The State of Casual Golf

The State of Golf (Casual)
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Afternoon All,

Every now and then, I like to get long winded about subjects, and what better one than our favorite, GOLF!! Now as the title suggest, it's casual golf, meaning what 80% of all of us regular golfers do. The, once on a weekend, maybe twice a week between yard work, family, the job etc.


First, I play golf to relax, have fun, be with friends, and enjoy the outdoors. I assume these are the reasons most of us Casual Golfers play. Certain things come into play when we as a group of people decide to go golfing.



1) Who's playing with us. I assume most of us only play with our friends, work mates, and relatives. Playing with people we are comfortable around and familiar with. This is one of the main reasons we can relax while we play (to a degree). It's not a tournament, a shoot out, it's just plain fun.


2) Where we play: I assume if we could all play Beth Paige Black or a round at Pebble Beach, we would, but we are usually playing local muni's and semi-private clubs. There is nothing wrong with it, heck some of the best courses in the US are public courses. Myrtle Beach is loaded with them, as are most areas of the country. Price is always a factor with us for the normal round. Yes, we as a group splurge sometimes, and play those very nice 50.00 plus courses, but not on a regular basis. I would say the 25-45 dollar spot, is the sweet spot for us. There is plenty of value midweek and afternoons at the more expensive courses, so take advantage of them.


3) Travel time: How far are you willing to go to play golf on a weekend. There are a lot of factors, can you afford to play a 5 hour round, with an hour's travel time each way? For most of us married fellas/ladies with kids and those without, this can't be something we do on a regular basis. The weekend, after a week of work, is usually loaded with yard work, family time, church, hanging out with friends and their families. This leaves us with a confined area to play to play on a regular basis. If I can't get there in under 30 minutes, I can't play there on a regular basis. Travel time, coupled with weekend crowds usually limit where I play, and I assume it's the same for all.

4) Our Game: Like most Casual Golfers, we are double digit handicappers. There is not the constant practice and playing like the lower handicappers. I would think most of us shoot in the low 100s to mid 90s. There are 2 huge mile stones in golf for the Casual Player, breaking 100, and breaking 90. Please take break 80 and toss it out of your mind, lighten up, and have fun. I think the less pressure on yourself, the more enjoyment, and the you will find you play a whole lot better.

5) Equipment(coupled with today's Economy) There is no doubt that today's economy has effected us all. How many times we play, golf trips, lesser priced courses, and our clubs themselves. I have an active golf group I organize a trips for, and we e-mail and golf all year long with. I would say there are 100 or so people in this loose group. I get a lot of feedback from them, and I plan the golf trips to Myrtle Beach, Ocean City, etc. The economy has forced a lot of people to forsake new clubs, and buy used, or order versions new like Rock Bottom sells. You can still get a great set of clubs without breaking the bank. I think the top Club Makers see this trend also, for example: Calloway, their brand new 2009 Drivers, when you buy one, you get a Fairway Wood for $1.00. This is discounting brand new tech, which they usually don't, but I think their bottom lines have been rocked. Search for the deals, be selective, but they are out there. Continue supporting your local stores and courses. Country Clubs are closing, or openning up to the public every day.

In short, enjoy golf, have fun, because that's what it is meant to be. I hit some ugly shots, but when I really get a hold of it, and hit that rare perfect shot, it brings me back every time.


I would love to hear everyone's opinions!