Taylor Made's King: Re-write The Rules To Make Golf More Fun
/Gene Yasuda documents quite the state-of-the-game rant from Taylor Made CEO Mark King.
"We are not getting new people to come into the game. If we're going to change their behavior, it's going to have to feel like it's completely radical," said King, during an interview at the PGA Merchandise Show. "Even when we do attract new golfers, they leave within a year. Do you know why?
Too expensive, takes too long? No.
"It's not because it takes too much time. It's not because it's too expensive. It's because it's no fun. It's really hard.
"And the new golf courses that have been built in the last 20 years are all championship courses. Those golf course aren't for you and me. We can't even play the damn things."
King blames initiatives like Golf 20/20, Play Golf America and The First Tee for not working. Fair enough. But he wants action in the form of rules bifurcation of the rules.
"It has to start with the USGA," King said. "They have to change the rules of the game, bifurcate them (one set for tour professionals; another set for amateurs). Make it easier to play golf.
"Second, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Tim Finchem have to endorse (an alternative set of rules so amateurs will embrace them as legitimate). They have to say, 'This is real golf. It's not funny golf; it isn't weirdo golf.
Oh yeah good luck with that. Or this:
"And the third thing is, the PGA of America has to execute it. All of the PGA golf professionals who are here have to say, 'What's your handicap? 22. Great. We're going to use the 15-inch cup and the yellow tees, which are way up there.' "
So how would that work exactly? Does a cupcutter go out in front of these 22's and switch out today's hole for a 15-incher?
"The USGA says its responsibility is to protect the history of the game, but it should be to protect the future of the game," King said. "I think what they're going to suggest are tweaks, and tweaks aren't going to work."
Here was Mr. King in 2003, from a Golf Channel roundtable on the state of the game, as documented in The Future of Golf:
"I think people are coming in [to the sport], they're playing and they're enjoying it and the facilities are getting better, and there's more facilities. I think it's getting less expensive to play golf and I think if you really get to the facts of the game, this is a great game and it's in great shape.
At least he's come around since then!