What would rejuvenate the golf equipment industry?

[playa]

.860 COR would be a great place to start. We're always looking for those magical unobtainable 10 yards every year. Give us those yards with .860.

Honestly I don't know why clubmakers don't make drivers with even higher cor than that. Who cares if they are illegal, there are plenty of social golfers who never play competitive rounds. Same goes for wedge grooves and golf balls. I'm sure there would be a big market of social golfers who would lap up non conformimg equipment that made the game more fun.

[rainycitygolf]

Pinestreet:

I think you're addressing the biggest untapped area and that is creating new golfers / making golf more accessible. Instead of focusing on people who already buy golf clubs it's those cant or don't play golf that would fuel the industry.

 

OP:

As for the customization, I think you can't be more wrong. Color and cosmetic can't cover up a crap product. If the focus turns to customization research, it's going to take away from real performance RD which is much more important. Even with all the customization options available now they aren't utilized to their potential. The general consumer just wants a quality product, fast, and cheap. On top of that products need to be quickly identifieable so when someone sees Rory play an M2 driver, the consumer wants to walk into a golf shop and recognize the driver. Customization would complicate that.

[BIG STU]

I believe better scores are going to make consumers happier than hitting 7 iron 220 yards

 

lol. There is no way this is true. They'd much rather hit it 220 yards. Most golfers don't post real scores anyway man (play OB like water, ground club in bunkers, don't mark ball on green, etc...)

 

Mods, please move if necessary!

 

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what would bring more stability back to the equipment industry. Personally, here are a few things I have noticed, and things I think manufacturers should do:

 

1. More personalization/customization.

 

Let's be serious here, I cannot stand the way certain companies drivers/clubs look from a color aspect (and overall design scheme, but that's something you can't really change). I really dislike the flat black finish on Callaway and Ping clubs, (However the PXG has a little "something" to it that makes the flatter gray look nice). I'm not ditching TM drivers any time soon, but if brands offered more color customization, it would definitely at least get me interested. Just look at Cobra, I've seen more Cobra drivers in bags over the last year than I've ever seen. Sure, if you're are die-hard brand loyalist, you probably don't care, but 90% of the golfing community wants more than one color option, ESPECIALLY the younger generation.

 

I also love how Cleveland, Titleist to an extent, and now Callaway are offering wedge customization. I believe this is something all manufacturers should do, just how Scotty Cameron has their custom putter shop. Completely makes the clubs your own, and allows you to throw personal flare into each club. Heck, you could even expand that into total iron personalization too. I understand the more GI irons you could probably only do paint-fill due to the design of the club, but if I'm dropping $1000 on a set of blades, I think it's more than fair to be able to stamp my initials, alma-mater, or favorite Bible verse on the backs.

 

2. Cut the nuclear iron garbage.

 

Sure, for the weekend player it's nice to be able to take 1 less club than your buddies and let them know you carry a bigger stick, but overall, I believe better scores are going to make consumers happier than hitting 7 iron 220 yards. Sure, high and even mid-handicappers usually don't strike the ball consistent enough to make too much of a difference, but hear me out: Say you know your 9 iron goes 130 ish give or take on a somewhat decent strike. You hit your 9 iron, flush it, and it goes 155 yards over the green and into trouble because you hit the "hot spot" (I'm looking at you, Callaway and Ping). That would really grind my gears. The best example of what I would like to see from companies is how Titleist markets the AP1s. They are forgiving yes, have strong lofts, but they aren't designed to be 2 clubs longer than the number on the sole. They're designed to be FORGIVING. So same scenario, you hit that 9 iron from 130, flush it on that rare occasion, and it goes 138. You're still on the back of the green, birdie putt.

 

3. Manufacturer demo clubs that you can take to your course and test.

 

Will make it much easier for consumers to justify hundreds if not thousands of dollars in clubs if they can visually see what they will do on the course. I know some stores will allow you to demo a 6 iron, and in some cases a driver, but that's very uncommon and just hitting a 6 iron won't tell me how the whole set will perform. Here's how they could do it:

 

Provide each retailer with a number of iron sets, wedges, and woods subject to the amount of revenue generated (Large stores will have more demo sets). Have regular, stiff, and x-stiff available for demo. Require a deposit that covers the cost of the demo in case they are stolen or broken. That way, people can play a round or two with the clubs they are thinking about buying and if they decide they like them, they can go back and put the deposit towards a new set. If they don't, get their deposit back and try again.

 

What are some other suggestions you guys have?

 

I think all these ideas and posts would be fine if the question was "how do we make the golf industry more responsible" but none of this is going to actually sell more clubs. This is a billion dollar industry. "Realizing" that consumers want more colors isn't going to move a six billion dollar needle. It might generate another 2%, but you guys seem to think this is like boosting sales at the local GolfSmith. It requires drastic (and dramatic) change.

 

The demo idea will never happen, ever. People will give you bum cards every day and sell the clubs on ebay. They'll dispute the charges. This is basically an invitation to have clubs stolen. Unfortunately, there is no way you could do this. Maybe if the equipment gets expensive enough you could put a GPS device in a shaft or something, but as it stands now there is no way a golf shop is letting anyone who walks in walk out with a $1500 set of irons with zero supervision.

 

For your ideas: More personalization is a good idea, but won't move the needle at all. Less nuclear irons would sell less clubs, not more (sad but absolutely true). Demo is not feasible because they'd all get stolen instantly.

 

I think Three things could move the needle:

 

1. USGA rule changes - if the USGA seperated the professional rules from the amateur rules and allowed higher COR and more hot equipment, they would sell like crazy and people would have more fun with the game. They could do it with clubs or balls, whatever. If they don't, then we're not going to see much of an upgrade from the R1-R11-M1-M2 chain. In fact, I'm pretty long and I hit my 10.5* SQ from a while back about as far as my G30. its 6-8 yards back, but the G30 doesn't destroy it. Its because both very near the rules limit. I think there should be three rules levels: professional, amateur, and casual. Tournaments could be run under any of them. It would make the industry explode back to life with new designs and ideas for casual golfers. The insistence on one set of rules from the USGA is infuriating. A good example is hurting me - this forum helped me put together a bag despite a medical condition with shaky hands that lets me play well. I can take medication for it, but its considered a banned substance by the USGA (it stops tremors in the extremeties). Since I play in some events every year trying to qualify for stuff (never have) I can't take the medicine. This is stupid. I should be able to take it and play in tournaments of a certain level like my club championship, for example which could be run under amateur or casual rules, etc. If i try for the PGA Tour then fine, but this one set of rules for all is *STRANGLING* the game of golf in a lot of ways IMO. For example, you could tweak the rules under casual rules level to make rounds much, much faster (OB like water, only 2 mins to find ball not 5, etc...) but leave professional the same.

 

As a 2 cap, I'm a good player. One of the best at my club. However, based on shotlink data, I am closer to a 20 cap in ability than a tour pro. There is zero reason for us to be playing by the same rules as they play by. Every other sport does this. Could you imagine a 24 second shot clock at elementary levels of basketball? Could you imagine a high school referee trying to interpret the NBA rule of verticality? Could you imagine high school football players being able to hit exactly like their professional counterparts? Every sport creates slightly different rules to maximize fun, speed and safety at different levels of play. Golf doesn't. And its really silly.

 

2. Growing the game - Its a billion dollar industry guys. Making Callaway drivers yellow isn't going to do anything. The only other way i see is to grow the game. The more people who play, the more people who buy stuff. Unfortunately, for some reason, golf was hockey and not basketball. Hockey had its Jordan (Gretzky), was hugely popular while he played, and has declined since. Jordan grew the NBA like crazy, and the league just didn't stop after he left to the point its the biggest its ever been today. Golf had a Jordan (Woods) that made it massively popular, but he's gone and golf is shrinking. Unfortunately having the same ten or twelve tall, thin, long-driving white guys in titleist caps competiing every Sunday isn't interesting to anyone except us. You think someone who doesn't play golf is going to watch Kevin Chappell battle some other whitebread dude down the stretch to see who can be slightly more precise with a 55* wedge?! Nope. But millions tuned in to see Tiger Woods yell and fist pump and dominate. Right now its garbage and its a huge issue for the equipment industry. When Woods made the "better than most" chip I called my wife in to watch it. I can't imagine doing that with anyone on the current tour ("You've gotta see Rickie Fowler play safe to the middle of the green here!! Awesome!!!").

 

3. Make the PGA Tour more interesting - The PGA Tour is incredibly dull compared to other sports. The courses are all the same. Long, green, tree-lined. With one or two exceptions, the players all look exactly the same (white, tall, golf company cap, no personality, corporate as can be). Look at what a big deal they make about the "stadium par 3" because the caddies run to the green. Think about that. Think about an NFL game thats on at the same time and when you flip to golf its "look at Fluff run to the green". The PGA Tour with Woods was awesome. The PGA Tour now is not bringing in fans and the golf industry needs it to. Like it or not, its the face of golf. People get into basketball because of the NBA. Nobody plays golf because of this current tour (but they did with Woods). Maybe do some things like make the cut for a particular tournament down to 8 guys and then match play. Maybe play a course that has some insane Mountain holes (I played a course on vacation in New Hampshire that had an approach shot that was literally 300 feet straight up a mountauin. I'd love to see the pros compete on that). Right now, the Tour sucks. "Oh, some white guy drove it 330 and then hit a wedge and slid a biride putt by? Thats odd. That never happens!". When the most interesting facet of a course is a false front on 14 that slopes five degrees maybe don't play an event on that course. Maybe find more interesting courses to play on - there are a ton of them out there. I don't know the answer exactly, but if the PGA Tour doesn't get more interesting fast golf is in trouble. Golf equipment to pga tour is the same as basketball shoes to the nba. The health of one is the health of the other. And right now they're in an ambulance headed to the hospital. They need to do *something* to make it super exciting like when Woods was around. Think about how much different the Bob May - Wood duel felt than the Jason Day - Johnson duel at last year's PGA. They were virtually identical, but one was insanely compelling and I fell asleep during the second one. Oh, he showed no emotion, won, thanked his sponsors, his coach and his family, and then Jim Nantz signed off? Sweet. See you next week.

 

Just my thoughts. You have to remember this industry is massive. None of these suggestions will move the needle. They are all 10-100 million ideas, not billion dollar ideas.

Great overall post especially on the medical part. I wish that I had gone to Law school because right now with the way the USGA conducts things I would have so any injunctions shoved up their autocratic a**es that they could not move. Your example is one of them. Why have a rule that dictates your quality of life and your right to have it and play a game you oviously love. Oh yeah there can be abuses of certain legal drugs given by a licensed physician but clear cut abuses can be stopped. the USGA cares about only one thing and it aint the betterment of the game it is the betterment of their pocketbook.

 

I can remember a few years back the PGA Tour got sued and lost their case on the deal with the guy over use of an riding cart in events. He had some kind of disease or disability that did not allow him to walk without pain and swelling in his legs and feet. He did sue and win under the FEDERAl law using the American's with Disability act.

 

Sorry for the rant this early and being off the general topic but it just galls me when some one especially someone with health issues is "legistated" out of fully doing anything they love to do by autocratics like the USGA

[Short Pete]

The way to rejuvenate the industry is to get more people to play! Golf ist difficult to learn, hard to play. It takes a lot of time. If played in the classic way, you have to join a club or do Pay to Play. At the moment there is no Tiger-Woods-Larger-Than-Life person who attracts people to golf. I think golf is in the past TigerHype slump, It would surely help to have forms of playing the game that don't take 3+ hours (9 holes). Executive courses, 3x6 holes, driving ranges who act more as family facilities. If parents bring their kids to golf, and the kids love playing, then the industry can grow again. Golf has t work as a family sport.

 

Do we need higher COR or stuff like that? NO! We have had illegal drivers before, they didn`t sell, may because they have no effect on your game! If your swing sucks 10 more yards won't help you, and you won't get them with .999 COR. There are no new ideas in the equipment that could do enough to rejuvenate the market. Adjustable woods are maxed out, irons are more forgiving than ever before. People understand that the 2016 driver with the new Rizzibuki Diamond Spine Aligned Xcore shaft and 11 screws on the head for 450$ doesn't hit the ball farther or straighter than the driver he has played five years ago, and if it did he would just have to wait a year and buy it at a ridiculous discount. There are too many choices for everything out on the market, and the manufacturers change their equipment range waaay too quick without offering a real benefit.

 

The best selling driver at our club of the last two years was the TM Aeroburner. No adjustment, no screws, reasonably priced, easy to hit. That's the way to go! Keep it affordable. My 5 wood (a Cally Razr Fit, bought for 40$ at Ebay) is my only adlustable club. I play it in the straight standard setup, I have never touched the screw, and I bet 90 percent of the adjustable wood users act the same way. It simply doesn't help.

[SpeedyPro]

Only making golf more fun may be able to rejuvenate equipment industry. How? It's the question.

 

First wait until we have a star like Arnold, Jack, or Tiger. We can't do anything about this.

 

Second, just like the idea of making the hole larger, do something to the golf rules so that slow players (beginners, whatever) can play faster. Slow playing kills the fun, it also kills our time for nothing.

[nic19]

Lower prices on clubs

The game needs characters that spark global interest. Tiger, Arnie, Jack and even John Daly caught the imagination. People just wanted to watch them. I don t think Rory,Jordan et al have "it". Beef does because he s relatetable but in order to maximise his appeal he needs to shoot up the rankings.

Relax the old school attitudes. We saw in the Ryder cup that when the players get heated up it gets exciting. I d like to see that in tournaments. Not condoning bad behaviour by crowds but lively is fine.

[uitar9]

I'm a hacker, a 63 year old , white, hacker. Came to golf late in life. Been at it 5 years. Haven't lost my job due to sub prime or oil-a-geddon. I have time and money to play once a week with my wife and business clients.

 

I get my 30 year old son out once a year. He likes it and is good at it.

 

But he has too many other choices looking for his time. Work, to put food on his table. Hiking in the mountains. Other than decent boots, not a huge cost for him.

 

He doesn't play because he never say me play growing up. Now he does.

 

The fact taylor Made brings out a new driver every three months (reducing the value of my three month old purchase) , or a round takes 4 hours or five hours (so adds an extra 30 or 40 minutes to my already 6 or 7 hour sunday) or the muni has rules (most of the golfers I see pay no attention to most of them) are just facts I see because I golf and read forums.

 

He knows nothing of these things-he doesn't golf and doesn't read golf forums.

 

It probably is predominantly a white male elitist activity. It happened to benefit form the birth of a lot of white males whose fathers played. Now we are dying.

 

IMHO Player number are gonna fall. Maybe even to 1960's, '70's levels.

 

Asked my self a question-why did I start? I started because a business associate made me go to a range to hit balls cuz he wanted business from me. Something clicked. One guy got me started.

 

Growing the game is not on my radar. That's business. and business grew because of boomers who are dying. Business will die too. To a level that will sustain it.

 

Rules, manufacturers, price , time , means nothing to me. I just love golf.

 

If you want to grow the game, get a non player, playing.

 

If you want to grow the business, good luck

[new2g0lf]

Growing the game needs to start at the pro level, kids / people want to play a sport because they see it on television and decide it's cool and something they want to do. Golf on television sucks, except for the Ryder Cup. To a non golfer, it appears watching golf on tv that no one is having fun, the rounds take 5+ hours and the rules seem overreaching and burdensome. Sad that during two of our 4 Majors we had rules violations for a ball moving a few microns on the putting surface which dominated the commentary of those tournaments.

 

Want to fix the golf club industry, raise prices on clubs, increase product life cycles to 2 years. Golf isn't attracting new golfers and is losing the air of exclusivity with the way the product life cycles are managed by most companies today. The guy that prided himself on buying the latest driver for $500 gets ridiculed now because he could have waited 3 months and paid 1/2 the price. The used golf market is doing better than the overall market, which is not good for manufacturers and contributing reason why we lost Nike and Golfsmith this year.

 

Golf shoes used to look like dress shoes, today almost all golf shoes look more like clown and basketball shoes. Sorry Footjoy, I don't want a golf shoe that looks like some exotic frog in the wild.

 

Golf apparel in an attempt to attract a younger crowd has forgotten their current target market, wild colors and designs on tightly fitted, thin fabrics are not reflective of the current golf demographic but seem to dominate the floor space in golf stores. I see more nipple on the golf course than I do in a strip club thanks to the current wave of golf shirts.

 

Until the game is attracting younger golfers (both male and female) the industry needs to focus on what the current players want and that is exclusivity.

[nic19]

Growing the game needs to start at the pro level, kids / people want to play a sport because they see it on television and decide it's cool and something they want to do. Golf on television sucks, except for the Ryder Cup. To a non golfer, it appears watching golf on tv that no one is having fun, the rounds take 5+ hours and the rules seem overreaching and burdensome. Sad that during two of our 4 Majors we had rules violations for a ball moving a few microns on the putting surface which dominated the commentary of those tournaments.

 

Want to fix the golf club industry, raise prices on clubs, increase product life cycles to 2 years. Golf isn't attracting new golfers and is losing the air of exclusivity with the way the product life cycles are managed by most companies today. The guy that prided himself on buying the latest driver for $500 gets ridiculed now because he could have waited 3 months and paid 1/2 the price. The used golf market is doing better than the overall market, which is not good for manufacturers and contributing reason why we lost Nike and Golfsmith this year.

 

Golf shoes used to look like dress shoes, today almost all golf shoes look more like clown and basketball shoes. Sorry Footjoy, I don't want a golf shoe that looks like some exotic frog in the wild.

 

Golf apparel in an attempt to attract a younger crowd has forgotten their current target market, wild colors and designs on tightly fitted, thin fabrics are not reflective of the current golf demographic but seem to dominate the floor space in golf stores. I see more nipple on the golf course than I do in a strip club thanks to the current wave of golf shirts.

 

Until the game is attracting younger golfers (both male and female) the industry needs to focus on what the current players want and that is exclusivity.

God I hope not ... golf should be a game that everyone should be able to play rich or poor. Fat rich men who can barely hit a ball are what the problem is. Sadly it seems golf is happy to become a niche sport again after Tiger made it accessible.

[new2g0lf]

Growing the game needs to start at the pro level, kids / people want to play a sport because they see it on television and decide it's cool and something they want to do. Golf on television sucks, except for the Ryder Cup. To a non golfer, it appears watching golf on tv that no one is having fun, the rounds take 5+ hours and the rules seem overreaching and burdensome. Sad that during two of our 4 Majors we had rules violations for a ball moving a few microns on the putting surface which dominated the commentary of those tournaments.

 

Want to fix the golf club industry, raise prices on clubs, increase product life cycles to 2 years. Golf isn't attracting new golfers and is losing the air of exclusivity with the way the product life cycles are managed by most companies today. The guy that prided himself on buying the latest driver for $500 gets ridiculed now because he could have waited 3 months and paid 1/2 the price. The used golf market is doing better than the overall market, which is not good for manufacturers and contributing reason why we lost Nike and Golfsmith this year.

 

Golf shoes used to look like dress shoes, today almost all golf shoes look more like clown and basketball shoes. Sorry Footjoy, I don't want a golf shoe that looks like some exotic frog in the wild.

 

Golf apparel in an attempt to attract a younger crowd has forgotten their current target market, wild colors and designs on tightly fitted, thin fabrics are not reflective of the current golf demographic but seem to dominate the floor space in golf stores. I see more nipple on the golf course than I do in a strip club thanks to the current wave of golf shirts.

 

Until the game is attracting younger golfers (both male and female) the industry needs to focus on what the current players want and that is exclusivity.

God I hope not ... golf should be a game that everyone should be able to play rich or poor. Fat rich men who can barely hit a ball are what the problem is. Sadly it seems golf is happy to become a niche sport again after Tiger made it accessible.

 

Exclusivity doesn't mean that it's not accessible it just means that it's manufacturers target the market they have not the ones they wish they had. The changes I'm suggesting have nothing to do with rich or poor it has to do target markets and product life cycles.

[Rich Douglas]

Golf equipment isn't going to solve this. Progressively easier-to-use equipment didn't start the golf boom, and it won't prevent the golf bust. Equipment isn't so noticeably different to non-players--and it doesn't keep them out.

 

So what caused golf to boom in the 1990s and begin to bust a few years ago? Well, it could be a coincidence, but it seems to have coincided with the coming--and then fading--Tiger Woods. Not because of the potential for diversity he represented--which has helped a bit--but for the once-in-a-lifetime talent he presented.

 

When tournaments--majors and otherwise--were being won by a handful of players who toured together, golf was okay. But by the 1970s, the talent became so widespread (coaching, equipment, ease of travel), many more players were splitting up the same number of wins. Arguably, Nicklaus was the last dominant player until Woods came along. Then Tiger started hitting it past everyone and winning everything. It was inevitable that Woods would pass Nicklaus; it was only left to argue by how far. But that seems to have come to an end and along with it golf's interest to the non-golfing public (who we're trying to recruit into the game, right?).

 

This happened to bowling, which boomed in the '60s and '70s, then disappeared in the '80s (and hasn't returned). Remember the tennis boom? Gone. Golf is no different.

 

So what can be done? Well, make the game easier to play. Not with equipment improvements, but easier to get on the course, play the course, have other fun at the course, and get off the course. Lowered greens fees, shorter rounds (front 6, middle 6, back 6), faster play (yes, get your tuckus in gear and move!), and other attractions. (No, old hot dogs and cheap beer doesn't bring 'em in.) Let me get in a quick round after work that doesn't take 5 hours (shorter and faster, please). Make it less expensive by offering more volume discounts. Sell packages (food, beverage, practice, play, lessons, etc.)

 

And yes, make it easier during the round, too. Better OB rule, easier-to-hit equipment (not distance--forgiveness), faster play (yes, it's worth repeating!), etc. That won't attract new golfers, but it will help retain some current ones.

 

Finally, you can also just accept this decline as inevitable. I don't know of a popular activity that enjoys a boom, sees a bust, and them booms again in the future. If you believe that can happen, I know a few empty bowling alleys you could invest in.

[Rich Douglas]

 

You can't drive down prices with without driving down quality.

 

I don't believe this at all. The golf equipment manufacturing business is a cartel, an oligopoly, where a few companies set the prices and control the supply. Look how there's no price diversity for products at the retail level. The same set of irons costs exactly the same wherever you go. Only when this year's hot model gets replaced with next year's (or, in Taylormade's case, next month's) do you see discounting and variance.

 

The quality they deliver hardly changes from year-to-year--very few real revolutions in design. And prices never vary at all. Some real competition between manufacturers and between retailers would see prices drop AND quality continue to improve. But golf is too small-time for anyone to do anything about it. And the manufacturers and retailers are playing a zero-sum game--increasing revenues by taking them from the competition, but not growing the game.

 

Golf is headed to the 1960s at warp speed.

[Rich Douglas]

Did not read the whole thread, and someone may have said this. One thing and one thing only will boom the equipment industry. The USGA needs to take the restrictions off driver/club COR, driver size, design elements, ball speed restrictions, etc for amatures. The industry would explode with innovation.

 

It wouldn't attract new players. It would sell some new equipment to existing players--many of whom are buying it anyway--for awhile. And, as history has clearly shown, it won't improve play.

[AC-Golf]

I don't think changes to equipment or product cycles are going to rejuvenate golf. And while I think lower prices would help, I don't see how that can happen. If Nike couldn't make enough money with one of the most well known brand names and logos in sports around the world, I don't see financially how another company is going to sell product at a lower price with fewer product launches and turn a profit. It contradicts itself. Less product would mean higher prices.

 

I think the real solution is to address the time commitment. Slow play is a factor, but 3:45 vs 4:15 isn't enough. There needs to be a way for people to get into the game with an hour to 90 min commitment. Maybe a 6 to 7 hole option at twilight. At my course if you play the front night, 5 ends near 8. Skipping 6 and 7, I can play in an hour walking by myself. Everyone that wants to play 18 would have teed off already and be on the back 9.

 

Someone suggested an 8 club set. I think that's a great idea. 8 clubs and 7 holes... You have a half priced set, and a <90 min round.

 

Memberships for Monday to Fri twilight paid monthly would be easier for people to pay (cash flow) and fill slower times at courses. Plus once people have paid the monthly rate, they have more incentive to play more frequently.

 

You could also offer rental clubs at a lower rate. I know people that play once a year that have a set of clubs. If it was $25 to rent a set, they probably wouldnt own any.

 

Just my thoughts with all of the other ideas that have been put out there.

[rmorgent5]

Mods, please move if necessary!

 

I'd love to hear everyone's thoughts on what would bring more stability back to the equipment industry. Personally, here are a few things I have noticed, and things I think manufacturers should do:

 

1. More personalization/customization.

 

Let's be serious here, I cannot stand the way certain companies drivers/clubs look from a color aspect (and overall design scheme, but that's something you can't really change). I really dislike the flat black finish on Callaway and Ping clubs, (However the PXG has a little "something" to it that makes the flatter gray look nice). I'm not ditching TM drivers any time soon, but if brands offered more color customization, it would definitely at least get me interested. Just look at Cobra, I've seen more Cobra drivers in bags over the last year than I've ever seen. Sure, if you're are die-hard brand loyalist, you probably don't care, but 90% of the golfing community wants more than one color option, ESPECIALLY the younger generation.

 

I also love how Cleveland, Titleist to an extent, and now Callaway are offering wedge customization. I believe this is something all manufacturers should do, just how Scotty Cameron has their custom putter shop. Completely makes the clubs your own, and allows you to throw personal flare into each club. Heck, you could even expand that into total iron personalization too. I understand the more GI irons you could probably only do paint-fill due to the design of the club, but if I'm dropping $1000 on a set of blades, I think it's more than fair to be able to stamp my initials, alma-mater, or favorite Bible verse on the backs.

 

2. Cut the nuclear iron garbage.

 

Sure, for the weekend player it's nice to be able to take 1 less club than your buddies and let them know you carry a bigger stick, but overall, I believe better scores are going to make consumers happier than hitting 7 iron 220 yards. Sure, high and even mid-handicappers usually don't strike the ball consistent enough to make too much of a difference, but hear me out: Say you know your 9 iron goes 130 ish give or take on a somewhat decent strike. You hit your 9 iron, flush it, and it goes 155 yards over the green and into trouble because you hit the "hot spot" (I'm looking at you, Callaway and Ping). That would really grind my gears. The best example of what I would like to see from companies is how Titleist markets the AP1s. They are forgiving yes, have strong lofts, but they aren't designed to be 2 clubs longer than the number on the sole. They're designed to be FORGIVING. So same scenario, you hit that 9 iron from 130, flush it on that rare occasion, and it goes 138. You're still on the back of the green, birdie putt.

 

3. Manufacturer demo clubs that you can take to your course and test.

 

Will make it much easier for consumers to justify hundreds if not thousands of dollars in clubs if they can visually see what they will do on the course. I know some stores will allow you to demo a 6 iron, and in some cases a driver, but that's very uncommon and just hitting a 6 iron won't tell me how the whole set will perform. Here's how they could do it:

 

Provide each retailer with a number of iron sets, wedges, and woods subject to the amount of revenue generated (Large stores will have more demo sets). Have regular, stiff, and x-stiff available for demo. Require a deposit that covers the cost of the demo in case they are stolen or broken. That way, people can play a round or two with the clubs they are thinking about buying and if they decide they like them, they can go back and put the deposit towards a new set. If they don't, get their deposit back and try again.

 

What are some other suggestions you guys have?

 

Time is the answer. Just like when tennis lost favor and interest by the masses, golf is suffering the same. It's taken almost 30 years for tennis to re-stabilize, golf is headed in the very same direction.

Entitled and elitist suggestions will not change anything.

The landscape has changed and golf has no idea how to serve the masses. THE MILLENNIAL'S NO LONGER CONSIDER GOLF AS COOL! GOLF IS AN OLDER GUY'S GAME.... WELCOME TO THE FUTURE!!!

Golf will survive, but many former players have turned their backs on the game, and honestly, who can blame them.

Flame my response if you want, let's see who is correct.....

[Matt J]

Seems fine to me.

[NV825]

I don't think the equipment industry is in any place to save the game. The big brands could lower their prices, but there are already decent starter sets out there to get people introduced to the game. I got my wife a starter set off Amazon that she likes a lot, and one of my good friends who I play with regularly plays a standard set that he got from Big 5 Sporting Goods. Neither of them think their equipment is bad and looking to upgrade anytime soon. I am a golf junky, but besides 2 clubs, I'm playing basically the same clubs going on 3 seasons now. They still perform incredibly, and I know it's the indian not the arrow when my score suffers.

 

To rmorgent5, I'm in the millenial generation, and I have many friends who are also in the same category who like to play golf. Golf just happens to be one activity my friends choose to do on a casual basis, instead of being a junky like me.

[H-Blade]

You need to restore interest in the game again... Millennials don't seem to want to do anything their parents or grandparents do... they want to hang out and drink craft beer... then there are folks like me, young children, I joined a 9 hole after work league to allow me at least 9 holes per week... a few work outings is about the only time I play 18 anymore, do not have time...

 

My suggestion is to adjust the Handicap System to 9 holes.. adjusting the slope for each 9 holes at a course... lowering the handicap to 9 holes also boosts the ego... I am an after work 10 to 12 in my 9 hole league... I probably would have quit the game if I played an 18 hole league and was carrying a 24 handicap!!!

[Juice1121]

I wouldn't mind the hole being a bit larger. Imagine how many putts would drop if it was just a 1/4 inch larger in diameter. I probably would have made about 4 more putts today. With everyone in my group, it would have cut down the round by close to 10 minute I think. It needs to be sped up a bit. There's no reason we shouldn't be able to finish a round in 3 hours.

[HafeYo]

I'm too lazy to read all of the posts so apologies if someone has made this point but... We need less PXG and more affordable product mixes. Pricing has ballooned and the market floods itself with too much gear. Like most consumers I wait a few months and get the old model at a steep discount which is just as good as the new one (very few exceptions stick out cough, cough M Series from TM).

 

While a company like PXG produces sexy gear it, IMHO, perpetuates the issue with the golf market. Making expensive stuff we dont need for no reason other than they can which doesn't improve anyone's game significantly compared to cost. Mind you i'd take their irons in a heartbeat if free and I love their F you style but the rest of the brands need to adapt the counter measure. Not do what Titleist did and try and compete.

 

They need to figure out an organic cycle of sales and stop cramming it down the clients throat in short.

[augustgolf]

Golf equipment isn't going to solve this. Progressively easier-to-use equipment didn't start the golf boom, and it won't prevent the golf bust. Equipment isn't so noticeably different to non-players--and it doesn't keep them out.

 

So what caused golf to boom in the 1990s and begin to bust a few years ago? Well, it could be a coincidence, but it seems to have coincided with the coming--and then fading--Tiger Woods. Not because of the potential for diversity he represented--which has helped a bit--but for the once-in-a-lifetime talent he presented.

 

When tournaments--majors and otherwise--were being won by a handful of players who toured together, golf was okay. But by the 1970s, the talent became so widespread (coaching, equipment, ease of travel), many more players were splitting up the same number of wins. Arguably, Nicklaus was the last dominant player until Woods came along. Then Tiger started hitting it past everyone and winning everything. It was inevitable that Woods would pass Nicklaus; it was only left to argue by how far. But that seems to have come to an end and along with it golf's interest to the non-golfing public (who we're trying to recruit into the game, right?).

 

This happened to bowling, which boomed in the '60s and '70s, then disappeared in the '80s (and hasn't returned). Remember the tennis boom? Gone. Golf is no different.

 

So what can be done? Well, make the game easier to play. Not with equipment improvements, but easier to get on the course, play the course, have other fun at the course, and get off the course. Lowered greens fees, shorter rounds (front 6, middle 6, back 6), faster play (yes, get your tuckus in gear and move!), and other attractions. (No, old hot dogs and cheap beer doesn't bring 'em in.) Let me get in a quick round after work that doesn't take 5 hours (shorter and faster, please). Make it less expensive by offering more volume discounts. Sell packages (food, beverage, practice, play, lessons, etc.)

 

And yes, make it easier during the round, too. Better OB rule, easier-to-hit equipment (not distance--forgiveness), faster play (yes, it's worth repeating!), etc. That won't attract new golfers, but it will help retain some current ones.

 

Finally, you can also just accept this decline as inevitable. I don't know of a popular activity that enjoys a boom, sees a bust, and them booms again in the future. If you believe that can happen, I know a few empty bowling alleys you could invest in.

 

Good observations. Another thing that has led to the decline of many activities is social media.

 

Today, people spend more time on social media (like this forum) which was, in the past, "spare" time for other activities.

 

I also see this as a problem on the course, as too many people are futtzing with their phones between shots & never ready to play their shot without causing delays.

 

Wish that problem would disappear

[rmorgent5]

I don't think the equipment industry is in any place to save the game. The big brands could lower their prices, but there are already decent starter sets out there to get people introduced to the game. I got my wife a starter set off Amazon that she likes a lot, and one of my good friends who I play with regularly plays a standard set that he got from Big 5 Sporting Goods. Neither of them think their equipment is bad and looking to upgrade anytime soon. I am a golf junky, but besides 2 clubs, I'm playing basically the same clubs going on 3 seasons now. They still perform incredibly, and I know it's the indian not the arrow when my score suffers.

 

To rmorgent5, I'm in the millenial generation, and I have many friends who are also in the same category who like to play golf. Golf just happens to be one activity my friends choose to do on a casual basis, instead of being a junky like me.

 

So is my 32yo son, as well as most of his friends, they could care less about golf. As education goes he's working on a PhD in creative writing, me I've got 2 doctorate degrees, 1 being an MD. Golf problems transcend age, money, so-called socioeconomic status. I have no ill wishes towards anyone, but like many I am amused with the introduction of PXG at this moment of time, but even Rolls Royce sold SOME CARS during periods of change and uprising. 5 hours + rounds, poorly maintained courses and in some cases clueless management companies have significantly help drive down the level of interest in the game. Televised golf tournament viewer numbers are down, including sponsorship funding.

As a psychiatrist I can say this, golf needs to become fun, all inclusive to anyone with interest to learn or play. I can't imagine owning a home in a golf course community, home values, at least here in Orlando Fl., my home since 2002, reflect negative growth.

FYI: one of the reasons that NBC Sports is doing so well with English Premier Soccer is for the most part, start to finish is a 2 hour viewing block of time. Try finding that on the Golf Channel. Everything changes with time, golf must adapt or become a 2nd or 3rd tier sport.

I apologize in advance if I offended anyone with my comments, but the handwritings on the wall.....

[lyverrm]

Seriously...all these are nice and dandy, but if you really want to rejuvenate the golf industry, two simple things..

 

 

#1-CUT THE PRICES OF CLUBS ACROSS THE BOARD!...Golf clubs are NOT affordable!...I can't justify spending $1000 on a set of irons even every two years, when another $1000 set will be released right afterward. You really want to do it right? Cut the prices on irons to $500 or $600 tops. I'd probably buy a new set every year at that price. If Taylormade or Callaway RIGHT NOW offered their newest model mid-handicap iron for $500, how many units you think they would sell? They are doing things backwards.

 

#2-To go along with #1, QUIT FLOODING THE MARKET WITH USED CLUBS. In the internet age over the past 20 years, we've got too many buying options. Now I love used clubs, and love the fact that i can get a quality club for cheaper than new, but make used clubs way less available. I think we are heavily over-saturating the market. Offer some decent trade in values (which hardly anyone does), get the used clubs back, and DESTROY THEM. There's too much out there. I am much more prone to wait 6 or 8 months to find a used set of the newest irons out there, because I know i can get em cheaper later.

 

I didn't say i would be happy about #2, but it would definitely help.

[ago33]

The cost of golf has increased greatly in comparison to the rise in wages. It's a complete macro economic driven event that one little gazmo won't fix.

 

Also people these days are very busy and don't have 5 hours for a round, our time is spent better doing other things.

 

If you could increase the number of golfers by 30% and enforce pace of play I doubt there would be equipment issues

[ShowMe]

$299 Drivers

$149 Fairways

$799 Iron Sets

 

[rgk5]

Seriously...all these are nice and dandy, but if you really want to rejuvenate the golf industry, two simple things..

 

 

#1-CUT THE PRICES OF CLUBS ACROSS THE BOARD!...Golf clubs are NOT affordable!...I can't justify spending $1000 on a set of irons even every two years, when another $1000 set will be released right afterward. You really want to do it right? Cut the prices on irons to $500 or $600 tops. I'd probably buy a new set every year at that price. If Taylormade or Callaway RIGHT NOW offered their newest model mid-handicap iron for $500, how many units you think they would sell? They are doing things backwards.

 

#2-To go along with #1, QUIT FLOODING THE MARKET WITH USED CLUBS. In the internet age over the past 20 years, we've got too many buying options. Now I love used clubs, and love the fact that i can get a quality club for cheaper than new, but make used clubs way less available. I think we are heavily over-saturating the market. Offer some decent trade in values (which hardly anyone does), get the used clubs back, and DESTROY THEM. There's too much out there. I am much more prone to wait 6 or 8 months to find a used set of the newest irons out there, because I know i can get em cheaper later.

 

I didn't say i would be happy about #2, but it would definitely help.

 

Really? The margin on the new sale is partially or fully invested in the trade in value. Now you want the retailer to destroy the margin he has yet to make until the trade is sold.

 

Brilliant.

[pendodave]

 

#2-To go along with #1, QUIT FLOODING THE MARKET WITH USED CLUBS. In the internet age over the past 20 years, we've got too many buying options. Now I love used clubs, and love the fact that i can get a quality club for cheaper than new, but make used clubs way less available. I think we are heavily over-saturating the market. Offer some decent trade in values (which hardly anyone does), get the used clubs back, and DESTROY THEM. There's too much out there. I am much more prone to wait 6 or 8 months to find a used set of the newest irons out there, because I know i can get em cheaper later.

 

For me. used clubs are the big problem for the equipment industry, especially now that there is so little room for improved performance.

 

Golf clubs don't wear out, and ebay and the BST give the whole world a look inside your shed.

 

In the UK at the moment, our biggest (pretty much only) big box retailer is offering to double the trade-in price from the PGA value site if you use it to buy a new club/clubs. Any make model at whatever the current retail price is. Personally I think it looks like some weird retail self-harming frenzy. I was offered £105 for a set of old cleveland irons that I don't think I would have got £75 for on the bay if I could have shifted them at all. So I walked out of the store, having parted with NO cash, with a nice shiney new pm grind sandwedge.

 

I'm guessing that through some accounting jiggery-pokery their Q4 sales are through the roof, but every AG in the country is now sitting on a lot less new stock and awful lot of 2nd hand kit that they'll need to move on.

 

It will be interesting to see how this pans out.

[erock9174]

From an equipment stand point I have no answer.

Out of my 20-25 or so friends that golf I'm the only club ho that changes clubs like his underwear. They are totally content with using what they have and the common thing I hear is "no club is going to help my game". The only time they seem to get a new club is if I sell them one at a very low price, it's a gift or they win it at an outing.

 

As for what appeals to me (As a father of two young kids with a 3rd on the way) is:

 

1) - fast pace of play. I will often play by myself so that I can get first tee times and motor around playing 18 in 2 hours or less. Getting home quickly to keep the wife and kids happy is a priority. 4-6 HR rounds on a weekend simply don't work for me when groceries need bought, clothes need washed, yard work, etc etc need done.

 

2) low cost rounds. I can afford more expensive rounds but I'd much rather play twice at the same price and skip the more expensive track.

My Dept was outsourced so I was unemployed from April-May and Golf Now rounds during the week spoiled me. $12-15 for 18/cart at nice tracks was an awesome thing to keep my spirits up during my job search.

 

[Bad9]

Seriously...all these are nice and dandy, but if you really want to rejuvenate the golf industry, two simple things..

 

 

#1-CUT THE PRICES OF CLUBS ACROSS THE BOARD!...Golf clubs are NOT affordable!...I can't justify spending $1000 on a set of irons even every two years, when another $1000 set will be released right afterward. You really want to do it right? Cut the prices on irons to $500 or $600 tops. I'd probably buy a new set every year at that price. If Taylormade or Callaway RIGHT NOW offered their newest model mid-handicap iron for $500, how many units you think they would sell? They are doing things backwards

 

Why do you buy a new set every two years. As has been noted by many posters in many threads there is nothing actually improved from one model year to the next.

 

#2-To go along with #1, QUIT FLOODING THE MARKET WITH USED CLUBS. In the internet age over the past 20 years, we've got too many buying options. Now I love used clubs, and love the fact that i can get a quality club for cheaper than new, but make used clubs way less available. I think we are heavily over-saturating the market. Offer some decent trade in values (which hardly anyone does), get the used clubs back, and DESTROY THEM. There's too much out there. I am much more prone to wait 6 or 8 months to find a used set of the newest irons out there, because I know i can get em cheaper later.

 

I didn't say i would be happy about #2, but it would definitely help.

[Davewn]

You need to restore interest in the game again... Millennials don't seem to want to do anything their parents or grandparents do... they want to hang out and drink craft beer... then there are folks like me, young children, I joined a 9 hole after work league to allow me at least 9 holes per week... a few work outings is about the only time I play 18 anymore, do not have time...

 

My suggestion is to adjust the Handicap System to 9 holes.. adjusting the slope for each 9 holes at a course... lowering the handicap to 9 holes also boosts the ego... I am an after work 10 to 12 in my 9 hole league... I probably would have quit the game if I played an 18 hole league and was carrying a 24 handicap!!!

 

There is nothing that can be done from the equipment (supply side). of things that will save the golf industry- any radical innovation has literally been legislated out of the equation by the USGA. There are hard limits in place for COR, driver volume, maximum initial ball velocity, grooves, even putter design with the anchoring ban set by the R&A and USGA. What if there were bans in place against metal woods and titanium club heads back in the '70s-'90s: where do you think TaylorMade, Callaway and the equipment industry in general would be today? The rules currently in place basically guarantee any gains in equipment performance will be incremental and/or negligible and easy to ignore for the vast majority of recreational golfers.

 

IMO, the only way to sell more equipment is to get more people playing golf. As has been well established, playing golf takes a rather large commitment in both time and money- why not lessen that commitment where easy and practical? I don't understand why 18 hole courses near me seem to have a rather large aversion to selling 9 hole green fees. The muni I play most often has a $21 weekday 18 hole rate, yet charges $15 for 9. To me, that's a rip-off and I wouldn't bother. Why not charge $11 or $12 and encourage those with less time and/or experience to get out and play golf. 2 hours of recreation for $12 brings golf in line with going to a movie, rather than an all day affair. Increasing the size of the pie would increase the size of the slices...