Growing The Game Through Family

I started playing golf at the age of nine, played competitively through college, and spent my entire professional life in businesses that surround the game.  One would think I qualify as an avid golfer under any definition. Sometimes it’s hard for me to believe that I played just five 18-hole rounds the first six months of this year.

Why?  Time… more specifically, a lack of it.

According to the National Golf Foundation’s definition, I’ve slipped from being an avid golfer to a casual one. My work schedule, my wife’s work schedule, family activities, kids sporting events, coaching, school activities, etc get in the way of the time and, frankly, the desire to play golf. But that started to change this summer.

A minor injury to my 12-year-old son’s elbow ended baseball for the summer, creating an unforeseen opportunity.  What started as “Hey Dad, can we go to the range to hit some balls?” turned into, “Can we play 18 holes this weekend?”  Midway through that Saturday round in early July, Will said, “Dad, this is a lot of fun, we need to do this more often.”

Magic!  Since then, five more rounds played.

Curiously during this time, I found myself playing and practicing more as well. I rediscovered the desire to play the sport again.   I had an inch added to my putter (like that will help), had the spikes replaced in the shoes, and finally bought a new carry bag.

Will’s desire to play has also infected his little brother. They have started hitting plastic golf balls on imaginary holes around the neighborhood (might need to get some of that green sand for those divots!).  Next up, get Mom some clubs!

The ability to spend quality time with your family in today’s dizzying world is invaluable. The opportunity for golf to facilitate that family time is priceless.

Introducing and teaching the game to children is also a long term solution to creating an ever increasing population of avid golfers, a number that has not grown significantly in 10 years.  Retaining these golfers is the key, and is perhaps the biggest challenge of them all.  But it has to start somewhere, and making golf an integral part of the family experience is a good place to start.

As part of the ‘Play Golf America’ campaign, the month of July was “Family Golf Month.”  Play Golf America, designed to increase participation among new and occasional adult golfers, was developed by The PGA of America, with the support of several high profile Allied Associations. The program utilizes the PlayGolfAmerica.com Web site to serve as a link for consumers to access fun, affordable and informative programs in their area.

The Myrtle Beach Golf community has always been ahead of the family golf curve, providing free golf for children in the summertime, hosting the Summer Family Golf tournaments and the National Father/Son Team Classic (more on this great event in another post!). But we need to continue to do all we can to support family golf activities.

The local First Tee Chapter has also made great strides in helping to provide golf opportunities to young people across the Grand Strand. We need to continue to push ourselves to further these efforts, identify new opportunities, and encourage our national golf and media organizations to remain focused on these efforts as well.  The future of our sport may depend on it.