Posted on 07/27/2014 12:02:25 PM PDT by Red in Blue PA
“We are selling drivers in our stores this spring for $99 that were $299 approximately 21 months ago,” Stack said during a conference call with analysts, according to a transcript.
Sales volume for men’s drivers was down 2% in the first quarter, he added, but the average price of those clubs fell 16%.
Analysts largely attribute the weakening golf market to the dwindling number of people playing the sport. The National Golf Foundation estimates that 400,000 U.S. golfers left the game in 2013. According to a survey from the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, the number of individuals who golfed at least once dropped 2.5% year-over-year, the fifth consecutive year that showed a decline.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxbusiness.com ...
Years ago, I concluded that golfing is a form of gambling. You can easily get addicted, for much of the same reasons. A behaviour psychologist might single out the power of “random intermittent positive reinforcement”.
Most of my drives fall short, or hook or slice off course. If there’s a water hazard, I bring out a floating ball. If there’s a sand trap, I know I’ll be using a wedge on my next shot. However, every now and then, I hear that beautiful “thwack” from a drive, and watch it fly gracefully down the fairway. Occasionally, I miss the hazards and the traps. Sometimes, my first putt goes in the hole.
Whenever I get a good shot in, the endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, etc. start pumping; and it feels soooo gooood! I’m on a natural high for the rest of the game — no matter how many balls I lose in the rough. Somehow, I only remember the good shots later; and, like any addict, I’m hooked (much like half my drives).
I was going to say, they seem like a poorly run organization.
Kinda like the plot for “doc Hollywood” or “cars”. I am not saying it’s a bad movie. What I am trying to say is Hollywood Hasn’t had an original idea in 30 years.
CC
I think we need to see video of Obama and Charles Barkley teeing off. Both of their swings suck. You notice not much attention is given to the Zero’s swing. In the few times I’ve seen it, it rates along with his pitching skills. He’s just an ugly spaz through and through.
But the huge upswing of popularity also hurt the game as the influx of new players, some of whom never bothered to take any lessons or learn the rules and etiquette, and the long playing times (5 to 6 hours for 18 holes) and difficulty even getting tee times, drove a lot of long time players away out of frustration.
And then when Tiger crashed and burned both professionally and personally, Annika retired and Wie failed to live up to expectations, and people found it wasn’t as easy as the pros make it appear on TV and it had lost the “cool factor”, a lot of those newcomers lost interest.
Yes, I’m sure the economy factors into the equation as well.
I stopped playing around 2006 mostly because of lower back issues and then a gain of more weight than I’m comfortable carrying. Of course being unemployed between 2009 and 2010 also had a lot to do with it.
But I’m working out and losing weight and have been thinking recently of dusting off my clubs and at least going to the driving range and playing a round or two in the fall, see how my back tolerates it and perhaps playing more regularly.
BTW - Dicks is a terrible place to buy golf equipment, has been for years.
I quit golfing when it hit a buck a hole... $$$
Obama’s reverse Midas Touch strikes again.
DISC GOLF, it is the BEST SPORT you nEVER heard of.
NO GREEN FEES. NO CARTS. EVERY ONE WELCOME. HAVE FUN.
There are courses near you. There are courses all over the United States, and around the World.
The only COST is the discs, and they average around $15.
It is ALWAYS FUN. Weather is no obstacle. I have played in two feet of snow, 45 mph wind gusts, and in the rain. We even play at night. (YES, we have discs that glow in the dark)
Here is a photo montage slide show of me and my friends playing high above Downtown KC, with AC/DC THUNDERSTRUCK as the music background.
Disc Golf Funday Sunday @ Water Works
Best way to find a course is:
how many golf balls does it take to fill a bunker?
Obama knows..
How come he never plays a Trump course?
If you’re going to run a sporting goods store, don’t be a Dick(s).
Golf is expensive and time consuming. It takes a great deal of practice to become good and remain so. In order to get good you must play three times a week. The cheapest courses are $40 minimum a round. That is $520 per month. The cost of a new car payment. When people are not doing well, golf is dropped first.
Listening to business news it seems the Internet is slowly but surely taking whatever business there is away from brick and mortar stores. So it seems you would not be alone in that assessment.
I myself buy the majority of sports equipment and clothing from Dick's via the Internet. And I can return/exchange at the store no problem.
Way better to watch on TV than Soccer.:)
I pack a slingshot in my bag in case I run into the “5 practice swings before every shot “ guy.
First thing to go in a depressionary economy are luxuries. An economic lesson my kids have known from age 8 and up because I continually repeat similar lessons.
Golf is one of those luxuries. Guns are in many cases a necessity and at worst, a last chance survival tool.
Whatever Dick’s is thinking with, well....apparently they’ve run “short” on common sense.
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