Money, Money, Money--Part 2

     I am a little late with this post.  I know that I said that I would write a companion post the day after I wrote Money, Money, Money Part 1, but things got a little hectic around here. Let's just say I went a little off task.  I didn't get to play golf either. As a golfer/writer I thought that that would be the key to playing more golf, but what happens is that you become a writer first and golfer second. At any rate, I continue with my thoughts on the game and money as it applies to the decline in players.
     In the 90's and early 2000's, golf and the economy was booming. The number of golf courses and the number of new players to the game rose in meteoric fashion. Players were there and money was not an object.  New courses were built and the equipment business took off like a rocket. Demand was high, both for places to play and for the new equipment that the manufacturers were developing and marketing.  A $350 driver was something every golfer wanted to have because it straightened out a slice or generated ten extra yards on the drive.  New balls came out, each with a hefty price tag per ball or dozen.  After all, we did want to play the ball the pros play on tour.  Never mind that it didn't fit our game. Golf marketing was running amok, and as with equipment "If they built it, We would come". Green fees went through the roof as well, because there were not enough courses and money was plentiful. Golfers would pay, and they had money. They spent money on golf like drunken sailors.
     We said hello to 2008.  In essence, we went backward. The financial boon that had brought a huge growth in the world economy went bust and with it the expansion in players of golf came to an abrupt halt.  There just weren't the financial resources. Let's see, if you have to make a choice between living in a house and paying rent as well as eating or playing golf, what responsible choice do you make.  Golf suffered as the result. The money was no longer there. People just didn't have the money for a luxury like golf and left the game. As far as courses and golf real estate, "They did build it, and they didn't come.". They couldn't afford it.
     One more thing that is true about this. The 30 something generation seems not to have time for a four and a half round of golf. My opinion of this is simple, I am not exactly sure of the validity of that argument but I'm not going to cover that here. I may talk about that in another post, we will see.
     What are the solutions to this?  We will talk about this in the next post. The industry is already taking the steps to change this.
     My friends at The Club at Crazy Horse Ranch would really like to share their course with you. The course is in great shape and they would like you to stop by and try the course out. It is a lot of fun to play. You can see a lot of it on my YouTube Video which you will find on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or go directly to YouTube at http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A to see it.  The course is very green and the greens play fast and true. With its hills and valleys, it is a great layout and challenging to all levels of golfers.
     Hit 'em long and straight, don't leave that birdie putt short.

Crazy Horse Ranch's Signature Fifth Hole. Par Three and downhill, make sure you don't overclub.