PART 5: How To Engage Millennial Golfers

This is part 5 of a series of articles written by the GOLF 20/20 Ambassadors highlighting ways for the golf industry to engage with 18 to 34-year-olds and promote the game to millennial golfers. Read the rest of the series.

When getting new people into the game of golf you want to make sure they are having fun before they are really learning in depth about the game. There are some people who will grasp the game of golf after one round because they had so much fun, but there are others who want to really test the water. You need to make the rounds of golf they play fun and enjoyable before they become too serious and aren’t fun for anyone. Clinics need to be fun as well.

A few great ideas that I believe will get young adults to play are:

During Rounds of Golf:

No Rough Play: When playing a round of golf, allow players to get their ball out of the rough and place it in the fairway – or first cut – so they can strike the ball and get used to hitting the ball instead of struggling to get it out of the rough.
Big Hole Tournament: Get a large group of beginner golfers or even higher handicap players and have a big hole tournament. The big hole tournament is a 15” hole on the green. It makes it easy for beginners and higher handicap players to make putts and have fun because a lot more shots can fall with a 15” hole.

The Millennial Generation will come with lower round prices, drink offers, and fun games on course! Attract new golfers #GrowGolf #GolfIs

— NCCGANorthwest (@NCCGANorthwest) July 19, 2014

Clinics:

Ladies Martini Clinic (AGE OF 21+): The PGA of America is trying to reach out to the female demographic and get them more into golf. At the Ladies Martini Night, the ladies will work on hitting full shots while providing a meal and martini’s.
Group Lessons: People in my generation learn from each other a great amount, and we all like to have fun. When trying to get people to learn and engage in an activity like golf – which can be stressful – they need to have fun and learn before getting too serious about the game.

To make the game for of golf more appealing to the millennial generation is to play more games, have fun first, play second. #GolfIs

— NCCGANorthwest (@NCCGANorthwest) July 19, 2014