The PGA Tour takes on the Spanish Population
The PGA states that its core values are “We pursue excellence through continuous improvement. We develop each other. We own it by holding each other accountable. We take thoughtful risks to innovate through experimentation. And we learn from bogeys AND birdies”. Some would say that the PGA has recently taken a good risk to develop itself by opting to include an entire coverage of current PGA Tour events in Spanish. There has been a PGA Latinoamérica product on the market for a long time, but it was not until now, that the PGA Tour decided to bring coverage of their main televised/streamed events to Spanish speakers all over the country.
Golf is a sport of tradition, honor, and respect. Tradition is the main characteristic that jumps out to us. For the longest time, golf (PGA) was divided into several regions. This division made it clear that those in charge of the association wanted to maintain a certain level of exclusivity over the sport and those at the top level of play.
With the merging of the Canadian and Latino-American regions, creating the PGA Americas, the PGA has taken a healthy and important step forward. In addition to the merger, providing Spanish-speaking fans the opportunity to tune into main PGA Tour events in their native tongue, will help bring more viewers to the sport.
Golf is Growing all Around the World
Every day we see more and more people begin to dabble in golf. What better way to bring these new golfers into the sport than catering to them when they sit down and watch it on TV? That’s why providing professional golf coverage in Spanish, is such a great move. From range junkies to new course goers, golf is quickly becoming a sport many people can enjoy. The entry prices for sets of clubs have gone down, with decently priced options from renowned brands providing good to great performance on the course; all without breaking the bank.
Golf becoming more accessible to new players also makes it necessary for courses to make playing a little more attractive. Paying more than $45-$60 a round just to play, and having to spend $20-$40 on top of that for balls is a very steep entry point for new players. We all know that starting golf means a couple of things. First of all, you will slice and top more than a handful of times, so having a good amount of balls when you are starting is a must! Secondly, all those balls you slice and top will most likely end up wet or somewhere in the woods. These are just inevitable truths.
So, how do we make this great game more accessible and enjoyable for those that are rather new to it? You bring course and ball prices down, and you create easier courses. This will probably incentivize new players to play more often and eventually get that itch to play harder ones as they improve in skill level. Eventually, they will pay more money for better quality balls and clubs, as well as memberships. I believe there is money to be made by companies at all levels of the sport, so providing better entry-level options could be of much benefit to all.
Why is Golf Becoming so Popular?
The uniqueness of this sport, where you can play against each other or yourself, makes it very attractive to play. Unlike soccer, football, tennis, volleyball, and basketball (just to name a few), golf is great because you can do it all by yourself and still compete to beat your record and competitors. There is nothing quite like going out in the early morning and playing a round all by yourself. You get to have a conversation with your thoughts, fighting frustration and excitement throughout the round. You do not have to rely on teamwork to arrive at your score, and the success of your round relies solely on your skills, mental and emotional fortitude, and physical stamina.
As more people find themselves sitting or working from home, or just alone, golf offers a chance to work for something. The reward? The ever so exhilarating feeling of hitting a golf ball pure and seeing it sore across the field down the desired path. That sound that you hear when the ball is struck perfectly well, can not be replicated. It’s a constant reminder that the sport of golf will challenge you to strive for improvement.
These are just a few of the reasons why golf is catching on, acquiring new players around the world, and increasing in popularity.
Who is Leading the Golf Industry?
Another important reason is YouTube. The younger generation is no longer focused on TV or broadcast television. They empathize and enjoy watching young, talented creators such as “Rick Shiels Golf”, “Good Good”, “Bob Does Sports”, “Micah Morris Golf”, “Grant Horvat Golf”, and “BustaJack Golf”. These creators are taking over the golf industry, harnessing millions of views a day on their videos. When new player searches for golf content on YouTube, these are probably the top creators they see.
All of these creators are constantly pushing out new golf content to consume, which draws the attention of millions, making the sport more interesting and lively. This, in turn, brings “newbies” closer to purchasing a cheap set and hitting their local range to learn how to play. All these small content creators, using Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to garner views, are paving the way for these newcomers to try out the sport and continue the spread of its unique satisfaction.