Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2024 - 6

INSIDE
THE MG A
Golf is Cool Again
L
ike so many of you currently reading this
article, I can remember checking PGA
Tour leaderboards in the early 2000s, expecting
to see Tiger's name at or near the top. In
fact, it would have come as a shock if he had
somehow happened to be listed outside the
top 10. Following in Arnie's footsteps before
him, Tiger singlehandedly provided a boost
to the golf industry, encouraging people who
never even considered picking up a club to
get out and give it a try. Tee sheets across the
country, not so dissimilar from their current
state, were full to the brim.
the
What is MGA
Membership?
gest that the
fracture
professional
game
has led to a
downturn in
professional
golf's popularity. All the while, people continue
to flock to the course in record numbers.
So why, then, according to a recent report
" Digital platforms offer
endless opportunities for
the sport to thrive at the
grassroots level and reach
individuals who previously
would never consider
themselves golfers. "
While the " Tiger Boom " provided a healthy
influx of younger golfers to the game, much
of that momentum was halted following the
2008 economic recession. But then golf participation
steadily rose again throughout the
2010s and famously spiked during and following
the COVID-19 pandemic. While there
are elements of the pandemic that encouraged
such growth (i.e. safe outdoor activity, more
remote work opportunities, etc.), my take is
that the pandemic simply sped up the incredible
growth of the game already occurring at
the grassroots level.
Unlike when Arnie or Tiger provided huge
boosts to golf's popularity, there is not currently
a singular star at the top of the professional
game with that type of gravitational
pull (sorry, Scottie). In fact, TV ratings sug6
MINNESOTAGOLFER
Summer 2024
from the National Golf Foundation, has golf's
perception changed from boring to cool? Like
most everything else in today's world, social
media should be blamed-I mean credited-
for popularizing the game among youth and
middle-aged golfers. It doesn't take a Gen Z-er
to tell you that YouTube, Instagram, TikTok
and X are littered with golf influencers, each
one with more followers than the next.
Some are waiting for golf participation
to drop back to pre-pandemic numbers, but
I believe that the recent growth of the game
is far more sustainable than previous spikes.
As we look to the future, it's clear that social
media will continue to play a central role in
shaping the landscape of golf. From driving
participation and engagement to fostering
community and inclusivity, digital platforms
offer endless opportunities for the sport to
thrive at the grassroots level and reach individuals
who previously would never consider
themselves golfers.
Most
importantly,
social media
has
exposed the game to communities of people
that historically have been severely underrepresented
in golf. The number of women
and girls playing golf has increased 23% since
2018, and the number of Asian, Black and
Hispanic golfers has increased by 43% over
the same timeframe.
Perception is reality, and for the first time
since Tiger, golf is cool.
in
It's your invitation
to play some of the
finest golf courses
around, through
participation in MGA
Associate Members' Days
or the MGA Senior Tour. It's
your USGA Handicap Index,
now updated daily, after
a posted score. It's your
subscription to Minnesota
Golfer magazine, delivered
to your home. It's your
support of programs and
services that make
the game better.
Quasquicentennial &
Centennial Celebrations
Minnetonka Beach's
Lafayette Club and
Duluth's Northland
Country Club are celebrating
their quasquicentennial
(125th) anniversaries this
summer. A few highlights
from the era include: the
Spanish-American War,
the Great Blizzard of 1899
and the beginning of the
Progressive movement in
America, whose origins are
tied to Minnesota.
Jon Mays
Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer
MGA Clubs celebrating 100
years this season include:
Appleton Golf Club,
a nine-hole city course along
the Pomme de Terre River
Bois de Sioux Golf Course,
which straddles the Red
River between Minnesota
and North Dakota
Minnesota Valley Country
Club, site of the 2024 MGA
Amateur Championship
(July 15-17)
Stillwater Country Club,
the 2020 MGA Member
Club of the Year
mngolf.org
http://www.mngolf.org
Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2024
