OK. Let me just tell you this up front. I am still spinning from my experience at the Sybase Match Play Championships. I’ve been to PGA Tour events, and even a US Open playoff. But. This was something I really didn’t expect. Granted I was willing to wager that 99% of the Pro-Am participants were guys, and most of the fans out there were men, but still… Wow. It was weird. Perhaps it was my expectations (or lack thereof), but there was some interesting stuff I observed. There are probably going to be like half a dozen posts to rid my brain of everything, but we’ll see. Ok. Here it goes…
Overall Observations:
It definitely didn’t have the “feel” of a major league event. The tickets were distributed in a small folding tent in the parking lot. School buses took you to the course where the driver of the bus gave you the “banned items” speech. Except that instead of saying that cell phones and cameras were banned, he just asked you to put your phones on vibrate. Two small concession stands. The gave you the roll for your hotdog in one line, then you had to stand in another to actually get the hot dog…. If they were actually cooked.
The course didn’t look really difficult. Ok, the greens were undulating and pretty fast… not extremely but still fast, and you had to put your approach in the right part of the green. The fairways were so huge, I could have hit them. I saw only one missed fairway in two days- Catrona Matthew on #10 on Saturday (more on that in a later post). I know the women hit it straighter than the men, but jeez.
If you like 230-240 yard drives, the LPGA is for you. Definitely no WOW factor. Makes Michelle Wie look all the more impressive.
At a PGA Tour event, there is definitely some eye candy outside the ropes. At Sybase? Non existent. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty inside the ropes… the Ricardi/Munoz match was something to behold, but…
…. It is weird watching post-middle aged men (and some middle aged men) ogling women easily more than a half to a third of their age. I mean really weird. To the point that I was uncomfortable being there…
… not to mention that most of these dudes still looked like they still live in their parents’ basement… or my late grandfather. Wow.
I was expecting some bigger crowds, but then again I remembered… women’s sports don’t draw outside of Knoxville, TN and Storrs, CT. And only for basketball.
My friend Matt (who is living in Beijing) has a theory that Asian women are vampires due to their aversion to the sun. I guess they use umbrellas on sunny days and not on rainy ones. Based upon what I saw… that theory is still valid.
Pretty much anyone can get a “Media” credential. I doubt half of the people carrying media credentials have ever had anything written, published, or posted. Hell, with this blog, I am more “media” then they….
….speaking of the other half of the credentialed media, the “stereotypical” sports writer: doughy, aging male, not athletically inclined, wearing wrinkled, rumpled clothes, was on full display. Needless to say, they fit right in.
The trend of wearing golf shoes while watching a tournament is still mystifying. What is the point? You don’t wear spikes to a baseball game. You don’t bring your skates to a hockey game. Why the hell do you wear golf shoes to a golf tournament? What was interesting here is that 90% of the violators at the Sybase were women. Seriously. No. Joke.
I have heard that LPGA golfer were more “accessible” to the fans (are they sure they want to be?) than their PGA brethren. While this is true, I can’t help to wonder, is this by design or by simple logistics? I smell a future blog exploring this… maybe.
I watched the players warm up on Saturday before their matches. Not many putts on the putting green dropped. I mean everything from 3 footers to lag putts. I bet the success rate was maybe 60%. Perhaps I’m missing something, but it was astounding none the less.
Well, I think this is enough for now, I’ll be back… much, much more to come.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Golf's Big Problem? Not Really
Sunday’s Wall Street Journal published and article titled: Golf’s Big Problem: No Kids are Joining the Game. In it, author Matthew Futterman decries the lack of youth participation in golf based on a National Golf Foundation report showing a 24% drop in the number of golfers aged 6-17 from 2005 to 2008. Ok. What is the big deal? Fine, there was a 24% drop from 2005 to 2008. What was it from 2000-2004? Did it go up? If the number of youth golfers is resting at 2.9 million (down from 2005’s 3.8million), what was it in 2000? 1995? 1956? Is there data? I’m sure there is, but I can’t get to it since you would have to pay for it. (being “homeless” and all…you know…) It would have been nice if Mr. Futterman had included some numbers because it adds something: perspective and context. Without either of those things, his conclusion is meaningless. Is it just a bump in the road? If the 2000-2004 numbers shown growth from like 500,000 to 1.8 million, then 2008 is still ahead of the game, perhaps the 2005 numbers were artificially inflated? The unfortunate dilemma is YOU DON’T KNOW. He could have had the numbers, but decided not to add them, because, well, who would ever let data get in the way of their conclusion.
It would be nice to see how these numbers were taken. Did the NGF take surveys of local course starters? Are they counting the numbers of golfers signed up for official youth tournaments? Is it some kind of extrapolated number like an exit poll on election night? Without a basic understanding of how the numbers were developed, they are just what they are… numbers.
MF goes on to give some reasons as to why he thinks this large drop occurred. Of course I don’t agree with many of those either, so attacking one-by-one:
MF reason 1: Golf courses are too long.
Ok. Seriously? His example was of a 450 yard hole. Only an idiot would have an 8 year old tee off from the tee box. A hole like that makes most beginners (or hackers) cry no matter what their age is. Most “family oriented” courses I’ve seen had a set of “junior” tees (pair of monuments imbedded in the fairway) about 150 yards from the hole which allows Mommy and Daddy to tee off from their tees and allows Junior to tee up when they hit their approaches. If there is a dogleg hole? But the tees in the middle of the dogleg. Your course doesn’t set junior tees? Have your kids tee it up from the 150 yard marker. Simple. As they get older they can go from playing the holes as par-4’s (@ 150), to par-3’s, then slowly move back from there. There is no reason a 12 year old boy can’t play from the senior or ladies tees. Heck in Europe, there are no men’s or ladies’ tees. The tees that you are allowed to play from are based upon your handicap.
Back tees: 0-10
Middle tees: 11-15
Front tees: 16-25
If you have an index higher than 25? Hit the range. They don’t want you tearing up the course. Imagine if something similar was enforced here in the US at a local muni on a Saturday in July. Loads of pissed off duffers who think they can hit 300 yard drives consistently.
BTW- His solution is short sighted. Make a shorter course? No. Make the existing course shorter. Big difference. Besides, there are plenty of executive courses if a regulation course is too much.
MF reason 2: You need to make the game easier
Stop. The game is easier. With perimeter weighted cavity backed irons, hitting the ball is easier than ever. My 1st set of clubs (at age 16) was a mismatched set of muscle-backed Northwestern Irons with Permission woods. Yeah. And that was not that long ago. He suggests that golf should follow tennis in creating smaller courts, partner with colleges to make more intramural teams (more opportunities), etc, etc.
As a former member of the USTA (hey their Mid-Atlantic office was in the lobby of my apartment building), the quick start program is great- don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think that golf needs to copy it. Unfortunately, golf programs in High Schools aren’t as prevalent as tennis programs. I think it is due to a) costs of competition (greens fees, etc) and b) lack of participation due to team sports. Do you really think that a school system or High School athletic director is going to put money into a golf program for 8 students and take it away from a revenue producing sport such as football, basketball, or wrestling? No. Let’s be honest. As a nation, we would prefer our youth to be playing team sports rather than individual ones. I know it is called a golf “team” but c’mon. Really. My High School had a golf team. There were 10 golfers on it. Most of them didn’t actually compete because they couldn’t get through nine holes in under 60 strokes. At least they got to practice….
I don’t think making partnerships with colleges making IM programs or a “no-cut” rule for High Schools (which most golf programs have anyway just to get numbers up) is the way to go. You first need better understand the market (getting to it…wait for it….).
MF reason 3: Golf takes too long- more short-course facilities need to be built.
Jeez. Really? Parents don’t have 6 hours to spend with their kids? Obiously MF never had a daughter who played softball at a high level (travel ball), or a son who played AAU basketball because spending entire weekends traveling to and watching tournaments is soooooo much shorter than a 6 hour round at a muni. Again, the great thing about a golf course is that you can adjust it to fit your needs. If you want to make it a family outing, let mom or dad (if they are learning too) use tees from the fairway (tee up the driver, then tee up the 5-iron from the fairway) in order to move things along and enhance the experience. We don’t need short course facilities for golf to move forward- we need golfers to forward think.
An overlying theme of the article is that golf needs more kids aged 8-18 to be come involved in the sport in order for it to survive. With that premise, he seems to forget something. Most kids age 8 and up start their sports careers in team sports. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Soccer. Hockey. There is a reason for this. Team sports build character. Not to say that a solo sport can’t (USGA’s great 1st Tee commercial), or doesn’t, but 8 year olds need to make friends, learn to play nice with others, learn how to lead others, etc, etc. Golf can do this too, but team sports are able to reach more kids at the same time. Golf is something that most athletic people take up after their team sports days are over (High School, College, or Professional). I played a grand total of 3 round of golf before my 22nd birthday. 1st round at age 16, 2nd at age 18, 3rd at age 21. Why? I was a baseball player. High School, American Legion, College (Div 1), and Semi-pro after college. Most of my friends followed a similar path. Whether they ran track, played hoops, football or whatever. Golf (and tennis) were sports we didn’t really pick up until after we were pretty much done competing in other sports. That is why golf is a “game for a lifetime”. The demographic I want to see is the participation of the 18-35 year old golfer (male and female). That demographic will determine whether golf grows or dies.
It would be nice to see how these numbers were taken. Did the NGF take surveys of local course starters? Are they counting the numbers of golfers signed up for official youth tournaments? Is it some kind of extrapolated number like an exit poll on election night? Without a basic understanding of how the numbers were developed, they are just what they are… numbers.
MF goes on to give some reasons as to why he thinks this large drop occurred. Of course I don’t agree with many of those either, so attacking one-by-one:
MF reason 1: Golf courses are too long.
Ok. Seriously? His example was of a 450 yard hole. Only an idiot would have an 8 year old tee off from the tee box. A hole like that makes most beginners (or hackers) cry no matter what their age is. Most “family oriented” courses I’ve seen had a set of “junior” tees (pair of monuments imbedded in the fairway) about 150 yards from the hole which allows Mommy and Daddy to tee off from their tees and allows Junior to tee up when they hit their approaches. If there is a dogleg hole? But the tees in the middle of the dogleg. Your course doesn’t set junior tees? Have your kids tee it up from the 150 yard marker. Simple. As they get older they can go from playing the holes as par-4’s (@ 150), to par-3’s, then slowly move back from there. There is no reason a 12 year old boy can’t play from the senior or ladies tees. Heck in Europe, there are no men’s or ladies’ tees. The tees that you are allowed to play from are based upon your handicap.
Back tees: 0-10
Middle tees: 11-15
Front tees: 16-25
If you have an index higher than 25? Hit the range. They don’t want you tearing up the course. Imagine if something similar was enforced here in the US at a local muni on a Saturday in July. Loads of pissed off duffers who think they can hit 300 yard drives consistently.
BTW- His solution is short sighted. Make a shorter course? No. Make the existing course shorter. Big difference. Besides, there are plenty of executive courses if a regulation course is too much.
MF reason 2: You need to make the game easier
Stop. The game is easier. With perimeter weighted cavity backed irons, hitting the ball is easier than ever. My 1st set of clubs (at age 16) was a mismatched set of muscle-backed Northwestern Irons with Permission woods. Yeah. And that was not that long ago. He suggests that golf should follow tennis in creating smaller courts, partner with colleges to make more intramural teams (more opportunities), etc, etc.
As a former member of the USTA (hey their Mid-Atlantic office was in the lobby of my apartment building), the quick start program is great- don’t get me wrong. But I don’t think that golf needs to copy it. Unfortunately, golf programs in High Schools aren’t as prevalent as tennis programs. I think it is due to a) costs of competition (greens fees, etc) and b) lack of participation due to team sports. Do you really think that a school system or High School athletic director is going to put money into a golf program for 8 students and take it away from a revenue producing sport such as football, basketball, or wrestling? No. Let’s be honest. As a nation, we would prefer our youth to be playing team sports rather than individual ones. I know it is called a golf “team” but c’mon. Really. My High School had a golf team. There were 10 golfers on it. Most of them didn’t actually compete because they couldn’t get through nine holes in under 60 strokes. At least they got to practice….
I don’t think making partnerships with colleges making IM programs or a “no-cut” rule for High Schools (which most golf programs have anyway just to get numbers up) is the way to go. You first need better understand the market (getting to it…wait for it….).
MF reason 3: Golf takes too long- more short-course facilities need to be built.
Jeez. Really? Parents don’t have 6 hours to spend with their kids? Obiously MF never had a daughter who played softball at a high level (travel ball), or a son who played AAU basketball because spending entire weekends traveling to and watching tournaments is soooooo much shorter than a 6 hour round at a muni. Again, the great thing about a golf course is that you can adjust it to fit your needs. If you want to make it a family outing, let mom or dad (if they are learning too) use tees from the fairway (tee up the driver, then tee up the 5-iron from the fairway) in order to move things along and enhance the experience. We don’t need short course facilities for golf to move forward- we need golfers to forward think.
An overlying theme of the article is that golf needs more kids aged 8-18 to be come involved in the sport in order for it to survive. With that premise, he seems to forget something. Most kids age 8 and up start their sports careers in team sports. Baseball. Basketball. Football. Soccer. Hockey. There is a reason for this. Team sports build character. Not to say that a solo sport can’t (USGA’s great 1st Tee commercial), or doesn’t, but 8 year olds need to make friends, learn to play nice with others, learn how to lead others, etc, etc. Golf can do this too, but team sports are able to reach more kids at the same time. Golf is something that most athletic people take up after their team sports days are over (High School, College, or Professional). I played a grand total of 3 round of golf before my 22nd birthday. 1st round at age 16, 2nd at age 18, 3rd at age 21. Why? I was a baseball player. High School, American Legion, College (Div 1), and Semi-pro after college. Most of my friends followed a similar path. Whether they ran track, played hoops, football or whatever. Golf (and tennis) were sports we didn’t really pick up until after we were pretty much done competing in other sports. That is why golf is a “game for a lifetime”. The demographic I want to see is the participation of the 18-35 year old golfer (male and female). That demographic will determine whether golf grows or dies.
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