How Golf Is Seeking to Target a New Buying Audience

Which is your favorite golf commercial? Not always is an ad a television spot; nowadays, golf advertising agencies are specializing in utilizing social channels and even The Olympics in order to make you laugh, cry and buy with an eye on going viral.

Are you a Taylor-Made fan...perhaps you are a Ping player like me?

Whichever set of irons or woods you eventually select for your golf bag, your final choice to give one set of clubs the nod over another could very well have been a subliminal one.

Golf club placement within an ad has played a partnering role with Tour "YouTube celebrities" like the funny ads featuring Bubba Watson, Hunter Mahan and Lee Westwood. Golf brands have also slipped into poignant supporting roles like this spot from LA Ad Agency Zambezi which features the average golfer practicing indoors with their Taylor Made clubs while waiting the arrival of spring (shot at Hazeltine-home of the 2016 Ryder Cup).

Let's also not forget to mention one of the most viral videos in sports which reached beyond the sport of golf to tug on the heartstrings of the public; Dad, Earl, is "talking" to Tiger Woods about what he has learned in life. Did you hang on every word? Bet you can also name which brand pulled off that creative moment?

Yep, gotcha!

Nike was one of the first companies to make the decision to move away from traditional brand advertising and towards social marketing, pairing with the number one golfer of his day...and with tremendous results.

So, now that Woods is vying with other young celebrity golfers for a place in social cyberspace, what is the next step for golf?

Are Golf Ads Going Completely Social?

With a wealth of brands, faces and places, golf has the potential to reach a very large online audience through modern formats in order to go viral.

As long as golf tournaments remain televised, so will there be a need to keep brands in front of viewers...but going after golfers means adding a social media strategy whether it be via shorter ads to keep viewer attention or shorter tweets and pins to get conversation rolling like a putt on a smooth green. How many brands today have their own successful YouTube Channel?

Ad Age points out that a new generation of "social" TV commercials are "really, really short shows" as opposed to what used to be considered "typical" spots. If one ad becomes a fan favorite, expect several "feature" follow-ups so you can get to know the characters even better...as well as the brand. Heck, you may even want to get out onto a golf course and learn how to play the game!

Callaway still utilizes conventional TV ads but is actively extending their reach to Twitter where they can make sure that there is continuous chat about their brand; their YouTube Channel sports thirty-thousand dedicated subscribers; Nike has over five hundred thousand with their latest video from one month ago scoring more than 36 million views.

"Social" selling is here to stay.

Traditional Faces Introducing New Concepts

When The King speaks, golfers listen and, when golf was heralded as a new entrant into the Olympic Games, the sport obtained access to an entirely new group of spectators who love athletics.

Arnold Palmer trumpeted The Olympics to a global audience as "compelling performances from high-profile veterans as well as previously unheralded young players who have taken up the game in developing countries."

Although Olympic golf made its debut on basic cable to a wide audience and was active on social channels and blogs, thanks to top players pulling out due to the Zika Virus, social virality did take effect but, unfortunately, not in a positive way. Also, the "boring" format didn't help provide the sense of national pride and team spirit which is the foundation of The Games.

Will golf stay in the Olympics? We can only hope so for the sake of the sport. The 2010 Olympics in Vancouver was the first ever to be covered online. It broke all records when it broke into a cyber world and onto mobile devices, attracting approximately 1.8 billion viewers worldwide.

The Entertainment Business of Golf

"A lot of people say that we're in the golf business, Yes, we're in the golf business but I say we're also in the content business and we're in the entertainment business." said European Tour CEO Keith Pelley during a meeting on the state of the game in 2016. "If we're in the entertainment business, then our players are stars."

Perhaps turning tour players into celebrity faces that are reachable will break that barrier that keeps golf segregated from the mainstream? Twitter helps connect the masses with the stars of the game.

The sport should be open to changing it's traditional ways to bring in a new generation. "Golf needs to be more welcoming; it needs to take itself less seriously," states Paul Hawkins, Founder of Hawk Eye Innovations.

And so, the European Tour has recently approved a new golf tournament set for 2017, the World Super 6 Perth, with an eye on changing the way people view golf and because, as CEO of Euro Tour Keith Pelley states, "we believe that golf needs to look at new and innovative formats." Along with this new focus, I am sure the powers that be will also concentrate on how best to reach out to a new generation of millennials.

A shift in focus from branding to a more inviting social nature of golf can help invigorate the game and open it up to a wider audience.


What are your thoughts? Follow and tweet us @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and feel free to comment below in this golf blog.

Photo Credit: http://zambezi-la.com/

Will Millennials Save or Squash #Golf?

According to news articles, golf course owners and even sports equipment manufacturers, a lack of golf popularity is caused by a drop in participation by Millennials. These eighteen to thirty-year old's seem to value iPhones and computer tech more than a good walk in the park.

Can kids from the Gen-Y generation find happiness playing the sport that lasts a lifetime while retaining some of its traditional elements?

Robin Williams must have had millennials on his mind when he created his comedic skit on golf, with the excerpt "go whacking away with a tire iron...and each time you miss you feel like you’ll have a stroke. That’s what we’ll call it, a stroke, cause each time you miss you feel like you’re gonna fracking die."

Millennials seem to want a more fun and reactive game and golf is a game that you play within yourself. Obviously Rory McIlroy is helping the game by bringing a fresh, young face to a new generation but is that enough?

Course rounds are showing the decline - according to TaylorMade President Mark King, rounds for the new generation are down thirty-five percent in the last ten years. With that, golf courses are falling upon hard times with closings totaling one every forty-eight hours! Should people blame Millennials for this affliction or should the golf course discussion be about the financial bubble which burst ten years earlier?

Nope, Gen Y'ers don't want that much of a challenge, the mindful struggle to get a small white ball into a tiny hole; they want fun and ease...no challenges that cause distress.

Enough talk about what they don't want...what do Millennials feel is necessary to enjoy golf? This enigma is what organizations are struggling to figure out; is it the end of having to "belong" to a golf club, is it too expensive, do they want more fun...or a quicker round?

Bryant Gumbel's commentary on HBO Real Sports discussed ways in which Gen-Y'ers are currently enjoying golf courses, driving ranges and, basically, making the sport their own.

Here are a few new ideas which are trending:
- 15 inch golf holes (as King said, "you can't miss with that" but, where is the challenge?)
- Foot golf - A mix of soccer and golf where folks kick the ball around into a larger hole.
- Top Golf - a blend of driving range with microchips in golf balls, night club entertainment and a bit of friendly digital competition.
- Easier scoring for golf beginners.
- Free beer on Saturday's?



Golf for Beginners has also come up with a few ideas to enhance the game for multi-generational sports fans - how about softball golf or hockey golf? They'll be tearing up the course with these blended sports but, if it brings players into the game, isn't it worth it?

Golf may be going through growing pains but, in my opinion, is not doomed to aged traditionalists who want to keep folks out, not bring them into the game.

I think the game of golf is safe because millennials will eventually get older and want to enjoy a more conventional sport - so many women enter the game as they mature and enjoy the cameraderie and challenge. The current concern with Generation Y is to get them interested early so that they are ready for the challenge when they have kids.

Are you a Millennial? Do You Play Golf? Voice your opinion on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and on our Golf for Beginners blog.

Wie joins Woods in media circus, Tiger hated by Esquire writer, golf ball trivia, Taylor Made Adidas golf shoes

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Step right up! The circus is in town and is performing at a golf course near you! Watch as Henrik Stenson performs his schluoss to the delight of sighing maidens. Be mystified as IMG jumps through hoops to insure maximum visibility for Michelle Wie! Delight as unimaginable trick shots made by Phil Mickelson inspire awe!

For the piece de resistance, you might even catch Tiger Woods juggling golf balls just before the Masters Tournament!

Ringling Brothers Circus claims to be "The Greatest Show on Earth" but both the PGA and LPGA Tour players are stepping up efforts to entertain in addition to playing golf just for the "sport" of it.

"Golfers" are now being renamed "stars", NBC News sent a reporter to cover Woods' return and, according to Bob Verdi, "the gathering of writers, broadcasters, and photographers around Tiger was substantial." Even sponsors such as Northern Trust are jumping on the bandwagon, creating a more carnival gala within their sponsorships by integrating the world of entertainment with golf.

Certain LPGA golfers have struck out on their own, searching for popularity through alternative means. Natalie Gulbis is a headliner on Celebrity Apprentice, Michelle Wie is now the new media darling of IMG, whose clients include Woods, Sorenstam, Creamer and Pressel and let's not forget the introduction of the Wilhelmina 7!

The Golf Channel and J Golf (Korea) have also joined forces with the LPGA, envisioning a merge of talent and sport. Carolyn Bivens mentioned, "JBC provides the LPGA with a progressive, creative partner prepared to showcase our golfers and tournaments across an array of platforms."

But are the Tours drawing the attention or are professional golfers yearning to step out of anonymity to become more relevant?

Golf for Beginners offers up some golf ball trivia this week with the help of David Feherty and talks about new golf shoes available from Taylor-Made Adidas which can actually help improve the distance of your shots!

We also wonder if Chris Jones from Esquire magazine has any validity in his hatred toward Tiger Woods.


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Why doesn't Leadbetter cut Michelle Wie loose? Also, putt like Tiger Woods and a new line of golf gloves by Taylor Made/Adidas

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Michelle Wie's golf career has been in a downward spiral for the past year. She has run the gamut from physical to emotional trauma. Her "people" have been jumping ship, most recently Greg Nared, her second manager of the year. As you know, everyone loves a winner, and Michelle Wie hasn't won.

Wie has gone from media darling with cameras frantically clicking and both PGA and LPGA Tours throwing exemptions at her to being shunned by the Casio World Open, an event on the Japanese Tour which has, in the past, always welcomed her with open arms. Spokesman Yuichi Miyakawa contended, "We have concluded that it is important for her to fully recover from her hand injuries before playing to her potential". The key word here is "potential".

Golf.com has even decided that Michelle Wie is no longer "hot".

But in all of the darkness that surrounds Michelle Wie there is one bright light, one person who will stick by her no matter how far she falls...besides B.J. and Bo, and that person is...David Leadbetter.

Leadbetter realizes that he stands to gain either way from remaining on Michelle Wie's payroll. If she does indeeed make a comeback (which is possible if she reinforces her mental game), he may claim that it was because of his steady instruction that she persevered. If she fails, Leadbetter can always shrug his shoulders and say that he tried...and he did.

You have to give David Leadbetter credit for his dedication to Michelle Wie in the face of her overbearing parents, her lack of common courtesy and somewhat dubious knowledge of the Rules of Golf.

In this week's Golf for Beginners podcast we discuss the Wie/Leadbetter relationship. A putting tip by Tiger Woods regarding grip is also featured. Since we're on the subject of the grip, we also take a look at the new golf gloves being offered by Taylor Made and Adidas for the 2008 season.

Send your golf questions and comments to golfforbeginners@aol.com.

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"Shiny Tech" courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)"

This podcast is supported by Myrtle Beach Golf and Florida Golf Travel.

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