There are no areas of human endeavour where “Millennials” are not having an impact. One sport that is being heavily impacted from a negative perspective is golf.
This is according to Matt Powell who represents the industry research firm NPD. He states that Millennials aren’t into golf. “From the golf industry statistics, we know that rounds are down, we know that millennials are not picking up the game, and boomers are aging out, the game is in decline,” he says.
He feels that the sport is not on par with the up-and-coming consumers it desperately needs to attract: Millennials and Gen Z. According to the U.S. based National Golf Foundation, more people are trying out the game for the first time; however, overall golf participation is declining, with numbers more in line with the pre-Tiger Woods figure we saw in 1995.
The golf culture does not identify with Millennials, who have an affinity for outdoor activities and shared experiences such as camping, climbing, and backpacking; nor does the sport distinguish itself among the Gen Z’s, who like team sports as well as activities that mirror the Millennials. Golf as we know it is quite the opposite of what these generations seek, and contradicts a number of their core values that relate to speed of play, high cost of play, the game’s exclusivity, complex rules of play and the lack of diversity.
The challenge posed by Millennials will be one of the key topics of discussion at the 2016 Asia Pacific Golf Summit. Present at APGS will be best-selling author and expert on marketing to Millennials, Gabriel Aluisy. Here are some of his thoughts on how the golf industry can tackle the challenge.
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xIruHMTYpE
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