A matter of numbers

A simple test, if you add up those numbers, what would it give you:
340+500+140+320+160+400+430+290+310+420+510+200+300+370+120+270+180+340
the answer is simple:
- a course in good shape
- a round of golf for 30$
- a round played in 3 hours and 15 minutes

Let's be honest, the world of golf is in a difficult position. Courses are closing especially in the United States, the number of round played are going down and, combined with the uncertain economic future, golf is among troubled waters. Many players quit the game: it takes too much time, it cost too much and the course are not providing enough fun for the money, they are a pain to play.

For those who added up the 18 numbers, the answer is 5600, like would be the numbers for an 18 hole course of 5600 yards.

And if you look at those numbers, there is plenty of distance to interest any level of players. After all, the best players will remain the best players no matter what.

Over the last 20 years, the trend was to built "championship course". In reality most of those courses never hosted a championship, but it was believed that a longer course, of more than 7000 yards, was a better course.
You can tell me you're not playing thoses courses from the back tees at 7000 yards, but from the middle tees at 6100 yards...

But those extra 900 yards that you are not playing:
- it's land that must be bought, rising the cost of the game;
- it's land that must be shaped, rising the cost of the game;
- it's tees and land that must be maintained: rising the cost of the game and preventing the maintenance ressources to be focused onf the proper maintenance of fairways, bunkers and greens.
- it's yards that must be walked by you, adding an extra 20 minutes for the round.

It becomes obvious, especially in the current demographics and in the interest of bringing families, future players in the game, that 5600 yards is the way to go for everyday play... Nobody learn to play baseball in a 50 000 seats MLB-size stadium. The same should be applied to golf, let championship courses have championships and let the every day courses be fun for all.