What has happened to American golf?

[Mike Thomas (sunmart)]

With men 32 of the top 47 in the world are non-American and with the women it's an astounding 41 of 50 non-American. If I am the PGA and LPGA tours I am shaking in my boots. If I am the PGA of America I am wondering about the programs we are putting forward that are not working. Is the First tee successful? Is it instruction? Slow play? Cost? Time required? Facilities? High School golf? College golf? Tiger? Golf Channel? TV golf? Too much money? What has happened to American golf?

 

[curtisj76]

Cell phones, video games, drugs, spoiled, too worried about what the Kardashians and some idiot named Snooki are doing. Would you like me to keep going??????

 

[suns11111]

TW made the game global, good point, will American golf turn out to be the current NHL hockey or LPGA tour. Personally I love hearing about the stories of these new (major) winners or even Jhonattan Vegas of the world. However, I can go to the (USA) driving range, new season, time to get the game ready, lots of young kids on the range...................texting, phone or chatting. Not all, but missing is the passion to improve. What I see when working there and playing....just my thoughts.

 

[ZAP]

Who knows? Maybe it is just cyclic? Perhaps we are having our kids specialize in other sports too early. Maybe PE teachers are to blame.

Idea #1 I can tell you that part of the problem around here is lack of access to golf. Even if I take my kids to the local course during the week where I know everyone we get looks of disdain before we even tee off. I make sure we keep pace and make my kids pick up when they are struggling but people in general are not very nice. Personally I would rather play behind a family with a couple of kids playing than watch two carts with drunk golfers in them search for their balls 75 yards from their location.

Idea #2 Golf is a tough game. With the access kids today have to things they can be instantly good at it does not surprise me they might not want to figure it out. Much easier to pretend you are a stud playing Madden.

Idea #3 Golf is expensive. Enough said.

 

[mgranato]

Is it an American slide, or is it the rest of the globe has stepped up their collective game? There are more courses globally than ever. More access globally than ever. More instruction globally than ever. And now more state funding globally than ever. It's a good thing.

ATP tennis, MLB baseball - none are dominated by American talent or numbers. The US also has many more professional avenues for its elite athletes.

 

[curtisj76]

How about soccer becoming much more popular here in the States? When I was in school around 15 years ago, NO schools had soccer. Now they all do. Same season right? I'd have to guess it's the fastest growing sport in the past 10 years or so.

 

[islandgolf629]

When European Tour members who lose their card start playing on the PGA Tour as a back-up plan, then you can start to worry about American golf.

Most American golfers go to college for four years and do not start gaining experience in professional tournaments until they are 21/22 years old. Of those who are 21/22, the majority of them go to the Nation Wide tour for several years where world ranking points are very small. If they're lucky, they will make it to the big show by the time they are in their mid-late twenties.

For the lucky Americans who earn a PGA tour card straight from college via Q-school, they spend the first years learning how to win, i.e. Fowler Vs. McIlroy.

Now, compare European and other International golfers who do not go to college and turn professional at 17/18/19 years old. They usually start their careers on a developmental tour where they learn how to win at an earlier age. After that, they join the European Tour around 20/21/22 years old where they can start to accumulate decent amounts of World ranking points on a major tour, and if they crack the Top 50, they automatically get into all four Majors and WGC events (8 events with huge ranking points). This allows non-American golfers to accumulate OWGR points at an earlier age and a faster rate than Americans.

 

[johnnymarlboro]

Idea #1 I can tell you that part of the problem around here is lack of access to golf. Even if I take my kids to the local course during the week where I know everyone we get looks of disdain before we even tee off. I make sure we keep pace and make my kids pick up when they are struggling but people in general are not very nice. Personally I would rather play behind a family with a couple of kids playing than watch two carts with drunk golfers in them search for their balls 75 yards from their location.

I definitely agree with this. I don't have any kids, but I notice this attitude from people when I've been at the course and seen juniors playing with their parents. Funny thing is, most of these guys rolling their eyes can't even keep it on the course. Once last season at this local 9 hole course I play often, I was paired up with this young kid, maybe 9 or 10, and his father who was on the bag. He was slower than me, only because he didn't have my length. I can tell you he could hit it laser straight with every club. It was actually a fun round, certainly not the slowest I've played, and I dare say both me and the kid learned something from each other. My worst experience at that same course was when I went out to play by myself when it wasn't busy, practicing trouble shots and such. The group behind me caught up after I had hit my tee shot on 4, and without asking just went ahead and teed off. It was a father and his two 20 something sons, all wearing tank tops and bellies full of Bud Light. Some typical east Baltimore good ole' boys (apologies to any Baltimoreans reading.) They were extremely rude, and had no clue of any golf ettiquette. They looked very offended when I chose to let them play through on the next hole.

Seems to be alot more of the latter, in the public courses I play at. Every junior I've played with has been courteous, and seems to have more of an appreciation for ettiquette then many of their older counterparts.

 

[Richie3Jack]

I grew up in Upstate NY. There was always soccer around. And every 4 years or so they would claim that soccer was going to overtake the country, yet it still takes a backseat to football, baseball and basketball. The only thing that separates soccer from hockey is weather. I swear, look at a magazine rack today and 1/4 of them have Kim Kardashian on the cover. Yeah, she's hot...but if we didn't know any better you'd think she's the last woman on earth and the only interesting celebrity alive.

Anyway, I do think a lot of instruction has reared its ugly head over here.

The top non-American players just seem to have much more sound golf mechanics and alignments than the top American players here...whether it be pro or amateur.

Probably because if you're going to make a lot of money teaching, you need to do it in the U.S. And being able to market yourself and market your brand is more important than actual teaching skill *if* your end game is to make the most money.

I was thinking about this yesterday. Who is the last big name player Leadbetter has produced?

My guess is Sergio. Immelman and O'Hair I don't think quite count. And probably neither should Sergio since he was taught by his father and hasn't really changed his swing.

Yet, he gets tons of students to go to his golf school/academy each year. And a lot of them are international students who never quite fulfill the dream of making it on the PGA Tour.

To me, that pretty much gives me the answer. The US player unfortunately has access to too many poor instructors and they go to them because they are the 'top ranked' instructor in the world.





3JACK

 

[dbl]

The USA has 5% of the world's population, so what percentage of great golfers should we have? By GDP, the USA produces (directly) 19.6% of the world's GDP.

I guess I wonder how much of a share of the golf world we are expected to have?

I suppose the USA has the biggest pile of disposable income and time.

 

[BrendanC]

The middle-classification of the rest of the world is the obvious reason folks.

Check out this - from about 5.30 for the shorter version!

Hans Rosling shows the best stats you've ever seen | Video on TED.com

 

[ms1170]

I'm concerned about our small percentage of top-ranked Bull Fighters. On the plus side, our percentage of top-ranked NASCAR drivers is really high. I think it all balances out.

 

[TROYNYGOLFER]

I'm concerned about our small percentage of top-ranked Bull Fighters. On the plus side, our percentage of top-ranked NASCAR drivers is really high. I think it all balances out.

I am glad someone else appreciates that our drivers are THE best in the world.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

I'm concerned about our small percentage of top-ranked Bull Fighters. On the plus side, our percentage of top-ranked NASCAR drivers is really high. I think it all balances out.

bwhahahaha, that could be one of the funniest things i've seen on this forum in a long time. Hits on soooooooooooo many levels.

 

[ScottRob]

I am glad someone else appreciates that our drivers are THE best in the world.

Is that tongue in cheek? Have you ever seen Formula 1 racing? NASCAR is a joke by comparison.

 

[Kevin Shields]

A ton of the kids I come across think they've arrived well before their time. An AJGA bagtag doesnt mean as much today as it did in 1986. Plus, they have range ball-itis and dont play or chip and putt nearly as much as they hit balls.

 

[dwurzer]

American Mess

The American system is based on numbers creating the superstar. It's not working. What is needed?
1) National or State training centers
2) Scientifically based program (too damn many programs not researched and validated)
3) Coaches that understand science
4) Coaches understand the game is score

Most teaching pros are not trained to teach and don't have a clue as to what is necessary to produce great golfers. How about a number of professionals get together and put together a program based on science. All supporting staff would work to provide the best training to the golfer with the Coach being the leader of the team.

Sorry, think our golf teacher training programs stink!

 

[Jared Willerson]

It boils down to just accept being "who you are". I blame the entire education system for this. All this social conditioning of "acceptance" has killed a lot of drive to get better....at anything, even video games. Kids just more readily accept that they aren't good enough or talented enough and instead of buckling down and getting better, they just move on to the next activity all the while accepting mediocrity.

There are exceptions to this, but as a coach and teacher, the above is the feeling I get for the majority of today's youth.

 

[TROYNYGOLFER]

Is that tongue in cheek? Have you ever seen Formula 1 racing? NASCAR is a joke by comparison.

Oh PLEASE, Formula 1?? Racing by computer??? When these cars even touch one another the whining and crying is intolerable. NASCAR drivers race, Formula 1 drivers run laps.

 

[Kevin Shields]

It boils down to just accept being "who you are". I blame the entire education system for this. All this social conditioning of "acceptance" has killed a lot of drive to get better....at anything, even video games. Kids just more readily accept that they aren't good enough or talented enough and instead of buckling down and getting better, they just move on to the next activity all the while accepting mediocrity.

There are exceptions to this, but as a coach and teacher, the above is the feeling I get for the majority of today's youth.

Very good post