Grow the Game - Part 2: The USGA's Efforts

The USGA governs all things golf in the US and Mexico, and works with the R&A in implementing rules and regulations. Their sole mission is to protect, serve and grow the game. No sport has, and needs, as much coddling as golf. And yet we're constantly told the industry is dying. Jack couldn't save it... Tiger couldn't save it... technology is probably ruining it. Yet the cries to "grow the game" continue.

The USGA has implemented a few things worthy of praise: "Drive, Chip and Putt," The First Tee, and helping bring back Olympic Golf. Other initiatives have good intentions but are an uphill battle, such as "Tee it Forward*" and "While We're Young.**" A few were just mind-blowingly stupid, like suggesting larger holes and FootGolf. And yet, they aren't doing the one thing they were founded to do: promote the formation of clubs.

For the longest time there were two types of recognized golf clubs:

Type 1 - Located at a single specific golf course with a valid USGA Course Rating and USGA Slope Rating where a majority of the club's events are played and the club's scoring records reside.

Type 2 - Members are affiliated or known to one another via a business, fraternal, ethnic or social organization. The majority of the club members have an affiliation prior to organizing the club.

You can imagine Type 1 is the main priority, as the USGA is routinely involved in course ratings and promotion of membership to these clubs, which then funnel money back to the USGA (through GHIN and other licensing fees). Eventually as the internet grew, there was a need for a Type 3 club, despite it getting away from the notion that clubs should be close-knit for handicap peer review purposes.

Type 3 - Members have no prior affiliation and a majority of the recruiting and sign-up of the membership is done by solicitation to the general public (e.g., Internet, newspaper).

These clubs still must adhere to specific rules, such as requiring members to play a certain number of rounds per year together. But it's literally not enforceable. You can get a handicap on USHandicap, and NEVER play a round with another member of your specific club (ie: Tampa Area #612).

In my opinion, Type 2 clubs (that's us) are completely ignored and underutilized. I went through the list of approved clubs in Florida, and only found three other Type 2 clubs that had an active website. And with a cap of 24 members, we are the most exclusive Type 2 golf club in the state of Florida.

But why are there so few of these clubs still "active" in the state? Our members were playing about 5 rounds a year prior to joining, and now they play 25+ on average (just based on what's reported to me so the number is actually higher). A 500% increase is worth looking into! Bringing golf to young kids and people in regions that don't historically play is important. But if you want to reverse the decline in participation, then target golfers who already play but only do so a few times a year. The best way to do that is promote the formation of Type 2 clubs.

The USGA has money. They should be developing tools for club management and league play. And they should change the perception that joining a physical club (Type 1) is your only option.

The next, and probably final, installment of this rant will list out the minimum specs for a good league management app.


* Our league plays a "base" tee box of 6,103 (on average). Last season, people who played the base tees shot an average net score of +0.8 (not including Gorecki or Katie for various reasons). Those that played back shot a net average of +2.2!

** Arnold Palmer was featured in the "While We're Young" commercials. He literally died before the USGA ever put a dent into the pace of play issue.