Golf is a popular recreation activity for retirees and with many other age groups. Regardless of ability, it is one of those activities where pals can get together to play a round, get some exercise, have lunch and kibitz about their counting accuracy, chips, divots, slices and how many balls have been lost.
Historically, golf was a sport for the privileged that could afford private club memberships, travel the world to play the legendary golf resorts and schmooze with the sports legendary players. However, in the past 50-plus years, the popularity of the game has spread and resulted in the development of numerous new community, executive and championship courses across North America. The once weekend golfer is now an aficionado who hones skills at driving ranges and putting greens, has exchanged the weekly poker game for a round of golf and found the course the ideal place to do business, to pal around with friends and to rub elbows with the communitys movers and shakers. And, they follow the sport and dream of the day they too will tee off where champions play.
Golf is now being enjoyed by a large and diverse population, young and old, men and women, spanning all economic levels. And, the sport is energized with a new breed of celebrity golfer who is young and amiable. Tiger Woods leads the pack and is joined by other greats like O Meara, Mickelson, Singh and Weir, and in womens golf by Sorenstam, Park, Ochoa, Mallon, Kerr, and Hee-Won-Hav. These and other professionals have set new benchmarks for the sport. They have become popular advertising icons, spokespersons for charitable causes, sport fashion trendsetters and they are in touch with the amateur golf enthusiast.
