Golf, one of the world’s oldest playing sports is facing an uncertain future. A lot has changed over the last 15 years, with massive strides in technology, more powerful equipment and the longest driving distances ever achieved on the pro Tour. But what does this mean for the golf industry?

Jack Nicklaus has long been a strong opponent to advances in ball technology saying “the golf ball is way out of bounds. It is making the great golf courses obsolete.” Since 2000 when the wound ball was left behind and the Pro V1 and its surlyn veneer case was introduced which changed the game completely. In the Millennium only one player, John Daly, hit over 300 yards, 15 years on and 24 golfers on the Tour have averaged 300 yards off the tee this season. Once great layouts have been stretched and made more complex. The fear is that golf will overall become less interesting, where formerly great skill and nerve would play out a tournament, a driving contest ensues instead.

A frequent question posed to the billion pound golf industry is its ability to keep up with younger generations and stay a ‘big player’ in the sports world. Golf’s complicated rule systems, lengthy round times and cripplingly expensive investment required to participate are all obstacles restricting regular players. Hindrances golf’s forefathers would be disappointed to witness.

What are the costs of the golf industry?

Lucrative sponsorship deals in all facets of the game from sponsored athletes to TV rights to event sponsorship have all fed in to an unbalanced economy, where the sports stars make millions off a single event, and the very fans who watch and adore the game are forced to foot the bill.

The football industry in the UK could be heading in the same direction golf has found itself in. With the most recent Price of Football report by the BBC finding that the cost of watching football has stayed the same or reduced at 70% of clubs. This may look like good news, but the price of football last year was extremely expensive and it has stayed expensive this season. Clive Efford, the Shadow Sports Minister commented on the report saying “Fans are being ripped off. The basic price has gone up by over 6%. The only thing they put on free on replica jerseys is the name of the sponsor who is paying for advertising.” And that last condemning statement is the fatal truth. The same truth that lurks on expensive golf receipts up and down the country.

The cost of watching the game has remained unchanged, and the millions of golf fans still tune in worldwide and those who can travel flock in the masses to championship courses. A viewing public is not the problem. The problem is the cost to fans and we’re not talking about event tickets or the price of a pie.

In the golf industry, the majority of sponsorship is still dominated by the sport’s companies. Where football has allowed media corporations and other brands to occupy shirt space, golfers have always accepted sponsorship from golf manufacturers. Rory McIlroy and Nike, Bubba Watson and Ping, Phil Mickelson and Callaway, the list goes on and on and on. Golf and sponsorship are now inseparable. Like the precious inches on Formula One cars, golfers are stretched between brands and advertising budgets. And it is this very phenomenon which is creating higher prices for the public.

It’s a natural phenomenon. Top flight football clubs in England spend more money on players and sports stars wages every season and the fans pay more in the stands and club stores. Likewise, golf manufacturers spend ludicrous amounts on sponsorship, which bumps up the prices of their products for customers. Unfortunately, this is not sustainable in the golf industry. Golf fans may not buy shirts with their favourite stars names on them, but you wouldn’t expect a football fan to pay hundreds to be able to play the game themselves. Charging amateurs like they are on a pro’s budget makes no sense. A handful of recreational players will be on a footballer’s wage, but the rest are left priced out.

Here at GolfSupport we supply top quality golf equipment at the most competitive prices. We ensure you pay the lowest price guaranteed through our Price Beat + policy. Our customers are given 7 days to find a cheaper price and we will credit them with the difference plus 10%. So you never have to worry about paying over the odds.

But for now the future of golf remains uncertain. Pro's will continue to hit longer distances and course managers will look for unique ways of challenging them. The expense to recreational players is a strain and golf participation at amateur level is a concern, but new and inventive alternatives are literally "popping up" like Birdies Crazy Golf, an exciting experience designed by the pop-up masters behind Rooftop Film Club. It's these formats which mix leisure with the challenge of the game that make golf a whole lot more attractive to first-timers, and might just be the catalyst for a new wave of golf fans.

Feature image credit: kwest/Shutterstock