Don't Grow the Game, Grow the Passion

 

 

Growing the Game is a phrase that makes me uncomfortable, not because I don't want more people to play and enjoy the game, it's the greatest game, everyone should play, but because it feels like a phrase that's been hijacked by corporations and boardrooms to increase their profits. They're only interested in numbers and money, not enjoyment, not passion and not in the love of the game.

 

The cries can be numbers are down, rounds are down, members are down. The solutions offered are dramatic at times, bigger holes to make it easier and more attractive, music blasting, 12 hole rounds to make it faster and even things like foot golf.

 

What's ignored at times is the natural ebb and flow of popularity of games. People's passion wains and they leave the game. The games themselves are rarely the reason why less people play, some of the main attractions of golf are it's difficulty, the time it takes to play. Golfers like the challenge, golfers like spending 3-4 hours in the fresh air in a refuge away from the other parts of their life.

 

What drives it all is a passion for the game. If a golfer has passion, it offsets the difficulty, time and any other perceived problems. What needs to be grown is peoples passion. What grows passion is being in contact with other golfers who are passionate. Passionate about great shots, great courses, great rounds, the history of the game, great golfers, great swings, explaining how to hole putts and make impossible ups and downs.

 

This is what draws people to golf. Most golfers start playing because they have a close relative or friend who plays, they live close to a golf course, they come in contact with someone who has a great passion for the game, or they see someone exciting playing.

 

The close relative or friend will have passion and this feeds into the daughter, son, grandson, granddaughter, niece, nephew, friend and passion is infectious. Caddying and living close to the golf course will bring the person into contact with many passionate golfers which feeds their passion. And if a golfer visits a school to talk about the game, the passion spreads. Watching on TV or at an event feeds the passion too, think of the excitement that Arnold or Seve or Tiger or Rory brought and bring!

 

One of the key individuals in spreading the passion is the PGA professional, pros love the game, they're passionate about the game, they introduce golfers to the game, they talk about the game, the stories, the history, the traditions, the listen to golfers tell their great stories, they teach the game, they give words of encouragement to golfers of all ages, sizes and abilities from 4 to 100, from the plus golfer to the rank beginner. They look out for golfers.

 

When a club removes their professional or has them stuck behind a counter or desk, counting rounds, trying to maximize profits, it's a travesty. The pro being out and about connecting with golfers, telling visitors how to play the fifth hole or not to go above the hole on the 9th, giving members a swing tip on the range or putting green, recounting stories about great members, golfers or days is paramount to feeding the passion.

 

Don't grow the game, grow the passion. Feed it through the pro, the other golfers will pass on their passion too. More passion, more golfers, no need to worry about numbers or profits.