There are many challenges ahead for GOLF that will have to be addressed and solutions found in order for it to survive.  Unfortunately the attempts to paint a negative picture of golf and the people who play it does not help smooth out the road to accomplishing this mission.  I am not one who gives credence to what the growing number of misguided people have to say bad about golf, but to highlight the problems golf faces driveling of misinformed opinions being stated has to be faced.

In a recent article issued by USAToday and echoed on CNBC News, it seems many people see all golfers and people associated to golf as being the reason the country is in the economic woes it is in.  I am comforted to know that I am not alone in the condemnation of the opinions expressed in those widely published reports.  I also enjoy the fact that those statements made are just that…opinions and not fact.

Usually this would be just a pebble in the road to positive thinking.  However, the articles these opinions were in are published in the media so of course the opinions stated are now used as absolute fact by those who do not understand or want to understand what Golf is all about.

It has already been stated how much impact GOLF has on the economy and how many people are impacted in the golf economy.  That should be fact enough to ward off the negative opinions stated by the few who see golf as a drain to the economy.  So, we will leave those who take the low road of stating misguided opinions to live with being wrong.

Solutions

Lets talk positive and lets talk solutions on how people can get involved to keep golf going on into the future.  What are some of the solutions to the troubles of golf.  I know for certain that we all have answers and solutions to offer which help golf make the changes it needs to make to improve its image.

Time to Play

Bringing golf to more people is a very viable solution.  The PGA has been doing all it can to get more people on the golf course.  What is holding them back from getting more people hooked on golf has to do with people not having the free time to play golf. 

Why? Well the list of things a person has to do each day just gets longer everyday.  Fitting golf into the time they have for leisure is dwindling.  So, where do they get more time to play.  Answer: Since over 65% of a working person’s day is spent in the process of doing something for work, that part of the day seems to be the prime candidate for looking for more time for golf.

Opponents to this thinking go straight to the adage that playing golf as part of doing business is being frivolous with the business’ funds which in fact if one only took the time to look into what golf is about they would find the opportunity to improve business can be greatly increased with golf.  That is if the person who is playing the business golf knows what they are doing.

Here lies the problem why businesses are not willing or say they are not interested in using golf in business.

“I cannot figure out how to get my ROI out of golf.”

This statement is the battle cry for many business executives and owners who feel golf is just an entertainment expense…or can only be used as a direct sales tool.  Yet, these are the same executives and owners who send out millions of mailers to people about their products who have absolutely no interest in their offers.

Truly, if business people only feel that business golf is something where you take a client out for a round of golf so they can be pitched for business then, yes, then there is concern on getting an ROI out of that activity.  Business people have to be shown other ways golf can be used that creates the results they demand out of golf.

Just think if a business, any business with employees, put every employee, from the receptionist to the forklift drivers in S&R, out on the golf course once a month.  It doesn’t matter if they are playing in an organize outing with clients or just a day to get away, what is achieved, if done correctly, will produce an ROI in ways many business people would not realize golf could generate.  If nothing else the 20% improvement just in employee retention and reduced absenteeism would reflect upon the bottomline.  This is not to mention the improvement in Client Loyalty the company would retain if clients knew they were going to be part of a monthly golf outing.

Absurd!?! Will Never Work!

Have you tried it?  I have and it does work.

Results to GOLF:

Look how many people this one action would put on the golf courses of America during the week when the rate of tee times is lower and demand is less.

And this is just one of the solutions to the Time Availability issue. I am sure there are many, many more you may offer.

Start the Positive Talk

I am ready to start talking positively about golf in hopes others will join in.   A clearer light needs to be shed on what golf offers instead of what Golf looks like to others who enjoy writing about something they see from wearing blinders. 

I would like to see every golfer do something to help golf.  Whether it is to invite a non-golfer friend to join them in going to a golf school, golf seminar, conference or just walk the golf course of a PGA or LPGA event..something that brings one more non-golfer into the arena of golf so they can at least get a first hand look at what golf is about.

I would like to see more golfers get online and join the community of golfers who are looking for safe places online to reside like the Business Golf Country Club . The internet helps golfers gathering information on all they need to get a better understanding of so they can get what they need to know what to expect offline when they play golf.

I would like to see more golf bloggers take on an issue of golf and offer their solution instead of just asking for people’s comments on something in an effort to get more traffic to their sites.

And, of course, I would like to see more businesses reach out to gathering more information on what ALL golf can offer instead of what their CFO sees golf as.

The professional golfers and officials of golf can only take the message about golf so far.  It will take the rest of the Golfing world to take it from there and raise the visibility of golf to a football, soccer, or basketball level of public interest.  It can be done, it should be done and it has to be done to keep golf around for the next generation of golfers.  So, lets get cracking, shall we.

Let me know how I can help.