Thoughts on the Future of Golf from the NGF

Looking over the National Golf Foundation's "A Strategic Perspective on the Future of Golf," a few things jump out. (It's well-worth the read, by the way.)

Chiefly, that the U.S. population is expected to grow 19% in the 20 years from 2005 to 2025, from 296 million to 350 million. However, that growth will be mostly in groups that have not been traditional golfers. Therefore, the primary targets for participation rate increases are females (currently at a 6% participation rate), Hispanics (5.4%), and African Americans (7%).

Growing those participation rates, according to the study, will depend upon three factors:

1. Latent demand increases will occur from high-interest populations that want to play more, former golfers who pick it up again, and those who start (research shows 4% are "very interested" in learning).

2. Exposure to golf is at an all-time high, going from 130 hours to 1,553 hours of televised coverage since 1980. Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie, of course, are great golfers, but they also promote interaction by the target growth segments.

3. There are more player-development programs than ever, also, including Play Golf America, The First Tee, Link Up 2 Golf, Junior Links.com and the Executive Women's Golf Association.

The study states that significant improvements in participation rates are necessary to get industry growth up around 2%, a level beyond the 1.3% that would happen if growth went unmanaged. The unmanaged growth accounts for a decrease in overall population participation rates against an increase in rounds played by the core—white, male, retired baby-boomers.

The new Lorena Ochoa from a think tank? Ten-year investment strategies?