The Future of Golf

For those of us who have been around too long, there have been a lot of significant changes to the game of golf, the equipment and the quality of golf courses over the last 50 years. I'm just curious as to: (1) what further changes forum members would like to see made, and/or (2) what changes they predict WILL be made, and this is open to anything golf related.

For starters, I would like to see:
(1) Accuracy brought back into the game. Hitting fairways and greens be emphasized by making the rough more punitive, and decreasing the size of some greens.

(2) Changing the grooves on wedges so that there is less spin on shots from long grass.

(3) Decreasing the initial velocity of the golf ball so as to prevent the necessity of lengthening golf courses that needs to be done to make them challenging.

Other ideas???

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

For those of us who have been around too long, there have been a lot of significant changes to the game of golf, the equipment and the quality of golf courses over the last 50 years. I'm just curious as to: (1) what further changes forum members would like to see made, and/or (2) what changes they predict WILL be made, and this is open to anything golf related.

For starters, I would like to see:
(1) Accuracy brought back into the game. Hitting fairways and greens be emphasized by making the rough more punitive, and decreasing the size of some greens.

(2) Changing the grooves on wedges so that there is less spin on shots from long grass.

(3) Decreasing the initial velocity of the golf ball so as to prevent the necessity of lengthening golf courses that needs to be done to make them challenging.

Other ideas???

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Lyle, are you really Jack Nicklaus in disguise? ;)

One change I would love to see if the mandatory teaching of golf etiquette. Whether it come from golf retailers who sell equipment to new comers to the game, or courses that accept green fee money.

As for equipment changes. I'd prefer our equipment to stay the way it is. We are amateurs, and making the game harder for us would not further the growth of the game.

Growing the rough up on public courses would be a bad mistake. People would be searching for golf balls constantly, which in turn slows down play. People complain about slow play now, imagine what it would be like if fairways were narrow and the rough was higher? :rolleyes

I would agree the Pro game needs to be throttled back. Most of the older short classic courses are now just driver/wedge for the big boys. Boring to watch. Shot making is not really in the picture anymore when you watch a pro event.
The ball needs to be reeled in at the Pro Level. But somehow I doubt you will ever see that happen.

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

(1) what further changes forum members would like to see made,

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I agree with bringing the accuracy back into the game. I would like to see the pros have to work the ball off the tee more instead of the bomb and gouge style that is so prevalent today.

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

(2) what changes they predict WILL be made, and this is open to anything golf related.

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Among the most significant changes I can see coming is to that of the minds and physique of the players themselves. Thanks to Tiger more and more 'pure' athletes are choosing golf scholarships rather football,baseball, or basketball as they might have in the past. The PGA tour may soon be rife with guys the size of Ernie, and shooting 59's not uncommon.

This must be an older generation thing--I agree with Rick. Maybe I will eventuall get to shoot around 80 but I'm not going to bank on it---so the equipment thing is not that big of a deal for me. I just love to get out and play either with my wife-friends or even complete strangers. The thing that really **** me off is the lack of etiqette and course behavior. I don't want to go the "stuffy" route but general respect for the course and other players would go a long way :)

Any improvements to make the ball go farther just means I would spend longer looking for it :-)

I agree that making a course more punitive would be challenging but the pace of play would have to be addressed. As far as etiquette is concerned, well, this site is filled with examples which clearly shows that this is an area that requires a lot of education. I find that patience is a requirement for me in my game and while I play especially when the pace of play or a member of the group tests my mental fortitude.

With golf getting more and more popular, I'd love to see a variation of golf created for the recreational player...something that would remove a lot of the pace killing difficulties from the game, and make it a lot of fun to play aswell.

It would be a simplified version of golf (kinda like getting them to put the bumpers in the gutters when you bowl).

Courses range from 4500-6000 yards depending on the tees.

Nothing around that can slow play (with the exception of drink carts) ... so no rough, no traps, no forest, trees still around but spread out so they don't impeed your ability to find a ball. Greens are pretty flat.

Every hole is surrounded by a wall ~2ft high so that if you are slicing and rolling, it will be stopped.

Modify the rules so if you are within x ft of the wall it's a free drop (like mini putt).

If you are over the wall, it's OB, but drop at crossing point.

It would be an easier game to play, great for beginners and top players looking to have some fun ... also, it would probably only take ~ 3h to have a round in prime time. Even less if you decided to go with a shorter # of holes .. somewhere around 10-12.

I know it wouldn't be for everyone, but I know I'd play it more than real golf ... would be much more relaxing :)

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

(1) Accuracy brought back into the game. Hitting fairways and greens be emphasized by making the rough more punitive, and decreasing the size of some greens.

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Agree.

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

(2) Changing the grooves on wedges so that there is less spin on shots from long grass.

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Definitely agree. In fact, I would go so far as to say that there should be no square or "box" grooves on any club with more than 35° of loft.

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

(3) Decreasing the initial velocity of the golf ball so as to prevent the necessity of lengthening golf courses that needs to be done to make them challenging.

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I think that the current limits set by the USGA/R&A are just fine, on both clubs and balls. The major effect of ball velocity is mainly seen at the professional levels. If I were to advocate any limitations on overall ball performance it would be strictly at that level only. If you think about it, golf is the only major sport where the projectile continues to undergo significant modification.

I would love to see more courses get away from the antiquated notion of "Men's" and "Women's" tees, and focus more on assigning tees based on playing proficiency (handicap). Stonebridge is a good example of this method. Golf is supposed to be the great inclusive game, yet this outdated stereotype still persists.

There needs to be still an even greater emphasis on "green" agronomy, with an eye toward even further reducing the amount and number of chemicals that get pumped onto our courses. A lot of courses maintain so-called "environmentally sensitive" areas within their boundaries, yet they continue to pump dangerous amounts of synthetic herbicides and pesticides into the turf areas around them. These chemicals seep into the ground water, and effect the local wildlife, as well as we golfers.

I have been thinking about this question since you posted it Lyle and it sure is thought provoking. I have thought about it from both the professional's standpoint and from the amateur/occasional player standpoint and the answers that I come up with are quite different for each.

I am not convinced that there is anything that needs to be done with the professional game. When the vendors come up with technology, the setup of the course is changed to counteract the improvement. The real game of golf on tour is with 50 to 100 yds of the green and I do not see anyone coming up with a technological answer to the 10 foot put, severly downhill on a green that is running about 12 or so on the stimp meter.

BUT the recreational type golfer in my humble opinion needs some significant 'tweaking' Nat Williams isn't far off the mark when he suggests different/easier course setups.

I still have to think about this one. Having been a member of one of the nice courses in the Ottawa area for many years up until recently, I have seen many things take place over the years that have been bringing the game down a notch or two (at least in my opinion).

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Originally Posted by Indio

Having been a member of one of the nice courses in the Ottawa area for many years up until recently, I have seen many things take place over the years that have been bringing the game down a notch or two (at least in my opinion).

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Interesting. Would you care to elaborate on what those things were?

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Originally Posted by BC MIST

Interesting. Would you care to elaborate on what those things were?

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I am having some difficulty formulating the thoughts but things that come to mind that I feel spoiled it for me is when golf courses started to chase the almighty $$$$

Bringing in large tournaments of once a year golfers that hacked up the course and tee boxes, never fixed the ball marks, you would see drunks hanging off the back of carts. Clearing up hazard areas to make it easier to find your ball and hit it out, cutting the rough down to about 1 inch so it was not penalizing, having the marshalls become club PR staff instead of making the groups keep up the pace, making tee times closer together and packing the course to the max.

Just a few of the thoughts that are buzzing around inside the old skull