Steve Mona has done just about everything imaginable in golf, from organizing tournaments to running halls of fame. In 2008, he became CEO of the World Golf Foundation. In that role, besides presiding over the World Golf Hall of Fame in St. Augustine, Fla., Mona is organizing an effort by golf’s primary caretakers to grow the game. The LPGA, Masters, PGA of America, PGA Tour and U.S. Golf Association have been meeting since April to create a plan to make the game more inclusive at a time when participation numbers have been declining. Each of these groups has tried individually in the past, but this year marks their most concerted effort to promote one message. Mona, 57, is the key force behind organizing the initiative.
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We have to ensure that golf as an activity fits into America’s changing lifestyle. We have to make golf welcoming.”
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Photo by: WORLD GOLF FOUNDATION
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On why golf needs a more organized message: For a long time, we’ve had so many initiatives to grow the game, but there has generally not been complete coordination around those initiatives. So what ends up happening is you get a bit of diffusion and confusion, and they end up being not as successful as they could be. … We’ve been meeting [mostly at golf’s majors] since April to determine what broad industry initiatives are the most important to the future of the game — and how will we collectively support those initiatives.
On targeting specific demos: Women represent 50 percent of society but only about 20 percent of the golf industry. If we’re going to look like America looks, which is one of our goals … well, we certainly don’t look like that. In the area of minorities, Hispanic, Asian, African-Americans, they together represent 37 percent of the population and growing, but they’re only 21 percent of the golf industry. … Despite a lot of conversation to the contrary, millennials in golf exactly mirror society, at 25 percent.
On fitting into a changing lifestyle: When you think about staying connected and smaller, quicker bites, golf is not really compatible to that lifestyle. People aren’t using four- to five-hour segments for leisure activities, so we have to find a way to create golf experiences that are an hour or two. At the same time, people like the traditional experience of playing 18 holes. We have to make sure that experience is protected, but the broader point is adapting the game.
On golf’s perception vs. reality: We want to ensure that the way golf is perceived in public opinion squares with the facts of the game. The perception of golf is that it’s only for a certain segment of society and that it requires substantial resources. The facts are that 80 percent of golf is played on public courses, the median green fee is $28, it’s a sport that employs 2 million people, mostly in everyday types of jobs. Golf supports a sizable segment of society, and it’s people in all ranges of income, but those facts don’t square with perception, and we’ve got to communicate that.
