Is Golf Tiring for You? PGA Tour Rookies to Excite Fans.

An article on CBSSports.com stated that "golf is sort of tiring right now" due to a never-ending season. Do you agree and what would you change to make golf more exciting for the fans?

For many golf fans, it's the same old stories, from Tiger Woods' surgeries to whether or not Phil Mickelson still has game. As the new season begins with rookies to liven up the action, is that enough to increase viewership or, at least,m maintain the status quo?

Or, could it be that fans need more than fresh-faced Tour pros to sink them into a comfy Stratolounger?

Golf for Beginners believes that a combination of rookies heating up the course and new programming designed for millennials can save the sport from being relegated to a search for the leaderboard link on Sunday night or a quick flip to the News at Ten. Here are a few newbies we think will heat up the PGA Tour.

1. Smylie Kaufman: Earned his wings on the Web.com Tour and jumped right into the winners seat  at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Can shoot low on a Sunday, when the pressure is on.

2. Emiliano Grillo: Should be nicknamed, "Second Chance Grillo", feeling his oats early in the season with near misses and a season-opening rookie win. Gets into playoffs and gives himself chances; learning how to be a confident winner. Playing on the European Tour for five years, could already be considered a seasoned pro.

3. Patton Kizzire: Leading money winner on the Web.com Tour and already a top-five finisher in two events this season, a Golf Channel writer mentioned, "You may not know who Kizzire is now, but you will soon."

Perhaps an increase in viewership won't come directly from watching tournaments or from rookies having break-out seasons but from new fluffy shows like "Celebrities in Golf Carts" or action-packed events such as the latest Big Break series? Only time will tell what millennials and beginners to golf will need in order to become attracted to, and to stay in, the game.

Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our golf blog!

Advice for the USGA to Improve the #Golf Experience

The New York Times published an article this week that the USGA is planning a five-year study on the challenges facing the golf industry, mainly on the player level.

Topics to be covered include the cost of the game, the time it takes to play and golfer enjoyment.

Since there is always talk about the closing of courses and how people are garaging their clubs, the USGA is making a concerted effort to reverse negativity within the sport.

A few months prior, the USGA came out with a new and improved video-directed website designed to help educate all players understand the rules of golf. As we know, if golfers understand the rules, chances are they (and their partners) will have a more rewarding experience.

The U.S.G.A. will partner with the University of Minnesota on the study but I say, let's bring questions to the people. "Why not also partner with groups on the internet?"

I asked the followers of a golf group on Facebook the following question,

"If you could offer advice to the United States Golf Association to improve the game on the player level, what would you say?"

To improve golf for me, I would find a way to remove geese safely from the courses on which I play. There is nothing worse than having your ball land on goose poop! I would also ramp up ranger action to help speed up play for amateurs who either don't know or don't care about keeping the game moving.

Here are a few answers from the golf group - U.S.G.A. take note!

1. Bobby Alford said, "Just lower the price. And stop making 7,300 yard courses."

2. Ciaran Campbell - "Rangers keeping a watch for slow play. Maybe some "tee by handicap" system to stop high handicap players playing from back tees during comps - it would probably help their enjoyment."

3. Gus Gurevitch - "The push for municipal monthly fees to return to all city owned courses. Most have disappeared."

4. Geoff Jordan - "Pace of play and play-ability should be the focus. Rangers and courses need to do more to speed-up slower players, especially in early rounds. They must TEACH and enforce "ready-golf" with slow players."

Geoff continued, "Golf carts seems to make slow players even slower. If they can't speed-up, get them off the course. Play-ability - newer courses need to be walker friendly.
Tee and greens closer together.
Courses should standardize flag color/markings for front/mid/back pins along with yardage markers F/M/B. (it doesn't do me any good to know pin position 2 when the scorecard is 120 yards away with my partner in the golf cart. Let golfers know by flag color/markings when they are in the fairway."

5. SuzyFromFlorida mentioned, "...slow play is the killer. You can be the worst golfer ever and still play fast. But you have to be taught how to do it. A whole education process needs to be put in place, rules need to be set, and then enforced by rangers. Golf will become more enjoyable for everyone. Of course, this will never happen in our lifetime."


What advice would you give to the U.S.G.A. to improve the golf experience?
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