Should we modify the golf courses and the game to attract younger participants?

Should golf courses listen to game enthusiasts predicting a sharp drop in participation in the near future? Should they modify the game and equipment to stay in business, or will this only alienate their existing customer base? The arguments on both sides have merit.

It’s not as popular as it used to be

Playing the game as an enjoyable pastime continues to elude Gen X, Gen Y, and later-born Millennials. Participation has fallen by as much as 5 million players in the last decade. This is primarily because the sport’s older demographics get too old to play and eventually die. Unbeknownst to the younger generation, many experts fear that the game will eventually sell out. Unfortunately, a significant portion of younger people feel that the sport is too difficult, takes too long to play, and has too many useless rules to follow, and is therefore not enjoyable.

A second chance

Golf courses are now beginning to think ahead and are considering altering the game to stay in business. To attract youth, professional associations and club owners are considering a number of tactics to encourage participation. One of these suggested improvements is the construction of golf courses for novices and children that have 15-inch holes. Another suggestion is to promote the idea of ​​six-hole golf courses to hook the instant gratification crowd with quick games. So far, these strategies have managed to entice some of the younger generation to try the sport at least once, rather than dismissing it for intimidation.

Not everyone is celebrating

However, not everyone is happy with the idea of ​​completely reorganizing the rules of a game steeped in many years of tradition. Those who take sport seriously, whether professionally or recreationally, take offense at the game changer, regardless of the possible outcome of new ideas. It’s not that players are divided along generational lines, or that players are afraid of messing with the status quo; it is more about connoisseurs taking pride in their chosen sport, and their firm adherence to its preservation is a reflection of the time and dedication they put into mastering their game. Many feel that making the game easier and faster makes the experience cheaper.

No one can predict the future

Those on both sides of this discussion are making good points. Any sport needs new blood to continue its legacy. If interest begins to wane, then there is nothing wrong with doing whatever it takes to renew interest in the game. But, it can also be said that it is unfair to renew a sport that many are still passionate about and tirelessly defend. It remains to be seen if more golf courses will implement any of the suggested modifications and what results these changes will bring regarding the participation of future generations in the game.