You would think just the act of doing something healthy and being outdoors would be enough for people to want to learn to play golf..or more importantly, continue to play golf. For many the exhilaration of hitting a golf ball squarely and seeing it going further than ever before is the hook. However, even that thrill is not enough for many golfers. So, what is it going to take to get more people to begin and then stick with playing golf?
Most people I survey say they see no purpose in playing golf. It is too expensive, it requires too much time and learning to play is made difficult by receiving poor instruction…or boring instructions as many described it. So, the message I hear is golfers need a purpose to play golf.
I agree. Even though my purpose goes along the more traditional line of attempting to repeat the perfect shot I made back in 2005. But for those who maybe have not hit that perfect shot yet there needs to be a greater purpose.
Cost of Golf Kills Purpose
Looking at the economy of golf today it is not surprising many golfers and non-golfers have sticker shock. Really, does a $175 Bobby Jones shirt cost more to make than a $30 Izod..yaw, yaw, quality and style has some value…but not a 485% difference. The same goes for green fees and golf equipment costs. And, do not get me started on the overinflated fees for Country Club memberships. These inequities of pricing of golf has even the more finically secured golfers asking..
Why am I being held to holding up the entire golf economy?
Yes, there are some environmental issues that will affect the pricing of golf related services like property taxes and wages, but over all the spread in the costs is less than 20%. The current over pricing of golf across the board is what is killing golf. Golfers are seeing no purposing playing golf if it cost them more than a car payment to play.
What Offers a Purpose to Play Golf?
There is a less clouded area of the Golf arena many people should consider if looking for a solid purpose for playing golf. Using golf as a business tool is one of the most underrated aspects of golf. Business Golf has been played for centuries.
Unfortunately, the way it has been played over the years has had limited success since most of those rounds of golf are played by very high strung, high pressured, sales people. Pitching business on the golf courses has been going on for a long time and the concept is intriguing. However, the reality is less than only 15% of those rounds played where business is pitched while playing golf have any level of success in securing any type of business.
Still, Business Golf, played correctly, offers a greater purpose to playing golf than the traditional “Take A Client to Play Golf Day”. Helping develop a personal business or improving a company’s bottom line works well in this economy. How golf is to be played as part of doing business is not understood clearly partly due to many business people only hearing horror stories about the exorbitant cost incurred from taking a client out for a round of golf. In reality, based on other methods of client screening, the costs associated with playing golf to find out more about the person being dealt with is a very good investment.
The costs of Business Golf can be managed and done correctly could be declared as a full business expense. Nonetheless, Business Golf offers a very clear purpose to playing golf that more people should seriously consider especially in this failed economy. Finding out more about a person’s trustworthiness before doing a business deal is worth more than the cost of many, many green fees. If someone is needing a purpose to play golf, Business Golf offers the perfect purpose.
Let me know how I can help.
I agree that golf is expensive but it doesn’t need to be. I started playing golf at the local public course and it cost 0.50 pence. Okay, that was many years ago but there are many good and cheap public golf courses around. Golf equipment, especially golf clubs, can be bought as certified preowned at many fine online stores. As for expensive golf apparel – fine if you have the money but you don’t need name brand clothes to play good golf.
Mick Euan Tait
I agree that golf is expensive but it doesn't need to be. I started playing golf at the local public course and it cost 0.50 pence. Okay, that was many years ago but there are many good and cheap public golf courses around. Golf equipment, especially golf clubs, can be bought as certified preowned at many fine online stores. As for expensive golf apparel – fine if you have the money but you don't need name brand clothes to play good golf.
Mick Euan Tait