by wd
what a pointless article...this site continues to amaze me with amateur editorial

by jc
Being retired, we have all the time we need what we don't have is big money - two hundred bucks for an afternoon at the golf course is a bit much especially when you want to play a couple of times a week.... out of our budget!!! But, we still love the game and are always looking for good deals at great courses.

by AllBiz
It'd be great to offer more shorter courses to help address the time crunch many players run into in their lives.
While most of us looooooooove playing long / challenging courses, sometimes a 4800 - 5200 yd course will satisfy you without taking all day. How about building more of these courses?
And, last but not least, everyone's hot button.... P-A-C-E O-F P-L-AY!
3 1/2 - 4 hrs should be the target for 18 holes, less if the course is short.
For 4800-5200 yd, how about 21/2 - 3 hrs? Let's make sure the marshalls earn their free rounds!

by Vacation Mamma
We all have a choice as to how we spend our leisure time and disposable income. The golf industry and the stuffy culture have not made it easy for even the above average American to chose golf.
First-you have to plan ahead because tee times must be reserved (whereas I can google a movie and see where & when it is in the next hour or two - why can't I do that with golf?)
Second-I have to dedicate 4 or 5 hours - when the casual golfer really wants to spend just a couple of hours - yes 9 holes only.
Third - I have to wear special, not always attractive clothes, and try to get my preteen/teens into them too to make it a family outing! Ever tried to get a 10 or 13 year old casual golfing female into golf clothes?! It makes it no fun, and by the time I buy the $40 brand name shorts and $30 shirt, I could have done something else with that time & money.
Fourth - when I get to the course, you make me play with strangers if there aren't four of us and they make me feel like a jerk because I'm a duffer.
Fifth - etc...need I go on?
I love to play golf, love my family, love my free time! However, I didn't play in over 10 years, nor did my spouse, b/c of all the aforementioned items, let alone the "time crunch". When we finally joined Palm Valley country club because we bought a golf rental condo (see it at www.rentthisplace.net/palmdesert.htm ) it took us 3 months to figure out that our membership level meant we didn't have to pay greens fees! When you aren't raised in a CC family you just don't know these things!

by Curtis
It is not just a question of time, but rather the wide range of alternative,enjoyable, less expensive pastimes confronting the golfer with difficult choices. While the sport is gaining popularity, the rate of attrition is ever increasing.
The golf industry needs to further promote the sport and keep the cost within reach of the wider community.

by Bill
The problem isn't time,it's the cost of green fees. People that could afford to play golf now must heat their homes and put gas in their cars to earn money to support and care for their families.

by John Slater
Sorry Chris but it is time. Let's break it down.
1) Getting to golf course. Probably 30 minutes. Playing cheap golf, make it an hour. Mall? Movie Theater? Probably 15.
2) Warming up. Should be 30 minutes, but let's go with 15. No one warms up to go to the mall or the movies.
3) Round. I have yet to experience the "extra hour and half" you mentioned over watching a three hour movie. The last time I played golf, it took 3 hours to play nine holes. Admittedly that is extreme. So let's go with 5 hours, 15 minutes.
4) Let's say this is a responsible family person and they drive right home after the round. Another 30 minutes (or an hour for those not lucky enough to have a muni in their back yard).
That's 6.5 hours,almost 8 for those looking for that sub-$30 round. Does that sound familiar to anyone?
No one hates poor excuses more than I do, but if you like hanging out with the gang after a round, there's only so many 9-hour days you can rack up before the "significant other" starts tapping their feet.

by Tony
Time crunch is a poor excuse. The problem is cost. The cost for a round of Golf in my area is excedding $75.00.In todays economy, most people can't afford to play each week.

by gary slatter
You are right on, there now are too many courses for the number of golfers available, so the poorly run or OVER priced courses are feeling the "pinch". We need to get back to decent courses, realistic service with a smile, real golf experiences on well maintained tracks.
Gary Slatter, Dir of Golf,
Cinnamon Hill Ocean Course

by jjc
Being overcharged, pushed on the course and treated poorly do not lead to an enjoyable golf experience. Many seniors still enjoy the game but unless we know the course and how we will be treated we will take the casino anyday.
Rochester MI