The last 18 months have brought a huge wave of interest in the game of golf, with growth in both players and numbers in excess of 10%.
The last time the game saw those kinds of numbers were when on Eldrick Tont Woods, also known as Tiger Woods, exploded onto the scene and changed forever the way golf was perceived. When Tiger won the Masters in 1997 it caused a seismic shift in golf. And his sustained excellence for the next decade coincided with some astounding numbers. Between 1997 and 2007 almost six million Americans became golfers. Ratings for golf tournaments that featured Woods doubled and sometimes tripled. The U.S. added 2,000 18-hole golf courses and equipment sales soared. Maybe even more profound was the social impact that Woods made on the game. The fact that he looked different and played with a swagger and charisma unlike any other champion in golf history made the game something that it had never been…cool. Programs like the First Tee emerged, and thousands of high schools launched golf teams as young people flocked to golf because of the allure of Tiger.
But over the years, golf failed to keep the golfers and rounds at those historic highs and participation waned. Recently, Woods suffered a life-threatening car crash that took him off the radar at virtually the same moment that the pandemic caused a multitude of new gofers to discover the fun and fitness to be found on the course. Woods made one of the most improbable comebacks in sports history, grinding and grimacing his way through the four rounds of this year’s Masters. Although his score was not up to his standards, the attention that he drew to the game was as intense as ever. Against all odds, Tiger was back and the world took notice.
The burning question for owners and operators of golf facilities now is how to keep new players engaged and invested in golf when the malls and theaters re-open and the full array of pastimes becomes available again. The influx of new players and the return of Tiger presents a golden opportunity. The last time golfers came to take a look at golf, many were turned off by the unwelcoming atmosphere and homogenous look of the game. Golf’s invitation to new players came with strings attached and many said, “No, thank you”.
Hopefully, the industry has learned and will improve at translating TopGolfers into green grass golfers and engaging new players with an overall experience that entices them to make the game a permanent part of their lives. And the presence of Tiger Woods, even on a part-time basis, should help keep the interest of the general public focused on golf in a way that no one else can. But Father Time is undefeated, and Woods will not always be around to serve as a magnet for the game. Courses will have to somehow find a way to make a direct emotional connection to the public. It’s a problem, but as my great-grandmother used to say, it’s one of those good kind of problems.
Michael Williams is the Executive Director for Cyrano Communications (Washington, DC). He is also a contributor for Voice of America (Washington, DC), a member of the USGA Golf Journal Editorial Board, and a contributor for PGA.com. In 2005, Michael launched his first radio show on FOX News Radio Sticks and Stones, a critically acclaimed show that covered golf, business and politics. Since that launch, Michael has established a reputation as a savvy broadcaster and as an incisive interviewer and writer. An avid golfer himself, Michael has covered the game of golf and the golf lifestyle including courses, restaurants, business, travel and sports marketing for publications all over the world.