THE DECLINE OF GOLF AS A SPORT AND THE OBVIOUS EFFECT ON GOLF AS A BUSINESS: By David Fineg: OUR REPONSE

     I want to first thank all of you for responding to this article.  It has overwhelmingly receive the most response and hits of any other post on this blog.  The comments were insightful and in most cases well thought out. We definitely hit a nerve with this one. Thanks David for sharing this with us, and many of our readers share your views.
     First, I have to say that no matter what your opinion may be Tiger was good for golf. He brought a new style and swagger to the game that we won't see for a very long time. Along with this came a renewed interest in the game of golf.  It was cool to play golf and yes a percentage of the people that started playing golf weren't exactly the serious golfing type. Many of these players have left the game for of a number of reasons, but here is the important fact.  Tiger brought a new wave of serious golfers, especially young players to the game. These players love the game and play it regularly. Not everyone who started the game because of Tiger have left the game, in fact many have stayed and I would venture a guess that the percentage is very high. These players have stuck out the "learning curve" knowing that golf is a difficult game and have become true lovers of the game and continue to play.
      I feel a bit uncomfortable using the term "golf monkeys".  Let's call them what they are, a bunch of idiots who don't respect anything, especially the rules, traditions and etiquett of the game of golf. I would venture a guess that they don't respect themselves, but that's another story. They are more at home at a football or baseball game than they are on a golf course.  And by the way, I am a big fan of baseball and football but I don't act that way.  These are the "let's go out to a golf course, get a whole lot of beer and tear up the course" bunch.  They only play maybe once a year and are not at the game to play golf, but only to drive the cart and get smashed.  I know these people and have had to deal with them as a marshal on many occasions. These are not golfers by any stretch of the imagination. They have been around forever, even before the Tiger years.  The "Tiger Effect" may have brought them out of the woodwork, but they were still there even before Tiger. Our permissive culture which has a hard time teaching values and respect hasn't helped much either.
     Golf has always had an open door policy to new players. Basically all you had to do to get into the game was to buy a second hand set of clubs with a bag and find some used balls.  You could then go pay your green fee and you were in business. In order to really play the game of golf, we as golfers know that there is more to it than that. Golf is not easy and a lot has to be learned. Golfers are always learning about their sport. You are always learning no matter how long you play in all aspects of the game on and off the course. Golf needs to do a better job of putting this point across to new golfers. Whose responsibility is it to carry this out?
      As golfers it is all our responsibility. This includes the pro--and it is not all his job-- the course assistant and the veteran player as well as the new player have a role to play. The main job of the golfer is first to have fun and secondly to become a student of the game. Golf lessons from the pro to the new golfer should include the ins and outs of playing the game with respect.  Course assistants should confront those players not respecting the game or the course in a polite and respectful manner. Veteran golfers should volunteer to mentor new golfers.  There is a lot that needs to be done.
    Thank you David for sharing your piece with us.  I do have more to say on this and will do so in future posts.      

Let's go out and play some golf.