Who exactly are the protectors of the game, by the way?

[Mike_Young]

Not really my question..was asked by Tom Doak on another thread....

WHO ARE THEY?  DO THEY EXIST?

[Joe Hancock]

Related questions:

Does the game need protection?

Who does it need protection from?

What or who threatens the game?

Is the primary threat to the game a financial threat?

[Mike_Young]

Joe,
I think maybe we see it the same from seeing your questions.  The GAMEmay not need protecting but the powers that be want to make sure they protect the industry....

[Tom_Doak]

Mike:


My initial thought was that the people who think they're the protectors are probably the very people the game needs protection FROM!     

[JESII]

Mike,

'They' are, you! And everyone else with their own skin in the game.

Admiringly,

Sully

[Mike_Young]

Mike,

'They' are, you! And everyone else with their own skin in the game.

Admiringly,

Sully

I can't disagree but there are various levels.  Here's my stab at the culprits...

First Tee and the likes
Industry Associations
USGA and State affiliates
Golf car companies
Irrigation and Equipment manufacturers
Club and ball manufacturers
Real Estate developers
MUNICIPALITIES
Signature architect/GC budgets

and the good guys???
the architect that tells a course their 6400 yard course is fine and $500,000 will fix it instead of a 5 million redo because there is a wet fairway when it rains all day and no one is playing anyway......
the club president who keeps the old metal lockers and weeny machine instead of new walnut and a kitchen and bar...
The supt who looks at the course as his baby and has no intentions of parlaying it into another better job...
The golf professional who knows the kids by name, gives sublte lessons at odd times  and is actually glad to see them instead of viewing them as another issue the club requires him to deal with.
And 10,000 golf courses with budgets under $300,000.

[BCowan]

Love me them Mike young sunday morning sermons.

One could argue some of those 300k maint courses are maint better than ones 3 times that amount.

I know I could never mistake u for a logo blazer board expert 

The advantage to metal lockers is one could look through and know what 5 wood ray Floyd has in his locker 

Keep them coming

[John Kirk]

It seems to me the ultimate protectors are those people who play the game.

[Paul Gray]

Some compelling arguments here:

http://golfclubatlas.com/in-my-opinion/giordano-frank-the-funs-gone-out-of-golf/

[Tommy Williamsen]

Mike,

'They' are, you! And everyone else with their own skin in the game.

Admiringly,

Sully

I can't disagree but there are various levels.  Here's my stab at the culprits...

First Tee and the likes

Why the First Tee?

[Mike_Young]

Mike,

'They' are, you! And everyone else with their own skin in the game.

Admiringly,

Sully

I can't disagree but there are various levels.  Here's my stab at the culprits...

First Tee and the likes

Why the First Tee?

TW,
It's one of those "feel good" charities for corporate America. I know...there will be argument and there will be those that say it is not the golf but what it does for the kids but in the end it is a huge cost for the little results they can show....one on one most that know anything of it will agree but in a corporate environment they will just let it continue to exist...almost a total farce...

[Bill_McBride]

First Tee:  I don't know if our small market is typical, but my buddy, the executive director of our local chapter, says the program had 1,000 kids last summer, held six tournaments with 200 playing in the Divot Derby, and had three alumni get full rides to Div I programs.  Best is that three local publics offer $5 green fees to participants.  I try not to be cynical about First Tee. 

[Michael Whitaker]

Mike - you can separate your "protectors" into two divisions, I think...


1) Those interested in the GAME of golf
2) Those interested in the BUSINESS of golf


The ones focused on the BUSINESS are the entities that feel most threatened by the reduction of players and the resulting effects.


As for the First Tee... I have to agree with Bill. To me it's not really a golf organization. They USE golf to teach life skills, which opens a pool of funding... but, it's not really a golf organization.

[Mike_Young]

Mike - you can separate your "protectors" into two divisions, I think...


1) Those interested in the GAME of golf
2) Those interested in the BUSINESS of golf


The ones focused on the BUSINESS are the entities that feel most threatened by the reduction of players and the resulting effects.


As for the First Tee... I have to agree with Bill. To me it's not really a golf organization. They USE golf to teach life skills, which opens a pool of funding... but, it's not really a golf organization.

MICHAEL,
Good answers...I agree...

[Ed Brzezowski]

Why are local, state, golf associations looked upon as " culprits"?

[Kalen Braley]

Have we established yet, specifically what it is that needs protection?
 
Are we talking about:
1)  Course closure?
2) Courses becoming obsolete?
3) Courses being unable to be played due to bad conditioning?
4) Courses not being able to find golfers willing to pay the green fees?
 
Again, what in very specific terms needs "protection"
 
P.S.  I figure the USGA always called themselves protectors just so people would send in their annual membership dues. Even thou its tied to official handicaps, the algorithim is out there, you don't "need" the USGA to know your handicap.

[Bruce Katona]

Well the USGA & The R&A certainly didn't do their jobs in protecting the game in allowing the distance the ball now travels to dictate the game.  With all the fights over grooves, etc. the distance the ball travels is the biggest issue that was allowed to get away.
 
"Grow the Game" is a mantra but what happens when the biggest press pieces published about the game talk about the mess the players & rules officials made last week (Mickelson & the ball swapping in the President's Cup), the DJ penalty in a "bunker" (which has spectators in it) in a major and how that impacted the outcome, how the vaunted USGA allowed a US Open venue (Shinnacock) to become a putt putt course because "defending par" was the unstated purpose.
 
The USGA did a great job with playing at venues like Merion & Bethpage.  This is what the organization is supposed to do.
 
I volunteered many hours with a 1st tee Chapter trying to get it up and operational.  Golf is the sports tool and mechaism to get the kids involved in learning life skills & loving the learning process.  Could it be done better - yep - but where the programs are more than lip service, its doing good things.
 
This is JMHO.  As outlined in other recent threads, I don't appear to know much.

[John McCarthy]

Whoever teaches a kid to fix two ball marks a green since no one else is fixing them.  And that golf is faster, cheaper and better when you walk and carry your own bag. 

[Mike_Young]

Why are local, state, golf associations looked upon as " culprits"?

Ed,
I wouldn't use the word "culprit" but I don't see them as necessary for the game to be played by the majority of players.  They are often political, catering to the larger towns and clubs in a State and with no representation, or very little, from smaller average clubs.  And often he qualifying events for state tourneys etc hve become major money makers.  When a small club is cutting dollars, they are one of the first to go.  My pet peeve is some older guy from what he considers a big time private club to come prancing into a place telling them he is there to rate the course for the state golf association and then begin demanding.  One of the biggest ego trips for guys retired from middle management that I know.   

[Ed Brzezowski]

Yikes, I am a rater from a small club in Philly with no gravitas or standing. Don't demand anything from anyone. Help with rules and rate ten courses a year. Just glad to help out and sit on the committee.

[Mike_Young]

Yikes, I am a rater from a small club in Philly with no gravitas or standing. Don't demand anything from anyone. Help with rules and rate ten courses a year. Just glad to help out and sit on the committee.

Then you are one of the good guys....but I'll bet you know exactly what I'm talking about and have probably seen it more than once.

[Ed Brzezowski]

Honestly I have heard stories but have never witnessed it in person. And I hope never to see it,