The Dying Game of Golf

Golf used to be a favorite pastime of many. Weekend swingers still hit the links, but their numbers are dwindling. Sadly the trend in the number of rounds played per person per year has been on a steady decline. Courses cluttered with people conducting informal business meetings while enjoying a round of golf are not as common. Is the game of golf going the way of the Doo Doo bird?The number of core North American golfers has fallen between three and 4.5 percent every year since 2006. In its heyday, which extended throughout 1980 - 1999, course designers could not keep up with the demand to build new courses across Canada and the States. The business world no longer foots the cost of entertaining potential business partners for lunch, let alone paying for a round of golf for a two-some or four-some. Neither is it acceptable to take the half-day of work off to play a round of golf, for business or otherwise. Plain and simple, the majority of Americans that have the means to play golf simply don’t have the time.Golfers now can drive the ball further. Technology has made the majority of golf courses with limited acreage obsolete and unplayable. Technology has altered the sport. The jury is still out on whether these changes have improved the game. Golfers, regardless of their level of play, weekend or professional are pretty much still the same. They still get upset when they’ve lost their balls. Join me to talk with John Coyne a life-long lover of golf and an American writer. His third book in the caddy series, The Caddy Who Won The Masters is on stands now. John brings his stories and thoughts to BEYONDtheCheers Wednesday February 20that 7PM EDT on BEYONDtheCheers at blogtalkradio.