Word this morning in the NYT that the golf world is concerned about an 8 year long decline in the number of golfers in the US.

The total number of people who play has declined or remained flat each year since 2000, dropping to about 26 million from 30 million, according to the National Golf Foundation and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association.

More troubling to golf boosters, the number of people who play 25 times a year or more fell to 4.6 million in 2005 from 6.9 million in 2000, a loss of about a third.

The industry now counts its core players as those who golf eight or more times a year. That number, too, has fallen, but more slowly: to 15 million in 2006 from 17.7 million in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation.

Reasons cited for the decline include: the economy, changing family dynamics, too many golf courses and, believe it or not etiquette rules.

This one they should open up for comment and let the golfing, or ex-golfing, public educate them to some of the real reasons.

For me it was the time commitment. Every pro shop will tell you they work hard to keep rounds to under 4½ hours. By the time I gave up trying I'd found only one course that ever actually pushed slow groups. That course wasn't in the US, however.

Golf costs at least an hour in preparation. Probably closer to two when you figure in packing up and traveling to the course. Let's be generous and allot 4 hours for the round. Now add in another 1-2 for the 19th hole socialization, travel and unpacking. That's an entire day. Now factor in the practice I should have been putting in so I don't spend too much time kicking around looking for lost balls. It really adds up.

Golf just wasn't worth the investment of my time. Now I play exclusively at charity golf events.

Hmm, maybe that's a possible answer to the golf industry's problems. Maybe they should consider more fund raising tournaments.

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