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State of Golf in the US today, How bad is it?


markb

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For starters welcome Walkin!

 

Since we have two or three such threads I'm going over to make a comment on the Augusta one because I observed two things in the past 24 hours that both fit there best, I think.

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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I had a long talk with my pro today about the state of the game.  He'd just been discussing with his city managers about why his course isn't booming like they think it should.  He pointed out that in comparative terms to other local courses, he's doing well.  

 

He also said his Titleist rep was just in with a bunch of stats showing how bad it is in our turf.   Apparently Titleist is treading water, which is superb considering.  Taylormade is supposedly down 34% YTD.  Rounds played in Salt Lake County YTD are down 11%, rounds played on the Salt Lake city owned courses down 14% YTD. 

 

Bear in mind that this is in Utah where adverse weather in 2014 has been NO FACTOR at all.  We had an early opening, and a good amount of healthy rain all through the summer.  No heatwaves, no late frosts, no frozen springs.   Courses are all in superb shape.

 

He also reports that marginal brands are not selling at all in his shop.   He says they used to do well with Srixon, Bridgestone, and TMag balls.  This year, they are not moving.  Nike balls are doing okay, it seems.   A perception that they are very good in 2014 has helped.   His perception is that folks are "retrenching" to tried and true core brands as they limit their golf spending.   For example, he says more people are buying Titleist balls, not less.   (I would have predicted the exact opposite because IMO the secondary brand balls have gotten so good in 2014 they should be poaching Titleist's market share.)

 

An interesting perspective.   If true, we should see it reflected in the relative market shares of the "conservative" brands (Ping, Titleist, Mizuno) vs. the small marginals and the club-pushing "Bigs".   I'd expect everybody will at best tread water, with the "winners" showing no increase in overall sales, while the "losers" will lose BIG.  

 

But the interesting data will be in the market share shifts.  The "conservatives" should gain market share, both by picking up points vacated by the marginals that disappear (Cleveland done except for wedges, Adams done soon, others to follow), but also due to this "retrenching" that my Pro says he sees.

 

What do you think?

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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I think that we may see a correction where brands go back to what they used to be in a sense - fewer, fewer releases but larger profit margins becasue they don't need to discount their stuff.  It's going to be a bumpy two years regardless because there is so much surpluss on the market.

 

In the long run - five years - this may be a great time for aftermarket folks like grip and shaft makers because its way easier to invest 200 or 250 on your current set than 1,000 on a new one.

 

We'll see.  Time to go play - it's so friggin hot here!!!!!!!  And of course everyone has punched their greens to have them in perfect shape for mid-October and the influx of winter folks.  That's fine with me, we're glad to have you, just be sure to look me up whenever you're in town.

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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I think we will be seeing more courses closing up over the next couple of years.  A course in Spokane WA filed for bankruptcy over a year ago and went to auction.  I think they are going to build condos and maybe keep nine holes open.

 

Play is down here in the Pacific NW even in my area where the economy is pretty strong.  So, it's not just an economic thing.  It's easy to get tee times just about anywhere.  I think people have found other activities that don't take up 4-6 hours of the day.  I don't understand that; what else is there to do?   :)   

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I took my weekly Saturday game to a course in Tarpon Springs (40 minutes away) and while talking with the pro shop, they were complaining because I brought 40 players and they had only reserved play for 30. He told me they were sold out. I did mention to him that in the future, I can always schedule the travel game at another course. He then said he can accommodate our 40 players......I did also note that after play the pub was packed with our players and none of the others were buying food and beverage.

Driver: image.png.6ba1c8a254ad57aa05e527b74c2e04ba.png0311 XF 10.5* w/Project X Cypher 40 gram Senior shaft or 0811 XF 12* w/Evenflo Riptide CB Senior shaft

Fairways:  image.png.80321f01fc46450b6f428c7daf7b3471.png0211 5W & 7W w/ Evenflo Riptide CB  regular shaft and Tour Edge E521 9W w/Fubuki HD50 regular shaft

Hybrid: None in bag at the moment

IronsTitleist T300 5-PW w/Fubuki MV Senior graphite shafts w/Golf Pride Tour

Wedges: Edison forged 49*, 53* and 57* wedges with KB PGI Senior shafts(80 grm).

Putter: 33” Evnroll ER6R or  ER2 or Bellum Winmore Model 707,   or Nike Method Core Drone  w/Evnroll Gravity Grip

Bag: Vice cart bag(Black/Lime). 

Ball: Snell MTB Prime X, Maxfli Tour/S/X CG, Titleist Pro V1x or Titleist TruFeel

Using Shot Scope X5 and Pinned Rangefinder

 

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I took my weekly Saturday game to a course in Tarpon Springs (40 minutes away) and while talking with the pro shop, they were complaining because I brought 40 players and they had only reserved play for 30. He told me they were sold out. I did mention to him that in the future, I can always schedule the travel game at another course. He then said he can accommodate our 40 players......I did also note that after play the pub was packed with our players and none of the others were buying food and beverage.

It's BS that the course was sold out. There are about five courses in that area all of which were built to be private none of which are.

 

IMO They are a who's who of what went wrong with golf. High priced housing developments with tons of empty lots and houses or houses that sold for well under their intended value. The courses are ridiculous as a non name architect or second tier architect was brought in to design a championship track worthy of real estate being developed. The courses are expensive to maintain and too difficult, no fun for the average golfer and while the better player can handle them why would he want to? They each have a couple of holes that make absolutely no sense what so ever. If I'm going up that way there are two Donald Ross courses to play, both are gems, that's where I'm going. Actually I can be at TPC Tampa in the same amount of time and I'd rather play that any day even though it's twice or three times the price.

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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I'll be in Fort Meyers, Fl in February for almost a week with the family...looking forward to getting out of the cold when it hits.

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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I'll be in Fort Meyers, Fl in February for almost a week with the family...looking forward to getting out of the cold when it hits.

Just remember to PM me when you're heading down so that we can meet up to play!

Taylor Made Stealth 2 10.5 Diamana S plus 60  Aldila  R flex   - 42.25 inches 

SMT 4 wood bassara R flex, four wood head, 3 wood shaft

Ping G410 7, 9 wood  Alta 65 R flex

Srixon ZX5 MK II  5-GW - UST recoil Dart 65 R flex

India 52,56 (60 pending)  UST recoil 75's R flex  

Evon roll ER 5 32 inches

It's our offseason so auditioning candidates - looking for that right mix of low spin long, more spin around the greens - TBD   

 

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Share on other sites

Just remember to PM me when you're heading down so that we can meet up to play!

 

Will do!

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


God Bless America🇺🇸, God save the King🇬🇧, God defend New Zealand🇳🇿 and thank Christ for Australia🇦🇺!

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I know that we have been talking about this subject for quite a while (probably to death), and everyone has had good comments about what they have seen at course in their area. But I just saw this video from HBO on the future of golf. It was done in July about the time that this thread started but I never saw it.

 

Sorry if it was posted before, but thought I'd put it out here. Forgive me if this link doesn't post correctly; I am a little technically challenged. It's about 13 minutes long but talks about all the things we have previously posted. It's interesting.

 

HBO Real Sports: The Future of Golf

We don’t stop playing the game because we get old; we get old because we stop playing the game.”

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I had not seen that video and I loved it.   It hit all the major alternative ideas.   Jack was truthful and honest, as useful.  Mark King is at least facing his music.  

 

The first year of Foot Golf at my local course was a big success.  It will be back next year.   I would try a Hack Golf big hole if they put one in and I don't see how having two holes per green would hurt anything.   And I'm dying to know where the closest Top Golf location is.

bag - SunMountain Synch with Ogio Synergy X4 cart
driver - :callaway-small: Optiforce 440, Paderson Kevlar Green stiff 46.5"
fwoods - :taylormade-small: Jetspeed, 3HL regular
irons - :taylormade-small:  Speedblades 3-8, 85g stiff steel, 2 up
wedges - :edilon-small: Scor 40, 45, 50, 54, 58
putter - :ping-small: Ketsch 35" slight arc, SuperStroke 2.0 mid-slim
ball - :titelist-small: ProV1x

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