Posted by: John S Kiernan

It’s a tradition unlike other and the unofficial start of spring for golf fans nationwide. But the beauty of April flowers at Augusta National Golf Club, once a plant nursery, belies the danger lurking for the 94 participants in the 81st Masters Tournament. Plenty of prayers will be made around Amen Corner, to be sure. And we may even see some showers from the eyes of those who overcome and succumb to the pressure alike.

To help get you in the mood for golf’s first major of the year, WalletHub analyzed the Masters from tee to green, collecting interesting fun facts along the way. You can check out our findings in the infographic below, followed by a Q&A with a panel of leading golf experts. Enjoy the action!

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Embed on your website<a href="http://ift.tt/2nOxa9m; <img src="//d2e70e9yced57e.cloudfront.net/wallethub/posts/20523/the-2016-masters-tournament-v5.jpg" width="" height="" alt="The-2016-Masters-Tournament-v5" /> </a> <div style="width:px;font-size:12px;color:#888;">Source: <a href="http://ift.tt/2oBqBnY; Ask the Experts

For an inside-the-ropes report on golf-industry trends, we turned to a panel of leading golf professionals and sports business experts, asking them about everything from the impact of fantasy games on the golf business to who will don the green jacket this year. You can find their bios and responses to the following questions below.

1. Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank?
2. Should communities invest in building or rehabbing golf courses? Why or why not?
3. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days?
4. Fantasy golf seems to be gaining traction – what impact do you think it will have on the sport?
5. Which is your pick for 2017 Masters?

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• Vanessa MacKinnon Associate Professor in the Professional Golf Management Program at California University of Pennsylvania
• Gene Westmoreland Adjunct Professor in the Professional Golf Turf Management School at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Senior Consultant to the Metropolitan Golf Association & Metropolitan Golf Association Foundation
• Katie Lebel Assistant Professor of Sport Management at St. John's University
• Bob Bruns Associate Director of PGA Golf Management at Methodist University
• Adam Scott Assistant Director of the PGA Golf Management Program at Mississippi State University

Vanessa MacKinnon Associate Professor in the Professional Golf Management Program at California University of Pennsylvania Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank? One of the challenges facing golf is the continued misconception that the sport is elitist and expensive. While it is certainly possible to spend an average person’s yearly salary on golf, it is also possible to enjoy golf without breaking the bank. There are numerous opportunities available to learn and enjoy the sport and its many health and social benefits in a fun, unintimidating, and affordable way. For children and teens, opportunities to try the sport abound. One great resource to get youngsters started is The First Tee, which has chapters all over the country and even internationally. The organization is non-profit and runs low-cost golf and life skills programs year-round at schools, parks, and public golf facilities. A similar program just for girls is the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf Program. Many public golf facilities and teaching academies - particularly those affiliated with municipal or local governments - offer low-cost junior golf camps and group lessons during the summer months. Almost all of these programs provide free use of equipment during the lessons and camps for those children who do not have their own. For more experienced junior golfers, the PGA of America recently spearheaded initiatives such as the Drive, Chip, and Putt competition and PGA Junior League golf which offer an affordable entry point into competition for those youngsters seeking to take their games to the next level. Adults looking to take up the game also have a number of affordable options, even in upscale and metropolitan locales. For example, I spent several years teaching at the Everybody Golf School in suburban Washington DC, which offers a multitude of evening and weekend beginning adult group lesson programs. For well under $150 for 6 hours of group instruction (including free loaner clubs), participants are introduced to all the main aspects of the game. Programs such as this are typically well-attended and conducted in a fun and unintimidating environment. The PGA of America has begun encouraging more facilities to incorporate this type of adult programming through its nationwide Get Golf Ready initiative. For those already hooked on the game, there are affordable options to get out on the course. Many counties and municipalities run their own golf courses where players can play 9 holes for less than the cost of a movie at a theatre, and can play 18 for under $30. Some facilities even offer senior, twilight, mid-week, and resident discounts, bringing the cost for 18 holes to under $20, less than the cost of a dinner out! Other affordable options can be local par 3 courses affiliated with driving ranges. Just last week, several of my students played 9 holes at a local par 3 for only $5 each! Shoulder and off-season rates can also be attractive. In Southwest Florida, for example, top-rated courses that cost over $150 to play in the winter months can be accessed for under $30 in the summer. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days? A few of the challenges facing the golf industry today are:

• the continued misconception of golf as elitist and expensive;
• attracting and retaining a greater diversity of participants;
• time!

Hopefully, my previous response has helped to dispel some of the misconceptions about the economic elitism of golf. From the point of view of diversity, I think the golf industry is taking steps in the right direction. The golf industry tends to be quite conservative, and it has unfortunately taken longer for golf to realize the importance of diversification than it did for a lot of other industries. But I think most of the industry’s leadership is now onboard and is doing its best to try to encourage and promote greater diversity. I think a lot of the onus lies with individual golf course managers to ensure a welcoming environment for participants of both genders and all races and to show that discrimination - even if it may not be overt or intentional - will not be tolerated. I think we, as a golf industry, are headed in the right direction and we will see significant improvements over the next few years. Time - or the lack thereof - is arguably the biggest challenge facing the golf industry today. In today’s society, people are experiencing more and more demands on their time. Many of the people who would most like to play golf are busy trying to balance work with a multitude of other commitments such as raising children, taking care of parents, and being active in their communities. Millennials now have a plethora of free and low-cost recreational activities available to them during their very-limited free time. Gone are the days when individuals could spend an entire morning or afternoon on a golf course. Perhaps this is one reason why a recent National Golf Foundation report shows that number of “avid” and “core” golfers in the US has declined over the past few years, but the number of “occasional” golfers has increased slightly. People still want to play golf- they just don’t have the time to play as many rounds as they did before. One solution to the dilemma of time is for golf facilities to continue to promote their 9-hole rates, or to examine ways in which pace of play could be improved. A couple of years ago, the United States Golf Association introduced the Play9 Initiative, designed to raise awareness among the public that playing 9 holes can be a fun way to experience golf without the time demands of a traditional 18-hole round. Many courses around the US have gotten onboard and will be offering their own Play9 days this year, with special discounts and initiatives for golfers to experience just how fun a quick 9 can be. Gene Westmoreland Adjunct Professor in the Professional Golf Turf Management School at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and Senior Consultant to the Metropolitan Golf Association & Metropolitan Golf Association Foundation Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank? Like most sports and hobbies, golf can be expensive but doesn’t have to be. Many public and municipal courses offer twilight rates and other off-hour discounts and on-line bookings can provide some great deals. Excellent used golf clubs are readily available on-line and golf balls can be found inexpensively too. Skip golf carts and take advantage of the relaxed exercise golf offers. Should communities invest in building or rehabbing golf courses? Why or why not? A golf course is a great asset to any community. Even for non-golfers it makes their town a nicer place to live – as long as it doesn’t have a drain on the treasury – and there isn’t a parent that wouldn’t love to see their kids take interest in golf to bring them into contact with people who show respect for themselves and for others. Low cost or free introductory lessons, especially for kids and women, are very important. Golf courses create much desired ‘green space’ and municipalities might consider ways to include other interest groups like birders, Boy/Girl Scouts, community gardens etc. into a golf course plans. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days? To play 18 holes can take 4+ hours so golf has to be marketed to encourage 9 hole, even as little as 3-hole ‘rounds’. Anyone who has played the game knows how difficult the game is. Low cost lessons – while being fair to the professionals, is the important balance. Great practice facilities can provide a golf ‘fix’ for the most avid golfer if designed properly. Interesting full-shot ranges; short game practice area and putting ‘courses’ (not miniature golf) can be great practice, fun and done by the whole family – even under the lights. Fantasy golf seems to be gaining traction – what impact do you think it will have on the sport? I have yet to get caught up in Fantasy Sports but I know they have a big and growing following. No reason why the PGA Tours can’t be great fun for Fantasy Golf Fans. Who is your pick for 2016 Masters? I’ll go with Jordan Spieth to repeat! Katie Lebel Assistant Professor of Sport Management at St. John's University Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank? GolfNow is a great option for golfers looking for a more economical way to get out and play. A number of courses have replicated their format of selling off open tee times at discounted rates on their own websites as well. If you’ve got flexibility in your schedule, this can be a good opportunity to get on some great courses! Should communities invest in building or rehabbing golf courses? Why or why not? This is very contextual. It depends largely on the course and the leadership behind the initiative. I would advise thorough market research before embarking on either option. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days? Accessibility to the game is by far the biggest obstacle facing golf today. There are a number of potential barriers that exist including the costs involved with the game, the time it takes to complete a round, social stereotypes, and the sheer frustration of the sport! I’m very intrigued by some of the new initiatives that are attempting to grow the market. Businesses like Top Golf are gaining traction among a new golf demographic. TaylorMade pitched the idea of a 15” cup in 2014. At first, the thought of this seemed appalling. In practice, it would likely shave a few strokes off of everyone's game and speed things up significantly. If golf is to survive, this is the type of innovation that it will need! In today’s fast paced world, few people can afford to give up the 5+ hours it takes to complete an 18 hole round. Fewer people still have the patience to pay greens fees and cover the costs of equipment to participate in what can often be a highly frustrating endeavor. It is a wonderful game, but it is a difficult game. In order to grow the sport, I think there will need to be better access points for beginners as well as options for faster, more affordable rounds. If you can provide fringe players with good experiences early on in their exposure to the game, there will be a much greater chance to hook them on the sport for life. Fantasy golf seems to be gaining traction – what impact do you think it will have on the sport? The competition on the PGA Tour right now is fantastic. Fantasy golf is a great way to capitalize on the strong caliber of play we are witnessing. It helps audiences to become more familiar with players and gets them tuned in to events. Anything that opens up the game to new audiences and engages them is good for the sport. Who is your pick for 2016 Masters? Jason Day is making the game look easy right now. If he can stay healthy and sharp, I think he has a great shot at adding a green jacket to his collection. Bob Bruns Associate Director of PGA Golf Management at Methodist University Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank? There are lots of options - the average green fee in America is under $30, contrary to popular belief and the way golf is depicted in the mainstream media, most areas have municipal facilities owned and operated by cities, counties or state organizations, offering many affordable options. Also, practice facilities give people a chance to practice at minimal costs. Also, new facilities such as TopGolf can be accessed in metropolitan areas across the country for under $40/person. Should communities invest in building or rehabbing golf courses? Why or why not? Absolutely, just like they should invest in pools, libraries, schools and other amenities they provide for their citizens. Research shows that residents take greater pride in their property and are willing to pay their fair portion of taxes when the amenities they have access to are well maintained. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days? Like so many things, the time we have available is limited today as we get stretched in so many different directions - we need to make choices that fit our lifestyle and the golf industry need to continue to offer new alternatives that don't require 4+ hours. Examples such as shorter courses, 3-6 hole loops rather than 18 holes, and activities for the whole family to engage in, such as parent/child tournaments, Junior Golf Leagues, etc. Fantasy golf seems to be gaining traction – what impact do you think it will have on the sport? I think it gives those who watch the sport a chance to be more engaged from Thursday to Sunday, whether they actually play the game themselves. Who is your pick for 2016 Masters? I'm a die-hard Iowa Hawkeye Fan, so Zach Johnson has to be the first choice; he played well at Bay Hill and the Match Play, so rounding into shape for another run at a Green Jacket! Adam Scott Assistant Director of the PGA Golf Management Program at Mississippi State University Do you have any tips for hitting the links without breaking the bank? Of course! Most golfers assume the weekend premium rate is the only rate. This is not true! Some facilities have reduced rates in the afternoon, especially during the week. Saturday and Sunday morning are high demand playing times, so a golfer can save money if he/she can be flexible and avoid those days. Additionally, services like GolfNow.com and Groupon.com have many discounts through coupons and special offers. Always search the internet for deals on golf courses in your area! Should communities invest in building or rehabbing golf courses? Why or why not? I think it depends on an area’s current situation. What is the strength of the local economy.? Is it growing? Shrinking? Are people relocating to the area? Are there new business developments? New golf courses are rare in today’s golf industry, while redesigns/facelifts are more commonplace. If there is a return on investment, giving a golf course a revamping would be advised over a new project in today’s economy. What are the biggest issues facing the golf these days? Just like with any sport, all of us want to have as much participation as possible so everyone can enjoy this wonderful game. Golf truly is a sport for life! Grandparents, parents, and children all spending time together on the golf course is an incredible thing to witness. It is amazing when you can see a family who plays golf together on a weekly basis. In today’s world of electronics and technology, where else can you spend multiple hours with your friends and family outside doing something you all enjoy? Golf has come a long way in trying to distance itself from the perception of a wealthy and inclusive sport which provides many barriers to start playing. The PGA of America has developed and provided many programs, like Get Golf Ready, which allow for new golfers to come into the game at an affordable price while also reducing the anxiety for an individual trying something new. Furthermore, the PGA and LPGA Tours have done a great job marketing young/attractive stars to appeal to the younger generation. Fantasy golf seems to be gaining traction – what impact do you think it will have on the sport? I have friends who participate in fantasy golf each week. I have done fantasy golf for the four major championships each year, but I do not follow it like many others. Just like other fantasy sports, I think it will increase viewership for events the fantasy participants would have otherwise not watched to see how their “players” are performing that week. Who is your pick for 2016 Masters? I have to go with my namesake, right? Adam Scott has been playing great so I will have to pull for him. I certainly love to see an American player at the top of the leaderboard but ultimately, seeing some of the best players in the hunt on Sunday would be fantastic.

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