In a galaxy not too long ago, golf suffered mightily from an identity crisis that boxed out certain, purportedly “lesser” segments of society. It was known largely as an elitist game at country clubs, a privilege to those with puffy wallets, stuffy attitudes and stiff, fancy collared, crested-logo polos.
Only occasionally, we’d hear pity-party stories of working-class folks hitting municipal courses rife with divot-laden tee boxes, rocky fairways, scalped greens, puddled bunkers and 19th-hole hot dog rollers.
But, alas, there’s been a #GolfForEveryone movement the past decade or so, amplified by COVID whereby golf checked boxes defining social distancing requirements synonymous.
It is this influx of new golfers that made playing municipal golf courses acceptable, even among some within the private club set. They covet the growing contemporary ways government agency-owned and often privately managed courses are operated. Not to mention there is a trend of appreciating classic layouts and embracing societal reality checks these conveniently located, melting pot, neighborhood courses provide.
“Modernization is key to optimization,” says Mark Mattingly, Executive Vice President of Landscapes Golf Management and a key cog in how the company creates fresh programs at courses it manages. “Offerings integrating technology appeal to both traditionalists and newcomers of any age, prompting golfers’ patronage and loyalties.”
Mattingly posits that advanced tools like GPS-enabled carts and Toptracer gamification add layers of interactivity, enabling players to track their shot characteristics competitively against others and / or for self-improvement. Excitement and data-driven insights – once exclusive to private clubs – now turn routine rounds into dynamic experiences where players easily review and fine-tune their unique games on course and on simulators.
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