How to fix golf, part 1: Editors' Blog: Golf Digest

How to fix golf, part 1

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 Comments

It's pretty well agreed that over two couple of decades we've built too many courses, certainly too many high-end courses, and haven't done enough to fill them with golfers, especially golfers that don't look like us. Without debating the merits of that assessment--I know some of you don't buy this whole idea of "growing" the game, I nevertheless recommend this letter to Golf World, because it makes a very interesting suggestion. There was a time then the industry goal was to build "a course a day," too many of them "country club for a day" courses. This reader argues that what we really needed was munis you could play all week, and we can still have them.

Recent Golf World articles on course architecture, ecology and the economy reinforce that there are no easy answers for a flagging industry so super-charged by personalities, profits and brands that it saw no need to plan for the other shoe dropping. How about reviving some of the faded, publically owned gems through an annual "extreme makeover" competition? Industry professionals could "give back" to communities by transforming courses into environmentally appropriate, economically sustainable destination points for everyday golfers offering "good of the game" initiatives, clinics, leagues, outings, and even tour stops. Naive? Maybe. But I'd take the bet that the nexus of America's entrepreneurial know-how, our national tradition of neighbors helping neighbors and a true passion for golf could make it happen.

Patrice Keegan, Dorchester, MA

Interesting idea: Extreme Golf Makeover. Tell us why your course should be the one. Patrice, given the number of architects with more time than projects on their hands these, days, I think you've got something. Now, we need a sponsor.....

--Bob Carney