That most traditional of sports, golf, is set for a major
transformation by the end of the decade, according to research
released by The Futures Company to coincide with this month's UK
Open.
Prepared for global golf sponsor HSBC, TFC's report identifies a
number of factors which will result in a much more international,
flexible and accessible sport for the next generation of
players.
A host of leading industry experts and players such as Padraig
Harrington, Colin Montgomerie, Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam
were interviewed for the report, as well as other experts,
including Ed Wooller of the WPP company Mindshare. A number of key
findings emerged:
A growing enthusiasm for the game in Asia will lead to a major
Asian presence in the professional top 10, threatening the
dominance of the US and Europe and leading to more world-class
competition golf being played in more countries;
The recruitment of more younger players and more women into the
game will make golf clubs more family-friendly;
Lower-cost golf courses in inner cities and emerging markets
will open the game up further;
Golfing equipment will become more technologically
sophisticated, including digital smart clubs which will memorise
your swing and grip and "coach" you accordingly;
The sport will improve its record on sustainability by
achieving reduced water consumption and applying better land
management principles;
New formats - including 6- and 9-hole variants - will emerge,
creating events which take only a few hours rather than the four
days of a full strokeplay event.
With these changes will come challenges that the sport will have
to address - the golf club membership model, for instance, could
prove limiting - but golf and its growing global band of
participants seem set to enjoy a vintage period in its 700-year
history.
Source: The Futures Company