It’s not often you find yourself among the creme de la creme of the world golf industry. At the HSBC Golf Business Forum at Abu Dhabi, golf’s top business names got together to debate the future of the sport, the funds it needs, the technology that’s changing golf and the passions that run at the heart of it.
The back drop of the Arabian ranches, the turnaround of the middle east region into a golf oasis and the promise of the eastern markets of China, India, Korea and Japan – all makes for fascinating conversation, some exciting numbers and plenty of outlook. Three key ideas kept us all occupied about 2014. A growing middle class; economic development in parallel with demand for golf in new and emerging markets and growing female participation.
As given, the Chinese market is driving golfers there, much ahead of India where the government has remained conspicuous by not spearheading a golf revolution. Some of the central challenges to India’s golf growth story remain the acquisition of fragmented land parcels to build a course. Additionally the Indian golf market remains small at no more than 50,000 really active golfers. This has led to a situation where equipment makers too are finding it a struggle to sell enough golf sets as Indians are known for not upgrading equipment often. Worse, they depend on friends to bring the latest stuff from overseas for them.
One of the most exciting sessions was about how to engage the youth in the game. Given how the youngsters – digital demographics shall we say- lie somewhere in the 24-35 years of age, is there a way to encourage them to play golf and enjoy it too.
Among the challenges highlighted were the industry’s lethargy towards new and innovation technologies. In that sense the next few years are critical. How can golf gain momentum by making golf ‘cool’ for the next generation keeping alive its traditional values and style.
Can golf live up to the expectations of the need for speed, the shortage of time, the desire for access and new formats of the game? No one yet has all the answers but surely it’s a work in progress.
