Rob
I fear not. The last decade has much to be cheerful about, although it has also seen the relentless march of the cart, cart parks and tracks.
The increased numbers of non-walkers, many who think that this is the only way to play the game, has further diminished the game of golf.
The confusion is based upon the simple fact that many will not address their own values. There is no induction into golf, there is no course introduction, all there is, is the commercialism of the course, the need to make the financial investment pay as soon as possible, whatever the cost. Perhaps the fundamentals of golf are not as important as make a dollar.
I understand that money makes the world go round. Yet at what sacrifice, the cost of our own values, for our convenience (some may even go as far as say out totally laziness and selfishness), for the sake of an easy life with no real commitment because we have diminished them by our own lack of honouring the original values our forefathers set by their action in far more difficult times.
I cannot talk about other countries but here in the UK, we have been undermined, our institutions with our fundamental way of life are in total turmoil due to a simple belief in incorporating and agreeing the protection for Human Rights. The only ones who have these rights seem to be the criminals, the murders, the conmen, but never the victim or his or her family or loved ones. We have allowed an act initially based upon a sensible idea with no built-in safeguards to be distorted and used against the innocent who are now powerless due to the weak and greedy politicians both here and in Europe.
As golfers, we know that if we take our eyes off the ball we are in trouble, yet is this not what we have done over the last few decades. Not all is bad, but when do we start waking up to the damage we are doing to our game, our courses and our own commitments to ourselves.
As I said, the last decade has much to be cheerful about, but let’s not be too complacent, lest we suddenly wake up some morning and find we have lost control with very little hope of any way back.
And yes some good courses have come onto the scene in last few years - in the case of St Andrews I would, if I was forced to say, that six out of seven in not a bad number but out of that six, three shine IMHO.
Happy New Year
Melvyn