The Pellucid Perspective - September 2019 - 5

ing the more active team sports (baseball, basketball,
football, soccer or, for Millennials, mountain biking,
kayaking and snowboarding) which generally are gone
by age 30, golf is the perfect sport to fill the age 30-80
lifestage; we should seek to own this period recreationally
It's a sport of social connectivity - We're one of the
few sports where people actually interact, frequently,
while they're playing. Ever tried that in group cycling?
In our legacy form, we connect four people weekly (the
standing primetime foursome) through recreation, how
many other sports can say that? (Nancy pointed out
maybe bowling, but not many in the golf industry want
our sport "sullied" by comparing it to bowling, LOL)
It's a sport requiring a combination of physical and
mental skills - I've seen great "range players" and also
people with ugly swings that get the ball in the hole in
fewer strokes than I do. Golf should appeals to folks
who want to work their body and their brain simultaneously (particularly as we age, it's important as I can
attest)
It's a sport for your "inner competitor" - You can have
a competitive match (fun or serious) with any other
golfer via the handicap system. Ever tried to do that in
tennis? (OK, I'll give you 30-love every other game and
we'll see how that works)

Behind whatever the better "calling card" should be for the
industry, we're going to need to back it up with one or more
simple, effective onboarding programs. That's a topic for a future article but, as a teaser, in my mind the basic building blocks
incorporate some or all of the following:
*
*
*
*

Initial group instruction that focuses on game and
swing basics (not body positions, the rules of golf, traditions or the history of the game)
Limited barriers and initial investment (i.e. Stuart's
constant insistence that an attraction program that
doesn't have an easy, affordable rental program is DOA)
An integrated, affordable practice program between
lessons for those who have the time and interest to accelerate their progress
Transitioning beginners from the range to the course
as early as practical so they start making the connection
and satisfaction in playing "holes of golf " vs. "shots of
golf "
Connecting the beginners socially post-program so
they continue to play and have a "safe space" (much as I
hate that general phrase) to learn in pursuit of "fun" (i.e.
becoming accomplished enough that it's now, truly, fun)

Toward that end, there are a couple of different onboarding
concepts being executed in the '19 season. One is the Project Golf program being implemented in Myrtle Beach by Bill
Golden and his team. Basic components of that include creating and managing affordable group instruction sessions that
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contain multiple phases from learning the basics to playing
modified holes on course with instructors present. Initial results are encouraging but incomplete. There's also the NGF's
Welcome2Golf program pilot in Denver. Its main components
are pointing beginners to participating facilities and the associated pro (to arrange initial lessons) and upcoming beginner
activities at those facilities (initial results are also not yet publicly
available). We'll know more on what did/didn't work with each
of these programs hopefully by the time of our '19 State of the
Industry in Orlando and, if so, we'll add it to Stuart's qualitative
review topics.
So, back to the issue of what's golf 's "calling card." I proposed
up front that I don't believe that it's "fun." As a recent proof
point, I walked off the 9th green last weekend after carding a 49
including 4 penalty shots off the tee and fun was not the f-word
that was on my mind... Enough about me though, I'm interested
in your opinion. As a thought starter for "other people's opinions," Bill Golden has put this forth as a calling card candidate
based on our recent conversation and what they're learning in
interaction with the initial Myrtle Beach program participants:
*

Golf is Rewarding: Can't we all use a reward from
time to time? It encapsulates several of the reasons
mentioned above, particularly social aspects, exercise,
time outdoors unplugged, and a hobby that can be improved upon. Then there is what it can do for disabled
veterans, special needs children, juniors/youth development, etc.

Colleague Harvey Silverman contributes this initial observation as well for our collective consideration: "Everything I
read about Millennials and the generation following them uses
the term "experiential." "It fuels the attraction to extreme sports,
exotic travel destinations, unique foods and dining, etc. It also
fuels their social interactions, both with friends sharing the experience live, and on social media. Burning Man epitomizes "experiential."
*

Golf is experiential. Every course offers a different
experience. Really, every hole does also. It's just that to
truly enjoy the experience requires a modicum of skill. I
think any "fun" concept has to include non-conforming
beginner clubs that make it easy to (1) learn the correct
grip, and (2) get the ball in the air within the first five
swings.

So, consider the dance floor now officially open. If the majority of you think it's "fun" then I'm willing to say that I'm wrong
on this and I'll fall in line calling for an industry tagline and effort lining up behind the "fun" campaign. Write me at jim@pellucidcorp.com and let me know what your word/phrase would be
for attracting the maximum number of non-golfers, with slight
preference for things you think would appeal to the post-Baby
Boomers. If we have enough responses, I'll publish the summary
tally and range of responses in the October Perspective and we'll
see what the wisdom of the crowds tells us.
n
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The Pellucid Perspective - September 2019

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