‘We Are Golf’ Campaign – What Does It Mean?

In today’s world, everything that smacks of ’greed’ is under scrutiny by the rank and file who are looking for someone to blame for their economic plight.

To many, private country clubs are viewed as exclusive hideaways, tour players are grossly overpaid and golf in general is too expensive for anyone who has to ‘work’ for a living.

It’s not surprising then that some of the traditional sponors of tour events are having second thoughts about their association with the game.

Golf is a complex game and it’s impact on society in general is complex as well. It has it’s dark side with elitist clubs, player scandals, astronomical greens fees and tour players that don’t embody the spirit of the game, just to name a few.

It also has it’s bright side with beautiful public courses available to all, a built-in integrity enshrined in the rules, the ability for players of all levels to play and compete together, and a wonderful tradition of raising money for charity.

The challenge for golf’s ruling bodies is to continually monitor the game against a set of core values on which they should be well versed. There will always be missteps and good ideas turned bad, but with its stewards keeping a watchful eye, the game will outlive us and many more generations. So what’s to be done?

Our recent economic crisis can be a blessing in disguise for the game or a terrible body blow that will see courses put to the plow. The pro tours have gotten out of hand with extravagant purses while many fans can’t put together enough scratch for a round at the local 9-holer.

The sport is still too hard to learn for most amateurs.Golf manufacturers should think twice about outsourcing production oversees. Tour players who serve as role models can reevaluate their on course behavior, play quickly and stop throwing clubs.

Now is the time to build short walkable courses, with tees next to greens, play speedy rounds and charge greens fees that the average amateur can afford. Golf may not be Wall Street, but it has seen it’s share of excess of greed and extravagance. Golf can’t afford to put its collective head in the sand.

Golf must honestly assess itself, it’s image, motives and heritage and get back on track. To be successful an effort like this requires everyone to participate – plain old golfers like ourselves, touring pros, ruling bodies, manufacturers, golf instructors, sponsors, course architects and the deep pockets that provide the financing for it all.

Last weekend I saw my first “We Are Golf” ad, and it’s a good rallying cry for the game. If ‘We’ really are the game, then we should all be a part of the effort, not just the sponsoring organizations: the PGA Tour, the Club Managers Association of America, the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America and the National Golf course Owners Association.

Until all golfers get involved, this will be just another lobbying effort who’s purpose is to keep the fat cats ‘fat’ instead of making this wonderful game accessible to more people.

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