Area golf courses, Northern Chapter PGA, think outside the box to attract ... - Florida Times-Union

Golf has rigid rules and traditional formats. But with the number of avid and casual players diminishing, which has led to course closings and a depressed equipment industry, rules have to be bent and traditions modified. “The one thing we can’t do is turn our back on new ideas,” said Russ Libby, general manager of the Hidden Hills Country Club and a leader in the PGA of America, the governing body of club professionals. To insist that we don’t try new things to make the game more fun and reduce the time it takes to play is only going to make the problem worse. After reaching a peak of more than 30 million U. S. golfers in 2003 (according to the National Golf Foundation, which tracks participation), the number has dropped to below 25 million. The number of avid golfers (defined by the NGF as those who play eight or more rounds per year) nearly reached 20 million in 2000 but is now less than 15 million. After 4,500 golf courses opened nationwide between 1991-2006, less than two dozen per year have opened since. The United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, which set the rules of play and equipment specifications for the world, often seem unwilling to address those issues. Source: jacksonville.com