Why don't Millennials like Golf?

[fozcycle]

I found this article yesterday and thought I would share it.....

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story?guid=260a5260-6f7c-11e4-a1ff-4eb8bd3ece78

 

 

It is an interesting read.....are we responsible for creating a young society that thrives in instant gratification?

 

 

How do we teach the young to slow down and enjoy life, 4 hours at a time?

[JBones]

It's just too damn expensive.  I pay attention to the vehicles that are dropping off kids at the courses and ranges.........theres nobody dropping a kid off in a 1995 Toyota Corolla.  I have a few friends that want to start playing golf, but they haven't, because they want to make rent and be able to go out every once in a while.  

[dru_]

I found this article yesterday and thought I would share it.....

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/story?guid=260a5260-6f7c-11e4-a1ff-4eb8bd3ece78

 

 

It is an interesting read.....are we responsible for creating a young society that thrives in instant gratification?

 

 

How do we teach the young to slow down and enjoy life, 4 hours at a time?

 

Yes we are. We are also responsible for a generation that thinks that 'fair' means everyone gets a medal, and that their failures are not their fault. ever.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

One of the great things about the Hack To Jack program was that it tried to change the way we look at golf - it doesn't have to be 4 hours, 18 holes.  They provided us with events that were outside the box -- skills competitions, team events, contests that anyone could win regardless of skill level so that everyone could participate and - most importantly - have fun without it costing an arm and a leg.

 

They even sponsored a club donation program -- donate whatever old clubs you may have and they can be given away to a new player who wants to start playing golf.  Got my 18 year old a decent set of starter club so he can hack around the local 9-hole par 3 with his buddies.  

 

If golf is going to take hold with the younger generation, it has to be a little different. Different formats, unique competitions and an emphasis on FUN can only help. Who knows what will work, but it sure would be fun to test out ideas and see what takes root...

[mnfats95]

I live in a rural area, but I find there are plenty of kids interested in golf. There is a ton of used equipment floating around that they normally start with and most of the courses in our area have super inexpensive memberships for 17 and under members.

 

Two of the courses in my area have $75 a year memberships for 17 and under members.

 

Most of our High Schools have golf teams and they are small enough that everyone that goes out gets to play and learn the game. They don't all get to compete, but at least they are on the course and learning the game.

 

We have junior golf which is what we call our programs that are similar to the first tee stuff. To join is free, but you have to get to the tournaments on your own accord so most of them car pool with parents.

 

I think the biggest issue I see in my area is that when the kids are on the course they do things that kids do and it upsets the adult members. Stuff like driving carts too fast, not repairing ball marks, filling divots on the fairway/tees. Things that honestly they probably know how to do just either forget to or don't care.

 

This leads to the kids being "talked to" by the adults and I think it scares them away or makes them feel like they are not welcome.

 

This is just an observation, I'm sure there some other factors, but I think the age old issue of the generation gap is alive and well in golf.

 

This also applies to the college age golfers in this area except of course they don't take a butt chewing, they bark back.

[GolfSpy Tim]

I've tried to get buddies out with me - most aren't opposed to the idea of golf - but their arguments typically include:

 

cost

time investment required to get "decent" enough

unsure about difficulty

[Kenny B]

I live in a rural area, but I find there are plenty of kids interested in golf. There is a ton of used equipment floating around that they normally start with and most of the courses in our area have super inexpensive memberships for 17 and under members.

 

Two of the courses in my area have $75 a year memberships for 17 and under members.

 

Most of our High Schools have golf teams and they are small enough that everyone that goes out gets to play and learn the game. They don't all get to compete, but at least they are on the course and learning the game.

 

We have junior golf which is what we call our programs that are similar to the first tee stuff. To join is free, but you have to get to the tournaments on your own accord so most of them car pool with parents.

 

I think the biggest issue I see in my area is that when the kids are on the course they do things that kids do and it upsets the adult members. Stuff like driving carts too fast, not repairing ball marks, filling divots on the fairway/tees. Things that honestly they probably know how to do just either forget to or don't care.

 

This leads to the kids being "talked to" by the adults and I think it scares them away or makes them feel like they are not welcome.

 

This is just an observation, I'm sure there some other factors, but I think the age old issue of the generation gap is alive and well in golf.

 

This also applies to the college age golfers in this area except of course they don't take a butt chewing, they bark back.

The point raised here is a good one. I think golf costs less in the more rural areas. Most public courses in my area offer cheap golf for juniors, and adding a junior to memberships is not expensive either. Kids on golf teams usually play free and have free range balls.

 

However, junior golfers NEVER get a cart!

[fozcycle]

 

 

If golf is going to take hold with the younger generation, it has to be a little different. Different formats, unique competitions and an emphasis on FUN can only help. Who knows what will work, but it sure would be fun to test out ideas and see what takes root...

 

 

I don't understand why "it has to be a little different".   I think the rules of the game are very explicit and they provide a parameter by which we can measure our performance.  After all, this is a game I have been playing for 56 years.  The rules have changed along the way, but the game is still the same exciting time spent on putting the ball in the hole 18 times that it has been.

 

I do not think that we have to make it "more fun" than it already is for young folks to enjoy.  My Grandsons have learned to play the game and jump at the opportunity to play with me.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I don't understand why "it has to be a little different".   I think the rules of the game are very explicit and they provide a parameter by which we can measure our performance.  After all, this is a game I have been playing for 56 years.  The rules have changed along the way, but the game is still the same exciting time spent on putting the ball in the hole 18 times that it has been.

 

I do not think that we have to make it "more fun" than it already is for young folks to enjoy.  My Grandsons have learned to play the game and jump at the opportunity to play with me.

 

Not saying "changing the rules"or anything like that -- but coming up with different types of ways to enjoy the game.  Hack To Jack was a prime example - it included all kinds of get-togethers where we didn't play 18 holes of golf - but had skills competitions, putting "capture the flag" games, chipping contests, etc that were a blast for all ages and skill levels.  Our on-course events were different too - pitting two 8 person teams against each other.  I"m not a fan of FootGolf, but a local Par 3 did very well with it --- it's adjacent to a driving range I use and there were endless streams of kids giving it a try.  And this FlingGolf thing in a different thread got two thumbs up from my 18 year old lacrosse playing son last night.  

 

It's not gonna change the game you and I play - but it my kid gets out on the golf course more often with something like FlingGolf - then he'll eventually take up the traditional game.  Fun comes in different packages for different folks - personally I'm all for throwing it all up against the wall and seeing what sticks.  You're lucky that your grandsons love playing with you - it's my hope as well (although I seriously hope grandchildren are a long ways off yet!).  If something like FlingGolf will get my boy out with me a couple of times, then we'll see where it goes from there...

[revkev]

I think you guys might be talking past each other. I notice that our local muni, which I've mentioned before as exemplary in its attempts to reach out to kids and women, mix skills challenges with play and play both on the 18 hole course and the par 3. They encourage kids to enjoy the game in various ways including 18 hole stroke or match play.

 

I still like to play the little games I played as a kid for practice. I like to reward myself in some way if I can get up and down 9 straight times in short game practice or 5/10 from the bunker, maybe a special coffee or cigar, something little like that.

 

As kids we played for quarters or nickels and it helped our game. I see the kids doing that at my course. Today I'm playing at the country club though. So it's time to head out.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

I think you guys might be talking past each other

 

 

Yep - there's always more common ground that we often see.  That's the nature of message boards, I guess...

[fozcycle]

Yeah Rev,  while waiting for a Loop, we often played for pennies & dimes on the Practice Green.  

[Mr_Theoo]

If golf is going to take hold with the younger generation, it has to be a little different. Different formats, unique competitions and an emphasis on FUN can only help. Who knows what will work, but it sure would be fun to test out ideas and see what takes root...

I agree, just look at baseball, another game they say is dying in America. Of all the major sports baseball is the slowest and can't really be played anywhere. Golf is very similar cause of the need of a course to play at and the time requirement.

[markb]

I just asked my millenial kid why millenials don't like golf.   (He hates golf, BTW.)  He said time was the big reason.    They just don't have 4 hours to carve out of their day.  He said that most young guys have played once or twice -- just enough to realize they suck and can't control the ball.  They realize, he says, that it'll take them a LONG time to be able to control it and that scares them off.   So the time cost of golf is not just the four hours per round.  It's the hundreds of hours it costs to get reasonably decent.

 

He also said that the only sports millenials do play are associated with some sort of organized league play.   Once the league play is over, they move to the next league or don't play at all.   There are no such hacker golf little leagues where everyone in the neighborhood plays.   With no league, golf gets passed over in the baseball, football, soccer, basketball rotation.

[fozcycle]

Thanks Mark,  That is what I expected.......my grandsons(16 & 21), however, would rather go fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, which takes a lot more resources and time than golf......

[BIG STU]

I may be out of touch since I don't have any kids or grandkids. But I have to agree with what someone said about Golf being hard and it taking WORK to improve at. from what I see today most kids are not interested in anything but texting and video games but it may be different in various areas of the country and in Canada. I know the little executive/par 3 course up the road from me has put in a footgolf course on the par 3.They had a big press release in the paper and on TV this week. They are giving free rounds through this weekend.