Golf Club: A Social Analysis

It is unknown when the game of golf originated, but it is believed that people began playing in Europe during the middle ages. In the United States, golf was a sport primarily played by the wealthy individuals until tournaments began being televised. Since then, golf has grown to be a very lucrative industry with over 27 million golfers nationwide by the end of the 1990’s. “Competition in the Golf Equipment Industry,” a case study written by John E. Gamble of the University of South Alabama, is an overview of the problems currently facing major companies in the golf equipment industry: technological limitations (due to golf’s governing organizations), a decline in the number of golfers,

For years, golf has been one of the oldest and most traditional sports. As the equipment and golf courses have changed, the etiquette and rules have not. In golf, etiquette has been a major part of the game. Staying quiet on the course and repairing divots are a few examples of proper formality. Common rules include teeing the ball between the tee markers and marking your ball on the green. Along with these guidelines, there are rules that are controversial and seem unfair to golfers.

Imagine the sun bursting through the trees for the first time of the new day, the smell of freshly cut grass still potent to your nose as you tee the ball up for a round of golf in the cool mist of a spring morning. "That is what brings you back every time, the smell of the air, the coolness of the whether and the beautiful surroundings that make every shot enjoyable." (Suess, PI) This is the game of golf in its finest and most exquisite time to many people and many people it has touched in its long history. Golf is a lifestyle and not just games to people that are avid in playing. The game of golf has a history that is rich in technological advances and personal accomplishments, which through time has shown to shape

I believe that golf teaches people life lessons. Golf has life lessons on every tee box, fairway, bunker, green, and hole. Every hole is different golfers must keep their cool in order to perform well consistently. Golfers will have good shots and they have bad shots but like my mom says to me, “Do not let one bad shot affect your entire hole.” Similar to life, golf has ups and downs. In life and golf if the golfer put away what just happened he or she will be back on track to be happy in life or get a good score on the hole. Bobby Jones, a historical golfer said, “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.”

How often does an athlete come along that changes everything about a sport? Tiger Woods, as he is known by most, popularized the game of golf and was able to reach many youth and grow the game that may have been on the verge of dying. Woods was able to energize what many had known as a boring game and instill excitement and drive that was never seen on a golf course before. Woods hit the golf ball unbelievable distances and dominated the sport in a way that seemed unfair. Tournaments were being won by margins unlike any in history and many golf course designers were required to add something called “Tiger proofing” in an attempt to make the playing field more balanced and even. Eldrick “Tiger” Woods, at an astonishing 19 years old, burst on to the scene at Professional Golf Association events and would change golf forever though exciting and energy filled play, absurd tournament performances, and a presence among all sports unlike anything ever seen before. Tiger Woods began training to become the master golfer he was at a very young age and would experience high levels of success throughout his youth, once turning professional, marketing companies were able to take advantage of the unique opportunity Woods presented, and during his professional years Woods was statistically unlike anything ever seen before. In this paper I will discuss (1) how the different forms of communication propelled young Tiger Woods into the face of golf at an early age, (2) how marketing and

*Ring, ring, ring.* I was nervously sweating and pacing around the room. It seemed like it took forever for him to pick up. Then all of a sudden a clear, short, deep, authoritative voice said, “Hello.” It startled me a bit, then I replied, “Hey Jim this is Andria. I was calling you because you told me to call you in March and I was wondering if I could work at Lincoln Greens Golf Course this year?” Jim replied, “Sure.” Unanticipatedly I heard, “Click.” Just like that I got my first job and from that moment on my life had changed for the better.

“Top fifteen go to state, start out strong and pace yourself with the other girls”, my cross-country coach told me.

Golf. A sport that was dull and mundane twenty years ago, evolved when Tiger Woods came to the scene. I started golfing during high school and loved it for the single fact, Tiger Woods played it. Growing up I pictured golf as that once boring sport played by old white men lacking a fan base. Just like myself, many people hated the idea of watching golf, so the sport needed a change. Tour earnings were low, scoring was average, and young people did not want to pick up the sport. Tiger Woods came on the tour in 1997 and astronomically changed the view of golf. The “Tiger Effect” on golf is real and more people have been trying to work harder to get to that “Tiger” bench mark. He single handily brought golf to the limelight and made it interesting to watch this godly like figure tear up the greens while becoming an idol to young golfers around the world.

The game of golf is one of the oldest of today’s modern sports. Its exact beginnings are not known; however, some historians trace golf back to the Stone Age while others claim it originated from the “idle antics of shepherd boys knocking small stones into holes in the ground with a crook while their flocks grazed nearby” (Peper 1). Researched back to the time of the Roman Empire, it is also believed the sports-oriented Romans played a forerunner of the game of golf called paganica. This sport involved the use of a bent stick and a ball stuffed with wool played in the open countryside.

In August, Brian attended the West End Farmers Market. He enjoyed looking at all the different produce and goods for sale as well as talking to new people. Brian started his Special Olympics golf. He had skill practice each week at the Federal Club.

- If yes how satisfied are you with it? [Very Satisfied] [Satisfied] [Somewhat] [Dissatisfied][Very dissatisfied]

In this report I will discuss the communication problems which exist at Rolling Meadows Golf Club. The problems discussed will deal with channels of communication. The areas which are causing problems are internal. Radios would solve these internal problems.

Our town is notable for having several interesting golf courses. For those residents whose interests lie in other pursuits, those courses are a waste of large quantities of otherwise useful space that could be better used to construct another mall or store. For the golf enthusiasts among us, however, the preponderance of courses is a delightful benefit of living in this otherwise uninteresting locale, where the only saving grace is the plentiful supply of interesting people.

Q. Do golfers enjoy having a digital map of each hole that includes distances to the pins as well as distances to the hazards?

Arnold Palmer said it best. “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect.” The straightforward yet difficult facet has always drawn me to the sport. Golf has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember and I love all aspects about it: the competitiveness, the focus required, the life lessons, and the bonding it can create. The game of golf is my passion.