~~On my last blog story I wrote about “slow play” on golf courses and after a Canadian friend of mine who calls Australia home made some comments here is my replay;
This is what golf players are saying, “It takes too long and is just too tough”. Golf Owners and Golf Designers, these days where golf courses are shutting down and growth is stagnating, are starting to listen.
Design concepts are changing to make courses easier to play to accommodate the “recreational golfer” who does not like paying hundreds of dollars for scores in the 100’s.
People have more fun playing on golf courses that are a little easier to play and not so long.Those two things, give a very clear message from golf players. The shift in design philosophy is part of an overall reassessment of the game aimed at changing the trend in which first-timers are picking up golf clubs at the same rate that other players are putting them in storage. Ideas are coming from all over the golf world, whether it is the creation of different, shorter golf course (12 holes) from the traditional 18-hole setup or a push to play a proper set of tees for the golfer’s skill level, the program is called “Tee It Forward”.
All these new ideas are good for the game, but also I highlight the disconnection between real-estate golf developers, golf course designers and the golf player who was misunderstood for the last two decades. I know what I am saying, I have worked with some of the biggest developers in golf. When my real-estate golf developer in Australia was negotiating with Greg Norman the golf course design and that he will give him 200 Hectares of land to build the golf course you should have seen the happiness and the stars in “The Shark’s” eyes.The owner looked at me and said ;"You find me a good name for the golf course";I replied, at 8000 yards long, this golf course should be named "Walking Stick Golf Course", he knew my dark humor. I used to tell him back in the late 1990’s;”that we will not lose the golfer who wants to be highly challenged, he will be playing our golf course, what you have done is built a golf course for him but not for a “recreational golfer”.One of the reasons we have lost golf players in the last 2 decades in the developed world is because we have lost “recreational golfers”.
The recreational golfers are saying it costs too much to do this anymore and it takes too much time; I’m going to find another outlet for my recreation, for my recreational dollars and for my recreational time. If golf continues going the way it is, we’re going to continue to lose more and more and more of those part-time “recreational golfers” and we are going to lose golf courses, and the game is in trouble.
Golf is as closely tied to the economy as any sport because of its cost and recreational nature. The changes being made by designers are another way to try to withstand the economic situation that has hit golf hard during the last 10 years.Here is a good example; A golf designer, which opened in 2012 a Golf Course Resort, is one of the few to fall into the new category, and there are simplistic design elements that are being noticed by the rest of the golf industry.
The golf developer has constructed a golf course that still plays at nearly 7,300 yards from the back tees, yet features no forced carries off the tee or from the fairway. Bunkers were built to be easily escaped, and all holes feature designs around the hole that give players an opening to run the ball up onto the green.
There is also a significant nod toward junior golfers, with tees placed 90 to 150 yards out for youngsters learning the game and routing for three- and six-hole, Lighthouse GC has this options for youngsters who can get bored playing 9 or 18 holes. Not every golf course is this fortunate.
The goal for the golf designer was to build a golf course that was fair and scenic, and could be played without taking up 25 percent of the day.
Bigger, stronger, harder, faster got out of hand; now the reverse is happening,Golf Designers are trying to put a lot of strength and character in their golf course design. Today, they are trying to make it look tougher than it actually is.
We saw the football,tennis,cricket,baseball players of the world opting to play golf instead of the other sports, and in recent years, it’s flattened out for all the reasons I mentioned above and of course let’s not forget our “recreational golfer”, as golf professionals my friends we must find a way to bring those people back into the game.
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