It seems like I cannot read an article about a golf course, a golf tournament, or a golfer without some reference to the distance issue.  What is the 2d most important topic in golf these days?

Slow play.

Maybe cost.

Video games.

Kids (like my son) can get very good a the golf video games. Then when you take them too the course, it is total frustration for them.

The reluctance of bigger name players to travel around the world.

The length of the US PGA tour season.

The regularity with which avaricious manufacturers keep bringing out new equipment.

Video games.

Kids (like my son) can get very good a the golf video games. Then when you take them too the course, it is total frustration for them.

Aye aye Garland.

It is really annoying when my friend shoots 50 on a video game and thinks he can do it in real life.  Then he shoots 85 and get's ticced.  For kids it is big.

* Golf numbers being flat-lined (and reducing in some key markets) in spite of Tiger Woods' presence/appeal;

* Ongoing lack of attraction to the younger generation;

* Affordability to the masses is questionable;

* Cost of running golf clubs has escalated beyond belief;

* Costs of building golf courses; and

* Too few shorter, compact courses, which is odd, given the increased premium on land and permit difficulties. The need for more Par-3 and "Exec" type courses.

Two that I'm seeing:
1.  Cost
2.  Time to play - with today's "Soccer Mom and Dad" culture, families aren't spending time at a local club or muni.  Their kids are playing soccer, football, basketball - or doing dancing, music, etc..  

Our US culture has significantly changed in the last 20 years.  When I was a kid, we played in the neighborhood.  My mom didn't even have a drivers license.

Today, kids are shuttled from activity to activity, people are routinely working 60-80 hour work weeks, and folks are tired.

No time for a round at your local golf course.

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As far as cost goes, as long as people over-extend themselves to buy the newest McMansion, they won't be able to afford the local golf club.  I work with a guy that has a McMansion, and he can't even afford to golf at the local daily fee more than a couple of times per month.  And he makes a really good buck!

Expectations and egos are the second biggest problem in golf.

Developers naturally want attention for themselves and their project.
High slope and course ratings and good looking pictures are an easy way to get that attention. Golf writers are suckers for this as they simply provide what they think the public demands.
Unfortuneately what looks good in photos is beautiful long fescue, dramatic bunkering, lakes and water features, and striped fairways. Additionally, many architects can't resist multiple elevated views (tees) which adds to time and energy required to play.
  Maintaining playability with such features is difficult at best and contributes to the 5+ hour round. Add in the high length and slope #'s and you're out there a long time whether you're the culprit or not.
Former 8 handicappers don't respond well to shooting 106.

Sadly the costs of all this must be passed on to the customer who can only afford a few of these boondoggles and gradually loses his ADDICTION to the game due to the infrequency of play, the cost, and the fact that his own rustiness brought on by the infrequency,time spent, and scoring difficulty make the game an incredibly frustrating experience.(It's very hard to justify such an experience, particulary to one's spouse who doesn't want to hear how "bad" your day was on the course-)

Slow play, IMO. Time is the most valuable resource people have these days, and recreational time is highly prized by most families. Golf takes way too long to play these days.

I remember trying to teach Nancy the game.  The first question she asked me was "now what do you usually shoot?  3 or 4 under?"

Shivas,

To your point, dontcha think ClubCorp has known this for some time? 189 courses for sale, with a majority being "middle-to-upper" class courses you speak of........I know, I belong to one.

Golf is elitist and it is too expensive.

I remember when Tiger turned professional, he was proclaimed as the answer - millions of kids would start playing golf because golf was now 'cool'.  It hasn't quite happened like we thought it would.  

While there are public courses, which allow anyone to play for a reasonable price, the majority of courses are too expensive for many people to play.  This creates a huge class divide in golf, which only perpetuates the outside perception that golf is a sport of the rich.  From the moment someone of limited means take up the game, they know that they are unlikely to have the opportunity to experience the best of our game, because the very best clubs and courses are extremely expensive and usually exclusive.

Friar's Head is held up by many on this site as the embodiment of what golf should be - exemplifying the best aspects of the game.  I'm told it costs $330k to join, and has yearly subs which are not much less than the average wage in America!  Now I'm sure that this is a wonderful club - by all accounts playing there is a wonderful experience - yet should it be held up as a role model?  By virtue of its cost and access policy, Friar's Head is the exact opposite of the kind of club that should be built if golf is to grow and gain wider acceptance.  

We can defend Augusta National's right as a private club to choose their membership, but lets face it, the 'scandal' a couple of years ago didn't make golf look good.  Membership in (what is perceived to be) America's premier golf club is limited to very rich, mostly white, old men.  Furthermore, the traditions and customs which we so love about the Masters appear downright bizarre to many 'outsiders' who don't play the game.  I  remember my Mum laughing at caddies on television this year, dressed in those horrific white jump suits!

Golf is a sport where the "proper" way to play involves having a servant at your side.  Caddies are an anachronism in the 21st century, a remnant of the game's origins which are the very thing we need to get away from if it is the thrive.

Despite all this, I love the game (1100 posts here tells a story!), which is very easy when I come from a middle-class family and belong to one of the better clubs in Australia.  If I wasn't so fortunate, I know I'd look at golf differently.  I don't have the answers either.

Mark, I presume its not difficult or expensive to join and play for a football club in the UK - it must certainly be easier than joining a golf club.  

The problem with the high cost isn't just the barrier to entry that it creates; its the perception that goes with it.  Golf is perceived as an upper-class sport, which is understandable when the price of playing at good courses and using good equipment is considered.  Football in the UK (and Aussie rules here) doesn't suffer that problem.