WSJ "Need for Alt-Golf" Article

[vslaugh]

Just wanted to share an article, "More Debate Over the Need for Alt-Golf" in the January 24, 2014, Wall Street Journal. It's a brief but interesting read on a sort of crisis that the PGA and ball golf faces with a 25% decline in core players (30% among 18-34 year-olds) in the last five years, dwindling industry profits, and an oversupply of courses. The article covers the Hack Golf Initiative to find grassroots modifications that increase golf's appeal.

The main "hack" discussed in the article is the 15-inch cup -- an idea that I've seen before -- which is interesting because it takes ball golf in the direction of disc golf in terms of the relative difficulty of driving and putting. A conclusion is that this will only be feasible if new courses are constructed with these cups, as it will only help speed of play if everyone plays to the large cups.

As a ball golf drop-out, disc golf has been a terrific pastime for me. Based on my experiences as a graduate student enjoying the courses around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, here's my list of "competitive advantages" that I imagine will work in disc golf's favor as these macro-trends play out:

• It's cheap.
• It takes less time to play a round.
• No tee times are required.
• It's more fun to be hiking in the woods with slightly more interesting wildlife and terrain.
• I can contribute to course maintenance and be helping my community (thinking of public park courses).
• The strategic decisions are more interesting due to creativity in disc/shot selection.
• I can play it almost year-round (~45 weeks a year).

Summarizing an interview with Golf is Dying author Pat Gallagher, the article states:

The best chance Hack Golf has, he said, may be to experiment with alternate forms of golf and equipment on some of the courses that are closing or underutilized. New golf-like games might emerge and become popular on their own, the way softball and Little League grew out of baseball, without the major leagues having to bend or get involved at all. Already popular in Texas and elsewhere are TopGolf ranges, which draw families and many nongolfers, often at night, for range games that are scored electronically, like bowling.

Funny he doesn't mention disc golf. Maybe he hasn't had the chance to play on a good course, or disregards it as there is almost no commercial interaction between golf and disc golf.

Any other reactions to the article? I think disc golf's future is bright, and that those of us who contribute to creating good courses can be proud of that work as providing valuable recreation assets to our communities.

More info:
www.hackgolf.org

 

[redneckgolfer]

Ever since I found disc golf my ball golf clubs are collecting dust. With most people in the 18-34 range not being able to afford 50-70$ for a round of ball golf plus the price of the equipment and the stringent rules of a lot of public courses I would much rather play dg. I don't even want to know what it would cost for my 3 kids and I to play 18 at the local ball golf course. Besides having to rent clubs for the kids since you cannot share clubs. Its much more fun and cost effective to play the sport we all have become addicted to.

 

[Mabuku1]

I personally have a hard time swallowing the wait time on some of the more popular dg courses. Add Golfers to the lineup and I'm so not interested, I would rather be home with my family.

 

[Cgkdisc]

The thing I believe will prevent significant changes to occur is their existing infrastructure cost that has to be served. The larger hole on the green still means players have to spend money for golf equipment and greens fees so it helps those who make a living providing golf. But doesn't address the cost factor for players and only somewhat reduces the time to play which may be the two big reasons for the drop off. I believe something like disc golf IS what the Hack Golf initiative might come up with (if we didn't exist). But the ball golf environment could not support nor survive that level of financial change. My suspicion is golf is more likely to gradually devolve into a smaller participation sport with those who can still afford it, maybe like polo. I'm curious if golf is still growing in fast growing economies such as in the Far East where they have the property and it still might be a status symbol to play? Many of your new women golf stars are coming from Asia.

 

[WaterHole]

Ever since I found disc golf my ball golf clubs are collecting dust. With most people in the 18-34 range not being able to afford 50-70$ for a round of ball golf plus the price of the equipment and the stringent rules of a lot of public courses I would much rather play dg..

I have to agree with the cost factor in this one. Especially with the demographic. I always wanted to learn ball golf and I even have 2 sets of golf clubs (handed down to me not bought lol) However since I found DG I have absolutely no interest in even learning or playing ball golf.

 

[Central Scrutinizer]

• It's cheap.
• It takes less time to play a round.
• No tee times are required.
• It's more fun to be hiking in the woods with slightly more interesting wildlife and terrain.
• I can contribute to course maintenance and be helping my community (thinking of public park courses).
• The strategic decisions are more interesting due to creativity in disc/shot selection.
• I can play it almost year-round (~45 weeks a year).

I've been saying for many years that the time will come when every little itty-bitty small town will have a good Disc Golf course, just like they have baseball/softball diamonds, basketball...and ball golf too. It's inevitable because it's so very awesome and so very inexpensive, a rare double-punch combination. And I believe it's happening in our midst, quickly too. People who have been playing as long as I have can attest to the dizzying array of course and Disc choices available to us easily now.

I mean...Our equipment! The basket and all of the varying Discs we can carry and utilize cerebrally? What other outdoor projectile activity is as awesome AND inexpensive? It's not close anywhere else.

Happy times are here...

 

[ohtobediscing]

3 bg courses closed here in southern MS after Katrina and never reopened. The closest public course is down to $20 with a cart, anytime.
Yeah, ball golf is on its way down in # of participants and courses. The irony for me is I never paid the slightest attention to bg [except dabbling in it when I was 12-14] until I got bit by DG good in 2002. Then I would watch ball golf and dream of beautiful dg courses.

Bg is pretty obliviously self-absorbed as a sport anyhoo. Did you know that the commercial consumer of the most water in NV is golf courses, at 4% total of NV water use?

 

[jongoff09]

There are 9 public golf courses within about 30min of where I live. 5 of them closed within the last 5 years. As of last year, all of them have re-opened, and are doing great business for the most part. I played 9 holes at one of them today. Golf took a hit, but I think it is back for the most part in central Arkansas.

Bg is pretty obliviously self-absorbed as a sport anyhoo. Did you know that the commercial consumer of the most water in NV is golf courses, at 4% total of NV water use?

Doesn't surprise me at all. I have heard the last couple of years people throwing around the idea of getting golf courses to quit using as much water and let the fairways and greens turn brown. I don't think that would go over very well.

 

[drblam]

Bg courses that are lower or mid quality should put in baskets and sell discs in the clubhouse. An average ball course could easily put in 18 to 27 holes for discers and collect on drinks, discs, or low fees (i would pay 15 or 20 a month to play a really well maintaned course)

The two sports could get along well, as evidenced by the course in Myrtle beach. It's simple and a bit expensive (everything there is) but ball golfers and frolfers get along there without trouble!

 

[WillGrrr]

Thought provoking, to say the least, vslaugh.

From the article:

"Funding for the initiative, Hack Golf (hackgolf.org), comes primarily from TaylorMade, the industry's largest equipment maker."

and:
"One possibility is that golf always will be a niche sport, incapable of growing as the shareholders of highflying manufacturers demand."

There is much to mull in the article you linked. It's interesting to recall the idea floated of smaller baskets for pro disc golf events.

Lastly, the article cited the core of ball golfers as those who identify as playing 8 or more rounds annually--the targeted market, if you will, that keeps the game afloat by way of revenue. If I play fewer than 8 rounds monthly, I'm crawling out of my skin to get to the course--any course.

 

[ejvogie]

I've picked up my sticks exactly twice since I started discing. Both were work-sponsored events.