Golf operators are struggling to attract millennial golfers to their courses. This not a new challenge: changes in technology, millennial culture, and the internet have left directors scratching their heads when trying to understand how to target the young marketing golf.
Full Answer
How can we make golf more accessible to young people?
Hally Leadbetter, a member of Golf Digest’s social media group, is working to make the sport more accessible to young people, and points to social media sites like Barstool Sports and No Laying Up as places that draw newcomers to the sport by poking fun at it. “Accounts like Barstool Sports and No Laying Up are great.
Is golf popular among Generation Y?
And for Generation Y, at least, the answer is no. According to the National Golf Foundation, there are an estimated 24.1 million golfers in the United States, down from 24.7 million in the previous two years and over 5 million fewer than played the game in 2005.
How has the golf club changed in the last 10 years?
"Clubs have transformed dramatically over the last 10 years — especially coming out of the recession in 2008 and 2009 — because their members have changed, and the old model of the club just does not work anymore," Wallmeyer said.
Are millennials playing less golf?
To be sure, millennials are not as interested in spending five hours on a golf course playing the sport the traditional way. The total number of players completing a traditional 18-hole round is down over 1 percent in the past year, the National Golf Foundation said.
Why is golf becoming less popular?
The golden age of golf appears to have come and gone and the demographics population in general is getting older. The decline in golf is surely in part due to those who love the game getting too old to play it and dying off, leaving the numbers of golfers continuing to dwindle.
Do younger people play golf?
The National Golf Foundation's annual study of golf participation in the United States found that 36 percent of the nearly 24 million golfers in the United States are young adults aged 18 to 39, and over 15 million additional millennials expressed interest in taking up the game.
Why is golf not fun anymore?
The most likely culprits that took the fun out of the game were excessive pressure and high expectations. You see, when you first started to play, you just played. You were immersed in the moment and that's where fun resides. Then, at some point, you became overly focused on results and all those emotions took over.
Is golf gaining or losing popularity?
Golf is on the decline in America. That reality has finally smacked us in the face like a two-by-four. The number of core American golfers (those playing eight rounds or more per year) has fallen between three and 4.5 percent every year since 2006.
What age group plays the most golf?
-- The highest percentage of core golfers came in the 30-39 age group (18.8 percent of all golfers), followed by the 40-49 (17.6) group. There were a larger percentage of golfers under the age of 40 than there were over the age of 50 (47 percent to 35 percent).
How do you attract millennials to golf?
6 Easy Ways to Attract Millennial Golfers1: Offer free club rentals with PGA lesson or round of golf. ... 2: Different style of play. ... 3: Social media interaction. ... 4: Have a social tournament for local young adults. ... 5: Incentivize your golf round with local business. ... 6: Inbound Marketing.
Why is golf considered boring?
The main reason people find the game of golf boring is that it takes too long. Most of the time, a round of golf is going to be about five hours long. To play a five-hour round, you will also need to show up to the course before your round, and chances are there is some travel time to and from the course.
Is golf a boring sport?
Golf has beaten off competition from cricket, snooker and bridge to be crowned the world's most boring game. 39% of Brits voted golf the most boring game. The poll of 2,000 adults also found almost one in 10 have put on videos of golf or snooker at night to help them fall asleep.
Is golf a waste of time?
Remembering that the average round of golf takes 4 hours we can safely assume that 1.824 billion hours or 76 million days are wasted playing golf every year . The average golfer wastes around 76 hours or 3.2 days playing golf every year. For golf enthusiasts that number will be much higher.
Do Millennials play golf?
According to the National Golf Foundation, in 2014, six million Millennials played 90 million rounds of golf annually. This level of play generates $5 billion worth of golf spend by Millennials annually.
Is golf still dying?
Golf is one of the sports that play a constant game between losing players and getting them back, and this may lead some to believe that golf may be a dying sport, but this is not the case at all. Golf is not a dying sport.
Is golf fading?
If you aren't familiar with the term a golf fade, or sometimes referred to as a cut shot, it is a ball flight that shapes left-to-right for right-handed players and right-to-left for left handers. This is the same shape as a slice, but a fade is much more controlled and doesn't cover as much lateral distance.
Why are millennials ditching golf?
Millennials are ditching golf because it’s too hard and boring. Back in 2004, I helped to launch a new magazine, Golf Punk, to an unsuspecting and, on the face of it, largely apathetic public. It was billed as the “golf magazine for the rest of us,” and we, like the editorial team, figured there must be legions of frustrated amateur golfers out ...
How many golfers are there in Generation Y?
And for Generation Y, at least, the answer is no. According to the National Golf Foundation, there are an estimated 24.1 million golfers in the United States, down from 24.7 million in the previous two years and over 5 million fewer than played the game in 2005. In 2013, for example, golf in the United States lost over 400,000 players, ...
Where is Zach Johnson putting in the 2016 PGA Championship?
Zach Johnson putts on the 18th green during the 2016 PGA Championship in Springfield, New Jersey. Getty Images
When did Golf Punk magazine launch?
Back in 2004, I helped to launch a new magazine, Golf Punk, to an unsuspecting and, on the face of it, largely apathetic public.
Is McIlory's comment a hammer blow for golf?
But McIlory’s comments are a hammer blow for golf at a time when it’s never been more difficult to attract players under 45 to the game.
Does Nike make golf clubs?
Even high-profile manufacturers are beginning to rethink their presence in the sport. Recently Nike announced they would no longer be making golf clubs, ball s and bags to concentrate purely on golf footwear and clothing.
Who was on the first cover of Golf Punk?
For a while, Golf Punk reinvigorated a market (and a game) that badly needed shaking up. Inevitably, the first cover featured Tiger Woods.
How many hours do millennials spend on golf courses?
To be sure, millennials are not as interested in spending five hours on a golf course playing the sport the traditional way. The total number of players completing a traditional 18-hole round is down over 1 percent in the past year, the National Golf Foundation said.
Who is Jordan Spieth?
The company sponsors millennial pro golfer Jordan Spieth, 24, the winner of the 2017 British Open, and Stephen Curry, 29, a relative newcomer to the sport. Curry, a two-time NBA MVP, played his first professional tournament as a golfer earlier this month.
How many Topgolf locations are there?
That has boosted the popularity of places like Topgolf, a souped up driving range that offers food, drinks and other activities and operates 33 locations internationally, with 16 more in various stages of development.
Does Chelsea Piers have a golf range?
The company also sponsors women’s gatherings like a recent one at New York’s Chelsea Piers sports complex, which includes a golf range. “Women of all levels come to our events because they know it’s the right thing to do – they want to play and be part of the game, but they feel like there are so many barriers.” LaMothe said. “With us, it’s just a fun girls’ night that helps create a larger network of women who want to be involved.”
Does Under Armour have women's golf apparel?
Under Armour introduced a women’s golf apparel line last year and has since hit over $1 billion in sales. “We know there is a growing appetite for younger, fashion forward product to outfit her on the course and in every aspect of her life.” Ross said.
How many people played golf in the 1990s?
In the 1990s, about 9 million adults ages 18 to 34 played golf, according to the National Golf Foundation. Today, that's down to 6.1 million.
Why are country clubs taking the focus off golf?
Country clubs are taking the focus off golf to appeal to millennials. Millennials aren't as interested in joining country clubs as their baby-boomer parents were. The "brokest generation" can't afford the membership dues, doesn't particularly enjoy playing golf, and isn't into the stuffy and nondiverse reputation of traditional country clubs, ...
Why are country clubs not attracting millennials?
Kelsey Lawrence reported last year for CityLab that country clubs have had trouble attracting millennials for several reasons: The "brokest" and "most indebted" generation can't afford the membership dues, which cost thousands of dollars per year, and they don't love playing golf. Another problem is country clubs' reputation for being stuffy ...
How many golf clubs were there in the 1990s?
In the mid-to-late 1990s, there were more than 5,000 member-owned full-service golf and country clubs in the US, Frank Vain, the president of the St. Louis-based consulting firm McMahon Group, told The Roanoak Times. By 2017, that number had fallen to about 3,900, he said.
Why do people belong to private clubs?
People belong to private clubs first and foremost for a sense of community , Wallmeyer said.
Why are country clubs moving away from their traditional mainstays?
Henry Wallmeyer, the president and CEO of the National Club Association, says country clubs are evolving to appeal to a younger and more diverse clientele.
Why are country clubs evolving?
Country clubs are evolving in order to attract a younger clientele, Henry Wallmeyer, the president and CEO of the National Club Association, told Business Insider.
How to make sense of an idea?
Make sense of an idea by assimilating it into existing body of knowledge.
Is a conclusion reflective of a millennial golfer?
Conclusions should not be construed as reflective of all Millennial golfers or the ‘average’ Millennial golfer.
