Thoughts on why people are walking away from the game...

[hybrid25]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

[FourTops]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

[Mikey5e]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

"Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit."

Good post you made, and the above though doesn't seem to characterize todays younger people. What is attractive about the game to me is it's difficulty.

[Railroading13]

I wonder if it ever dons on older folks that they sound exactly like the old grumps they had to deal with growing up... "These youngsters are nothing but lazy, texting, want everything handed to them, listening to that damn rock n roll"

 

As a "millennial" that's all I hear from old guys at the course - always down on my generation, its funny how time can make people cynical

[Naptime]

I actually like millenials. And I look forward to their turn in the grumpy old guy chair. Seems each generation thinks it'll be the one to get it right. Been there done that.

 

Personally I think the baby boomers and their parents managed to screw up a lot for the next generations, all while feeling smugly superior about it. I am a later boomer.

[nsxguy]

I wonder if it ever dons on older folks that they sound exactly like the old grumps they had to deal with growing up... "These youngsters are nothing but lazy, texting, want everything handed to them, listening to that damn rock n roll"

 

As a "millennial" that's all I hear from old guys at the course - always down on my generation, its funny how time can make people cynical

 

And I wonder if it ever dons dawns on younger folks that they often sound like whiny, entitled young snots - even if that's what many of us were too, when we were growing up. :cheesy:

 

You know, one DOES get smarter as one gets older,,,,,, even if it's only from experience,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

And somehow I doubt even you would opine that staying indoors and playing video games is healthier for a youngster that being outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine. Not to mention texting in place a real face-to-face social interaction. Guess time will tell. :dntknw:

 

Just a different perspective my friend,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[FourTops]

I wonder if it ever dons on older folks that they sound exactly like the old grumps they had to deal with growing up... "These youngsters are nothing but lazy, texting, want everything handed to them, listening to that damn rock n roll"

 

As a "millennial" that's all I hear from old guys at the course - always down on my generation, its funny how time can make people cynical

 

Actually I don't mind them playing "our" rock and roll music because that era spawned the truly great bands. Now it's auto-tuned posers....and overly done bass lines to make-up for zero talent. And to you're point about cynicism, it's not cynicism, it's frustration that the more money you make, the more other people think you should give it away. That sounds good to non-taxpaying folks...not so much as one gets older trying to pay all the bills.

[FourTops]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

"Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit."

Good post you made, and the above though doesn't seem to characterize todays younger people. What is attractive about the game to me is it's difficulty.

 

And difficulty combined with a determination to improve is what attracts folks to start their own business, get advanced degrees in a lucrative field, or reach the top in any athletic sport.

[mark174ace]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

 

You are definitely correct about the "too hard factor". I see it in the workplace and other activities. For any current or former New Englander's like myself you may have noticed the huge drop in kids participating in Candlepin Bowling. For many years now they complain that it is "too hard". When I played as a kid there were no bumpers preventing the ball from going into the gutter. There was also no automatic scoring so someone had to pay attention and write down your playing partners scores and add the scores. If you wanted to get better you had to practice and work at it. Most kids just do not want to do that anymore despite the fact it is a great game and a great winter time activity for sure. As a result that sport is dying a slow death and hasn't been on local television for probably 20 years now. For those of you that remember in the 70's and 80's Candlepin Bowling shows used to get HUGE ratings on local tv.

 

I see it in the workplace as well. I work in a real niche part of the financial services world and every person we have that is under 30 years old is not originally from this country. In the past when we have interviewed U.S born millennials and make it very clear what is expected of them and how much work it is going to take for them to prove themselves. We also let them know that they are not going to be promoted after 12 months and that if you really apply yourself you may see a significant promotion in 3 years. Almost every one of them immediately becomes uninterested in the job (you can see it in their faces and body language).

 

They just cannot fathom that they will not have the job mastered in 12 months time. We try to explain to them that you are not doing the same thing over and over everyday and that it will take an entire year for you to just absorb and understand the basic process of what we do and why. From there will take another couple of years to learn and become comfortable with merely some of the complicated analysis we do. After years of doing the job there is not a single person on my team that knows how to do everything and that is ok. It is a team effort with everyone bringing different skill sets to the table that compliment each other. These kids just cannot process that they are not going to be a 12 month superstar. Geesh!

 

Meanwhile the foreign kids we hire that would be considered under qualified even for an entry level position work their asses off to get better. Why? Because they are great full to get the opportunity and know that the skills they pick up can lead to other opportunities even if they do not want to stay with us. They see an opportunity and are not afraid to be challenged.

 

The only good thing about these millennials is that they will probably keep me employed until retirement.....hopefully lol.

[Lagavulin62]

I don’t know where these kids would go to play even if interested. Years ago kids spent their summers at the school playground playing basketball, baseball, tennis against the wall, and we would always smack our golfballs at the school or a public park with endless open fields. Nowdays schoolyards are locked up during the summer and most parks do not allow golf. Working class people can’t afford to drop their kids off at the golf course or driving range daily. So how are these kids going to ever get passionate about the game when they can’t play or practice everyday like they do with other sports?

[Mikey5e]

Working class people can’t afford to drop their kids off at the golf course...

3000 to 5000 square foot houses absorb a lot of the finances, as opposed to the house I grew up in with six in the family that was 1300 square feet. We didn't have a lot of money, but our parents dedicated themselves to their kids and raising them. There are probably more opportunities for driving ranges and golf courses today then back then in my opinion. Also, if you were to compare my generation to today's, you would find our Generations kids in the sandlot's, school yard field playing every sport we could. We made do with limited resources as well. Today's younger population doesn't want to do those sorts of things, they're more into technology and getting things the easy way.

[CMCSGolf]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

 

You are definitely correct about the "too hard factor". I see it in the workplace and other activities. For any current or former New Englander's like myself you may have noticed the huge drop in kids participating in Candlepin Bowling. For many years now they complain that it is "too hard". When I played as a kid there were no bumpers preventing the ball from going into the gutter. There was also no automatic scoring so someone had to pay attention and write down your playing partners scores and add the scores. If you wanted to get better you had to practice and work at it. Most kids just do not want to do that anymore despite the fact it is a great game and a great winter time activity for sure. As a result that sport is dying a slow death and hasn't been on local television for probably 20 years now. For those of you that remember in the 70's and 80's Candlepin Bowling shows used to get HUGE ratings on local tv.

 

I see it in the workplace as well. I work in a real niche part of the financial services world and every person we have that is under 30 years old is not originally from this country. In the past when we have interviewed U.S born millennials and make it very clear what is expected of them and how much work it is going to take for them to prove themselves. We also let them know that they are not going to be promoted after 12 months and that if you really apply yourself you may see a significant promotion in 3 years. Almost every one of them immediately becomes uninterested in the job (you can see it in their faces and body language).

 

They just cannot fathom that they will not have the job mastered in 12 months time. We try to explain to them that you are not doing the same thing over and over everyday and that it will take an entire year for you to just absorb and understand the basic process of what we do and why. From there will take another couple of years to learn and become comfortable with merely some of the complicated analysis we do. After years of doing the job there is not a single person on my team that knows how to do everything and that is ok. It is a team effort with everyone bringing different skill sets to the table that compliment each other. These kids just cannot process that they are not going to be a 12 month superstar. Geesh!

 

Meanwhile the foreign kids we hire that would be considered under qualified even for an entry level position work their asses off to get better. Why? Because they are great full to get the opportunity and know that the skills they pick up can lead to other opportunities even if they do not want to stay with us. They see an opportunity and are not afraid to be challenged.

 

The only good thing about these millennials is that they will probably keep me employed until retirement.....hopefully lol.

 

I'll bet my meager lifetime savings as a millennial (due to outrageous education costs and NIMBY housing policies enacted by baby boomers) that WW2 veterans said the same thing about hippies in the 70s. They were lazy kids that didn't know the value of work. Literally every generation has said this about the next generation and research shows this: https://hbr.org/2016/04/what-do-millennials-really-want-at-work

 

Millennials are not different from the youth of previous generations. They are just young while the previous generation is now old. That being said, golf is hard and that might be a deterrent because there are so many other options in the modern world where people can find enjoyment. If someone can get the same level of enjoyment from an easier activity, maybe they are smarter than all of us golfers?

[Lagavulin62]

Working class people can’t afford to drop their kids off at the golf course...

3000 to 5000 square foot houses absorb a lot of the finances, as opposed to the house I grew up in with six in the family that was 1300 square feet. We didn't have a lot of money, but our parents dedicated themselves to their kids and raising them. There are probably more opportunities for driving ranges and golf courses today then back then in my opinion. Also, if you were to compare my generation to today's, you would find our Generations kids in the sandlot's, school yard field playing every sport we could. We made do with limited resources as well. Today's younger population doesn't want to do those sorts of things, they're more into technology and getting things the easy way.

 

I think you missed my point. Yes we grew up with less. Cut down clubs, a few balls we found and an open field to play all day, everyday if we wanted. What I am saying is that those fields are no longer there, the schoolyards lock their gates and are patrolled by security, public parks will not allow golf. Not only that kids don’t roam the neighborhoods freely anymore as everyone says its too dangerous. So what are these kids supposed to do?

[Mikey5e]

Working class people can’t afford to drop their kids off at the golf course...

3000 to 5000 square foot houses absorb a lot of the finances, as opposed to the house I grew up in with six in the family that was 1300 square feet. We didn't have a lot of money, but our parents dedicated themselves to their kids and raising them. There are probably more opportunities for driving ranges and golf courses today then back then in my opinion. Also, if you were to compare my generation to today's, you would find our Generations kids in the sandlot's, school yard field playing every sport we could. We made do with limited resources as well. Today's younger population doesn't want to do those sorts of things, they're more into technology and getting things the easy way.

 

I think you missed my point. Yes we grew up with less. Cut down clubs, a few balls we found and an open field to play all day, everyday if we wanted. What I am saying is that those fields are no longer there, the schoolyards lock their gates and are patrolled by security, public parks will not allow golf. Not only that kids don’t roam the neighborhoods freely anymore as everyone says its too dangerous. So what are these kids supposed to do?

go play some golf! I seem to find there are more facilities now than when I was younger in my area for practice.

[platgof]

Millenials find X box way more thrilling than golf will ever be. Plus the economy is hard as hell for some to make a living, much less play golf. Much easier to turn on the x box than learn golf skills.

[Lagavulin62]

Working class people can’t afford to drop their kids off at the golf course...

3000 to 5000 square foot houses absorb a lot of the finances, as opposed to the house I grew up in with six in the family that was 1300 square feet. We didn't have a lot of money, but our parents dedicated themselves to their kids and raising them. There are probably more opportunities for driving ranges and golf courses today then back then in my opinion. Also, if you were to compare my generation to today's, you would find our Generations kids in the sandlot's, school yard field playing every sport we could. We made do with limited resources as well. Today's younger population doesn't want to do those sorts of things, they're more into technology and getting things the easy way.

 

I think you missed my point. Yes we grew up with less. Cut down clubs, a few balls we found and an open field to play all day, everyday if we wanted. What I am saying is that those fields are no longer there, the schoolyards lock their gates and are patrolled by security, public parks will not allow golf. Not only that kids don’t roam the neighborhoods freely anymore as everyone says its too dangerous. So what are these kids supposed to do?

go play some golf! I seem to find there are more facilities now than when I was younger in my area for practice.

 

 

Yes of course but that cost money. We played for free around the neighborhood just like baseball, basketball, tennis etc. Of course there are more golf courses. That doesn’t matter because they are not free. Same with driving ranges. But I do not agree on the driving ranges. Around here there are very few driving ranges. We had plenty growing up. And of course they were all grass.

[FourTops]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

 

You are definitely correct about the "too hard factor". I see it in the workplace and other activities. For any current or former New Englander's like myself you may have noticed the huge drop in kids participating in Candlepin Bowling. For many years now they complain that it is "too hard". When I played as a kid there were no bumpers preventing the ball from going into the gutter. There was also no automatic scoring so someone had to pay attention and write down your playing partners scores and add the scores. If you wanted to get better you had to practice and work at it. Most kids just do not want to do that anymore despite the fact it is a great game and a great winter time activity for sure. As a result that sport is dying a slow death and hasn't been on local television for probably 20 years now. For those of you that remember in the 70's and 80's Candlepin Bowling shows used to get HUGE ratings on local tv.

 

I see it in the workplace as well. I work in a real niche part of the financial services world and every person we have that is under 30 years old is not originally from this country. In the past when we have interviewed U.S born millennials and make it very clear what is expected of them and how much work it is going to take for them to prove themselves. We also let them know that they are not going to be promoted after 12 months and that if you really apply yourself you may see a significant promotion in 3 years. Almost every one of them immediately becomes uninterested in the job (you can see it in their faces and body language).

 

They just cannot fathom that they will not have the job mastered in 12 months time. We try to explain to them that you are not doing the same thing over and over everyday and that it will take an entire year for you to just absorb and understand the basic process of what we do and why. From there will take another couple of years to learn and become comfortable with merely some of the complicated analysis we do. After years of doing the job there is not a single person on my team that knows how to do everything and that is ok. It is a team effort with everyone bringing different skill sets to the table that compliment each other. These kids just cannot process that they are not going to be a 12 month superstar. Geesh!

 

Meanwhile the foreign kids we hire that would be considered under qualified even for an entry level position work their asses off to get better. Why? Because they are great full to get the opportunity and know that the skills they pick up can lead to other opportunities even if they do not want to stay with us. They see an opportunity and are not afraid to be challenged.

 

The only good thing about these millennials is that they will probably keep me employed until retirement.....hopefully lol.

 

What's interesting at my company is I now have to look for engineers from top universities because far too many universities are allowing about anyone to get through their programs. Some top schools have dropped the SAT test. Worse, many new hire college grads can't even write a business letter....and their grammar is abysmal. The irony is they may have a better chance being a pro golfer.

[Mikey5e]

You either like the game enough to find time to play it, or you don't have enough like for the game to do so. I don't think the length of rounds has changed a whole lot over the years, but people's personalities have. Kids nowadays would rather text their friends than swing a golf club, and don't have the same character as youngsters of yesteryear.

 

I think there's a "too hard" factor, and it's not only related to golf, and there's plenty of reasons why people quit anything, or never try. That said, check out this headline from the NYPost on July 25, 2018..."Burned-out millennial's are quitting lucrative jobs".

 

They're quitting six-figure jobs to travel. There's no hiding bad golf and likewise no hiding lackluster performance in six-figure jobs. Both are competitive in terms of eating crow and/or dedication to improve to advance Lack of dedication may relate back to an ingrained mindset that everyone wins at K-12 schools....everyone gets a trophy. Kids turning into adults find out real quick no one is handing out trophies. The most successful guys I know play golf...and are good golfers...I think it's a training ground for competing in the business world. Try something...fail...try again until you get it right...never quit.

 

You are definitely correct about the "too hard factor". I see it in the workplace and other activities. For any current or former New Englander's like myself you may have noticed the huge drop in kids participating in Candlepin Bowling. For many years now they complain that it is "too hard". When I played as a kid there were no bumpers preventing the ball from going into the gutter. There was also no automatic scoring so someone had to pay attention and write down your playing partners scores and add the scores. If you wanted to get better you had to practice and work at it. Most kids just do not want to do that anymore despite the fact it is a great game and a great winter time activity for sure. As a result that sport is dying a slow death and hasn't been on local television for probably 20 years now. For those of you that remember in the 70's and 80's Candlepin Bowling shows used to get HUGE ratings on local tv.

 

I see it in the workplace as well. I work in a real niche part of the financial services world and every person we have that is under 30 years old is not originally from this country. In the past when we have interviewed U.S born millennials and make it very clear what is expected of them and how much work it is going to take for them to prove themselves. We also let them know that they are not going to be promoted after 12 months and that if you really apply yourself you may see a significant promotion in 3 years. Almost every one of them immediately becomes uninterested in the job (you can see it in their faces and body language).

 

They just cannot fathom that they will not have the job mastered in 12 months time. We try to explain to them that you are not doing the same thing over and over everyday and that it will take an entire year for you to just absorb and understand the basic process of what we do and why. From there will take another couple of years to learn and become comfortable with merely some of the complicated analysis we do. After years of doing the job there is not a single person on my team that knows how to do everything and that is ok. It is a team effort with everyone bringing different skill sets to the table that compliment each other. These kids just cannot process that they are not going to be a 12 month superstar. Geesh!

 

Meanwhile the foreign kids we hire that would be considered under qualified even for an entry level position work their asses off to get better. Why? Because they are great full to get the opportunity and know that the skills they pick up can lead to other opportunities even if they do not want to stay with us. They see an opportunity and are not afraid to be challenged.

 

The only good thing about these millennials is that they will probably keep me employed until retirement.....hopefully lol.

 

What's interesting at my company is I now have to look for engineers from top universities because far too many universities are allowing about anyone to get through their programs. Some top schools have dropped the SAT test. Worse, many new hire college grads can't even write a business letter....and their grammar is abysmal. The irony is they may have a better chance being a pro golfer.

Being a quality golfer, let alone a PGA golfer, probably takes a lot of good character too.

[SurfDuffer]

When is the last time you had to buy a new baseball bat or glove?

What about a new football?

Maybe you need a new tennis racket?

How about a racketball racket?

You must need a better basketball this year?

 

NO? What?!?!?!

 

How do you expect the sports equipment manufacturers to survive? OMG...!!!

 

 

All I see is greed from the big manufacturers of this game. Many would say it's back lash from the tiger era...I say it's human nature unchecked. I pray bifurcation solves this problem...but I know it won't. Capitalism is kind of a monster when left to it's own devices...but I guess regulation is kind of a joke too. Hmmmm....

 

I get so confused as to why golf manufacturers think they need to put out new clubs and balls every year? Seems like a lot of effort for no reason other than profit. Kind of silly IMHO...bet they could be doing better things with their time and capital.

 

People are sick of spending $600 on a driver that doesn't work. $1000+ for irons that aren't fit right for them. Damn near $200 a wedge now?!?!?!?!

 

Mind blowing...

 

People are suckers. Don't get mad at equipment manufacturers for making money off of people's stupid notion that they can buy a better game by getting the latest equipment. Fools are easily parted from their money.

[SurfDuffer]

As for the topic of people leaving the game I'll give incidents from my two most recent visits to play 18.

 

1. Encountering rude people blasting rap music from a speaker in the cart parked near the t-box where I'm hitting. Bad enough.....then the F-bomb echos from the speaker in my back swing. Are you kidding me??!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

2. Yesterday......spent the the first 12 holes waiting on every shot as a twosome behind another twosome played really really sheety golf from split tees so the guy who sucked really badly could play the white tees instead of the lady's tees with his playing partner or the Family tees up by the 150 marker where they both belonged.

 

I've got other hobbies and my last two rounds make me wonder why I bother. The only thing that keeps me playing is the ability to play most of the time late in the evening when nobody else is on the course. If I had to play most of my golf dealing with slow play and rude people like my last two rounds I would have already quit.

[MelloYello]

What's interesting at my company is I now have to look for engineers from top universities because far too many universities are allowing about anyone to get through their programs. Some top schools have dropped the SAT test. Worse, many new hire college grads can't even write a business letter....and their grammar is abysmal. The irony is they may have a better chance being a pro golfer.

 

As an engineer myself, I'm kind of shocked at how poorly many young people are when it comes to expressing themselves through writing. Sadly, it's a reflection of what kids are taught. College is mostly technical work. Thankfully, I developed an ability to write somewhere in life, but it darn sure didn't come from any of my mechanics courses.

 

That said, the upside is those same kids know how to find an answer quickly with technology. As with any generation, it's difficult to find the people are are resourceful (aka self-starters), but that's true of all generations. That's always been the measure of a worker.

[MelloYello]

Some of the comments about Millennials in this thread are downright pathetic.

 

Some of ya'll need to look in the mirror because your remarks come off as incredibly bitter.

[Mikey5e]

 

People are sick of spending $600 on a driver that doesn't work. $1000+ for irons that aren't fit right for them. Damn near $200 a wedge now?!?!?!?!

 

Mind blowing...

 

People are suckers. Don't get mad at equipment manufacturers for making money off of people's stupid notion that they can buy a better game by getting the latest equipment. Fools are easily parted from their money.

I don't think people are that tired over spending big bucks on golf clubs, after all that's exactly what they do every year. I don't blame the manufacturers for catering to the public's demand.

[Naptime]

Cold weather golf is what keeps me going. No crowds, especially on NFL sundays when many guys are on the sofa watching the game. I tolerate summer golf but it's more to keep my swing somewhat grooved.

[Lagavulin62]

When is the last time you had to buy a new baseball bat or glove?

What about a new football?

Maybe you need a new tennis racket?

How about a racketball racket?

You must need a better basketball this year?

 

NO? What?!?!?!

 

How do you expect the sports equipment manufacturers to survive? OMG...!!!

 

 

All I see is greed from the big manufacturers of this game. Many would say it's back lash from the tiger era...I say it's human nature unchecked. I pray bifurcation solves this problem...but I know it won't. Capitalism is kind of a monster when left to it's own devices...but I guess regulation is kind of a joke too. Hmmmm....

 

I get so confused as to why golf manufacturers think they need to put out new clubs and balls every year? Seems like a lot of effort for no reason other than profit. Kind of silly IMHO...bet they could be doing better things with their time and capital.

 

People are sick of spending $600 on a driver that doesn't work. $1000+ for irons that aren't fit right for them. Damn near $200 a wedge now?!?!?!?!

 

Mind blowing...

 

People are suckers. Don't get mad at equipment manufacturers for making money off of people's stupid notion that they can buy a better game by getting the latest equipment. Fools are easily parted from their money.

 

 

I’ve shared my thoughts which are mostly too difficult to find practice places. Everytime you want to hit it cost you. Unless you live on a ranch.

 

As for the equipment its just a person’s idiocy if they think they need what they see on tv.

 

Used clubs, top of the line, you can get for less than 200. Nobody needs Vokey wedges, but if one insists I have found last years models, new, for just over 100.

 

Drivers, well do research and you can find component heads for less than 200. Fairway woods less than 50. All the latest technology.

 

I think as far as equipment, clothing, shoes, there are deals out there and it’s fun to find them.

 

But again, my belief is that its too difficult to get the practice in without spending a good bit and also all the time invested. Golf is still a game where the only way to get in the practice needed is to join a club. It doesn’t have to be a fancy club. Just some place to play and a decent grass range available daily. I think for big city dwellers that is pretty much out of reach. But suburbia and many small towns you can usually find a small club with reasonable rates.

 

So in my opinion the game is still a long ways away for ghetto kids.

 

 

[Outpost31]

When newbies start out and they've got a members 4some, each one in their own cart riding their asses bitching about not playing in 3hrs. Of course it's not fun,

& I've seen it too many times. New players playing in 4hrs is Awesome! Even 4:30hrs is pretty damn good for newbs.

[Pepperturbo]

Hotter temperatures every summer, (possibly due to climate change), is a also becoming a factor now. The ever-increasing oppressive summer heat can take much of the fun out of playing golf during the summer months!.

 

:golfer:

 

Have to disagree with you Bobcat. Heat to me is like cold, dress appropriately and bring the proper accessories and neither bothers me. My heat limit was 120, now 110. I carry lots of ice water and towels to lay over my head, and I am good to go.

 

Thankfully, desert heat in SOCA, AZ isn't an issue and playing in southern TX near the ocean doesn't have much humidity, so not a problem. Florida or other places though where humidity can be oppressive, may or may not change my mind, don't know. I am heading to the desert this weekend for golf. Its expected to be 115ish. :yahoo: :beach:

[BlackDiamondPar5]

You guys are over analyzing. Simply put there are way more activities that compete for our time and money than 30 years ago, way more. That includes outdoor an indoor activities.

[Pepperturbo]

I wonder if it ever dons on older folks that they sound exactly like the old grumps they had to deal with growing up... "These youngsters are nothing but lazy, texting, want everything handed to them, listening to that damn rock n roll"

 

As a "millennial" that's all I hear from old guys at the course - always down on my generation, it's funny how time can make people cynical

 

You label them old grumps, but I wonder if you ever bother to ask any of them what happened to bring about their perception, and listened. I suspect not. You sound like the neighbor kid in the movie Gran Torino that talks about the old man neighbor. Yep, a great many old men and I are different than you. I won't go into those differences or my past, except say what that Eastwood character did in the movie, in the end, a great many men have done or were willing to do or still are.

 

On a different yet related note, I have been visiting campuses (at my expense) around the country since the late seventies to speak to undergrads and graduate students about career topics and job opportunities. About two generations back the environment started to change and concerned me, but the current generation and too many professors were the reasons I halted campus programs and advised our many old man clients to do the same, which they have done.

Believe what you chose about us old men. When a job creator like me has good career jobs to offer and has to field loony tune, almost poor me questions from adolescent like youngsters (not mature young adults) it left my team and me with such ugly impressions, maybe comparable to what you seem to have about us older folks, we chose to cancel our program.

 

Mind you; I am not saying ALL millennials are loons. My son, his wife and their friends are millennials, and I have met most all of their friends. Some of them are quite nice, mature and respectful, but others are genuinely out to lunch and wonder why they can't hold jobs or even get decent jobs, and expectations are beyond the norm. You should hear my son and his friends talk about how disappointed they are in their generation; they know why people knock their generation. He thanks us over and over for being there, teaching him and making him learn the value of a solid work product. He repeatedly said millennials at his large company make him look good, and his advancement has confirmed that. Last, IMO millennials are not quitting golf because of old men; they stop for other personal reasons. Have a good day. :beach:

[NoodleSalad]

I haven't seen any actual evidence that anyone's walking away from golf. The public courses in my area are packed, even on weekdays sometimes. To the point where I've had to walk off the course twice this year because of slow play. The private courses may be hurting (the 2nd tier ones anyway) but public golf seems as popular as ever, unfortunately. But that doesn't taint my view of the game, only of the golfers who play slowly.

 

When I was a kid in the 70s, golf and tennis were about equally popular. Now, it's not even close. Golf wins by a landslide.