Culture of Golf - Isn't it Just a Game? (eBook)

Golf’s Role in Society

Golf plays a variety of roles in society. According to statistics from the National Golf Foundation, there are 24 million+ (traditional golf) participants in the United States. Approximately 7.5% of the US population and roughly 8% of the population between the ages of 10 and 80 play the game. There are 14,613 golf facilities and 16,693 courses that work out to about 1,438 golfers per facility. The average participant plays roughly 18 rounds per year. NGF also estimates another 9 million+ off course participants (driving ranges, TopGolf, DriveShack, Simulators, etc.)

Figure 1 TopGolf Facility

Though (pre-COVID) participation isn’t what it once was (as high as 30 million) and golfers aren’t as diverse a group as desired, an audience of 24 million will certainly come from a variety of cultures, socio-economic segments, age groups and both genders. Golf is played by a variety of people for a variety of reasons. Almost 500 million rounds were played in 2020, an increase of approximately 14% over 2019, according to the National Golf Foundation, that increase widely considered the result of golf being a COVID-safe activity.

The most obvious market segment of golfers are identified by the type of facility where they play. Most golfers (about 75%) play approximately 80% of all rounds at courses open for public play. The balance of golfers (25%) play about 20% of rounds at private clubs, with access limited generally to members and their guests.

While there is typically a socioeconomic divide in most cases between public and private golfers, there are other differences that define these two market segments and the various levels of each. The environment at private clubs is often very different than that found at most public access courses. Many private clubs are family- or business-oriented. There are often amenities and facilities beyond golf and dining facilities that can be more formal than those at daily-fee facilities. Member access to the golf course is a key element to private clubs and members pay for the privilege of less-crowded conditions and ability to obtain tee times, if required, on a spontaneous basis.

Some members join private clubs primarily for business reasons either to entertain clients, expand business contacts or simply to be able to say they belong. Some more affluent golfers belong to multiple clubs and get to the point where jokes about golf’s “14-club” rule are made, comparing how many clubs one belongs to versus how many a golfer can carry during a round.

There are clubs that focus on golf and sports. Some emphasize social status while others target the more price conscious segment. While some clubs are socio-economically diverse, there are also clubs catering to both the wealthy professionals and executives and those designed and priced for working folks.

The daily-fee golf environment is typically more golf-focused, “no-frills” and designed to accommodate more play. Economics usually dictate playing conditions less manicured than the private clubs. There’s typically a less formal atmosphere and it’s the affordable daily-fee golf course where golf is more of an “everyman’s” game. Rather than a single malt and a steak after the round, as often seen at private clubs, the daily-fee course is more of a “burger and a beer” atmosphere where shirts aren’t always tucked in, blue jeans aren’t always banned and trolleys, and carrying one’s bag, prevail over caddies and golf carts, though golf carts are a significant element even at affordable public courses.

The upscale daily-fee course (country club for a day) concept became popular in the 1990s and came with $100+ green fees, and sometimes amenities like gourmet dining that bridge the gap between private and daily-fee golf.

Cultural diversity is much more evident and prominent in daily-fee golf than private clubs and the diversity of golfers there usually looks “more like America” and includes players from a wider cross-section of the population.

Figure 2 Tiger Woods

As a spectator sport, golf has grown tremendously, especially since Arnold Palmer and television collided in the 1950s and 60s and later with Tiger Woods and more TV saturation of golf courtesy of sports cable and Golf Channel. The impact of Palmer and Woods can’t be overstated. In addition to the 33.5 million participants, NGF estimates another 74 million who either watched or read about golf, making a total reach of about 107 million.

Golf has several roles in American society. For some golf is an activity used exclusively for business development and entertainment. It’s been said that more deals are closed on the golf course than anywhere else. There are many social golfers who use the game simply to meet and interact with others and develop relationships. Some, particularly more skilled golfers, use the game as a competitive activity, participate in tournaments and spend considerable time developing and honing their skills. Some simply play for the fresh air and exercise. A huge part of golf, and one that transcends all groups of golfers, is the constant desire to improve one’s game and skills.

Quite possibly the biggest potential demand-generator for golf is that it’s a game for a lifetime. There are more than 4 million golfers over the age of 65, and many plan their retirement around the game, buy retirement homes in golf-oriented communities and increase their frequency of playing. They seek to be around other golfers. As the population lives longer and stays active later in life, this number is expected to grow.

Over time, with the evolution of golf attracting a broader segment of the population, golf has become the subject of movies and other forms of entertainment. Hollywood has embraced golf with several feature films such as “Caddy Shack,” “Dead Solid Perfect,” “Follow the Sun,” “Tin Cup,” and “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” just to name a few.

Numerous books about golf have been written ranging from instruction books, books about specific golf courses or groups of courses, golf course architecture, golf novels, golf biographies and much more. There are even golf themed restaurants and bars.

There are golfers who collect clubs and other artifacts and professionals (lawyers, insurance and real estate professionals, architects, physical therapists, photographers, marketing executives and business consultants) who focus their practice on golfers and the business of golf.

Some of the more prominent golf periodicals include Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golf World, Golfweek and more. There is no shortage. The digital age has brought us a website or social media group for just about anything golf you want to explore, from golf course architecture to antique golf clubs and more.

Since 1995, a television network dedicated exclusively to the game (Golf Channel) carries golf-related programming, including live golf on a 24/7/365 basis.

In many ways, and in numerous communities, golf plays a big role in charity. Golf events are often used as a method of generating significant contributions for charity, with an estimate of $3.9 billion annually in the United States, not limited to professional events, but also local and amateur ones, that raise considerable sums.

These are some examples of golf’s role in the broader society.

Many in the industry see the TopGolf phenomenon as a “feeder” to the game. The problem is there are several fundamental disconnects between TopGolf and Golf.

TopGolf is entertainment, a sports bar with a driving range attached. TopGolf offers instant gratification, an ever-growing fundamental of our society. Golf is a long-term reward activity. All one needs to do is visit a TopGolf and then visit your local club or daily-fee golf course and it’s easy to see the difference in clientele. Not only does TopGolf boast greater cultural and gender diversity, but those turned off by golf’s and golf clubs’ numerous, and sometimes onerous rules, visit TopGolf wearing something other than khakis and white golf shirts. That segment of the population eschews the perceived stuffiness of many golf clubs, and sometimes the lack of a family-friendly atmosphere which hinders golf’s growth potential. The world’s largest owner of private clubs, ClubCorp, recognizes this and invests heavily in facilities designed to attract the family beyond “Dad.”

Those same folks are the people Golf needs to embrace, and include, to grow. Often, they are more socially conscious than golf’s traditional market, and seeing the most visible players in the world, supporting an event at a venue associated with the human rights issues prominent in Saudi Arabia could be a turnoff, along with the lack of diversity and onerous rules found at many clubs.

As a capitalist, I’d refrain from advocating a ban on their participation. The players have a right to make a living. However, “for the good of the game” (as the USGA likes to say) leading players might have a moral and social responsibility to condemn what goes on in places like Saudi Arabia.

Many people seek to revolve their life around golf. These communities typically command higher real estate prices, and resale values, than their competition. In some locales, communities without a golf course, or club, simply cannot sell homes at the same rate or price as those with the golf amenity. The “golf lifestyle” has become so prominent that there are now firms...