As we have all read, rounds of golf are down nationally, more golf courses have closed than have opened in recent years and young wage earners
Promoting Tiger alone will not save golf, but it will bring out more idiots yelling, "GO IN THE HOLE!!!"
Promoting golf with 24x7 hero worship of Tiger is not, by itself, going to save the game (although it will bring out more idiots yelling, "GO IN THE HOLE!!!" on 170-yard approach shots). Campaigns like the PGA Tour's "These Guys are Good" do not encourage people to take up the game as much as it encourages us to watch golf tournaments on TV or attend them in person. The key to golf's future popularity is not how potential golfers relate to those who play the game but rather how they can relate to the game itself.
The caption in one of the photos that accompanies the article provides the best evidence that golf may have an eager market of millions of new golfers over the coming years. In the photo, four would-be golfers are
The key to golf's future popularity is not how potential golfers relate
to those who play the game but rather how they can relate to the game
itself.
Those conjuring ways to increase the popularity of golf should take note. A few multi-lingual billboards and newspaper ads, more promotion of players from the European and Asian golf tours and more creative exploration of what golf can do for both body and soul may ultimately prove that rumors of the death of golf are greatly exaggerated.
You can read Bill Weir's article at courant.com.
