I apologize for the long post, but I am
passionate about some things. I Love my little girl, although she is
getting bigger and stronger, she is still my little girl. As a parent, I
want the best for my child. For years, I have planted little seeds.
It was my hope that some day those seeds would germinate and sprout into
an inspiration for her to act. I tried to expose her to as much good that
life has to offer. For instance, I wanted her to take away from her
childhood the following:
• A sense of community
• A healthy competitive hunger
• Appreciation of nature and beauty
• Strong social skills
• The virtue of honesty
• Long lasting moral character
• Physical fitness
• Athletic coordination
• Focus of the mind
The tendency for me to become
"lecturey" to my daughter was pointed out (by her) from time to
time. If I recognized a "teaching moment" I was on it, fast and
furious. I knew that there was an easy way to instill all
the above qualities in one simple act......Golf.
Golf is indeed the greatest game ever played.
There has been much talk about golf dying in the past decade, we allowed
people to talk about the time commitment, frustration, and expense. Golf
simply allowed itself to be beat up by naysayers. Well, I have had enough.
Golf is not dying. Golf will not go away. We don't need
to change the rules or make it more fun. We need the golfer that loves this
game, that understands the true essence of the game, to get back to the roots of
the game, and introduce someone to "true golf."
It makes me sad, but Golf was abused.
Property developers looking to cash in, built courses to produce home
values without considering the demand for golf. Without the demand, these
courses had no chance. These developments were reckless and
irresponsible. They hurt a game I love. The resulting perception
was that golf must be dying, and we allowed people to shout it from the
rooftops. The incoming generation heard these alarms, is it surprising
that they didn't want to take up the sport? NO! Who wants to
participate in something that is perceived as dying?
I got bad news for all the Golf Is Dead
proclaimers.........Golf is Alive and Kicking, and it is a little miffed.
Yet, we continue to keep silent. Take this years Phoenix
Open. A record crowd of 201,003 was announced for the third round of
the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which is 30,000 more than the Kentucky Derby
posted in May. An estimated 1,000 people were lined up outside when the
gates opened at 7 a.m., most of whom made a mad dash for a coveted spot at the
16th hole.
We also allowed some of the biggest advocates
to of golf to do the greatest damage. The PGA Tour commentators love
to tell you how far these players hit it. They tried to make it a game of
power, tee to green, down the middle, two putts, = BORING.
The PGA Tour has 209 players, 34
have driving average over 300 yards. We must also consider that the
conditions these players play these courses under, is not the same as the
average amateur. We play a different game. I don't want
to take anything away form these players, but the emphasis should not be on
distance. True golf, understands that golf is about art and creativity.
Players can make the ball do all kinds of things off the club face.
Shots can be hit high, low, spinning left, drifting right, low and
climbing, low runners, and the list goes on and on. The perfect shot is
the one that you see in your head at the given time. True golf knows
this.
Parents are looking for alternatives.
Cell phones are impacting social skills. Children are encouraged to
get outside and be active. We want something safe and long
lasting........Golf duh!
Concussion conversations are happening,
here are some stats (note these are suspected to be underrated):
• 50% of "second impact syndrome" incidents - brain injury
caused from a premature return to activity after suffering initial injury
(concussion) - result in death.
•
Female high school soccer athletes
suffer almost 40% more concussions than males (29,000 annually)
•
Female high school basketball players
suffer 240% more concussions than males (13,000).
•
400,000 brain injuries (concussions)
occurred in high school athletics during the 2008-09 school year.
•
Emergency department visits for
concussions sustained during organized team sports doubled among 8-13 year olds
between 1997 and 2007 and nearly tripled among older youth.
•
Concussion rates more than doubled
among students age 8-19 participating in sports like basketball, soccer and
football between 1997-2007, even as participation in those sports declined.
•
More than 248,000 children visited
hospital emergency departments in 2009 for concussions and other traumatic
brain injuries related to sports and recreation.
Golf is healthy, Golf is good, Golf
is exactly what we are all looking for as an escape from this chaotic
world. We all know someone who is saying right now, "I've been
thinking about playing this year" or "I do really want to
learn." Now is the time, golf is not intimidating, we are a
welcoming group. Golf is so much more than it appears, it is a lesson for
a lifetime. I hope you share this, if you share my passion. Lets
get the word out.....Golf is alive, healthy, and fun.
Tee it high (thanks Kwak),
Turf
