Monday, May 17, 2010

“Golf's big problem: No kids” plus 3 more

“Golf's big problem: No kids” plus 3 more

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Golf's big problem: No kids

Posted: 17 May 2010 08:54 AM PDT

The scariest number for the golf business has nothing to do with how many days Tiger Woods will miss from the bulging disk in his neck or exactly how many mistresses he may or may not have taken up with.

It's this: According to the National Golf Foundation's most recent participation report, the number of golfers age 6-17 dropped 24 percent to 2.9 million from 3.8 million between 2005 and 2008.

Here's a reason: Want to make an eight-year-old cry? Tee up a ball for him on a 450-yard hole with a green surrounded by bunkers and tell him to hole out before the group waiting to tee off starts complaining to the course superintendent. All the testosterone-induced courses constructed over the past decade just make it worse. Kids need to start on family-friendly facilities where they can be provided with some good old-fashioned self-esteem.

What makes those golf statistics even more disturbing is that during this period of decline, The First Tee, the national program aimed at introducing younger players to the sport, has been exploding. There are now 200 First Tee Chapters in the U.S., which oversee the operation of clinics at 700 facilities and training programs for some 400,000 kids. Another 1.6 million will take up golf in elementary school gym classes The First Tee has developed. Its programs often present the game in combination with "life skills" such as being honest, polite and other virtuous attributes golf prides itself on.

Presented with these figures, golf officials are puzzled. "I don't know how to reconcile those numbers with what we're seeing in our program," said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive of The First Tee, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation. He suggested that while The First Tee is very good at connecting with younger kids, keeping teenagers is more challenging. "Conceivably one segment is growing and another is declining."

Barrow isn't the only one who is confused. The United States Golf Association has awarded some $65 million in grants since 1997, including more than $1.8 million last year, all aimed at increasing access to golf, in many cases, specifically for young people. But USGA executives say the industry doesn't have hard data on exactly what makes a kid get hooked.

Sounds like a problem, right? "At the macro level that's a fair assessment," said Steve Czarnecki, assistant director of grants and fellowships for the USGA. "In our view it's the ability to participate and enjoy the sport components from the tee to the hole. We don't support programs that are just beating balls on a driving range."

Read more at the Wall Street journal.

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Winfield addressing golf course noise

Posted: 17 May 2010 10:17 AM PDT

Winfield officials hope compromise can silence an ongoing controversy over noise at Klein Creek Golf Club.

Residents living in neighborhoods surrounding the golf course are complaining about pre-dawn sounds of lawn mowers groundskeepers use to maintain the golf course.

The residents want Winfield to enforce its village code, which states noise from landscaping equipment can't start until 7 a.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. weekends.

But John Weiss, who bought Klein Creek Golf Club a year ago, is seeking a revision to the noise ordinance that would make the golf course's landscaping operation exempt.

After talking about the issue on three occasions since February, the Winfield village board on Thursday night is expected to discuss a possible deal between Weiss and the residents.

"The golf course ownership was asked to work on some type of compromise with the homeowners," Village Manager Curt Barrett said. "It will be up to the village board to decide if they feel the golf course has presented a satisfactory package of compromises on the noise issues that would warrant the board approving the variance request."

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Duke, ASU, UCLA lead field at women's golf tourney

Posted: 17 May 2010 11:25 AM PDT

By JOEDY McCREARY, AP Sports Writer

Monday, May 17, 2010 at 10:54 a.m.

WILMINGTON, N.C. — This week's NCAA women's golf championship could once again shape up as Duke vs. the Pac-10.

Since 1993, every national title but one has gone to either the Blue Devils or a Pac-10 school.

Not surprisingly, they're among the favorites to do it again when the four-day tournament starts Tuesday.

Veteran Duke coach Dan Brooks said Monday that schools from the West and Southwest - including defending national champion Arizona State and top-ranked UCLA - are tough to beat because they're good every year.

No women's golf program has won more NCAA team titles than the Sun Devils, who have seven. Six Pac-10 teams are in the field - one-fourth of the 24 teams tackling the Country Club of Landfall course.

Brooks' Blue Devils rank second with five championships.

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Golf club in Sabbath drinks bid

Posted: 17 May 2010 02:17 AM PDT

A golf club on the Western Isles is facing opposition from church groups over its application for a licence to serve alcohol on the Sabbath.

Stornoway Golf Club on Lewis has asked the islands' licensing board for permission to serve alcoholic drinks from noon until 2300 BST.

The Free Church and Murdo Murray, who was an independent Christian candidate in the general election, have objected.

In a separate issue, the club wants a ban on playing golf on Sundays lifted.

The landowners of the course - the Stornoway Trust - said the club's 25-year licence included the condition of no Sunday play.

Another islands golf club which prohibits playing on its course on Sundays was awarded £64,000 by Sportscotland in February.

The national sporting body previously sought to reach a compromise with Isle of Harris Golf Club on its ban.

Playing on Sundays is not allowed in line with local requests that the course observes the Sabbath.

Last year, Sportscotland said it recognised a rest day for staff but hoped golfers could use the course and leave a fee in an honesty box.



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