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Grow The Game


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(No politics here - follow forum rules on that, please)

 

Watching Cheyenne Woods on Golf Channel this morning. Golf on tv - GC, CBS, NBC, FOX, ESPN, etc. - and golf on Social Media should make an intentional, concerted effort to get women of color, especially African American women, much more in front of the camera.

 

Take Woods and Troy Mullins and create content for them. They may not be LPGA Tour winners, but they’re extremely talented golfers, have welcoming personalities, and are super easy on the eyes, and they’d certainly have my attention as a consumer. Consider the career of broadcast legend Phyllis George...it’s not the worst thing in the world to capitalize on what Woods and Mullins bring to the table to move and inspire societal change.

 

Golf would be a better place with Woods and Mullins on my tv screen in regular spots.

 

What are your thoughts and ideas on this aspect of growing the game?

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You’re definitely not supposed to say things like “easy on the eyes,” especially in a post including content about marginalized groups.

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People on tv are attractive. The audience has to look at them hahaha. It usually is, especially in breakthrough roles, that way, and it makes sense.

It is not anything but complimentary in my post. If it wasn’t for the extreme golf talent and delightful personalities, I would have never made this thread. Thanks for the conversation for sure!

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This is going to become political, its unavoidable. It will become a debate about something akin to Affirmative Action, selecting people for a job (appearing on TV) based on their appearance or skin color, which can be an extremely divisive subject. For that reason, I'll refrain from from commenting, other than to suggest that the thread may not remain open for very long.

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All fair points. Growing the game is political. Well, that sucks...because it should be about people. The PGA Tour and its star of all stars pushes the initiative (effectivity is debatable), yet discussing ideas to move it forward can become too “hot” on a global golf forum. I think the forum needs to look itself in the mirror on this one.

 

Talk about people and growing the game. Not politics.

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I respect your opinion. Don’t just quit because I disagree with your statement. Or, quit if you want, up to you. I don’t see a difference in your response to me and your assessment of what you think I did to you. One and the same there.

 

edit: Or maybe you agree with me - the two females in the OP are very qualified to do TV shows.. Perhaps I just read your reply as being defensive, and that would be my fault and I would apologize for it for sure.

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Growing the Game is a myth - there is no such thing. Marketing the game so all the companies, businesses and organizations involved can make more money is what's really happening. If "Golf" as an entity REALLY wanted to grow the game they would let kids and beginners play for free or next to nothing and make practice ranges, lessons and tee times available to them as well. But in today's climate, there's no way that happens on any significant scale as to actually "grow the game".

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I agree with a lot of this. Golf is so expensive, and a lot of times, money goes other places of need and fun for families. I see big groups of juniors at block lesson sessions at local muni’s. But that only goes so far, doesn’t it. After that, money has got to be spent to really move towards tournament golf.

Unfortunately, a higher demand through more relatable exposure in TV and social media also means dollar signs to the golf industry - to your point. Thanks for your comment on this!

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I don't disagree with this sentiment for most things where color should have no bearing. However, in the context of growing the game framed the way the OP presented you have to consider it.

Let's say that one of the television/content companies did the search, interviewed the candidates and determined the person who was most capable of performing the job from a technical standpoint was Jim Nantz. Is he really the appropriate face for a message intending to show the game as inclusive to minorities, women included? I wouldn't think so. That isn't a slight on Nantz at all but he is not the right tool in this case.

 

I think the biggest roadblock to getting more people, of all backgrounds, into golf is eliminating the stigma that it is an expensive, time consuming old white guy's sport. Most of us here would agree that there are opportunities present for anyone to play the game if they want. Making it appear inclusive and desirable is the rub. Not just in the US but in Europe as well. I have colleagues chide me for playing golf. "Danny, golf is for fat old men!" they tell me. Granted I resemble two out of three of those adjectives so...

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If you’re talking about growing the game as far as people playing, this can only happen 2 ways.

 

One,Golf is fun to play and people have access.

 

Two, the father and/or the kids friends play and they grow up with it.

 

 

 

Tiger caused a surge in participation because he made golf look really fun for kids and the average person.

 

But, of course, golf is stupid hard, people realized it, and participation went back to what it was. And access remains a barrier for people and kids especially is cities.

 

So, really, since golf will not become any easier to play than say, basketball, where kids love to play it, it’s exiting and easy to get access,

 

Is if more families start playing it and the kids pick it from them. Kind of a catch-22.

 

 

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So what you are saying is to hire people not because they are the absolute best and most qualified, but instead because they are physically attractive and have a different skin color? Is this how successful companies work?

Look at the brief appearance of Michelle Wie during the Golf Channel's coverage of The Players Championship this year. In my worthless opinion, she is absolutely horrible as a commentator. She is not articulate, sounds like she talks with marbles in her mouth, doesn't add any value to the broadcast, and provides very little perspective. Much the same as Joe Buck when we have to suffer through his commentary. As much as I don't like Justin Leonard, he is actually a really good commentator. Trevor Immelman has turned into a really good personality too.

Sure, Mullins and Woods are beautiful women, but how many times has a sport been accused of sexually exploiting women for gain?

I think to grow different segments of the game, it needs to be introduced to all young people more at a younger age. The First Tee is fantastic, but unless you live in a large city, a chapter isn't likely to be available. The nearest chapter to where I live is over 60 miles away in Tucson, AZ.

The game is naturally cost prohibitive. Green fees, equipment, maintenance costs for courses, labor, etc.

The other aspect is that many give up the game because of the difficulty.

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I'm not really sure how this topic can't become political but I think its definitely worth discussing.

I think "growing the game" is the wrong mindset to get more people interested in golf in general. I think there needs to be more televised off shoots of golf to grow interest in a more general way, and doing this correctly will generate more popularity among people of color (including women).

What I mean is there needs to be a concerted effort to make Golf flashier, as it attracts more people. Look at things like TOP GOLF. Food, Drink, Flashing lights, mini games, packed with golfers and non-golfers alike at night. Find a way to turn that into its own thing, almost like an extreme sport version of Golf. Kind of like how the long drive competitions attract a different type of viewer than regular golf (though of course there is crossover). Something like this would absolutely open up the world of competitive golf to a completely new type of player. Something where people only need to focus on their long game, as I find putting and chipping are the most difficult parts of golf to grasp for new players, just get rid of that particular part, which also has the added ability of removing hundreds of dollars in club costs for those who just aren't interested in that part of golf. I also like how top golf charges people for the time they are there and not the amount of balls they hit.

I think its near impossible to force intersectionality, but you can make a concerted effort at making golf more interesting for a younger more diverse crowd.

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Personally, I'd like to see Golf continue to be healthy long after I stop playing. To me, the values and lessons most of us learn from golf are a good reason to hope for its continued viability. hat means I have to hope that new golfers keep appearing, whether youngsters or adults, and all colors and nationalities are welcome. Increasing numbers of golfers are likely to mean increasing numbers of golf courses, practice facilities, etc. Sure, increased demand drives prices higher, but it also drives construction of new facilities to take advantage of increased demand.

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Golf was invented like 600 years ago and the game as we know it, more or less, has been around since the late 1800s

 

In the meantime, Basketball and Football we first really invented in the late 1800s and are exponentially more popular to play and watch.

 

You can’t change the overall excitement level of a game very much.

 

Golf is a leisurely game of walking and occasionally hitting a ball, that is not moving, with a stick. It can have amazing moments at the pro level, these guys are magicians and athletes in their own right.

 

But how can golf ever be like,

 

Man, never saw a guy that size make full speed, open field moves, like Erik D!

 

CMnluc.gif

 

 

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Why else do I think these two women are qualified to do a regular golf TV show or segment...? Come on self-proclaimed “bonecrusher” (hehe) you can do it....... Put the trick card back in your deck, and start again. I know you can do it :D

 

Just for those who can’t read too well: I don’t think Cheyenne Woods or Troy Mullins should be awarded the 2021 Women’s US Open trophy because of their looks. Capisce?

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So just don’t make it political :) As John Lennon said, it’s easy if you try.

 

Oh god, I hate it! I don’t want the flashing lights people playing in front of me hahaha. (Sorry, @jimthebonecrusher’s reading comprehension skills have me a bit tee’d.)

 

Golf is what it is. Growing the game isn’t about making it flashier or bigger than the already popular sports. It will never be that. I’d like for it to at least get with the times and try to shake the exclusivity problem it has with the public.

 

These are just ideas, people. No one is gonna steal your tee times just yet.

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You must turn the channel a lot! Well at least until you’re watching the people who you are certain are the most highly qualified to be on the air hahaha.

 

It’s TV! Those of you who are stuck on the looks part of the equation - might need to...get over yourselves :) Respectfully and kindly, of course.

 

 

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In my opinion, media companies should hire the people that they believe will get them the best ratings, and make the most money for them. That's their job, to make money for stockholders. Their job is not to grow the game, although that's a nice talking point for them, it helps many of us to "like them better". If hiring an attractive, well-spoken woman of color brings in more viewers than the other options, do it. If hiring my grandmother gets more viewers, do that instead.

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Maybe I read too much in to the OP but I didn't see him advocating for letting those ladies be the analysts for the next major, but create specific programming with the expressed purpose of putting "a person who looks different than 90% of golfers" in front of viewers in hopes of attracting more diversity to the game.

I don't think that is a bad way to go about it initially.

 

Broadening your viewer base would make you more money indirectly would it not? Advertising, marketing, etc.?

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That’s absolutely the reality of it. Great point! If the two females mentioned above can’t hack it, then there should be the appropriate response, whatever that may be. Don’t really know until you try, but based on their limited exposure I think an opportunity exists. If your grandma can hold an audience for thirty minutes or an hour, more power to her! Just seems that the time is right for the bottom line to be reconsidered a little bit, and I’m not suggesting anything that’s crazy drastic here. It’s quite sensible, though obviously some here disagree.

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