Major Golf Developments in 2020
Golf remains one of the most popular sports in society today and is becoming more popular all the time. Many courses have made it a priority to get more people outdoors and playing golf, and the professional game continues to adapt as access to players on the Tour becomes greater and greater all the time.
There are a few ways that the sport will continue to change over the coming year, even more so than which golfer or which individual will win a specific tournament. Many amateurs continue to pick up the game and that growth should be exciting for anyone who loves the game of golf.
These are some of the trends that you will see popping up again and again this year and maybe even farther into the future when it comes to the development of the sport of golf!
Technology & Golf
As technology gets better and better in all areas of our lives, it continues to come to the sporting world as well. Even though golf is an old and “traditional” game, it is also one that innovates a lot and wants people to come up with new ideas to improve the game for everyone.
Just take a look at any major city near you and what will you probably see? These days Top Golf venues are everywhere and while that really only uses technology in a small way, you can see what kind of exponential growth golf could see simply due to small uses of technology.
Obviously, there are also a lot of tools that can help players as they learn to golf as well. There are now “living room” machine swing coaches, and tons of training equipment that can be used either at home or on the driving range to improve the ability of your swing.
While driverless cars aren’t here yet, golf cart technology continues to increase and will have added visibility throughout the year as many golfers continue to want to have the most convenient round of 18 that they can.
There are also various apps tracking different players and how they do on the PGA Tour to give fans more analysis when watching golf as well. These tools can help you, and they are something that the PGA Tour wants to embrace, especially considering that the PGA allows onsite betting now.
Regardless, whether you are watching at home, swinging at a driving range, or just want to have fun with friends, you will probably be able to find a way that technology is helping the game of golf grow in 2020.
Younger People Playing Golf
Golf gets an unfair reputation of being a game for old people and inaccessible to many younger players due to cost, interest, or both. There are certainly a number of courses offering deals now and courses who want to be accessible to a younger crowd so that their income will continue to remain steady.
Youth sports have been a big driver to the growth of the game as well as many high schools are now offering the ability to be a part of a golf team – especially some schools who may have never had these programs in the past. It isn’t everywhere yet, but it is highly likely that these youth programs will pay off in a major way for the game of golf down the road.
More Women Playing Golf
It’s been said that about a quarter of those individuals who play golf are women, and most people expect that number to keep growing as 2020 continues on.
Again, it’s safe to say that golf has pretty much shed its reputation of being a game that only one demographic plays. Whether it’s been associated with those youth programs we mentioned above, or completely unrelated, more women are simply choosing to get out to the golf course.
It’s been great to see the industry react to this growing demographic with joy as the main thought process seems to be – “If you want to play, you can play”.
Finding Golf Equipment
Obviously, 2020 represents a time when online shopping is as popular as ever. It’s harder to find nice equipment when you go to your local store, if they are even open. Specialized stores are even harder to remain open, and stores that focused on selling golf equipment only will likely find themselves facing some steep competition.
However, this doesn’t have to be a positive or a negative change, it is just a difference in our society. Hopefully, for some customers this will drive down prices as you will be able to shop for deals better than driving around to various stores.
Golfers Interacting With Fans
We’ve seen multiple TV specials already in 2020 that have featured unprecedented access to famous golfers as fans have been able to “be there” with their favorites and hear more quotes than they normally would.
Social media also amplifies this effect as many golfers can now see what their fans are saying to them and interact whether it is through tweets, live streams, or other methods for a growing amount of access. While they might not be able to reach out and sign autographs during a tournament, you can expect more interaction with golfers and potentially even more in-game interviews than you have seen in the past.
Conclusion
The game of golf is continuing to grow even though it has faced various challenges as a sport. The growth of certain things like Top Golf venues in major cities should be an encouraging sign that people are still interested in playing golf. Courses and Tour events will need to be aggressive in getting people to get back out playing and watching on their greens, but overall the game of golf is headed in a positive direction for 2020 and the foreseeable future as well.
It’s great to see new demographics growing for the sport and a new generation of players and fans who will drive interest in the sport for years to come.
