The reports are staggering. According to the National Golf Foundation, in 2013 more than 4.1 million golfers quit the game. And while only 14 courses were built in the U.S., 157 closed.
Why the sudden drop in the interest of the sport? Mark King, CEO of the golf equipment manufacturer TaylorMade, asked himself the same question and decided to open the discussion up to everyone.
King’s organization, Hack Golf launched this past February and is sponsored by the PGA, Taylor Made and Mlab. Its goal is to solve the problems that are leading to fewer and fewer players each year.
On Hack Golf’s online discussion board, everyone from professionals, non-golfers and even industry leaders are contributing their opinion on how golf could be changed and fun for everyone.
What’s Wrong with Golf?
As of August 2014, Hack Golf’s discussion board has received over 1,500 ideas from over 3,000 participants who chimed in on what is wrong with the sport and how to change it.
Their issues with the game include: how long it takes to play a round, the cost, and beginners who can’t keep up or are discouraged to even take up the sport, often times the game itself is boring, and the overall rules of the game need a change.
Golfer taking a swing. Photo courtesy of Choose Chicago, ©Adam Alexander.
What Comes Next?
On Hack Golf’s website, King said, “Later this year we plan to take all of the ideas that were posted and, with the help of an industry organization called Golf 20/20, choose the ones with the most promise. Then we’ll experiment with them; to find if they bring more fun, and more golfers, to the game. Hack Golf itself is an experiment. Yet the potential is huge.”
Although Hack Golf’s hasn’t officially moved on from phase one, the world is not waiting.
Making waves back in April was the invention of the 15-inch hole. Many golf courses are installing the much larger hole, as a way to attract more people to the game and so that current players don’t quit.
King is a fan of the 15-inch hole and has even installed them in his company’s headquarters in Southern California. Many others agree with King, and new players have flocked to the idea as well, saying it is an easier way to learn how to play and invites those who were often left out of the sport children, beginners and seniors to join in on the fun. The bigger hole also significantly reduces the time it takes to play a round of golf, possibly leading to the generation of more revenue for courses.
Golfers. Photo Courtesy of Choose Chicago, ©Adam Alexander
Want to Share your Idea?
If you think your idea is a stroke of genius and is a sure fire way to change the game of golf forever, then all you have to do is create a username and password and post away on hackgolf.com’s discussion board.
By: Lauren Jacobsen
