed, the Scots at my (English) home club are the most vociferous in complaining that we don't have enough competitions. I haven't met a Scot who'd give the Shivas Irons people a moment's consideration.  I'm sure there may be one or two but they are far rarer beasts than Americans who love that stuff.

[Brent Hutto]

I do view the state of the game almost entirely according to its effect on my own playing.

And I am not nearly as optimistic as Eric, alas. My own club will almost certainly be "recycled" at some point in the not too distant future (in the sense that earthworms are recycled into parts of a bird then the bird into part of a cat) and that will have a huge effect on the conditions under which I play. There are also ever-fewer alternatives in case of such an eventuality as golf-cart-riding replaced golf as I play it as the normative activity on golf courses hereabouts.

That said, the economic tide that may well take our club under has to a certain extent made relative "deals" available, at least among the surviving venues. But as one who really enjoyed and appreciated the status quo ante of the recent past I find the net result to be undesirable. But that's not based on anything that goes on with the PGA Tour or such entertainment ventures. Only the on-the-ground reality much closer to home.

P.S. I'm also finding my Great Escapes to remote golf experiences are getting less and less economically viable over time but that was another thread.

[Melvyn Morrow]

Who can really say the game of golf is in decline, come on just look at what we have, that gives us that get up and go.  We are luck today with all the latest aids and technological marvels that assist our game while improving our score. Who could possible complain about the current state of the game.

Just look at what we have, we are spoilt for choice, don’t agree then let’s list a few of our options, don’t fancy walking or playing with a walker, simple play at No walking clubs, feel that club is too far away then you can ride at your local course avoiding the walkers. You will not get lost as your cart has GPS, however I have never been able to tune it into Radio 1 (probably a sign of my age rather that the thing not working correctly). You do not have to get off the cart to judge distance, scrap those books and sprinkle markers, they are too complicated and getting a bit dated, use the electronic unit, just point it at the ball and there you have your distance. Although telling me distance is like speaking Dutch, I just cannot equate to distance in yards inches meters or cans of Coke. In fact not certain it’s my ball I zapped when I check distance, but no one noticed and it looks cool. Gives me the air of knowing what I am doing. Now I take a cart these days just to carry my bag which seems to have gotten as fat as me over the years, probably something to do with the new clubs and the size of some of the heads. Don’t know about you but can’t get use to the funny virginal tinny sound when I hit the ball, but boy does it take the ball. As I get older my ball travels further and that has nothing to do with my recent surgery in that area. I thought I peaked in my late 30, early 40’s but now I matching those Halcyon days, so don’t tell me golf is in decline. Far from it and my game has gone from strength to strength, proving just what a wonderful game it is. Sorry, lost my thread what game where we talking about, ah yes don’t tell me, it will come to me. You know the problem today is all the youngsters just have no commitment to anything, unlike us old timers who honour and hold dear the great traditions of the past, sorry what game have we been talking about?

The decline of the game as we know it, well decline, not certain if that is the right choice of words I would use, but it’s certainly applicable to the care the governing bodies are showing to the heart and spirit of some sports. Make something easy, remove the challenge allowing outside aids to do the work that once was a paramount part of the sportsman’s inner game and just what do you expect. These others sports could learn a thing or two about golf and how we have controlled the game. Decline, never heard such rubbish.

The Devil’s Advocate speaking on behalf of the R&A

[Bart Bradley]

Like most things in life, the truth lies in the middle.  Everything in the world of golf is not perfect and rosy, nor are we witnessing the end of the game.  Golf will go on.  Likely with cyclical ups and downs in its popularity.  Shoot, read Peper's  2 years in St. Andrews and realize that 30 years ago, you could buy housing along the Old Course for a song.  The sky is not falling but if you design golf courses for a living it isn't the best time either.

Bart

[David Ober]

Nothing in all of sport feels like a well-struck, well-executed golf shot. Nothing's even close, in my opinion.

You've never smacked a quick bowler back over his head for 6, I assume?  Or gritted out a last wicket partnership which is the highest partnership in the match to win a league game?  I imagine there are similar examples in all sport.

I love the feel of hitting a golf ball well but the most satisfying feeling in sport?  Only if you haven't played much sport.

I've played just about every one of them, and quite a few of them competitively. For me, nothing beats a well-struck golf shot. :-)