WE ARE GOLF – image fixing

To golfers Florida is a wonderful place to live or visit or watch their favorite professionals tee it up and with more than 1,200 golf facilities the state has the largest golf economy in the country. It is instructive to look at the numbers of this $7.5 billion Florida golf economy as much for what they tell us as what they do not. The numbers and a couple of related points are particularly important for those who love golf to understand in light of the disingenuous image of the game as a “rich man’s sport’ being pushed by politicians with other agendas.

During the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla. last month two items on the agenda has particular significance. First the Florida Golf Impact Task Force showed the golf industry as a major employer which generates in the Sunshine State a significant amount of revenue for hotels, restaurants and other tourist related businesses. Second, with truly long range national significance was the announcement of WE ARE GOLF by four golf organizations to improve golf’s image in the eyes of national leaders. MORE...