Grow the Game

If you ever have the opportunity to stay and play golf on Maui, I strongly urge you to check out THE PGA golf professional that epitomizes the term “generous soul” – PGA golf professional, David Havens – founder of The Haven’s Experience at Maui Nui golf course.

Last month I read a very interesting post from Rory Hughes called The Internet is Killing Golf.  Originally published in Golf Chicago Magazine, the article is well written and presents a compelling argument. But after working in industries that have  been digitally disrupted, I have come to realize that the problem with golf is not the Internet, it’s Digital Darwinism.

Diversification has been the mantra of financial advisers since the dawn of the stock exchange and for good reason. Putting all of one’s eggs into one basket is a high-risk game in personal wealth management as well as in many businesses.  Unfortunately for the golf industry, it hasn’t jumped on the diversification gravy train and is suffering the consequences.  

Most of us were introduced to the game of golf by someone who was inspired to share their passion—whether it was a great teaching pro, an encouraging family member, or a dear friend who promised, “No seriously, it will be fun!”

All true golfers have heard a repertoire of inane comments about the game that cause their ears to bleed. Claims that golf isn’t a sport, dismissive scoffs at “golf-related fitness” (with John Daly as their favourite testimonial), or the average weekend golfer telling all those within earshot that he hits the ball “about 350”—one might say that these kinds of …

Last fall I posted a survey on my business website to try and learn why more millennials aren’t taking up golf and what could be done to entice them to give the sport a try. It was a bit of a slog trying to get kids to respond to the survey even with targeted ads on Facebook for the 17-25 age group …