Just Let It Be
Thursday September 13, 2012 2:23pm

Every major golf organization is concerned with the decline in golf that started at least a decade before The Great Recession.  Every key index points down – rounds played, price per round, number of avid golfers, gross revenues, the list goes on and on.  Public golf courses, private clubs, equipment manufacturers and most of the surrounding industries like marketing companies and trade shows are all feeling the pain.

 Did you know that only 7% of all golf courses inAmericabreak even or make money?  The other 93% are losing money, probably including one or all of the courses you play regularly.

 One of the most oft-listed reasons for golf’s decline is that it takes too long – 4½ hours to play plus travel time to and from home, and maybe a little time for refreshments after the round – easily 6 hours or more.  The experts suggest we fix that problem by adding tee locations that shorten our existing courses so people can play in less than 3 hours.

 Cool idea in theory, but a non-starter for practical reasons.  And a bad idea when you consider the broader landscape.

 Let’s start with the practical problems.

 You can’t allow some groups to play from the short tees while others play from the regular tees.  The people on the short tees will log-jam behind the ones playing regular tees, and the pace will remain slow for the short tee folks.  They’ll be yelling at the groups in front, complaining bitterly to your Player Assistants and demanding refunds from your Golf Shop staff.

 If you designate certain times each day to play the short tees, they will have to go before the regular tee times to avoid the problem described above.  Are we certain the short tee people will want or be able to play in those early slots?  And will the course lose revenue because the short tee spots don’t fill up, while the regular tee people get hosed because they want or need to play early?

 If you designate certain days for short tees, will you have enough short tee people to fill the tee sheets?  Will you make as much money compared to regular tee days?  Will your regular tee customers play somewhere else when they can’t play on short tee days?  Will you lose customers altogether?

 It just gets crazier and crazier. 

 Now about that broader landscape …

 Studies show too many Americans are overweight and out of shape.  Not all of us are wired up to be fitness freaks, and a few hours walking around the golf course can’t be bad, can it?  Even those who ride carts get some exercise.  So why do we want to cut the rounds short?  So we can race home and couch-out sooner, watching TV or playing video games or surfing the net (no, that kind of surfing burns zero calories).  Yes, some of us will watch the kids play sports, run errands or go shopping, but many more will just be heading for the couch.

 What kind of golf experience will we get on these artificially shortened courses?  Your favorite hole is now a layup.  That par 5 you can almost reach in two is now a par 4 (what’s the fun?).  That short par 4 with the tiny green (you’re supposed to be coming in with a wedge) is now a long par 3 with an untouchable green (at least there won’t be any ball marks!).  The bunkers and water hazards no longer make any sense.  It’s like adding sparkling water to beer and calling it champagne.

 After all, if the short course thing was really so compelling, why aren’t the executive courses and par 3 courses just raking in mucho dineros?

 Finally, golf gives us a chance to enjoy nature’s peaceful setting, take in a little fauna and flora, get some fresh air and let go of all that insane crap that spins our lives at max RPM’s.  To seek the secret Hogan said was in the dirt.  To battle a little against ourselves and challenge the field of play.  To enjoy the camaraderie of friends old and new.  To be a kid – hit the ball, find the ball, hit it again.  Is there really such great value in cutting that experience short?  In return for what?

 Let’s face it.  The golf course is what the golf course is, so let it be.  There’s a reason this quiet and elegant sport has been around a few hundred years longer than the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR and all the other alphabet sports that scream at us from TV screens and smart phones. 

 Just let it be.