From The Editor?

[vkurup]

First lady captain of a Royal golf club. I know other clubs in the UK have appointed lady captains to be the figurehead for all sections (men andn women) and be captain of the club as a whole and so I think its important to differentiate and recognise that for the lady in question and I guess for the club too, this is actually quite prestigious. It will make zero difference to getting people into the sport though!

It is all about role models... events like this provides lady getting into the game with the knowledge/hope that she can go far in this game.. But Hacker K got there first and put it much better...

Taken on it's own as an isolated incident probably not. But the more females who take up prominent positions and are even seen around golf courses can only lead to more interest from other females and will do something to counter the perception that the game is a male sport. And you never know, some of those females might decide to give golf a try after a talk from or meeting a lady captain? Doesn't the UK have one of the lowest percentage of female to male members of golf clubs in Europe?

 

[patricks148]

Taken on it's own as an isolated incident probably not. But the more females who take up prominent positions and are even seen around golf courses can only lead to more interest from other females and will do something to counter the perception that the game is a male sport. And you never know, some of those females might decide to give golf a try after a talk from or meeting a lady captain? Doesn't the UK have one of the lowest percentage of female to male members of golf clubs in Europe?

I don't think its just golf, i watched something on TV news the other week where the said Female participation in sport was at an all time low.

 

[beau d.]

In fear of repeating myself I honestly do not believe the game needs to change in the respect of the way it is played and the rules it is played under. I also feel extreme caution should be taken to not put off and loose the golf die hards to which we refer to on here, because after all they are the people who golf needs more than anything, they will be the committee members who dedicate so much of their time and effort to keeping Golf clubs open, they are the ones who will provide guaranteed annual income to Golf clubs in the form of subscriptions, they are the future captains etc to whom the bulk of us owe our gratitude for what they do, so we can enjoy this great game, not some casual player who we have attracted because he can play once a month with over sized clubs, who can answer his mobile in the clubhouse and walk the fairways in jeans, yes we do need these people, but they need to come to us not the game to them.
The whole problem to me is down to Affordability, I am sure if we can get more municipal and par courses offering an entrance into golf, yes even possibly with a relaxed dress code etc to get them into the game, coupled with campaigns to get the sport more noticed in the likes of schools the upturn will come.
I speak from my own experience here, I used to race Moto Cross, when I got married due to the expense (you think golf is expensive) and the danger of the sport I had to very regrettably pack it in, I searched and pined for a sport which I could enjoy for years. Golf was never on the radar, never, until one sunny afternoon when my young daughter was asleep in her pushchair at Walsall Arboretum, I hired a few clubs and ventured out on their short municipal course just for a laugh. After two holes I was absolutely hooked, became infatuated with this wonderful game and still am. Like I say no one was more of a doubter regarding what the game could offer than me and look where that casual chance meeting with golf has took me, I consider myself a golf die hard, proud of a game I once viewed as stupid, with it's silly rules and traditions.
Trust in this wonderful game we play, it is more than good enough on it's own merits to entice people as it did with me to a life long participation, we do not need to change it, funk it up or anything, just get people to try it and once we have them hooked provide a wide array of courses and memberships (municipal and private members) of different price levels so it remains affordable and we will survive and flourish in my opinion.

 

[NorfolkShaun]

In fear of repeating myself I honestly do not believe the game needs to change in the respect of the way it is played and the rules it is played under. I also feel extreme caution should be taken to not put off and loose the golf die hards to which we refer to on here, because after all they are the people who golf needs more than anything, they will be the committee members who dedicate so much of their time and effort to keeping Golf clubs open, they are the ones who will provide guaranteed annual income to Golf clubs in the form of subscriptions, they are the future captains etc to whom the bulk of us owe our gratitude for what they do, so we can enjoy this great game, not some casual player who we have attracted because he can play once a month with over sized clubs, who can answer his mobile in the clubhouse and walk the fairways in jeans, yes we do need these people, but they need to come to us not the game to them.
The whole problem to me is down to Affordability, I am sure if we can get more municipal and par courses offering an entrance into golf, yes even possibly with a relaxed dress code etc to get them into the game, coupled with campaigns to get the sport more noticed in the likes of schools the upturn will come.
I speak from my own experience here, I used to race Moto Cross, when I got married due to the expense (you think golf is expensive) and the danger of the sport I had to very regrettably pack it in, I searched and pined for a sport which I could enjoy for years. Golf was never on the radar, never, until one sunny afternoon when my young daughter was asleep in her pushchair at Walsall Arboretum, I hired a few clubs and ventured out on their short municipal course just for a laugh. After two holes I was absolutely hooked, became infatuated with this wonderful game and still am. Like I say no one was more of a doubter regarding what the game could offer than me and look where that casual chance meeting with golf has took me, I consider myself a golf die hard, proud of a game I once viewed as stupid, with it's silly rules and traditions.
Trust in this wonderful game we play, it is more than good enough on it's own merits to entice people as it did with me to a life long participation, we do not need to change it, funk it up or anything, just get people to try it and once we have them hooked provide a wide array of courses and memberships (municipal and private members) of different price levels so it remains affordable and we will survive and flourish in my opinion.

Have to say this would sum up my feelings quite well to be honest.

I do agree we need better introductions into golf, round Norwich we have three par three courses two council run which are good starter places.

We also have one club with a 18 hole course with a formal golf clubhouse and attached to it is a more casual clubhouse with a driving range with 60-60 golf, family adventure golf and a 9 hole course. I believe this is a great blueprint for an introduction into golf and as you get more serious you can move onto the more formal 18 hole course or stay on the less formal 9 hole course if that what you prefer.

 

[Hacker Khan]

not some casual player who we have attracted because he can play once a month with over sized clubs, who can answer his mobile in the clubhouse and walk the fairways in jeans, yes we do need these people, but they need to come to us not the game to them.

I'd say there is a middle ground between golf nut on the committee who is happy to adhere and enjoys all the rules/regulations/traditional etc etc and casual player who wants to wear jeans on the course. I'd actually say the potential players who are not playing as they want to wear jeans on the course is quite low. But the potential club member or casual players (of which I include myself) who are happy to wear trousers but can't for the life of them see why you can't have an untucked shirt if it makes you feel more comfortable or wear smart jeans in the clubhouse or use a mobile phone in a clubhouse (hello, it's 2014, everyone has them!) is a lot more.

And golf needs to come to them for the game to prosper.

But agree with your point about affordability.

 

[SocketRocket]

In fear of repeating myself I honestly do not believe the game needs to change in the respect of the way it is played and the rules it is played under. I also feel extreme caution should be taken to not put off and loose the golf die hards to which we refer to on here, because after all they are the people who golf needs more than anything, they will be the committee members who dedicate so much of their time and effort to keeping Golf clubs open, they are the ones who will provide guaranteed annual income to Golf clubs in the form of subscriptions, they are the future captains etc to whom the bulk of us owe our gratitude for what they do, so we can enjoy this great game, not some casual player who we have attracted because he can play once a month with over sized clubs, who can answer his mobile in the clubhouse and walk the fairways in jeans, yes we do need these people, but they need to come to us not the game to them.
The whole problem to me is down to Affordability, I am sure if we can get more municipal and par courses offering an entrance into golf, yes even possibly with a relaxed dress code etc to get them into the game, coupled with campaigns to get the sport more noticed in the likes of schools the upturn will come.
I speak from my own experience here, I used to race Moto Cross, when I got married due to the expense (you think golf is expensive) and the danger of the sport I had to very regrettably pack it in, I searched and pined for a sport which I could enjoy for years. Golf was never on the radar, never, until one sunny afternoon when my young daughter was asleep in her pushchair at Walsall Arboretum, I hired a few clubs and ventured out on their short municipal course just for a laugh. After two holes I was absolutely hooked, became infatuated with this wonderful game and still am. Like I say no one was more of a doubter regarding what the game could offer than me and look where that casual chance meeting with golf has took me, I consider myself a golf die hard, proud of a game I once viewed as stupid, with it's silly rules and traditions.
Trust in this wonderful game we play, it is more than good enough on it's own merits to entice people as it did with me to a life long participation, we do not need to change it, funk it up or anything, just get people to try it and once we have them hooked provide a wide array of courses and memberships (municipal and private members) of different price levels so it remains affordable and we will survive and flourish in my opinion.

I like your passion and conviction in your views.

 

[vkurup]

Slightly dated industry report from 2011, but makes some interesting reading. http://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/industry/real-estate/Documents/golf-participation-in-europe.pdf..

Even as back as 2010 - 2011, there was a decline in number of golfers in UKI...

After more than 20 years of growth, Europe’s golf market experienced the first decline in golf participation, with a net loss of 46,000 registered players in 2011. Nine countries experienced a decline in the number of registered golfers, but the most significant falls were in three large golf markets: UK & Ireland -42,700 (-3.1%), where the number of golfers has been falling since 2007, Sweden -21,000 (-4.1%) and Spain-9,700 (-2.9%).